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Month: January 2025

MountainOne Participates in Williamstown Elementary’s Words Are Wonderful Program

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Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — Last month, volunteers from MountainOne attended Williamstown Elementary School’s Words Are Wonderful celebration, a week-long effort dedicated to fostering a love for reading, writing, and creative expression. MountainOne’s team presented their storybook, “How to Climb a Mountain,” and graced students with a special guest appearance from Mo the MountainOne Spokesgoat.

Utilizing the school’s ‘buddy reading’ format, 65 sixth-grade students read the storybook to a pre-K, kindergarten, or first-grade student. As the reading session concluded, MountainOne volunteer Ethan Coe tied the story’s themes into real-world lessons on financial literacy.

“We were thrilled to take part in this year’s Words Are Wonderful celebration,” Coe said. “Events like this are exactly why we created ‘How to Climb a Mountain’ — to inspire young readers and to promote financial education. It’s rewarding to see how well the story is received by students of all ages.”

After the reading and discussion, students were invited to meet Mo up close, sharing high hooves and hugs and getting their books signed by Mo. Each student also received an activity packet that included fun financial-literacy exercises and tips on how, with their parents’ or guardians’ help, they can start saving, too.

Itsy Bitsy Franchise Continues to Expand at Holyoke Community College

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Itsy Bitsy franchise continues to expand at Holyoke Community College. For the second year in a row, students in Professor Sheryl Civjan’s “Psychology of Women” class have taken up the college’s Itsy Bitsy theme for a campus-based community service project.

In the fall of 2023, Civjan’s students created the Itsy Bitsy Closet, transforming a storage room next to the college’s Itsy Bitsy Child Watch Center into a family-friendly resource room full of donated books, clothes, and other children’s items, all free to HCC student-parents.

This past fall semester, they put together five Itsy Bitsy Stations — containers of children’s books, games, small toys, art supplies, and other items — that student-parents can access to occupy their kids when visiting certain campus offices, including Financial Aid, Admissions, Advising, English as a Second Language, and the HCC Library.

“Some college offices can be difficult to go to for appointments when you have kids. These boxes will give kids something to do while they’re parents are waiting,” said Civjan said, noting that the idea came from staff at Itsy Bitsy Child Watch.

“Students have shared that they are sometimes self-conscious when they are bringing their kids into campus offices,” said Emily Webber, director of Itsy Bitsy Child Watch, a free drop-in service for HCC student-parents. “This is an effort to make the campus feel more inclusive to student-parents and families. Having little play stations helps people feel more welcome. I talked to Sheryl about that, and her students took the idea and ran with it.”

The idea for using Itsy Bitsy as the title for early childhood programs at HCC started in 2020 when, during the pandemic, HCC educators created a series of video interviews for early-education students and professionals (the Itsy Bitsy Zoomcast). The theme grew into a title for a new suite of early-education classrooms modeled after preschool and kindergarten facilities (the Itsy Bitsy Learning Lab). The Itsy Bitsy Child Watch opened in 2022, followed in 2023 by the Itsy Bitsy Closet and in 2024 by the Itsy Bitsy Stations.

Civjan’s students put together three containers for the HCC Library, each targeting a different age group.

“We found that students who have children don’t always have a safe, comfortable place where they can sit and feel like they’re not intruding on another person’s space,” said Rebecca Hardy, administrative assistant for the HCC Library. “So we wanted to make sure that the students who do have children feel welcome and that their children have things to do to keep them quietly engaged.”

Student Olivia Jolley, whose team prepared boxes for the Admissions Office, noted that the project ties in directly to the themes of the class, and although she does not have children herself, some of her classmates do. “One had a baby a couple of weeks ago, and she’s a single parent,” Jolley said.

Webber said she appreciates the hard work Civjan’s students put into their projects. “I think it’s an ongoing partnership. I don’t know what will come next, but they do amazing things. The Itsy Bitsy Closet has been a great success. Students come by every day. Hopefully this will have a similar impact.”

Six Flags New England Provides Experiences for Guests, Employees

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Peter Carmichael says Six Flags is more than an major employer
Features

The Ride Stuff

Peter Carmichael says Six Flags is more than an major employer

Peter Carmichael says Six Flags is more than an major employer — it’s a source of all-important first jobs as well as leadership opportunities for young people.

While the park’s gates are officially closed this time of year, this is actually considered busy season at Six Flags New England.

It’s just a different kind of busy, said Peter Carmichael, president of the amusement park in Agawam, adding that this is the season for getting the various rides and attractions ready for the official busy season, which starts in early April, around school-break time, and kicks into a higher gear on Memorial Day.

“Every year, we inspect and refresh the entire park,” he explained. “This is when we do all of our annual maintenance and checkups on all our rides and attractions to make sure they’re ready to go in the spring.”

And this offseason, during which the venue formerly known Riverside Park will mark 25 years as part of the Six Flags brand, things are even busier than what would be considered usual, with the park now in the final stages of work on its first new roller coaster in nearly a decade.

It’s called Quantum Accelerator, billed as ‘New England’s first straddle coaster,’ whereby, as that name suggests, riders sit on top of the seat, rather than inside, providing a different sensation and increased thrill, Carmichael said.

The ride, which features two launches and speeds up to 45 mph, will officially launch in late spring, he said, adding that, after his engineers, he expects to take one of the first rides on the new attraction.

In addition to the new coaster, the park is undertaking what Carmichael calls the largest investment in food services in the park’s history — a renovation of the Riverboat Café in the center of the park that will provide everything from additional capacity to new menu items.

“We have dozens, probably hundreds, of leadership opportunities, between teen leads and supervisors and coordinators that are asked to step up, lead our teams, and enhance the guest experience. It’s a great development opportunity for the individual.”

Overall, he said his work comes down to continuing traditions — not just rides, amusements, food, and adding new roller coasters, but also providing first jobs to hundreds of young people each year — the park employs roughly 3,000 seasonal workers each year — as well as leadership opportunities for younger people, experience in fields ranging from accounting to healthcare to culinary arts, and chances to advance within this industry, as he did, as we’ll see.

“What we’re really most proud of is that we tend to be, for many, their first real leadership opportunity,” he said. “We have dozens, probably hundreds, of leadership opportunities, between teen leads and supervisors and coordinators that are asked to step up, lead our teams, and enhance the guest experience. It’s a great development opportunity for the individual.”

For this issue, BusinessWest talked with Carmichael, a self-described “rides guy,” about the offseason, the 2025 season to come, the new coaster, and what it all means to one of the region’s hospitality-sector institutions.

 

Speed Thrills

Carmichael told BusinessWest that he’s always been fascinated by amusement parks and the theme-park world, and it has played a huge part in his life, starting when he met his future wife while they were both operating a roller coaster called the Jack Rabbit at his hometown’s amusement park in Pennsylvania.

When he was a student at Penn State working toward a degree in commercial tourism, he sent dozens of letters to amusement and theme parks seeking internships. The park that had just been rebranded Six Flags New England was among the few that called back. Carmichael came north, and his internship, as such opportunities very often do, became a career.

An architect’s rendering of the Quantum Accelerator

An architect’s rendering of the Quantum Accelerator, now in the final construction phases at Six Flags.

“I’d always known, my whole life, that I wanted to work in the theme-park industry,” he said, adding that he got his start as opening supervisor for the Superman: Ride of Steel roller coaster, opened in 2000, which he joked was the most difficult assignment he’s had in his career.

There have been several since he first arrived in Agawam, mostly on the operations side. He eventually earned the title director of Operations in 2008, and stayed in that job for several years before leaving to become park president of Six Flags St. Louis in 2016.

He stayed in that post for two years before getting an opportunity to “come home,” as he put it, and become president of Six Flags New England.

Since taking the helm, he has led the park through the challenging COVID period and its aftermath, and now the latest course of expansion, especially a new roller coaster, giving the park 12 in its portfolio, including the wooden Thunderbolt, opened in 1941 and now one of the oldest rides within the Six Flags family of parks.

Carmichael described it as much more than a blast from the past.

“We proudly reinvest in the Thunderbolt every year — it’s one of the best rides in the region and a point of pride for us,” he explained. “There’s a certain crew and a certain amount of hard work that goes into making sure that you have a good, smooth, fun, and enjoyable ride experience on a wooden coaster, and our team of carpenters treats that like their baby.”

“We proudly reinvest in the Thunderbolt every year — it’s one of the best rides in the region and a point of pride for us.”

As for the new Quantum Accelerator coaster, it is being constructed in an area of the park known as Crack Axle Canyon, on the site of the former Goliath coaster.

A significant investment — Carmichael was not at liberty to get into specifics — the new coaster gives the park its first entry into the emerging straddle-coaster bracket, its first new coaster since the Joker opened in the Gotham City section of the park in 2017, and its 12th coaster overall.

Others include the Wicked Cyclone, originally the wooden Cyclone, which was reconstructed and retracked with steel in 2015; Pandemonium, opened in 2005; Batman: the Dark Knight, unveiled in 2002; Flashback, Catwoman’s Whip, and Superman, all opened in 2000; and Riddler’s Revenge, formerly the Mind Eraser, which dates back to 1997.

Carmichael said the Quantum Accelerator, which has been in the planning stages for several years now, is a good complement to the other coasters and rides in the park, and is seen as a family attraction. And, just as with the premieres of other coasters on that list above, the introduction of the Quantum Accelerator is expected to pique the interest of roller-coaster enthusiasts, generate new visitation, and create some strong word-of-mouth enthusiasm.

“Roller coasters are really one of the cornerstones of our investment strategy,” he explained. “That’s because they can be anchor rides; they are the type of rides that are repeater rides, ones that our guests will be wowed by, they’ll be amused by, they’ll tell all their friends and family, ‘you’ve got to come ride this.’ And there was no better example of that than when we opened the Superman ride in 2000.”

 

Bottom Line

While the park supplies experiences and lasting memories for guests, it provides the same for its employees, said Carmichael, noting that most of them are young, many of them are in their first job, and many others are certainly in their first position of leadership. In each case, work at Six Flags is a learning experience, and one they’ll remember, he noted.

“Because I’ve been at the park so long, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bumped into former supervisors, team leaders, and team members on the midway, and they always seem to have a similar narrative,” he told BusinessWest. “They say, ‘oh my gosh, that was the best time, we had so much fun back in those days.’ I’m really proud to continue the legacy of leadership development that we’ve been able to provide over the last quarter-century.”

That’s just one of the traditions that will continue in 2025 at a regional attraction that has always had the ride stuff.

 

St. Germain Marks a Century of Evolution

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Banking and Financial Services

Investing in the Future

 

To put 100 years in perspective, Tim Suffish considered his own time at St. Germain Investment Management.

“It’s crazy to think I’ve been with St. Germain now 20-plus years, so 100 is a lot in our industry. That predates Fidelity Investments and big firms like that. But 20 years here … time flies,” said Suffish, senior vice president and head of equities at the firm.

But St. Germain has seen plenty of evolution, not only since it opened in 1924, but in the two decades Suffish has been on board.

“If you go back 50 years, firms like St. Germain tended to be brokers, and it was very transactional,” he told BusinessWest. “And portfolios were very different back then. St. Germain initially had a focus on bank and insurance stocks, seeing that we were just up the road from Hartford, Connecticut, the insurance capital of the world. That transitioned to being investment managers, managing diversified portfolios for clients, blue-chip stocks based in the U.S., and that was the way we operated through the ’90s.

Tim Suffish

Tim Suffish

“If someone comes in to us at 60 years old and they’ve got a handful of years left until they’re retiring, it’s going to be a different conversation.”

“But then, starting around the turn of the century in 2000, we in the industry have moved more toward being wealth managers,” Suffish explained. “We call it total financial planning — your retirement assets or your brokerage assets or saving for some big event down the road, like your children’s college tuition or saving for a second home, or whatever it is. We get more involved in all aspects of that, both the planning that goes in beforehand, setting expectations for what the returns might be, and the timing to get to that goal.”

In putting the company’s longevity in historical perspective, St. Germain’s website notes it has survived 17 U.S. presidents, six U.S. wars, a global pandemic, and much more … “and yet, we’ve stuck to one maxim across those years: do what’s in the best interest for our clients.”

“We have advisors that are salaried employees. We don’t sell commissioned products,” Suffish explained. “Our advisors can go into the typical client meeting and give what we think is the right advice, and there’s no conflicts of interest where this thing over here is going to pay me more if I put them in it, versus something else. That’s something that differentiates us a little bit from some of the competition out there.”

 

Goals at Any Age

Suffish and the team at St. Germain — including President Mike Matty, who has served in that role for the past quarter-century — have stressed that financial planning and financial management are a process, whether an investor is 25 or 75.

For a new client, the first meeting starts with an exchange of information, as the client learns about the firm’s overall approach and generally conservative philosophy, and the team learns about the client’s financial life: assets, liabilities, income, and expenses.

All that is the starting point for developing a strategy, which considers how assets are managed and allocated, beneficiary designations and how they fit within an estate plan, and more. Once in place, the plan isn’t static, but is reviewed and adjusted as needed, as the markets, the economy, and the client’s own life circumstances change.

“On an annual basis, you’ll come in, and we’ll review the plan and assess whether we are on track to meet your goals,” Suffish said. “And the goals can be five, 10, 15, 20 years away. So at the start, let’s set a plan, let’s set an asset allocation, let’s figure out some stocks or ETFs [exchange-traded funds] or mutual funds that are going to be the right tools to get us to that goal. And then, on an annual basis, let’s review the plan, review the assets, review how things are doing, and see if we’re still on track to be where we want to be in 20 years.”

Mike Matty has been president of St. Germain for the past quarter-century.

Mike Matty has been president of St. Germain for the past quarter-century.

While clients of all ages and stages of life partner with St. Germain, Suffish noted, “we’re in the business of wealth management, and when you look at demographics in the U.S., the wealth tends to be in the 50-plus-year-olds, not the 20-year-olds, so our client base mirrors that. But everybody has different goals when they come to us.”

For example, a young person just starting out at work, opening up an IRA, might want to be very aggressive because he or she can tolerate the volatility that goes along with that strategy.

“But if someone comes in to us at 60 years old and they’ve got a handful of years left until they’re retiring, it’s going to be a different conversation,” Suffish said. “It’s about replacing the income that they’re getting from their current job and their current salary and building a portfolio around that — building it around income and conservative growth.”

In any case, risk tolerance is important to assess up front, he added, and it does tend to diminish as time goes on, and the client gets ever closer to needing investments, rather than salary, to pay the bills. That’s even more critical at a time when Americans are living longer than ever before, and someone may need to fund 30 post-retirement years, or more.

“If you’re retiring at a traditional, 65-year-old retirement age and we’re doing the planning out to age 95, we do have conversations with our clients about longevity and family history and your personal history and your health — that’s all part of it. But just to be conservative, planning out to age 90 or 95 is something that we all need to do.”

 

Expanding Footprint

Again, Suffish said, 100 years is something to be celebrated, and even the firm’s growth in just his 20 years there has been impressive. In those two decades, St. Germain has grown from around seven employees to 50, now operating out of four offices — in Springfield, Northampton, Lee, and Plymouth — along with a satellite office in Mississippi and plans to open another office in New Hampshire.

Meanwhile, assets under management have grown from around $600 million 20 years ago to more than $3 billion today.

