Home 2024 (Page 6)

Year: 2024

Businesses Invited to Add or Update Information in BusinessWest’s 2025 Book of Lists

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is calling on all Western Mass. companies to update or add their listings in the 2025 Book of Lists, our annual resource guide of dozens of industries and thousands of individual businesses.

The guide, available in print and online at businesswest.com, provides important information on myriad businesses, nonprofits, and regional institutions. Together, these snapshots convey the size, strength, and diversity of this region’s vibrant business community.

Click here to view your current listing and update it, or add a listing if it is not already included. The submission deadline is Dec. 1. Call us at (413) 781-8600 with any questions.

To be included as an advertiser or sponsor in the 2025 BusinessWest Book of Lists, reach out to Kate Campiti, sales manager and associate publisher, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 106 or [email protected]; or Kathleen Plante, advertising consultant, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 108 or [email protected].

Community Bank Wins ABA Foundation Community Commitment Award

By
Daily News

DEWITT, N.Y. — Community Bank’s community-development program has been nationally recognized with a 2024 ABA Foundation Community Commitment Award from the American Bankers Assoc. Foundation. Community Bank was chosen for its efforts in the volunteerism category and was presented with the award during ABA’s annual convention on Oct. 29 in New York City.

In 2023, Community Bank broke records for volunteerism and philanthropic investments across its network of more than 200 branches in Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Western Mass. Last year, more than 500 bank employees served on nonprofit boards and committees and spent more than 16,000 hours volunteering to help customers and community members. The bank supported more than 2,100 organizations, and branches collected more than 5,600 non-perishable food items for 100 food banks. Community Bank also contributed $3.7 million in donations, grants, and sponsorships, a nearly 24% increase in financial contributions from 2022.

Entries were submitted in seven categories: affordable housing, community and economic development, financial education, economic inclusion, protecting older Americans, supporting military families, and volunteerism. Award winners were chosen by a field of nationally recognized experts in each field.

The selection committee chose the winning banks based on the creativity and thoughtfulness of programs — traditional or innovative in nature and structure — that embody the ideals of corporate social responsibility and demonstrate success in making an impact.

“Community Bank’s community development program demonstrated the extraordinary impact that banks can make in the communities they serve,” said Lindsay Torrico, executive director of the ABA Foundation. “We’re proud to recognize them as one of the 2024 Community Commitment Award winners and hope their efforts will inspire others throughout the industry.”

Added Maureen Gillan-Myer, Community Bank’s chief Human Resource & Administration officer, “there’s a reason ‘community’ comes before ‘bank’ in our name. Giving back to our community is embedded in our culture. Our team collectively strives to make a measurable impact on the communities we serve through more than just financial means, and we’re honored to see those efforts recognized by the ABA Foundation.”

BusinessTalk with Emily Leonczyk, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Markens Group

By
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 221: November 11, 2024

Joe Bednar talks to Emily Leonczyk, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Markens Group

Association management — and, by extension, what the Markens Group does — can be a bit of a mystery, until Emily Leonczyk explains the many ways her company helps business associations and chambers of commerce navigate everything from strategic planning and event support to accounting, marketing, and communications — and much more. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Leonczyk, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Markens Group, talks to BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about why this work is important and why associations and boards are being challenged these days by changing expectations from those who might volunteer on them — and why that volunteerism is still very rewarding. It’s must listening, so tune into BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest.

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Don Roy Auto Body Announces Closing

By
Daily News

CHICOPEE — The family members who owned and operated Don Roy’s Auto Body and Appearance Center Inc. on Granby Road in Chicopee for more than 30 years have announced the closing of their business.

“It is with a heavy heart that we are making this announcement,” said Don Roy, who founded the auto-body shop in 1992. “We made the decision to close because of several reasons beyond our control, the primary and most important factor being that we can no longer afford to pay our technicians and employees a proper wage. Insurance companies set the labor rate, and it is no longer adequate. We are no longer able to maintain quality repair technicians, and we are not able to keep up to date with all new repair concepts and tooling needed to repair today’s new dimension of vehicles. Auto-body shops are not credited by insurance companies for the investment they make in their shops, and, coupled with the insufficient funding, this has led to the unfortunate decision that our family had to make.”

Don Roy’s Auto Body was an active member of its community, participating in car shows and supporting many local nonprofit organizations. The shop was known for its customer service and received several awards from local business organizations over the years, including Business of the Year from the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce and the Torch Award from the Better Business Bureau.

Roy, along with his wife, Irene, and daughter, Karen, extend their appreciation to all of their employees, customers, and friends who have helped them create a successful business, adding, “their support and patronage will never be forgotten.”

STCC Marketing and Communications Department Wins Awards

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) took home three prestigious awards at the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) District 1 conference in Baltimore.

STCC won Medallion Awards in three categories: Microsite/Landing Page (bronze); Social Media Post or Story A (bronze); and TV/Video Paid Advertisement (single) (silver).

NCMPR, which supports marketing and public-relations professionals at community and technical colleges, holds the District Medallion Awards annually in the fall. These awards are regarded as a benchmark for excellence in communications and marketing in higher education. Competing against colleges across the Northeast (District 1), STCC’s marketing team was recognized for design and communication. Peers from other districts in the U.S. judged the entries.

“I am proud of the talented STCC Marketing and Communications team for being recognized for their terrific work,” said Karen Walker, assistant vice president of Advancement, who oversees the Marketing and Communications team. “This achievement underscores the department’s excellence in promoting STCC’s mission, student success stories, and innovative programs, while also showcasing its impactful communication strategies.”

The STCC Marketing and Communications Department’s recent success at the NCMPR awards is a testament to its dedication to delivering high-quality, effective communication that resonates with students, families, and the community, said Eli Freund, director of Marketing and Communications at STCC.

“We are thrilled to receive these awards, which reflect the hard work and creativity of our team,” he added. “Our mission is to inspire and inform through the stories of our students and the impactful programs STCC offers, and it’s an honor to be recognized by our peers in higher-education marketing.”

The NCMPR District 1 awards affirm STCC’s role as a leader in community-college marketing and communication, showcasing the institution’s commitment to supporting student success and connecting with the community.

The team includes Freund, Assistant Director of Communications Jim Danko, and Digital and Social Media Manager Nicola Ludwig. They picked up the awards at a conference held Oct. 23-25 in Baltimore.

Golf Tournament Supports Manufacturing Technology Programs in Western Mass.

By
Daily News

FEEDING HILLS — The Western Massachusetts Chapter of the National Tooling & Machining Assoc. held its annual WMNTMA Educational Fundraising Golf Tournament on Sept. 5 at Oak Ridge Golf Club in Agawam to support precision manufacturing in Western Mass.

With 21 sponsors and more than 130 participants, the tournament raised $19,740, exceeding last year’s tournament. This year’s proceeds were divided between two manufacturing technology programs: Westfield Technical Academy and Lower Pioneer Valley Career and Technical Education Center. Each will receive $9,370 to cover the costs of tooling and items necessary to keep the machines operating. A $1,000 scholarship will also be awarded to a student attending a vocational high school in Western Mass.

The event featured a day filled with friendly competition, contests, and a postgame dinner and raffle. Winners received prizes for several categories including longest drive, closest to the pin, and best team score. Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, Robert E. Morris Co., and Teddy Bear Pools & Spas sponsored hole-in-one contests, and Golf Tournament Solutions supplied an air cannon in which participants traded their clubs for an air gun. In addition, Nationwide Hole in One supported a $10,000 putting contest.

“Our annual WMNTMA golf tournament was a resounding success, bringing together industry leaders, educators, and community members to support the next generation of manufacturing,” said Ben Grande, WMNTMA president. “This event highlighted the crucial role that the manufacturing sector plays in fostering a skilled workforce. By attending and contributing to career technical education, companies not only strengthen the local economy, but also help shape a well-prepared and capable labor pool for the future. It’s vital for the manufacturing community to continue its support, ensuring the continued growth and innovation of an industry that drives our region forward.”

U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance Gives $40,000 to ‘Back to Square One’ Campaign

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance has joined the growing list of businesses and community partners supporting Square One’s “Back to Square One” capital campaign.

Impact Finance, a U.S. Bank subsidiary, contributed a $40,000 grant from U.S. Bancorp Community Development Entity toward Square One’s $15.5 million construction project, being built in Springfield’s South End, at the location where its building was destroyed by a tornado in 2011. Slated to open in the spring of 2025, the new, 26,000-square-foot facility will include four preschool classrooms, an outdoor learning and play area, a full-service family support center, and administrative offices.

“Square One is a real difference maker when it comes to having an impact on early-childhood education,” Impact Finance Business Development Officer Tom Oldenburg said. “We’re pleased that the grant funding plugs a critical gap in the project budget so Square One can reach its expansion goals.”

The grant is in addition to $4.4 million in equity Impact Finance provided in New Markets Tax Credit financing.

“We are so proud to welcome U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance to the amazing group of supporters who are helping to make our dream building a reality,” said Kristine Allard, vice president of Development & Communication for Square One. “Their gift is another big step forward toward opening our doors next spring and welcoming in the next generation of our community’s leaders. We are so grateful.”

Currently, the campaign is approximately $2 million shy of its goal. Recently, the MassMutual Foundation announced a $1 million gift to the initiative. In June, Balise Auto, another organization with deep roots in Springfield’s South End neighborhood, announced a $1 million gift to the project.

Other support for Square One’s project is coming from Florence Bank, the Davis Foundation, PeoplesBank, Country Bank, the city of Springfield, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno awarded nearly $1 million in funding, while state Sen. Adam Gomez and state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez sponsored and secured a $2 million earmark in the state budget to support Square One’s expansion of services.

These gifts, paired with a $6 million bond issued by MassDevelopment and the cash equivalent of $4 million in New Market Tax Credits, have positioned the campaign for success.

Pittsfield Focuses on the Future, Not the Past

By
The return of First Fridays at Five
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

Mayor Peter Marchetti says several projects in various stages of development should help ease a critical housing shortage in Pittsfield.

Mayor Peter Marchetti says several projects in various stages of development should help ease a critical housing shortage in Pittsfield.

Starting early in his career in financial services at Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, Peter Marchetti, like many of his colleagues, made it a point to get involved in the community.

He donated time and energy to everything from the United Way to youth bowling; from Pittsfield Community Television to the Pittsfield Parade Committee.

But starting in the late ’90s, he took that involvement to a higher plane, running, successfully, for a seat on the City Council. In 2011, he sought to take things to a still higher level, running for mayor, only to lose a very tight race. After a hiatus from elected office, he returned to the City Council, and in 2023 launched another bid for the corner office, this one successful.

When asked why, he indicated that there was still much work to be done as this city of roughly 44,000, the largest in the Berkshires, continues its transition from being, in essence, a company town — in this case General Electric — to a city with a far more diverse economy, and one that has moved on from GE in every way, including a reimagining of the huge, mostly undeveloped tract that was its massive transformer-manufacturing complex.

“I saw our city at a crossroads, where we have the opportunity to reinvent ourselves; there are many people who still look at us as the old GE manufacturing community. I think we have some opportunities to turn the corner, and I wanted to lead that turnaround,” said Marchetti, who retired from Pittsfield Co-op as senior vice president of Retail Banking Operations. Ten months into his first four-year term, he can cite progress on several fronts.

These include the William Stanley Business Park, created at the GE site, where work is set to commence on a 20,000-square-foot facility that will provide room to grow for many of the startups that now call the Berkshire Innovation Center home.

And also the city’s downtown, still evolving from the GE days, where new businesses have landed and much-needed housing initiatives are taking shape (more on these later).

Beyond Marchetti’s first year in office and his emerging agenda, there are plenty of other developing stories in Pittsfield, many of them taking place downtown, where several issues and trends are colliding, and where that ongoing process of evolution continues.

The expansive downtown area, while now home to several new business and with a falling vacancy rate, continues to experience fallout from the emergence of remote work and a broad decline in daily foot traffic, which is impacting many hospitality and service-oriented businesses.

“Downtown has shifted away from some of our larger companies that would have people here during the day and out for lunch, grabbing coffee, or going out to a bar after work. Now that they’re remote, we’re definitely in need of people downtown regularly. The addition of housing in our downtown will make that difference.”

This decline has been one of the driving forces in the return of First Fridays at Five and other events geared toward generating additional foot traffic, while also helping to inspire efforts to redevelop some downtown properties into housing, which is in short supply and thus a negative force in economic development and business growth.

Indeed, like other communities facing this challenge, Pittsfield is looking at ways to convert office and retail spaces into housing — opportunities that will help meet the need for housing while also bringing back some of the vibrancy lost to remote work.

The return of First Fridays at Five

The return of First Fridays at Five has helped bring more foot traffic to downtown Pittsfield.
Photo by Autumn Phoenix Photography

“Downtown has shifted away from some of our larger companies that would have people here during the day and out for lunch, grabbing coffee, or going out to a bar after work. Now that they’re remote, we’re definitely in need of people downtown regularly,” said Rebecca Brien, managing director of Downtown Pittsfield Inc. (DPI). “The addition of housing in our downtown will make that difference.”

Jonathan Butler, president and CEO of 1Berkshire, the county-wide economic-development agency, agreed.

“I think it’s naive to think that everyone is going to go back to 9-to-5 at the office,” he said. “So what we’re doing throughout the Berkshires, with downtown Pittsfield being a centerpiece of this, is looking at the housing crisis, how we can get more housing built, and looking at some of this commercial space in our downtown.”

For the latest installment in its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest turns its lens on Pittsfield, a city that continues to move on from its GE-dominated past and put the focus squarely on the present and future.

 

Progress Report

Marchetti grew up in Pittsfield, and, like everyone his age who did, he has fond memories of life in the city when GE was bustling and employing north of 10,000 people, most of whom would be spending their paychecks in a thriving downtown dominated by all kinds of retail, including several large department stores.

Like his immediate predecessors in the mayor’s office, Marchetti stresses a need not to look back, but to instead continue turning the pages on an ongoing evolution.

“People can’t find quality housing in the rental market that is desirable enough for them to stay here. Or, when you’re recruiting and looking to bring transplants to the region, they’re not able to buy a home at a price point that’s realistic, or find quality rental housing that meets their expectations. That’s a huge issue for us.”

He noted progress in many corners of the city, including the former GE site. Once a huge and imposing mass of concrete, the site is being made less intimidating and more ready for redevelopment, one parcel at a time.

Indeed, the parcel known as site 9, has been “completely rehabilitated,” said Marchetti, meaning there has been landscaping and other improvements designed to make it shovel-ready. Meanwhile, $500,000 in grant funding has been received to do the same for sites 7 and 8.

Plans are also moving forward for the construction of a new facility near the innovation center, one that will accelerate new-business development in the park, he noted.

“We have several businesses that have started in the innovation center, and they’re running out of space at that location. This is their opportunity to expand and allow space to be cleared up for additional incubator companies.”

Meanwhile, there has been progress on the housing front, the mayor said, noting that, like most Berkshires communities, Pittsfield is suffering from a shortage of housing, especially of the affordable variety, which is making it increasingly difficult for many to live — or stay — in the city, while also impacting businesses already facing challenges with building and maintaining a workforce.

First Fridays at Five is just one of many initiatives undertaken by Downtown Pittsfield Inc.

Rebecca Brien says the return of First Fridays at Five is just one of many initiatives undertaken by Downtown Pittsfield Inc. to bring foot traffic, and vibrancy, to the downtown area.
Photo by Autumn Phoenix Photography

Within the downtown, there are two projects in early-stage development. One involves conversion of the Wright Building on North Street and an adjacent shoe store, formerly home to a candlepin bowling alley and several offices and shops, into roughly 30 units of affordable housing. The other involves redevelopment of the White Terrace apartments, which will bring another 25 to 30 units online.

Meanwhile, two transitional housing projects are slated to be underway in the coming months, and plans are being forwarded for conversion of a former elementary school into housing, said Marchetti, who said projects currently in the pipeline will add another 100 units, but the city needs another 250 to 300 units, minimum, to meet the growing need.

“The hardest part of bringing new housing online is the millions of dollars it costs to redevelop these properties,” he said, adding that the price tag for the Wright Building project exceeds $17 million.

Butler concurred, but noted that housing is critical to Pittsfield’s ongoing efforts to reinvent itself and sustain the businesses that now call it home.

“Housing is the issue contributing to the workforce problems facing employers today,” he explained. “People can’t find quality housing in the rental market that is desirable enough for them to stay here. Or, when you’re recruiting and looking to bring transplants to the region, they’re not able to buy a home at a price point that’s realistic, or find quality rental housing that meets their expectations. That’s a huge issue for us.”

 

Downtown Developments

Additional housing is expected to bring more vibrancy and new opportunities to the downtown area, said Brien, noting that there are already several initiatives in various stages of development to bring more foot traffic to the area.

One has been the return of First Fridays at Five, which is an amalgam of the former Third Thursday and First Friday Artswalk events, aimed at bringing back what Brien called a “street-festival vibe.”

Pittsfield at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1761
Population: 43,927
Area: 42.5 square miles
County: Berkshire
Residential Tax Rate: $18.45
Commercial Tax Rate: $39.61
Median Household Income: $35,655
Median family Income: $46,228
Type of Government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Berkshire Health Systems; General Dynamics; Petricca Industries Inc.; SABIC Innovative Plastics; Berkshire Bank
* Latest information available

“We started small,” she said, referring to what was essentially a one-block initiative that started in May and featured everything from musical performers to a small-vendors market; from a beer garden hosted to Hot Plate Brewing to restaurants with on-street dining.

In September, the concept grew with something called Taste of Pittsfield, which featured additional music, dancing, art, food trucks, and activities stretched over another block, from Park Square to Columbus Avenue.

That larger footprint will be used next year, said Brien, adding that the goal moving forward is to continue to add new draws, such as a car show, to bring individuals and families into the downtown and let them experience all that is happening there.

And there is quite a bit in that category, she told BusinessWest, adding that downtown continues to change, evolve, and present a solid mix of anchors (the Colonial Theater and Barrington Stage Co.), long-time businesses such as Carr Hardware and Museum Outlets, and new or relatively new additions, such as Hot Plate; Thistle and Thorn, a gift shop; Witch Slapped, a “haven for all things metaphysical and mystical”; and the Plant Connector, which has a mission “to connect people to the joy of plants and foster a thriving green community.”

Meanwhile, the roster of restaurants continues to grow and evolve, she went on, listing a new steakhouse in Hotel on North; BB’s Hot Spot at the Lantern Bar, a Jamaican restaurant on North Street; and Marie’s North Street Eatery and Gallery, a contemporary deli located in the historic Shipton Building.

This mix is succeeding in making downtown more of a destination for locals and tourists alike, Brien said, adding that one challenge moving forward is to grow a steady pace of foot traffic that extends well beyond First Fridays and other event days.

Another challenge is sustainability, she went on, adding that DPI has created educational opportunities for business owners with the goal of helping them work on, though not necessarily in, their businesses to help ensure continued success.

“Stability is something we need to be focused on, with both existing businesses and the businesses that are coming in,” she explained. “We had a grant opportunity for some of our existing businesses this past summer that enabled them to work with a consultant on such things as marketing and workflow and accounting systems. And next year, we’ll be offering some co-op marketing dollars. We’re great at telling people downtown that we’re here, but we need to make that sure that word is getting out beyond us.

