Home 2023 (Page 6)

Year: 2023

East Village Tavern to Donate $5,000 to East Longmeadow Veterans Memorial Fund

By
Daily News

EAST LONGMEADOW — The East Longmeadow Veterans Memorial Committee is building a memorial located in front of the Pleasant View Senior Center, 328 North Main St., East Longmeadow, to honor all veterans who have served and, in some instances, made the ultimate sacrifice for the U.S. Armed Forces.

On Veterans Day, Saturday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m., the veterans of the East Longmeadow Veterans Memorial Fund and American Legion Post 293 will march from the Legion Post, located at 3 Legion Court, East Longmeadow, to East Longmeadow Town Hall for a wreath-laying ceremony. Immediately following will be a check presentation at East Village Tavern, 53 North Main St., East Longmeadow, where tavern owners Joe, John, and Jessy Sullivan, along with owner Matt Dessereau, will donate $5,000 to the Veterans Memorial Fund.

“This country’s service members have always been an integral part of our businesses, our lives, and our communities,” John Sullivan said. “We’re proud to make this donation, as well as offer a complimentary lunch to all veterans on Saturday, November 11, courtesy of Charlie Arment Trucking.”

MiraVista Launches New Website Resource for HR Professionals

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — MiraVista Behavioral Health Center, which provides inpatient psychiatric care and outpatient substance-use recovery programs, has dedicated a section of its website to assist human-resources professionals in staying current on related services available across the state, as well as having easy access to recently published information on mental health, substance-use treatment, and wellness in the workplace. Click here to visit the page.

The page includes links to government-issued reports such as the U.S. Surgeon General’s “Impact of Not Addressing Mental Health,” the American Psychiatric Assoc. Foundation’s Center for Workplace Mental Health, and Mental Health America’s “2022 Mind the Workplace — Employer Responsibility to Employee Mental Health.”

It lists national, state, and regional crisis helplines and includes access to mental-health-related articles by MiraVista staff members. Links are also provided to local and statewide substance-use treatment resources.

Erica Trudell, MiraVista’s assistant chief Nursing officer, recently spoke to the Human Resources Management Assoc. of Western New England on “Improving Resiliency and Promoting Self-care in the Workplace.” The hour-long presentation covered such points as creating environments in which employees feel comfortable discussing their mental health and are comfortable in providing feedback on workplace mental-health initiatives.

Joel Doolin, executive vice president of MiraVista and its sister, TaraVista Behavioral Health Center in Devens, has addressed how these psychiatric hospitals are important resources in their communities.

In a recent interview, Doolin spoke of MiraVista’s outreach efforts since opening in April 2021 to inform businesses, schools, and parents of resources available at MiraVista and in the community.

“As a leading provider of mental-health and substance-use treatment, MiraVista staff has extensive expertise in these topic areas. We are actively working with partners in our community to make sure those resources are available to anyone who needs them,” he said. “We reach out to workplace professionals through the HR associations in the area or work directly with HR departments. We are a ready and willing partner to support the needs of those who are seeking treatment.”

Kimberley Lee, chief of Creative Strategy and Development at MiraVista, said she hopes the new resource page will prove beneficial as workplaces move to adapt their environments to a post-pandemic world in which the importance of mental healthcare has emerged as a top priority.

“HR professionals work hard to educate themselves on best mental-health and wellness programs to help employees in this post-pandemic world stay healthy, manage work-life balance, and address those issues that are starting to interfere with daily life,” Lee said. “We hope our page will prove beneficial for them, and we are ready to assist, whether through these new online resources or workplace-based presentations.”

The New Estate-tax Law (Finally)

By Contributor
Law

Families Can Save Close to $100,000 Under New Rules

By Hyman G. Darling, Esq.

 

At long last, Massachusetts has passed a law increasing the estate-tax exemption. Under the prior law, if a person died with less than $1 million, there was no estate tax due. However, if they died with more than $1 million, the $1 million exemption basically disappeared, and taxes were due on all assets back to the first dollar. This includes assets such as real estate, stocks, bonds, retirement plans, life insurance, annuities, etc.

Under the new law, the exemption has increased to $2 million, but this is a true exemption. Therefore, if a person dies with less than $2 million, there is no estate tax due. If their estate is greater than $2 million, the tax will be calculated on all assets, but basically, the first $2 million is exempt from tax.

Hyman G. Darling

This does have the effect of taxing all assets at a bit higher rate, but the exemption of $2 million basically applies to a credit. The credit is $99,600, which would have been the tax on the first $2 million. In other words, if a person dies under the new law, and if the estate was greater than $2 million, the family basically saves $99,600, which would have been the tax on the first $2 million. The law is retroactive to any individual who dies on or after Jan. 1, 2023. Therefore, if you are reading this article, you have the benefit of the increased exemption amount.

Under the new law, there is also a provision that attempts to impose an estate tax on out-of-state property, which was not the case under the old law. The new law will allocate the tax and charge only a proportionate share of the estate tax as it applies to the Massachusetts property, but the out-of-state property is included, thus increasing the total of the taxable estate. This probably will be challenged by an individual who has a significant amount of out-of-state property, which would therefore increase their estate tax in Massachusetts. However, it may be some time before the litigation on this matter makes its way through the court system.

For a married couple, they each now have an exemption of $4 million. However, they must use the exemption, or it is otherwise lost. For instance, if one spouse dies, leaving all assets to the surviving spouse, there is no tax because the unlimited marital deduction allows a spouse to receive an unlimited amount of money from the deceased spouse. If this is the case, then the person who died did not use their $2 million exemption, and the assets are then in the surviving spouse’s estate. If that surviving spouse has greater than $2 million, there will be a tax, and only the exemption will be allowable on the second to die.

Therefore, the first spouse should consider establishing a trust with up to $2 million in assets. The trust fund will be available for the surviving spouse, and that spouse may receive income and principal at the discretion of the trustee. At the death of the second spouse, the funds remaining in this trust will pass to the children or other contingent beneficiaries without any estate tax, and the surviving spouse will still have their $2 million exemption available. Thus, they have sheltered $4 million of assets to pass to beneficiaries, which is a significant change over the prior law.

An alternative would be to have $2 million of assets left outright to the children on the death of the first spouse, but then the surviving spouse will not have availability of those assets to use during their lifetime. The use of the trust is more advisable since it is flexible in allowing the surviving spouse to have access to income and principal, but not have those assets taxed in their estate.

An additional benefit of utilization of a trust is that the funds may be held in the trust for the benefit of children until they attain desired ages when they may be more mature to receive their funds for distribution. The funds may also be distributed in intervals such as one-third at age 25, one-third at age 30, and one-third at age 35, with also giving the trustee discretion to utilize funds for the children for their health, maintenance, education, support, etc.

While the increase in the exemption has finally increased, it is still not as desirable as many other states that have either no estate tax or a significantly higher exemption. The federal exemption is currently $12.92 million for each person who dies as a U.S. citizen, but this amount is proposed to be reduced in 2026 to approximately half of this amount unless Congress extends the higher exemption amount.

In any event, this is a good time to review all estate -planning documents to be sure they are up to date, including a will, a healthcare proxy, a power of attorney, and any other estate-planning documents a person may have. Of course, use of the new tax credit should be considered to reduce or eliminate the tax.

 

Hyman Darling, a shareholder at Bacon Wilson and chair of the firm’s Estate Planning and Elder Law department, is recognized as the area’s preeminent estate planner, with extensive experience with all aspects of estate planning, trusts, tax law, probate and estates, guardianships, special-needs trusts and planning, elder law, and long-term care planning, and additional specialties including adoption and real estate; (413) 781-0560.

Changes to Paid Family and Medical Leave Law Require Action

By Contributor
Law

Employers, Take Note

By Amelia J. Holstrom, Esq.

 

The Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law is a relatively new statute that employers have to comply with in the Commonwealth. Under that law, eligible employees can take up to 26 workweeks of job-protected leave each benefit year for various reasons, including leave for their own serious health conditions or the serious health condition of their family members; leave to bond with children after birth, adoption, or placement; and leave for certain military-based reasons.

During any PFML leave, an employee is paid a portion of their regular pay as a PFML benefit. While some Massachusetts employers have a private PFML plan, the majority provide PFML to their employees through the Commonwealth’s Department of Family and Medical Leave.

Recently, two very important changes were announced regarding the PFML law. As a result of those changes, employers need to take action in the coming weeks. Here is what you need to know.

 

The Contribution Rate Is Increasing

Employees (and employers at companies with 25 or more employees) fund the PFML program through contributions deducted from their wages. For employers who provide PFML through the Commonwealth, rather than a private program, the Department of Family and Medical Leave sets the contribution rates annually, and it recently announced that contribution rates will increase in 2024.

“Recently, two very important changes were announced regarding the PFML law. As a result of those changes, employers need to take action in the coming weeks.”

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, the PFML contribution rate for businesses with 25 or more employees is increasing from 0.63% of wages to 0.88%. Of the 0.88%, 0.18% applies to the family-leave portion of the law and may be paid for solely by the employee. The remaining 0.7% is applicable to the medical-leave portion of the law, of which 0.28% may be paid for by the employee, with the remaining 0.42% to be paid for by the employer.

Similarly, the PFML contribution rate for businesses with fewer than 25 employees is increasing from 0.318% to 0.46%. Employers with fewer than 25 employees may require the employee to pay the full 0.46% contribution, or they can pay a portion of the contribution at their option.

Individual contributions are still capped by the federal Social Security taxable maximum. In other words, PFML contributions are not paid by the employee or employer on any income over that maximum. For 2024, that maximum is $168,600.

The increase is not surprising given statistics recently released by the Department of Family and Medical Leave in its FY 2023 Report. The report, which covered July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, indicates that the department approved more than 143,000 applications for PFML in FY 2023, which was a 27.39% increase in approved applications over FY 2022. With more PFML claims receiving approval, the department is paying out more in benefits, which are funded by employer and employee contributions.

 

A New Notice Is Now Required

The change in the contribution rate means that employers need to issue a new PFML notice to employees. Under the law, employers are required to give employees a written notice, which includes information on the contribution rates, among other things, at the time of hire and 30 days in advance of any contribution-rate change.

The new contribution rates will be effective Jan. 1, 2024. As a result, employers must provide notice to their employees no later than Dec. 2, 2023. The Department of Family and Medical Leave issues a model notice for employers to use each year, which will be found on the department’s website once it is released.

 

‘Topping Off’ PFML Payments

Since its inception, the PFML statute prohibited an employee from using company-provided paid time, including but not limited to vacation, personal, and sick time (collectively, PTO) and receiving PFML benefits from the Department of Family and Medical Leave at the same time.

In other words, an employee who chose to use PTO during their PFML leave was not permitted to receive any payment from the state. Employees could not even supplement — frequently referred to as ‘topping off’ — their reduced-PFML benefit using PTO to receive 100% of their pay during their leave. This, however, has recently changed.

Employees who apply to the department for PFML benefits on or after Nov. 1, 2023 will be allowed to supplement their PFML benefits with accrued PTO provided by their employer at their option. This will enable an employee to receive their full pay while on PFML leave, if they choose to do to. It is important to note that employers cannot require an employee to use their company-provided paid time to top off.

Employers with private plans may need to make some changes, too. Prior to Nov. 1, 2023, employers with private plans could choose whether or not to permit employees to top off their reduced PFML benefit by utilizing company-provided PTO. There is no longer a choice. Beginning on Nov. 1, employees working for employers with private plans will also be permitted to utilized company-provided paid time off, at their option, to supplement their PFML benefit to receive their full pay while on leave.

 

What Should Employers Do Next?

Employers should review the Department of Family and Medical Leave website regularly for the new contribution-rate notices and send those out to employees no later than Dec. 2, 2023. Additionally, now that employees have the option to top off their PFML benefits with PTO offered by the employer, employers should review their PFML policies and other related documents to make any necessary changes in light of the new topping-off option.

Employers who have questions about the changes to the law or edits to their policies and related documents should work with their labor and employment counsel to address those questions.

 

Amelia Holstrom is a partner with the Springfield-based law firm Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., with a practice that focuses on litigation avoidance, employment litigation, and labor law and relations; (413) 737-4753.

For Those Struggling with Addiction, There Is Hope

By Contributor
Healthcare News

A Survivor’s Story

By James Basler

 

There have been 1 million drug-overdose deaths in this country since 1999. On March 21, 2018, my brother was one of them.

I am very lucky, at age 46, to not be one of them, as I, too, have overdosed, but survived. My paper route, as I tell people about my life’s journey, has not been an easy one, with jail time for aggressive behavior while under the influence, time wasted in denial about my substance use and mental health, and letting judgment of others keep me from seeking treatment.

However, I did seek treatment, finding success with daily medication to maintain recovery, along with the behavioral-health counseling that goes with it, in my mind, like peanut butter and jelly. I now share my story with others, as many of us have lost family members and friends to drug overdose.

I tell anyone with addiction that if I can maintain recovery — despite a long history of misuse, startovers, and decisions that did not focus on what I needed to do — you can do it, too. You can find the right combination of support to start and sustain recovery.

My substance use dates to weekend drinking as a young adult, and my addiction and recovery are, you might say, a timeline for the public-health emergency that substance use and mental health have become during the last two decades.

My journey has included alcohol, the once widely prescribed pain med Oxycontin that flamed the country’s overdose crisis, heroin, Section 35 court-order treatment, stays in residential recovery programs, and hospital admissions on a voluntary basis for psychiatric treatment.

I got married; fathered three children, whom I see regularly; and learned and accepted that my addiction, the most severe form of substance use, may have started as a form of self-medication in response to mental-health issues and exposure to trauma.

“I tell anyone with addiction that if I can maintain recovery — despite a long history of misuse, startovers, and decisions that did not focus on what I needed to do — you can do it, too. You can find the right combination of support to start and sustain recovery.”

I have been clean for the last five years except for one relapse three years into my sobriety. Anyone in recovery will tell you relapse is part of recovery. Your brain misses the pleasurable feelings drug dependency produces, especially when life’s realities sideline how such dependency can ruin your life altogether.

I live in sober housing and work daily to maintain recovery, as no one ever said recovery is easy, despite its rewards. You need to stay connected to your treatment and supports, and not go it alone.

I take methadone at the MiraVista Behavioral Health Center in Holyoke, and I also do one-one-counseling for my mental health, as well as group sessions. Substance use can contribute to poor mental health, and poor mental health can contribute to substance use. Finding the right medications and getting the right providers in place for both can take time, but are what enable individuals like myself with a substance-use and mental-health diagnosis to lead fulfilling lives in our community and have healthy relationships.

I was oblivious, growing up in Middlesex County during the 1990s, to the dangers and consequences of substance use. I now understand addiction for what it is: a medical condition that needs individualized treatment, and that there is no shame in getting treatment to manage it.

I have survived to 46 thanks to a little luck, as illicit drugs laced with fentanyl, a laboratory-made opioid that is cheap and 100 times more potent than heroin, have become mainly responsible for the majority of overdose deaths at record numbers in this country; much ongoing support from family and friends; and access as well as commitment to medication-assisted recovery like that at MiraVista.

I hope that my story offers hope for recovery to anyone with substance-use and mental-health disorders. Medications can get you into recovery, and the work you do in counseling motivates and helps sustain it.

 

James Basler was born in Melrose and raised in Burlington. He is a resident of Holyoke, the father of three, and a patient of MiraVista Behavioral Health Center’s Opioid Treatment program. He is in his fifth year of successful, sustained recovery. For more information on MiraVista’s treatment and recovery programs, call (413) 701-2600, option 3, or visit www.miravistabhc.care.

Banks Join Forces to Protect Consumers from Pervasive Scams

By
Greenfield Cooperative Bank employees
Banking & Finance

Knowledge Is Power

Greenfield Cooperative Bank employees

Greenfield Cooperative Bank employees actively participated in scam-prevention education during Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

 

$8.8 billion. With a B.

That’s how much money, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers lost in 2022 to phishing scams and other fraud — an increase of more than 65% compared to 2021.

It’s a number leaders at Greenfield Cooperative Bank (GCB) take seriously, which is why it’s participating, for the fourth straight year, in #BanksNeverAskThat, an online campaign by the American Bankers Assoc. in partnership with banks across the U.S. to educate consumers about the persistent threat of phishing scams.

To combat those attacks, the campaign uses attention-grabbing humor and other engaging content to empower consumers to identify bogus bank communications asking for sensitive information like their passwords and Social Security numbers.

“We are proud to join the ABA #BanksNeverAskThat campaign to educate our customers and the community about how to protect themselves from phishing scams,” GCB President and CEO Tony Worden said. Phishing is a serious threat that can compromise your personal and financial information, and we want to help you avoid falling victim to it.”

“Phishing is a serious threat that can compromise your personal and financial information, and we want to help you avoid falling victim to it.”

Among the bank’s messaging to customers, Worden continued, “we never ask you to provide sensitive information like your account number, PIN, password, or Social Security number in an email, text, or phone call. If you receive a suspicious message that claims to be from Greenfield Co-op, do not click on any links, open any attachments, or reply with any information. Instead, contact us directly using the phone number on the back of your card or on our website.”

Considering the uptick in phishing and other scams — and the continued effectiveness of such techniques — the ABA says such messaging is more important than ever.

“By impersonating a bank, a scammer can steal thousands of dollars with just one text message, phone call, or email,” said Paul Benda, senior vice president for Operational Risk and Cybersecurity at ABA, adding that, with the support of individual banks, “the campaign seeks to turn the tables by arming consumers with the information they need to outsmart the scammers and protect their money.”

Throughout Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, Greenfield Cooperative Bank shared consumer tips on social media and highlighted the campaign in its branches with posters and employee T-shirts.

Because cybersecurity education and fraud awareness can often be dull and forgettable to many consumers, the #BanksNeverAskThat campaign is designed to be bright and bold, with a bit of comedy.

Lisa Pandolfi, fraud analyst with Freedom Credit Union

Lisa Pandolfi, fraud analyst with Freedom Credit Union, discusses strategies to avoid financial scams with an audience at Southwick Villages.

“Would you rather give up sugar or salt?” one of the campaign’s social-media posts asks users. “Banks texting you about sweet vs. savory would be just as weird as banks texting you a link to log in, ’cause #BanksNeverAskThat.”

The campaign’s short videos offer similarly ridiculous scenarios like wallpapering a room with cash, roasting marshmallows over a cash fire, and recycling cash on garbage day to remind people they stand to lose real money if they aren’t vigilant.

At banksneveraskthat.com, consumers will find a new, interactive quiz; a video game called Scam City; engaging videos, and tips on how to spot phishing scams. This year, the campaign is also offering a Spanish-language version of the website, bancosnuncapideneso.com, and providing a host of other scam education and consumer resources in Spanish.

 

Targeting the Elderly

Greenfield Cooperative Bank has also reached out to local Councils on Aging with tips on how to spot scams, and for good reason. According to the FBI’s 2022 Elder Fraud Report, Americans over age 60 lost $3.1 billion to fraud in 2022, an increase of 84% from 2021. That’s the highest loss amount reported out of any age group.

To combat that trend, Freedom Credit Union announced it has taken action to help its members and the community at large, particularly the vulnerable senior population, protect themselves. Most recently, those efforts included free educational sessions at senior centers throughout the region, including Agawam, East Longmeadow, West Springfield, and Chicopee.

Freedom’s team also led a fraud-education seminar for Health New England employees in Springfield, as well as at the Senior Health and Safety Expo in Greenfield, sponsored by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office TRIAD Unit.

The next session open to the public is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 20 at noon at the Pleasant View Senior Center, 328 North Main St., East Longmeadow. The seminar is free, and lunch is available for $3. Registration is required by Dec. 19 by calling (413) 525-5436.

“We have long been committed to helping our members and community protect their identities and finances from criminals,” Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch said. “We regularly communicate with our members about new scams and maintain a robust Cyber Security Center with resources for consumers on our website.”

One recent post on that site details the ‘grandparent scam,’ in which a fraudster acquires a consumer’s personal information through various means, such as mining social media or purchasing data from cyber thieves, then uses that information to contact the victim with a deceptive story, claiming to be in a crisis and needing financial assistance, sometimes even spoofing the caller ID to make it seem as though the name and number are coming from a trusted source.

“We have seen firsthand that seniors are especially at-risk targets, so we developed these free educational seminars to help them shore up their defenses,” Welch noted. 

During these public sessions, Freedom’s security experts discuss how some of the most common scams work, red flags to look for, strategies to maintain security, and resources for those who think they may be victims. Older adults are often prime targets for financial cons, as they may have accumulated significant savings and valuable possessions; may not be as technically savvy to online, social, and telephone scams; or may be perceived as easier to confuse and intimidate.

“People are often embarrassed if they fall victim to these crimes, but it can happen to anyone,” Welch added. “Scammers have become increasingly sophisticated in their approaches, which can appear quite legitimate. Education is essential to prevention. The sessions we’ve held so far have been well-attended and popular. They offer an open and safe forum for seniors to talk freely and ask questions.”