That’s a lot of investments supporting a lot of goals and plans, and Matty, Suffish, and the rest of the team don’t take the responsibility lightly.

“We’ve been around a long time,” Suffish said, “and it’s because we try to do things right for our clients all the time. It does make a difference.”

Berkshire Bank, Brookline Bank to Form Combined Company

By
Banking and Financial Services

Merger of Equals

Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc., the parent company of Berkshire Bank, and Brookline Bancorp Inc., the parent company of Brookline Bank, Bank Rhode Island, and PCSB Bank, recently announced they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Brookline will merge with and into Berkshire in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion, or $12.68 per share of Brookline common stock, based on the $30.20 closing price of Berkshire common stock on Dec. 13, 2024.

In conjunction with the planned merger, Berkshire also entered into subscription agreements with investors to raise capital to support the merger. In aggregate, $100 million of Berkshire common stock were issued at $29 per share. The proceeds of the capital raise are expected to support the pro forma bank’s balance sheet and regulatory capital ratios.

Nitin Mhatre, president and CEO of Berkshire Bank, said the merger announcement “marks a transformational milestone in the history of two storied institutions with a strong commitment to serving their clients and communities. The combined organization will be in an even stronger position to deliver exceptional client experience and create greater value for shareholders.”

“Scale and efficiency combined with our shared culture of true community banking is a powerful driver of value for all of our stakeholders.”

Paul Perrault, chairman and CEO of Brookline Bank, noted that “this transaction presents an opportunity to bring together two historic franchises in the Northeast market. By bringing together two complementary cultures and geographic footprints with shared values and client focus, we will be better-positioned to serve our customers, employees, communities and shareholders.”

Berkshire Bank Chairperson David Brunelle added that “this highly compelling combination is a true merger of equals that will create a pre-eminent Northeast financial institution. Scale and efficiency combined with our shared culture of true community banking is a powerful driver of value for all of our stakeholders.”

The creation of a $24 billion franchise with 148 branch offices positions the combined company to benefit from significant economies of scale and capitalize on meaningful growth opportunities through business diversification and improved competitive positioning. Together, the companies will have the scale to enhance investments in clients, employees, and markets, and increase lending capacity.

The combined company promise to preserve and build on the cultures of both Berkshire and Brookline, which include core values centered on respect, teamwork, accountability, and client focus, the press announcement noted, adding that the combined bank will maintain its strong ties with its communities and be better-positioned to elevate its impact through its community banking business model.

The combined company’s board of directors will consist of eight directors from Berkshire and eight directors from Brookline. Brunelle will serve as chairperson of the board of the combined company and the combined bank. Perrault will serve as president and CEO.

The combined bank will be divided into six regions, each led by an experienced local leader who will be responsible for the overall business performance in their market. Three will be from Berkshire and three will be from Brookline. This model will allow the combined company to achieve the efficiencies of operating one bank while maintaining a regional banking structure that enables local market leaders to make autonomous decisions with the support and balance sheet of a larger institution.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of the second half of 2025, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals and approvals from Berkshire and Brookline shareholders.

Behavioral Health Trust Fund Issues $12.4 Million for Internships

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Healthcare News

Strengthening the Pipeline

 

 

The Healey-Driscoll administration recently issued $12.4 million through the Behavioral Health Trust Fund to 37 colleges and universities to financially support behavioral-health students completing unpaid internships and field placements.

These grants are for undergraduate and graduate-level students pursuing careers treating mental-health or substance-use disorders, and are part of the state’s efforts to grow a culturally and linguistically diverse behavioral-health workforce in Massachusetts.

“Massachusetts needs more qualified behavioral-health professionals, and our administration is committed to supporting students eager to do this work,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “By investing in students looking to treat those experiencing mental-health and substance-use challenges, we’re investing in the long-term health and wellness of communities across Massachusetts.”

Many behavioral-health degree and certificate programs require workplace-based internships, apprenticeships, or practicum credit hours as a condition for program completion. Required field placements play a central role in helping students prepare to serve as behavioral-health practitioners, but these experiences are often unpaid and often require students to sacrifice paid work. To support students pursing these careers, the funding is going to colleges with behavioral-health degrees that require field placements, with a focus on institutions in geographic areas that are priorities for advancing health equity.

“By lifting financial barriers for students pursuing behavioral-health degrees, we are encouraging a more diverse student body to enter this field, which helps us create a more diverse workforce to meet the needs of residents from various backgrounds.”

“By lifting financial barriers for students pursuing behavioral-health degrees, we are encouraging a more diverse student body to enter this field, which helps us create a more diverse workforce to meet the needs of residents from various backgrounds,” Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler said. “We’re proud to launch a program that helps those looking to help others.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh added that “a good internship or field placement can teach a person much-needed skills and help them gain experiences that last long into that individual’s career. I am grateful this funding gives us the chance to support people financially, which not only helps build a more diverse workforce, but also ensures people reach the right behavioral-health services when and where they need it. Building a stronger workforce that does not have to worry about financial limitations means we can help every person and community throughout Massachusetts get the care they need and in a way that truly makes a difference.”

The behavioral-health internship funds are being issued to campuses as grants to be distributed to qualifying students over a two-year period and can be applied to internships being completed in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years. Students at the awarded institutions who may be eligible for the funding should speak with their program advisor and financial-aid office.

“Internships help behavioral-health graduates prepare to serve community members on day one, and these funds will lessen the financial burden of completing these essential learning experiences,” Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega said. “The more we make entering the behavioral-health workforce possible, the more we can create a pipeline of talented professionals prepared to serve residents across the Commonwealth.”

 

Statewide Impact

The Behavioral Health Trust Fund was established by the state with American Rescue Plan Act funds and is managed by the secretary of Health and Human Services. Funds are used for addressing barriers to the delivery of an equitable, culturally competent, affordable, and clinically appropriate continuum of behavioral healthcare and services.

Of the 37 colleges and universities receiving funds, 10 are located in Western Mass.: American International College ($310,000), Bay Path University ($695,000), Cambridge College ($460,000), Elms College ($165,000), Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ($50,000), Smith College ($260,000), Springfield College ($1,045,000), UMass Amherst ($50,000), Western New England University ($180,000), and Westfield State University ($400,000).

“The experiences and knowledge gained outside of a classroom during an internship can be truly invaluable for individuals aspiring to work in the behavioral-health space,” said state Sen. John Velis, Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. “Yet I routinely hear from students about the very real financial challenges they face while completing an unpaid internship, which oftentimes keeps students from participating in an internship altogether.”

Added Lydia Conley, president and CEO of the Assoc. for Behavioral Healthcare, “as the behavioral-health workforce crisis continues and the need for care throughout the Commonwealth grows, programs such as this one are essential in building a cadre of emerging professionals to provide high-quality, community-based care where it is needed the most.”

Meanwhile, Linda Thompson, president of Westfield State University and chair of the Massachusetts State Universities Council of Presidents, called the funding “a strong example of government, education, and the behavioral-health sector partnering to serve a critical need in our communities. Our state universities are eager to assist in filling the gaps that lead to better outcomes for individuals experiencing mental-health challenges, and are committed to working with the governor’s office, health agencies, and legislators to develop a knowledgeable, experienced workforce to ensure everyone who requires mental-health assistance receives the support they need.”

BusinessWest Seeks 40 Under Forty Nominations

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is currently accepting nominations for the 40 Under Forty class of 2025. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 27.

Launched in 2007, the program recognizes rising stars in the four counties of Western Mass. Nominations, which should be detailed in nature, should list an individual’s accomplishments within their profession as well as their work within the community. Nominations can be completed online by clicking here.

Nominations will be weighed by a panel of judges, and the selected individuals will be profiled in the April 28 issue of BusinessWest and honored at the 40 Under Forty Gala in June.

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. Announces Three New Hires

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) announced the following new hires: Elise Puza, CPA as tax supervisor, Kevin Murray as senior associate, and Jacob Bear as associate.

Elise Puza

Puza has been practicing public accounting since 2017 and brings an array of expertise to the table. With seven years of experience in public accounting, including assurance and taxation services, she brings knowledge to the table especially in real estate, manufacturing, and healthcare. Prior to working in public accounting, she worked in private, corporate accounting for five years.

She received her bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in accounting at Westfield State University and furthered her education in the university’s accounting master program. She is a certified public accountant licensed in Massachusetts. She is also a member of CPAmerica and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Known to be detail-oriented and collaborative, Puza takes pride in providing excellent customer service to her clients and believes superb customer service starts with an active listening ear and an open line of communication.

“The addition of Elise to the tax team at MBK continues an exciting time for the firm,” Partner Jim Krupienski said. “We are confident her expertise will elevate the firm’s mission and vision.”

Kevin Murray

MBK also welcomes Murray as a senior associate in the firm’s Taxation department. Prior to MBK, he owned his own accounting firm for 15 years and also worked with the IRS, gaining valuable insights into both sides of the tax process. He is also an enrolled agent and brings an array of expertise to the table.

He received his master’s degree in taxation from American International College and is a member of CPAmerica and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

“My goal is to be committed to continuous learning and professional growth, so I can provide the highest level of service to my clients,” Murray said.

Jacob Bear

MBK also welcomes Bear to the firm as an associate in the Taxation department. He began his career in public accounting in 2023. He brings his fresh perspective to his engagements and believes customer service starts with listening to clients’ unique needs so that he can better understand their business and help them achieve their goals.

Bear received his master’s degree in accounting from UMass Amherst. He is also a member of CPAmerica and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Entrepreneurial & Business Collaborative Awarded Four Grants

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Entrepreneurial & Business Collaborative (E&BC), based in Springfield, provides guidance, support, resources, and leadership-development programs to help both entrepreneurs and their businesses grow. The Healey-Driscoll administration recently awarded E&BC $315,000 in grants to advance clean-energy workforce development and help minority- and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) in climate-critical sectors.

“We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll administration in selecting us as grant recipient,” said Ron Molina-Brantley, founder and CEO of E&BC. “This important work will drive research and planning efforts to help guide workforce development in clean energy. Collaborating with local organizations and entrepreneurs is part of our mission. We look forward to the future impact these grants will make on communities, climate change, reducing pollution, and job creation in Massachusetts.”

The grants were allocated as follows:

• $100,000 to create a comprehensive program report to serve as a critical road map, delineating clear pathways for MWBEs to access capital within the clean-energy sector;

• $35,000 to draft a plan to launch the Clean Start for Equal Energy Program, which guides MWBEs from concept to tangible reality of product development;

• $150,000 in partnership with former E&BC Consolidated Accelerator Program participant and now MWBE grantee Grounded Services LLC. E&BC will focus on program design and adding the capacity needed to launch comprehensive training focused on renewable-energy systems and modern electrical infrastructures with the goal of addressing the critical shortage of skilled electricians in Massachusetts. The program will target residents of environmental-justice communities and combine industry-relevant courses, hands-on field training, and personalized case management; and

• $30,000 to address the growing demand for EV technicians to service and repair electric vehicles. Currently, Springfield Technical Community College is working with E&BC to research employer demand, curriculum design, certification, and hands-on training needs to help prepare the workforce for the expanding clean-energy sector. Both the research and plan are important because Massachusetts is looking at workforce development as the state accelerates its transition to clean energy and the adoption of electric vehicles.

Way Finders Receives $10,000 Grant from KeyBank Foundation

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Way Finders recently received a grant from KeyBank Foundation for $10,000 to implement its Ready to Work: My Story, My Goals program, which provides employment-readiness resources to unemployed and underemployed residents in Hamden County.

KeyBank’s funding enables Way Finders to provide a six-week employment-readiness course consisting of in-class instruction and one-to-one support for up to 15 low- to moderate-income residents with limited or no documented work experience.

“Taking the first step on the journey to employment can be intimidating, especially if you are missing important things like a valid ID, a résumé, interview clothes, or the ability to access and use the internet,” said Bea Dewberry, director of Community Building and Engagement at Way Finders. “This KeyBank funding allows us to work hand-in-hand with Holyoke and Springfield residents, helping them ready themselves for employment and ultimately securing a more stable future for themselves and their families.

Participants reflect the diversity of Holyoke’s and Springfield’s underserved neighborhoods, where 35% to 80% of the residents identify as people of color and/or Latino or Latina. At the conclusion of the program, each participant will have a résumé and cover letter, understand how to translate their life experiences into marketable skills, improve their digital-literacy skills, conduct a job search and complete an application, and understand area resources and programs that can provide additional and/or ongoing employment support.

Economic Outlook 2025

By
Cover Story

Uncertainty, Guarded Optimism Abound as the Calendar Turns

 

Before talking about 2025 and what might happen this year, Carol Campbell first wanted to talk about 2024 — and 2023.

The latter was a very solid year for her business, Chicopee Industrial Contractors, which specializes in rigging and machinery installation, and also for the manufacturers on its client list. The former? Not so much.

“Almost immediately after the first quarter, we really experienced a lot of peaks and valleys, and I think it was the uncertainty of the election and the uncertainty of the world,” she said. “I talked to people in our industry, and they were all the same — whether union or non-union, it was just … people were afraid to spend money. They were afraid to borrow money, and they were afraid to spend money.”

But after the election — and Campbell doesn’t think it has much to do with who won — things got better, and orders started coming in. “There was no more uncertainty,” she explained, adding quickly that such sentiment applies strictly to the presidential race.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty about what Trump’s really going to do, and any prognostication about the economy is contingent on what Trump does.”

Indeed, there is a great deal of uncertainty about matters impacting Campbell’s sector — everything from a possible dockworkers’ strike, which would keep the machines CIC installs from entering the country, to tariffs, which would impact the cost of those machines and the parts for them — and most other sectors as well.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty about what Trump’s really going to do, and any prognostication about the economy is contingent on what Trump does,” said Bob Nakosteen, semi-retired professor of Economics at UMass Amherst, referring to the president-elect’s return to the White House and unending speculation about what his administration will be doing regarding everything from tariffs to immigration to taxes on tips and Social Security — and what the impact will be on everything from the workforce to interest rates and inflation to the federal deficit.

Carol Campbell

Carol Campbell says the uncertainty of the election has passed, but there is now uncertainty about what comes next.

Beyond the general uncertainty about the economy, inflation, and the Trump administration, there is general optimism regarding the local scene, as captured in thoughts on the coming year from more than two dozen area business leaders starting on page 7.

Rick Sullivan, president and CEO of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, said the state’s economic-development bond bill contains earmarks that represent large, and unprecedented, opportunities for development of new sectors, specifically food science, cybersecurity, and quantum computing in this region.

“When you put these things together, I think it’s the single biggest investment, specifically in the Western Mass. economy, maybe ever, but certainly in the past few decades,” he said. “The governor, the lieutenant governor, and the secretary of Economic Development are committed to making potentially transformative investments in Western Mass. and our economy.”

Meanwhile, Andrew Melendez, founder and director of the Latino Economic Development Corp., said one of the better stories locally has been the continued surge in new businesses launched by women, Blacks, and Hispanics in the region’s gateway cities.

He cited the Shops at 1350 Main in Springfield — a collection of nine Hispanic-owned businesses in former office space in that tower — as an example of this growth, and also of what area communities should try to emulate.

While new businesses are opening in area communities, many entrepreneurs looking to launch or get to the next level are facing the challenge of finding a storefront, Melendez said, with too many landlords holding out for national chains or opting to keep space vacant rather than compromise on rent and give a fledgling enterprise a place to start, at an amount that won’t handicap them.