“And in January, we’ll be offering seminars on things like how to read a P&L sheet and how to use Facebook,” she went on, adding that DPI is committed to providing members with educational opportunities to help ensure that they thrive.

That’s just one of many examples of how leadership in this community, on many different levels, is indeed focused on the future and not on the past.

 

Consider These Strategies for a Future-proof Workforce

By Contributor
Employment

Retaining Talent in 2025

By Nicole Polite

 

In 2025, the business world faces a significant challenge: employee retention. The job market has become fiercely competitive, and the shifting expectations of employees demand proactive and innovative approaches from organizations seeking to retain their top talent. As we navigate this evolving landscape, our focus is on current trends influencing employee retention and offering actionable strategies to engage and keep our workforce.

The outlook in 2025 is one where employees place a high value on workplaces that prioritize their mental and physical well-being. The global shift toward understanding mental health means employees are drawn to environments where their welfare is respected and nurtured. Organizations ignoring these critical aspects risk higher turnover rates as employees gravitate toward healthier work-life balances.

Nicole Polite

Nicole Polite

“The global shift toward understanding mental health means employees are drawn to environments where their welfare is respected and nurtured.”

Flexible working arrangements are now standard. The advent of remote work and hybrid models offers individuals the flexibility to effectively balance personal and professional responsibilities. Companies not willing to offer this flexibility may struggle to attract or retain talent in an era when work-life integration is vital.

Career development is another major factor. Employees are now looking beyond their current roles. They seek continuous learning opportunities and routes for career advancement. The organizations that invest in their employees’ growth not only improve their skills, but also increase loyalty and retention.

In 2025, diversity and inclusion are more important than ever. Workplaces that celebrate and support diverse backgrounds create a sense of belonging, leading to higher employee satisfaction and commitment. Strategic integration of AI and automation can also attract tech-savvy employees, provided workplaces maintain a balance between technology and human-centric approaches.

 

Positive Steps

Let’s explore strategies for employee retention that you can utilize.

First, fostering a positive workplace culture is vital. Building a culture of respect, inclusivity, and appreciation is foundational for retaining talent. Encourage open communication and ensure every employee feels valued and heard.

Second, enhancing work-life balance is critical. Provide flexible working conditions that enable employees to manage their personal and professional lives effectively. Encourage time off to prevent burnout and increase productivity.

Third, investing in career development is crucial. Offering professional-development programs, mentorship, and clear career-advancement pathways shows your commitment to employee growth, fostering loyalty.

Fourth, recognizing and rewarding efforts is key. Acknowledging contributions through structured programs reinforces positive behavior and boosts morale.

Fifth, improving employee benefits is important. Regularly reviewing your benefits package will ensure it meets the changing needs of your workforce. Consider comprehensive health plans, retirement savings options, and wellness programs to enhance employee satisfaction and retention.

Sixth, solicit and act on feedback. Regular surveys and feedback sessions provide valuable insights into employee concerns and aspirations. Acting on feedback shows a true commitment to an improved work environment, bolstering trust.

Seventh, emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion. Creating an environment where all employees feel they belong boosts morale and engagement.

Eighth, leverage technology wisely. Use technology to improve work processes, but ensure it doesn’t replace human interactions. Investing in tools that enhance communication without compromising personal connections is important.

 

Bottom Line

By focusing on these strategies, businesses can significantly reduce turnover rates. Prioritizing employee well-being and growth, creating inclusive cultures, and adapting to changing workforce demands positions your organization for higher retention rates and success.

A future-proof workforce is not just about retaining talent; it’s about nurturing a thriving organizational culture that encourages growth, innovation, and collaboration. Success on this front results in not only higher retention rates, but also enhanced productivity and success.

 

Nicole Polite is the owner and founder of the MH Group and author of Expectations Aligned: Forging Better Paths for Employers and Employees to Meet in the Middle.

 

Sen. Velis Named Legislator of the Year by Providers’ Council

By
Health Care Healthcare News

‘He Truly Shows Up’

 

The Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers recently presented state Sen. John Velis with the 2024 Legislator of the Year Award during the council’s 49th annual convention and expo in Boston.

“Our human-service workers are truly some of the most selfless people out there, directly caring for those in our communities with disabilities or those struggling with a behavioral-health challenge. I am truly beyond honored to be recognized by the Providers’ Council and their members for my work advocating for these frontline heroes,” said Velis, who serves as the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery.

Velis was joined the Providers’ Council at Westfield State University as a guest speaker this past September during the organization’s Western Massachusetts Caring Force Rally, which highlighted the essential services provided by direct-support professionals.

“Senator Velis demonstrates his commitment to the individuals of Massachusetts who need support and services to manage the challenges that substance use and behavioral health bring to their lives. His support of our industry, the providers that work hard every day to make a difference, is unwavering, and he ensures his advocacy for the resources we need to carry out our missions.”

In the current legislative session, Velis helped usher an expansive substance-use and recovery bill through the Senate, which would establish a licensure process for recovery coaches in the Commonwealth. If included in the final Senate-House compromise package, this provision would provide recognition of the importance of lived experience and help grow this profession within the human-services sector.

“Senator Velis demonstrates his commitment to the individuals of Massachusetts who need support and services to manage the challenges that substance use and behavioral health bring to their lives. His support of our industry, the providers that work hard every day to make a difference, is unwavering, and he ensures his advocacy for the resources we need to carry out our missions,” said Lois Nesci, CEO of Gándara Center. “He does this in both words and action. I have often shared with the senator that, when he visits a program or attends an event, he truly shows up — ready to support, ready to listen, and ready to take the next steps. My sincere congratulations to someone who makes an incredible difference every day.”

Added Velis, “I am particularly grateful to my dear friend Lois Nesci and all those at the Gándara Center for nominating me for this award. It is such a privilege to be able to work alongside such dedicated community partners like the Gándara Center to learn about the challenges that need to be addressed to make behavioral healthcare more accessible.”

The Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers is Massachusetts’s largest human-services membership association, representing more than 220 community-based agencies around the Commonwealth, including Gándara Center. During the ceremony, the Providers’ Council recognized 13 other individuals from across the state for their work in the human-services sector.

MassMutual Policyowners to Benefit from Record $2.5 Billion Dividend in 2025

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual announced that 2025 will mark the 157th consecutive year that the company will pay an annual dividend to its eligible participating policyowners. The total estimated payout will be more than $2.5 billion, the largest in MassMutual’s history. The dividend interest rate (DIR) has increased to 6.40%.

“Our 2025 record dividend payout reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering consistently strong performance and enduring value to our policyowners,” said Roger Crandall, chairman, president, and CEO of MassMutual. “As a mutual company, our interests are directly aligned with their needs, which means our success is their success. This foundational principle continues to guide MassMutual as we grow and evolve, finding ways to reach more people and help them protect their assets, grow their wealth, and achieve financial security and peace of mind throughout their lives.”

MassMutual has more than $1 trillion in life-insurance protection in force and has paid more than $60 billion in insurance and annuity benefits over the past decade, helping generations of individuals and families endure the financial loss of a loved one, recover from an accident or illness without financial stress, or retire on their terms.

“From the moment we issued our first policy in 1851, MassMutual has helped millions of people navigate the unthinkable and unexpected with security and stability,” Crandall said. “In a world filled with questions and uncertainty, those who rely on us can have confidence in knowing that we are here to help them secure their future and protect the ones they love.”

Flash Car Wash Holding Special Veterans Day Promotion to Benefit Veterans Inc.

By
Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Flash Car Wash announced it will hold its Veterans Day promotion again this year at all 19 locations across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

This promotion will include a free Diamond Wash at any Flash Car Wash location for all veterans and active service members on Veterans Day (Monday, Nov. 11), while 100% of the proceeds from any paid retail washes on that day will be donated to Veterans Inc.

Last year, Flash Car Wash provided 1,067 veterans and active service members with complimentary Diamond Washes across all 19 locations. Through this initiative, it also donated $43,879 to Veterans Inc. This year, the goal is to honor even more service members with complimentary washes and make another substantial donation to Veterans Inc.

Elms College Partners with UNE on Pathway to Five Graduate Health Programs

By
Daily News

CHICOPEE — Elms College signed an articulation agreement with the University of New England (UNE), creating a streamlined pathway for Elms graduates to pursue advanced degrees in five high-demand health professions.

Under this agreement, Elms College students who meet a specified minimum GPA and fulfill additional program requirements will be guaranteed an interview in the admission process for UNE’s graduate programs. Starting in the fall of 2025, this collaboration will broaden educational opportunities for Elms students, offering them direct access to UNE, Maine’s leading provider of health professional training.

The five graduate programs included in this agreement are doctor of dental medicine (DMD), master of science in athletic training (MSAT), master of science in occupational therapy (MSOT), doctor of physical therapy (DPT), and doctor of pharmacy (PharmD).

These fields represent growing areas within healthcare, and this agreement positions Elms graduates for success in meeting the increasing demand for skilled professionals.

For students at Elms College, this agreement not only provides a more accessible route to graduate-level education, but also serves as a testament to the value of an Elms education in preparing them for meaningful careers in healthcare.

Tickets on Sale for 2024 Women of Impact Award Gala

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Tickets are now on sale for BusinessWest’s seventh annual Women of Impact award gala. The event will take place on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. Tickets cost $95 per person, and tables of 10 are available. Click here to purchase tickets.

The 2024 Women of Impact, profiled in the Oct. 28 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com, are:

• Alison Berman, council director of Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts;

• Dianne Fuller Doherty, co-founder of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts and former director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center’s Regional Office;

• JoAnne Finck, president of Friends of Cooley Dickinson;

• Kimberley Lee, chief of Creative Strategy and Development at MiraVista Behavioral Health Center;

• Megan McDonough, executive director of Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity;

• LaTonia Monroe Naylor, chief business educator at Monroe Naylor Consulting, LLC and president and CEO of Parent Villages;

• Kristi Reale, partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; and

• Dr. Shirley Jackson Whitaker, nephrologist, artist, and filmmaker.

The seventh annual Women of Impact program is presented by TommyCar Auto Group and Country Bank, and sponsored by Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

In 2018, BusinessWest created the Women of Impact program as a way to honor women in the region who are making an impact and creating positive change. Women of Impact was chosen as the name for the program because, while nominees can hail from the world of business, they can also emerge from other realms, such as the nonprofit community, public service, law enforcement, education, social work, the mentorship community, a combination of these.

Ace Precision Continues to Hone Its Craft

By
Plant Manager Sadiq Elias
Cover Story

Parts of the Whole

Plant Manager Sadiq Elias

Plant Manager Sadiq Elias

 

Sadiq Elias knows precision manufacturing is a challenging business.

“It’s long hours. It’s the type of industry where it’s not always a 9-to-5 job,” Elias, plant manager at Ace Precision Inc., told BusinessWest. “We’re making military components here, for the government. And we all know their demands; they don’t care if it’s Sunday, they don’t care if it’s Christmas, they don’t care if your kid was just born — their priority is getting their parts so they can move on with their projects. So that makes for long hours, long days, and that could be a turnoff for some people.”

But there’s a certain satisfaction that comes with this work, he added, that makes it a good fit for young people looking for a rewarding career that engages both their brain and their hands.

“The biggest thing that I’ve always enjoyed is knowing what you’re building,” Elias said. “We’ve made components in the past that are on the Hubble telescope. One of my customers told me at one point, ‘you know, every plane in the sky has a part that Ace Precision made.’ And it’s something you can tell other people — ‘we have parts on space shuttles and satellites, submarines and aircraft carriers, commercial airlines, F-35s.’ It’s cool to know that you can look at a submarine or go to an airshow and look at some planes and say, ‘oh yeah, we make parts that go on there.’ It’s a cool feeling.”

Ace Precision has been creating those feelings — and, more importantly, cutting-edge components — since Elias’s father launched the business in 1980.

“We’ve made components in the past that are on the Hubble telescope. One of my customers told me at one point, ‘you know, every plane in the sky has a part that Ace Precision made.’”

From that original location, in a 9,000-square-foot building on Suffield Street in Agawam, the business continued to grow and thrive, with some important milestones along the way, from achieving ISO900/AS9100 certification in 2013 to relocating to a new, much larger facility at nearby 17 Ace Precision Way in 2021.

“My father started the business with one machine and a lot of ambition. We’ve grown into a 20,000-square-foot facility here in Agawam with roughly 30 employees,” Elias said, noting that the company’s main manufacturing focus is in the aerospace and defense industries, both locally and with a footprint stretching from the South to the West Coast.

The company touts capabilities ranging from prototyping to production work. “We have a pretty good engineering team here. Sometimes we’ll have customers come to us with a design that hasn’t yet been built. And we’ll work hand-in-hand with them, taking those drawings and models and turning those into parts, and then further down the road into assemblies and testing those out for them. Eventually, that may turn into a production order for them.”

Ace Precision

Ace Precision moved into its current, 20,000-square-foot headquarters in 2021.

For example, “we do a lot with with Collins Aerospace, developing tools to help them in the field for maintenance purposes and aircraft repairs and overhauls and just routine maintenance,” Elias said. “Also, we do quite a bit with the Navy, where we’re doing launch and recovery systems on the aircraft carriers, as well as with a company that does a lot with commercial airlines, on the mechanical side of things, on the bodies of the planes. So many of those components are built right here at Ace Precision.”

 

Specialized Services

The Agawam facility houses computer numerical control (CNC) equipment, from lathe mills, grinding equipment, and saws to coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) to check parts. “It’s pretty high-end,” Elias said. “We try to keep up with the latest and greatest equipment that’s out there so we can stay competitive.”

And it is, indeed, a competitive field, he added. “There are a lot of firms in the area that do this type of work — not as many as there used to be, obviously, as manufacturing has gone downhill a little bit in the last 20 years.”

He explained that precision machining involves holding tight tolerances while working on specified materials, such as engine components for aircraft that have very little leeway for tolerance errors.

“So we need really well-trained talent in the shop that can operate the equipment that we do have on hand,” Elias said. “There are other shops out there that don’t necessarily work with precision manufacturing, which is not to say anything bad about them, but it’s just a higher class of workmanship here, I guess you could say.”

That’s why making the move to more than double the floor space was so huge, he noted.

“Moving into a larger facility allowed us to streamline production, creating a flow from in to out. And we’re all under one roof right now. Before, we were in a building that had several different roofs, and it wasn’t very streamlined. So now we’re in a very clean, new facility. It’s a great working environment. People enjoy coming to work to a clean atmosphere, and also it just helps communication within the company.”

Sadiq Elias, pictured with Andrea Sibilia

Sadiq Elias, pictured with Andrea Sibilia, vice president of Purchasing, says the current space lends itself to a more streamlined workflow and better communication.

At the same time, client needs are always changing as well. “We’ve been working with the same four major customers for many years. Their products have changed, and for the better. There have been design changes and models that have changed configurations completely. We try to use the latest software to help model these parts up and also equipment like 5-axis machining or 3D scanning on CMMs, trying to stay ahead of the curve with technology. That makes us attractive to customers as well as making our job here at Ace Precision easier, and at the end of the day, we become more profitable and prosperous.”

That customer loyalty from a few major, long-time clents has been a critical component the success of Ace Precision, Elias noted.

“There’s one motto that I stand by, and I’ve always stood by: don’t give your customers a reason to go elsewhere. That means give them a quality part, and give it to them when they expect it. Those are two big key factors in keeping your customers happy. If you give them an excuse to go elsewhere, then, obviously, they will find someone else to make their parts.

“There’s one motto that I stand by, and I’ve always stood by: don’t give your customers a reason to go elsewhere. That means give them a quality part, and give it to them when they expect it.”

“There are plenty of shops in the area or in the country, for that matter, that are capable of doing these types of things,” he went on. “So customer satisfaction is huge, and it’s a driving factor in keeping a long-term relationship with a company, so your customer can rely on you. They can pick up the phone or send an email and say, ‘we’re in a pinch; we need something right away.’ And when you get it to them, they’re happy, and you’re happy. They have that feeling of ease that they can rely on you to deliver their parts when they’re needed. That’s what it’s all about: customer satisfaction.”

 

 

From the Floor Up

Elias said he always had his eye on working at Ace Precision, even from childhood.

“I kind of grew up here as a kid, coming on weekends with my dad, and he taught me from the bottom up, from sweeping floors, taking out the trash, getting my driver’s license and making deliveries, running on the saw, just doing what I had to do. He groomed me into the man I am today, and basically I run the business now.”

And the plant continues to grow, he told BusinessWest.

“Obviously, everybody hit a big roadblock during COVID, which put a damper on production, but we were able to come out of that strong, if not stronger, due to the fact that our industry is versatile, and we don’t put all our eggs in one basket. So we were able to get through COVID with no problems, and we’ve definitely increased our capabilities and our profitability.”

That said, recruiting and retaining talent is a struggle these days across the manufacturing spectrum.

“You find that a certain age group of older talent may have retired, may have moved on to something different in their lives,” Elias noted, and they’re not necessarily being infilled at the same rate with younger talent. “There’s a little bit of a gap in age where there weren’t that many people out there that said, ‘oh, I want to get into manufacturing.’ Everyone wanted to be in IT or a desk job. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s hard to find that talent and the good help that you need.”

But Ace’s clients continue to demand parts and expertise, Elias was quick to add, and they always have new products in the works.

“So we hope that we’ll get a part of that, if not all of it. We’ve been growing, and we’ve been at a steady pace of growing for the last four years since COVID. It seems to keep going in that positive direction every year. So I just stay positive.”

KeyBank Foundation Grant Boosts Innovative Job Program at Springfield Rescue Mission

By
Springfield Rescue Mission CEO Kevin Ramsdell
Employment Special Coverage

A Hand Up, Not a Handout

Springfield Rescue Mission CEO Kevin Ramsdell

Springfield Rescue Mission CEO Kevin Ramsdell

Springfield Rescue Mission has long helped its homeless clients find jobs. Sabra Ramsdell was concerned about how often those jobs didn’t stick.

“What is the value in work? A lot of people don’t understand that the value in work is that it teaches you a discipline,” she told BusinessWest. “It’s not just a paycheck. It teaches you how to build self-esteem in yourself.”

And for whatever reason, motivation or otherwise, “we would find that guys would just hit a brick wall and quit. And we were scratching our heads going, ‘why? What’s going on?’ But we had no mechanism to call an employer and say, ‘well, what happened?’ And if you talk to the residents, you get one side. So I finally just said, ‘this isn’t going to work this way.’”

So Ramsdell, chief of staff at Springfield Rescue Mission (and the wife of CEO Kevin Ramsdell), started thinking about different models.

“The one entity that I’ve seen that does this over the long haul is the DDS,” she said, referring to the state Department of Developmental Services. “They have a mechanism that works between HR departments, companies, and employees. Many of these guys who are housed in group homes come to, say, Big Y through an agency. Well, we’re an agency, so how come we can’t develop a program that would ensure to companies that they would have a fallback to contact us if they were running into an issue? It’s really that simple.”

That’s how the mission’s Workforce Development Outreach program was born. And on Oct. 30, the program got a major boost of funding — and a vote of confidence, really — from KeyBank Foundation in the form of a two-year, $150,000 grant to create a liaison position that will work with employers to help the mission’s transitional residents secure jobs best suited for them, and then keep them and grow in their careers.