Senior centers or community organization wishing to schedule a financial scam-prevention session at their facility can call Lisa Pandolfi, fraud analyst at Freedom Credit Union, at (413) 505-5717.

 

—Joseph Bednar

Area Banquet Facilities Offer Wide Range of Food, Amenities

By Contributor
Ralph Santaniello
Holiday Party Planner

What’s on the Menu?

By Manon L. Mirabelli

Ralph Santaniello

Ralph Santaniello says the Federal fits the bill as an upscale, special-occasion restaurant and also as an affordable, sociable spot.

Monica Guarneri has seen a noticeable trend in party planning — specifically, parties outside the home.

And that’s good for business at Shortstop Bar & Grill in Westfield, where Guarneri is executive chef and co-owner alongside her parents, Nabil and Julie Hannoush.

In the 10 years that facility has been open, she explained, more people are choosing to host parties in public rather than private spaces such as homes and offices, a trend driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. To accommodate that demand, Shortstop offers a newly redecorated, 3,000-square-foot banquet room that can hold 25 to 100 people.

“A lot of people don’t want to worry about having people in their homes,” Guarneri said. “What attracts clients is the ease and comfort of having someone else do the work for them so they can enjoy the party.”

While the space is tastefully appointed, she added, those hosting parties may opt to decorate the room to their liking to create a custom experience. “We are the go-to spot for several business clients. We offer convenience, consistency, and a private atmosphere.”

The holiday season is traditionally a time when employers celebrate their employees’ contributions to a successful business year with festive gatherings, and Western Mass. has no shortage of distinctive venues of all sizes, from the Berkshires to the Pioneer Valley.

One of the most notable local venues is Springfield’s world-renowned Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which has the capability to host events of all sizes, intimate to large-scale.

Chelsea Johnson, manager of internal events for the Hall of Fame, said most businesses begin booking their holiday parties in the summer, and those that return regularly begin planning for the following year immediately after their parties.

“We are the go-to spot for several business clients. We offer convenience, consistency, and a private atmosphere.”

“It’s definitely a unique venue,” she said. “It’s not your standard banquet hall.”

Indeed, it is not. Party planners have a wide range of options, including Center Court, which typically accommodates 500 to 800 guests; the Theater, which holds 100 to 200 people; and the Boardroom and Hall of Honor, both more intimate spaces that can accommodate 50 to 100 guests.

Johnson said the Hall of Fame is an ideal venue for holiday parties because of its proximity to major highways, plenty of free parking, and free on-site valet service, to name just a few reasons.

“We are the premier location for events of any size or type in Western Massachusetts and New England,” she added. “We have more than 80,000 square feet of flexible function space, and each year we host hundreds of local and global corporate meetings, award dinners, private socials, and internationally televised events.”

 

Go West

Party planners seeking a more intimate venue a bit farther west might find the traditional elegance of the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge an ideal location for a quintessential New England holiday experience.

Tim Eustis, director of Sales and Catering, said the storied eatery can accommodate 65 to 120 people and can customize space to suit every party, and companies who hold holiday events at the Red Lion can expect “a warm space, good food and drinks, and excellent service.”

The Red Lion’s Hitchcock Room

The Red Lion’s Hitchcock Room is the historic inn’s most spacious banquet option.

“We’re very good at throwing parties,” he noted. “We have the Hitchcock Room, the main dining room, front and back dining rooms, and part of the lobby.”

One local business-client stalwart for the Red Lion Inn, Eustis said, is the Jane Iredale international cosmetics company, as well as U.S. Rep. Richard Neal’s annual gathering for staff and friends.

“Congressman Neal’s parties are one of our favorites to plan and be a part of,” Eustis said. “They have a great team.”

Back in the Springfield area, the Federal is a historic site in Agawam that has become synonymous with excellence in fine dining.

Owners Ralph Santanielo and Michael Presnal strive to integrate the white-linen elegance of a bygone era with a fresh and innovative, ‘new American’ cuisine. “We rely on strong Italian and French influences to inspire the contemporary culinary style of Chef Presnal in dishes such as his red beet risotto, burnt tangerine glazed cod, and white-chocolate panna cotta” Santaniello said.

One big advantage of hosting a holiday event at the Federal, he added, is that the space is “dressed up as a special-occasion restaurant, but is sociable and affordable enough for every occasion.”

For those who choose to have the Federal cater their events off-site, parties from 15 to 300 can be served from a menu of specialty items.

 

Beyond the Table

Some venues offer more than a meal experience. Not unlike the Basketball Hall of Fame, but on a smaller scale, Shortstop also offers an interactive party experience with indoor batting cages to encourage mingling and hands-on fun.

“The batting cages are a great icebreaker,” Guarnieri said. “They make it easy to make conversation and make the party more interactive.”

Shortstop provides all food and beverages in party packages and may include chef-made desserts, though guests are also welcome to bring in their own desserts.

Speaking of the Hall of Fame, that venue provides local businesses with a one-of-a-kind party facility where guests can enjoy an interactive experience shooting hoops and touring the museum.

Johnson noted that Max’s Downtown is the exclusive caterer for Hall events, ensuring that visitors will enjoy a gourmet dinner experience in addition to a fun venue.

She noted that two of the biggest local companies that utilize the spot for their holiday parties are Advanced Manufacturing in Westfield and the Sarat Ford group, which includes Enfield Ford, Ford of Northampton, and the flagship Sarat Ford Lincoln in Agawam, for a total of more than 250 guests.

Jack Sarat, president of the auto group, said 2022 was the company’s first year at the Hall of Fame, and it was a great choice enjoyed by employees and their families. “Everybody had a great time. The food was excellent, and the venue is excellent. They really did a great job. A lot of people had never been there. It was a lot of fun.”

The Sarat patriarch said the company has used quite a few banquet facilities throughout the years it has been in business, but the Hall of Fame provided one of the most memorable parties.

“Overall, we had such a great time last year. They really sold us, and there was no reason not to go back this year.”

HCC Hosting Cannabis Career and Resource Fair Today

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will host a cannabis career and resource fair today, Nov. 9, at the HCC Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development, where individuals interested in working in the cannabis industry can learn about training programs and talk with employers about jobs.

The fair will run from 4 to 7 p.m. in the PeoplesBank Conference Room on the third floor of the Kittredge Center. It is sponsored by the Cannabis Education Center, a partnership between HCC and Elevate Northeast, and Mass CultivatED, a social-equity ‘jail-to-jobs’ program for the cannabis industry.

The fair is free and open to anyone looking for a job in the cannabis industry, which in Massachusetts is close to surpassing $5 billion in sales since cannabis was legalized in the state in 2016. Among the cannabis companies sending representatives to the fair are INSA, Curaleaf, EZ Hire, GTI, 6 Brick’s, and DMC Cannabis.

To register for the fair, visit hcc.edu/canna-fair.

“Whether you’re a job seeker looking to break or an employer seeking talented individuals, this event is the perfect opportunity to discover a wide range of career options and resources in the cannabis industry,” said Jeffrey Hayden, HCC’s vice president of Business and Community Services.

The Cannabis Education Center will run its next two-day, 12-hour Cannabis Core training program on Dec. 2-3, followed by another session on Feb. 3-4, 2024. To register, visit hcc.edu/cannabis-core.

The Cannabis Education Center is a partnership between HCC and Elevate Northeast and based out of HCC’s Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development. Elevate Northeast is a Massachusetts-based, women-founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit, created to support the Northeast’s cannabis industry through workforce training, education, and advocacy. More information on these and other cannabis-industry programs can be found at cannabiseducationcenter.org or by calling (413) 552-2320.

Skoler Abbott Receives Empowering Women Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a labor and employment law firm serving employers in the Greater Springfield area, has been named to Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s inaugural Empowering Women list.

The award recognizes Skoler Abbott for its strong commitment to hiring and promoting women, providing mentoring and opportunities for professional advancement to women attorneys, and establishing programs and policies to help women attorneys thrive professionally. Skoler Abbott was the only law firm in Western Mass. to receive this honor.

“Skoler Abbott is committed to providing female attorneys with the time, mentorship, and support to promote their success within the firm, to become recognized leaders in the legal profession, and to build meaningful relationships within the community,” said attorney Erica Flores, a partner at the firm. “Three of our five partners are females, all of whom were promoted from within. Our female attorneys have been recognized with a variety of awards, including Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s Top Women of Law. We are incredibly proud of our women attorneys and staff, and we will continue to make the empowerment of women a high priority.”

East Longmeadow Voters Approve Funding for New High School

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Daily News

EAST LONGMEADOW — East Longmeadow residents approved two ballot questions on Tuesday regarding funding for construction of a new high school at 180 Maple St. and a new natatorium/pool at the school.

Funding for the $177 million high-school project ($82 million of which will be reimbursed by the Massachusetts School Building Authority) passed by a margin of 3,577 to 1,617, while the pool question passed 3,219 to 1,948.

Monson Savings Bank’s Community Giving Initiative Is Back

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Daily News

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank (MSB) is inviting the public to submit their votes for the bank’s 2024 Community Giving Initiative.

For more than a decade, MSB has sought the help of community members to plan the bank’s community giving activities. Each year, the bank encourages the public to vote for the nonprofit charitable organizations they would like the bank to support during the coming year. Everyone is welcome to cast their vote online at www.monsonsavings.bank/cgi.

Voters may provide the names of up to three organizations they would like MSB to donate to in 2024. The only requirements are that a nominee is designated a nonprofit and provides services within the bank’s geography. Monson Savings allows each person one vote for three organizations. Voting ends on Sunday, Dec. 31 at 3 p.m.

Monson Savings Bank pledges to support the 10 organizations that receive the highest number of votes. The top 10 vote recipients will be announced by mid-January.

Visitors to the voting page can also view a compiled list of organizations that the bank has supported in years past, as well as previously nominated organizations.

“The Monson Savings Bank team supports thousands of community members each year. By holding the Community Giving Initiative and gathering input from locals, we ensure that the voice of the community is heard and their chosen charitable organizations will be supported,” said Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank. “This tradition is one we look forward to each year. We are incredibly grateful for the public’s feedback and support.”

UMass Dining Brings Flavors of the World to Campus

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Leaders of the team at UMass Dining, from left, Garett DiStefano, Chris Howland, Ken Toong, and Alex Ong.
Cover Story

The Power of Food

Leaders of the team at UMass Dining, from left, Garett DiStefano, Chris Howland, Ken Toong, and Alex Ong.

Leaders of the team at UMass Dining, from left, Garett DiStefano, Chris Howland, Ken Toong, and Alex Ong.

 

Chris Howland says the discussions with the vendor started several weeks ago. And they continued on an almost daily basis right up until the end of last month, covering a variety of issues, from price to delivery strategy.

That’s what it takes to ensure that 15,000 or so lobsters are delivered on time, and are fresh and still kicking, said Howland, director of Procurement, Logistics and Special Projects for Auxiliary Enterprises at UMass Amherst, the parent department for what is now, and has long been, the university’s industry-leading Dining Services.

“It’s quite the process, but we have it down to a science,” he told BusinessWest. “We partner with a vendor in Boston that we source a lot of our seafood from. We’re really comfortable with them and confident that they can supply us with these lobsters in time; they get their final order at 4 a.m., they drive it up here in two tractor trailers, and deliver to all four dining commons by 10. So these are going to be some of the freshest lobsters you’re ever going to see — it’s from the sea to the table, essentially.”

The lobsters are now the centerpiece, but certainly not the only piece, of ‘All Treats, No Tricks’ steak and lobster night, a coveted Halloween tradition at UMass Amherst for nearly 25 years now. It is easily the most anticipated day on campus, food-wise, one that draws not only the students but a few hundred parents, who smartly choose that day for a visit.

There are also, as the name suggests, steaks, Halloween costumes, pumpkin-carving contests, roving magicians, and other entertainment that make this a special night indeed. In fact, when COVID got in the way of things in the fall of 2021, when there only 1,500 students on campus, special arrangements were made for the senior class to enjoy steak and lobster in the spring, so they wouldn’t miss out.

“The days of saying ‘we’re going to serve a banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich, and put a baguette out there, some mayo, put some ham in there, and call it a banh mi’ … those days are gone; you’ll never get away with it.”

Fittingly, steak and lobster night was the door by which Howland and other leaders at UMass Dining began to answer the question posed by BusinessWest — ‘just how important is food on a college campus, and especially this campus?’

Using two words, because that’s all he needed, Garett DiStefano, director of Dining Services, said simply, “it’s huge.”

Elaborating, he said that, beyond the obvious — sustenance and nutrition — food is a connector; it connects students to family, tradition, holidays, their home countries, and more. Meanwhile, food contributes to performance — not just athletic performance, but mental acuity, he noted, as well as mental health, comfort, and a sense of belonging on a campus with 25,000 students.

Overall, food can greatly impact the student experience — at a time when enrollment is an issue for many schools — thus making it easier to attract and retain students, he went on.

Ken Toong, executive director of Auxiliary Enterprises, agreed.

“Food on a college campus is more important than ever before,” he said, noting that a survey revealed that 70% of the students who chose UMass said food was a factor in their decision, and 83% said food contributed positively to their overall experience at the school.

But — and this is a big but — food can only do all that if it tastes good and it’s authentic (that’s a word you’ll read many times in this article), said Toong, adding that these are just two of the ingredients, and there are many, that go into whether a school’s dining services are considered successful, let alone the top-rated program in the country according to the Princeton Review, which UMass Amherst has been for seven years running now — eight if you count 2021, when the competition was altered somewhat because of COVID.

Other factors include everything from sourcing and buying local to technology, such as an app that not only tells students what’s on the menu, but the ingredients being used (vital information at a time when so many have food allergies); from sustainability and impressively low amounts of food waste\ to globally inspired cuisine — 36% of the students at UMass are international.

But maybe the biggest ingredient, said DiStefano, is the ability to listen to what the students, who deliver feedback in a candid fashion, are saying, and respond in ways that perpetuate and build upon what he called a “culture of excellence” driven by the large and diverse team at UMass Dining.

For this issue, BusinessWest talked at length with several members of that team, not so much about all the awards they’ve won, although that’s part of it, but what goes into those awards, and how all those ingredients are embedded into the culture of what can only be called an institution on the campus.

 

On a Roll

When asked for his definition of ‘authentic,’ Alex Ong, director of Culinary Excellence at UMass Dining, broke into a smile, indicating that he enjoys answering that question.

He started by saying the university boasts students from across the country and around the world. When an operation like UMass Dining puts dishes from different regions and different countries on the menu, students from those places know what’s real and what isn’t, Ong explained, adding, with some conviction in his voice, that the team he leads can’t, and won’t, even try to present anything approaching a reasonable facsimile.

“The days of saying ‘we’re going to serve a banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich, and put a baguette out there, some mayo, put some ham in there, and call it a banh mi’ … those days are gone; you’ll never get away with it,” he said. “If you say it’s a banh mi, it better be a banh mi, starting with the bread — it has to be a Vietnamese-style roll, and it has to be toasted, so when you’re done, all you have on your shirt are tiny little crumbs.”

DiStefano agreed. “We have students from all around the world who know what a real banh mi is or what a particular dish from Northern China should look like and taste like,” he said. “And they’re going to hold us accountable. Chef Alex and his team are very critical and make sure that what you see is what you get and it’s 100% true to form.”

This dedication to authenticity is critically important at a time when more than a third of the students are international and that number continues to edge higher, said DiStefano, noting that the school is seeing more students from Southeast Asia and some of the Latin countries, among other spots on the globe. And they are among the 32 ‘student ambassadors’ that meet with the team at UMass Dining every three weeks to provide feedback and help shape the menus for the weeks and months to come.

These ambassadors, and students in general, can be (and usually are) brutally honest, said Ong, adding that this candid feedback helps drive continuous improvement.

“Sometimes, we walk out of the ambassadors meeting and say, ‘we just got rolled,’” he told BusinessWest. “But we know that we have to pick up the pieces and start rebuilding and stay true to our mission.”

Dedication to authenticity, as well as the ability to listen and respond to the ambassadors and the rest of the student body through a number of feedback channels has enabled UMass Dining to do something difficult — soar to the top of the Princeton Review’s ‘Best Campus Food’ List — and then do something even more difficult: establish seemingly permanent residency there.

In doing so, the school has bested an intriguing mix of public and mostly private schools. Indeed, the top 10 in the 2023 rankings includes an Ivy League school, Cornell; some prestigious private institutions such as Bowdoin and Vanderbilt; and a few other public schools, including Virginia Tech and Kansas State.

There are many other schools that have cracked the top 25 in recent years, said DiStefano, and many of them — as well as institutions that would like to earn such a ranking — have sent delegations, some of them quite large, to UMass Amherst to watch and learn from the team that has set the standard. For example, a large contingency from Williams College recently came for a comprehensive, day-long training exercise.

“The trips are informative, but it’s also about building connections and building relationships, and it’s very important for us to do that. And in many cases, it can humble you — they’re doing a phenomenal job, too, so you want to learn and see how you can do better.”

Meanwhile, the UMass Dining team visits other schools on a fairly regular basis, understanding that to achieve and sustain excellence requires continuous learning and adopting best practices.

“We’ve been to UCLA, Berkeley, Yale, the Ohio State, and many others,” he said. “The trips are informative, but it’s also about building connections and building relationships, and it’s very important for us to do that. And in many cases, it can humble you — they’re doing a phenomenal job, too, so you want to learn and see how you can do better.”

 

Food for Thought

As he and the others talked about what makes the UMass program successful, and able to stay at the top of the rankings, DiStefano said the biggest ingredients are teamwork and commitment to excellence and the many constituencies fed by UMass Dining, and especially the students.

“You have to serve quality food, authentic food, every day, consistently — it’s as simple as that,” he explained. “The power of the chef is more important than anything, and Chef Alex and the culinary team here are what makes the engine go every single day.

“You have a consistent group of staff here who truly care about the students and the student population,” he went on. “You have a reflexive staff who are some of the diverse group of people we have — we have 23 different languages that are spoken in our dining commons, and 60% of our staff are first-generation residents, so they bring a wonderful flair of authenticity and passion for the university as well as the food they serve, and that reflects our culture.”

Ong agreed. “We empower our staff to tell a story through food because they represent the United Nations of different ethnicities that we serve; they bring a lot of authentic flavors and share them with our students.”

But, as noted earlier, there are many factors that play into a successful program beyond delicious, authentic food, said Toong, listing everything from efforts to reduce waste to initiatives to buy local whenever possible, to efforts to utilize technology and research to further enhance the student experience — and even academic performance.

He said the program uses cell-phone communication and dining apps to not only tell the UMass Dining story, but also gather information from students. There are also ordering kiosks to help shorten the lines in the dining commons, as well as collaborative efforts with the School of Nutrition on studies to determine how diet and academic performance might be related.

Students find plenty of healthy, authentic choices at the Worcester Commons

Students find plenty of healthy, authentic choices at the Worcester Commons, one of four dining commons on the UMass Amherst campus.
(Photo by Chuck Choi Photography)

“We’re looking at things like what foods might help someone perform better before a test or feel less anxious,” said DiStefano, adding that the department doesn’t simply measure such things — it also incorporates what is found into the dietary plan.

“And that’s where the power of the chef comes into play,” he said. “I can say, ‘eating more beans is going to be great for you,’ but it must taste good for the student to actually want to do it. That’s where the magic happens, and that’s where we start to really see change in diet behavior.”

With that, he referenced the vegetarian/vegan area in the Worcester Dining Commons. “I eat there pretty much every day, not because I’m a vegetarian or a vegan, but because the flavors are really good; there’s something about spinach cooked perfectly.”

Meanwhile, UMass Dining supports a number of local farms and orchards, including the UMass Student Farm, a 20-acre, certified, organic vegetable farm in nearby Sunderland that grows a variety of crops, including tomatoes, cucumbers, kale, broccoli, lettuce, and more.

“It’s a great program, they’re doing very well, and we certainly like to support them because it’s a quality product,” DiStefano said. “And it will help sustain the program for the future years.”

As for food waste, UMass Dining has a 6% rate of waste, while the average restaurant might have a 16% rate and a grocery store 35%.

Beyond the food, the technology, and the research, though, UMass Dining has put the accent on tradition, said those we spoke with. And steak and lobster night is just one of many.

Indeed, UMass Dining has put together programs for Vietnamese students, a special meal during Ramadan at 3 a.m. that drew more than 300 students, a traditional seder during Passover, and a program for Lunar New Year.

“For Lunar New Year, you may not be able to be with your family, but you can still celebrate it,” DiStefano said. “The same with Diwali [the Hindu festival of lights]; students here can get dressed up in traditional garb and celebrate Diwali with their friends here at UMass. These are just more examples of the incredible importance of food; we’re creating these experiences and building a community.”