“Inflation is at 2.7% and trending upwards. If they do more rate cuts, they’re fearful that inflation will creep back in, so I don’t think we’re going to see the rate cuts we thought we were going to get.”

“There’s a new dynamic with new entrepreneurs trying to come into the market, and landlords that are just getting what they believe they can get for their square footage,” he explained. “What we need are people willing to come together and negotiate.”

For BusinessWest’s annual Economic Outlook, we talked with business and economic-development leaders about these issues and the many others that will shape 2025 — and beyond.

 

Matters of Interest

Adding to the speculation — and anxiety — about what might come in 2025 was the Federal Reserve’s recent decision to package its 25-basis-point cut in interest rates last month with indications that it will only cut rates twice in 2025, down from four in its previous forecast.

Tom Senecal, CEO and chairman at Holyoke-based PeoplesBank, had read about projections for fewer cuts before the strong hints from the Fed, and said they speak loudly to the fact that the fight to lower inflation is far from over.

“Inflation is at 2.7% and trending upwards,” he noted. “If they do more rate cuts, they’re fearful that inflation will creep back in, so I don’t think we’re going to see the rate cuts we thought we were going to get.”

A slower pace of rate cuts, or even rate increases, which some economists project might actually happen if inflation climbs higher and the Fed sees the need to step in, would not be good news for banks, Senecal said, noting, as others in the industry have, that 2024 was a year of reckoning, when higher rates on deposits, coupled with loans locked in at lower rates, squeezed margins to uncomfortable levels.

Compounding matters further is that there is now a deposit crunch, Senecal added, noting that, while deposit rates soared during the pandemic when people were spending less, they’ve been dwindling as customers battle the higher costs of … just about everything. Now, as always, banks need deposits to fuel loans, and there’s a pitched battle for them.

“With no deposit growth, banks are getting squeezed in their ability to lend, which ultimately impacts economic growth,” he said, adding that factors such as these should fuel more M&A activity, such as the announced ‘merger of equals’ between Berkshire Hills Bancorp and Brookline Bancorp (see story on page 28).

“Scale and efficiency are huge these days because of where interest rates are,” he explained. “Margins are extremely tight, costs are extremely high, and banks are starting to realize that, to compete, you have to have scale.”

Andrew Melendez

Andrew Melendez says entrepreneurship is key to filling vacant storefronts — and creating more vibrancy — in the region’s gateway cities.

Despite the many challenges facing banks and the general uncertainty regarding the economy, Senecal said he’s cautiously optimistic, a sentiment shared by Campbell, who said there are caveats to this optimism. The possible dockworkers’ strike would be the most immediate, and tariffs would be the largest.

“I don’t see any good coming from tariffs — it’s simple math,” she said. “If the parts are coming from China and there’s a huge tariff on those parts, I don’t see how that can help manufacturers — or us.”

Overall, Nakosteen said, the Biden administration is handing the Trump administration a relatively sound economy, one with low unemployment, relatively low inflation, and modest but persistent growth. It’s strong enough that the Fed is worried that it might have to slow it down again.

What happens with the economy over the next several quarters depends on those factors listed above, he said, adding that large-scale deportations, as promised by Trump, could hurt several sectors from a workforce perspective, including agriculture, construction, and hospitality.

Meanwhile, Trump vows to continue tax cuts and eliminate taxes on Social Security, tips, and overtime work, will certainly raise the deficit and may trigger higher inflation.

“If all the policies he’s talked about are implemented, the national debt is going to really increase,” Nakosteen said. “At some point, that will really affect bond markets, interest rates may increase, and you might even see inflation go back up just because of that.

“At the moment, if the status quo was maintained … the economy is strong, and there’s no indication it’s going to weaken,” he went on, adding that, given the strong talk leading up to November, the status quo is unlikely.

 

Growth Engines

As for regional economic development, Sullivan offered many reasons for optimism, with many of them contained in those earmarks within the state’s economic-development bond bill.

“There’s an exciting one for $30 million around food science, leveraging the leadership at UMass Amherst and the great work they’re doing there,” he said. “There’s $40 million identified for Greater Springfield around quantum computing, quantum manufacturing, leveraging the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke, and there’s an additional commitment by the Commonwealth in cybersecurity, which is going to continue to grow.

“These are all important sectors — they’re important today, and they’re going to be more important tomorrow and for the next generation,” he went on, adding that growth of these sectors means new, important, good-paying jobs for the region, some of which will not require a college degree.”

On the minus side, workforce issues continue to nag businesses across virtually all sectors, an ongoing challenge that has many concerned.

“We’re just not getting people walking through the doors, young or old, who want to work defined hours,” Campbell told BusinessWest. “And when we talk with people in our industry, they say the same thing — the biggest concern is workforce, and I don’t see anything out there to indicate that things are going to change any time soon.”

Melendez, meanwhile, said there are new businesses being opened in the downtowns of the region’s many gateway cities, including Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee, Westfield, and Pittsfield, but there would be more of them, and these communities would certainly benefit if more landlords were willing to negotiate and structure rental agreements to give entrepreneurs time — and terms — to get some roots down.

He cited the example of Las Cangiris, a new Latin restaurant in downtown Springfield, in the location of the short-lived Crazy Crab eatery, which managed to negotiate a favorable lease that will give it a better chance at survival.

“There has to be a balance within area communities — we have to figure out how we can fill these empty storefronts,” he said, adding that doing so benefits not only individual entrepreneurs, but also central business districts across the region.

Unfortunately, he went on, too many landlords are content to “wait for Superman,” as he put it, meaning a national chain willing to pay a high rate, or let a property sit vacant and take the losses to help reduce their tax burden.

Melendez pointed to ongoing discussions among Boston city councilors about a tax on long-vacant property in an effort to stimulate movement and fill empty storefronts. He said this region may not need to go there, necessarily, but it does need a concerted effort to put this real estate to productive use.
“Everyone has to play ball together,” he said. “We’ve been filling storefronts across Western Mass., and people are people successful, but they’re one-offs; what we need to start doing is filling city blocks and city districts to make a true impact.”

Snapshots of a Region

By
Economic Outlook Special Coverage

The Local Business Community Offers Perspectives on 2025

 

Beyond the big-picture context provided by regional business leaders in the lead story on page 4, how do individual business owners and executives in Western Mass. see their own enterprises faring in 2025?

BusinessWest asked 27 of them to offer thoughts on that question, and about the trends, challenges, and opportunities they see arising in the coming year. Here’s what they told us.

 

James Birge, President, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

James BirgeAn education grounded in the study of the humanities provides the skills, insights, and wisdom to deepen our understanding of the human condition and to examine social phenomena through a variety of lenses. As a result, we can better respond to some of society’s most pressing and thorny issues. So it puzzles me that there exists an increasing lack of appreciation for the liberal arts and humanities.

MCLA graduates excel in their careers because of an education centered on courses that all students take in history, language, philosophy, literature, and more. This core distribution of courses that are integrated throughout the academic majors means nursing students are able to help patients hurdle the obstacles of cultural or economic barriers; music production students can curate music in such a way that it is accessible to people using a spectrum of technology platforms; history students research land-use laws that marginalize people and draft legislation to change the laws.

These, along with many other examples, amplify not just the application of a humanities-based education, but the real need for an educated citizenry that can respond to the needs and demands of our society.

 

Carlo Bonavita, Owner, Springfield Wine Exchange

Carlo Bonavita

My prediction is, based on the trending I see and feel now, that 2025 will be like a fine wine and will need to be decanted before you can really get the full experience.

Translation: the trends I am seeing and conversations I am having suggest a good business year ahead, but a slow start. In terms of anything to be excited about, that will come later in the year — I’m focusing on August through December. Using the language of wine again, the first half of the year will be like Chardonnay — dry but buttery notes, meaning not unpleasant at all, just not remarkable, either. But the second half of the year is going to be more exciting — like an awe-inspiring French Bordeaux.

By the way, for those who need to know, the wine of the year will be Pinot noir, and, yes, it’s back.

 

Emily Carlson, Owner, We Do Travel Right

Emily CarlsonThe ‘take the trip’ mindset is going to cause the biggest travel trend since 2022’s revenge travel. Experiencing the inability to see loved ones on demand due to a pandemic can really reset life’s priorities. Most people keep that scary limitation in the back of their minds and, in turn, have spent more time with family. But a lot of life can happen in five years. In addition to great joys, the past few years may have also delivered immense loss. Most of us learned from navigating tragedies. We know how precious the Rolodex of life’s moments can be.

Five years ago, we would have just traveled with our immediate families and sent funny drugstore postcards to our parents and grandparents back at home. Now we know better. In 2025, multi-generational travel will become the new norm as people begin to fully comprehend that life is short.

For those who still can, take the trip. I can promise you, it will be an adventure you will never forget.

 

Carla Cosenzi, President, TommyCar Auto Group

Carla CosenziThe automotive industry is entering an exciting year, and at TommyCar Auto Group, we’re eager to embrace the opportunities ahead. Supply-chain improvements have increased vehicle availability, and manufacturers are offering exceptional incentives, including strong rebates and low-rate APR financing. With favorable market conditions expected to continue into 2025, now is the perfect time to purchase your next vehicle.

Digital retailing is revolutionizing the car-buying experience, providing customers with a seamless transition from online browsing to the showroom. At TommyCar, we are dedicated to delivering personalized, transparent, and convenient service to build lasting customer loyalty. With stabilizing prices, enticing incentives, and an expanding selection of vehicles, the market is well-equipped to meet diverse needs and is poised for a promising 2025.

 

John Dowd, President and CEO, Dowd Insurance

John DowdAs we enter 2025, the impact of inflation on valuations continues to be a problem, along with challenges around policies covering older buildings and properties near water. We do expect this to level off in the coming year, as we recover from a significant spike in the cost of labor and materials.

AI is expected to create further efficiencies in the insurance industry, helping improve customer service. Investment in technology for insurance carriers and agencies is critical for maintaining a competitive edge. The growing threat of cybercrime has put a focus on stronger and more sophisticated protective measures.

Meanwhile, auto-insurance premiums have turned a corner, with pricing leveling off in 2025. But general liability remains a challenge in the absence of tort reform and growing jury awards due to ‘social inflation.’ Workers’ compensation is the most favorable of all lines of insurance as rates are falling across most industries.

 

Matt Farkas, Senior Vice President, Head of Fixed Income, St. Germain Investment Management

Matt FarkasThe wealth-management landscape is undergoing a significant transformation. Clients increasingly demand more than just investment management; they seek holistic financial planning and advice. Disillusioned by conflicts of interest and product-centric approaches, clients are increasingly voting with their feet, migrating toward independent firms that offer objective advice without the pressure to ‘sell’ products.

Advisors are responding by leveraging sophisticated technology to create tailored financial plans, personalized client portals, and customized reporting. This allows for a more proactive and comprehensive approach to wealth management.

Advisors are evolving into the central hub of their clients’ financial lives, coordinating with tax accountants and attorneys to ensure seamless integration of financial strategies. To meet these elevated expectations and navigate an increasingly complex financial world, advisors are pursuing specialized credentials that demonstrate a commitment to ongoing professional development and enhance their ability to provide sophisticated advice.

As the wealth-management industry continues to evolve, advisors who prioritize client relationships, embrace technology, and expand their service offerings will be well-positioned to thrive in this dynamic landscape.

 

 

Robert Fraser, President and CEO, MountainOne

Robert FraserThe failure of Silicon Valley Bank in 2023 resulted in a regulatory focus on balance-sheet management and liquidity for banks of all sizes. On balance, liquidity to fund growth will continue to be a challenge for many banks and will contribute to more mergers as a means of increasing efficiencies and creating more deposit-growth opportunities.

The Fed’s recent announcement regarding fewer-than-anticipated rate cuts in 2025 has dampened enthusiasm of significantly improving net-interest margins, but we should see some margin improvement in 2025. High long-term interest rates, along with minimal inventory, will continue to challenge the residential mortgage market.

Our company makeup, which includes a significant (and growing) bank-owned insurance agency and investment division, reduces our reliance on net-interest income for overall profitability. In 2024, we acquired two insurance agencies in the Pioneer Valley, G.W. Morisi Insurance and the McClure Insurance Agency. Looking ahead, we have the financial capacity to continue to acquire insurance agencies that fit our business model and culture. This strategy will continue to assist us in reducing dependence on net-interest margin.

 

 

Sam Hanmer, President and CEO, Rush Insurance Group

Sam HanmerThe property and casualty insurance industry in 2025 continues to navigate challenges stemming from climate change, inflation, and evolving technology. Catastrophic weather events, such as hurricanes and wildfires, have intensified claims, driving insurers to reassess risk models and pricing. Inflation has raised the cost of claims, particularly in auto and property sectors.

Rush Insurance Group is advising clients to reassess their deductible levels as a way to save on premium costs. Opting for a higher deductible means assuming greater out-of-pocket responsibility in the event of a claim, but often results in significantly lower monthly or annual premiums. This strategy is especially beneficial for policyholders with strong financial reserves who can cover higher deductibles. By balancing deductible levels with risk exposure, clients can better control insurance costs while still maintaining essential coverage.

 

 

Carolyne Hannan, Senior Vice President, Comcast, New England

Carolyne HannanComcast serves thousands of businesses and residents with Xfinity and Comcast Business products and services across Western Mass. Over the last three years, the company has invested nearly $909 million in our state-of-the-art network across Massachusetts.

In 2025, Comcast will introduce innovations like WiFi Boost, delivering gig speeds to Xfinity Mobile and Comcast Business Mobile customers, to support increasing demands to stream, game, chat, and surf at home and on the go. Comcast will also continue to invest in its network locally, delivering 2-gig download speeds and up to 10 times faster upload speeds to more Xfinity customers in Holyoke, Longmeadow, Southwick, Springfield, West Springfield, and Westfield.

Additionally, as cybersecurity threats evolve in 2025, businesses will need to establish a multi-layered approach to protecting their operations. Comcast Business has a full suite of solutions, including fast, reliable connectivity and advanced cybersecurity, to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes.

 

 

Sean Hogan, President, Hogan Technology

Sean HoganAs we look forward to 2025, Hogan Technology is poised for a year of growth and innovation. Building on the strong foundation of a successful 2024, we anticipate a significant 20% increase in revenue. Our IT sales team has already secured new business commitments extending into the second quarter, positioning us favorably for sustained growth.

The demand for enhanced cybersecurity tools continues to rise, driving our ongoing efforts to evaluate and integrate cutting-edge solutions for our clients. This proactive approach not only fortifies our existing client relationships, but also opens doors to new business opportunities.

Our strategic focus for 2025 includes expanding our portfolio of cybersecurity services and enhancing our technological capabilities to meet the evolving needs of our clientele. We are committed to investing in research and development to stay ahead of industry trends and deliver unparalleled value to our customers.

In short, 2025 promises to be a year of strategic growth and innovation for Hogan Technology.

 

 

Lisa Johnson, Chief Operating Officer, Encharter Insurance

Lisa JohnsonEncharter Insurance had an excellent year in 2024, and we anticipate that success to continue in 2025. The challenges faced by businesses and consumers due to increasing insurance premiums have brought many to our door, seeking alternative options and savings.