“This grant reflects our ongoing dedication to investing in local communities and helping individuals build brighter futures.”

“One of KeyBank’s philanthropic focus areas is workforce development and helping individuals achieve the skills, education, and capabilities they need to succeed in current and future employment opportunities,” said Matthew Hummel, KeyBank’s market president for Connecticut and Massachusetts. “This grant reflects our ongoing dedication to investing in local communities and helping individuals build brighter futures.”

Essentially, the Workforce Development Outreach program matches mission residents with potential employers, while providing training and support to the residents to become effective, retainable employees. The grant is a way to build and expand partnerships with local companies and, through the new liaison, coordinate efforts between employers, employees, and the mission’s case-management team.

the $150,000 grant to Springfield Rescue Mission

KeyBank’s Matthew Hummel, flanked by Sabra and Kevin Ramsdell and joined by local and state leaders, presents the $150,000 grant to Springfield Rescue Mission.

“We are incredibly grateful to KeyBank for the generous funding, which will greatly enhance our Workforce Development Outreach program,” Kevin Ramsdell said during the check-presentation ceremony. “This support will empower us to help more individuals in need gain valuable skills and opportunities to secure sustainable employment and self-sufficiency.”

 

Shared Mission

Hummel told the crowd gathered at the check presentation that KeyBank Foundation’s focus on helping people attain the skills and education needed to succeed in careers fits squarely with the mission’s work.

“The Workforce Development Outreach program is not just about job training, it’s about equipping people with the skills, the confidence, and the support they need to rebuild their lives. It’s about giving people hope, dignity, and the opportunity for a better future. That’s also a mission that we can stand behind,” he said. “With this grant, we’re helping them create a pathway to success, offering tools to allow individuals to secure meaningful employment, achieve financial independence, and ultimately contribute to the privacy of this community.

“Employers are going to have that support, too. They’ve got somebody else that they can talk to about what’s really going on. And we genuinely want these guys to realize their dream and become effective employees.”

“By partnering with not-for-profits and nonprofits like Springfield Rescue Mission,” Hummel added, “we can help individuals rise above their challenges and build a foundation for long-term success.”

It’s a message that also resonated with state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, who touted Springfield Rescue Mission’s status as the first shelter of its kind in the state of Massachusetts, and the fifth-oldest in the U.S.

“This is about our community. This is not about helping with a handout, it’s helping with a hand up. That’s what this program is about,” he said. “These opportunities are about not only sheltering, but about rehabilitation.”

City Councilman Melvin Edwards spoke to the Christian values that undergird the mission’s work.

“I know that the mission is biblical, and we’re supposed to feed those in need and house them,” he said. “I believe this program is about the fact that some of us are in a better position than others, but … our collective success is dependent on the people around us and whether they’re willing to reach out and give us a helping hand. So for those of you who are providing the services, thank you.

“For those who are receiving services, look in the mirror and recognize you do have value, you are loved, and people in the community do respect you,” Edwards added. “Sometimes we can’t control how people speak about us and look at us. But you should look at yourselves and realize you do have value.”

Sabra Ramsdell emphasized during her short address that the underserved population needs more than just simply a job. “Most of us could go get a job,” she noted. “The trick is to get a job doing something you love because, as my husband likes to say, you’ll never really work a day in your life if you love what you’re doing.

Matthew Hummel

Matthew Hummel says workforce development is one of KeyBank’s philanthropic focus areas.

“Secondly, you need real support from employers who understand that the population we’re dealing with … may not completely have all the skills necessary to perform the way we would like. So this program was born to bring about a relationship between employer, case management, and resident in an effective way that we hope solves problems and produces more active, robust employees.”

 

More Than a Job

Springfield Rescue Mission’s Taylor Street site hosts an emergency shelter accommodating 45 men nightly, offering meals, showers, and clothing, while its Rehabilitation Program supports transitions with healthcare, addiction services, and mental-health support. At the mission’s Mill Street location, the New Life Rehabilitation Program aids up to 60 men over six to 12 months through a holistic wellness track, including medical care, academic support, workforce development, and life-skills training. The mission also distributes 3.1 million pounds of food annually, benefiting hundreds through meals and community outreach.

After the check presentation, Sabra Ramsdell told BusinessWest that she wants to help people succeed in life by creating more of a mentoring partnership between employers and underserved populations.
“Employers are going to have that support, too. They’ve got somebody else that they can talk to about what’s really going on. And we genuinely want these guys to realize their dream and become effective employees.”

If the liaison to be hired with KeyBank Foundation’s grant funding is as effective as hoped, Ramsdell said she could see this program becoming a model that could be incorporated into other social services.

“I don’t have a social-service background. I was a banker for 20 years. I did mortgage work. So I know what I know — the pathway to becoming independent financially as a first-time homebuyer. But I don’t know this other piece, which is getting somebody from where these guys are to that point.”

To aid in that process of economic advancement, the mission also provides digital-literacy training to help residents gain the basic skills they need to work in many settings.

As for long-term goals, she noted, “you have to look at that whole person and say, ‘how old are you? What is your dream? What did you dream? What did you like doing when you were a kid? Tell me about your life, your family.’ You’ve got to analyze where they really are and then figure out where they need to go.”

The Workforce Development Outreach program is open to all the mission’s transitional-living clients, more than 100 at a time. So the impact could be significant, boosting local businesses in need of workers while providing not just jobs, but potentially career pathways beyond minimum wage.

“If it’s a difference between $15 an hour and $25 an hour or more,” Ramsdell said, “that gets them out of that cycle of poverty.”

End-of-year Tax Planning

By Contributor
Accounting and Tax Planning Special Coverage

Despite Uncertainty in Washington, Solid Advice Abounds

By Kristina Drzal Houghton, CPA

As we come to the end of 2024, it’s time to discuss end-of-year tax planning. This past year has seen some significant tax legislation that, if enacted in its current form, would impact year-end tax strategy. Understanding this legislation, and how it might affect 2024’s tax obligations, is essential for making informed tax-planning decisions.

Kristina Drzal Houghton

Kristina Drzal Houghton

In this article, I will address both business and individual tax-planning strategies and provide some insight on how possible legislation might affect your year-end planning decisions. Many of my clients ask me about my thoughts on taxes depending on a Republican or Democratic victory for president. My reply is that no one person can determine legislation, and the makeup of the House and Senate need to be considered.

One of the most notable legislative proposals this year was the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. This bipartisan bill would have provided tax relief to parents by enhancing the Child Tax Credit.

For businesses, the bill would have restored immediate expensing for U.S.-based research and development (R&D) investments, instead of deducting such expenses over five years. Full and immediate expensing for investments in machinery, equipment, and vehicles would also have been restored, and the amount of investment that small businesses can immediately write off would have been increased to $1.29 million. The bill also addressed the treatment of business interest expense, bonus depreciation, and research and experimental costs.

Although the bill failed to pass in the Senate, various provisions have been resurrected separately. However, Congress has yet to pass a 2025 budget or address various expiring provisions and extenders, including the expiring provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Possible legislative changes, which may include an increase in the corporate tax rate to 28%, along with adjustments to tax brackets, retirement contribution limits, and the gift-tax exclusion, underscore the importance of staying informed and prepared.

 

YEAR-END TAX PLANNING FOR BUSINESSES

Whether or not tax increases become effective next year, the standard year-end approach of deferring income and accelerating deductions to minimize taxes will continue to produce the best results for most small businesses, as will the bunching of deductible expenses into this year or next to maximize their tax value.

If proposed tax increases do pass, however, the highest-income businesses and owners may find that the opposite strategies produce better results: pulling income into 2024 to be taxed at currently lower rates, and deferring deductible expenses until 2025, when they can be taken to offset what would be higher-taxed income. This will require careful evaluation of all relevant factors.

 

What’s New for Businesses in 2024?

As noted earlier, one of the most notable legislative proposals this year was the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.

Without more legislation, bonus depreciation will fall to 60% for most qualified business property placed in service in 2024 (down from 100% in 2022 and 80% in 2023).

However, more taxpayers can deduct business loan interest in 2024 as the adjusted gross income limit for small taxpayers increases to $30 million.

 

Depreciation and Expensing

One consideration is the possibility of changes in the taxpayer’s tax rate in future years, whether based on predictions about the taxpayer’s business or about legislative changes in tax rates. For example, a possibility of sufficiently higher future rates may result in trying to defer deductions by deferring purchases of property eligible for full expensing or bonus depreciation. On the other hand, an example of a reason not to defer purchases is that the rate of bonus depreciation is phasing down to 0% in 2027.

 

Bonus Depreciation

For 2024, a first-year bonus depreciation deduction falls to 60% of the adjusted basis of depreciable property allowed for qualified property acquired and placed in service during the year.

For 2024, the maximum amount of section 179 property that can be expensed is $1,220,000 ($1,250,000 for 2025). That full amount is available until qualifying property placed in service during the year reaches $3,050,000 ($3,130,000 for 2025), at which point a phaseout begins.

 

Proposed Changes

While not actually proposed legislation, a presidential candidate has discussed the idea of raising the corporate income-tax rate to 28%. This adjustment would raise federal revenue but could impact the bottom line of large corporations. These companies may need to reassess their financial strategies, including cost management and investment plans, to accommodate the higher tax burden.

 

Net Operating Losses

For the 2024 tax year, net operating losses (NOLs) of corporate taxpayers may not be carried back (except for farm losses, which may be carried back two years), but may be carried forward indefinitely. In addition, for the 2024 tax year, the NOL deduction is subject to an 80% of taxable income limitation (not counting the NOL or the qualified business income deduction).

A taxpayer that may have difficulty taking advantage of the full amount of an NOL carry-forward this year should consider shifting income into and deductions away from this year. By doing so, the taxpayer can avoid the intervening year modifications that would apply if the NOL is not fully absorbed in 2024. This may also avoid potentially higher tax rates next year on the accelerated income and increase the tax value of deferred deductions.

 

 

Losses and Shareholder or Partnership Basis

A shareholder can deduct its pro rata share of S-corporation losses only to the extent of the total of its basis in the S-corporation stock and debt. This determination is made as of the end of the S-corporation tax year in which the loss occurs. Any loss or deduction that can’t be used on account of this limitation can be carried forward indefinitely.

If a shareholder wants to claim a 2024 S-corporation loss on its own 2024 return, but the loss exceeds the basis for its S-corporation stock and debt, it can still claim the loss in full by lending the S corporation more money or by making a capital contribution by the end of the S corporation’s tax year (in the case of a calendar-year corporation, by Dec. 31).

Similarly, a partner’s share of partnership losses is deductible only to the extent of their partnership basis as of the end of the partnership year in which the loss occurs. Basis can be increased by a capital contribution, or in some cases by the partnership itself borrowing money or by the partner taking on a larger share of the partnership’s liabilities before the end of the partnership’s tax year.

 

YEAR-END TAX PLANNING FOR INDIVIDUALS

Whether or not tax increases become effective next year, the standard year-end approach of deferring income and accelerating deductions to minimize taxes will continue to produce the best results for all but the highest-income taxpayers, as will the bunching of deductible expenses into this year or next to avoid restrictions and maximize deductions.

If proposed tax increases do pass, however, the highest-income taxpayers may find that the opposite strategies produce better results: pulling income into 2024 to be taxed at currently lower rates, and deferring deductible expenses until 2024, when they can offset what would be higher-taxed income. This will require careful evaluation of all relevant factors.

What’s New for Individuals in 2024?

• Penalty-free withdrawals from retirement accounts. Domestic-abuse victims under age 59½ may take up to $10,000 in penalty-free withdrawals from retirement accounts. Individuals with an emergency can take a penalty-free withdrawal up to $1,000 penalty-free.

• Increased catch-up retirement contributions. IRA catch-up contributions are indexed for inflation beginning in 2024. In 2025, the 401(k) catch-up contribution amount increases from $7,500 to $10,000 for workers ages 60 to 63.

• Some catch-up contributions must be made to a Roth account. Beginning in 2024, taxpayers with income of $145,000 or more must make any catch-up contributions to a Roth or Roth 401(k) account.

• Leftover money in a 529 plan. Leftover money in a 529 plan can be rolled over tax-free into a Roth IRA. Restrictions apply.

• Increased RMD age. RMD age remains age 73 in 2024 and increases gradually to age 75 in 2033.

• Qualified charitable distribution cap. IRA owners can transfer up to $105,000 tax-free to a charity.

 

Filing Status and Dependents

When considering year-end tax-planning strategies, think about your expected filing status this year and next and the number of dependents that you expect to claim in each year.

Additionally, the Massachusetts millionaire’s tax allows an exemption of $1 million for all filing statuses. For 2024, Massachusetts requires, in most situations, that the Massachusetts filing status mirror the federal filing status. Potential Massachusetts savings for higher-income earners needs to be compared with any federal benefit of married filing jointly.

 

Who Should Increase Income?

A taxpayer who expects to be taxed at a higher rate next year should explore strategies to increase income this year by accelerating the recognition of income. An individual taxpayer might be in a higher tax bracket next year if:

• The taxpayer is graduating from school or a training program and moving into the paid workforce;

• Head-of-household or surviving-spouse status ends after this year;

• The taxpayer plans to get married next year and will be subject to a marriage penalty; or

• The taxpayer expects to be eligible for one or more credits next year (e.g., the child tax credit) that is subject to phaseout when AGI reaches specified limits and is otherwise not eligible for the credit this year.

Caution: any decision to accelerate income from a later year into an earlier one should consider the time value of money.

 

Who Should Decrease Income?

A taxpayer who expects to be subject to the same or a lower tax rate next year should consider deferring income recognition. A taxpayer might be in a lower tax bracket next year if:

• The taxpayer becomes eligible for head-of-household status next year;

• The taxpayer expects to have a lower income next year due to retirement, job change, or other change in circumstance; or

• The taxpayer is currently a child who will escape the kiddie tax next year and be in a lower bracket than their parents.

Numerous tax benefits phase out at specified income thresholds. As year end nears, taxpayers who otherwise qualify for a tax benefit should consider strategies to reduce income this year to keep their income level below the relevant phaseout threshold.

 

Capital Gains and Losses

The appropriate year-end planning strategy for capital gains and losses depends on many factors, including an individual’s taxable income, tax rate, amount of adjusted net capital gain, and whether the individual has unrealized capital losses. For high-income taxpayers, planning must also account for the 3.8% net investment income tax (NIIT).

 

Installment Sales

An installment sale can be an effective technique for closing certain transactions this year while deferring a substantial part of the tax on the sale to later years.

 

Passive-activity Limitations

Losses generated by passive activities may be used only to offset passive-activity income. Passive-activity credits may be used only to offset tax on income from passive activities, with a carryover of any unused credits. In addition, the 3.8% NIIT applies to income from passive activities, but not from income generated by an activity in which the taxpayer is a material participant. Taxpayers can employ several year-end strategies for managing passive-activity limitations.

 

Pass-through Income

A key dollar threshold on the 20% deduction for pass-through income rises in 2024. Self-employed individuals and owners of LLCs, S corporations, and other pass-throughs can deduct 20% of their qualified business income, subject to limitations for individuals with taxable incomes of more than $383,900 for joint filers and $191,950 for all others.

 

Itemized Deductions and Charitable Contributions

Many taxpayers won’t want to itemize because of the high basic standard deduction amounts that apply for 2024 ($29,200 for joint filers, $14,600 for singles and for married filing separately, $21,900 for heads of household), and because many itemized deductions have been reduced (such as the $10,000 deduction limit on state and local taxes) or abolished (such as the miscellaneous itemized deduction and the deduction for non-disaster-related personal casualty losses).

Some taxpayers may be able to work around these deduction restrictions by applying a bunching strategy to pull or push discretionary medical expenses and charitable contributions into the year where they will do some tax good. For example, a taxpayer who will be able to itemize deductions this year but not next will benefit by making two years’ worth of charitable contributions this year.

Individuals may deduct contributions to charitable organizations up to a certain percent of their contribution base (generally, AGI). Through 2025, that percentage is 60% for cash contributions and 30% for non-cash contributions.

For year-end planning, it’s beneficial to review whether you have charitable-contribution carryovers from a prior year. If income will decline, care should be taken to use the carryovers before they expire.

Taxpayers with low-basis, highly appreciated stock may want to consider funding a charitable contribution with the stock. The charity can sell the stock without incurring any income tax. The donor can also claim a charitable deduction in the year the gift was handled that is equal to the fair market value without recognizing the gain, subject to limitations.

 

Tuition Credits

There are two credits that taxpayers can claim to offset the cost of education: the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) and the Lifetime Learning Credit. Both credits phase out for higher-income taxpayers.

AOTC is a credit for qualified education expenses paid for an eligible student for the first four years of higher education. The maximum annual AOTC is $2,500 per eligible student, and it is refundable up to $1,000.

The Lifetime Learning Credit is a credit up to $2,000 per return for qualified tuition and related expenses paid for eligible students enrolled in an eligible educational institution. This includes undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree courses, as well as courses to acquire or improve job skills. There is no limit on the number of years a taxpayer can claim this credit.

Taxpayers can claim credits for eligible expenses paid for education that begins this year or during the first three months of next year. A taxpayer who hasn’t already maximized education credits for the student this year should consider making the spring tuition payment before year end. Conversely, if a child is expected to graduate and begin employment, delaying paying tuition might give them the benefit of a tuition credit otherwise limited by the parents’ income level.

Caution: if educational expenses paid and deducted in 2024 are refunded in 2025, be mindful of the tax-benefit rule — the taxpayer may need to include the benefit amount in income this year, even if the student is no longer the taxpayer’s dependent.

 

Conclusion

It is difficult to do tax planning in anticipation of what might happen in Washington, especially with this being an election year and the great divide on tax policy between the parties. Maybe the best planning would be to plan for possible tax changes in 2025 depending not only on the party that wins the presidential election, but also on the makeup of the House and the Senate.

It could well be time to accelerate gifting, accelerate income, and postpone deductions. Perhaps with optimism, you can imagine that those postponed R&D and interest deductions will give you a deduction at a higher tax rate, and maybe this can lessen the pain of accepting possible increased tax rates.

Finally, remember that this article is intended to serve only as a general guideline. Your personal circumstances will likely require careful examination and should be discussed with your tax adviser.

 

Kristina Drzal Houghton is a partner at the Holyoke-based accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.

 

MiraVista Finds Success with Substance-use Treatment by Reaching into the Community

By
Charles DiRosa and Lauren Temple say MiraVista has found success
Healthcare News Special Coverage

Meeting Them Where They Are

Charles DiRosa and Lauren Temple say MiraVista has found success

Charles DiRosa and Lauren Temple say MiraVista has found success going out and meeting addicts where they are, instead of waiting for them to walk through the doors.

 

Charles DiRosa knows all about the challenges of substance-use recovery. And looking back on 11 years of sobriety, he also knows how the treatment landscape has changed for the better.

“Being in recovery myself, I’m so proud to be a part of the resources we have here,” said DiRosa, a recovery support navigator at MiraVista Behavioral Health Center in Holyoke. “Looking back on it, 11 years ago, it wasn’t like this. It was a lot harder to get sober and to work a recovery.”

One example is same-day methadone dosing.