 

Tall Tails

Getting back to steak and lobster night, Howland said that seafood vendor in Boston was probably getting tired of hearing from him as Halloween neared.

But there was far too much at stake (and steak) to leave any detail to chance for this all-important tradition.

Indeed, as he monitored social media in the days leading up to the big night, he grasped the importance of the event to not only students, but many of their parents as well.

“Our parents of students have their own Facebook group, and every parent was talking about the steak and lobster dinner,” he recalled, noting that he didn’t really need any reminders.

Such is the power of food on this college campus — and the growing legend of UMass Dining.

Law Marketing, Now Essential, Continues to Evolve

By
Law Special Coverage

Getting Their Message Across

Seth Stratton wasn’t belittling what he does. He was just stating what most would consider the obvious — “business law isn’t what you would call sexy.”

Usually.

Indeed, when the state Supreme Judicial Court overturns a $3.5 million settlement awarded to a couple living next to a golf course after 651 stray golf balls hit their property, frightening their young child and forcing them to confine themselves indoors for fear of injury — which it did almost a year ago — that’s business law that tumbles into the ‘sexy’ category. (The case became front-page news in the Boston Globe and other large daily publications.)

Understanding this, and also understanding that his firm, East Longmeadow-based Fitzgerald Law, P.C., has a few golf courses in its portfolio of business clients and would like to add more, Stratton posted this item on LinkedIn:

“Interesting SJC decision worth noting in the context of golf course neighboring residential developments. In essence, the SJC overturned a $3.5 million verdict in favor of the neighboring homeowners on the basis that the jury needed to consider the reasonableness standard in connection with an easement for the ‘reasonable and efficient’ operation of a golf course. Always a good sign when courts emphasize reasonableness in trial decisions.”

He then attached a link to a Mass Lawyers Weekly article on the case.

While the post falls into the category of education, it can also be considered marketing and building brand awareness, said Stratton, adding that the item speaks to how the marketing and advertising of legal services, something first permitted 46 years ago, has certainly changed over that time, even over the past 10 years or so, and certainly since the days when the yellow pages, and especially the back page of the phone book, were at the top of the list of options for many firms and sole practitioners.

“We’re not trained for this; they didn’t teach it when I was in law school. In fact, it was the opposite — they were teaching you how to be thoughtful about what you do, while marketing is sort of shouting from the rooftops, ‘we’re greater than sliced bread.’ And they still don’t teach it now.”

“That post took me five minutes to prepare and share,” he told BusinessWest. “Twenty years ago, firms would spend hours on a client alert, color, printing, and mass mailing.”

With that, he explained how a LinkedIn post can reach a large audience quickly, efficiently, and at minimum expense, and how social media has become a larger force in an equation that has many components — and questions to be answered.

Indeed, there are many aspects to be considered with marketing, said Tim Mulhern, a partner with the Springfield-based firm Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin, noting, as others we spoke with did, that marketing isn’t something law students typically study.

Amy Royal

Amy Royal says the importance of law marketing continues to grow, as does the number of options for law firms to consider.

“We’re not trained for this; they didn’t teach it when I was in law school. In fact, it was the opposite — they were teaching you how to be thoughtful about what you do, while marketing is sort of shouting from the rooftops, ‘we’re greater than sliced bread,’” he said. “And they still don’t teach it now.”

So lawyers and firms have had to learn as they go, he said, adding that there is much to learn as the methods for getting a message across have evolved. Meanwhile, firms have to decide if they want to do it themselves — many have marketing committees comprised of lawyers — or hire a marketing director or an outside PR firm, an expensive step (one that didn’t have to be taken years ago), which many of them have taken.

And the job descriptions for these marketing directors have certainly changed as the times have.

“When I began my career in legal marketing in 1995, law firms were just starting to introduce websites as a tool to differentiate themselves from the competition,” said Jennifer Jacque, head of Marketing and Business Development for Springfield-based Bulkley Richardson. “Responsibilities of marketing professionals in law firms were limited to tasks such as writing bios and planning events. Since then, law firms have expanded their core portfolio of marketing services to include branding, public relations, advertising, social media, digital marketing, market research, communications, accolades and awards submissions, and more.”

Meanwhile, the importance of marketing and building brand awareness has grown steadily, said Raipher Pellegrino, managing partner of Springfield-based Raipher, P.C., which specializes in personal injury, medical malpractice, and related fields. He cited several reasons why.

Competition is one of them, he said, noting that firms in this market now compete against regional and national giants that open small offices in markets like this one — and they have for some time now. More recently, there is increased competition from firms from Boston and other large markets who can take advantage of shifts brought on from COVID — especially Zoom calls with clients and Zoom court hearings instead of the in-person variety of both — to take cases in this market that previously would have been prohibitive.

These same shifts bring down the cost of client representation, Pellegrino went on, making it possible for a potential client to hire a firm in a larger market that might previously have been out of their price range (more on this later).

All of this points to the importance of marketing and business development and the need for firms to stay on the cutting edge, said those we spoke with — whatever that might be.

 

Case in Point

As he talked about marketing and the many changes that have come to the profession and the legal landscape, if you will, in Western Mass., Mulhern noted that, among other things, the names of many of the firms are shorter — in some cases, much shorter.

“Years ago, if you added a new partner, you added their name to the firm,” he said, noting that some firms had six, eight, or even more names on the letterhead and sign over the door.

Shorter names are, for the most part, a function of marketing and branding, he said, adding that there are myriad other parts of this equation, from a strong web presence to involvement in the community, such as with his firm’s charitable foundation.

Indeed, as Jacque noted, marketing and business development covers areas ranging from PR to submitting nominations for the many ‘best of’ awards that lawyers can put on their résumés, the press releases for which start flooding the inboxes of media outlets each fall, when the announcements are made.

The world of law marketing changed dramatically in June 1977, when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Bates v. State Bar of Arizona, essentially striking down prohibitions against advertising by attorneys.

Tim Mulhern

Tim Mulhern says that, while law marketing has certainly evolved, word-of-mouth referrals are still effective.

Until then, marketing was a function of signage on a building or office door, networking — everything from joining the Rotary Club to being active with the local chamber of commerce — and word-of-mouth referrals, all of which, and especially the last two, are still very important pieces of the puzzle and perhaps the most important, said those we spoke with.

Indeed, Stratton said he and other lawyers at Fitzgerald are very visible, attending a number of business functions (the recent Developers Conference in Springfield is a good example) and fundraisers for area nonprofits. Meanwhile, word of mouth has long been perhaps the most effective way to build a book of business.

“Word of mouth has always been important,” said Mulhern, who specializes in business organizations, estate planning, and real estate. “My favorite way to get a new client is to have another lawyer say, ‘Tim knows how to do this stuff.’”

But while advertising was frowned upon by many in the business for years after the 1977 ruling, the many aspects of marketing and brand building have become more accepted and increasingly important over the years, for those reasons mentioned earlier. The questions have always concerned how to market.

And the answer usually depends on what type of law one specializes in and what audiences they are trying to reach.

“Marketing of law firms comes down to messaging — and then targeting who you want to be receiving this message,” said Jacque, noting that the work of targeting takes many forms and involves different mediums.

Amy Royal, founding partner of the Springfield-based Royal Law Firm, agreed, noting that her firm, which represents and counsels businesses on all aspects of labor and employment law, focuses on that specific audience.

That’s why she never took out ads in the yellow pages — she was solicited annually but always said no — and instead focused on business publications like this one.

“We’ve also expanded over the years into the digital space — and while we don’t do advertising, we do brand awareness on social media,” she said, adding that some firms have gone to platforms ranging from Facebook to Instagram and even TikTok to get their message out with videos, articles, links to reports on recent rulings, and more. Doing so enables them to reach large audiences inexpensively.

“Now, in order to be competitive, you have to advertise in some form. But you have to figure out what works for you.”

Meanwhile, the firm’s web page has become a valuable asset, especially since the start of the pandemic, for introducing people to the firm and its lawyers, and also disseminating information through a blog, articles, and links to articles, such as the ones Royal’s attorneys write regularly for BusinessWest.

 

Weighing the Facts

Overall, Royal said law firms often need to use several vehicles, including traditional forms of media, depending, again, on the audience they want to reach and the messages they want to send.

Pellegrino, who uses billboards, television, print, and other mediums, agreed, but added that, for many lawyers, especially those who specialize in different areas, targeting specific audiences can be more challenging.

“Now, in order to be competitive, you have to advertise in some form,” he told BusinessWest. “But you have to figure out what works for you; it’s a very difficult business to advertise in. If you were selling engagement rings, you’d target the 19- to 30-year-old audience. But who gets in accidents? What type of clientele are you targeting? Personal injury is a very difficult business to advertise.”

Meanwhile, measuring return on investment from whatever forms of marketing are used is more difficult with legal services than other products or services, Pellegrino went on.

“There’s no guarantee of what you’re going to get in return,” he said, adding that, while it’s like this for all industries, it’s especially true with the law and especially personal-injury law, where the goal is to get the higher-end cases with bigger returns.

Despite these challenges, he said marketing is ever-more important because the level of competition continues to increase, with regional and national firms specializing in personal injury moving into this market — and making their presence known.

And the advent of virtual hearings and client meetings enables firms in other markets to woo clients in the 413.

“Before, the Boston lawyers didn’t want to take cases in Western Mass.,” he said. “But now they do because they can do a lot of the hearings by Zoom, so they don’t have to drive out here; it’s more cost-effective, and it’s really good for the consumer. And it means that it’s more important to advertise.”

Stratton agreed, noting that, overall, success in this industry is about forging relationships and continually strengthening those relationships. This is accomplished by staying visible and front of mind — in every way imaginable, be it by attending functions, being active in the community, writing articles to be published in BusinessWest, or, yes, sending links to articles on developments and cases like the one involving that couple living just off the golf course.

Doing so helps show that, while business law isn’t sexy — usually — it’s important, especially to those in business.

Legal advertising usually isn’t sexy, either, but it’s equally important, and while the landscape has changed dramatically since June 1977, and even over the past five years, the basic mission remains the same — to build a brand and put one’s best foot forward.

Country Bank Creates Strategies to Build Its Brand, Enter New Markets

By
Banking and Financial Services Special Coverage

Signs of Progress

Country Bank’s display at Polar Park in Worcester has given many businesses what Paul Scully calls “sign envy.”

Paul Scully didn’t want to say how much Country Bank has invested in that 60-foot-long sign that sits atop what is known as the Worcester Wall at Polar Park (that facility’s version of Fenway’s Green Monster), easily the most visible manifestation of the bank’s partnership with the WooSox.

Instead, he offered a gracious “you can ask…”

But he certainly did want to say that he considers the overall investment in this sponsorship, and especially that sign, well worth it.

Indeed, it is certainly an attention getter, at all times but especially at night — it’s one of the few illuminated signs at the home of the WooSox and the second-largest after the one for the beverage company that bought naming rights.

Scully told BusinessWest that he has talked with a number of business owners in Worcester, Springfield, and in between who are suffering from what he called “sign envy.” Meanwhile, upon introducing himself at various occasions, he said he’s been greeted with the response “that’s the bank with the big sign at Polar Park.”

So the display is doing what is was designed to do, although fully leveraging it and other aspects of the partnership with the WooSox is an ongoing learning experience in a different kind of branding exercise (more on that later). And it’s merely one of many signs of progress, growth, and expansion — figuratively but also quite literally — at the Ware-based institution.

Another would be the bank’s business center on the 17th floor of Tower Square in downtown Springfield, opened in 2022. There’s only a small sign at the office, but the facility gives the bank a much larger presence at this end of Hampden County. Meanwhile, Country is adding some new products, including a WooSox debit card, and it recently completed a comprehensive digital upgrade on both its consumer and business banking platforms.

Still another sign, this one not of the visible variety, is the bank’s resiliency during what has been a challenging year for all financial institutions amid skyrocketing interest rates and a sagging housing market, due in large part to those soaring interest rates, but other factors as well.

Overall, Scully said Country Bank remains in a growth mode and, like other institutions, understands the value of size to continued success. The bank is looking at where to bring its brand next, he said, adding that there are many opportunities within its current footprint between Springfield and Worcester and perhaps beyond.

And there are, obviously, many factors to consider when it comes to where to go, when, and in what fashion.

Indeed, the 3,000-square-foot branch with a few drive-up lanes is largely a thing of the past, he said, adding quickly that while customers, and especially the younger generations, have fewer reasons than ever to visit a branch, they still serve a purpose. Actually, several of them.

“What we continue to look at are smaller footprints that will provide several things; getting your name on a building or a storefront is a form of marketing and the ability to get our name and our brand out there,” he said, adding that the bank’s broad strategy will be to maximize both brick-and-mortar facilities and digital banking platforms — often at the same address.

The team at Country Bank’s business office

The team at Country Bank’s business office at Tower Square in Springfield, another sign of the bank’s continued growth and expansion.

As to what additional addresses might become reality in the future, he said that’s one of many questions to be answered in the years to come.

For this issue and its focus on banking and financial services, BusinessWest engaged in a wide-ranging discussion with Scully, who addressed everything from broad strokes in the bank’s business plan to the outlook for the year ahead when it comes to the economy, interest rates, and other factors; from the bank’s adjustments to a changing workforce to that big green sign in downtown Worcester.

 

Home Field Advantage

Like the famous Citgo sign outside Fenway, the Country Bank sign at Polar Park is always on, Scully said, adding that he can see it outside the apartment he has in the city.

“They do great things at the park and with the city to keep it going year-round,” he explained, noting that the bank’s visibility certainly doesn’t end when the games stop in September. “Whether it’s a Holy Cross football game or the charity walks that are constantly going on … every time the park is being used, or whether you’re in the DCU Club, a beautiful function venue at the park, that Country Bank sign is right in your face.”

And having his bank’s name in lights — big lights — is just one component of the bank’s partnership with the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate, Scully said, noting that it will soon be introducing a WooSox debit card — ‘the official debit card of the Worcester Red Sox.’ Meanwhile, the organizations collaborate on a ‘teacher of the month’ program, a ‘community heroes’ initiative, and other endeavors, he noted, adding that the investment in the team and its ballpark continues to pay dividends.

And the key to a successful partnership in such cases is effective leveraging of the signage and other elements of the collaboration, he said, adding that, in many respects, this remains a learning experience for the bank. And he used the DCU Center, the indoor arena in Worcester, to get his point across.

“I was with someone a few years ago, and I said something about DCU, noting that this was Digital Credit Union,” he recalled. “And she looked at me and said, ‘that’s what that stands for?’ So you need to make sure that, if you’re going to do something like this, you have to figure out what it’s going to get you.

“And you have to really work at leveraging it,” he went on. “Whenever you take a new approach to how you market your brand, you have to do the research, and you have to know when to shift gears. Clearly, it’s not just about turning on a sign; it’s about how you leverage that to be an expansion and an awareness of your brand.”

He said the bank’s marketing team spends a lot of time with the marketing personnel at the WooSox to develop strategies for how to fully leverage the partnership between the organizations.

Elaborating, he said the bank does this in various ways — through visibility from the sign, obviously, but also with the debit card, ticket giveaways, work with the WooSox Foundation, and being on the field for promotional events, such as the police-fire charity baseball game staged at the park in September.

“We were there, and we were a big sponsor of that event,” he went on, “and that allows you to reach out into various mediums of people and get your brand out there, so they get to understand what the brand is and what it stands for.”

 

Covering His Bases

Overall, the brand stands for many things, Scully said, noting that Country is a community bank that is large enough to provide the services required by its commercial clients and consumers, but small enough to deliver a personalized brand of service, qualities that have served the bank well during what has been a year of challenge for most all financial-services institutions.

Indeed, Country has enjoyed what Scully called a “decent year,” not on par with those that immediately preceded the pandemic, but solid from an earnings perspective and in most areas, including the mortgage side of the ledger and home-equity loans.

“We’re one of the most highly capitalized banks in the Commonwealth — our capital ratio is over 15%, and we’re quite profitable,” he said, adding that such stability bodes well at a time when not all banks can make such claims.

As for the mortgage business, Scully said it was definitely more vibrant than he would have expected over the past year, adding quickly that there are challenges within certain sectors of the market, especially the first-time homebuyers.

“They got the double whammy — the pricing of housing went up, and now interest rates have gone up,” he said. “There’s that segment of the population that’s looking to buy a home, but they can’t find it within their price range because their price range has been altered by the increase in interest rates.

“But we’re seeing people who have sold a home and are buying another one and trading up who don’t seem fazed by interest rates,” he went on. “Part of it is because a large percentage of the mortgages we are doing are adjustable-rate; they’re at a lower rate than a fixed rate, and I think the thought process is, ‘I’ll get an adjustable, and then, when rates come down, whether that’s in 12, 24, or 36 months, I’ll just refinance.’”

Overall, consumers continue to spend, despite the higher interest rates and historically high inflation.

“We see a younger segment seemingly unfazed by interest rates,” he told BusinessWest. “If the debit card works … they have a good time for themselves; that’s what’s happening.”

Things are slower, overall, on the commercial side of the ledger, Scully noted, adding that many business owners are fazed by higher interest rates. Meanwhile, with commercial real estate, many potential investors are waiting and seeing what’s happening with the office market, he said, adding that that the shift to remote work and hybrid schedules, seemingly permanent in the eyes of many, have brought a hesitancy to many investors.

Country Bank is one of those companies that has embraced a hybrid approach — and Scully is one of those who works remotely at least a few days a week on average.

He said these strategies have better enabled the bank to recruit and retain talent and, overall, become what he called “an employer of choice.”

“It’s really understanding evolution — an evolution of the workplace and an evolution of the economy,” he said, “and being able to adapt to it.”

 

Knowing the Score

Scully was quick to note that his office is not equipped with a crystal ball, but he said there are many signs, especially on the employment side, that the economy is still chugging along. Companies are hiring, he noted, and this trend generally yields sufficient levels of optimism among consumers.

And with interest rates, he projects they will stay pretty much where they are — a level that is considerably higher than what has been seen over the past decade, but, from a historical perspective, acceptable in most respects.

“We need some stabilization to get a sense of what real is these days,” he said. “The rates were so low for so long, but were those rates real? That’s the big question. If we step back 10 or 15 years ago, if you were getting a mortgage at 6%, that was pretty darn good.”

The other lingering question about 2024 concerns what will happen on the business and commercial real-estate sides of the ledger, he said, noting that there is a great deal of uncertainly when it comes to the future of retail — and the office.

“We’re hybrid, and we have a lot of office space,” he said. “We don’t have plans to condense it, but I’m sure there are companies that are looking at that. What will that do to the prices of things? That’s what we’ll start to see in 2024.”

As he talked about possible opportunities for expansion and bringing the Country Bank name (and green sign) to different communities, Scully acknowledged that the bank already has a rather large footprint, one that includes the state’s second- and third-largest cities and the territory between them.

There is the banking center in downtown Springfield and full-service branches in Belchertown, Brimfield, Charlton, Leicester, Ludlow, Palmer, Paxton, Ware, West Brookfield, Wilbraham, and two in Worcester, including a recently opened facility in Tatnuck Square. That footprint covers three counties — Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester — and communities large and small.

The bank has been steadily growing its presence in Worcester, he went on, adding that it has always had a strong commercial-lending book of business, and has gradually increased its visibility and its overall presence with branch locations.

“We’re looking for opportunities throughout the Central Mass. and Western Mass. area,” he said, acknowledging that this certainly covers a considerable amount of real estate.

With the exception of that business office in Tower Square, the bank does not have a physical location west of Ludlow, he noted, adding that Country is certainly looking at opportunities to change that equation.

But the opportunity has to be right, he added quickly, noting that the bank isn’t interested in expansion for expansion’s sake.

“We continue to look at both markets, Worcester and Springfield, and say, ‘what opportunities are there in towns that are not already overbanked?’” he said. “We don’t want to be the 10th bank in the town.”

Getting back to those businesses he mentioned with ‘sign envy,’ Scully said they’re going to have to live with that condition for the foreseeable future.

“That’s their problem because we’re going to be there for a long time,” he said, using that phrase to refer to the sign, but also the bank’s presence across an ever-wider stretch of the state. This is an institution that is hitting it out of the park — in all kinds of ways.

Valley View Farm Blends History, Nature, and Hard Cider

By
Suzy Fortgang
Holiday Party Planner Special Coverage

It’s Become a Venue of Choice

Suzy Fortgang

Suzy Fortgang in the Yellow Barn at Valley View Farm.

 

Suzy Fortgang says it took four full years to acquire the horse barn on the grounds of the Berkshire Hills Music Academy in South Hadley, disassemble it, and put it back together at what is now known as Valley View Farm in Haydenville.

“We were looking for a barn, we found it, and we took it down piece by piece,” she recalled. “It was a laborious process; every piece, some of them 40 feet long, was tagged, taken apart like a LEGO, and moved … luckily, we had drawn a good diagram so we could put it back together.”