Finding the right insurance coverage at an affordable price has become more challenging than ever. Rising premiums are driven by catastrophic weather events across the country, higher repair costs, increased legal expenses, and a greater frequency of claims. Unfortunately, these trends show no signs of slowing down.

In response, we remain dedicated to educating our clients about the realities of the insurance marketplace and providing practical advice on how to manage costs. Our team is investing more time than ever in exploring tailored options for our clients, and this effort is paying off through increased customer loyalty.

The stability of our agency, the wide range of options we can offer, the expertise of our staff, and their unwavering commitment to each customer keep us optimistic about 2025 and beyond.

 

 

Emily Leonczyk, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the Markens Group

Emily LeonczykIt looks like 2025 shaping up to be an exciting year for the Markens Group and the associations we serve.

Generational shifts are at the forefront as we work with our clients to realign their core purposes of balancing the needs of traditional members while attracting and retaining younger ones. Post-pandemic trends are reshaping meetings and events, driving a renewed focus on face-to-face engagement. Meanwhile, work-from-home dynamics have introduced new styles of digital engagement, which younger members not only embrace, but rely on.

At the Markens Group, we’re committed to helping associations thrive through enhanced strategic planning, purpose-driven leadership, and innovative solutions. Whether fostering growth via social-media channels, hosting impactful events, or advancing advocacy efforts, our clients are making meaningful strides. With tailored support in governance, financial management, and marketing, we’re proud to partner with associations to drive success and lasting value.

 

 

Timm Marini, President of Personal Lines Insurance, HUB International New England

Timm MariniIn today’s dynamic landscape, where geopolitical risk, climate change, rising healthcare costs, and the rapid advancement of AI are reshaping industries, our clients face constant challenges. The speed of change is dizzying, but those who embrace new approaches and solutions will improve their profitability, workplace vitality, and resilience.

To prepare for the upcoming year, HUB surveyed 900 business leaders across the U.S. and Canada.

The overall sentiment for 2025 is predominantly positive. Among the key insights from the HUB 2025 Outlook Executive Survey:

• Siloed teams put businesses at risk. Organizations with integrated risk management and benefits best practices are better equipped to achieve sustained profitability, workforce vitality, and resiliency.

• While risk and disruption will continue, successful business leaders are making constant shifts to navigate an increasingly complex world. With the right partners and analytic insights, they can gain an edge and remain resilient amid unforeseen disruption.

 

 

Mary McGovern, President and Chief Operating Officer, Country Bank

Mary McGovernWhile some challenges likely in 2025 are reminiscent of those faced in 2024, it’s important to note that Country Bank has shown remarkable resilience. While a considerable expense, the continued escalation of fraud is being effectively managed, both in actual dollars lost and in the cost of fraud-prevention systems.

Another challenge on the horizon is the uncertainty a new presidential administration brings regarding regulation. Even if there is a reduction in oversight, the bank’s risk and compliance divisions are well-prepared to adapt to any rule changes to ensure they are being adhered to.

The evolving interest-rate environment is a challenge in managing the balance sheet and projecting levels for the upcoming year. Many banks’ margins were squeezed when short-term rates remained high, but this pressure eased somewhat after the Fed cut rates by 75 basis points in 2024.

Country Bank is focused on expansion in Western and Central Mass. in 2025, with strategic positioning in key markets. As we celebrate our 175th anniversary in the new year, the bank has never been stronger.

 

 

Joel Mollison, President, Northeast IT

Joel MollisonAs we look ahead to 2025, we anticipate a remarkably busy year as we continue to collaborate with our customers to execute the timely replacement of thousands of computers and software packages ahead of the end of Windows 10 support deadline in October.

Our management team predicts continuous uptick in demand for improved cybersecurity posture, compliance services, and business continuity across all sectors as threats and compliance become more sophisticated. Grant funding will continue to push these objectives in the municipal sector.

Generative AI technologies will continue to be on horizon as many of our customers seek to utilize the capabilities of these technologies for data collection, analytics, automation, and specialized content creation. The feasibility and adoption rate of these technologies by smaller organizations is still widely unknown.

 

 

Peter Picknelly, Chairman, Peter Pan Bus Lines

Peter PicknellyThe future of public transportation, particularly intercity buses, appears bright. Fewer new driver’s licenses were issued last year than in the past 50 years, indicating a preference for public transportation. Inter-city buses are becoming increasingly popular due to their high frequency of service, reasonable fares, and onboard amenities that allow passengers to work, relax, and entertain themselves while traveling.

With rising fuel, insurance, and toll costs — and the introduction of congestion pricing in major cities like New York City and Boston — buses are becoming an even more attractive option. Additionally, apps like Uber make it convenient for passengers to get from the bus terminal to their destination.

As affordability, convenience, and sustainability take center stage, intercity bus travel is well-positioned to thrive.

 

 

Nicole Polite, CEO, the MH Group

Nicole PoliteIn 2025, workplaces will highly value being adaptable and open to learning so employees can quickly handle changes in their industries. Knowing how to use digital tools will be important as technology becomes part of daily work. Being able to think critically and solve problems will be essential for tackling complex challenges, working alongside AI and automation.

Understanding emotions and managing relationships will help with teamwork and leadership. Companies will encourage creativity and new ideas to stay ahead. Being able to communicate clearly, both digitally and in person, will remain crucial for effective collaboration.

Strong leadership and the ability to work well in teams will be needed to guide diverse groups. Understanding different cultures will be valuable in workplaces that are becoming more global, helping them work well with various perspectives. Lastly, being skilled at using data to make informed decisions will become crucial as data plays a bigger role in shaping business strategies.

 

 

Meghan Rothschild, President, Chikmedia

Meghan RothschildThe world of marketing and public relations has been ever-changing since its beginning, and this upcoming year will be no exception. Right now, we’re seeing a boom in the podcast industry and utilizing hosts as influencers and collaborators on social media to advance our clients’ expert positioning. Authenticity, ‘edutainment,’ and storytelling continue to be the priority for online content, with a heavy emphasis on video.

Perhaps one of the most concerning trends I see coming down the pipeline is a cut to marketing spends. I cannot stress this enough: cutting your marketing budget in a time of low sales is the kiss of death. You must prioritize sharing your company services to the public so you can build your customer database. As a general rule, 5% to 10% of your net revenue should be invested back into marketing efforts.

Quality over quantity continues to lead, and every post, advertisement, or blog entry should have intention behind it. Applying strategy to your external communication will be key in the new year, so reserve some time in Q1 to outline a plan.

 

 

Amy Royal, CEO, the Royal Law Firm

Amy RoyalA new year can feel like a reset, and many business professionals become reinvigorated and motivated to seek new opportunities upon its outset. Indeed, a new year creates momentum toward building business again. In looking for new growth opportunities for the Royal Law Firm in the new year, I have adopted a continued mindset of thinking outside of the box.

Over the last year, we have seen significant growth through collaboration with our competitors. That approach could seem strange or even antithetical to creating new business opportunities; however, it has generated a new revenue stream while also leveraging top talent. One three-firm relationship we’re part of gives our clients a deep bench from which to draw across practice areas and states. In an era of quality personnel shortages, another collaborative relationship has Royal Law Firm attorneys and paralegals serving as the backroom to a Los Angeles-based, management-side labor and employment firm.

Seeking out additional collaborative relationships in 2025 is a continued strategic goal of mine. It is also one that businesses in other industries can piggyback on.

 

 

Shannon Rudder, President and CEO, Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Services

Shannon Rudder

Shannon Rudder

In 2025, our pathway forward is clear — Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Services will shape futures and impact generations through strategic partnerships and programs, solid infrastructure and operations, and creating a diversified financial portfolio. We will continue to center youth voices, collaborate intergenerationally, and steep ourselves in addressing systemic challenges through a public-health and resiliency-informed lens.

With our collective reinvestment, MLKFS will grow as a cornerstone of Mason Square, continue to expand across the region, and be a beacon of Dr. King’s dream manifested throughout the Commonwealth.

 

Ashley Sullivan, President, O’Reilly, Talbot & Okun

Ashley SullivanRegardless of what 2025 brings, I am confident in OTO’s resiliency and ability to adapt as we have for the past 30 years. OTO will continue to focus on growth and strengthening our team by reinforcing company culture and values, while offering flexibility, a space for authenticity, and clear communication of responsibilities and goals; these are all essential in 2025.

Technology, AI, robotics, and data processing will continue to push us toward better solutions in the architectural engineering and construction industry. However, I believe people will seek trusted human professionals, and it’s an opportune time for building a strong network of peers, advisors, consultants, and contractors.

Finally, while uncertainties exist around potential changes to environmental regulations and policies, a value-driven and thoughtful approach to managing impacted or improving poor-quality soils will remain a key component for both brownfields redevelopment and new development projects.

 

 

Jeff Sullivan, President and CEO, New Valley Bank & Trust

Jeff SullivanBanking has always been about people and communication, and in today’s world, that has never been more apparent. One of our most important roles as bankers is to communicate with our customers about suspicious account activity, whether that includes potential cyber crime or low-tech frauds such as stolen checks. We at New Valley Bank recommend a few simple good habits for business owners:

• Check balances and activity frequently to ensure that all transactions on your accounts are proper. Tools such as Positive Pay add an additional layer of security.

• Online banking should allow you to set limits for each employee’s role, whether view-only or the ability to send the funds out.

• Having a separation of duties for payments of any type — checks, ACH, or wires — is an essential financial control.

 

 

Diana Szynal, President, Springfield Regional Chamber

Diana SzynalThe Springfield Regional Chamber is a business support organization that serves its 400 members through legislative advocacy, informative communications, and impactful programming. We are charging into 2025 with a full slate of events designed to inform, connect, and inspire our members. From Rise & Shine breakfasts to the Mayor’s Forum to the Fire & Ice reception, each event offers our members the chance to learn and network.

The Springfield Regional Chamber will also continue to advocate on behalf of the business community, and our member-driven agenda aims to ensure that policies that come out of Beacon Hill maintain a favorable business environment and contribute to the economic vitality of our region. Our legislative events such as Government Reception, Outlook, and Beacon Hill Summit give our members the opportunity to participate in this advocacy.

 

 

Aelan Tierney, President, Kuhn Riddle Architects

Aelan TierneyAs we head into 2025, conversations in our office are focused on energy codes, construction costs, and housing. Massachusetts is recognized as a leader in energy efficiency in large part due to our aggressive energy codes.

But the state’s new specialized opt-in energy code, while well-intentioned, is challenging, especially for our multi-family projects. The primary pathway for these types of projects to meet this code is to design and build to the Passive House standard. This standard focuses on super-insulated, airtight construction with minimal heating and cooling loads, energy-recovery ventilation, and renewable-energy sources such as solar panels.

In addition to the increased cost of building high-performance, energy-efficient buildings, there are concerns that construction costs in general may further increase in 2025 due to potential tariffs on foreign building materials and reduced labor forces with the possibility of fewer immigrant workers.

While it is an exciting time to be designing and developing high-performance, energy-efficient, resilient buildings, there is the counterweight of how to do it affordably. It’s a challenge we look forward to solving on several projects in 2025.

 

George Timmons, President, Holyoke Community College

George TimmonsThree words come to mind when I think about a community-college education in Western Mass. today: access, belonging, and possibility. When the Healey-Driscoll administration made community college free for eligible students in Massachusetts, we opened doors for thousands across our region. In Hampden County, where nearly 40% of residents lack post-secondary education, this access is crucial for economic growth. Our 12.6% enrollment increase in 2024 reflects this expanding opportunity.

The landscape is evolving: the county’s school-age population has declined 9% over the last decade, while the over-65 population grows. Seventy percent of our students study part-time, balancing work and family responsibilities, and more than one-third identify as Hispanic or Latino. At HCC, we embrace this diversity, creating a community where students feel they truly belong.

Looking ahead, we’ll continue adapting to meet our students’ unique and changing needs, ensuring their success remains our priority.

 

Glenn Welch, President and CEO, Freedom Credit Union

Glenn WelchIn 2025, financial institutions, especially credit unions, will navigate a landscape rich with both challenges and opportunities. Interest rates remain elevated, reducing people’s ability or willingness to borrow. High mortgage rates and a low number of homes on the market makes it difficult for our members to refinance or move into their next homes. Now there are fewer rate cuts expected in 2025 than previous predictions had indicated, so much-needed relief from high rates will not come to fruition.

With these issues, credit unions must prioritize financial literacy and member education, empowering individuals to make informed decisions in uncertain times. Freedom is proud of its financial-literacy programs, including fraud-prevention education at area senior centers, schools, and other venues. Teaching the public how to handle finances helps them navigate financial challenges.

In 2025, there will be a growing emphasis on community support. Credit unions have a unique opportunity to strengthen their local impact and foster stronger community ties.

 

 

Sasha Wilde, Owner, Sexton Roofing & Siding

Sasha WildeThis past year was one of growth and learning for Sexton Roofing & Siding. We expanded our offerings, strengthened our team, and gained invaluable insights along the way. Now, as we step into 2025, we’re ready to build on this strong foundation and push toward an even brighter future.

Looking ahead, we’re focused on growth — not just as a business, but as a community partner. We’re committed to finding new ways to support local initiatives and get more involved in the neighborhoods we serve. Additionally, we’re exploring more sustainable materials to offer homeowners eco-friendly options that contribute to a greener future.

Thank you for being part of our story. Here’s to building stronger homes, stronger communities, and a stronger future in 2025 and beyond.

 

In Agawam, Momentum Is Building

By
A architect’s rendering of the planned new Agawam High School.
Community Spotlight Special Coverage

Community Spotlight

A architect’s rendering of the planned new Agawam High School.

A architect’s rendering of the planned new Agawam
High School.

Chris Johnson called it “an easy fix.”

He was referring to his decision early in 2024 to put things back the way they were in City Hall — quite literally — the last time he occupied the corner office, some 24 years earlier.

Indeed, the three-office mayor’s suite in City Hall had been reconfigured in the intervening years, with the smallest space, which had been Johnson’s office, made into a closet; the middle space, which had been a conference room, devoted to staff; and the largest space, which had been home to the two-person staff, converted to accommodate the mayor’s office and a conference-room table.

Not long after returning to office, Johnson reshuffled the deck, claiming that the old arrangement made far more sense.

Other business hasn’t been resolved quite so easily, but Johnson has achieved progress on several fronts — especially with the building of a new high school, a project that has been discussed for decades and was resolved in resounding fashion at a special election last June, with roughly 70% of residents approving a three-stage project with a price tag of $226 million.

Johnson, who served three two-year terms in the mid- to late ’90s, and, more recently, served several terms on the City Council, sought a return to the corner office in the fall of 2023, in large part to resolve the issue of a new high school. He considers the new building (and a small saved portion of the old building) to be the best option for this community of almost 29,000.

“For the voters, it came down to this: do you want to make a significant investment and renovate what we have, or spend a few extra dollars and build a new high school?” said Johnson, in reference to what will be, by far, the largest capital-improvement project in the history of Agawam. “The right decision, from an education standpoint, but also a business and financial standpoint, was to invest in a new building that has a useful life of 50-plus years instead of major renovations in what we have that would have a useful life of probably 20 to 30 years.”

“The right decision, from an education standpoint, but also a business and financial standpoint, was to invest in a new building that has a useful life of 50-plus years instead of major renovations in what we have that would have a useful life of probably 20 to 30 years.”