“In the past, you would have to make an appointment, maybe wait a couple of days to see the doctor, even a week, and then come in. For addicts, when they make that decision to get clean, usually we have to follow up with them pretty quickly because their mind is constantly changing.”

By accepting walk-ins, he noted, “our goal is, hopefully within an hour, we’ll get them in our system, get them an ID card, and get them dosed, all in the same day. We also offer transportation.”

But another key change at MiraVista has been an emphasis on reaching out into the community, rather than wait for people struggling with addiction to walk through the doors.

“By going to the individual instead of waiting for them to come to us, we’ve noticed a big increase in our numbers, and also our success rate,” DiRosa said. “It’s just providing our resources, letting them know that what we have to offer. If they’re already seeking our services, then we ask them to bring the word of mouth back to their loved ones or people they might know in the community.”

Kimberley Lee, MiraVista’s chief of Creative Strategy and Development, agreed that proactive outreach is making a difference.

DR. ROBBIE GOLDSTEIN

DR. ROBBIE GOLDSTEIN

“It is heartening to see this significant decrease in fatal overdoses — a direct result of the ongoing hard work in our communities to reach those struggling with substance-use disorder.”

“We’ve gone into parks, we’ve gone and hung out at McDonald’s on Appleton Street, in front of other well-known high-traffic areas. We’re just setting up a table, having a little snack, bottles of water, and using that as an opportunity to engage individuals,” she explained.

“What’s really heartwarming and really supports our work is that, when you’re in a park, and you make a connection with an individual, and you give them your card and the flyer, they may not be ready in that moment. But the next day, we see them in the front lobby. It’s very reassuring to know that type of connection has worked for that individual, and then to see them progress from when they first arrived to later on in their treatment — to see the change, the metamorphosis that takes place for these individuals.”

DiRosa called it “planting seeds.” And in his role, he can help people grow those seeds from a place of empathy and compassion.

He’s currently involved in a program called State Opioid Response, which provides extra funding to MiraVista’s outpatient methadone clinic to help those who need extra resouces to be successful throughout their recovery.

“What that might look like is, they would come to me and let me know they’re in need of — let’s say housing, or they lost their insurance, or maybe they need a new cell phone because theirs broke, or whatever the case may be. My role is to look out in the community, find those resources, bring it back to them, and bridge the gap. That way, they can continue to be successful in their recovery.

“Especially in early recovery, it’s very easy for them to get overwhelmed with all these steps or goals that they have in mind. A lot of times, they don’t have the guidance; they don’t have the support,” he added. “So we’re making sure that we’re supporting our clients, making sure we’re finding those resources out in the community for them.”

By reaching out and bridging these gaps, DiRosa said he’s helping to provide hope at a critical time.

“A lot of times, we meet individuals on the streets that might not have an ID, might not have insurance, and we tell them, ‘hey, we can still get you in and get you enrolled.’ So I’m not only providing resources in-house, but also bringing resources out to the streets, which has been pretty successful, in my opinion.”

 

Mixed Bag of Data

This outreach and support work is especially critical in MiraVista’s environs. While opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts decreased by 10% in 2023 — the largest single-year decline since 2009-10 — according to Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) data, Holyoke actually saw an increase.

Statewide, there were 2,125 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths in 2023 — 232 fewer than in 2022, when Massachusetts had a record 2,357 fatal opioid-related overdoses. As noted, the opioid-related overdose death rate decreased by 10% to 30.2 per 100,000 people compared to 33.5 in 2022.

Kimberley Lee

Kimberley Lee

“They’re approaching our clients and our patients with either their own personal experience or their own personal knowledge of the disease of addiction and how important it is for people who are starting their pathway to recovery to know that they’re not alone.”

“While we are encouraged by the overall decrease in overdose deaths, this report also is a reminder of the work that we still need to do to bring deaths down for all people and all areas of the state,” Gov. Maura Healey said when the report was released late in the spring. “Our administration remains committed to prioritizing prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts to address the overdose crisis that continues to claim too many lives and devastate too many families in Massachusetts.”

Preliminary data from the first three months of 2024 indicated a continued decline in opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts, showing 507 confirmed and estimated deaths, a 9% drop compared to estimates from the same time last year.

“It is heartening to see this significant decrease in fatal overdoses — a direct result of the ongoing hard work in our communities to reach those struggling with substance-use disorder,” said Dr. Robbie Goldstein, Department of Public Health commissioner. “To sustain these hard-won gains, we must focus even more deeply on the populations that have not yet seen such dramatic improvements. This means doubling outreach efforts in communities of color, particularly for Black residents, and people living in our most rural communities, who, as the data show, are most disproportionately impacted by overdose deaths.”

DiRosa posed one reason why overdose death rates are still high in Holyoke, while cities like Brockton, Lawrence, and Pittsfield saw declines, and it has to do with accessibility and cost.

“In a lot of the outreach that we do in the community, we’ve noticed the drop in the cost of the drugs. Back maybe five, seven years ago, where one bag of heroin would cost $10 or $15, it’s now going for $3 to $5. So it’s keeping people actively using these substances longer and not seeking treatment.”

When they do seek help, addicts have treatment options. MiraVista’s Intensive Outpatient Program is an enhanced level of care for individuals who need more intensive support for their recovery from addiction and want to remain in the community, while the Opioid Treatment Program (which includes the methadone dosing) offers a continuum of outpatient services, including individualized medication management, comprehensive addiction assessments, individual and group counseling, case management, referral support, harm-reduction education, and more.

“We’re bringing education into the community that we’re here, and we’re going to be able to care for the patients when they’re ready to come through our doors,” said Lauren Temple, director of Clinical Services, adding that prompt appointments are a big part of that. “We’re going to get you a same-day appointment as quick as we can. We don’t want you to wait.”

 

One Step at a Time

“Every overdose death is tragic, preventable, and unacceptable,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh said when the state’s report was issued earlier this year. “While we are proud and encouraged that fewer Massachusetts residents were lost to overdose last year, we know that inequities persist, and our work is not done. Our understanding of where gaps in treatment and services occur, and the people who we are not yet reaching, drives our work and helps focus our efforts.”

Those thoughts dovetail well with MiraVista’s efforts in Greater Holyoke.

“We try to stay with our clients moving forward. We check up on them on a regular basis,” DiRosa said. “Sometimes our clients might need that extra phone call; they might need extra support. We want them to take pride in their recovery, but also help them see that we do care.”

Like DiRosa, much of Miravista’s outpatient-services team have lived experience with these challenges, Lee added.

“So they’re approaching our clients and our patients with either their own personal experience or their own personal knowledge of the disease of addiction and how important it is for people who are starting their pathway to recovery to know that they’re not alone,” she added. “We are here to walk with them, whether it’s the first step they’re taking or the 100th step. There are people here who understand and who can appreciate the journey. They’re not alone.”

Corporate Holiday Parties Are Back on the Menu These Days

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Holiday Party Planner Special Coverage

’Tis the Season

Mick Corduff has been in the restaurant business long enough to know what brings customers in.

In many cases, it’s a simple change in the weather.

“It kind of clicks into gear right now. I think most people’s grills are being put away, and the patio furniture has been brought in, so people are starting to go out a little bit more,” he said. “And now we’re gearing up for the holiday season.”

Ah, yes, holiday parties. As owner of two venerable Holyoke dining spots — the Log Cabin, with plenty of space for large company events, and the Delaney House, suitable for smaller gatherings — Corduff understands the draw of corporate get-togethers, and he’s hoping other strong signs from 2024 carry over into November and December.

“We’re coming off a really busy wedding season, and foliage season has been going really well. We just finished some Thanksgiving menus, finished up the Christmas to-go packages, and the reservations for holiday gatherings are starting to trickle in now.”

Corduff said companies who like their experience with the Log Cabin or Delaney House have learned to rebook early.

“There’s always a last-minute Sally, but then there’s the customer base that has the same Friday every year — the Friday before Christmas, or two weeks before, or the first Saturday in December. We’re actually seeing some holiday Christmas parties in November, a little earlier than usual, especially with the bigger ones. They really want to have it on a Friday night or a Saturday night, and the Saturday nights tend to be grabbed up really quick. So we have a few customers that are doing it in late November, mid-November, in and around Thanksgiving.

“We just finished some Thanksgiving menus, finished up the Christmas to-go packages, and the reservations for holiday gatherings are starting to trickle in now.”

“You can work with them on pricing when there isn’t such a high demand, so that’s always a good thing for them,” he added. “Or they might get the whole facility, rather than having to do smaller rooms because it fits what we have. Like I said, we’re really starting to pick up on Fridays and Saturdays right now.”

Holiday bookings seem comparable to where they were in 2023, he added, partly due to the loyalty factor.

Mick Corduff

Mick Corduff says many repeat customers for holiday parties like to book the same dates year after year.

“We have a loyal customer base that comes to us year over year. Some of the larger companies have come to us on the same dates,” he told BusinessWest. “It also really depends on how the holidays fall. Christmas falls in the middle of the week this year, so it’s a little different.”

Edison Yee, principal managing partner of the Bean Restaurant Group, which boasts more than a dozen establishments, ranging from quick service to fast casual to more upscale, said the holiday season is an exciting time of the year for the company.

“We began planning months ago; for most restaurants, it’s the busiest time of the year,” he said, noting that the Student Prince, on Fort Street in Springfield, and the Boathouse, on the Connecticut River in South Hadley, do most of the function-type business, and holiday bookings start coming in during the summer.

“Christmastime on Fort Street is very, very festive. It’s decorated — we have great new decorations this year — and we have the Fort carolers, which are always a smash hit. People come back, families come back, businesses come back year after year for the festivities. With the traditions of Fort Street, it’s a great time to be there.

“At the Boathouse, it’s usually the same — that’s a function house as well, with ample room,” Yee explained. “They both do great business over the holidays, and we have Christmas with Santa at both locations.”

In short, it’s a busy time, he said. “The other restaurants are busy as well, but they don’t do so much the big functions of 300, 400, or 500 people because they don’t have the room. They do have a lot of smaller functions throughout the holidays, though. Right after Black Friday, everything kicks off.”

 

Slow Climb Back

The pandemic four years ago crushed the holiday-party season, and 2021 started a slow climb back, but a national survey conducted toward the end of 2023 suggested that companies are clamoring once again to celebrate the holidays with their teams in-person.

According to survey results from global outplacement and business and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., 64.4% of companies reported having in-person holiday parties in 2023, up from 57% who reported the same in 2022 and 27% who held in-person parties in 2021. It marked the highest percentage of companies holding in-person holiday parties since 75% of companies reported they held parties in 2019.

Local restaurant leaders like Corduff and Yee hope that trend continues, though only time will tell.

“We have quite a few that are post-holiday,” Corduff said. “It brightens up the winter. We see them probably until the end of January, even.”

Such a choice makes sense for businesses with a heavy end-of-year load, but it makes life easier on many fronts regardless of the company, he pointed out.

“If you do it early or you do it late, you have a little bit more flexibility. Sometimes the space can be more grandiose, and usually other vendors are more available — a DJ is not as busy in late January. So it’s not just us as a venue, but the availability of any vendor. A company can probably get a better deal and maybe do more for their customers or staff or whoever they’re trying to entertain.”

Edison Yee

Edison Yee

“Times are challenging now for restaurants. Food inflation and wage inflation and insurance costs have escalated. So it’s important to be on top of it.”

Yee said restaurant workers are among the groups who might want to get past the holidays to celebrate, adding that November and December are certainly much busier for parties across the Bean Group than January.

Corduff said the Log Cabin has found much success with large holiday parties that many small businesses attend, with a variety of price points.

“At the public holiday parties, you can have a hairdressing salon with a table of lawyers and a mechanic shop down the street, all intermingling and having a great time. It’s an economic way for businesses to take people out to a big Christmas party.

“You might have a small, more intimate event at the Delaney House, whether it’s 8, 10, 16, 20 people,” he went on. “Usually in that environment, it tends to be more about the dining experience, whereas, at some of the group holiday parties, we have the entertainment built in. Whether it’s comedy or a DJ and dancing, food and wine pairings, you have a wide variety of options there. We’re always trying to think outside the box to keep it fresh and stay creative and have a good time with it.”

One trend Corduff has noticed is that people are going out to eat, and planning events, a little earlier in the evening than before.

“I think it’s not just a Western Mass. thing, but a lot of restaurants are seeing 9 o’clock at night and the restaurant’s empty. Some of the restaurateurs that I talk to in Springfield say, ‘we used to have 9 o’clock reservations; we don’t anymore. You know, 8:30 is our last reservation these days.’ So either people are going to bed earlier, or who knows what it is, but the trend has shifted to an earlier dining slot.”

 

Back to Normal

As for the restaurant business is general, Yee said the gradual fade of the pandemic saw a rush of people tired of staying indoors.

“They wanted to go celebrate, and finally, they could do that. And now things have kind of leveled off for a more normal holiday.”

Corduff agreed. “COVID has still been around, unfortunately. But I think people are just getting on with their lives. If you’re sick, you stay in bed. Don’t go out. If you have the flu, you do the same exact thing.

“But I do think people are going out, having a good time; people aren’t as fearful as they were, and it’s showing in the numbers of people going out,” he added. “The group holiday parties were non-existent post-COVID. If a hairdressing salon was having a party, they probably had it at their shop. And we saw a lot of catering business post-COVID; we survived off those catering parties. So we still do it.”

Yee said he’s happy to see things returning to normalcy.

“We have restaurants throughout Western Mass. and Northern Connecticut, and overall, we’re up a small percentage, about 4%. I’m hearing mixed signals from different restaurateurs; some are up, some are down. For us, we like to say we have pockets or different regions that are stronger than others.”

For example, the Connecticut eateries have been fairly strong. “The quick service has been a little bit weaker overall. Our casual dining has been strong. Elevated dining is a little flat.”

That said, “times are challenging now for restaurants,” Yee said. “Food inflation and wage inflation and insurance costs have escalated. So it’s important to be on top of it. We think we’re in a good place.”

With a busy holiday season ahead to bring the cheer — and the business.

Western Mass. Offers a Bounty of Options for Local Gifts

By
Paw Street Barkery
Holiday Gift Guide Shop Local Special Coverage

Beyond the Big Box

Paw Street Barkery

Paw Street Barkery

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. 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.facebook.com/artsunlimitedgifts

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.

 

The Blue Marble

150 Main St., Northampton

(413) 253-0328

www.thebluemarble.biz

The Blue Marble, located in Thornes Marketplace, describes itself as “displayers and purveyors of American-made and fairly traded, handcrafted work,” with gifts including jewelry, scarves, pottery, wall art, and more. Its Little Blue line offers gift and clothing options for babies and preschoolers, also focusing on sustainable, organic, and ethically sourced options.

 

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.

 

Greenfield Games

238 Main St., Greenfield

(413) 774-5225

www.greenfieldgames.com

Touting itself as the largest game store in the region, Greenfield Games carries a huge selection of collectible card games, board games, family games, classic games, role-playing books, RPG miniatures, party games, gaming supplies, puzzles, and poker supplies. Tables are available for in-store gaming.

 

Paw Street Barkery

1519 Memorial Dr., Chicopee

(413) 437-8014

www.pawstreetbarkery.com

For more than 10 years, Paw Street Barkery has been making tasty, healthy dog treats, including seven signature and five gourmet treats, with many seasonal flavors throughout the year. The shop also sells a selection of toys, bandanas, and other items for your furry friend.

 

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.

 

Positively Africana

150 Main St., Northampton

(413) 297-8010

www.positivelyafricana.com

Located in Thornes Marketplace, this authentic gift shop focuses on handmade crafts and accessories made in Africa or inspired by the continent’s strength and beauty. It offers a wide range of handmade products, including jewelry, accessories, home decor, and clothing, as well as group exercise classes, and 25% of all profits support women entrepreneurs and artists in the Congo.

 

Razzmatazz Kids

803 Williams St., Longmeadow

(413) 754-3654

www.facebook.com/razzmatazzkidsstore

Formerly Zen’s Toyland, Razzmatazz Kids 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.

 

Richardson’s Candy Kitchen

500 Greenfield Road, Deerfield

(413) 772-0443

www.richardsonscandy.com

In 1954, Henry & Viola Richards opened a roadside candy kitchen in a schoolhouse-red clapboard storefront in the historic town of Deerfield. Seventy years later, current owner Kathie Woodward Williams still uses the original recipes and celebrates the sweet traditions of the seasons, crafting scrumptious confections like hand-twisted candy canes and signature chocolates.

 

Springfield Museums

21 Edwards St.

(413) 263-6800

www.springfieldmuseums.org

Located in the heart of downtown Springfield, the Springfield Museums offer access to five world-class museums, including the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, all under a single admission. Gift certificates are available to share the fun, culture, and learning.

 

Springfield Thunderbirds

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) 237-6187

www.swewines.com

Located on the ground floor of downtown Tower Square, the Springfield Wine Exchange offers customers local select craft beers and wines from around the world. The shop has assembled a collection of wines sourced and hand-selected from growers around the world, from everyday, affordable bottles to fine and rare collectibles.

Springfield Wine Exchange

 

Summit Center for Vibrant Living

25 Franklin Street, Lenox

(518) 441-6336

www.summitcenterforvibrantliving.com

Dolores Mannix, an intuitive body worker, spiritual mentor, and yoga teacher, brings together close to three decades of initiations and study in the Path of Light in Ecuador with her training in bodywork and yoga for somatic, spiritual, and emotional release in a safe, nurturing environment, fostering transformational experiences.

 

Sweet Lucy’s Bakeshop

7 South St., Bernardston

(413) 648-3160

www.sweetlucysbakeshop.com

Sweet Lucy’s Bakeshop is a new-American bakery in the heart of New England, passionately committed to providing the most craveable, high-quality pastries and cakes. Meanwhile, owner Lucy Damkoehler offers a wide array of cooking classes and sells gift certificates that can be applied to any class.

 

The Toy Box

201 North Amherst St.

(413) 256-8697

www.thetoyboxamherst.com

The Toy Box was born in late 2003. A few years later, the store expanded to twice its original size, expanding its product selection to include lots of gift and hard-to-find items as well as toys and games for older kids and adults. The website features a robust online sales platform with items in dozens of categories.

 

World Eye Bookshop

134 Main St., Greenfield

(413) 772-2186

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057448487826

World Eye Bookshop opened more than 50 years ago, and even though it has several locations, it is still Greenfield’s only independent bookshop for new books, as well as greeting cards, toys, games, journals, stuffed animals, art supplies, tarot, and more.

 

Zanna

187 North Pleasant St., Amherst

(413) 253-2563

www.zanna.com

Zanna describes itself as “a city style store in a little downtown,” and adds, “we toss clothes over dressing room doors, fit shoes, give honest advice, and lots of TLC. We’ve created lasting friendships for over 50 years.”

Fancy Steps Dance Fundraiser Celebrates 15th Anniversary on Nov. 9

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Fancy Steps, the 15th annual celebrity dance extravaganza, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 9 at the MassMutual Center. This event, known for its vibrant energy and star-studded lineup, is the largest fundraiser each year in support of the Children’s Museum at Holyoke. Click here to purchase tickets.

The evening is filled with captivating performances, inspiring stories, and the thrill of supporting a worthy cause. For 15 years, Fancy Steps has featured an eclectic roster of celebrity dancers, each showcasing unique performances, to raise funds for the museum’s mission: enhancing educational and cultural awareness for children through the arts and sciences.