And when asked about the price tag for doing all that, she said simply, “I don’t want to think about it; I never wanted to add it up.”

But she thinks often about how that cost, and all that hard work, were certainly well worth it.

Indeed, what’s known as the ‘Yellow Barn,’ built by the son of silk magnate William Skinner for his daughter, has become the centerpiece, — figuratively, but also quite literally — of a multi-faceted operation at the farm, shaped over the past several years by Fortgang and her husband, David Nehring, and especially its thriving weddings and events business.

“It was a laborious process; every piece, some of them 40 feet long, was tagged, taken apart like a LEGO, and moved … luckily, we had drawn a good diagram so we could put it back together.”

Fortgang, a psychotherapist by trade, said the venue hosts roughly 80 weddings a year, in addition to a variety of other events, from fundraisers for nonprofits to retirement and birthday parties to a few holiday gatherings, with the obvious goal of doing more of all of the above.

The site has become an increasingly popular venue for weddings, drawing couples from an ever-wider geographic circle, but especially from across New England, New York State, and, increasingly, New York City.

Indeed, as she talked with BusinessWest, Fortgang recapped a wedding the previous weekend involving a couple from Brooklyn, with most family and friends coming from in or around Gotham.

“They don’t get to experience this much — being outdoors and being in nature and eating local food,” she said, referring to the broad experience that Valley View provides. “It’s a gift that you can give to your guests.”

Valley View

Valley View is a working farm, but also a true destination and venue for many different kinds of events.
Photo by Aleksandr Verbetsky

Indeed, those hosting these events — and those who attend them — are treated to a site that blends scenic beauty with some history, especially in the form of that barn (more on that later), hard cider (another important piece of the business plan), and some spectacular views.

“We now make a living hosting weddings and other events,” said Fortgang, adding that this component of the business started coming together just seven years ago. “And I think we’ve risen to become one of the most popular venues in New England.”

As noted earlier, this is, indeed, a multi-faceted operation. Fortgang and Nehring grow a number of crops, from apples and peaches to blueberries and a variety of vegetables. They also produce maple syrup, raise chickens and sell eggs. And several years ago, they started making hard cider and eventually opened the Muse Cider Bar, a destination unto itself that is open to the public on nights when there are no events.

“We now make a living hosting weddings and other events. And I think we’ve risen to become one of the most popular venues in New England.”

For this issue and its focus on holiday party planning, BusinessWest visited Valley View Farm and gained a full appreciation for how it has become a true destination, and in many different respects.

 

Story Material

Getting back to that barn…

It’s not just the painstakingly laborious process of taking it down and reassembling it that makes its new home and purpose so significant, although that’s a remarkable story in its own right. It’s also where it’s located.

Indeed, the farm now sits just a few hundred yards from where the original Skinner silk mill was located in Haydenville, then known as as the Unquomonk Silk Company. That mill, which was uninsured, was destroyed by the Mill River Flood of 1874, with Skinner eventually rebuilding in Holyoke in what became one of the best business comeback stories ever recorded.

“It just felt right to bring it back to Haydenville,” said Fortgang, adding that the barn had been condemned and was due to be demolished by Berkshire Hills when she and Nehring, who previously owned a small engine-repair shop in Northampton, stepped in to rescue it.

That was a few years after they had acquired the property in 2013, outbidding, by a dollar, a developer who planned to build condominiums on the site.

“We bought it with the intention of farming,” she recalled. “We wanted land … we both loved the outdoors. He wanted to farm — he grew up on a farm.”

Originally a dairy farm but also an orchard, the property had not been farmed for many years, she went on, adding that they gradually added facilities, crops, and revenue streams. The farm is now home to more than 250 fruit trees, including vintage apple trees with heirloom varieties. Maple sugaring and cider production were soon added, and while doing all that, Fortgang and Nehring conceptualized and advanced a secondary plan to convert the property into an events venue and destination.

The Yellow Barn at Valley View Farm

The Yellow Barn at Valley View Farm, carefully deconstructed and put together at the scenic property in Haydenville, has become a popular wedding venue.

“When we bought the land, it was in my mind to do all of this,” she said, gesturing with her hand to indicate everything from the main event space to a smaller barn converted into a pavilion, to the cider bar. “Because I interviewed all the farmers, I knew about how to make a living farming, and I couldn’t quite figure out how to do that without the history and the infrastructure.”

And the Yellow Barn become the focal point of that plan.

Featuring high ceilings, huge windows to let in sunlight and moonlight, and tables and chairs fashioned from boards from a secondary floor, it is open for events year-round — it’s heated and air-conditioned — and blends history and culture with today’s conveniences.

“It has all the amenities of a modern venue, but it also has the history and charm of being an old horse barn,” said Fortgang, adding that it also features some unique spaces, such as the ‘Love Nest.’ Located on the second floor of the barn, it’s a private suite, decorated with antique furniture collected by Fortgang’s parents, that is used for photos, hair and makeup, and as a “romantic getaway.”

This blend of old, new, and historical, coupled with everything else on the property, from the views to the horses grazing in the nearby pasture to the hard cider, has quickly made Valley View a destination of choice for couples looking a different kind of wedding venue.

Fortgang said that perhaps 30% of the weddings involve people from this area. The rest are from across New England and New York and well beyond, making tiny Haydenville what could be considered a destination-wedding spot.

“We’re happy to get to know more people and share this beautiful place with them. This has become a place to come and celebrate … and we know how to throw a good party.”

Indeed, wedding parties and guests will often stay a night or two in hotels in neighboring Northampton and other communities, making Valley View an economic engine of sorts.

“They all stay in Northampton, they take a bus up here, and they spend the day here,” she explained. “Sometimes it’s kids who grew up here, but now they live in other parts of the country. We have New Yorkers, we have a lot of Brooklyn couples.

“Couples these days … when they’re looking for this aesthetic, they get on the internet, and they’re considering Vermont and Maine and Rhode Island, and all of New England, really,” she went on, adding that their search now often ends in Haydenville because of word-of-mouth referrals and the venue’s strong track record for excellence.

Indeed, 2024 is essentially sold out as far as weddings are concerned, she said, while bookings for 2025 and beyond are quite solid. The venue generally does three each weekend, with the pace of business slowing in the winter months, obviously.

Beyond weddings, Valley View also hosts different kinds of private functions in its various spaces — the Yellow Barn for larger gatherings, as it can accommodate up to 200 people, and a pavilion and patio (moved from the historic Hemenway Hill Farm a few miles away) and Muse Cider Bar for smaller functions.

It has hosted wedding anniversaries, bridal and baby showers, nonprofit fundraising events, retirement parties, family reunions, and some holiday parties as well, said Fortgang, adding that the business plan calls for building this side of the operation by creating more of those word-of-mouth referrals.

“We’re happy to get to know more people and share this beautiful place with them,” she went on. “This has become a place to come and celebrate … and we know how to throw a good party.”

 

Bottom Line

During COVID, when the wedding business screeched to a halt, Fortgang and Nehring still managed to put their facilities to use, creating a cocktail bar, called the Farm Bar, in the Yellow Barn, and actually handing out drinks through the windows to visitors from across the region — many of them desperate for something to do — before eventually moving the operation outdoors.

“It became a thing,” she said, adding that the farm became such a popular gathering spot for the public, it was decided to open the Muse Cider Bar on nights when there are no events.

“We’ll have a food truck down there and serve cocktails and cider,” she told BusinessWest, adding that this is just one of the ways in which Valley View has gone from being a celebrated part of Haydenville’s past to being a huge part of the community’s present and future.

And a destination — in every sense of that term.

Strategies Evolve to Counter Troubling Opioid-overdose Trends

By
Christine Palmieri
Healthcare News Special Coverage

Stemming the Tide

Christine Palmieri

Christine Palmieri says economic tides, particularly around housing availability, have exacerbated the opioid epidemic.

When BusinessWest visited the Mental Health Assoc. (MHA) in Springfield last fall, Christine Palmieri reported what she called a “troubling” trend locally: more deaths by overdose, over the previous year or two, than she’d seen in her entire career.

She wishes she had different news to report now.

“Anecdotally, it hasn’t improved. We’ve lost a number of individuals over the course of this year to opioid overdose,” Palmieri, vice president of Recovery and Housing at MHA, said this month.

Earlier this year, the state reported a similar lack of positive news. Specifically, opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts increased by 2.5% in 2022 compared to 2021, with 2,357 such confirmed and estimated deaths in 2022.

Breaking it down further, the data showed that non-Hispanic Black men saw their opioid-related overdose death rate increase 41%, from 56.4 to 79.6 per 100,000, while the rate for non-Hispanic Black women increased by 47%, from 17.4 to 25.5 per 100,000.

Some of the broader trends may track back to the isolation and loss of connection people were feeling during the pandemic, Palmieri said, but economic tides are more significant factors right now, from access to work to higher costs of food, transportation, and especially housing — key social determinants of health that hinder recovery.

“It’s a difficult environment to try to get better in now,” she told BusinessWest, noting that the state Department of Public Health (DPH) has begun investing significantly in housing programs for people experiencing substance abuse. Using funds from the state’s Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund, DPH expects to increase low-threshold housing units — housing provided in conjunction with supportive recovery services — statewide from 394 to 761 this year.

“MHA and a lot of our colleagues have been benefactors of that funding, which helps get people off the street into a warm and safe place and on the path to recovery,” Palmieri said. “It’s hard to do the work of recovery if you don’t have a safe place to lay your head. Getting people off the streets into safe housing is critical. It’s the first step on the path to recovery.”

“It hasn’t improved. We’ve lost a number of individuals over the course of this year to opioid overdose.”

Among MHA’s transitional and permanent housing programs are three residences in its GRIT program, for individuals with co-occurring substance-abuse and mental-health diagnoses, which require no time limit on a stay as long as a resident is benefiting and engaging in the program.

“Housing is the biggest barrier for us in the mental-health world,” she added. “The thing that keeps people in programs longer than anything else is the lack of affordable housing. We don’t discharge people into homelessness; we help them land somewhere — sober houses, transitional houses, re-housing programs.

“That’s why funding from the state is so crucial. It allows us to subsidize housing costs for people with very low incomes who experience substance-use issues,” Palmieri added, noting that MHA also has relationships, often spanning decades, with local landlords. “When a unit becomes available, they’ll call us because they know the rent will get paid and that we’ll be there to support them with whatever they experience.”

Dr. Katie Krauskopf

Dr. Katie Krauskopf says everyone should have access to naloxone, the only intervention that can reverse an overdose.

Dr. Katie Krauskopf, medical director of Substance Use Disorder Services at MiraVista Behavioral Health Center in Holyoke, said her organization has expanded outpatient substance-abuse treatment services — both programs and operating hours — as well as broadening an effort to treat patients with co-occurring mental-health and substance-abuse issues through its inpatient psychiatric services.

“The work definitely continues,” she told BusinessWest. “We’re still seeing overdoses at high rates — and any overdose is too many. We’re also seeing an adulterated drug supply.”

And it’s not just fentanyl, she noted; the new additive on the street is a tranquilizer called xylazine, which is being detected in an increasing number of drug-overdose deaths.

“To address the opioid crisis, we need to prioritize overdose death prevention while simultaneously investing in comprehensive supports for those dealing with substance-use disorder, to ensure they have every opportunity for recovery,”  Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh said when the DPH report was released. “We have to lean into the disparities we see in impacts on Black residents and target our interventions accordingly. Challenges like housing, hunger, and accessing education, behavioral-health treatment, and transportation need to be addressed in concert with substance-use treatment in order to turn the tide of this epidemic.”

 

Instant Intervention

To save lives while an overdose is in progress, the state, its municipalities, and organizations like MiraVista and Tapestry Health have worked in concert to make naloxone, also known as Narcan, more widely accessible, in order to reverse the deadly effects of an overdose as it’s happening.

For instance, the city of Greenfield recently announced that four naloxone boxes have been installed at Energy Park, Hillside Park, and the two Greenfield City Hall public restrooms, and the boxes will be refilled weekly by Tapestry.

This effort, spearheaded by the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin, Tapestry, the North Quabbin Community Coalition, and Boston Medical Center, is part of the National Institutes of Health’s HEALing Communities Study, which began in 2019 with 16 Massachusetts communities that qualified based on opioid overdose fatality rates.

The new naloxone boxes are part of the $800,000 the local task force received to finance opioid-related fatality-reduction strategies in Greenfield, Athol, Montague, and Orange. In addition, the task force and Tapestry continue to host virtual overdose-prevention and Narcan trainings.

“The city welcomes the opportunity to be a partner with Tapestry and the Opioid Task Force in this effective, life-saving, harm-reduction effort by allowing naloxone boxes to be available in our City Hall and public parks,” Greenfield Mayor Roxann Wedegartner said.

According to the DPH, Massachusetts has already exceeded, and plans to expand upon, federal naloxone ‘saturation’ goals, providing communities with enough naloxone to prevent overdose deaths that may occur from a lack of medication access. Since 2020, DPH has distributed close to 300,000 naloxone kits to harm-reduction programs, opioid treatment providers, community health centers, hospital emergency departments, and county houses of correction, with distribution increasing about 40% each year.

In 2022, the DPH launched the Community Naloxone Purchasing Program with the aim of increasing distribution of free naloxone through organizations to the community. Meanwhile, this past spring, in response to the rise in opioid-related overdose deaths, DPH issued an advisory urging healthcare providers to increase availability of naloxone kits and train staff to administer naloxone to anyone who may need it, and retail pharmacies to continue to dispense it without a prescription as part of a statewide standing order.

“Narcan is the only intervention we have to reverse an overdose. And if you have a medication that does that, everyone should have access to it. It does save lives,” Krauskopf said.

Roxann Wedegartner

“The city welcomes the opportunity to be a partner with Tapestry and the Opioid Task Force in this effective, life-saving, harm-reduction effort by allowing naloxone boxes to be available in our City Hall and public parks.”

Meanwhile, since August 2022, DPH has increased its distribution of rapid fentanyl test strip kits at no cost to providers and community organizations. Single-use fentanyl test strips help reduce the chances of overdose by allowing people who use drugs to test their supply prior to consumption to determine if it is tainted with fentanyl.

Other recent innovations in battling substance abuse range from medical — such as Sublocade, a long-acting injectable that has helped many patients keep off opioids — to regulatory, such as a move during the pandemic to allow patients to take home medications they could not previously, Krauskopf added.

Palmieri noted that the Western Mass. region — and the organizations within it that deal with addiction — do a good job of providing a wide spectrum of residential and outpatient services, from acute detox centers to medication-assisted treatment to recovery coaching.

“It’s vitally important that the community has options to meet everyone’s needs,” she added. “No one size fits all, and there are many different pathways to recovery.”

 

A Slowing Trend?

There is also, perhaps, some good news from the DPH’s recent study, which reported that, according to preliminary data, there were 522 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths in the first three months of 2023, a 7.7% decrease (and an estimated 44 fewer deaths) from the same time period in 2022.

“Too many Massachusetts families, particularly families of color, have been impacted by this crisis,” Gov. Healey said at the time, “and in order to effectively respond, we need to address the gaps in the system by advancing long-term solutions that include housing, jobs, mental healthcare, and more resources for our cities and towns.”

And addiction doesn’t discriminate by the size of those cities and towns. According to the DPH report, the most rural communities in Massachusetts had the highest opioid-related overdose death rate in 2022 at 36.1 deaths per 100,000 residents.

However, Springfield was among the cities and towns that experienced notable increases in opioid-related overdose deaths in 2022 compared with 2021; others high on that list included Lawrence, Leominster, Lynn, Waltham, Weymouth, and Worcester.

“We know overdose deaths are preventable,” DPH Commissioner Dr. Robert Goldstein said. “The pandemic has had a devastating impact on mental health and substance use, especially among marginalized communities. We are working to reverse these troubling trends by continuing to build on our data-driven and equity-based approaches toward responsive support and treatment.”

There Are Plenty of Reasons — and Ways — to Shop Local

By Contributor
Michelle Wirth says the Feel Good Shop Local
Shop Local Special Coverage

Gifts for Every Season

By Manon L. Mirabelli

Michelle Wirth says the Feel Good Shop Local

Michelle Wirth says the Feel Good Shop Local website gives area merchants access to many more shoppers.

The gift-giving season is quickly approaching, and the business of everyday life can make it difficult to find the perfectly thoughtful gift. Fortunately, the 413 is full of good ideas.

Michelle Wirth, founder and CEO of Feel Good Shop Local — and a believer in the importance of supporting local retailers — has been working with area merchants since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic halted business as we knew it.

A successful marketing executive and entrepreneur, Wirth — who, with her husband, Peter, brought Mercedes-Benz of Springfield to the region — said she has always been passionate about supporting local, independent businesses.

“People today are busy and don’t have time to do research to find small businesses,” she said. “But we can’t have a vibrant downtown if we don’t support small businesses throughout the year so they can survive.”

Wirth established Feel Good Shop Local (FGSL) and its website, www.feelgoodshoplocal.com, to support independent merchants and empower conscientious consumers by offering a simple online solution for those who want to shop locally and/or to support small businesses, she explained.

“Small business is the backbone of any thriving community, and FGSL wants to create an elevated online experience so shopping locally becomes the go-to solution when trying to find great products easily.”

Not only does FGSL support local commerce, the nonprofit organization also increases sales for small-business merchants by making its online store available to them to sell their goods. The concept behind the website is to offer consumers an alternate shopping stream while boosting sales for the businesses.

The website, Wirth noted, gives merchants access to a significantly greater number of shoppers. It started with 20 businesses and has increased to 50 this year, offering consumers a wide array of shopping options.

“Our online e-commerce website shop is a one-stop shop that gives small, local business access and exposure to new consumers who would not otherwise know about the business,” she said. “We’re giving these businesses access to sales, vitality, and exposure. We’re doing the heavy lifting for business and the consumer.”

As a busy mom of four and business owner, Wirth understands the challenges consumers face when balancing the need for convenience and the desire to make value-driven purchasing choices. She personally curates a selection of the best products from independent merchants and local makers.

The shopping convenience and variety of choice, as well as the benefits to business owners, make up just some of the bigger economic picture. The importance of shopping locally benefits the long-term success of any community’s downtown offerings and can make the difference between a stagnant town center and one that thrives with activity.

“It’s important to shop local,” Wirth said. “We all want a vibrant downtown community. When people shop local, they are voting with their wallets and making dreams come true for the business owner.”

Just as important, the consumer benefits by having the opportunity to purchase unique items, she added. “There is a higher propensity of finding something unique while providing economic growth in the community. We pride ourselves on providing a personalized experience. We know the owner, remember what you like, and the money is going to a person, not a faceless corporation. We offer a higher level of customer experience.”

Claudia Pazmany, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, echoed Wirth’s sentiments on how critical supporting local business owners can be to a community’s success.

“They create the fabric of our community. Entrepreneurship is soaring since the pandemic, and as a result, Amherst alone has an array of new retail offerings and many new restaurants and food establishments,” Pazmany said. “When you support local, you are directly investing in positive social and economic impact. We developed our Amherst Area Gift Card program to showcase local and remind our community that these small businesses should be your first place to turn for gift giving.”

For our annual Shop Local Gift Guide, BusinessWest offers up 18 such options, whether you’re looking for a physical gift to wrap up, a service, or an always-welcome gift card.

Arts Unlimited Gift Gallery
25 College St., South Hadley
(413) 532-7047
www.arts-unlimited.com
Arts Unlimited was founded with one goal in mind: to provide customers with a high-quality, smart, and reliable gift shop. Offerings include a wide variety of art, accessories, and decorations, and gifts for birthdays, retirements, weddings, holidays, and more.

The Baker’s Pin
34 Bridge St., Northampton
(413) 586-7978
www.thebakerspin.com
This extensive kitchen store carries a wide range of cookware, cutlery, electric devices, bakeware, kitchen tools, home goods, cookbooks, and food products as well. But it also offers an array of cooking classes, both online and in person, exploring different foods and techniques appropriate for the season.
 
Berkshirecat Records
63 Flansburg Ave., Dalton
(413) 212-3874
www.berkshirecatrecords.com
Berkshirecat Records is an independent record store located inside the Stationery Factory building, selling quality vintage and new vinyl records of classic rock, blues, jazz, psychedelic, garage rock, folk, indie, pop, and metal recordings.

The Bookstore and Get Lit Wine Bar
11 Housatonic St., Lenox
(413) 637-3390
www.bookstoreinlenox.com
The Bookstore, a fixture in Lenox for more than 40 years, was actually born in the neighboring town of Stockbridge, in the living room of a small rented house behind an alley that housed a then little-known café that later came to be known as Alice’s Restaurant. The bar is open whenever the bookstore is, and the bookstore stays open later some nights when the bar is open as well.