The high-school vote is easily the biggest storyline in this community, but there are others, including ongoing work to transform the old HUB Insurance building on Suffield Street into the city’s new police headquarters, an intriguing conversion project that should be wrapped up next spring. There’s also the ongoing saga of the former Games and Lanes property on Walnut Street Extension — a new use for that parcel remains elusive years after the eyesore was torn down — as well as the need for new housing of all kinds, but especially the affordable variety.

There are some new businesses, including a Starbucks just over the Morgan-Sullivan Bridge from West Springfield that opened roughly a year ago, and some emerging ventures, including an urgent-care facility in a building now under construction just behind Starbucks.

As for existing businesses, the landscape is dominated — figuratively but also literally — by Six Flags New England, the giant amusement park near the Connecticut border that is not only the city’s largest employer, but a good corporate citizen, the mayor said.

The park, now 25 years under the Six Flags brand, is adding a new roller coaster and undertaking other significant expansion and improvement efforts, said Park President Peter Carmichael (see related story on page XX).

For this latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest turns its focus on Agawam, where momentum is building — in every sense of that phrase.

 

Early Returns

The framed newspaper front pages on one wall of Johnson’s office speak to how much has changed over the past 24 years — journalistically, and in some other ways as well.

The large headlines trumpet three of his five election victories, starting in 1989. The masthead at the top of each declares that this is the Agawam/West Springfield edition of the Union News. The Springfield newspaper is now called the Republican, and there is no longer an Agawam/West Springfield edition. Meanwhile, the large headlines from the ’90s were all about Johnson because West Springfield didn’t have a mayor in those days.

But while many things have changed in a quarter-century, in Agawam, many of the issues are the same, and Johnson has been dealing with them consistently because he served on the City Council for 12 years in the interim.

Mayor Chris Johnson

Mayor Chris Johnson says resolution of the high-school issue was one of the prime motivators for his return to the corner office.

At the top of that list is the high school, he said, noting that the original building, opened in 1995, has been renovated and expanded several times over the years, with the result being a sprawling, one-story complex that was in need of another facelift — or replacement.

Johnson has long been a strong advocate of the latter, and efforts to inform the public of the available options dominated his first several months back in the mayor’s office.

“I can’t even count how many presentations I made,” he said. “I pretty much said, ‘anytime, anywhere that anyone wants one, I’ll go’ — and I did a lot of them, while also putting together educational videos to put on the town’s website and social media. My goal was to make sure people had the information they needed to make an educated decision.”

“Whether it be aging roadways or storm-drainage issues, most of our infrastructure dates back 50, 60, 70-plus years.”

Dave Fontaine Jr., CEO of Springfield-based Fontaine Bros., the general contractor awarded the project, said it is unique in that it has three phases — new construction of a ‘community wing’ on fields adjacent to the current high school; an academic wing, which will involve demolition of much of the existing high school (some will be saved) and new construction; and additional demolition as well as conversion of some of the existing high school into an early-childhood center.

The building will also use geothermal wells for heating and cooling, said Fontaine, adding that the technology is becoming more common, but still fairly rare in school buildings. It will also have sloping metal roofs, which are more durable than flat roofs and will have a longer lifespan, he said, adding that they provide an intriguing architectural element.

Johnson said ground should be broken this spring, with work on phase 1 to be completed by the end of 2026, phase 2 by the fall of 2028, and phase 3 in 2029.

Fontaine will be building the new Agawam High School at the same time it constructs a new high school in East Longmeadow, a project roughly six months further along. That will be challenging in some ways, but the company traditionally has at least two large-scale school projects occurring simultaneously.

Meanwhile, another intriguing project, this one now well underway, is the conversion of the former HUB Insurance building (before that, it was the Oaks banquet facility) into the new police headquarters.

It’s unique, said Carl Mercieri, executive vice president with Marois Construction, the contractor handling the project, because most new public-safety facilities are built from the ground up.

Agawam at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1855
Population: 28,692
Area: 24.2 square miles
County: Hampden
Residential Tax Rate: $14.54
Commercial Tax Rate: $27.54
Median Household Income: $49,390
Family Household Income: $59,088
Type of government: Mayor; City Council
Largest Employers: OMG Inc., Agawam Public Schools, Six Flags New England
* Latest information available

Because the town was able to acquire the property at an attractive price, converting it for this use emerged as the most common-sense option, he went on, adding that transforming a large (36,000 square feet) office building into a public-safety facility has required complete interior gutting and creation of a wide range of new spaces, from offices to a dispatch room to six holding cells. Meanwhile, a large sallyport had to be added to the rear of the building.

“There are several different areas to create — a detective area, a sergeant’s area, a patrolman’s area, an armory, and the holding cells,” said Mercieri, adding that the completion date for the project, like the final price tag (around $9 million), is a moving target, but work is expected to be wrapped up by late spring.

 

Forward Progress

Between the new high-school project (the town’s share of that initiative is roughly $120 million) and the new public-safety complex, the town will have little to spend on other large-scale capital projects for some time, said Johnson, adding quickly that this can’t stop the community from planning.

And he summed up what’s next on the proverbial to-do list with a single word: ‘infrastructure.’

“Whether it be aging roadways or storm-drainage issues, most of our infrastructure dates back 50, 60, 70-plus years,” he explained. “But we need to come up with a plan, and then match a funding mechanism to a plan to be able to move forward so that we’re not faced with dealing with crisis situations.”

Coming up with these plans — while also building the new school — will be the next challenges for Johnson in what can be called a second tour of duty in the corner office.

Or corner offices, to be more precise.

He’s put things back the way they were before in that suite, but for other, much larger issues, there is no going back — just moving forward. In the larger scheme of things, that is the plan.

Local Banks, Credit Unions Emphasize Corporate Responsibility

By
Banking and Financial Services Special Coverage

More Than Writing Checks

 

A community bank should be about, well, the community.

That’s the prevailing thought, anyway, among bank and credit-union leaders throughout the Western Mass. region when it comes to philanthropy, volunteerism, and other activities under the broad umbrella of corporate responsibility.

“It’s identifying the needs of the communities we serve. We’re very consistent with that mission,” said Matt Garrity, president and CEO of Florence Savings Bank, who was quick to name several areas of focus for the institution’s giving-back strategy, including affordable housing, food insecurity, financial literacy, education, substance abuse, health and human services, and community redevelopment. “These are issues that impact the lives of people in the communities we serve.”

To that end, Florence funded close to 400 requests in 2024, and it’s far from alone in meeting those needs.

“For mutual banks and community banks here in Western Massachusetts, giving back to the community really is a core value,” Garrity said. “And it’s local — the overwhelming majority of the giving we do is centered on supporting communities in Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin counties.”

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union focuses on the word ‘wellness’ a lot, said Craig Boivin, vice president of Marketing.

“That can mean different things. Obviously, financial wellness is the biggest thing. We’re a credit union, so we’re making sure we educate people on financial matters, with webinars and workshops on budgeting, understanding credit, and paying down debt. But another bucket of wellness has to do with basic necessities.”

That’s why UMassFive works with local survival centers, helping them meet needs and spreading the word to others, like through an annual coat and winter clothing drive that brought critical supplies to Amherst Survival Center, the Gray House in Springfield, and Net of Compassion in Worcester.

In fact, UMassFive partners with a host of area nonprofits on various giving and volunteering initiatives, including Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts (through participation in Will Bike 4 Food), and health-focused organizations like the UMass Cancer Center (through the UMass Cancer Walk).

Matt Garrity

Matt Garrity says Florence Savings Bank prioritizes community needs including affordable housing, food insecurity, financial literacy, education, health and human services, and community redevelopment.

Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank, says his institution is dedicated to enriching lives in the cities and towns where it does business, and surrounding communities as well, helping organizations that serve a host of constituencies, from senior citizens to veterans to people in need of health services and basic needs.

“Obviously, a bank can’t solve all the area’s problems, but when we do things along with other good corporate citizens, we feel we make a difference in people’s lives,” he noted, noting that the bank has adopted “when we all give back, we all move forward” as its philanthropic tagline.

“We are a community bank, and we’ve been doing that for over 150 years now. As we continue to grow and expand our market footprint, we expect to help with more needs in the community.”

Matt Bannister, vice president of Marketing and Corporate Responsibility for PeoplesBank, has said many times that his bank’s guiding philosophy is to give a little to a lot of groups.

“Obviously, a bank can’t solve all the area’s problems, but when we do things along with other good corporate citizens, we feel we make a difference in people’s lives.”

“Some organizations will give a lot to a few groups. If a hospital is building a new cancer wing or an emergency room or something like that, those tend to be very large donations because they are very large projects. We take the opposite approach. We want to be in as many places as we possibly can.”

As a result, PeoplesBank gave away $1.6 million last year to 550 different nonprofits, Bannister noted. “You do the math, and it’s about $2,500 or $3,000 per grant, which doesn’t mean much to a large corporation that’s building a hospital … but it does mean a lot to a small nonprofit with a shoestring budget. So the ability to impact many organizations as possible is the route that we choose.”

 

Making the World Better

That said, corporate responsibility goes well beyond writing checks, Bannister explained.

“Corporate responsibility, to me, means standing for something that benefits the public at large. It’s a way to telegraph the values that a company has, and a consumer can use that information to make decisions. One of the factors when they’re purchasing a product or a service is, ‘who am I buying this from, and what do they do that makes the world a better place,’ as opposed to ‘what are they not doing, or what are they doing that makes the world a worse place?’”

So, that extends not only to philanthropy, but to what vendors and suppliers a bank partners with, and whether they share similar values.

“You might say a certain percentage of the vendors of a company should be minority-led organizations or women-led organizations. So it’s not only how you telegraph your values, but how you put them into action; are you, as a company, spending money to encourage what we think are beneficial programs for society?”

That approach extends to volunteerism as well — an area of community support that virtually every bank based in this region emphasizes.

Dan Moriarty (left, with Veronica Garcia, CEO of Latino Marketing Agency, and John Perez, project office manager at the Hispanic-American Institute

Dan Moriarty (left, with Veronica Garcia, CEO of Latino Marketing Agency, and John Perez, project office manager at the Hispanic-American Institute) enjoys taking many of these big-check photos each year with organizations that benefit from Monson Savings Bank’s giving.

“When employees of a company volunteer in the community, that’s another way the company adds value to the community,” Bannister said, which is why PeoplesBank — and the other institutions that spoke with BusinessWest — pays employees to take volunteer days.

“So United Way has Days of Caring, where teams [of volunteers] will come out, or Habitat for Humanity has a build, where teams will come out, and that’s good for team building. But the company is also saying, ‘you’re not going to do your job today; we’re going to pay you to do something out in the community.’”

That makes a statement about corporate values, which is why Monson Savings Bank recently codified it.

“We’re launching a community service day policy where we pay our full-time employees to donate eight hours of a day, or two half-days, to an organization or a nonprofit,” Moriarty said. “We’ve done that kind of unofficially; now it’s an official policy. We allow employees to donate their time during the work week, and we pay them to go out and support the community. It’s a great thing.”

Such activities also expose employees to the good work being done in the community, and they can be enjoyable, he added. “We’ve had fun helping Revitalize CDC on volunteer projects, or helping out organizations from the United Way to Martin Luther King Family Services to I Found Light Against All Odds, and many others.”

The bank also collects $5 donations from employees every Friday for the ability to wear jeans to work, and those donations are pooled and given to local organizations as well.

At Florence, “volunteerism is a big part of what we do. We encourage it highly in our organization, and we’ll continue to do that,” added Garrity, noting that employees have recently volunteered at organizations including Hampshire Regional YMCA, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, Square One, Caring Health Center, and many more.

At UMassFive, Boivin said, “the level of engagement of our employees is high — it’s the culture here to support others in the community, especially with fundraising that we do with Will Bike 4 Food and the Cancer Walk and Run. We raised over 25 grand combined for those two organizations this year.

“And a lot of that comes from grassroots stuff the employees are doing,” he added. “They’re selling baked goods, they’re creating artworks and selling them in the branches, they’re talking to their families and friends, and they’re donating themselves. We really support the causes we care about.”

UMassFive’s community support also extends to elevating local businesses, as it did when it partnered with UMass Athletics and UMass Sports Properties on a recent contest to recognize a small business that demonstrates service, innovation, and community involvement.

The winner, Sexton Roofing & Siding, received an ad package worth $10,000, allowing it to be featured on digital displays, radio reads, email blasts, and tabling opportunities during and surrounding the university’s sporting events. “That’s another way to practice corporate responsibility, by amplifying other businesses,” Boivin said.

 

Moving the Needle

And then, there are the votes.

Two local banks — Florence Savings Bank, through its Customers’ Choice program, and Monson Savings Bank, through its Community Giving Initiative — just finished another annual round of voting by customers and community members on what organizations they’d like the banks to support with donations.

“We began this back in 2010. We’re aware of a lot of different nonprofits that are doing a lot of good work, but not all of them,” Moriarty said, and since its inception, the program has grown significantly. “It’s exciting — now we have nonprofits say, ‘hey, Dan, when do we launch the CGI initiative, so we can get the information to voters?’ It’s been a great program for us, and we’ve met a lot of great organizations across the Pioneer Valley.”

Florence Bank’s program is in its 23rd year, and the most recent round of voting drew more than 7,000 ballots, Garrity noted. “We’ve even tried to provide, for the benefit of a lot of our nonprofit organizations, tips on how to get the message out to their supporters around Customers’ Choice. It’s really been something the community has embraced.”

Readers have probably noticed the word ‘community’ repeated often throughout this article — more than two dozen times, in fact. But there’s a good reason for that.

“The word ‘community’ can be overused, but it really does feel like we’re a community of people helping others in the community,” Boivin said. “Our whole mission is set up to help people. The biggest way we do that is in the financial world, but there are a lot of other pillars here.

“When you think about the budgets we have for marketing and outreach, they are not as big as some of the community banks in our area,” he went on. “And, yes, we write checks and donate money, but a lot of it, for us, comes down to volunteer efforts and fundraising and spreading the word about events organizations are having, or participating in those events when they have them.

“A lot of it is a boots-on-the-ground effort,” Boivin added. “We don’t just write checks; we show up. That’s an internal mantra of ours.”

Glenmeadow President, CEO Reflects on First Year in Senior Living

By
Glenmeadow President and CEO Kathy Martin
Healthcare News Special Coverage

Learning Experience

Glenmeadow President and CEO Kathy Martin

Glenmeadow President and CEO Kathy Martin

Kathy Martin had built an impressive career on higher education — first as a teacher, then as an administrator, most recently as assistant provost for Accreditation and Administration at UMass Amherst — when she saw an opportunity to make a sharp turn. And she took it.

“It was the right time for me to think about trying something else,” said Martin, who had been serving on the board of Glenmeadow, a senior-living community in Longmeadow, when the position of president and CEO opened up there in 2023. “Glenmeadow’s timeline for its presidential search coincided with my timeline for seeking a new opportunity because the provost I was working with at UMass got a new job, so she was leaving UMass anyway. So it was just an opportunity of timing.”

Her role on the board had been a great introduction to that venerable (as in 140-year-old) community, and to senior living in general.

“I was at a point professionally where I needed to make a decision about what I wanted to do. Did I want to continue to pursue a presidency in higher education, or did I want to try something else?” she told BusinessWest.