This year’s celebrity dancers include Mauro Brito, Myke Connolly, Ashley Cormier, Faith Glanville, Shane Hall, Susie Howard, George Mulry, Liz O’Dair, Tanya Patruno, Josh Powers, Tina Reno, Brian Rheaume, Cindy Sheridan Murphy, Amy Stanek, and Jonathan Yee.

In a time-honored tradition, each of these talented volunteer dancers will partner with professionals from Ballroom Fever and showcase their talents before a sellout crowd of nearly 600 attendees.

“I may be new in my role, but I’m well aware of Fancy Steps’ legacy and honored to be part of it,” said D.J. Tucker, executive director of the museum. “I am especially grateful to our longtime partner, PeoplesBank, who has supported us since the event’s inception and returns as our crown jewel presenting sponsor, along with new partner, the Richard and Barbara Whitcomb Foundation.”

Liberty Bank Holds Clothing Drive to Benefit Dress for Success, Suit Up Springfield

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Throughout the month of November, Liberty Bank is coordinating a clothing drive throughout Springfield to benefit Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts (DFSWM) and Suit Up Springfield, two organizations that provide professional attire to low-income people who need it for interviews and work.

Liberty Bank is partnering with several local businesses to make the clothing drive a success. AM Lithography donated collection boxes, and the Springfield Business Improvement District, led by Michelle Grout, will maintain the boxes during the collection. The Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place management team will promote the drive throughout the building and on the marquee.

The following businesses will serve as collection sites: 1350 Main Street, Jacintos, Monarch Place, Nosh Café and Restaurant, Overland Lofts, and Tower Square. Community members are invited to donate business attire and accessories at these locations. Donated clothing should be new or gently used and freshly dry-cleaned or laundered. The organizations are seeking suits, business dresses, pants, blazers, and other professional apparel, as well as shoes, boots, coats, and accessories such as ties, handbags, and jewelry.

This year, at both DFSWM and Suit Up Springfield, volunteers will suit more than 300 individuals with a free interview outfit matching their field of interest, body type, and style, while also providing a confidence boost.

“We are grateful to Liberty Bank for their second annual clothing drive and to the other community businesses that have stepped forward to make it a great success,” DFSWM Executive Director Jess Roncarati-Howe said. “Proper interview apparel can be a real barrier to low-income individuals, especially if they have been out of the workforce for an extended period or are in transition with housing. The work of our two organizations is about more than just interview outfits — it’s about empowering people to become independent and successful members of our community.”

Freedom Credit Union Helping Military Families as Holidays Approach

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — During November, Freedom Credit Union is collecting cash donations at all its branches throughout Western Mass. to help the Westover Galaxy Community Council support military service members and their families at Westover Air Reserve Base (ARB) in Chicopee.

“We salute the service and sacrifices of the brave men and women serving at the Westover base,” Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch said. “Especially with the holidays coming, having loved ones away from home is challenging. We hope our contributions help ease the burden on military families.”

Formed in 1988 as a committee within the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce and incorporated as an independent organization in 1989, the Westover Galaxy Community Council is made up of veterans, local businesspeople, and other citizens who support the men, women, and mission of Westover ARB. Within Department of Defense guidelines, the Westover Galaxy Community Council raises funds to contribute to events and special needs at Westover ARB, the largest air reserve base in the nation.

Anyone can contribute at any Freedom Credit Union branch, Welch said. “You don’t have to be a Freedom member. We feel fortunate to have such a generous community helping us give back to our troops.”

Dakin Humane Society to Host Whisker Wonderland on Nov. 9

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Dakin Humane Society will host Whisker Wonderland on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 171 Union St., Springfield. Admission is free, but donations will be welcomed. Funds raised through the event benefit Dakin’s animals and programs.

The third annual holiday craft event will include nearly 40 local artisans offering crafts and gifts geared towards the animal lover, including soaps, plants, pet-themed gifts, gifts for pets, custom artwork, candles, and much more. The soaps are from local farms, the candles are handmade from beeswax and coconut wax, and everything is locally handcrafted by small business owners and artists.

Vendors featured at the event will include Ain’t Your Average B…, Barton Beeswax Candles, Bay Horse Soaperie, Black Cats Pottery, BlossumBun, Bonny’s Holiday Crafts, the Boxed Garden, Brodester’s Pet Boutique, Daybreak Artworks, Designer Engravings, Fine Design Solutions, FroebelArt, Hames & Axle Farm, Handcrafted by Jaam, Hawksong Weaving, Holler & Howl, Kelorful Creations, Kkandle, Laura Louise (author), Matt’s Crazy Designs, Natalie Ulrich, Puppers & Pastries, Rachel of Amherst Makes Stuff, Rhodes Ceramic, Sand and Sea, Savary Designs, Tally’s Treasures, the Tragic Whale, Warmth + Whimsy, and original artwork by Dakin’s Kitten ICU kittens.

In addition, Dakin’s Home Again thrift shop will be open at that time to provide additional shopping options. There will be a raffle of donated gift items to support animals at Dakin Humane Society, and Dakin’s holiday merchandise will be for sale. The family-friendly event will also feature a bake sale and live harp music.

“Whisker Wonderland has become a fun holiday tradition, especially for those seeking gifts for animal enthusiasts or themselves,” said Stacey Price, Dakin’s director of Development and Marketing. “It’s exciting to showcase so many talented crafters and small businesses that offer one-of-a-kind items that attendees love. We’re looking forward to welcoming families who will enjoy shopping together.”

Picture This

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Pictured: Shelley Daughdrill (left), Retail Banking director and senior vice president of Retail Administration at Florence Bank, with Chelsea Kline, executive director of Cancer Connection.
Picture This

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

 

Supportive Connections

Florence Bank recently sponsored Cancer Connection’s 2024 Harvest Dinner and Silent Auction on Oct. 17 with a $7,000 gift to support the organization, which serves as a haven for people with a cancer diagnosis and their caregivers. Offering a broad range of free services, the nonprofit will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year.

Pictured: Shelley Daughdrill (left), Retail Banking director and senior vice president of Retail Administration at Florence Bank, with Chelsea Kline, executive director of Cancer Connection.

Pictured: Shelley Daughdrill (left), Retail Banking director and senior vice president of Retail Administration at Florence Bank, with Chelsea Kline, executive director of Cancer Connection.

 

 

Fore a Good Cause

PDC Inc., a leading walls and ceilings contractor with offices in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, raised a grand total of $100,000 during its ninth annual golf tournament held on Sept. 5 at Crestview Country Club in Agawam. Of that, $50,000 was donated to the Gray House Inc. in Springfield, and the other half benefited 87 charities primarily located throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut, in addition to several national organizations.

Pictured: PDC Inc. co-owners Ron Perry (left) and Nick Shaink (right) present a check to Kristen McClintock, executive director of the Gray House.

Pictured: PDC Inc. co-owners Ron Perry (left) and Nick Shaink (right) present a check to Kristen McClintock, executive director of the Gray House.

 

 

Boosting a Community Resource

Monson Savings Bank recently presented a $1,000 donation to Monson Free Library as part of the 2024 Monson Savings Bank Community Giving Initiative, in which the public was given the opportunity to vote on which nonprofits would receive a donation from the bank in 2024. A valuable resource center for people of all ages, the library offers educational tools through diverse collections, services, technology, and programming.

Pictured: Hope Bodwell (left), Monson Free Library director, with Michael Rouette, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Monson Savings Bank.

Pictured: Hope Bodwell (left), Monson Free Library director, with Michael Rouette, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Monson Savings Bank.

 

 

Allied for Two Charities

Through its first annual charity golf tournament at Crestview Country Club, Allied Flooring, Paint and Design and Budget Cabinet Sales made donations to two local charities: $10,429.86 to Junior Achievement (JA) of Western Massachusetts and $10,429.86 to Gándara Center in Holyoke. 

Pictured: from left, Allied President Mario Tedeschi, JA of Western Massachusetts President Amie Miarecki, JA board co-chair Tracey Alves, JA board member Joe Williams, and Allied President of Sales Jorge Morgado.

Pictured: from left, Allied President Mario Tedeschi, JA of Western Massachusetts President Amie Miarecki, JA board co-chair Tracey Alves, JA board member Joe Williams, and Allied President of Sales Jorge Morgado.

Pictured: from left, Tedeschi, Gándara Center CEO Lois Nesci, and Morgado.

Pictured: from left, Tedeschi, Gándara Center CEO Lois Nesci, and Morgado.

 

 

Critical Donations

On Oct. 9, the Palmer Ambulance Service sponsored its fourth annual Ambulance, Police and Fire Department Blood Drive in partnership with the Baystate Health Blood Donor Team at Baystate Wing Hospital (pictured with Palmer Ambulance Service EMT Mary Lee Frydryk, center). “One donation can save up to three lives,” said Nicole VanZandt, supervisor of BRL Blood Donor Services. “We are grateful to the Palmer Ambulance Service and the Palmer Police and Fire Department team members who gave blood. As a result of their friendly competition, we received 26 blood donations.”

Baystate Health Blood Donor Team at Baystate Wing Hospital pictured with Palmer Ambulance Service EMT Mary Lee Frydryk, center.

Baystate Health Blood Donor Team at Baystate Wing Hospital pictured with Palmer Ambulance Service EMT Mary Lee Frydryk, center.

 

Agenda

By
Agenda

Difference Makers Nominations

Through Dec. 16: Do you know someone who is truly making a difference in the Western Mass. region? BusinessWest invites you to nominate an individual or group for its 17th annual Difference Makers program. Nominations for the class of 2025 must be received by Monday, Dec. 16. Difference Makers was launched in 2009 as a way to recognize the contributions of agencies and individuals who are contributing to quality of life in this region. Past honorees have come from dozens of business and nonprofit sectors, proving there’s no limit to the ways people can impact their communities. So, let us know who you think deserves to be recognized as a Difference Maker in our upcoming class by visiting businesswest.com/difference-makers-nomination-form to complete the nomination form. Honorees will be profiled in the Feb. 17 issue of BusinessWest and celebrated at a gala in the spring.

 

Food Drive for Margaret’s Pantry

Nov. 11-15: The Wealth Transition Collective, a financial-planning firm out of Holyoke, will host its fourth annual weeklong food drive to benefit Margaret’s Pantry in Holyoke in honor of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Since the start of this event, it has raised more than 4,000 pounds of food and more than $7,500 in monetary donations. Individuals can drop off non-perishable and canned foods during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at the Wealth Transition Collective office at 1632 Northampton St., Holyoke. Weather permitting, there will be a drop-off table outside the front door for easy accessibility. Some of the most-needed items at the pantry during this time of year are stuffing mixes; canned goods like gravy, soups, and stews; baking mixes; frosting; syrup; salad dressing; condiments; Jell-O; and kids’ snack items. Margaret’s Pantry, a division of Providence Ministries for the Needy, is a full-service food pantry that has provided food to residents of Greater Holyoke for more than 30 years. Presently, the pantry provides food to more than 180 families each month, and approximately 72,000 meals a year are distributed to the needy in the community.

 

Women of Impact Gala

Dec. 5: BusinessWest will celebrate its seventh annual Women of Impact cohort at Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. The 2024 Women of Impact, profiled in the Oct. 28 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com, are: Alison Berman, council director of Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts; Dianne Fuller Doherty, co-founder of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts and former director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center’s Regional Office; JoAnne Finck, president of Friends of Cooley Dickinson; Kimberley Lee, chief of Creative Strategy and Development at MiraVista Behavioral Health Center; Megan McDonough, executive director of Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity; LaTonia Monroe Naylor, chief business educator at Monroe Naylor Consulting, LLC and president and CEO of Parent Villages; Kristi Reale, partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; and Dr. Shirley Jackson Whitaker, nephrologist, artist, and filmmaker. Tickets cost $95 per person, and tables of 10 are available. To purchase tickets, visit www.businesswest.com/women-of-impact-tickets. The presenting sponsors are Country Bank and TommyCar Auto Group, and Cooley Dickinson Hospital is a partner sponsor.

 

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

STCC Announces $1 Million MassMutual Foundation Gift

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) received a $1 million grant from the MassMutual Foundation — the largest philanthropic gift received by the college in the past 15 years — to help with the relocation of the School of Health and Patient Simulation (SHPS).

The college plans to move its health programs out of Building 20, an 83-year-old structure with a history of expensive emergency repairs. Most of the programs will be relocated to Scibelli Hall, or Building 2, a seven-story structure opened in 1988 on the historic STCC campus. The total estimated project cost to relocate is approximately $50 million, with committed funding from the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance ($38 million), the STCC board of trustees ($11.5 million), and the STCC Foundation ($500,000). The $1 million from the MassMutual Foundation will help enhance the educational and technological experience for students enrolled in programs in the School of Health and Patient Simulation at STCC. The SIMS Medical Center includes more than 70 patient simulators, the largest array in New England. Accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, the center provides a state-of-the-art, immersive educational environment where students and healthcare personnel obtain new skills while refining existing skills.

 

Hometown Arcade to Open in Thornes Marketplace

NORTHAMPTON— Visitors to Thornes Marketplace will be able to play classic arcade games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders as well as newer games like Pac-Man Smash Air Hockey after Hometown Arcade opens in November in space previously occupied by Acme Surplus.

For $20 a day, entrants can play games from the ’80s and ’90s, including skee-ball, bubble hockey, air hockey, and lots of pinball machines. Rhythm games, like Guitar Hero and Beat Mania, will also be available. And youngsters who take a chance on the classic claw machine will be guaranteed a prize for $3 per play. Snow hopes his Northampton arcade will be accepted into the New England Pinball League for team play, and he hopes to offer a women’s league. He will also have a 10-player game called Killer Queen, on which two teams of five compete, and he plans on hosting Killer Queen tournaments. Snow is in the process of securing a beer and wine license for the arcade and is also negotiating a partnership with a local restaurant to provide pizza. Snacks and soft drinks will also be sold. He will also offer birthday party packages. Hometown Arcade should be open by mid-November.

 

MountainOne Donates $5,000 for Hurricane Relief Efforts

NORTH ADAMS — MountainOne announced a $5,000 donation to assist with relief and recovery efforts following the disastrous impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This financial contribution underscores MountainOne’s dedication to supporting communities in times of need, even beyond its immediate service area. The donation was made in response to a call from the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc., which has been coordinating efforts to rally support for disaster-stricken regions. MountainOne donated $2,500 to the North Carolina Bankers Assoc. Foundation’s Hurricane Helene Relief Fund. The fund was established to assist bank employees in Western North Carolina who have suffered losses and property damage as a result of the storm. An equal amount of $2,500 was donated to the Florida Disaster Fund, the state of Florida’s official private fund established to assist communities as they respond to and recover during times of emergency or disaster. MountainOne’s contribution was guided by recommendations from the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc., in coordination with the North Carolina and Florida banking associations, helping to ensure the donations reach organizations well-equipped to provide meaningful support to those in need.

 

bankESB Donates $5,000 to Pickleball Fundraising Project

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB recently donated $5,000 to the Easthampton Pickleball Fundraising Project, a dedicated group of pickleball enthusiasts who have partnered with the Players Philanthropy Fund to raise money for new pickleball courts. There are currently two pickleball courts located in Nonotuck Park that were constructed in 2020. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., and these courts are immensely popular, often with more than 20 people waiting to play in just eight available spots. The Easthampton Pickleball Fundraising Project will help build two additional courts. bankESB’s charitable giving program, the Giving Tree, reflects the roots the bank has in its communities and its commitment to making a difference in the neighborhoods it serves.

 

Eversource on TIME’s List of World’s Best Companies for 2024

BOSTON — As a reinforcement of its position as an energy-industry leader, Eversource has been listed in TIME’s ranking of the World’s Best Companies in 2024, which was curated in collaboration with global research and data firm Statista. Ranked 396th overall out of 1,000 companies and the number-one U.S. utility, this recognition highlights the energy company’s exceptional performance in three key categories, including employee satisfaction; revenue growth; and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics.

 

Florence Bank Supports MHA’s Wellness Classic Golf Tournament

FLORENCE — Florence Bank supported the Mental Health Association’s 26th annual Wellness Classic Golf Tournament with a $5,000 sponsorship, helping the organization live its mission to better the lives of people challenged by intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in the 1960s, formerly based in Springfield, and now located in Chicopee, MHA is a pioneer in community-based support for those living with mental illness, homelessness, intellectual disabilities, brain injuries, and substance use. The organization offers more than 60 residential programs in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and operates these four divisions, each serving a different segment of need: Recovery and Housing, supporting people with substance-use disorders or a mental-health diagnosis, as well as people experiencing chronic homelessness; New Way Services, for those who have experienced a brain injury; Integration and Community Living, serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and BestLife Emotional Health and Wellness, an outpatient behavioral-health clinic based in Springfield. The Mental Health Assoc. serves 3,500 to 3,800 people each year, and its annual golf classic was held this year on Sept. 27 at Crestview Country Club in Agawam; it typically raises roughly $100,000.

 

MountainOne Receives Award for Video Campaign

NORTH ADAMS — MountainOne announced that it has been named a 2024 American Bankers Assoc. (ABA) Brand Slam Award winner for best video. This honor marks MountainOne’s 18th marketing-industry award, all earned since the launch of its brand campaign in 2019. The ABA Brand Slam Awards recognize excellence in bank marketing across six key categories: video, integrated marketing, website redesign, public relations/community engagement, social media, and out-of-the-box idea.

 

AIC Launches Nutrition Program to Meet Demand for Professionals

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) is launching a bachelor of science in nutrition program designed to prepare students to address a broad range of global health challenges. The program will officially begin in the fall of 2025, with an introductory nutrition course available to current students in the spring semester starting in January 2025. The program combines both online and on-campus coursework and provides a pathway for students to pursue a master’s degree required for the ACEND registered dietitian certification. Students can choose between two tracks: public health or exercise science. This structure offers a comprehensive education in nutrition, food, and health while equipping students with the skills needed for careers in nutrition, dietetics, public health, or wellness coaching.

 

Pathlight, ServiceNet to Merge, Expanding Reach of Both

NORTHAMPTON — The boards of directors of Pathlight and ServiceNet have agreed to a merger, following several months of analysis, vetting, and coming to terms. All of Pathlight’s programs will be integrated into ServiceNet, with the primary goal being continuity of service. Virtually all 500 Pathlight employees will become ServiceNet employees as of the effective date of the merger. Both parties anticipate this merger will be finalized within the next few months, following completion of state approvals and other legal steps. The two agencies share similar missions and philosophies about supporting people in living their lives to the fullest and raising the visibility and impact of people with disabilities. ServiceNet and Pathlight each offer programs that support individuals with developmental disabilities and mental-health challenges, and each has areas of experience and expertise that the other does not. Both provide residential services, including group homes and shared living; Pathlight also has several programs for children and youth with disabilities, while ServiceNet has a robust array of vocational service offerings.