The Closet
79 Cowls Road, Amherst
(413) 345-5999
www.thecloset.clothing
The Closet’s mission goes beyond connecting shoppers to the perfect black dress or favorite pair of shoes. Environmentally conscious, the shop wants to do its part to prevent clothing from being thrown away. Buying previously loved apparel stops the further use of natural resources and prevents clothing from wasting away in landfills.

Fresh Fitness Training Center/Fresh Cycle
320 College Highway, Southwick
(413) 998-3253
Fresh Fitness is a new, full-service, state-of-the-art gym with brand-new equipment and training for all fitness levels, from beginner to advanced, and is located in the same building that houses Fresh Cycle, one of the region’s premier indoor cycle studios, with more than 25 classes per week led by certified instructors.

Glow Studio Suites
2260 Westfield St., West Springfield
(413) 579-8455
Glow Studio Suites features individual beauty experts in one location. Walk in the door and find a lash artist, nail technician, esthetician, and injector. In addition, spray tan and waxing services are available.

Highlands Cards and Gifts
303A Springfield St., Agawam
(413) 315-3442
www.highlandscardandgift.com
Highlands Card and Gifts features a large selection of Irish and Celtic products, Irish knit sweaters, and Irish saps year round, as well as Celtic jewelry, Emmett glassware, Irish and Celtic themed sweatshirts and tees, wool capes, handbags, mugs, teapots, wall hangings, lamps, Irish foods, and much more.

Julie Nolan Jewelry
40 Main St., Amherst
(413) 270-6221
www.julienolanjewelry.com
Julie Nolan’s work blends traditional techniques of wax carving, diamond setting, and goldsmithing with a modern sensibility for design and composition. She sells her own handcrafted, one-of-a-kind heirloom pieces by hand in her studio and boutique, alongside a curated selection of home and gift items by Western Mass. makers.

Pilgrim Candle
36 Union Ave., Westfield
(413) 562-2635
www.pilgrimcandle.com
Pilgrim Candle Co. opened its doors in 1992 and expanded its already-busy operation in 2000 by acquiring Main Street Candlery. In 2007, Pilgrim expanded into private-label manufacturing. Since its first sale more than 30 years ago, Pilgrim Candle has developed a high-quality line of scented candles for candle lovers all around the world.

Pioneer Valley Food Tours
(413) 320-7700
www.pioneervalleyfoodtours.com
This enterprise creates walking food tours that explore local flavors from Northampton and around the region. It also creates gift boxes sourced from the region’s fields and farms, as well as Pioneer Valley picnic baskets of selections ready to bring on an outdoor adventure. Choose a pre-set tour itinerary, or create a custom tour to suit your tastes.
 
Pottery Cellar
77 Mill St., Westfield
(413) 642-5524
www.potterycellar.com
Located in the Mill at Crane Pond, the Pottery Cellar offers the largest selection of authentic Boleslawiec pottery in New England. From holiday-themed seasonal pieces to full dining sets, Pottery Cellar is a regional destination for authentic Polish pottery.

Renew.Calm
80 Capital Dr., West Springfield
(413) 737-6223
www.renewcalm.com
Renew.Calm offers an array of both medically based and luxurious spa treatments, with services including skin care, therapeutic massage, nail care, body treatments, yoga, hair removal, makeup, and lashes. Multi-treatment packages make great gifts.
 
The Shot Shop
722 Bliss Road, Longmeadow
(413) 561-7468
www.ssmedspa.com
The Shot Shop medical rejuvenation spa offers medical rejuvenation treatments for a wide variety of needs. Anyone feeling run down and tired, noticing visible signs of aging, or with other concerns that need to be addressed may find a medical rejuvenation treatment here that will help.

Springfield Thunderbirds
45 Bruce Landon Way, Springfield
(413) 739-4625
www.springfieldthunderbirds.com
A great deal for big-time hockey fans and folks who simply enjoy a fun night out with the family, Thunderbirds games are reasonably priced entertainment in Springfield’s vibrant downtown. The AHL franchise plays home games through April at the MassMutual Center, with a constant stream of promotions.

Springfield Wine Exchange
1500 Main St., Springfield
(413) 733-2171
Located on the ground floor of downtown Tower Square, the Springfield Wine Exchange offers customers local select craft beers and wines imported from around the world, providing a wide array of options for any occasion.

Visual Changes Salon
100 Shaker Road, East Longmeadow
(413) 525-1825
www.visualchangesinc.com
With more than 30 years dedicated to all dimensions of the hair industry, salon owner Mark Maruca is widely respected for his innovative approach hair styling. Services and products are individualized to suit client needs.

Zen’s Toyland
803 Williams St., Longmeadow
(413) 754-3654
www.zenstoyland.com
Zen’s Toyland sells a variety of items ranging from baby teethers to adult puzzles, including high-quality, unique items that aren’t available elsewhere. All the toys are handpicked, and the shop also has a playroom for children to ‘test drive’ items.

UMass Dining: Tasteful Excellence

By
Opinion

Editorial

 

UMass Amherst graduates from a generation or two ago — and there are a great many still living and working in this region — will recall that the food served on campus was largely the subject of derision and ridicule.

Like the football team is now — although that’s another story for another day.

This one is about what has happened to UMass Dining over the past quarter-century or so. It has made the talk of bland, unimaginative food of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s the stuff of seemingly ancient history, which it is. And, like the school’s marching band, it has become a symbol of excellence and pride, and an inspiration to other schools and other programs at the state’s flagship university.

As this issue’s cover story notes, UMass Dining is on a winning streak for the ages. The program has made UMass Amherst the top school for campus dining for seven years running in the respected Princeton Review. But the story isn’t about the hardware — it’s about what it takes to win all that hardware.

And that’s a lengthy list — everything from quality food, obviously, to authenticity to comprehensive efforts to not only gather feedback from various constituencies, especially students, but listen and respond to that feedback in ways that yield continuous improvement and, yes, more top rankings in Princeton Review.

As anyone in business, or even professional or college sports, knows, getting to the top is one thing. Staying on top, especially when you’re sharing best practices with anyone who asks — which is what the team at UMass Dining does — is much more difficult.

Speaking of business, those working in just about every sector of the economy can take some invaluable lessons from UMass Dining, about everything from a commitment to excellence to what it means to serve a truly diverse audience and fully respect that diversity, to how to proactively respond to those who are being served.

What they do isn’t rocket science — they prepare and serve meals every day. But the attention to detail, the commitment to excellence, and the level of teamwork that goes into the day-to-day operations is extraordinary.

The dramatic change in operations — and quality — at UMass Amherst began with the arrival of Ken Toong, the executive director of Auxiliary Services at the university, which oversees the dining operation, in the late ’90s. He established a culture of excellence, maintained that culture of excellence, and embedded it into every operation and every meal served there — 8 million annually, by some estimates.

This is a story of teamwork and top-down commitment to doing not just a good job, but the best job possible, every single day.

In that respect, UMass Dining isn’t just a department at the university — one that has been the best in the nation for nearly a decade. It’s a model to be emulated.

Reconsider Northampton’s Redesign

By Contributor
Opinion

Opinion

By Judy Herrell, John DiBartolo, James Winston, Jon Reed, and Amy Mager

 

Save Northampton Main Street has surveyed the Northampton Main Street business district to assess the number of businesses in favor or opposed to the city of Northampton’s redesign. In the media, city officials have touted that 50 businesses on Main Street are in favor of their redesign.

However, our findings clearly show that most downtown businesses are opposed to the current redesign plans by the city of Northampton. Our results show, of 100 businesses surveyed, 69 are opposed, while only two are in favor. Several businesses were not aware of the proposed changes and needed more information, and four businesses were neutral about the changes.

What was the most interesting was how businesses listed on the city’s list that were surveyed by our team were not aware they were on any list, let alone one that was published.

Additionally, Save Northampton read and analyzed the Toole Design report [detailing the Main Street redesign]. John DiBartolo of our group wrote a letter outlining these issues to the City Council in Northampton and the Mayor’s office. Some of these issues are:

• Traffic increase and travel time. This new design will create traffic jams and extended travel time for people traveling down Route 9 through Northampton for any reason. According to the city, the intention of the project is to slow down traffic for safety, and it was never an objective to keep travel time or improve traffic flow.

• Bike safety. This new design will create unsafe bike crossings at intersections without traffic lights and visibility issues with drivers, bikers, and pedestrians. According to the city, the current design’s internal lanes are 40% safer than other designs, including our suggestion of adjacent-to-traffic bike lanes with enhancements.

• Requested public meetings. The city refuses to meet with business owners and residents except individually. They claim to have had many in-person meetings during COVID, which were Zoom meetings. There was no city public hearing on this subject (only one Zoom hearing by the DOT). The city feels that their process was robust and inclusive.

• Comparing Northampton’s redesign to Concord, N.H. While the size of Concord and Northampton are relatively the same, Concord is set up as a grid, which Northampton is not. Northampton has no natural bypass for drivers who wish to bypass the Northampton shopping district. Furthermore, Concord has shared bike and vehicle lanes with no separate bike path and was always a one-lane-in-each-direction road. In Concord, they removed parking to create larger sidewalks and green areas. Concord’s main shopping district is not a state highway. Concord’s city officials conducted 50 meetings in person with concerned businesses and residents before deciding on their plan. Northampton had only 20 Zoom meetings, the last of which was both in-person and over Zoom.

• A new design alternative. Save Northampton has had numerous discussions with residents, businesses, and property owners and is currently working with an architect to provide the city with an alternative plan which can also receive the same funding and might be a bit less expensive.

We continue to hope the city of Northampton will call for a public meeting to access the city’s views on the current design, as our data indicates more residents are opposed than in favor of this design. Our Save Northampton Main Street petition currently has more than 2,000 signatures, mostly from Northampton, Florence, and Leeds residents and business owners.

 

Judy Herrell, John DiBartolo, James Winston, Jon Reed, and Amy Mager are members of Save Northampton Main Street.

Picture This

By
Pictured at top, from left: SBGC board member Aleana Laster; KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Officer Analisha Michanczyk, KeyBank Branch Manager Vanity Bryant, SBGC Director of Development Karen Natsios, KeyBank Area Retail Leader Sarah Germini, and SBGC Executive Director Vinnie Borello with students in the Brain Gain program
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

Two Key Donations

 

The KeyBank Foundation recently awarded the Springfield Boys & Girls Club (SBGC) a $10,000 grant to support the club’s Brain Gain program, an after-school program designed to bolster grade-level reading skills for inner-city, at-risk youth. .

 

Pictured at top, from left: SBGC board member Aleana Laster; KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Officer Analisha Michanczyk, KeyBank Branch Manager Vanity Bryant, SBGC Director of Development Karen Natsios, KeyBank Area Retail Leader Sarah Germini, and SBGC Executive Director Vinnie Borello with students in the Brain Gain program

Pictured at top, from left: SBGC board member Aleana Laster; KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Officer Analisha Michanczyk, KeyBank Branch Manager Vanity Bryant, SBGC Director of Development Karen Natsios, KeyBank Area Retail Leader Sarah Germini, and SBGC Executive Director Vinnie Borello with students in the Brain Gain program

KeyBank also recently awarded Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) a $39,000 charitable grant during the bank’s Volunteer Build Day on Chestnut Street in Holyoke. The donation will assist Habitat’s environmental-stewardship program.

Pictured above, from left: KeyBank employees Janis Deynes, Sharia Coley, Josh Flores, Norbert Grant III, Priya Tater, Tom Morace, Jeff Guyott,  Kendle Taylor, and Tito Ramon with Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Aimee Giroux.

 

Honoring Social Responsibility

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union received the first-place Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award for 2023 in Massachusetts. This annual award is given out by the Cooperative Credit Union Assoc. and the Credit Union National Assoc. to honor a credit union for its social-responsibility projects within the community. UMassFive earned this award in recognition of its participation and fundraising for the UMass Cancer Walk and Run and Will Bike 4 Food.

Pictured, from left: UMassFive’s Ruth Yanka, Craig Boivin, Taylor Robbins, CEO Rich Kump, Cait Murray, Lauren Duffy, Sarissa Markowitz, Jacqui Watrous, and Robert Harrison.

Pictured, from left: UMassFive’s Ruth Yanka, Craig Boivin, Taylor Robbins, CEO Rich Kump, Cait Murray, Lauren Duffy, Sarissa Markowitz, Jacqui Watrous, and Robert Harrison.

 

 

Supporting the Community

Monson Savings Bank recently donated $1,750 to Friends of Wilbraham Recreation as part of the bank’s annual Community Giving Initiative. The community organization received this donation by obtaining enough votes by community members to place in the top 10 vote recipients of the Community Giving Initiative. The donation will support work to improve and maintain the Spec Pond recreational area and the town’s sports programs.

Pictured, from left: Mark Manolakis, Friends of Wilbraham Recreation president; Dan Moriarty, Monson Savings Bank president and CEO; and Bryan Litz, Wilbraham Parks & Recreation director.

Pictured, from left: Mark Manolakis, Friends of Wilbraham Recreation president; Dan Moriarty, Monson Savings Bank president and CEO; and Bryan Litz, Wilbraham Parks & Recreation director.

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

 

 

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

 

Robert Bauer v. Oakridge Custom Home Builders Inc.

Allegation: Breach of implied warranty of habitability, breach of contract and express warranty, fraudulent misrepresentation, violation of consumer protection law: $150,000

Filed: 9/22/23

 

 

Albert Woszczyna and Donna Woszczyna v. Ameriprise Financial Services LLC, American Enterprise Investment Services Inc., and Daryl Devillier

Allegation: Breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, negligence, negligent supervision, negligent/intentional misrepresentations: $700,000

Filed: 9/27/23

 

Joshua Petit and Dahlia Petit, p/p/a Joshua Petit v. Fun Z Trampoline Park Westfield LLC and Jiamen Chen

Allegation: Negligence causing personal injury: $50,000+

Filed: 9/28/23

 

Theresa M. Worrell v. Pyramid Management Group LLC, Holyoke Mall LP, UG2 LLC, Gallagher Bassett Services Inc., and Sompo American Insurance Co.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $17,693.86+

Filed: 9/29/23

 

Bruce Schulze and Cheryl Schulze v. Jonathan Starkman MD and Pioneer Valley Urology P.C.

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $50,000

Filed: 10/3/23

 

Alan Best v. S&H Goodies Realty LLC and S&H Goodies Convenience Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $123,789

Filed: 10/3/23

 

Southern Connecticut Tackle Co. Inc. v. Christopher Pepe a/k/a Christopher M. Pepe a/k/a Chris Pepe d/b/a Blackbeard’s Bait & Tackle

Allegation: Breach of contract: $312,861.37

Filed: 10/6/23

 

Jennifer Benoit v. Joanna E. Sampson MD

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $75,000+

Filed: 10/12/23

 

People on the Move

By
People on the Move

Tracy Friedenberg

Bacon Wilson announced that Tracy Friedenberg has joined the firm as its new executive director. She comes to Bacon Wilson with more than 25 years of corporate and law-firm experience, including human resources, operations management, and information technology. She will work directly with Managing Shareholder Jeffrey Fialky across all levels of firm management in each of Bacon Wilson’s four offices. Friedenberg previously served as chief of staff for Odin Labs Inc. in New York City. Prior to that, she worked for Day Pitney LLP in Hartford, Conn. for 14 years. Her career path there advanced from project management to senior manager up to director of Technical Services and Project Management in 2020. Day Pitney is an East Coast-based comprehensive law firm with national and international reach, housing more than 300 attorneys and 13 offices throughout the Northeast, as well as in Southeast Florida. Friedenberg holds an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the UMass College of Arts and Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in apparel marketing from the College of Food and Natural Resources. She serves as president of the board of directors for Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, a nonprofit organization that empowers women to gain economic independence.

•••••

Amanda Sbriscia, vice president of Institutional Advancement at Holyoke Community College (HCC), has been selected for a fellowship for aspiring college presidents by the AGB Institute for Leadership & Governance in Higher Education. Now entering its fifth year, 27 college administrators from institutions around the country began their fellowships with an in-person symposium in Washington, D.C. in September. To date, 18 past participants have become presidents or chancellors of higher-education institutions, and many other participants have successfully progressed on the pathway to the presidency with commendations and new positions. The program consists of two symposia, four online workshops, attendance at the AGB National Conference on Trusteeship, and a shadowing experience with a sitting president. The institute features more than 30 higher-education expert presenters, including current and former presidents, trustees, search consultants, and other sector professionals. Sbriscia holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Cedar Crest College, a master’s degree in higher education from Drexel University, and a doctorate in education in educational leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University. Before being hired at HCC as vice president of Institutional Advancement in 2017, she served as senior director of Advancement at Bay Path University, following her role there as director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations. Before Bay Path, she worked in fund development for the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts and as director of Annual Giving for Anna Maria College in Paxton.

•••••

Rachel Rushing

Rachel Rushing

Holyoke Community College (HCC) welcomed Rachel Rushing as director of the college’s Taber Art Gallery. Originally from Louisiana, Rushing is an interdisciplinary artist with a special interest in photography. She comes to HCC by way of Dallas, where she worked with the Nasher Sculpture Center to develop the Visitor Experiences program and manage special projects, such as the 2022 exhibition of CARNE y ARENA, a virtual-reality exhibition written and directed by Academy Award-winning Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu that integrates viewers into the true accounts of refugees in their journey across the southern U.S. border. Rushing also founded and co-directed Sunset Art Studios, a social-practice art gallery, residency, and studio in Dallas. She becomes only the second director since the gallery opened in 1998, succeeding founding director Amy Johnquest, who retired last spring. Her first show as Taber director was an exhibition of photographs by John Leni Marcy titled “The City on Paper: Representations of HolyoRícan Life,” which was curated and captioned by HCC students enrolled in Latinx Studies classes. The Taber Art Gallery, located off the lobby of the HCC Library on the second floor of the HCC Donahue Building, is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., during regular school sessions.

•••••

American International College (AIC) announced the appointment of Christopher Putnam as director of Institutional Assessment, Research, and Effectiveness. This appointment reflects AIC’s recognition of Putnam’s dedication, expertise, and valuable contributions to the college. In his new role, Putnam will be responsible for overseeing assessment and evaluation processes designed to measure the effectiveness of the institution’s programs and services. Additionally, he will provide leadership in research and analysis, strategic planning, and ensuring compliance with accreditation standards. Prior to assuming his new role, Putnam served as AIC’s student-success data analyst and demonstrated exemplary leadership in several key areas. This included the supervision of AIC’s New England Commission for Higher Education five-year report, a mandated periodic evaluation of the content and relevance of the college’s mission. Before joining AIC, Putnam held positions as a graduation and transfer credit specialist and manager of Student Services at Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif. He began his career in higher education at California State University (CSU) Sacramento, where he worked in admissions and records and academic advising. During his time at CSU, Putnam pursued his master’s degree in higher education leadership. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and subsequently obtained a certificate in web programming from Cosumnes River College.

•••••

Pamela Sandler AIA Architect recently welcomed Norman Anton, senior designer and project manager; and Amy Pulver, office manager, to its fast-growing team. Anton is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and has lived and worked in Europe and Saudi Arabia. He attended Washington University School of Architecture in St. Louis and has worked extensively in the field with carpenters, electricians, and landscape designers. Prior to joining the Sandler AIA team, he was an architectural designer at Clark and Green. He has a wide range of experience, including historic preservation, corporate interiors, retail showrooms, and residential projects. Pulver is at the helm of the firm’s mission to create spaces with joy for new and existing clients. Her duties include event planning, facilities management, project coordination, and budget planning, ensuring that the office runs smoothly so that the design team can continue to deliver unique projects to clients and grow its relationship with the community. She brings years of experience to the Stockbridge-based architecture firm. Prior to working with Sandler, she served for nearly a decade in multiple positions and departments within the town of Great Barrington, including Public Works, Planning, and most recently as executive secretary to the town manager and Select Board.

•••••

Celia Hickson

Celia Hickson

One year after joining the Square One team as fiscal manager, Celia Hickson has been named the agency’s chief financial officer. Hickson brings 25 years of accounting and finance experience in a variety of industries. She has worked as a controller and financial analyst in the publishing, software, biotech, and nonprofit industries. She began her career at Ernst & Young, where she earned her CPA. She is a graduate of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. An active volunteer with Horizons for Homeless Children, she has held various leadership roles on several volunteer boards.