The shift — she’s been on the job 15 months now — has been dramatic in some ways, but rewarding as well.

“This is a new language for me in many ways, but I love learning new things. This was an opportunity for me to take on the challenge of learning and leading in a new sector. And there are more overlaps between higher ed and senior living than you might think,” Martin continued. “Some of the challenges and opportunities are the same, and leadership is leadership, but I have really enjoyed the pivot from working primarily with college students to working with seniors. It’s been a wonderful shift of perspective.”

“This is a new language for me in many ways, but I love learning new things. This was an opportunity for me to take on the challenge of learning and leading in a new sector. And there are more overlaps between higher ed and senior living than you might think.”

It has also been a process of learning about the day-to-day operations and everything the frontline staff and the leadership team do to keep a 24/7 operation working efficiently, she added.

“We think of it from our residents’ perspective first. What do they need? What are they interested in? What would make their Glenmeadow experience everything that they’ve always wanted it to be? And then there are all of the behind-the-scenes, operational decisions that we’re making; we’re looking at things like how reliant are we on paper processes, and can we move more things to the cloud, and how can we become more efficient in our operations?”

But most decisions come down to enhancing the resident experience, Martin said.

“Every decision that we make is based on what’s best for our residents and ensuring that we have enough programming, and the kind of programming that is meaningful for our residents,” she explained. “One of the things we’ve had a lot of conversation about in the last year is intellectual engagement, that it’s not just about playing mahjong, but it’s about having access to local speakers or a TED Talk or a guided discussion on a topic of interest. So we’re making sure we’re being responsive to what is interesting for the residents and engages their families as well in life at Glenmeadow.”

 

Long History

Glenmeadow traces its roots to 1884, when a group of civic leaders raised funds among themselves and other area families and purchased a house on Main Street in Springfield’s South End, establishing the Springfield Home for Aged Women. This residence opened in November 1886 and accommodated 16 women from the community without family or means.

Glenmeadow moved from Springfield to Longmeadow

Glenmeadow moved from Springfield to Longmeadow in 1993, right around the time the facility took its current name.

Fourteen years later, a new, larger home opened nearby, and in 1960, its name changed to Chestnut Knoll. In 1992, the facility began admitting men alongside the women.

In 1993, the organization purchased a 23-acre parcel in Longmeadow to build a new community that would provide both independent and assisted-living apartments with various common areas, and the name changed again, this time to Glenmeadow. In 2002, it unveiled Glenmeadow at Home, offering personal care, companionship, and home-care services to older adults living in their homes throughout Greater Springfield.

The home-care service is important for a couple of reasons, Martin said. “We recognize how important it is for seniors to stay at home as long as they possibly can. It can be very emotional to think about leaving your family home and making a move to a community like Glenmeadow, so we wanted to do everything we can to make it possible for seniors to stay at home a bit longer.”

In addition, she said, “home care is a nice gateway to Glenmeadow as a community. We do have residents who started as Glenmeadow at Home clients. We also have residents who use Glenmeadow at Home for some additional care. So it’s an important part of our business model, not only for what it provides our residents, but what we can give back to the local community to make home care more accessible.”

One crucial piece of the organization’s services is the concept of aging in community, she noted.

“One of the reasons that our residents thrive at Glenmeadow is because they’re with people who are having similar life experiences. We actively work to combat social isolation. And for those seniors who are staying at home and maybe increasingly infirm, it’s harder to maintain those social interactions. So a lot of our residents just enjoy being with people of the same age … it’s a social community as much as it is a residential one.”

“Home care is a nice gateway to Glenmeadow as a community. We do have residents who started as Glenmeadow at Home clients. We also have residents who use Glenmeadow at Home for some additional care. So it’s an important part of our business model.”

In 2024, Glenmeadow elevated the senior experience in a different way, by recognizing accomplished individuals over age 60 throughout the region in its first annual Age of Excellence awards program.

“That was really born out of a conversation among our board of directors about how we can have a hallmark event for Glenmeadow as a fundraiser,” Martin said. “We thought it was important to highlight the accomplishments and inspiration of those over 60.

“I think, too often, when you are approaching retirement, it feels like the end of something and that your best years are behind you,” she went on. “And we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight older adults that are doing amazing things. For some people, it’s a new career. For some people, it’s a new hobby. We wanted to be the ones to put a very appropriate spotlight on those individuals.”

The inaugural honorees, celebrated with a gala event in September, included Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers; Debbie Gardner of the Reminder; Jeffrey Greim of Jeff’s Granola; Ethel Griffin from Revitalize CDC; James Lagodich, who has been involved in local youth and adult sports; Maria Roy of the Indian Orchard Citizens Council; Patrick Sullivan, recently retired executive director of Springfield Parks; and Karen Tetreault of the Springfield Regional Chamber.

Kathy Martin (right) with the honorees at the inaugural Age of Excellence awards gala in September.

Kathy Martin (right) with the honorees at the inaugural Age of Excellence awards gala in September.

They were honored for a variety of reasons, from mentorship to volunteerism to leadership to simply inspiring change, and the selection process was challenging, Martin said, explaining that the public nominated individuals, and a small panel of local community leaders evaluated the nominations and made the selections.

“It’s been wonderful for us to hear people say, ‘oh, I wish we had done this 10 years ago,’ or ‘why hasn’t anybody had this idea before?’ And it was really inspirational, I think, for everybody who was involved in the selection process, but certainly everybody who went to the event in September. I think we all walked out of there with a little lift in our step from hearing what all of these honorees have accomplished.

“And there are dozens more like them, so we’re looking forward to the opportunity in 2025 to select the next class of Age of Excellence honorees,” she went on, noting that event will take place on Sept. 3.

 

Challenges and Opportunities

Senior living is a challenging field in many ways, Martin said, but right now, one of the biggest is the continued generational shift as the average age of Americans continues to rise.

“We have about 10,000 new Medicare subscribers every day with the Baby Boomers reaching retirement age. So, while we’re focused on how can we best serve the needs of our current residents, we’re also thinking about how to get ahead of what the Baby Boomer generation is going to be seeking in a community like Glenmeadow.”

To that end, the community is in the final stages of an $11 million renovation aimed to entice seniors interested in maintaining a wellness-focused lifestyle into retirement, she noted.

“Trying to forecast the needs of the next generation, I think, is certainly a challenge. And we’re a nonprofit, and maintaining a healthy revenue stream as a nonprofit is always a challenge. We focus on our occupancy, but we are grateful for the support that our residents and local members of the community and organizations make in supporting Glenmeadow financially so that we can continue to do what we do.”

Another industry challenge — one common to many industries these days — is recruiting and retaining a workforce, and on that front, Glenmeadow has been fortunate, Martin said.

“Through the pandemic and since then, our workforce has been relatively stable. We don’t have very many open positions,” she elaborated. “We focus a great deal on staff engagement, and I think that goes a long way toward that retention figure, but it’s also the interactions that our staff has with our residents.

“Every time I ask the staff what’s their favorite part about working here, they say the residents,” she went on. “And when I ask the residents what’s their favorite part about living here, they say the staff. So, it’s really a wonderful work environment for our staff, and we see that we’re all doing really good and important work, and it makes it much easier to come to work every day knowing about the positive impact that you have.”

Martin said that feeling extends to families, some of whom live far away, but many of whom live locally and stop by regularly for visits, meals, and events. “We love to see their interactions with our residents because it’s really their home. So we want our residents to treat it like their home and have their families here for holidays and other special occasions, or just to come watch a movie on a Thursday night.”

As for her own experience, Martin said she’s happy to have made this intriguing career shift — and she’s still learning.

“I love that it’s new every day,” she told BusinessWest. “There’s always something new that happens that I wouldn’t have anticipated. But I’ve loved getting to know the residents, their families, and our staff. It’s really the people that make a difference in this work, and getting to know the stories of the people who are here has been really inspiring and motivating and reinforcing of why this is such a great career path.”

Picture This

By
Picture This

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

 

Fore a Good Cause

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, raising $19,740. Those proceeds were divided between the manufacturing technology programs at Westfield Technical Academy and Lower Pioneer Valley Career and Technical Education Center.

Pictured from left, WMNTMA President Ben Grande of Meridian Industrial Group, WMNTMA Executive Director Angie Beavis; Ron Nadeau, lead instructor of Manufacturing Technology at Westfield Technical Academy, and WMNTMA Vice President Gavin Giguere of Pilot Precision Products

 

Pictured: students at Lower Pioneer Valley Career and Technical Education Center with Principal/Director Donald Jarvis

 

Winter Clothing Drive

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union members, staff, and community partners donated hundreds of winter coats and clothing items to Amherst Survival Center, the Gray House in Springfield, and Net of Compassion in Worcester. UMassFive employee volunteers also sorted and organized donations received at the Hadley and Northampton branches into a winter clothing pop-up boutique at the Amherst Survival Center. Donations from the credit union’s Springfield branch were brought to the Gray House, and donations received at UMassFive’s Worcester branch were delivered to Net of Compassion.

Donations from the credit union’s Springfield branch were brought to the Gray House, and donations received at UMassFive’s Worcester branch were delivered to Net of Compassion.

 

 

Giving Tree Campaign

For the 23rd year, the Holyoke Community College (HCC) community collected hundreds of holiday gifts for consumers at four nonprofit agencies through its annual Giving Tree campaign. On Dec. 12, representatives from the four agencies — Homework House, the Holyoke Veterans Home, WestMass ElderCare, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children — attended a closing celebration where 302 gifts were distributed.

Pictured: Homework House’s Gloria Caballero Roca (left) and David Haslam collect gifts with the help of HCC Giving Tree committee member Mary Starzyk.

 

Agenda

By
Agenda

Royal Law Seminar

Jan. 8: The Royal Law Firm will present a seminar on “Compensation Plans and Contingent Compensation Pitfalls” from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at 33 Elliot St., Springfield. Attorney Trevor Brice will present an overview and discussion of the possible issues with current compensation plans and contingent compensation pitfalls made possible by recent court rulings. Some of the topics to be discussed include issues with current compensation plans under the FLSA, restrictive covenants and compensation plans, problems with commission-based compensation plans and possible solutions, and when a bonus is not actually a bonus and issues under the Massachusetts Wage Act. This seminar is ideal for HR professionals and anyone in a management position drafting compensation plans for current and prospective employees. The cost is $30 per person. Payments should be mailed, and checks made payable, to the Royal Law Firm, 33 Elliot St., Springfield, MA 01105. Registration is required, and seating will be limited. Email Heather Child at [email protected] to register or with any questions about the seminar.

 

Chamber of Greater Easthampton Meeting

Jan. 29: The Chamber of Greater Easthampton will hold its annual meeting from noon to 2 p.m. at the Jupiter Club, 116 Pleasant St., Suite 211, Easthampton. The annual meeting, the last one under retiring Executive Director Moe Belliveau, will not only highlight the chamber’s successes in the past year, but will offer chamber members the opportunity to provide feedback to shape the strategies for the coming year. The event will also welcome new members and showcase those members who celebrated a business milestone in 2024, including Hampton Flooring Center Inc., Besko’s Appliance, and Unbroken Wings Inc. for 25 years in business; USA Waste & Recycling and Wright Builders Inc. for 50 years in business; Greenfield/Northampton Cooperative Bank for 135 years in business; and bankESB and Greenfield Savings Bank for 155 years in business. Registration costs $50 for members of the chamber ($65 for future members) and includes lunch. Reserved tables of eight are also available. For more information or to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or email [email protected].

 

Chicopee Chamber Shining Stars Gala

Feb. 28: The Chicopee Chamber of Commerce announced the recipients of its 2025 Shining Stars, recognizing individuals whose exceptional contributions strengthen and inspire the community. This year’s honorees are AJ Crane, owner of A. Crane Construction, as Citizen of the Year; Ashley Batlle, owner of Beauty Batlles Lounge, as Volunteer of the Year; the Springfield Thunderbirds as Business of the Year; and Health New England as Nonprofit of the Year. The Chicopee Chamber introduced Shining Stars in 1985 when Ernest Laflamme Jr. was recognized as the first Citizen of the Year. Recipients are selected by a nominating committee chaired by Laflamme and including Carol Campbell of Chicopee Industrial Contractors, Ted Hebert of Teddy Bear Pools, City Treasurer Marie Laflamme, Michael Siddall of Siddall & Siddall, P.C., and Jeffrey Sattler of Liberty Bank. The 40th annual Shining Stars Gala will take place from 6 to 10:30 p.m. at the Castle of Knights at 1599 Memorial Dr. Tickets cost $75 per person. To purchase tickets or inquire about sponsorships, visit www.chicopeechamber.org or call (413) 594-2101.

 

Hooplandia 2025

June 20-22: Registration is now open for Hooplandia, the third annual 3-on-3 basketball tourney and festival, at hooplandia.com. The event will take place at Eastern States Exposition (ESE) and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Hooplandia will host levels for all ages and divisions, which means every kind of player is welcome. As the premier 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the nine northeastern states, Hooplandia is still in its early years, but growing rapidly. In 2023 and 2024, the event was a resounding success. Games will be played at the ESE complex, with special games held at the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2024, 75 basketball courts allowed accommodation for more than 650 games played by approximately 2,100 participants of all ages. The expansive ESE grounds allow for growth as attendance numbers continue to climb each year. ESE and the Hall of Fame agree that Hooplandia must be an all-inclusive environment for players of all ages and playing abilities. Diverse divisions include young girls and boys, women, men, high-school ages, college level, OGs, veterans, and more. Players in the Special Olympics and Unified division can look forward to free registration, and those in the Hoops & Heroes division, such as active and retired first responders and military personnel, have access to discounted registration. Players are invited to build teams of four, create their own unique team name, design their uniforms, and register at hooplandia.com. Fees range according to age. Those that register before the end of the day on March 10 are treated to the 3 Point Perks package, which grants early teams access to limited-edition goodies. 3 Point Perks are not available after March 10, and registration prices increase after May 26 for late teams. Since its first year, Hooplandia has partnered with Boys and Girls Clubs throughout Western Mass., with $10 from every paid team registration supporting the mission of Boys & Girls Clubs and their programming. Hooplandia invites local businesses to explore sponsorship opportunities. Email [email protected] with inquiries.

 

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

MountainOne Insurance Acquires McClure Agency

NORTH ADAMS — MountainOne Insurance Agency announced its recent acquisition of McClure Insurance Agency in West Springfield and Wilbraham. This is MountainOne Insurance’s second acquisition in the Pioneer Valley this year. For more than 100 years, the family-owned McClure Insurance Agency has offered insurance products to fit the needs of families and businesses. McClure Insurance Agency, as part of MountainOne, will now offer customers many enhanced services, including the addition of group employee benefits, life insurance, long-term-care insurance, Medicare products, and in-house claims services. Customers also have access to many new insurance carriers, widening their options for coverage at competitive rates. Agency Principal Mark McClure and the McClure Insurance Agency staff will remain with the agency, ensuring stability for clients. They will also maintain both office locations at 103 Van Deene Ave. in West Springfield and 2361 Boston Road in Wilbraham.