 

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Cassandra Morrey

Cassandra Morrey

Greenfield Savings Bank announced the promotion of Cassandra “Cassie” Morrey to senior vice president and senior Residential Lending officer. She will succeed Lori Grover as head of the Residential Lending department, following Grover’s retirement in January 2025 after a long and successful tenure with Greenfield Savings Bank. Morrey began her banking career in 2002 as a loan processor at the Bank of Western Massachusetts (now M&T Bank) and has been a valued member of Greenfield Savings Bank since 2010. With more than two decades of experience in the banking industry, she brings extensive expertise and leadership to her new role. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Morrey is deeply committed to community service. She currently serves on the boards of three nonprofit organizations: the Children’s Advocacy Center, Highland Ambulance EMS, and the Southampton Youth Athletic Assoc. basketball committee.

•••••

Gina Vallone

Gina Vallone

Pittsfield Cooperative Bank announced the hiring of Gina Vallone to its retail banking team as a vice president and branch manager of its Dalton Avenue location. She has significant experience in branch management, financial advising, personal insurance sales and management, relationship management, and customer service. Vallone joins the bank after working for the previous 15 years at Lee Bank in its Retail and Community Banking departments. For the last five years, she has managed Lee Bank’s Pittsfield and Lenox branches. Prior to banking, she worked in personal insurance line sales and customer relations with Minkler Insurance Agency. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Elizabeth Freeman Center.

•••••

Harlin Glovacki

Harlin Glovacki

Greenfield Cooperative Bank announced the promotion of Harlin Glovacki to branch manager of the Shelburne Falls branch. Glovacki has been a valuable member of the Greenfield Co-op team for several years. In his new position, he will oversee all aspects of branch operations. “We are thrilled to promote Harlin to branch manager,” said Lisa Kmetz, executive vice president, Retail & Security officer. “He has consistently exceeded expectations and has a proven track record of success. His dedication to providing exceptional customer service will be invaluable as he takes on this new role.”

•••••

Country Nissan announced that Heather Petricevich has been honored as the Service Advisor of the Year for the Chris Collins Top Dog Award, recognized nationwide within the Asian League. She recently returned from Los Angeles, where she received this prestigious accolade, celebrating her exceptional customer service, expertise, and dedication to excellence in the automotive industry. “I am truly humbled and honored to receive this award,” Petricevich said. “This achievement is a reflection of the incredible support from my team and the wonderful relationships I have built with our customers. I’m passionate about providing the best service possible, and I’m grateful to work in such a supportive environment at Country Nissan.”

•••••

Katie Woods

Katie Woods

bankESB recently promoted Katie Woods to assistant branch manager of its 770 Main St., Agawam office. Woods joined bankESB earlier this year as a float teller supervisor. Previously, she was assistant branch manager at PeoplesBank and, before that, store operations manager at CVS Health. In her new role, Woods will assist the branch manager in reaching branch goals while striving to deliver excellent customer service and helping employees and customers unlock their potential.

•••••

Last year, Holyoke Chicopee Springfield (HCS) Head Start announced the formation of the Janis Santos Scholarship. This recognition was created by Janis Santos, former CEO of HCS Head Start, to help address the shortage of early-childhood teachers. Last year, the first Janis Santos Scholarship was awarded to Mayra Felix, who applied with the dream of using it toward completing her bachelor’s degree. The second annual scholarship was recently awarded to Notavious Andino-Galarza-Perez, who attended HCS Head Start 15 years ago and is currently studying at Columbia University. Santos, along with Nicole Blais, HCS Head Start’s current CEO, presented Andino-Galarza-Perez with this honor at the organization’s annual Professional Development Day. Andino-Galarza-Perez said that becoming a teacher would mean he would finally be able to repay the debt of gratitude owed to those who inspired him all those years ago, and hopefully inspire the next generation to always strive to be better than the last.

 

Incorporations

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Incorporations

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

ADAMS

Henza Petroleum Inc., 73 Columbia St., Adams, MA 01220. Asif Chaudhry, same. Convenience store with gas station.

AMHERST

Ffitt Collective Inc., 990 North Pleasant St., A105, Amherst, MA 01002. Efosa Guobadia, same. Physical therapy, movement analysis and training, health and wellness coaching.

CHICOPEE

Augmen Inc., 48 Jennings St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Mei Feng Pan, same. Selling clothes and related accessories online.

Megan Alissa Design Ltd., 94 Fedak Dr., Chicopee, MA 01013. Megan Labrie, same. Branding design, graphic design, website design, illustration, communication design, and related consulting.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Elizabeth Davila, 87 Millbrook Dr., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Home healthcare services for seniors.

Kind Hands Adult Social Day Program Inc., 296 North Main St., Suite 20, East Longmeadow, MA 01028.

FEEDING HILLS

Kahaan Liquors Corp., 1350 Springfield St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Govindbhai Patel, 165 Anvil St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Package store.

GREAT BARRINGTON

The Longest Night Inc., 700 Main Street, Suite 1, Great Barrington, MA 01230. Karl Holland, 27 Christian Hill Road, Great Barrington, MA 0123. Nonprofit organization established to provide safe, supportive, and affordable transitional housing to individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

HOLYOKE

Cho’s Fish & Chips Inc., 50 Holyoke St., R123, Holyoke, MA 01040. Dong Heyn Cho, same. Fast-food restaurant.

Project for Our Future, Inc., 20 Gilman St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Maria Leister, same. Nonprofit organization providing education and training on matters involving migrants.

INDIAN ORCHARD

Immigrant & Refugee Center Inc., 58 Healey St., Indian Orchard, MA 01151. Jeylani Noor, 104 Dunmoreland St., Springfield, MA 01109. Nonprofit organization providing general professional services for immigrants, refugee families, and youths.

LONGMEADOW

Pangeah Inc., 55 Shady Side Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Lloyd Wynter, same. Technological development, pursuing sustainability and inclusion for the betterment of all humankind.

LUDLOW

Vaga Cleaning Services Inc., 124 Woodside Road, Ludlow, MA 01056. Vanilza Costa Da Silva, same. Residential and commercial janitorial and maintenance services.

PITTSFIELD

ABC Change Inc., 270 Linden St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Brigithe Hernandez, same. Painting and wall-covering contractor providing modernization of places through painting and cleaning.

Build Myanmar Foundation Corp., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Htet Myet Naing Win, same. Nonprofit organization with physical branches to serve as community hubs across Myanmar, promoting community development and cohesion through educational programs, workshops, and leadership training; supporting local entrepreneurs and small businesses with training, mentorship, and resources; encouraging social inclusion and equity for marginalized groups, including women and LGBTQ individuals; and facilitating cultural and social events to celebrate diversity and unity.

Gentian Skies Property Management Ltd., 178 Harryel St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Anthony Booth, same. Property management and real-estate ownership.

J Alfonso Enterprises Inc., 200 Montgomery Ave. Ext., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Joseph Alfonso, same. Farming.

Shinequo Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Deepanshi Bansal, same. Organization helping individuals find a way to navigate their lives with confidence and resilience, primarily focused on students who need the most guidance for their mental and physical fitness.

Us Taekwondo & Archery Transportation Inc., 457 Dalton Ave., Suite U2, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Hansung Kim, same. Transportation services.

SOUTHWICK

Friends of the Southwick Dog Park Inc., 5 Point Grove Road, Southwick, MA 01077. Sarah Leavy, 3 Locust St., Westfield, MA 01085. Nonprofit organization to encourage, foster, and support social, recreational and intergenerational opportunities among families and their canine companions, and to advocate for necessary resources to preserve and enhance the well-being of dogs and their owners.

SPRINGFIELD

H & I Property Inc., 1601 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103. Muhammad Khalil, 398 Windsor Ave., Windsor, CT 06095. Rental property.

Stone Industries Inc., 97 David St., Springfield, MA 01104. Michael Williams, 17 Kirkdale Dr., Marlton, NJ 08053. Residential minor construction repairs and maintenance.

SUNDERLAND

Tensor Robotics Co., 89 Russell St., Sunderland, MA 01375. Stephen Toebes, same. Robotics engineering and development.

WESTFIELD

VVM Enterprises Co., 27A Malone Ave., Westfield, MA 01085. Vladislav Mozolevskiy, same. Salesman.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

C.F. Roark Welding & Engineering Co. Inc., 63 Doty Circle, West Springfield, MA 01089. Charles Roark, 136 North Green St., Brownsburg, IN 46112. Metal-fabrication services.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of October 2024.

BELCHERTOWN

New England Small Farm Institute Inc.
162 Shea Ave.
Patricia Barry

TSR
1 Hemlock Hollow
Scott Roda

GREAT BARRINGTON

Acorns to Oaks Therapy
321 Main St., Suite 317
Shera Weintraub

Berkshires Precious Paws Pet Services
294 Park St. North
Berkshires Precious Paws Pet Services

DiaPraxis
4 Forest Row
Rosalma Zubizarreta

Dizzy Lizard Logistics
342 North Plain Road
Dizzy Lizard Logistics

Epic Organics Catering & Events
235A Grove St.
Visionary Innovations LLC

Families Like Ours
140 West Ave., Suite A7
Families Like Ours

Forgotten Finds Antiques
434B Stockbridge Road
Paul Benjou, James Stark

The Little Lion
506 Stockbridge Road
Briarbear LLC

Marjoram & Roux
47 Railroad St.
Joad Bowman

Market 32 by Price Chopper
300 Stockbridge Road
Price Chopper Operating Co. of Massachusetts Inc.

Overbridge Technology
500 Main St., Suite 5
Overbridge Technology

Peter J. Brewer, Attorney
38 Mahaiwe St.
Peter Brewer

Robin Veazie LMHC
200 Main St., Suite 1
Robin Veazie

The Well Restaurant & Bar
312 Main St.
The Well Restaurant & Bar

Yakito Japanese Kitchen LLC
15 Crissey Road
Yakito Japanese Kitchen LLC

HOLYOKE

Adminease Solutions
36 Arnodale St.
Alvaro Ortiz

BeautyAble Lash and Skin Bar
527 South St.
Alisha Lamberty

Centrus Premier Home Care Inc.
55 Bobala Road
Maxim Healthcare Services Inc.

Classic Custom Muffler
54 Commercial St.
Marcel Gavel

Easy Pick Convenience
224 Lyman St.
Arfa Shaikh

Ea-Teriyaki
50 Holyoke St.
Jerry Li

Enlightened Aura Specialties
320 Sargeant St.
Dana Jacques

Gadget Depot
241 Main St.
Diego Munoz Torres

Murphy Mechanical Services
128 Pleasant St.
Ryan Murphy

Poco Riso
112 High St.
Elizabeth Labrocca, Timothy Scott

Tony’s Grocery Store
801 High St.
Felix Almonte

PITTSFIELD

Berkshire Bulldog Construction
21B Curtin Ave.
Peter Ferris

Berkshire Music Therapy
99 Bushey Road
Amy Myers

Berkshire Print Shop
6 Goodrich St.
Mark Valuski

Bodywise Health Collaborative PLLC
75 South Church St.
Molly Rivest

ECC
117 Fenn St.
Michael Hitchcock

Espetinho Carioca
48 North St.
Osmar Saues de Melo

Float Research
82 Wendell Ave.
John Wiltshire-Gordon

Hang with My Soul
395 North St.
Taylor LaRochelle

Healthy Learners
82 Wendell Ave.
Healthy Learners Inc.

John & Silver’s Real Estate Co.
108 April Lane
Kouame N’goran

Phillips Culinary
1496 East St.
Christine Phillips

SOUTH HADLEY

Essence IT Solutions
19 North St.
Jonathan Fedus

Five Star Bus
2 Industrial Dr.
Five Star Transportation Inc.

Jubinville Insurance Group
39 Lamb St.
White-Jubinville Insurance Agency

ManesbyMilne
341 Newton St.
Anne Milne

WESTFIELD

DR Auto Inc.
10 Old Town Ford Way
David Rudenko

E&S Design Inc.
93 George St.
Eduard Sad

Humenx
71 Ridgecrest Dr.
Jennifer Cloutier

KC Law
30 Court St., Suite 1
Kevin Chrisanthopoulos

Ken More Industries LLC
109 Apremont Way
Kenneth More

OMC Rentals
205 Elm St.
Omax Cox

PMA Provisions
88 Beveridge Blvd.
Derek Robert

Property Surplus Refunds
6 Pearl St.
Jeffrey Adamicik

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

32 Charlemont Road
Buckland, MA 01339
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Steven Lantner
Seller: Luke Scalise
Date: 10/07/24

CHARLEMONT

48 Main St.
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: River GSO LLC
Seller: Berkshire Rafting LLC
Date: 10/09/24

COLRAIN

25 Coburn St.
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Mark A. Thibodeau
Seller: Kenneth E. Noyes
Date: 10/09/24

DEERFIELD

Grand View Dr., Lot 1
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Andrew R. Beaudry
Seller: Grandview Estates LLC
Date: 10/07/24

Grand View Dr., Lot 2
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Andrew R. Beaudry
Seller: Grandview Estates LLC
Date: 10/07/24

196 Upper Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Timothy Drumgool
Seller: Ann M. Butynski
Date: 10/01/24

GREENFIELD

45 Congress St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Valencia LLC
Seller: Niedbala INT
Date: 10/01/24

74 Congress St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: PRB LLC
Seller: Valencia LLC
Date: 10/01/24

130 Elm St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: PRB LLC
Seller: Valencia LLC
Date: 10/01/24

117 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Peter Sheperd
Seller: Jeffrey M. Hayer
Date: 10/07/24

28-30 Lincoln St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: PRB LLC
Seller: Valencia LLC
Date: 10/01/24

88-90 Norwood St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Daris L. Emerson
Seller: Patricia A. Falvey
Date: 10/09/24

153 School St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Deanna Scarfe
Seller: Bittner IRT
Date: 10/02/24

58 Shattuck St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Bailey
Seller: Nicholas M. Koscinski
Date: 10/11/24

154 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: PRB LLC
Seller: Valencia LLC
Date: 10/01/24

LEVERETT

2 Chestnut Hill Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $705,000
Buyer: Katherine V. Blair
Seller: Catherine M. Rubinstein
Date: 10/10/24

11 Jackson Hill Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Gabriel Stafford
Seller: Grace A. Meldon
Date: 10/02/24

MONTAGUE

11 Meadow Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $178,500
Buyer: Michael Pike
Seller: Pike, Nancy, (Estate)
Date: 10/09/24

NORTHFIELD

207 Captain Beers Plain Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Peter Hannum
Seller: Arsenault, Dorothy M., (Estate)
Date: 10/10/24

37 Parker Ave.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Bruce J. Golinski
Seller: Margaret M. Glazier
Date: 10/07/24

ORANGE

69 Battle St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Juliano Alves-Dasilva
Seller: Woodbury Sr., Roland E., (Estate)
Date: 10/10/24

31 Dexter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $361,000
Buyer: Joshua R. Carello
Seller: BHO Realty LLC
Date: 10/04/24

360 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Blue Whale Ventures LLC
Seller: Bass Family LLC
Date: 10/02/24

3 Meadow Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Frances D. Hadsel
Seller: Jacob Fedelski
Date: 10/04/24

120 Mechanic St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Matthew Cook
Seller: Margaret L. Ackert
Date: 10/08/24

114 Pleasant St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Christina D. Hughes
Seller: James M. Zingo
Date: 10/01/24

SHUTESBURY

45 Pelham Hill Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $494,000
Buyer: Mark J. Perriello
Seller: Robin A. Harrington
Date: 10/10/24

SUNDERLAND

282 Hadley Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $126,850
Buyer: Charles J. Smiarowski
Seller: Charles W. Smiarowski LT
Date: 10/10/24

WARWICK

Northfield Road
Warwick, MA 01364
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Damien Higgins
Seller: William A. Filsinger
Date: 10/01/24

WHATELY

7 State Road
Whately, MA 01373
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Wendolowski FT
Seller: Justin S. Stensell
Date: 10/09/24

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

44 Belvidere Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Andrew Gruska
Seller: Serena M. Tylenda
Date: 10/08/24

91 Carr Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Kevin Pfefferle
Seller: Debra A. Mason
Date: 10/01/24

5 Church St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Rebecca Balmir
Seller: Birdie Properties LLC
Date: 10/04/24

48 Mountainview St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $272,500
Buyer: Judith A. Locke
Seller: Kenneth E. More
Date: 10/10/24

309 Rowley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Seller: Coalie RT
Date: 10/04/24

55 School St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Andre J. Beauchane
Seller: Stanislav Anisiomov
Date: 10/11/24

1341 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Vasquez Remodeling Inc.
Seller: Coalie RT
Date: 10/04/24

BRIMFIELD

216 Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: James F. Wuelfing
Seller: Dolores Arment
Date: 10/04/24

CHESTER

36 Lyon Hill Road
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Kevin Kuper
Seller: Matthew Carrier
Date: 10/04/24

CHICOPEE

2 Archie St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Yovannie F. Cordero
Seller: Cody Hammon
Date: 10/09/24

30 Barby Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Hector M. Velez
Seller: Vincellette, Richard W., (Estate)
Date: 10/08/24

175 Beauregard Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: June Sousa
Seller: Anderson Builders & Son LLC
Date: 10/11/24

111 Caddyshack Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Sherry A. Manyak
Seller: Kimberly J. Askew
Date: 10/10/24

15 Carter Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $301,000
Buyer: Jessica A. Giroux
Seller: William H. Maxwell
Date: 10/10/24

78 Catherine St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Angel L. Chiclana-Pabon
Seller: Sudan Curiel
Date: 10/02/24

7 Charbonneau Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $2,979,000
Buyer: Fut4gen Investment LLC
Seller: Blue River Properties LLC
Date: 10/07/24

924 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $2,979,000
Buyer: Fut4gen Investment LLC
Seller: Blue River Properties LLC
Date: 10/07/24

53 Gladdu Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Julian M. Bazalar
Seller: Hunter J. Parks
Date: 10/07/24

274 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Ann M. Lewis-Quartey
Seller: Margaret Clark
Date: 10/07/24

370 Grove St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Delia Allen-Fuller
Seller: Yassine Zian
Date: 10/11/24

55 Hyde Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Jennifer Roy
Seller: Kenneth R. Labrie
Date: 10/03/24

71 Kaveney St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Althea Haines
Seller: Rafael Nouel
Date: 10/11/24

14 Madison St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Anthony Kareh
Seller: Jeffrey J. Jasinski
Date: 10/08/24

100 Mathieu Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Joshua T. Clark
Seller: Angela P. Riva
Date: 10/02/24

96 Providence St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Nick Zaporozhchenko
Seller: Sean T. Fitzpatrick
Date: 10/04/24

85 Savory Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Ruben Vazquez
Seller: Rosemary Manyak
Date: 10/10/24

50 William St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Luis Liriano
Seller: Angel L. Chiclana
Date: 10/02/24

23 Yvonne St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Jackeline Curet
Seller: Patrick H. Dumas
Date: 10/03/24

EAST LONGMEADOW

39 Bond Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Laplante Construction Inc.
Seller: Wellington CSA Holdings LLC
Date: 10/09/24

Happy Acres Lane, Lot 10
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: China Cat RT
Seller: Happy Acres LLC
Date: 10/01/24

62 North Circle Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $419,000
Buyer: Eric D. Flynn
Seller: 62 North Circle Drive LLC
Date: 10/02/24

7 Scantic Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $412,500
Buyer: Anthony Montemagni
Seller: Justin M. Barry
Date: 10/03/24