•••••

After 25 years at the helm, Anne Teschner will step down as executive director of the Care Center. She will continue in that role to support succession planning with the Care Center’s board of directors to ensure a smooth transition to new leadership. The Care Center helps young mothers and low-income women resume their education wherever they left off, from HiSET preparation to an onsite college. Designed for busy mothers living in poverty, the Care Center offers childcare, transportation, counseling, food, and healthcare so that women can concentrate on their studies. During her tenure, Teschner has been instrumental in steering the Care Center through pivotal changes, establishing the organization as a leader in the realm of women’s education and empowerment. Under her leadership, the Care Center has launched visionary initiatives, such as the Bard Microcollege Holyoke and the Moving Women Forward Endowment campaign. Each year, approximately 200 young mothers and other low-income women benefit from the holistic support provided by the Care Center, based at 247 Cabot St. in Holyoke. The process of identifying the next executive director to build upon this foundation is underway.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

UMass System Generates $8.3 Billion in Economic Activity

AMHERST — The five-campus University of Massachusetts system generated a record $8.3 billion in economic activity and supported nearly 40,000 external jobs across Massachusetts, according to a new Donahue Institute report. The analysis found that the economic impact generated by the five-campus UMass system translates into a 9-to-1 return on the state investment in the university. According to the report, each of the five university campuses generated a significant economic impact for its region and the state. The major drivers of economic impact are student, faculty, and staff spending; construction projects; and the university’s purchase of goods and services required for university operations. Besides the spending captured in the economic-impact formula, the report highlights several other UMass contributions to the Massachusetts economy. For example, more than 330,000 of the university’s alumni live in Massachusetts, contributing skills and knowledge to the economy, purchasing goods and services from Massachusetts businesses, and paying local and state taxes. Each year, the university’s five campuses award approximately 20,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees, and nearly three-quarters of its undergraduates are working in Massachusetts five years after graduation. Furthermore, the university’s five campuses house more than 90 core research facilities that are made available to small and medium-sized Massachusetts companies to accelerate their job-creating research and development activity; users of the core facilities make a $364 million contribution to the Massachusetts’ economy, beyond the $8.3 billion cited in the report. The university’s $813 million research enterprise — the third-largest behind Harvard and MIT in Massachusetts — results in patents and technology licensing that creates jobs in established companies and forms the basis for startup companies. In FY 2022, UMass inventions generated $41 million in licensing revenue for the university and 242 patent applications. Finally, UMass campuses attract thousands of people for campus tours, conferences, performances, and sporting events, generating significant economic benefits through spending for transportation, restaurants, lodging, cultural attractions, and retail shops.

 

Girls Inc. of the Valley Receives $2 Million Earmark

HOLYOKE — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal recently joined Girls Inc. of the Valley Executive Director Suzanne Parker to announce a $2 million earmark to support the renovation of the Girls Inc. of the Valley headquarters and program center. The allocation was made possible through congressionally directed spending from the Department of Education. Neal included funding for this project in the FY 2023 spending bill that was signed into law on Dec. 29, 2022. With this funding, Girls Inc. of the Valley will be able to complete the $7 million renovation of its 16,000-square-foot facility at 480 Hampden St. in Holyoke. Their new location will serve as their permanent headquarters and program center where it will serve more than 1,000 girls from underserved communities. Students in the organization range from ages 5 to 18 and participate in programs offered year-round to help them make better decisions about their health and lifestyles, set and achieve higher academic goals, and put themselves on track to lead independent, successful lives.

 

Longtime Listener Bequeaths $3 Million to NEPM

SPRINGFIELD — The late Walter Wolnik of Amherst has bequeathed New England Public Media $3 million, the largest gift in NEPM’s history. The transformational gift will support NEPM’s ongoing commitment to presenting classical music on the radio in Western Mass., with a specific focus on access to classical music overnight. Wolnik passed away on Sept. 20, 2022 at the age of 76. He was born and raised in Indian Orchard, where he attended a local high school before graduating from Harvard University in 1969. Wolnik then studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was a systems programming consultant for labs at several hospitals in the Boston area and spent a significant portion of time researching and managing his investments. He lived in Newton before moving to Amherst in 2000, where he was active in local politics and enjoyed gardening. He was a longtime listener to NEPM and was especially fond of classical music in the overnight hours.

 

Berkshire Bank Foundation Donates $426,000 in Third Quarter

BOSTON — Berkshire Bank announced more than $426,000 in Berkshire Bank Foundation philanthropic investments during the third quarter of 2023 in communities Berkshire Bank serves. According to foundation Director Lori Gazzillo Kiely, “the Berkshire Bank Foundation is committed to supporting programs that provide equitable opportunities for economic prosperity. During the third quarter of 2023, we assisted 124 nonprofit organizations with funding to support community needs. In addition, we supported programs that align with Berkshire Bank’s Center for Women, Wellness, and Wealth that provides opportunities for women to build a future enriched with financial stability, balance, and growth.”

 

Freedom Credit Union Raises More Than $2,700 for Food Bank

SPRINGFIELD — Throughout the months of July and August, Freedom Credit Union raised more than $2,700 through its annual summer food drive for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. In addition to cash donations, Freedom also collected non-perishable food items. Since 1982, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts has helped provide much-needed food to area residents in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. It sources its products from donations, which it distributes to participating pantries, meal sites, and shelters throughout the region.

 

United Way Opens Holyoke Community Cupboard

SPRINGFIELD — United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) opened its Holyoke Community Cupboard on Nov. 2 at 164 Race St. in Holyoke. The result of a partnership among Holyoke Community College (HCC), the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, and United Way of Pioneer Valley, this new food pantry will have the capacity to serve many Holyoke residents, as well as neighbors in nearby towns. The Holyoke Community Cupboard is located within the Culinary Arts Institute building on Race Street, an area identified as a food desert in the city. UWPV and HCC are excited to use the Culinary Arts Institute space to build collaborative solutions to food insecurity.

 

Happier Valley Comedy Awards ‘Free Happiness’ to Nonprofits

HADLEY — The Happier Valley Comedy board of directors announced their selection of two Western Mass. nonprofits as the fall 2023 recipients of its Free Happiness Program: Community Health Center of Franklin County (CHCFC) and Transhealth. The Free Happiness Program offers a free Happier Valley Comedy private event, such as a professional-development event or private improv show, to local nonprofit organizations that benefit underrepresented, underserved, and/or BIPOC individuals and communities. Community Health Center of Franklin County is a nonprofit agency operating medical clinics in Greenfield and Orange to treat patients regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status. It will use its award to bring a professional-development event called “An Improviser’s Guide to Building Resilience & Connection” to its fall retreat. Transhealth is a trans-led Northampton medical center that provides affirming and empowering healthcare services to transgender and gender-diverse individuals and their families. It will use its award to help support the staff’s continued work in healthcare, advocacy, and education in the local trans community. Applications for the Free Happiness Program are accepted on a rolling basis and awarded twice a year. Any organization who would like to be considered for future awards must be a registered 501(c)(3) and can apply at www.happiervalley.com/free-happiness. The next round of awards will be presented in the spring of 2024.

 

Bulkley Richardson Named 2024 Best Law Firm in 14 Practice Areas

SPRINGFIELD — Best Lawyers, in partnership with U.S. News and World Report, ranks Bulkley Richardson as 2024 Best Law Firm in the Springfield region in the following 14 practice areas: banking and finance law, bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law, business organizations (including LLCs and partnerships), commercial litigation, corporate law, criminal defense – general practice, criminal defense – white collar, employment law, litigation – labor and employment, medical-malpractice law – defendants, personal-injury litigation – defendants, real-estate law, tax law, and trusts and estates law. To be eligible for a ranking, a law firm must have at least one lawyer included in the list of Best Lawyers. Bulkley Richardson has 15 lawyers included on the 2024 Best Lawyers list, and two of the firm’s partners, Michael Burke and John Pucci, were named 2024 Springfield-area Lawyers of the Year. Rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations and peer reviews from leading attorneys in their field.

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Alston-Brown, Keisha
18 Aster St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/02/2023

Arsenault, Kelly A.
84 Eastwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 09/30/2023

Athol Memorial Hospital
2033 Main St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 11
Date: 10/01/2023

Athol Memorial Hospital NMTC Holdings, Inc.
2033 Main St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 11
Date: 10/01/2023

Boivin, Lynn Ann
240 Arthur St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/09/2023

Clemonts, Carrie M.
105 Lancaster St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/12/2023

Felton, Eric C.
35 Forest Hill Road
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/05/2023

Fletcher, Ian E.
93 Park Ave.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/05/2023

Goodrow, Clayton John
36 West St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/03/2023

Gordon, Shirleyanna
1518 Dwight St., Apt. L1
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/05/2023

Kaczamarek, Michael W.
51 Crane Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/04/2023

Kunesch, Felicia Mae
73 Wheeler Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/10/2023

Larzazs, Keith F.
210 Greenwich Plains Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 09/30/2023

Laureano, Maria
86 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/10/2023

Line, Kellee A.
108 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/09/2023

Montovani, Shirley M.
15 Hanward Hill
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Date: 09/30/2023

Morrow, Johannes G.
a/k/a Ansgaar, Johannes
PO Box 183
South Lee, MA 01260
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/10/2023

Olander, Diana M.
32 Felicia St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/14/2023

Parsley, David W.
42 Clarkson Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/05/2023

Roca, Rafael A.
14 Katelyn Way
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Date: 09/30/2023

Sawyer, Rebecca L.
33 Elm St.
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/05/2023

Thomas, Timothy E.
229 Kent Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/13/2023

Visneau, Michael F.
Surprise, Lauren E.
14 Rittenhouse Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 09/30/2023

Wagner, Tina R.
99 Northridge Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/10/2023

Zoschak, Andrea
1 Longview St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Date: 09/29/2023

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BUCKLAND

119 Elm St.
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: Steven C. Parsons
Seller: J. T. McConnell Investment
Date: 10/03/23

40 Mechanic St.
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $350,500
Buyer: John MacGibbon
Seller: Sachs Int.
Date: 10/13/23

CONWAY

638 South Deerfield Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $150,700
Buyer: Herlinda Tuesca
Seller: Pioneer Valley Habitat For Humanity
Date: 10/10/23

GILL

4 Set Back Lane
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Paul D. Viens
Seller: Richard Cramm
Date: 10/10/23

GREENFIELD

11 Conway St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Eagle Real Estate Ventures LLC
Seller: Monahan Int.
Date: 10/06/23

110 Cottage St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Dauntless Path LLC
Seller: Lovell, George L., (Estate)
Date: 10/06/23

38 Ferrante Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $476,000
Buyer: Ryan Lavoie
Seller: Lawrence P. Interlande
Date: 10/11/23

150 Green River Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $313,000
Buyer: Joshua M. Levin
Seller: Steiner, Mary L., (Estate)
Date: 10/05/23

23-25 Haywood St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Hillary E. Smith
Seller: William Spencer
Date: 10/04/23

75 Laurel St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Kerry Heathwaite
Seller: Yestramski, Francis J., (Estate)
Date: 10/10/23

462 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $292,500
Buyer: Zachary Fry
Seller: Richardson, Sally Tam, (Estate)
Date: 10/06/23

99 Meadow Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Corissa E. Tripp
Seller: Wong, Yoshiko, (Estate)
Date: 10/02/23

4 Michelman Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Douglas Simon
Seller: John F. Lobik
Date: 10/10/23

36 Robbins Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $281,750
Buyer: Freeland J. Tuden
Seller: Joseph R. Lavallee
Date: 10/13/23

LEVERETT

2 Laurel Hill Dr.
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $778,750
Buyer: Linda A. Bullock
Seller: Peter Longiaru
Date: 10/12/23

LEYDEN

168 Kately Hill Road
Leyden, MA 01301
Amount: $781,000
Buyer: 168 Kately Hill LLC
Seller: Donald R. Adams
Date: 10/05/23

6 Stephen Lane
Leyden, MA 01301
Amount: $319,000
Buyer: 168 Kately Hill LLC
Seller: Donald R. Adams
Date: 10/05/23

MONTAGUE

111 Federal St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $147,250
Buyer: Edward Terault
Seller: Warsawski, Rose A., (Estate)
Date: 10/12/23

110 L St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $1,350,000
Buyer: L St. Corporate Mgmt. LLC
Seller: Pioneer Valley Redevelopers LLC
Date: 10/06/23

132 L St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $1,350,000
Buyer: L St Corporate Mgmt. LLC
Seller: Pioneer Valley Redevelopers LLC
Date: 10/06/23

19 Morris Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Tomas Ovalle
Seller: Vivier, Pearl, (Estate)
Date: 10/11/23

NORTHFIELD

571-E Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Joseph R. Lavallee
Seller: David Gorzocoski
Date: 10/13/23

ORANGE

475 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: 475 East Main St. RT
Seller: Avila, John B., (Estate)
Date: 10/06/23

188 Pleasant St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Timothy J. Wickline
Seller: TCS Home Group LLC
Date: 10/13/23

SHUTESBURY

Summer Mountain Road, Lot 2
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Lugosch Int.
Seller: Joan A. Antonino
Date: 10/12/23

SUNDERLAND

Brown Cross Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $195,500
Buyer: Wiseacre LLC
Seller: Monterey Rose LLC
Date: 10/11/23

River Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $195,500
Buyer: Wiseacre LLC
Seller: Monterey Rose LLC
Date: 10/11/23

WENDELL

95 Lockes Village Road
Wendell, MA 01379
Amount: $242,533
Buyer: Donald Kuzmeskus
Seller: Chicorka, Katrina L., (Estate)
Date: 10/04/23

WHATELY

167 Haydenville Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $402,000
Buyer: Allissa T. Jukiro
Seller: Grace G. Dwight RET
Date: 10/04/23

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

28 Center St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Seller: Whitehead. Donald R., (Estate)
Date: 10/04/23

52 Edgewater Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Daniel M. Geiger
Seller: Dorothy A. Sliech
Date: 10/10/23

28 Maynard St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Douglas Delaroche
Seller: Thomas E. Schnepp
Date: 10/13/23

832 North West St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $342,500
Buyer: Thomas C. Williams
Seller: Colin O. McLean
Date: 10/06/23

20 Ottawa St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Brian Cote
Seller: Campagnari Construction LLC
Date: 10/12/23

99 Pineview Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Caroline A. Scherpa
Seller: Charles H. Heimann IRC
Date: 10/10/23

79 Poinsetta St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Brian F. Moriarty
Seller: Daniel Geiger
Date: 10/10/23

362 Poplar St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $549,000
Buyer: Stephen J. Wodecki
Seller: Viktor Savonin
Date: 10/05/23

435 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $429,000
Buyer: Colin M. Deforge
Seller: Longo, Robert L., (Estate)
Date: 10/03/23

966 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Mark R. Magistri
Seller: Rising, Daniel Cesan, (Estate)
Date: 10/05/23

277 Silver St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $2,562,500
Buyer: Maya Associates LLC
Seller: 277 Silver LLC
Date: 10/11/23

558 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Maven Investment Co. LLC
Seller: Cynthia A. Kozak
Date: 10/04/23

647 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Brett Bamford
Seller: Kevin J. Davidson
Date: 10/03/23

784 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Timothy J. Tracy
Seller: Tomroc Holdings LLC
Date: 10/02/23

BRIMFIELD

108 Cubles Dr.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $334,000
Buyer: Chad Carter
Seller: Joseph Lace
Date: 10/10/23

26 Hollow Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Jennysa Singvongsa
Seller: Methuselah RT
Date: 10/11/23

85 Hollow Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $218,500
Buyer: Kristen Wood Special Need
Seller: Jockamo H. Baldina
Date: 10/11/23

230 Park Ave.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Paige Hill Properties LLC
Seller: Rcfam LLC
Date: 10/10/23

Sturbridge Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Paige Hill Properties LLC
Seller: Rcfam LLC
Date: 10/10/23

CHESTER

92 Old State Hwy.
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Lisa Estrada
Seller: Terence M. Pease
Date: 10/13/23

CHICOPEE

18 Bemis St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Meg Realty LLC
Seller: Dalton Alexis
Date: 10/10/23

415 East St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: SS Enterprises Inc.
Seller: C&H Investments Inc.
Date: 10/12/23

8 Grace St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Ahmed Al Jashaam
Seller: Brodeur, Gail A., (Estate)
Date: 10/03/23

138 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $333,000
Buyer: Jack Watson
Seller: Andrew J. Crane
Date: 10/06/23

131 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Shirley Donkor
Seller: Bozek Realty Inc.
Date: 10/04/23

30 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Priscilla Goldman
Seller: Jonathan W. Moulton
Date: 10/13/23

106 Lawrence Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $344,900
Buyer: Nancy M. Benard
Seller: Kazimiera Bak
Date: 10/11/23

1752 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Matthew Yacavone
Seller: Carolyn Z. Vickers
Date: 10/04/23

 

36 Mercedes St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $246,500
Buyer: Patrick E. Goonan
Seller: Michael J. Goonan
Date: 10/11/23

Pleasantview Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Ahmed Al Jashaam
Seller: Brodeur, Gail A., (Estate)
Date: 10/03/23

123 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Adivio V. Gomes
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 10/13/23

12 Tenney St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $314,000
Buyer: Donald A. Houle
Seller: Daniel A. Brosseau
Date: 10/04/23

27 Thornwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Phillip Rankin
Seller: McEwan, Joyce M., (Estate)
Date: 10/05/23

115 Tolpa Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Brendan Levesque
Seller: Donald J. Roy
Date: 10/13/23

44 Wallace Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $311,000
Buyer: Barbara Paulo
Seller: Kyle J. Partridge
Date: 10/13/23

EAST LONGMEADOW

Denslow Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Laplante Construction Inc.
Seller: Richard G. Elfman
Date: 10/13/23

41 Holland Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Megan Sullivan
Seller: Hugh K. Martin
Date: 10/10/23

11 Kenneth Lunden Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Brandon Obrien
Seller: David C. Malchow
Date: 10/11/23

39 Lenox Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Sara Margoles TR
Seller: Lynn M. Bolton
Date: 10/02/23

260 Maple St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $281,500
Buyer: Kyle T. Palazzi
Seller: Darlene M. Collins
Date: 10/05/23

136 Meadow Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Brian Gurski
Seller: Walter J. Crawford
Date: 10/11/23

32 Melwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Nicholas Gero
Seller: Grigely, Anne M., (Estate)
Date: 10/06/23

32 Melwood Ave., Lot 12
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Nicholas Gero
Seller: Grigely, Anne M., (Estate)
Date: 10/06/23

4 Millbrook Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Amanda Torres-Alvarado
Seller: Quercus Properties LLC
Date: 10/06/23

91 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Ryan B. McGuire
Seller: Erin Ahart
Date: 10/13/23

Purves St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: 60 Munson Meeting Way LLC
Seller: Laplante Construction
Date: 10/13/23

48 Wellington Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $690,000
Buyer: Jaafar M. Hamadeh
Seller: Thomas C. Williams
Date: 10/06/23

70 Wood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Robert McCarthy
Seller: Michelle McCarthy
Date: 10/12/23

HAMPDEN

50 Baldwin Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $352,000
Buyer: Ryan M. Terbush
Seller: Joseph Hutchison
Date: 10/10/23

102 Baldwin Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $166,200
Buyer: Lumturi RT
Seller: Polley, David M., (Estate)
Date: 10/02/23

522 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: 522 Main St. Realty LLC
Seller: Hatch Property Mgmt. LLC
Date: 10/03/23

 

HOLYOKE

30 Ashley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Megan E. Fanning
Seller: Mark J. Dizek
Date: 10/12/23

44 Congress Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Gabriella Phelan
Seller: Pedro Berrios
Date: 10/11/23

1519 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,451,412
Buyer: Cadet 23 LLC
Seller: Oliver Auto Body
Date: 10/04/23

26 Florence Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: Jason Laboy
Seller: Sky RET
Date: 10/03/23

278 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Maria M. Aquino
Seller: Ameilia M. Czarnik
Date: 10/05/23

50-52 Vernon St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Sarah Jerome
Seller: Hann Realty LLC
Date: 10/12/23

LONGMEADOW

Brookside Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Camille Burger
Seller: Mark E. Salomone
Date: 10/12/23

112 Captain Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Anthony G. Dallessandro
Seller: Luigi Chiarella
Date: 10/06/23

55 Cedar Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: John Stocks
Seller: Reginald D. Smith
Date: 10/03/23

120 Crestview Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $675,000
Buyer: Eileen Castellanos
Seller: Daniel R. Schwarting
Date: 10/11/23

58 Fairfield Ter.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $492,500
Buyer: Jeslyn Carr
Seller: Jonathan A. Bubier
Date: 10/05/23

24 Herbert St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Xuan Tang
Seller: Matthew Gaffney
Date: 10/02/23

389 Inverness Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: Neil Greene
Seller: Jacob B. Webber
Date: 10/11/23

549 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Gregory J. Hughes
Seller: David A. Hirsh
Date: 10/04/23

64 Redfern Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: G. B. & Susan R. Gravel RET
Seller: March Thompson
Date: 10/05/23

1112 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $635,000
Buyer: Matthew Sandler
Seller: Gregory Dumeny
Date: 10/02/23

42 Woodlawn Pl
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Christen Brownlee
Seller: Woodlawn Property LLC
Date: 10/05/23

57 Woolworth St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: Goodman LLC
Seller: Morgan, Marjorie S., (Estate)
Date: 10/13/23

LUDLOW

66 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Antonio G. Norton
Seller: Robert J. Lefebvre
Date: 10/02/23

504 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Galina Mashitlova
Seller: Transform Property Group LLC
Date: 10/02/23