 

Willie Ross School, Bay Path Open Early-education Space

LONGMEADOW — Willie Ross School for the Deaf (WRSD) and Bay Path University held a joint ribbon cutting on Dec. 17 for newly developed early-education classroom space being created for Willie Ross on the Bay Path campus. The event celebrated the collaboration between the university and WRSD as it addresses the need for more early-education space. The space is located on the first floor of Theinert Hall, a multi-use residence hall on campus. The space developed in Bay Path’s Theinert Hall features approximately 7,500 square feet with four classrooms and several support rooms for students and staff. The process of transforming the space involved the demolition of first-floor dormitory rooms and bathrooms and the reconstruction of bathrooms and classrooms, along with the installation of required HVAC equipment, ceiling and lighting fixtures, and safety systems to meet current code requirements. The new space on the Bay Path campus will enable Willie Ross to serve an additional 20 students as the school has experienced a growing Early Childhood program. The classrooms will also provide opportunities for hands-on experience for Bay Path University students.

 

O’Dell Women’s Center Announces $250,000 in Grants

SPRINGFIELD — The O’Dell Women’s Center (OWC), Springfield’s first nonprofit women’s center, announced it has granted a total of $250,000 to eight other nonprofit organizations in Springfield to support programs that empower and create opportunities for low-income Springfield women. This funding will enhance access to educational resources, career development, and community support services, creating pathways for financial stability and self-sufficiency. The O’Dell Women’s center received 37 grant applications from Springfield area nonprofits. Of those applications, the OWC grant committee selected the following organizations for its 2024 grant awards: Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, Girls Inc. of the Valley, the Gray House, Holyoke Chicopee Springfield (HCS) Head Start, Hope for Youth and Families, Parent Villages, South End Community Center, and United Way of Pioneer Valley. Through the 2024 grants, OWC will support several educational programs for Springfield women, advance workforce development and career growth, and address essential needs like food security, childcare, and language skills.

 

Happier Valley Comedy Reaches Fundraising Goal

HADLEY — Happier Valley Comedy, the only improv comedy theater in Western Mass., recently hit its goal to raise $115,000 in order to unlock a previously awarded Mass Cultural Council Cultural Facilities Fund Capital Grant for the same amount, so it can build a new, fully accessible performance venue in Hadley. In addition to individual support for the small local arts nonprofit, several local companies stepped in to offer significant contributions, such as PeoplesBank, Diversified Equipment Services & Consulting Organizationof Hadley, and Greenfield Savings Bank. Adjacent to Happier Valley’s original space, which will be used as a classroom and lobby area, the new performance venue provides expanded and raised audience seating, a larger stage with an improv-friendly set, theatrical lighting, and a fully accessible stage. The final drawings have been inked by Thomas Douglas Architects of Northampton, which is working closely with Braidman and the team at Integrity Development & Construction of Amherst to complete construction by the end of summer 2025.

 

Sexton Roofing & Siding Wins Small Business Spotlight

HADLEY — UMassFive College Federal Credit Union announced Sexton Roofing & Siding as the grand prize winner of its inaugural Small Business Spotlight contest. Driven by community nomination, the contest winner was formally announced at the final UMass football home game of the season at McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Nov. 30, which was also Small Business Saturday. Sexton Roofing & Siding will be receiving an advertising package valued at $10,000 with UMass Athletics, allowing the business to be featured on digital displays, radio reads, and email blasts, as well as with tabling opportunities at the Mullins Center during UMass basketball and hockey home games for the remainder of the season. The Small Business Spotlight contest drew more than 125 nominations from across Western Mass., highlighting businesses that demonstrate service, innovation, and community involvement. Two secondary winners, K’s Nutrition of Amherst and CLINIC Alternative Medicines of Northampton, were also recognized with $500 cash prizes to support their ongoing efforts in the local community.

 

Comfort Bagel Opens in New Location in Westfield

WESTFIELD — Comfort Bagel opened its doors in a new location at 64 Main St. in Westfield. The store is relocating from Holyoke to better serve its expanding customer base. Comfort Bagel is known for its scratch-made, artisan, slow-fermented sourdough bagels available in traditional and innovative flavors that rotate weekly, including fan favorites like asiago parmesan, jalapeño cheddar, and salted rosemary. Last month, Westfield Mayor Mike McCabe joined Blake, representatives from the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, and property owner Rocco Falcone for a ribbon cutting. Comfort Bagel’s journey began during the pandemic, when Blake started a small cottage bakery in her West Springfield home, hoping to bring warmth and comfort to her community during uncertain times. She offered contact-free home delivery to surrounding towns, and the demand for her bagels grew so quickly that she opened a full-service shop at Open Square in Holyoke in July 2021. The new location in downtown Westfield is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. seven days a week.

 

Food Bank Flips Switch to Solar Power at Headquarters

CHICOPEE — The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts announced the activation of its new solar-panel system at its food warehouse, resource, education, and advocacy center in Chicopee. Designed with sustainability and efficiency in mind, the Food Bank’s new center features state-of-the-art solar panels installed by PV Squared, a local leader in renewable-energy solutions. The installation includes panels on the rooftop and a solar canopy covering part of the parking lot. This innovative green-energy system will significantly reduce the Food Bank’s carbon footprint while meeting its substantial energy needs. The project was made possible through a congressionally directed Community Funding Project grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, thanks to the support of U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey.

 

T-Birds Break Record at Teddy Bear Toss

SPRINGFIELD — For the first time in team history, the Springfield Thunderbirds eclipsed the 7,000-bear plateau as the team collected 7,162 stuffed animals during the ninth annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by Teddy Bear Pools & Spas inside the MassMutual Center on Dec. 7. All will be gifted to underprivileged youth in the Springfield and Western Mass. communities. Tyler Tucker’s third-period goal brought down the cavalcade of stuffed animals and ignited a Thunderbirds come-from-behind, overtime win over the Rockford IceHogs before a sellout crowd of 6,793 inside the Thunderdome on Saturday night. On Dec. 9, Thunderbirds players, mascot Boomer, and staff participated in part two of this celebrated tradition, delivering stuffed animals to a host of different youth-oriented benefactors, including the Center for Human Development, the Boys & Girls Club of Springfield, Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services, and the Boys & Girls Club Family Center. Other participating organizations include the Springfield YMCA, Square One, and the Ronald McDonald House of Springfield. Established during the Thunderbirds’ inaugural season in 2016, the Teddy Bear Toss has contributed more than 40,000 stuffed animals to local Springfield charities, all in the spirit of providing gifts and smiles to underprivileged and underserved youth in the Greater Springfield community.

 

Country Bank Donates $10,000 to Quaboag Valley CDC

WARE — Country Bank announced a $10,000 donation to the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp. (QVCDC) to help local communities in the region. “The Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation is grateful for this generous donation from Country Bank,” said Melissa Fales, QVCDC executive director. “This donation will help us continue to run our Senior Outreach Program, which helps seniors with prescription pickup, grocery shopping, food-bank deliveries, and other chores. Country Bank’s support is not only an investment in the Quaboag Valley CDC’s mission, but an example of Country Bank’s commitment to making a difference in the community.” Seniors’ underlying medical conditions can significantly impact their ability to get out safely to meet their everyday needs. The deliveries allow them to remain safely at home while addressing their critical needs.

 

NBSB Announces Success of Food, Toy Drives

NORTH BROOKFIELD — In the spirit of season of giving, North Brookfield Savings Bank (NBSB) announced the success of its annual food and toy drives. Due to the overwhelming generosity of community members, employees, and neighbors of NBSB, the food and toy drives made an impact in each of the bank’s communities. During the NBSB annual food drive, held Oct. 1-25, the bank’s communities came together to donate 693 non-perishable food items and more than $1,000 in monetary donations. NBSB contributed an additional $3,000 to further support local food pantries. These donations provide crucial assistance to individuals facing food insecurity. During the annual toy drive, which ran Nov. 1-29, community members, employees, and neighbors stepped up to the plate again, collecting 388 toys for children in need, alongside $1,432 in monetary donations. NBSB contributed an additional $1,500 to support those who need it the most and bring joy to children in the communities it serves this holiday season.

 

ViViYarn Fashion Opens Store in Hampshire Mall

HADLEY — ViViYarn Fashion celebrated its grand opening in the Hampshire Mall on Dec. 17. The new boutique focuses on unique, seasonal clothing for men and women. Current items include cashmere scarves and sweaters in a wide variety of designs and colors. General Manager Shawna Wang has more than 10 years of experience producing high-quality garments for the U.S. and Europe, and is dedicated to providing customers with comfort, elegance, and style at an affordable price.

 

Susan B. Anthony Museum Awarded Three Grants

ADAMS — The Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum received three grants from the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation for a total of $3,589.28, through its Berkshire Hills Fund for Excellence, Lee Educational Enrichment Fund, and Williamstown Elementary School Endowment Fund programs. This program brings the inspiring story of Berkshire County’s own Susan B. Anthony to students at W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School in Great Barrington, Berkshire Hills Regional School District, Lee Middle and High School and Williamstown Elementary School. Muriel Dyas of Herstorically Speaking reenacts Susan B. Anthony while students complete a timeline of her life, learn about pay inequity, and make a special ballot vote. The event concludes with a ‘votes for women’ march around school grounds complete with suffrage sashes, buttons, and student-made protest signs.

 

Bombyx Center Achieves Carbon Conscious Business Accreditation from CET

NORTHAMPTON — Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity has been accredited Carbon Conscious, an award offered by CET, for implementing carbon-cutting measures at the performing-arts venue. This accreditation recognizes Bombyx’s dedication to combating climate change and fostering sustainability. The Bombyx Center is the first organization to achieve CET’s Carbon Conscious Business Accreditation, leading the way for businesses across all sectors to integrate sustainability as a core part of their operations. Its impact of reducing 800 lifetime tons of carbon is equivalent to the yearly carbon sequestration provided by 36,666 mature trees. CET worked closely with Bombyx to implement a range of impactful sustainability measures through both the Mass Save program and RecyclingWorks, a program CET administers for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Custom weatherization services, including pipe insulation and other energy-saving upgrades, were provided to reduce energy loss at the historic former church. Additional efficiency upgrades, such as duct sealing and modifications, further optimized energy use throughout the facility. To tackle waste reduction, CET helped establish a food-waste diversion program in the multi-use kitchen and supported community recycling events, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility.

 

Baystate Health, Wellpoint Reach Contract Agreement

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Health and Wellpoint have reached a new, multi-year contract that maintains patients’ access to their current doctors and nurses. This means Wellpoint members will continue to have access to all Baystate Health hospitals, facilities, doctors’ offices, convenient care, and ancillary service centers, as well as its affiliated physicians through Baycare Health Partners, on Jan. 1, 2025 and beyond. “We are extremely pleased to have reached a new agreement with Wellpoint and ensure continued access for health-plan members to the care they receive at Baystate Health and our affiliated physicians through Baycare Health Partners,” said Peter Banko, president and CEO of Baystate Health. “From the beginning, our mutual goal was to ensure we continue to meet the needs of our patients today and in the future and protect their access to essential services in Western Massachusetts.” David Morales, general manager of Wellpoint, added that “we worked tirelessly to come to an agreement that preserves access to high-quality, affordable care at Baystate Health for Wellpoint members. We are pleased that our longstanding partnership with Baystate Health will continue promoting preventive care and supporting the whole health of the individuals our organizations serve across the Springfield region.”

 

Eversource Named Among Most Responsible Companies

BOSTON — For the sixth year in a row, Eversource Energy has been recognized by Newsweek and Statista Inc. as one of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2025. The award highlights the energy company’s environmental, social, and corporate-governance (ESG) initiatives, reaffirming Eversource’s commitment to sustainability throughout its operations and a workplace culture that embraces the values of corporate and social responsibility. The America’s Most Responsible Companies 2025 ranking focuses on a holistic view of corporate responsibility that considers environmental, social, and governance factors. Companies on the 2025 list were selected based on a review of publicly available data and a survey of 26,000 U.S. residents about their perceptions of companies related to corporate social responsibility. Since the annual ranking was introduced in 2019, Eversource has appeared in every edition of the list.

 

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Adam Moreau

Adam Moreau

The Springfield Rocks Media Group announced the addition of Adam Moreau as a senior media advisor for Rock 102, Lazer 99.3/98.5, and the digital team. He will officially join the team in January. Moreau began his career in radio more than 20 years ago and is excited to return to his roots while also bringing more than two decades of experience in multimedia sales. His passion and expertise, beginning in radio and encompassing television and advertising agency experience, will further enhance the media group’s ability to deliver multimedia solutions to clients across the region. He will serve clients throughout the group’s regional footprint. He will be based in the East Longmeadow office and report to Scott Monson, director of Sales, who echoed the sentiments of Ekblom, emphasizing the positive impact this addition will have on the team’s innovative approach to sales and exceeding clients’ needs. Moreau is a graduate of Western New England University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus in marketing communications/advertising, as well as an MBA.

•••••

Kelly Martins

Kelly Martins

bankESB recently hired Kelly Martins as social-media manager, based at its 36 Main St., Easthampton office. Martins earned a master’s degree in nonprofit management and philanthropy with a focus on strategic planning and implementation from Bay Path University. She joins the bank from GRATI Consulting, where she was the director of Marketing & Business Development.

•••••

The Springfield Museums announced that President and CEO Kay Simpson received the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the New England Museum Assoc. (NEMA). Each year, NEMA honors an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the museum field over the course of a distinguished career. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a professional’s commitment to excellence, leadership in the field, service to others, and support of NEMA. Simpson is an experienced and entrepreneurial president and CEO with a history of working in museums and a background in leading high-profile curatorial and education projects that garner national attention. She provides strategic direction for one of New England’s premier cultural institutions, comprised of five museum buildings, the outdoor Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, and the childhood home of Theodor Seuss Geisel. Under her leadership, the Museums opened the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum in 2017, which resulted in a dramatic increase in attendance and coverage from regional, national, and international media outlets. A strong proponent of museums as engines of economic development and urban revitalization, Simpson helped establish a cultural district in downtown Springfield and was instrumental in an inclusive public arts initiative that activated a public park that had been closed for decades. She passionately believes that museums are not only vibrant community centers for all, but also attract tourists and entrepreneurs, which in turn help communities foster new business growth for everyone’s benefit. Her service to NEMA includes her work as chair of the Education Professional Affinity Gathering and membership on the association’s board of directors.

•••••

Alexandra Chapman

Alexandra Chapman

Hometown Wealth Management congratulates Alexandra Chapman on her new role as a financial advisor, offering wealth-management and investment services through LPL Financial, located at bankESB’s 36 Main St., Easthampton office. Chapman started at bankESB in 2019 as a part-time teller and transitioned to work in the Commercial Credit department shortly thereafter. In May 2022, she joined Hometown Wealth Management as Operations associate. From financial planning and investment services to insurance, she assists both individuals and businesses in developing, implementing, and monitoring strategies that help them pursue their financial goals. Chapman holds an MBA with a concentration in financial management from Husson University. In addition, she earned a certificate in small business management from Husson University.

•••••

Jay Queenin

Jay Queenin

Jay Queenin has been appointed to the Westfield State University board of trustees. Queenin replaces trustee Madeline Landrau whose 10-year term ended March 1. Queenin has worked in the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General as director of Intergovernmental Affairs, assistant attorney general, and chief of Administration and Finance. He also has served as assistant district attorney in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. For nearly 20 years, Queenin has been president and owner of Specialty Bolt & Screw (SBS) in Agawam, a privately held company founded in 1977. SBS provides inventory-management solutions to global original-equipment manufacturers and has approximately 300 employees in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Finland, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Queenin earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Providence College and a juris doctorate from Suffolk University Law School.