15 Tamarack Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $594,000
Buyer: Leslie J. Ryan
Seller: Michael H. Schoenberg
Date: 10/03/24

177 Vineland Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Paul D. Babineau
Seller: Michael Carabetta
Date: 10/08/24

20 West Allen Ridge Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Veronica C. Addison
Seller: Marian Canas
Date: 10/04/24

GRANVILLE

177 North Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $234,000
Buyer: Tiffany A. Bixby
Seller: Linda A. Platt
Date: 10/11/24

HAMPDEN

50 East Longmeadow Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: 29 Hampden Srf LLC
Seller: Moore, Kevin Charles, (Estate)
Date: 10/08/24

North Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Minnechaug Land Trust Inc.
Seller: Robert C. Beaumier
Date: 10/01/24

20 North Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $436,500
Buyer: Dianne J. Yvon
Seller: Keith T. Cotter
Date: 10/11/24

HOLLAND

21 Heritage Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $312,000
Buyer: Nathan Donahue
Seller: Nicholas C. Truax
Date: 10/11/24

Union Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Brian Fahl
Seller: Sunnyside Educational Center Inc.
Date: 10/02/24

3 Vinton Lane
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Donna Charette
Seller: Debra L. Hevey
Date: 10/02/24

HOLYOKE

158 Central Park Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Nadia Tafreshi
Seller: Ernest Craven
Date: 10/04/24

903 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $131,250
Buyer: Feliciano A. Bonilla
Seller: PNC Bank
Date: 10/11/24

8 Field St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $316,500
Buyer: Jennifer Hayes
Seller: Luis Rodriguez
Date: 10/11/24

92 Franklin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Samuel J. Fausel
Seller: Pacheco, Mikayla D., (Estate)
Date: 10/04/24

205 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Gibram C. Mota
Seller: Claribel Andujar
Date: 10/02/24

57 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Abram I. Delacruz Derman
Seller: Eva Marcial
Date: 10/09/24

7 Meadow St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Krystal Clark
Seller: Ahydee Melguizo
Date: 10/02/24

24 Springdale Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Ryan R. Read
Seller: Naples Home Buyers TR
Date: 10/03/24

18 Steven Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: C. Noir Properties LLC
Seller: Dubois, Prudence L., (Estate)
Date: 10/04/24

224 Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $449,000
Buyer: Frank A. Demarinis
Seller: Michael J. Fitzgerald
Date: 10/04/24

LONGMEADOW

13 Glenwood Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Micah Larroque
Seller: Jacqueline C. Anderson
Date: 10/04/24

22 King Philip Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Sawyer-Skelton Property Mgmt.
Seller: Virginia A. Lewis
Date: 10/08/24

96 Pinewood Hills
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $935,000
Buyer: Nathaniel Cohen
Seller: Howard Hausman
Date: 10/01/24

28 Revere Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $549,900
Buyer: Kimberly Adegoke
Seller: Carol L. Sachs
Date: 10/01/24

147 Shaker Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $974,900
Buyer: Timothy G. McKenna
Seller: William N. Holm
Date: 10/04/24

213 Sheffield Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Katherine Buck
Seller: Michael J. Soucy
Date: 10/01/24

260 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Brendan F. Abad
Seller: Alfred A. Vitiello
Date: 10/08/24

LUDLOW

130 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Nkz Realty Inc.
Seller: Zeigler, Judy M., (Estate)
Date: 10/09/24

648 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Michael Sotiropoulos
Seller: Phillip M. Lubas
Date: 10/10/24

22 Cherry St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jean G. Vecchiarelli
Seller: Theodore J. Chmura
Date: 10/09/24

22 Essex St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Queen Equities LLC
Seller: Theresa Rodrigues
Date: 10/01/24

Mariana Way
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Modern Homes LLC
Seller: Miguel A. Cordero
Date: 10/02/24

316 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Lauren Bonatakis
Seller: Jesus Reyes
Date: 10/04/24

148 Prokop Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $369,000
Buyer: Timothy M. Normoyle
Seller: Wesley M. Manuel
Date: 10/09/24

MONSON

58 Bradway Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $541,500
Buyer: Justin Barry
Seller: Lisa K. Pagliaro
Date: 10/03/24

12 Homer Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Congamond Management LLC
Seller: Wachta, Thodore, (Estate)
Date: 10/08/24

 

 

PALMER

232 Breckenridge St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Alyssa A. Conti
Seller: Richard J. Brown
Date: 10/11/24

19 Cedar Hill St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Timothy Leroux
Seller: Thaddeus J. France
Date: 10/02/24

2166-2168 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: MG & MG LLC
Date: 10/10/24

4145 Pleasant St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Heather M. Simard
Seller: Mary E. Simard
Date: 10/11/24

1059 Overlook Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Anthony C. Penna
Seller: Steven J. Carignan
Date: 10/04/24

4046 Pleasant St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Quinessa Crosby
Seller: Lois A. Halstead
Date: 10/01/24

SPRINGFIELD

256 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Karla I. Rivera
Seller: Miguel A. Rivera
Date: 10/08/24

131 Arvilla St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Nahun E. Flores
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 10/10/24

6 Baird Trace
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Lindsay Fontaine
Seller: Christopher A. Cheney
Date: 10/11/24

106 Barber St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Damien Piechota
Seller: Jjj17 LLC
Date: 10/04/24

501 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $430,800
Buyer: Aletheia Woodford
Seller: Isabel Lucero-Martinez
Date: 10/11/24

858 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $455,500
Buyer: Francisco Perez
Seller: B9 Industries Inc.
Date: 10/08/24

179 Bloomfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $453,900
Buyer: Pratik Mandavgade
Seller: Gerardo Bonilla
Date: 10/08/24

153 Bristol St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Naples Home Buyers TR
Seller: Traynham, Margaret L., (Estate)
Date: 10/01/24

14 Brookside Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Caitlin Hawkins
Seller: Charlotte M. Zanolli
Date: 10/09/24

224 Burt Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Bernard B. Moultrie
Seller: James C. Adams
Date: 10/09/24

60 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Armando Mendez
Seller: Federal National Mtg. Assn.
Date: 10/04/24

433 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Ocasio
Seller: Kevin Cox
Date: 10/07/24

830-832 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: Juan M. Vazquez-Padilla
Seller: Jonathan Rodriguez
Date: 10/08/24

708 Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Pietro Ciano
Seller: Dennilson L. Da Rosa
Date: 10/01/24

182-184 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Yebelkis Rijo
Seller: Eric L. Allen
Date: 10/07/24

64 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Edward R. Alicea
Seller: Courageous Lion LLC
Date: 10/04/24

71 Eastern Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Peter J. Nunez Nova
Seller: Angel L. Rivera
Date: 10/10/24

32 Emily St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Antony G. Wambui
Seller: Mamba Capital LLC
Date: 10/09/24

95 Fenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: Levaughn Waldron
Seller: Stephen Lawlor
Date: 10/11/24

14-1/2 Girard Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: Mariana Otiniano
Seller: 14 Girard Ave. Duplex LLC
Date: 10/11/24

41-43 Grover St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Sarmad Al Moula
Seller: Alfred J. Albano
Date: 10/02/24

259 Harkness Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Jean W. Auplant
Seller: Joanne P. Lanzillo-Epaul
Date: 10/10/24

73 Jasper St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Dreampath Homebuyers LLC
Seller: Plumtree Associates Inc
Date: 10/08/24

138 Jeffrey Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Gary Daula
Seller: Nancy J. Rooke
Date: 10/08/24

3 Leete St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: A2 Realty LLC
Seller: WJ Capital LLC
Date: 10/08/24

35 Leete St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Emmett E. Riddick
Seller: Thomas Botta
Date: 10/11/24

30 Leitch St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Kayla Jones
Seller: Grahams Construction Inc.
Date: 10/09/24

88 Lloyd Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Selion Enterprises LLC
Seller: William T. Raleigh
Date: 10/09/24

301 Longhill St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $532,000
Buyer: Joseph D. Bernard
Seller: Tina Y. Lei
Date: 10/10/24

30 Lumae St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Ryan Le
Seller: Matthew Walczak
Date: 10/04/24

77 Maple St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Xiaomao Wang
Seller: Campagnari Construction LLC
Date: 10/01/24

58 Maryland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $282,000
Buyer: Michael D. Bergenheim
Seller: Nres LLC
Date: 10/09/24

171 Massasoit St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Ericka G. Carrillo
Seller: Lopez, Gloria M., (Estate)
Date: 10/10/24

89 Merida St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Veronica Monczka
Seller: Angel L. Aguayo
Date: 10/11/24

18-20 Newport St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $339,900
Buyer: Harry Isaac
Seller: Heidi C. Horne
Date: 10/11/24

110-112 Noel St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Lucindo H. Garcia
Seller: Dina P. Lam
Date: 10/04/24

401-403 Oakland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Myhozotys Balbuena
Seller: Bedrock Financial LLC
Date: 10/03/24

282 Old Farm Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Coty Mahoney
Seller: Mary T. O’Keeffe
Date: 10/01/24

26 Pennsylvania Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Olivia Tanon
Seller: Akeilee G. Murchison
Date: 10/01/24

65 Rochelle St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Francisco Amador
Seller: Michael Fontanella
Date: 10/01/24

465 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Sean Smith
Seller: Alfieri Int.
Date: 10/02/24

2449 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Alexander T. Martinez
Seller: Joseph Boudreau
Date: 10/10/24

394-396 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Round Two LLC
Seller: Armando L. Sanchez
Date: 10/10/24

156 Saffron Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $214,700
Buyer: Mars Real Properties Inc.
Seller: William F. Orciuch
Date: 10/03/24

77 Shady Brook Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Jared Russell
Seller: Dugan, Geraldine T., (Estate)
Date: 10/03/24

23 Sherbrooke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Nariada Arroyo
Seller: Murphy, Frances, (Estate)
Date: 10/07/24

138 Stapleton Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Malissa Naylor Realty
Seller: Jason Burchell
Date: 10/10/24

419 Taylor St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $305,220
Buyer: Import Auto Sales LLC
Seller: Michael Dailey
Date: 10/01/24

16 Weymouth St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Nicholas M. Abraham
Seller: Megan Schwartz
Date: 08/16/24

SOUTHWICK

91 Coes Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Michael R. Duncan
Seller: Sarat Sr., John S., (Estate)
Date: 10/11/24

660 College Hwy.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: F. & W. Holdings LLC
Seller: Episcopal Missions Of Western Mass.
Date: 10/07/24

71 Kline Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Debra A. Buckley TR
Seller: 71 Kline Road Land TR
Date: 10/04/24

13 Pine Knoll
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $665,000
Buyer: Keith T. Cotter
Seller: Joseph R. Racicot
Date: 10/11/24

WALES

21 Shore Dr.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Constance M. Tierinni
Seller: Dianne Jaworski
Date: 10/09/24

WEST SPRINGFIELD

73 Amherst St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Nicholas Asselin
Seller: Nicole M. Fazio
Date: 10/03/24

35 Butternut Hollow Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Joy Marshall
Seller: Andrew G. Hastings
Date: 10/02/24

717 Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Ramon I. Tejada-Damaso
Seller: Oza, Shruti B., (Estate)
Date: 10/07/24

1359 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: John J. Tierney
Seller: Allard, Kristen Ann, (Estate)
Date: 10/04/24

5 Piper Cross Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Bhim Rai
Seller: Arjun Basnet
Date: 10/07/24

204 Wayside Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Joshua M. Bergeron
Seller: Norman Petit
Date: 10/02/24

562 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,240,000
Buyer: 7 Star Westfield Realty LLC
Seller: Westfield Street BLD LLC
Date: 10/01/24

56-58 Worthen St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Thea Vergara
Seller: Damien Piechota
Date: 10/04/24

WESTFIELD

25 Colony Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Joao D. Pinto
Seller: Linda A. Morell
Date: 10/11/24

125 Highland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $247,904
Buyer: Kevin McNair
Seller: Wendy L. Kane
Date: 10/03/24

126 Highland View St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $361,000
Buyer: Stephen K. Laflamme
Seller: Simon A. Wichrowski TR
Date: 10/07/24

32 Hillcrest Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $555,000
Buyer: Nathan Burdick
Seller: Caitlin Fenner
Date: 10/11/24

327 Hillside Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $383,000
Buyer: Sara Prefontaine
Seller: Stephen M. Bartlett
Date: 10/01/24

30 Jeanne Marie Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Matthew C. Collins
Seller: Coffey, Susan, (Estate)
Date: 10/01/24

23 Lady Slipper Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $506,600
Buyer: Suzanne M. Turetzky
Seller: John Martin
Date: 10/01/24

336 Little River Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $361,000
Buyer: Adrian Colombani
Seller: Miemiec, Paul J., (Estate)
Date: 10/02/24

105 Llewellyn Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $451,000
Buyer: Todd Marcyoniak
Seller: Kevin J. Kennedy
Date: 10/02/24

11 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Madeline Heredia
Seller: Kirby, Katherine V., (Estate)
Date: 10/10/24

100 Servistar Industrial Way
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: North Adams Realty LLC
Seller: Servistar Realty LLC
Date: 10/01/24

Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $1,150,000
Buyer: Community Action of Pioneer Valley
Seller: Falcon Drive LLC
Date: 10/04/24

19 Spring St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Mason Lococo
Seller: Jennifer R. Carlson
Date: 10/08/24

111 Susan Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Michael V. Epaul
Seller: Beaudoin, Roger R., (Estate)
Date: 10/10/24

WILBRAHAM

111 Bartlett Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $357,000
Buyer: Dominic Cabral
Seller: Kyle B. Bourgoin
Date: 10/11/24

29 Briar Cliff Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $682,500
Buyer: Jorge D. Saborio
Seller: Joseph J. Haggerty
Date: 10/11/24

1 Laurel Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $519,000
Buyer: John H. Saalfrank
Seller: Nawrocki, Dianne, (Estate)
Date: 10/09/24

30 Sunnyside Ter.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Christopher Mongeon
Seller: Leighton L. Stewart
Date: 10/10/24

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

103 Larkspur Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Jasmine Syrotchen
Seller: Nicholas S. Diehl
Date: 10/11/24

129 Strong St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Jennifer E. Siddall
Seller: Howard C. Siddall
Date: 10/10/24

91 Woodlot Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Cheilh Thiam
Seller: David T. Washburn
Date: 10/10/24

BELCHERTOWN

Oasis Dr., Lot K
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Tang Properties LLC
Seller: Marcel A. Nunes
Date: 10/02/24

7 Old Pelham Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $323,000
Buyer: Christopher M. Fisher
Seller: Jing Yang
Date: 10/07/24

65 Pondview Circle
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Erin Holmes
Seller: Willima H. Fitzpatrick
Date: 10/04/24

Rockrimmon St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: North End Farm LLC
Seller: Joseph F. Patyka Jr. TR
Date: 10/11/24

EASTHAMPTON

53 Clapp St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Paul Teta
Seller: Warnock, Gloria M., (Estate)
Date: 10/01/24

7 Evans Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Jean Pearson
Seller: William J. Heron
Date: 10/01/24

155 Hendrick St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Nancy Smith
Seller: Chester D. Ozimina
Date: 10/11/24

27 McKinley Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Daniel F. Schrader
Seller: Bruce Simonds
Date: 10/01/24

GRANBY

53 Porter St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $505,000
Buyer: Sarah Moretti
Seller: Kathryn G. Mercier
Date: 10/04/24

86 West St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Sherab Gyaltsen
Seller: Denie J. Fedele
Date: 10/09/24

HADLEY

25 Aqua Vitae Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Trista J. Fedor
Seller: Hall, Glenda C., (Estate)
Date: 10/01/24

3 Sunrise Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: David E. Stearns
Seller: Matthew J. Turyn
Date: 10/10/24

HATFIELD

55 Depot Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Alyssa C. Bossenger
Seller: Stephen J. Herbert
Date: 10/01/24

58 North St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Maria Petitt
Seller: Ellen Noreen
Date: 10/01/24

MIDDLEFIELD

70 Town Hill Road
Middlefield, MA 01235
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Extremely Clean 2 LLC
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 10/08/24

NORTHAMPTON

68 Blackberry Lane
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $890,000
Buyer: Jacob Fine
Seller: Thomas Novack
Date: 10/01/24

396 Bridge St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Nu-Way Homes Inc.
Seller: Lanette Palmquist
Date: 10/07/24

239 Brookside Circle
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Dale A. Veasey
Seller: Scott A. Savino
Date: 10/11/24

78 Conz St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $5,320,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Service Properties Inc.
Date: 10/01/24

82 Conz St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $5,320,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Service Properties Inc.
Date: 10/01/24

84 Conz St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $5,320,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Service Properties Inc.
Date: 10/01/24

86 Conz St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $5,320,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Service Properties Inc.
Date: 10/01/24

297 Locust St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Rebecca E. Fanton
Seller: Rebecca Emet
Date: 10/07/24

31 Park St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $760,000
Buyer: Clac Realty TR
Seller: Healthy Neighborhoods Group LLC
Date: 10/02/24

Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $5,320,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Service Properties Inc.
Date: 10/01/24

29 Pleasant St., Lot 6
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Ashley Brown
Seller: Laura A. Jurkowski
Date: 10/11/24

395 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $4,055,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Dimension Realty LLC
Date: 10/01/24

25 Service Center Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $4,055,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Dimension Realty LLC
Date: 10/01/24

59 Service Center Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $4,055,000
Buyer: Nolava LLC
Seller: Dimension Realty LLC
Date: 10/01/24

152 South Main St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Sovereign Builders Inc.
Seller: Mary J. Nagle
Date: 10/10/24

154 South Main St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Sovereign Builders Inc.
Seller: Mary J. Nagle
Date: 10/10/24

SOUTH HADLEY

20 Atwood Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $562,200
Buyer: Rebeccah Lijek
Seller: Durfee, Alan H., (Estate)
Date: 10/07/24

49 Fairview St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Patricia Kennedy
Seller: David B. Grey
Date: 10/04/24

414 Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $386,000
Buyer: Vikki Missale
Seller: Cameron A. Gibbs
Date: 10/07/24

62 Park St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $472,350
Buyer: Mount Holyoke College
Seller: Gerri L. Smith
Date: 10/04/24

SOUTHAMPTON

4 Cheryl Lane
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $632,500
Buyer: David Thomas
Seller: Barbara A. Schmidt RET
Date: 10/04/24

407 College Hwy.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Amy Daniels
Seller: Cheri L. Boden
Date: 10/04/24

81 Valley Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $728,000
Buyer: Thomas Stanley
Seller: Aga Brothers LLC
Date: 10/04/24

WARE

1 Fisherdick Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Christopher L. Fabrycki
Seller: Cassidy Connolly
Date: 08/16/24

32 Maple Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Paul T. Bouchard
Seller: Mark Median
Date: 10/09/24

9-1/2 Vigeant St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Davifern LLC
Seller: Davluc Investments LLC
Date: 10/10/24

5 Williams St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Steven Partlow
Seller: Tegra Properties LLC
Date: 10/07/24

WILLIAMSBURG

64 Adams Road
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Stephen Foresteire
Seller: James W. Forster
Date: 10/01/24

29 Williams St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Vera Johnson
Seller: Phyllis E. Wilhelm
Date: 10/01/24

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of October 2024.