415 Holyoke St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Robert F. Bourdeau
Seller: Bourdeau Sr., Robert D., (Estate)
Date: 10/11/23

16 May Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $302,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Behnk
Seller: Flowers, Steven A., (Estate)
Date: 10/11/23

455 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Nathanial Mizula
Seller: Nicholas R. Fales
Date: 10/05/23

13 Salli Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Christopher H. Newman
Seller: Stephanie A. Richard
Date: 10/02/23

15 Victor St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $265,300
Buyer: Darlene L. Kennedy
Seller: Shawn N. Thompson
Date: 10/12/23

MONSON

59 Beebe Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Heather Garvie
Seller: Judith C. Chlebus
Date: 10/05/23

MONTGOMERY

217 Pitcher St.
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $665,000
Buyer: Amy Varner
Seller: David W. Tourville
Date: 10/05/23

PALMER

4001-4003 Hill St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Stan Properties LLC
Seller: Jose Miranda
Date: 10/05/23

1505-A-C North Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Abdul Bashier Sroosh
Seller: Linda S. Pardo
Date: 10/03/23

1644-1646 North Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Steven Mercure
Seller: A To Z Property Mgmt.
Date: 10/12/23

1061 Park St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Ana Hernandez
Seller: Mt Home LLC
Date: 10/11/23

RUSSELL

541 Woodland Way
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Jonathan Fannin Special TR
Seller: Tony L. Lewis
Date: 10/10/23

SPRINGFIELD

86 Anniversary St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Lismarie S. Negron-Morales
Seller: Mark A. Wikar
Date: 10/11/23

234 Arnold Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Frederick Collins
Seller: Douglas J. Dichard
Date: 10/12/23

438 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Yulaska G. Aguasvivas
Seller: Shaynah M. Orr
Date: 10/04/23

665 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Thomas Wilson
Seller: Joanne L. Lupi
Date: 10/13/23

726 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $740,000
Buyer: Shariyfah Lupus Fund LLC
Seller: Airbel Real Estate LLC
Date: 10/04/23

788 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $740,000
Buyer: Shariyfah Lupus Fund LLC
Seller: Airbel Real Estate LLC
Date: 10/04/23

818 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Padam Gajmer
Seller: Ravin Sharma
Date: 10/02/23

24-26 Berkshire St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Okeila S. Ledgister
Seller: Franco Henriques IRT
Date: 10/06/23

220 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $296,000
Buyer: Jennifer D. King
Seller: Ann Hughes
Date: 10/04/23

333 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $975,000
Buyer: 1 Root Inc.
Seller: Boston Road RT
Date: 10/03/23

212 Bowles Park
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Andrea Giordano
Seller: Rene Ricardi
Date: 10/04/23

392-394 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $163,500
Buyer: Posiadlosc LLC
Seller: Steven E. Zeimbekakis
Date: 10/10/23

145 Carr St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Nickolas S. Demetrius
Seller: Robert M. Gleason
Date: 10/02/23

66 Cedar St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $156,800
Buyer: JR & Dee Realty LLC
Seller: Peter E. Sares
Date: 10/02/23

11 Champlain Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: P. & R. Investments LLC
Seller: Stacy L. Jacobs
Date: 10/03/23

43-45 Clayton St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Robinah Kintu
Seller: Kevin Kitchens
Date: 10/02/23

66 Clement St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Kristopher G. Hills
Seller: Robert H. Wilder
Date: 10/05/23

66 Crystal Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Keys Upgrade LLC
Seller: Sullivan Property Preservation
Date: 10/13/23

631-633 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Earl N. Reed
Seller: Khai D. Do
Date: 10/06/23

98-100 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $754,500
Buyer: Round Two LLC
Seller: Junior Properties LLC
Date: 10/03/23

37 Dubois St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $131,700
Buyer: Malia Homebuyers LLC
Seller: Emily A. Linzi
Date: 10/06/23

116 Edgemere Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Sasha Ramos
Seller: M. & F. Vazquez Home Improvements
Date: 10/06/23

57-59 Eloise St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $754,500
Buyer: Round Two LLC
Seller: Junior Properties LLC
Date: 10/03/23

156 Fair Oak Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Wolfpack Realty Corp.
Seller: Anthony S. Cremonti
Date: 10/06/23

31 Freeman Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Beacon Cornerstone LLC
Seller: Paul L. Keyes
Date: 10/12/23

32-34 Fresno St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Idamaris Vega
Seller: Dimetrius A. Hatcher
Date: 10/11/23

27 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Jonathan Schroeder
Seller: Christopher J. Castellano
Date: 10/04/23

63 Gilman St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Anissa L. Nieves
Seller: Royal Hill LLC
Date: 10/11/23

128 Glenmore St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Alex J. Tsang
Seller: Czeslaw Kierkla
Date: 10/06/23

130 Glenmore St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Alex J. Tsang
Seller: Czeslaw Kierkla
Date: 10/06/23

71 Grape St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Keron Leslie
Seller: Rosalyn Champlain
Date: 10/10/23

18 Greenacre Square
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Aramis Ruiz
Seller: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Date: 10/10/23

517-519 Hancock St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Silvia Gonzalez
Seller: Sonia C. Marte
Date: 10/13/23

54 Hood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Sandra Roman
Seller: Wilson & Family Real Estate LLC
Date: 10/11/23

157 Jamaica St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Daliza M. Burgos-Ramos
Seller: Darryl E. Moss
Date: 10/06/23

56-58 Jefferson Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Bright Day Care LLC
Seller: Jose J. Feliz-Gonzalez
Date: 10/03/23

96 Magnolia Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Emily Sprague
Seller: 96 Magnolia Terrace LLC
Date: 10/13/23

403-405 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $344,000
Buyer: Lassarone Charlemagne
Seller: Lachenauer LLC
Date: 10/11/23

1628-1640 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $758,000
Buyer: Mago Inc.
Seller: New England Farm Workers Council
Date: 10/06/23

49 Mallowhill Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Shaynah M. Orr
Seller: Carla M. Sylla
Date: 10/05/23

28 Medford St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $121,000
Buyer: Jjj17 LLC
Seller: Gonzalez, Pedro M., (Estate)
Date: 10/06/23

255 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Giovanni Paz
Seller: Relegacy Investments LLC
Date: 10/10/23

151 Packard Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Shanu Shanmugampillai
Seller: Alethea A. Haines
Date: 10/13/23

63 Park Edge Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Kevin P. Coffee
Seller: Skerker FT
Date: 10/06/23

676 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Andrea M. Bushman
Seller: Betty Deluca
Date: 10/10/23

 

174 Pineywoods Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $248,500
Buyer: Camilla J. Miller
Seller: Accredited Mtg. Loan TR 200
Date: 10/13/23

85 Pocantico Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Lisa Holland
Seller: Courageous Lion LLC
Date: 10/06/23

12 Prescott St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $367,000
Buyer: Robert Foster
Seller: Patricia A. Maione
Date: 10/13/23

50 Riverview St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Will J. Severe
Seller: Riverview Street RT
Date: 10/11/23

6 Rogers Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Lee A. Dutil
Seller: Lachenauer LLC
Date: 10/13/23

34-36 Ruskin St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Steven Hayes
Seller: Diane N. Kadzik
Date: 10/02/23

30 Sachem St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $754,500
Buyer: Round Two LLC
Seller: Junior Properties LLC
Date: 10/03/23

239 Saint James Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Eric Chang
Seller: Fnma
Date: 10/13/23

288 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $127,260
Buyer: Mortgage Assets Mgmt LLC
Seller: Annie L. Davis
Date: 10/06/23

22 Savoy Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: John Lizardi
Seller: Caroline R. Malaquias
Date: 10/06/23

116 Sierra Vista Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Sherilyn K. Small
Seller: Amanda C. Alvarado
Date: 10/06/23

12 Skyridge Lane
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Anthony Quinones
Seller: Casey L. Brown
Date: 10/12/23

34 Sonia St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jason G. Peskurich
Seller: Anna M. Maliga
Date: 10/06/23

1193 State St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: SRS Partners LLC
Seller: Pogman Realty LLC
Date: 10/02/23

52-54 Stockman St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Nelson Luciano
Seller: JJJ17 LLC
Date: 10/10/23

261 Sunrise Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Emilio J. Bruno-Diaz
Seller: JJJ17 LLC
Date: 10/10/23

19 Taft St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $218,530
Buyer: United Wholesale Mtg. LLC
Seller: Michael Sandberger
Date: 10/04/23

35 Trafton Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Mohamed Bendrao
Seller: Garken Realty LLC
Date: 10/02/23

201 Verge St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: James H. Burrell
Seller: Scott J. Denesha
Date: 10/02/23

80 West Alvord St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $235,500
Buyer: Round Two LLC
Seller: AJN Rentals LLC
Date: 10/03/23

122 West Crystal Brook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Graham & Lumpkin LLC
Seller: Paul R. Hanney
Date: 10/06/23

208 Westford Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Tandeka Hicks
Seller: Td Bank
Date: 10/02/23

111 Winterset Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Magaly M. Vazquez
Seller: Stephen Farr
Date: 10/03/23

 

50 Winthrop St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Alfred Shattelroe
Seller: Alfred Shattelroe
Date: 10/13/23

45 Yale St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Ebony Badger
Seller: David Givans
Date: 10/06/23

SOUTHWICK

62 Davis Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Elizabeth R. Imelio
Seller: Joseph M. Carnevale
Date: 10/02/23

25 Fernwood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Scott Denesha
Seller: Streeter, Leland E., (Estate)
Date: 10/02/23

210 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Connor J. Birchall
Seller: Paula Wells
Date: 10/11/23

105 Lakeview St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $590,000
Buyer: Launa Klimowicz
Seller: Jason K. Lichtenberger
Date: 10/13/23

7 Pineywood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $282,000
Buyer: James Foley
Seller: Shirley Cross
Date: 10/12/23

TOLLAND

227 Lakeside Dr.
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Gary P. Fredericks
Seller: Susan M. Bullock
Date: 10/02/23

2000 New Boston Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Diane C. Christian
Seller: Dina Dumezil
Date: 10/13/23

WALES

77 Mount Hitchcock Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Jeffrey R. Latour
Seller: Sherry Latour
Date: 10/10/23

WEST SPRINGFIELD

2 Elizabeth St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Mass Housing LLC
Seller: McNulty, Thomas O., (Estate)
Date: 10/06/23

512 Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Joseph J. Czarnik
Seller: Samuel Sevelo
Date: 10/05/23

69 Hampden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: URL Properties LLC
Seller: Alan N. Sharpe
Date: 10/05/23

26 Southworth St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Sean M. Fitzpatrick
Seller: Charles T. Disponett
Date: 10/04/23

38 Upper Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Anthony Pelletier
Seller: Trevor Cupp
Date: 10/03/23

2165 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Nathaniel M. Mish
Seller: Andrew J. Gasperini
Date: 10/11/23

48 Worthen St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Stephen A. Alvord
Seller: West Co. Investments LLC
Date: 10/02/23

WESTFIELD

21 Allen Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Christopher Ramos
Seller: Paul R. Troy
Date: 10/13/23

55 Apple Orchard Heights
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Theodore R. Alvord
Date: 10/02/23

90 Berkshire Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Stephen J. Oleksak
Seller: Constance J. Tkaczek
Date: 10/06/23

25 Big Wood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $577,300
Buyer: Jonathan Zuber
Seller: Kelly J. Cieplinski LT
Date: 10/11/23

30 Cardinal Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Tatyana Sevostyanov
Seller: Gil D. Talamayan
Date: 10/06/23

51 Crescent Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $489,900
Buyer: Charles Marsland
Seller: Thomas M. Bregoli
Date: 10/06/23

108 Elizabeth Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Dario Duchi
Seller: Aldo Palazzi
Date: 10/13/23

149 Glenwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Mary B. Tichacek
Seller: Edward P. Andreski
Date: 10/13/23

7 Harvest Moon Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: Robert M. Levesque
Seller: Chad H. Nelson
Date: 10/06/23

95 Honey Pot Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Andrew R. Loftus
Seller: Robert M. Lafrance
Date: 10/02/23

66 Janis Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Tyler Simmitt
Seller: Kimberly A. Constance
Date: 10/03/23

33 Jessie Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $498,000
Buyer: Stephen Dowd
Seller: William E. O’Neill
Date: 10/06/23

109 Joseph Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $312,000
Buyer: Andrey Nesen
Seller: Jeevan Kafley
Date: 10/10/23

39 Magnolia Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: Shannon N. Anderson
Seller: Sandra L. Fiedler
Date: 10/11/23

67 Mainline Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Morestate LLC
Seller: Three Brothers LLC
Date: 10/06/23

30 Medieros Way
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $950,000
Buyer: NGL Supply Terminal Co. LLC
Seller: Mongeau Realty LLC
Date: 10/03/23

199 Munger Hill Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $670,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Bregoli
Seller: Michael A. Mundorf
Date: 10/06/23

30-32 Park St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $468,000
Buyer: Viktor Pikulskyi
Seller: Jeremy J. Beltrandi
Date: 10/13/23

Pitcher St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $665,000
Buyer: Amy Varner
Seller: David W. Tourville
Date: 10/05/23

7 Westwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $512,000
Buyer: Richard Howitt
Seller: Randolph R. Calvo
Date: 10/10/23

 

139 Wyben Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Benjamin Gillespie
Seller: Courtney M. Gagne
Date: 10/03/23

WILBRAHAM

291 3 Rivers Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: William D. John
Seller: William L. Meeker
Date: 10/12/23

103 Burleigh Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $303,333
Buyer: Ashlee M. Tromblay
Seller: David T. Tromblay
Date: 10/10/23

12 Delmor Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Valerie P. Huard
Seller: Christopher J. Behnk
Date: 10/11/23

161 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Joan A. Devitto
Seller: Elizabeth Damato
Date: 10/11/23

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

18 Bayberry Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $827,500
Buyer: Dominick C. Lacapra
Seller: Jonathan J. Kane
Date: 10/13/23

80 Fearing St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $642,500
Buyer: Enhan Wang
Seller: Kruppres LLC
Date: 10/11/23

85 Hillcrest Place
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $695,000
Buyer: Thomas E. Brennan
Seller: Nicholas J. Dufresne
Date: 10/06/23

29 Justice Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $404,000
Buyer: Rongjuan Liu
Seller: Francis X. O’Connor
Date: 10/10/23

BELCHERTOWN

256 Cold Spring Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Sean P. Garcia
Seller: Theresa A. Przybylowcz
Date: 10/03/23

459 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Mary B. Gunther
Seller: Kelly O. Galster
Date: 10/12/23

73-A Hamilton St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $153,647
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Shirley D. Desroches
Date: 10/12/23

73-B Hamilton St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $153,647
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Shirley D. Desroches
Date: 10/12/23

73-C Hamilton St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $153,647
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Shirley D. Desroches
Date: 10/12/23

 

18 Ledgewood Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Monica Fowler
Seller: Michael A. Siniscalchi
Date: 10/06/23

Woodland Lane Lot R
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: JHP Builders LLC
Seller: Bell Property Corp.
Date: 10/03/23

EASTHAMPTON

41-43 Chapman Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $780,000
Buyer: North Harlow LLC
Seller: Arc Investments LLC
Date: 10/04/23

26-28 Federal St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: KMAK LLC
Seller: Christine E. Rucinski
Date: 10/10/23

3-3A Franklin St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Elaine M. Bryan
Seller: James R. Witmer
Date: 10/11/23

26 High St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $780,000
Buyer: North Harlow LLC
Seller: Arc Investments LLC
Date: 10/04/23

1-3 Lincoln St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: David Walter
Seller: Amy E. Linnell
Date: 10/06/23

106 Lovefield St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $456,200
Buyer: Stela J. Conyer
Seller: Brian J. Murphy
Date: 10/02/23

9-11 Lovell St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Jeremy D. O’Ber
Seller: John A. Knybel
Date: 10/04/23

16 Lyman St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Jose Faria
Seller: Canal Real Estate LLC
Date: 10/11/23

65 Phelps St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Kelly R. Lewis
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 10/13/23

22 Willow Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: Indenture Of T. Eli T. Harr
Seller: Matthew F. Sandler
Date: 10/02/23

GRANBY

21 Center St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Charles J. James
Seller: Cynthia J. Ames
Date: 10/03/23

61 North St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Cherie L. Braun
Seller: Malia Homebuyers LLC
Date: 10/11/23

HADLEY

139 Mount Warner Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jeffery M. Campbell
Seller: Steven B. Constant
Date: 10/02/23

255 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Justin R. Yezierski
Seller: Yeszierski, Claire, (Estate)
Date: 10/10/23

NORTHAMPTON

343 Brookside Circle
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Kaitlynne Hard-Pieczarka
Seller: Kelly R. Lewis
Date: 10/13/23

1041 Burts Pit Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $371,000
Buyer: Justin L. Sheffler
Seller: Mildred Jimenez
Date: 10/10/23

25 Finn St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Allyson M. Garcia
Seller: Carmen M. Santiago
Date: 10/05/23

1095 Florence Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Day Farm LLC
Seller: Duga 3rd, Paula, (Estate)
Date: 10/11/23

5 Highland Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Bradley J. Levay
Seller: Justin T. Serpone
Date: 10/02/23

11 Kensington Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $729,000
Buyer: Amy A. Kassalty
Seller: Baker & Titelman 2012 RT
Date: 10/13/23

1095 Park Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Day Farm LLC
Seller: Duga 3rd, Paula, (Estate)
Date: 10/11/23

57 Pine St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Rachel G. Wolk
Seller: Ann M. Konieczny
Date: 10/04/23

PELHAM

290 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Kerri A. Tester
Seller: Doris M. Sherburne IRT
Date: 10/11/23

SOUTH HADLEY

48 Amherst Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Brightwood Properties LLC
Seller: Paul D. Viens
Date: 10/06/23

11 Dale St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jonathan Jasmin
Seller: Julianne F. Barkman
Date: 10/12/23

70 Lathrop St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $341,250
Buyer: Vantage Home Buyers LLC
Seller: Brian A. Corriveau
Date: 10/03/23

6 Ludlow Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Yahdiel E. Torres
Seller: Donna M. Pellissier
Date: 10/06/23

143 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Zachary C. Wright
Seller: Lisa L. Schechterle
Date: 10/05/23

550 New Ludlow Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Moynihan Realty Group LLC
Seller: Morningstar Enterprise LLC
Date: 10/04/23

37 Searle Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Carly A. Robinson
Seller: Benjamin T. Judge
Date: 10/12/23

23 Spring St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Sean Dawkins
Seller: Andrew J. Schnitzer
Date: 10/05/23

SOUTHAMPTON

12 Couture Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Joshua J. Prystowski
Seller: Simone Prystowski
Date: 10/06/23

5 Pomeroy Meadow Ext.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Fumi Realty Inc
Seller: Moeller, Beverly Dean, (Estate)
Date: 10/06/23

153 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Carly A. Phillips
Seller: Benjamin C. Gillespie
Date: 10/03/23

WILLIAMSBURG

67 Depot Road
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $175,000
B uyer: Gregory Harry
Seller: Kathryn J. Harry
Date: 10/13/23

 

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of October 2023.