CHICOPEE

East Street Property LLC
41 East St.
$85,000 — Roofing

Prem LLC
1175 Grattan St.
$8,000 — Insulation

EASTHAMPTON

10-12 Industrial Pkwy. LLC
10 Industrial Parkway
$42,750 — Install chain-link fence with two gates

HADLEY

315 Russell Street LLC
315 Russell St.
N/A — Construct new, single-story automotive dealership building

CBR Realty Corp.
195 Russell St.
N/A — Replace rear exterior door and build small roof overhead

Pearson Hadley LLC
380 Russell St.
N/A — Alteration of second floor

Vertical Assets LLC
165 Russell St.
N/A — Install two electric-vehicle charging stations

W/S Hadley Properties II LLC
355 Russell St., Suite 20
N/A — Demolition work for preparation of interior tenant fit-out

LEE

Eagle Mill Redevelopment LLC
73 West Center St.
$380,000 — Install roof-mounted photovoltaic solar array

LENOX

Berkshire Bank
25 Main St.
$250,000 — General finish refresh for public-facing spaces, including carpet, wall finish, door hardware, ceiling tile and lighting, teller line, and check stand; remove and infill secondary door; remove open office partition and replace with new systems furniture

Spigalina LLC
80 Main St.
$4,500 — Replace nine windows on second floor

NORTHAMPTON

Bobo LLC
88 King St.
$20,190 — Replace 13 windows

Bowles Enterprises LLC
235 Main St.
$74,650 — Repoint top section of building

Coolidge Northampton LLC
249 King St.
$63,000 — Add bathroom to Suite 123

Florence Congregational Church
130 Pine St.
$21,980 — Insulation and weatherization

Smith College
44 College Lane
$116,400 — Renovation to Sabin-Reed Hall

Smith College
186 Elm St.
$100,000 — Insulation in Cushing House

Smith College
2 Tyler Court
$111,550 — Renovation to McConnell Hall

Smith College
4 Tyler Court
$304,286 — Renovation to Bass Hall

PITTSFIELD

AC Enterprises LLC
239 North St.
$4,000 — Site office inside prefabricated storage container

Berkshire County Savings Bank
163 Elm St.
$250,000 — Interior renovations, including carpet, wall finish, door hardware, ceiling tile, lighting, teller line, and check stand; repairs to existing site fencing and paving

Berkshire Medical Center
510 North St.
$15,000 — Install new storefront and ADA ramp

The Cooper Center LLC
116 North St.
$94,000 — Unhook existing rooftop unit and replace with rooftop packaged unit

Seven Eighty Six Holdings LLC
100 Wendell Ave.
$7,500 — Install water line from Wendell Avenue for sprinkler system

Ten Thirty Lenox LLC
1030 South St.
$1,329,521 — New construction of Starbucks building and associated sitework

Tower 21C LLC
123 North St.
$96,740 — Tenant fit-out for portion of second-floor offices

SPRINGFIELD

1626 Bay Street LLC
276 Cottage St.
$6,500 — Install non-bearing wall and interior finishes for El Cafetin restaurant

City of Springfield
55 Catharine St.
$48,682 — Remove and replace dishwasher at Rebecca Johnson Elementary School

City of Springfield
58 Hartford Ter.
$33,875 — Remove and replace dishwasher at Frederick Harris Elementary School

City of Springfield
1250 State St.
$28,765.30 — Remove and replace dishwasher at Springfield High School of Science and Technology

City of Springfield
299 Sunmer Ave.
$30,000 — Repair roof covering, windows, and doors at the Stone House in Forest Park

Holy Name Catholic Assoc.
39 Alderman St.
$204,275 — Roofing on Alderman Street School

MassMutual
1295 State St.
$560,000 — Roofing

Norley Realty Inc.
352 Albany St.
$32,810 — Roofing on Associated Building Wreckers

Lesly Ramirez
176 Main St.
$3,500 — Remove illegal unit and alter back into storage space

Salmar Realty LLC
1252 St. James Ave.
$30,578 — Remodel space for PD Laundry

Smith & Wesson Inc.
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
$212,328.30 — Roofing

Smith & Wesson Inc.
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
$212,328.30 — Roofing

Smith & Wesson Inc.
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
$212,328.30 — Roofing

Spanish Christian Church – Assemblies of God
565 Chestnut St.
$15,000 — Insulation and air sealing

St. George Greek Orthodox Memorial Church
22 St. George Road
$18,000 — Add insulation to attic

Consider Shopping Local This Year

By
Opinion

Editorial

Everyone wants to buy great gifts. But what about building a great economy? While it’s only one part of a healthy economic ecosystem, the idea of buying local has gained traction in recent years, even at a time when online commerce is still a massive force.

Amazon isn’t going anywhere, and we get the importance of convenience. But why not do both? Sure, there may be some gifts especially well-suited to an online order, for reasons of availability and especially price. But why not check out the abundance of locally owned retail shops, artisans, restaurants, and personal-care services — people love gift cards, after all — when rounding out that shopping list?

Local shops are where you’ll find unique wares you can’t find anywhere else — the sort of special gifts that make an impact and create memories. Plus, every $100 spent in a local shop returns $68 to the local economy. Local businesses are more likely to utilize other local businesses, such as banks, service providers, and farms, and the cycle continues.

Meanwhile, according to the U.S. Small Business Assoc. and the U.S. Department of Labor, independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales to the community in which they operate than chain competitors. And independent restaurants return more than twice that of national restaurant chains. Local businesses are also more accountable to their local communities and donate more money to nonprofits.

Finally, supporting local businesses is good for the environment because they often have a smaller carbon footprint than larger companies, and goods don’t have to be shipped across the country or the world.

It isn’t always the most convenient option to drive to an independent business rather than visiting a large chain down the road — or clicking a keyboard and having Amazon deliver right to your house. But so often, it’s the right option. The holiday season would be a good time to start.

Envisioning Holyoke as a College Town

By Contributor
Opinion

Opinon

By James E. Samels, Arlene L. Lieberman, Michael Moriarty, and Jacob Brewer

 

Long before bowl games and Sweet Sixteens, college towns celebrated their venerable roots at places like Harvard in Cambridge; Yale in New Haven, Conn., and Princeton in Princeton, N.J. Consider the proliferation of neoclassical destination college towns across America over the last century — campuses like Amherst, Boulder, Champagne, Durham, Ithaca, Madison, etc.

Destination college towns typically attract students, faculty, families, and year-round visitors because they offer something for everyone. Destination college towns may be small, yet they thrive — with great public schools and prep schools, vibrant downtowns, family discovery centers and tourist attractions, upscale amenities, on-campus concerts, charming villages, and safe, walkable neighborhoods.

With a proud history as the largest paper manufacturer in the U.S., the 15 neighborhoods that now make up Holyoke are among the most diverse in the Commonwealth. With a strong Irish and Latinx population, it is no surprise that Holyoke is home to the second-largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S. and Fiestas Patronales, the region’s largest showcase of Puerto Rican music, cuisine, and culture. Volleyball lovers rejoice as they enter Holyoke, the birthplace of American volleyball and home to the Volleyball Hall of Fame at Holyoke Heritage State Park.

Founded in 1971, OneHolyoke CDC is a community-development organization dedicated to improving housing for Holyoke residents. Since its establishment, the organization has created more than 160 new homes in the Flats, Churchill, and South Holyoke neighborhoods; rehabilitated hundreds of apartments; and provided thousands of home-improvement grants to homeowners through the Neighborhood Improvement Program.

OneHolyoke builds new homes, improves and manages a portfolio of multi-family buildings, and, in partnership with the city, offers loan and grant opportunities to property owners who need to improve their properties. OneHolyoke has a particular focus on the value of home ownership, both for the families it serves and for the social and financial well-being of the city of Holyoke.

OneHolyoke CEO Michael Moriarty’s hope is that “young people will grow up and love being from Holyoke.” That can be difficult for those growing up in poverty, but we (as a community-development corporation) can certainly take the edge off.

There are a lot of good things happening in Holyoke. Housing, residential, and mixed-use win-win partnerships drive non-tuition revenue streams for both college campuses and towns; hence, destination college towns are less dependent on conventional tuition revenue. Both colleges and towns highly value non-tuition revenue from consumer market demand, tourism, retail, entertainment, and auxiliary enterprises.

“As an institution of opportunity, Holyoke Community College sees itself as an economic and workforce-development engine within its region and in the city it calls home,” HCC President George Timmons said. “I am proud to be the fifth president of HCC, and I am committed to the growth of our community through excellence in education, which meets the needs of our citizens and of area businesses. HCC looks forward to the development of creative partnerships and innovative projects to further the needs of the individual to get a job, to get a better job, and to learn how to do the job better, all right here in Holyoke.

“I am confident that Holyoke has numerous opportunities for growth,” Timmons added. “We recognize that a focus on workforce skill development and the encouragement of an entrepreneurial infrastructure can move the city forward. Holyoke is where we are located, college is what we do, and community is who we are.”

To this end, destination college towns deploy underutilized and underleveraged real-estate assets. These high-value assets collateralize off-campus residential growth opportunities and create a downtown renaissance. Beyond downtown, these partnerships build new, intergenerational residential living and learning communities located at underutilized historical homes and buildings.

Towns know that public-school rankings and reputation drive up property values. Thus, destination college towns value highest and best use. This means creative mixed uses like student, faculty, and staff housing; artist lofts; design and media studios; bookstores; cafes; organic bakeries; multi-ethnic bistros; boutiques; gift and memorabilia shops; microbreweries; live entertainment; and bowling, billiards, and axe throwing.

As a practical matter, colleges and universities are among the largest local employers and economic forces that drive downtown redevelopment. These destination college towns ignite active participation in town-gown relations, with school superintendents and municipal officials participating in on-campus events and college officials serving on municipal boards and community organizations.

In the end, destination college towns are built on mutual respect, economic interdependence, and collegial sympatico — the kind of partnerships that are sustainable and impactful in the near future and over the long run.

 

James E. Samels is president and CEO of the Education Alliance. Arlene L. Lieberman is senior associate of Samels Associates, Attorneys at Law. Michael Moriarty, executive director of One Holyoke, and Jacob Brewer, graduate of the University of Chicago and Alliance Research fellow, are contributors to this article.

 

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

Armstrong, Shirley Ann
47 Leonard St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/03/2024

Collette, Clayton G.
Collette, Emily M.
129 West Main St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/02/2024

Davila, Victor Ruben
510 McKinstry Ave., Apt. #5
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/01/2024
Dubay, Timothy R.
104 Crooked Ledge Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/07/2024

Field, Bryan D.
Field, Megan Marie
a/k/a Weaver, Megan Marie
3 Daniels Court
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/01/2024

Fleming II, Thomas K.
76 Nonotuck St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/02/2024

Forgione, Edward
Forgione, Mary
488 Bechan Road
Oakham, MA 01068
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/04/2024

Galazka, Stephen M.
134 Berkshire Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/09/2024

Gonzalez, Jacqueline
a/k/a Cruz, Jacqueline Gonzalez
33-35 Wolcott St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/05/2024

Iarocci, Joanne
2 Bernard Gibbons Dr., #203
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/01/2024

Martin, Joseph R.
5 Cityview Blvd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/08/2024

Molina, Ricardo
a/k/a Renta, Ricardo Molina
33-35 Wolcott St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/05/2024

Mondeau, Craig Marshall
19 School St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/01/2024

O’Toole-Roselli, Jeffrey John a/k/a Roselli, Jeffrey John
118 Wait St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/02/2024

Patruno, Valentina E.
328 Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/04/2024

Pelkey, Joshua M.
53 Notre Dame St., 1st Fl.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/08/2024

Petersoli, Richard S.
P.O. Box 604
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/04/2024

Riggio, Dominic
11 Copeland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/01/2024

Rivera, Lizbeth
a/k/a Rivera Otero, Lizbeth H.
27 Farragut St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/09/2024

Rivera, Yahaira
a/k/a Figueroa, Yahaira
30 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/04/2024

Roncarati, Henry William
309 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Date: 10/08/2024

Santoni, Linda M.
25 Pheasant Way
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Date: 10/04/2024

Bradley International Airport Receives $6 Million for Major Improvements

By
Daily News

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announced that $6 million of federal funding has been secured for a major improvement project at Bradley International Airport (BDL).

The funding will be used for the ongoing construction of an 80,000-square-foot inline baggage screening facility behind the Sheraton Hotel, which is one of two construction projects currently underway at BDL. Once complete, baggage will be sent from the airline ticket counters along a mile-long conveyor belt to the new facility for screening. Current explosive-detection machines located in the terminal lobby will be relocated once the new screening facility is operational, which will open additional space for current and future airline growth. The facility will also entail the construction of three new gates.

“The CAA is grateful for this new infusion of federal funding as we continue construction on major projects to enhance the passenger experience at Bradley International Airport,” CAA Executive Director Kevin Dillon said. “We also want to particularly thank Governor [Ned] Lamont, Connecticut’s federal delegation, and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association for working hard to secure this funding.”

The designated funding for Bradley International Airport comes from a total $970 million in grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) FY 2025 Airport Terminal Program, which was established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Through a competitive grant process, the FAA is providing funding to 125 airports across the country this fiscal year to focus on terminal reconstruction, development, accessibility, energy efficiency, and more.

Prior to this most recent announcement, BDL has been awarded more than $31 million in grant funds from prior years of the Airport Terminal Program, which is a subset of the total $99 million in federal grants that BDL has received for its major terminal enhancement projects. The CAA has successfully applied for funds in each year that the highly competitive grant program has been offered.

“Over the last several years, Bradley has implemented many major improvements that have resulted in this airport being ranked among the best in the nation,” Lamont said. “This funding will enable Bradley to continue making upgrades that will strengthen its reputation as one of the best and most convenient airports available.”

The total cost of the inline baggage screening facility project is estimated at $188 million. In addition to the federal funding, the construction of the facility will be funded through a combination of passenger facility charges and airport revenue.

Morrison Mahoney Elects Michael Lavoie Partner

By
Daily News

Michael Lavoie

BOSTON — Morrison Mahoney LLP announced that Michael Lavoie has been elected a partner. Headquartered in Boston, Morrison Mahoney LLP is one of the 15 largest firms in Massachusetts.

Lavoie, who practices in the firm’s Springfield office, has experience at all stages of litigation, from counseling to appeals. His practice is primarily focused in the areas of professional malpractice, including the defense of physicians, hospitals, lawyers, and other professionals in state and federal courts, as well as before administrative licensing bodies. Lavoie also represents contractors in construction claims and employers in employment-law matters involving wage-and-hour disputes and discrimination.

Lavoie earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and political science from UMass Amherst and a juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in Connecticut, Massachusetts, the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, and the First Circuit. He has served as a volunteer tenant advocate and taught a course on Health Law and Policy at Springfield College.

Busline Magazine Names Danielle Veronesi Among Women to Recognize in Busing

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Daily News

Danielle Veronesi

SPRINGFIELD — Busline Magazine, the journal of the tour, transit, and specialty vehicle industry, named Danielle Veronesi to its list of “Women to Recognize in 2024,” which honors female leaders in the public and private bus industries whose accomplishments have set a solid foundation for all women to succeed in the future. Veronesi is senior director of Marketing & Customer Care for Peter Pan Bus Lines and was recognized for her leadership, innovation, and community commitment.

“Danielle’s commitment to the busing industry and the community is unparalleled. Her impact on customer care and her hands-on approach in workforce development are true differentiators,” said Peter Picknelly, CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines. “We are thrilled to see her recognized for her contributions to our industry.”

Picknelly noted that Veronesi has driven major improvements within Peter Pan Bus Lines, from modernizing customer-service technology to spearheading workforce-development initiatives. She also has championed projects that elevate customer satisfaction and operational excellence. In her role, she has implemented advanced technologies to streamline passenger experience and introduced data-driven strategies for workforce recruitment.

Veronesi also chairs the National Bus Traffic Assoc. customer care committee and works with organizations like the Jimmy Fund, where her contributions earned her the esteemed Bob Chyene Award.

Michael O’Rourke Appointed to Westfield State University Board of Trustees

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Daily News

Michael O’Rourke

WESTFIELD — Michael O’Rourke has been appointed to the Westfield State University board of trustees. He replaces trustee Paul Boudreau, whose five-year term ended on March 1.

O’Rourke is a Westfield State University alumnus, having earned a bachelor’s degree in history with minors in English and secondary education in 1973 He has more than 10 years’ of experience serving on the Board of Assessors for the town of Ludlow, where he currently has the role of vice chairman. He is also member-at-large of the Westfield State Alumni Assoc. executive council.

His long history of committee service includes the Ludlow School Committee, Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative, the Massachusetts Advisory Committee on Athletics, the special education committee for the Massachusetts Assoc. of School Committees, and the board of directors of the Ludlow Chamber of Commerce.

“I am thrilled to accept this position to the Westfield State University’s board of trustees,” O’Rourke said. “I promise to bring my passion and dedication to the board, and I am truly humbled and honored for this opportunity. I will work diligently to uphold the trust that has been placed in me. As a trustee, I will remain focused on providing good stewardship of the WSU mission, reputation, strategic goals, and objectives. I look forward to working with President Linda Thompson and the board of trustees.”

Since 1975, O’Rourke has owned and operated Belmont Driving School, with locations in Ludlow and Belchertown. Previously, he taught social studies in Ludlow and Longmeadow public schools.

Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Announces 2024 A+ Awards Celebration

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Daily News

AMHERST — The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce announced the return of the A+ Awards celebration, set to honor exemplary leaders who have significantly enriched the community through their dedication in education, business, and civic engagement. The A+ Awards dinner is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the UMass Student Union Ballroom.

This year, the chamber continues its tradition of recognizing outstanding contributions to the community across Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury, and Sunderland, as well as the broader Pioneer Valley. The event is presented by PeoplesBank.

“PeoplesBank is honored to support the chamber’s efforts to highlight the remarkable individuals whose visionary leadership and passionate commitment have made a profound impact on our community,” said Matt Bannister, senior vice president of Corporate Responsibility at PeoplesBank. “We stand with the chamber in celebrating these local heroes who inspire us all.”

The 2024 A+ Awards recipients include:

• Legacy/Lifetime Achievement Award: Colleen Kelley, retired Education director at Hitchcock Center for the Environment, known for her 40 years of transformative contributions to environmental education.

• Leader in Innovation: Feel Good Shop Local, recognized for its initiatives in supporting local artisans and makers and promoting sustainable shopping practices.

• Young Professional Award: Kayla Sheridan, Marketing director at TommyCar Auto Group, recognized for her dynamic marketing strategies and leadership within the automotive industry.

• Community Service Award: Seiha Krouch, paraeducator and community leader in Amherst, noted for his dedication to the Cambodian community and cultural preservation.

• Chamber MVP Award: Georgia Moore, director of Leadership Gifts at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, renowned for her extensive community service and significant roles in enhancing business and nonprofit collaboration.

• Harvesting Excellence Award: Claudia Pazmany, former executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, celebrated for her leadership in revitalizing and strengthening the Chamber during critical times.

“The A+ Awards are a cornerstone in our mission to foster a vibrant community,” said Jacob Robinson, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce. “Each awardee exemplifies the spirit of dedication, innovation, and community service that drives our region forward. We invite the community to join us in celebrating these outstanding achievements and continue to support the positive growth of our area.”

Tickets to the A+ Awards Dinner are available now by visiting www.amherstarea.com/awards or calling (413) 253-0700.