CHICOPEE

Acclaim Properties Inc.
2 Dwight St.
$42,600 — Roofing

Acclaim Properties Inc.
78 Front St.
$62,250 — Roofing and siding

Amy Deauseault
25 Grace St.
$18,999 — Roofing

Dino Facente
520 East St.
$22,000 — Roofing

Veronique Leroy
229-231 Grove St.
$6,575 — Demolish and rebuild both chimneys

Albert Mason, Maureen Mason
145 Springfield St.
$8,750 — Roofing

RL New Life LLC
200 Exchange St.
$3,000 — New partitions and doors in sanctuary, new panic bar at rear entry with upgrade to exit signs

UFPT MA LLC
300 Burnett Road
$209,930 — Roofing

EASTHAMPTON

60-62 Main Street LLC
60-62 Main St.
$5,000 — Remove pergola and deck

Massachusetts Audubon Society
127 Coombs Road
$12,000 — Attach accessibility ramp to existing deck structure

HADLEY

Parmar & Sons Inc.
24 Bay Road
N/A — Install air handlers and heat pump condensing unit

Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield
120 Russell St.
N/A — New bell tower

LEE

705 Pleasant Street LLC
705 Pleasant St.
$382,983 — Install rooftop-mounted photovoltaic solar modules and related electrical equipment

Marian Missionaries of Divine Mercy NFP
780 Tyringham Road
$18,500 — Roofing and siding

Alan Wilcox, Lynn Bertelli
29 High St.
$4,000 — Roofing

LENOX

Chucky’s LLC
90 Main St.
$25,000 — Selective demolition

Hillcrest Educational Center
349 Old Stockbridge Road
$408,245 — Replace windows, siding, decking, and shingles

Hillcrest Educational Center
242 West Mountain Road
$318,330 — Replace siding and windows; add new exterior porch, roof, and walkways; re-roof main roof areas; HVAC work to provide ventilation of fresh air

NORTHAMPTON

4-6 Market Street LLC
4 Market St.
$60,000 — Office renovation and add kitchen

14 Conz St. LLC
14 Conz St.
N/A — Deck repairs

1924 LLC
46 Round Hill Road
$2,700,000 — Convert Coolidge Hall building into apartments

Ballybunion Realty LLC
102 Main St., Unit A
$4,340 — Illuminated sign for Smoke Shop

City of Northampton
20 West St.
$7,950 — Chimney liner at Forbes Library

DDM Properties LLC
14 Market St.
$30,000 — Roofing

Florence Congregational Church
130 Pine St.
$35,000 — Fire system upgrade and add-on

Healthy Neighbors Group LLC
321 Bridge St.
$5,000 — Repairs and replacement windows

Scher Mass LLC
10 Michelman Ave.
$10,000 — Two-car garage addition

Smith College
186 Elm St.
$10,000 — Ceiling repairs at Jordan House

Smith College
100 Green St.
$96,740 — Install and relocate growth cambers

Valley Go West LLC
3 North Main St.
$4,300 — Two roof vents and insulation

PITTSFIELD

Cross Development Berkshires LLC
41 Cherry St.
$147,000 — Patch, paint, carpentry, tile, new vanities and cabinets

L&S LP
1035 South St.
$92,000 — Machine demolition of structure, including slab and foundations

OBCC Holdings LLC
74 Downing Parkway
$168, — Roofing

Regan Development
592 North St., Building 2
$2,925,402 — Renovate building

Regan Development
592 North St., Building 3
$4,130,845 — Repair/improve commercial and residential apartments

South Street Associates LLC
153 South St.
$400,000 — Repair existing parapet

SPRINGFIELD

Citywide Associates LP
513 Main St.
$19,873.55 — Insulation and air sealing

Citywide Associates LP
64 Myrtle St.
$30,918.10 — Insulation and air sealing

Holy Name Catholic Assoc.
323 Dickinson St.
$121,964 — Roofing at Holy Name Church

Western New England University
1215 Wilbraham Road
$237,451 — Alter third-floor space in Sleith Hall for six faculty offices

Guyseymore Wilson
708 Main St.
$125,000 — Full remodel and addition to rear of property for new kitchen

United Way, HCC Celebrate Grand Opening of Holyoke Food Pantry

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — Last week, the United Way of Pioneer Valley and Holyoke Community College (HCC) celebrated the opening of the Holyoke Community Cupboard, a downtown food pantry that will allow residents to pick up free frozen and refrigerated foods in addition to the usual dry goods and shelf-stable items.

The Holyoke Community Cupboard is located on the basement level of the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, 164 Race St., the scene of a Nov. 2 ribbon-cutting and grand-opening event.

“This is a really special occasion,” HCC President George Timmons said. “It’s important, and we want to do our part to try to be good community partners and help the city of Holyoke meet this need, and so we want to do that by providing healthy choices and healthy food and making it easy to access.”

The new food pantry, part of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts’ network, will serve Holyoke residents as well as those from neighboring towns. It is open Thursdays from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

“We’re incredibly thankful for the collaboration,” said Megan Moynihan, CEO of the United Way of Pioneer Valley. “Thank you so much for opening your arms to the United Way. We saw that there was a gap in services and that it was very important to get a food pantry into Holyoke. Capacity-wise, we couldn’t do it alone.”

Among those present and taking part in the ribbon cutting were state Rep. Patricia Duffy; Andrew Morehouse, executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts; and Jordan Hart, executive director of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce.

“Over my 10 years of working here, it’s been really great to see the evolution and how much HCC has really invested in downtown Holyoke,” Hart said. “Economic development in downtown is so important to all the businesses in the community, so HCC’s presence down here with the culinary institute and the Picknelly Center [at 206 Maple St.] is really important. Congratulations to the United Way and HCC for your continued involvement in downtown Holyoke.”

This is the third pantry operated by UWPV after the agency opened sites in Springfield and Chicopee.

“We hope to use this collaboration as a means of finding innovative solutions to food security and to collectively support other initiatives,” said Lee Drewitz, UWPV’s director of Program Operations. “This includes offering food demonstrations using food-pantry staples and educating the community about the emergency food pantry system.”

HCC also operates a food pantry on campus as part of its Thrive Student Resource Center, which was founded in 2015 with assistance from the United Way of Pioneer Valley.

Balise Auto Raising Funds for Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Now through Nov. 30, Balise Auto, with nine locations throughout Western Mass., will be donating a portion of the proceeds from every set of four tires it sells to Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM) as part of its Tires to Inspire campaign.

“It’s an honor to once again be supporting Junior Achievement with our Tires to Inspire program,” said Alex Balise, director of Marketing at Balise Auto. “Tires to Inspire is our way of raising money and awareness for local organizations like JAWM and the incredible work they do to empower young people in our community through work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial-literacy programs.”

JAWM is dedicated to providing economic-education and financial-literacy programs to youth throughout Western Mass., opening their minds to their potential and preparing them for life after graduation.

“Thanks to the financial support we receive from great corporate partners like Balise Auto, we are able to continue offering our academically challenging programs to local schools and community groups free of charge,” said Jennifer Connolly, JAWM president. “The Tires to Inspire campaign was a huge success last year, and we’re thrilled Balise has decided to continue it.”

Balise added that “winter will be here soon with its snow and ice; now is the perfect time for people to make sure their tires are in good shape. Even if you don’t need tires, we encourage anyone who can to support Junior Achievement through a direct donation.”

To make a direct donation to Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, visit jawm.org/donate.

GCAi Appoints Nathan Dion as Digital Public Relations Analyst

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Another chapter has started at Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) and its ‘success amplification’ through PR efforts with the appointment of Nathan Dion as digital PR analyst. Dion is an experienced video producer and is already telling local stories with GCAi’s new vlogging camera.

“Upon meeting him, you get a feeling of quiet confidence, but also empathy from Nate. He is a calm and quiet guy,” said John Garvey, president of GCAi. “Yet, in my experience, that is what is necessary on a PR shoot. Interviewees are nervous, and Nate’s demeanor and technical expertise dissipates tension and yields a great shoot.”

Dion will continue to grow GCAi’s digital PR video services and subsidiary New England Corporate Video.

“Video allows companies and businesses to tell their story in an engaging way,” he said. “Through video, you’re able to see and feel the emotions and story on screen. I really feel that it is my job to capture all that in the shoot and the subsequent edit.”

Dion is a graduate of Westfield State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communication with a dual concentration in media arts and analysis and public relations. He also minored in graphic design.

Garvey thanked Westfield State for referring Dion to GCAi. “It’s not easy to find qualified employees these days. For those of us working in communications, Westfield State University is incredibly important as they are essentially building our workforce year after year. I am very grateful for their support.”

TommyCar, Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office Partner for No Shave November

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Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — TommyCar Auto Group is once again teaming up with the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Patrick Cahillane to make a significant impact in raising awareness about cancer and supporting vital initiatives in cancer prevention, research, and education.

Throughout November, the deputies and staff of the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office have the unique opportunity to opt out of their usual dress code and grow out their facial hair in exchange for a $20 donation. All proceeds go the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament, which directly supports Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

TommyCar Auto Group is committed to matching the total amount raised by the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, doubling the impact of the contributions. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a significant difference.

“My brother and I have seen firsthand what these families have to go through,” said Carla Cosenzi, president of TommyCar Auto Group. “That is why this organization is so close to our hearts, and we are grateful they were there for us when we needed them. We are so thankful for the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office for helping us raise funds to one day find a cure.”

No Shave November focuses on growing cancer awareness and generating funds to support various aspects of cancer prevention, research, education, and assisting those bravely battling cancer. It’s a month-long journey during which participants refrain from shaving and grooming to encourage conversations and raise cancer awareness.

The community is invited to be a part of the No Shave November movement by submitting a donation at putdownyourrazor.com.

Business Confidence in Massachusetts Rises in October

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Daily News

BOSTON — Massachusetts employers appear to be just as ambivalent about the state of the economy as many experts.

The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index continued to hover around the dividing line between optimism and pessimism last month. The Index rose 1.4 points to 51.2 during October, leaving it 0.3 points higher than in October 2022.

The Index has moved for most of 2023 in a narrow range as employers attempt to gauge an economy that has proved surprisingly resilient in the face of rising interest rates, predictions of recession, and war in both Ukraine and the Middle East.

The strengthening of employer sentiment in October reflected brightening views of both the U.S. and Massachusetts economies. The nation’s economy grew at a brisk 4.9% rate in the third quarter, while Massachusetts maintained a record low unemployment rate of 2.6%. At the same time, financial markets weakened, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones falling during October to post their first three-month losing streaks since 2020.

“Rapid increases in consumer and government spending continue to fuel the economy, suggesting the Federal Reserve may have to keep interest rates high for longer than it originally anticipated. A persistently tight labor market is exerting upward pressure on wages, leaving price inflation uncomfortably high,” said Sara Johnson, chair of the AIM Board of Economic Advisors (BEA).

The Central Massachusetts Business Confidence Index, conducted with the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, fell from 46.9 to 45.7. The North Shore Confidence Index, conducted with the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, rose from 53.5 to 54.2. The Western Massachusetts Business Confidence Index, developed in collaboration with the Springfield Regional Chamber, also gained ground, from 52.5 to 54.1.

The constituent indicators that make up the Index were mostly higher during October. The confidence employers have in their own companies gained 0.2 point to 51.9, ending the month 1.7 points down from October 2022.

The Massachusetts Index assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth increased by 3.2 points to 53.6, leaving it up 3.0 points from a year earlier. The U.S. Index measuring conditions throughout the country ended the month at 46.7, which is 3.8 points higher than a year ago.

The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, rose 1.3 points points to 52.2. The Future Index, measuring projections for the economy six months from now, was up 1.5 points to move into optimistic territory at 50.1.

The Manufacturing Index lost 1.2 points to 48.5, falling 2.2 points below its level of a year ago. Confidence among non-manufacturing companies was up 2.3 points to 52.1. The Employment Index fell 1.8 points to 50.1. Large companies (50.9) were slightly more optimistic than medium-sized companies (50.5) and small companies (50.5).

Alan Clayton-Matthews, professor emeritus of Economics and Public Policy at Northeastern University, senior contributing editor at MassBenchmarks, and a BEA member, said the Massachusetts and U.S. economies have so far defied expectations of a slowdown, but all indications are that growth can be expected to slow in the coming months.

“Unemployment in Massachusetts remains at record lows, but we hear anecdotally from some companies in the survey that they have been able to find more qualified workers than they did a year ago. Massachusetts must still reckon with the structural demographic, educational, and other factors that will affect labor supply in the long term,” he noted.

AIM President Brooke Thomson, also a BEA member, said the Healey administration’s recent $4 billion proposal to address the critical shortage of housing in Massachusetts will create economic benefits for employers and workers alike.

“Virtually every employer in Massachusetts has at one time heard a valued employee say, ‘I love working for this company, but my family can’t afford a house here,’” she noted. “AIM looks forward to working with the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Legislature to ensure those conversations become a thing of the past.”

Kuhn Riddle Architects Welcomes Project Designer Salabat Khan

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Daily News

AMHERST — Kuhn Riddle Architects recently welcomed Salabat Khan to its architectural team. Khan’s architectural interests began at MEASI Academy of Architecture in Chennai, India, where he acquired a strong foundation in design principles and cultivated his love for innovation. He completed his master of architecture degree at UMass Amherst in 2023.

Khan’s approach to architecture is human-centric: he most enjoys creating designs that enhance the user’s quality of life and sense of belonging. His work is focused as well on contextual integration into the historic, cultural, and natural environment surrounding any project. Kuhn Riddle’s leadership noted that his collaborative design philosophy and appreciation of diverse perspectives integrates perfectly with that of the firm.

Khan likes to travel, noting that it “fuels my creativity and reminds me of the diversity and wonder the world offers. It enriches my approach to design with a global perspective.” When not sketching or designing, he explores the outdoors and nurtures his love of animals by volunteering locally at several shelters.

KRA was recently awarded the prestigious Emerging Professionals Friendly designation from the American Institute of Architects. This award recognizes supporting emerging architects like Khan on their journey to registration and ultimate success in the architectural field.

Country Bank, Bank Director Announce First Fully Certified Board

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Daily News

WARE — James Phaneuf, Country Bank board chair, announced that the bank’s board of directors recently became the first fully certified board through Bank Director’s certification program.

The certification provides participants with a thorough grounding in corporate governance and important industry issues that enhance the performance of individual directors. The board completed the comprehensive training program this past year and was certified in September.

Participants must complete 31 designated online training videos and board briefs focused on the role of the board, audit and risk, compensation, governance, and fiduciary responsibilities. In addition to Bank Director’s online training series, participants must attend a day-long corporate-governance workshop in the Bank Director certification program or, alternatively, complete a virtual version of the program.

Completing the program and becoming a certified bank director sends a clear message to state and federal regulators that board members take their fiduciary duties seriously and want to be top-performing members of the bank’s board.

“Country Bank’s board of directors is deeply committed to the bank’s continued growth and prosperity. They understand their responsibilities to ensure Country Bank remains one of the strongest community banks in the region,” Phaneuf said. “I look forward to the future with great optimism, knowing that we have such a dedicated group of business professionals and the difference they make for the bank’s long-term success.”

“Bank Director is grateful for Country Bank’s enthusiastic support for the certification program,” said Editor-at-large Jack Milligan, who created the course curriculum. “This sends a very powerful message that the Country Bank board of directors takes its governance responsibilities seriously. It is a testament to our motto that ‘strong boards build strong banks.’”

Square One Announces New Board Leadership

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Square One recently elected a new slate of officers to its board of directors. The election was held at the agency’s annual meeting on Oct. 13.

Taking on the role of chairperson is Corrine Ryan of Community Legal Aid. The vice chair seat will be filled by Colleen Stocks of Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center. Moving into the treasurer position is Julie Quink of Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C. Jessica Dupont of HealthOne Alliance/Alliant Health Plans will serve as the board’s clerk.

New to the full board of directors are Shenell Ford, Terry Maxey, Edward Nunez, Gillian Palmer, and Aundrea Paulk. They will join existing board members Andrea Hickson-Martin, Amy Selvia Smith, Lavar Click-Bruce, Leonard Underwood, Kate Kane, Ryan McCollum, and Peter Testori.

“This is an exciting time for Square One,” said Dawn DiStefano, Square One’s president and CEO. “This leadership team is the perfect group to propel us into the future. We looking forward to working together to continue to serve the children and families in our community.”

Manager Named to Lead Cybersecurity Center in Springfield

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has named a cyber range manager for the Springfield Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCE) at Springfield Union Station. Following a comprehensive search, the college has hired Gene Kingsley, who will be responsible for a host of facility operations.

Supported by local, state, and federal funding, the center is scheduled to open in 2024 and will serve as a regional center for Western Mass. and beyond. The CCE is a collaboration between STCC, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, and CyberTrust Massachusetts.

The 6,000-square-foot CCE will include a cyber range, which is a simulated training environment, and a security operations center, which will be a support for Massachusetts municipalities to detect cybersecurity events in real time and respond quickly. Students who train at the CCE could move into paid internships or employment, where they would work with professionals to confront the growing global problem of cybersecurity threats.

“We are looking forward to the opening of the Cybersecurity Center next year and are pleased to announce the CCE range manager. Gene brings the technical and leadership skills needed for this key position,” STCC Vice President and Chief Information Officer Mary Kaselouskas said. “He has a strong background in cybersecurity and a passion for cybersecurity training and development. He began his higher-education journey as a community-college student and has a deep understanding of the mission of STCC.”

Kingsley’s experience includes managing Information Security at Reliant Medical Group. He also served as director of the Security Operations Center at UMass Amherst. He holds a master’s degree in Communications and Information Management from the Graduate School at Bay Path College and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Westfield State College and an associate degree from Holyoke Community College.

“I am truly thrilled to join the Springfield Cybersecurity Center of Excellence as its new cyber range manager,” Kingsley said. “With my background in information security at Reliant Medical Group and experience leading the Security Operations Center at the University of Massachusetts, I am well-prepared to take on this role. The opportunity to contribute to the growth of the cybersecurity industry and foster the development of the next generation of cybersecurity professionals in vital sectors is a challenge I eagerly embrace.”

LiftTruck Launches Statewide Fundraiser to Benefit Head Start

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Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — LiftTruck Parts & Service Inc., a local, family-owned business, launched its 2023 Fill a Forklift fundraiser to benefit Head Start Brockton and Holyoke Chicopee Springfield (HCS) Head Start.

For 35 years, LiftTruck has been a family-owned business providing forklift sales, rentals, parts, and service to the Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Connecticut, and Rhode Island areas. LiftTruck invites the community to help it raise funds throughout November and December, as it will be collecting monetary donations at its Brockton and West Springfield locations and accepting donations online.

Head Start Brockton and HCS Head Start aim to provide family and parent support and opportunities for families to engage in a child’s education. Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has improved the lives of more than 32 million children and their families.

Holyoke Rotary Club Welcomes Return of Eat, Drink, & Be Holyoke

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Holyoke Rotary Club announced the return of Eat, Drink, & Be Holyoke, its premier tasting fundraiser and silent auction, on Thursday, Dec. 7. The event will take place at the Holyoke City Hall Ballroom at 5:30 p.m. following the sealing of the Holyoke 150th-anniversary time capsule.

“We are proud to bring back Eat, Drink, & Be Holyoke and excited to be the final event of the Holyoke 150th-anniversary celebrations,” said Barbara Baran, co-president of the Holyoke Rotary Club. “Our community has a long and rich history, and the Holyoke Rotary Club is proud to be a part of it since 1915.”

Eat, Drink, & Be Holyoke will feature food prepared by 110 Grill, Amedeo’s, Crave, Fame, Hamel’s Summit View, Iona’s Kitchen, Kate’s Kitchen, Pics Pub, Rusty’s Place, the White Hut, and Woodstone Tavern. Additionally, Brennan’s Place will provide various alcohol tastings from local and regional breweries, wineries, and distilleries.

Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased online at edbh.eventbrite.com.

Proceeds will go toward supporting Rotary projects, mostly within the Holyoke Rotary district of Holyoke, South Hadley, and Granby. Ongoing Holyoke Rotary projects include providing several annual scholarships, providing food for those in need through community collaborations, and funding international clean-water initiatives.

Since 2008, the Holyoke Rotary Club has raised more than $150,000 to fund various projects, including the Miracle League of Western Massachusetts Inclusive Playground at Kennedy Field, the media room at the Holyoke Library, K-9 vests for the Holyoke Police Department, and literacy projects with Kelly School and Holyoke Boys and Girls Club, among others.

Eat, Drink, & Be Holyoke is sponsored by Holyoke Medical Center (platinum sponsor) and the Center for School Crisis Intervention & Assessment, Dowd Insurance, Marcotte Ford, and PeoplesBank (silver sponsors).

Polish National Credit Union Hosts Announces Two Events

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Daily News

CHICOPEE — Polish National Credit Union (PNCU) announced two community events.

A veteran’s coffee hour and Galaxy Community Council food drive for servicemen is slated for Tuesday, Nov. 7 from 8 to 9 a.m. at Goodworks Coffee House, 46 Center St., Chicopee.

Meanwhile, a toy drive to benefit Westover military families is ongoing until Monday, Nov. 20. All PNCU branches will accept donation drop-offs.

BusinessTalk with Dakin Humane Society executive director, Meg Talbert

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Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 186: November 6, 2023

Joe Bednar talks with Meg Talbert, Dakin Humane Society executive director

During the first eight months of 2022, Dakin Humane Society cared for 1,830 animals. During the same eight months of 2023, the number was 3,007. In short, demand for Dakin’s services — which include spay/neuter and parvo clinics, pet food aid, a ‘kitten street team,’ pet-loss support groups, and much more — have, quite simply, exploded. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Dakin’s executive director, Meg Talbert, talks with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about how the Springfield-based nonprofit is meeting these needs with the help of a dedicated team, hundreds of volunteers, and individual and corporate generosity. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

 

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Chamber of Greater Easthampton Receives $50,000 for WorkHub on Union

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Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — The Chamber of Greater Easthampton announced that its new entrepreneurial initiative, WorkHub on Union, received a significant boost with a recent award: a $50,000 Collaborative Workspace Program Fit-Out Grant.

This is the second grant the chamber has received for this project from the Executive Office of Economic Development, MassDevelopment, and the Collaborative Workspace Grant Program. This latest grant is an addition to the $100,000 in state funding, bringing the total of local and state funds raised to date to $230,000.

“At the chamber, we believe that collaborative workspaces like WorkHub on Union are pivotal in driving our local economy forward,” the chamber stated. “This initiative not only aims to provide a vibrant space for entrepreneurs, remote workers, and small businesses, but also aligns perfectly with our core mission of stimulating economic growth in the Greater Easthampton area.