•••••

Berkshire Money Management (BMM), a financial and retirement planning firm with offices in Dalton and Great Barrington, announced that Michael O’Brien has joined the team as a financial paraplanner. Most recently, O’Brien worked in the insurance industry. He has a strong background in client service and financial planning, with experience helping high-net-worth individuals protect their assets and their futures. He is a licensed property and casualty insurance agent and is currently studying for the Series 65 exam so he can advance into a junior advising role. At BMM, he is focused on supporting the director of Financial Planning and learning how to deliver personalized service to the firm’s clients. O’Brien is a former Mr. Taconic and 2024 graduate of the Berkshire Leadership Program and holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in Spanish from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

•••••

Jenni Lanoue

Jenni Lanoue

Shonda Pettiford

Shonda Pettiford

Greenfield Community College (GCC) announced the appointment of two distinguished leaders, Jenni Lanoue and Shonda Pettiford, to its board of trustees. Their extensive backgrounds in healthcare, education and organizational leadership are expected to bolster the college’s commitment to serving its diverse student population and enhancing community engagement. Lanoue is a long-time resident of Franklin County and a GCC alumna, having graduated with an associate degree in Nursing in 2003. With nearly two decades of experience at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, she currently serves as chief Nursing officer and director of Patient Care Services, overseeing multiple nursing units and leading initiatives that enhance patient care and safety. Pettiford brings a wealth of experience in operations and communications. Currently serving as director of Operations at Five Colleges Inc., she has a strong background in strategic planning, human-resource management, and collaborative initiatives across multiple higher-education institutions. Her previous roles include CEO of Gravity Switch and director of Communications at UMass Amherst. She has served the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts as board president.

•••••

Holyoke Chicopee Springfield (HCS) Head Start recently elected its 2024-25 Policy Council, composed of parents of currently enrolled children and members-at-large from the communities served by HCS Head Start, which may include parents of children who were formally enrolled. This group of leaders includes Amber Cichowski, Massachusetts Head Start Assoc. (community representative); Chalen Vasquez, Parkside Early Learning Center, Ludlow; Cinnamon Smith, Westover Job Corps (community representative); Dakota Bailes, Westover Head Start Center, Chicopee; Fanny Perez, Mason Square Head Start and Early Head Start Center, Springfield; Gladys Rivera, Carew Street Head Start Center, Springfield; Jeimy Diaz, Churchill Head Start Center, Holyoke; Katherine Gasque, Madison Head Start and Early Head Start Center, Springfield; Milagros Arocho Pumarejo, Robinson Gardens Head Start Center, Springfield; and Sulema Chaj, Mason Square Head Start and Early Head Start Center, Springfield.

 

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

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

AGAWAM

Cottontail’s Lounge Corp., 359-363 Walnut St. Ext., Agawam, MA 01001. Asia Marie Martenson, 589 South Branch Parkway, Springfield, MA 01118. Restaurant/lounge.

AMHERST

Aroma-Therapy Inc., 190 University Dr., Amherst, MA 01002. Geneva Ledbettermaguire, 85 Cowls Road, Apt. B116, Amherst, MA 01002. Provides massage and bodywork services and sells retail wellness products to the public.

CHICOPEE

Istanbul Kebab Corp., 19 Alvord Ave., Apt 2l, Chicopee, MA 01020. Ziya Bicak, same. Food truck.

EAST OTIS

Ariquin Inc., 129 West Shore Road, East Otis, MA 01029. Ariel Quinlan, same. Sales of small food items to the public.

GREAT BARRINGTON

Rural Recovery Resources Inc., 67 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Rachelle Gayle, same. Nonprofit organization whose purpose it is to engage, assist, refer, educate, and empower members of the community who are affected in any way by substance use to improve their health and wellness in order to achieve a purposeful, self-directed life and to educate the public about issues related to substance abuse.

HOLYOKE

Holyoke Historical Society Inc., 328 High St., Apt 2F, Holyoke, MA 01040. Joseph Mazzola, same. Nonprofit organization formed to collect, preserve, and promote the history of Holyoke through programing and fundraising.

So Behold This Inc., 44 Taylor St., Holyoke, MA 01040. John Sevigne, same. Photography.

MONSON

Oyku Inc., 52 Main St., Monson, MA 01057. Sezgin Turan, 188 Pineview Circle, Agawam, MA 01001. Restaurant.

PALMER

Buddy’s Auto Inc., 1150 Park St., Palmer, MA 01069. Stephen Tripp, same. Auto-repair service.

PITTSFIELD

America Digital Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Christopher McAlary, same. Vending-machine operator.

Berkshire Family Cleaning Corp., 158 Windsor Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Edson Neto, same. Building maintenance and general janitorial services, wholesale buying and selling of janitorial products, and otherwise dealing in supplies necessary or useful in such services.

Gladis House Cleaning Services Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Gladis Romero Quiroz, same. Residential cleaning services.

Pinotti and Associates Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Salvatore Crivello, same. Tax services.

The Wursta Corp., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Matthew Wursta, same. Software resale and professional services.

SPRINGFIELD

2nd Chances Movement Inc., 92 Kenyon St., Apt. B, Springfield, MA 01109. David Robinson, same. Nonprofit organization formed to host spiritual support groups and mentorships for life skills, cooking, nutrition, budgeting, and job readiness.

AH Languages Inc., 299 Carew St., Suite 134, Springfield, MA 01104. Abdillahi Hussein, same. Translation and interpretation services.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

7 Star Westfield Convenience Inc., 572 Westfield St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Muhammad Ali Saleem, 188 Clearwater Circle, Ludlow, MA 01056. Gas station.

Munch More Inc., 1715 Riverdale St., #1715R, West Springfield, MA 01089. Mohamed Moresy, same. Mobile trailer food vendor.

WILLIAMSTOWN

Purple Valley Aquatics Club Inc., 1203 Main St., Williamstown, MA 01267. Steve Kuster, 561 Water St., Williamstown, MA 01267. Nonprofit member club of USA Swimming that operates out of the pool facility at Williams College.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

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

BELCHERTOWN

Belchertown Psychological Services
35 Turkey Hill Road, Suite 105B
Mark Caron

Carz
442 State St.
Andrew Reid

Clear Sky Cannabis
20 George Hannum Road, Suite B
Anthony Parrinello

Comeau Photography
40 Ware Road, #5
Edward Comeau

Creative Construction and Design LLC
155 River St.
Donna Deroin

Digitegrade
7 Chestnut Dr.
Nicole Miller

Flagpole Sitta
200 Sabin St.
Derek Dunigan, James Tiraboschi

Gypsy River Antiques
148 Shea Ave.
Jill Taylor

Kokosa Racing
393 North Washington St.
Christopher Kokosa

The Lavender Woods
157 Federal St.
Olga Kyle

Lord Jeffery Apartments I
121 North Main St.
Hergert Berezin

Lord Jeffery Apartments II
121 North Main St.
Hergert Berezin

Lord Jeffery Apartments III
121 North Main St.
Hergert Berezin

Reece Auto Body
14 Springfield Road
Robert Reece

Sunderland Sounds
627 North Washington St.
Travis Lamothe

Ye Old Grog Shoppe
32 Depot St.
Shashi Patel

EASTHAMPTON

Amazing Property Care
88 Northampton St.
Victoria Mansfield

Blossom Ink Studio
123 Union St., Unit 101
Stien Kusuma

Canon Real Estate Inc.
199 Northampton St.
Robert Canon

Easthampton Public Library
9 Park St.
Katya Schapiro

Exclusive Tint Auto Detailing
69 Ferry St., Unit 4
Angel Luna

Hemline Corp.
211 East St., #24
Diamond Smith

Hero Barber
186 Northampton St., Suite B
Christopher Wolf, Norman White

KL’s Cleaning Services
65 Bryan Ave.
Karen Levernoch

Lindsey Rothschild Real Estate
159 Park St.
Lindsey Rothschild

MakeFixHack Inc.
116 Pleasant St., Suite 044
David Terkanian

New City Golf
40 Maine Ave.
Greg Larson

Pipe Pirate
55 South St.
Brandon Furches

Pok Services
6 Hampton Terrace
Veasna Pok

Scott Higgins General Contractor
211 East St., #6
Scott Higgins

Serenity Spa
87 Main St.
Yaoming Lin

Taylor Real Estate
4A Liberty St.
Charles Conner

Tiny & Tidy House Cleaning
16 Briggs St., Apt. 1
Kelsey Talbot

Victoria Mansfield Tarot
88 Northampton St.
Victoria Mansfield

Vortex Web Innovate
53 Union St.
Saqib Tasneem

WESTFIELD

Eclectic Wellness
5 Noble Ave.
Alison Preloznik

Holiday Preservation Society
44 Sabrina Brooke Lane
Diane Rumbolt

Imagination Preservation Society
44 Sabrina Brooke Lane
Diane Rumbolt

Lisa Viv Designs
287 Munger Hill Road
Lisa Viveiros

MCV Inc.
247 Elm St.
Michael Ventrice

Remax Compass
108 Elm St.
Compass Home Inc.

The Soap Counter
238 Springdale Road
Sarah Plumador

Trash Fish Junk Removal LLC
33 Sunrise Terrace
Trash Fish Junk Removal LLC

United American Muslim Assoc. of Western Mass
66 South Broad St.
Rizaan Abubakar

Vitaliy Buryak
50 George St.
Vitaliy Buryak

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

156 High Holyoke MA LLC
183 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 11
Date: 11/18/2024

445 High Holyoke MA LLC
183 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 11
Date: 11/18/2024

Alicea, Nelson
64 Connecticut Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/25/2024

Bielanski, Dawn J.
93 Druid Hill Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/22/2024

Burgos, Joselyn
a/k/a Lopez, Joselyn
101 Athol St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 13
Date: 11/25/2024

Claine, John H.
Claine, Kimberly L.
409 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 13
Date: 11/25/2024

Cranor, Richawn Andrea
Stillson-Cranor, Richawn
52 Allen St., #2
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/21/2024

Cruz-Resto, Sandra
162 Packard Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/21/2024

Depin, Madeline M.
Depin, Raymond A.
3 Nokomis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/21/2024

Dinardi, Christopher M.
Dinardi, Sadie L.
1240 Main St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/22/2024

Duffy, Susan J.
43 Witheridge St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/29/2024

Duris, Ronald J.
54 Crown St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/26/2024

Estrella, Erica
129 Edgewood Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Date: 11/25/2024

Finklea, Eddie J.
66 Dewitt St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/25/2024

Gallagher, Sharon L.
6 Leonard St., #1
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Date: 11/25/2024

Holesovsky, Thomas John
Holesovsky, Gretchen Muriel
P.O. Box 1130
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/18/2024

Marsh, Pamela B.
19 William St.
Chester, MA 01011
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/25/2024

Mason, Michael J.
204 Lake Dr.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/20/2024

Michalik, Stephen F.
Padykula-Michalik, Lisa M.
87 Willwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/21/2024

Milbier, Shelley A.
93 Grochmal Ave., Lot 165
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/25/2024

Piela, Donna M.
39 Puffin Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/26/2024
Pike, Cory J.
Pike, Jennifer A.
a/k/a Depelteau, Jennifer
45 Vassar Road
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/26/2024

Quinones, Evelyn Linette
92 Greenleaf Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/18/2024

Ramirez, Juan Jose
P.O. Box 1865
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/18/2024

Reynolds, Diane Leslie
121 Waldo St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/19/2024

Roldan, Brant D.
1968 E. Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/22/2024

Rossi, Nancy S.
80 Bungalow St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/19/2024

Sadak HVAC, LLC
Sadak, Michael R.
125 Sibley Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/26/2024

Smith, David A.
Smith, Michelle
100 Grimard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/20/2024

Torres, Margarita
84 Shamrock St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 11/29/2024

Vargas, Jose Alfredo Perez
Vargas, Julia Vanessa
6 Lance Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/26/2024

Vega, Marleen
80 Ramblewood Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/26/2024

Vogel, Kevin
Vogel, Jessica
350 West St., Lot 33
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/18/2024

Wallflowers LLC
Johnson, Heidi
38 State Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/22/2024

Wright, Kyle D.
8B Lincoln St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/22/2024

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

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

CHICOPEE

Sunshine Village
75 Litwin Lane
$15,500 — Demolish accessory structure

Main Street Property
340 McKinstry Ave.
$6,304.26 — Add coverage under new garage overhead door, modify coverage due to new office rooms buildout within Suite 700

EASTHAMPTON

Overlook Industries
195 Northampton St.
$2,224,000 — Interior office build-out, exterior improvements

Wemelco Development LLC
19 Wemelco Way
$166,675 — Extend existing wet sprinkler system

HADLEY

Mill Valley Commons LLC
1 Mill Valley Road
N/A — Remove non-load-bearing interior walls

W/S Hadley properties II LLC
355 Russell St., Suite 20
N/A — Install fire-suppression system in kitchen exhaust hood

Thomas Zuzgo, Patricia Zuzgo
351 River Dr.
N/A — Install two stainless liners

LENOX

Boston University
45 West St.
$34,800 — Roofing

Lenox Club
111 Yokun Ave.
$22,341 — Attic insulation

WS Management Inc.
489 Pittsfield Road
$725,000 — Interior fit-up to create medical office space for urgent-care center, including new non-load-bearing partitions for exam rooms; staff-support work areas and toilet rooms; millwork, doors, suspended ceilings, and finishes; modifications to existing sprinkler system; new plumbing, HVAC, and electrical/data

PITTSFIELD

BDC Inc.
103 Elm St.
$80,000 — Concrete removal and replacement

Berkshire Medical Center
725 North St.
$33,000 — Replace pair of existing doors, repair floor tile and damaged CMU

Berkshire Museum
39 South St.
$5,282,902 — Reconfigure first-floor auditorium to become aquarium exhibit space, insulate exterior walls on first floor, install new wall and floor finishes in all first-floor spaces, demolish existing aquarium in basement and new framing to create new storage spaces, new sound-absorbing finishes in Crane Room on second floor

Hillcrest Extended Care Services Inc.
171 Valentine Road
$51,500 — Replacement concrete pad, retaining wall, and fence

HJG Realty LLC
242 North St.
$36,434 — Insulate basement

Phoenix Merrill Road LLC
676 Merrill Road
$2,560 — Install Starlink cellular communicator to existing fire-alarm system at Dollar Tree

Stasko Holdings LLC
161 Seymour St.
$25,800 — Roofing

Threshold 21E LLC
144 North St.
$50,000 — Reconfigure conference room and create one office with partition walls in 3B building, install partition for reception area

NORTHAMPTON

King Barrett LLC
301 King St.
$175,000 — Renovation for new restaurant

Norma Lee Realty Trust
90 King St.
$25,000 — Replace front window with storefront glass

Scher Mass LLC
10 Michelman Ave.
$105,000 — Structural framing, install exterior doors and window

Smith College
186 Elm St.
$100,000 — Insulation for Gardiner House

Smith College
16 Paradise Road
$14,000 — Roofing

Smith College
38 Paradise Road
$12,000 — Roofing

Smith College
58 Paradise Road
$17,000 — Repair stairs

SPRINGFIELD

51-59 Taylor St LLC
51 Taylor St.
$165,000 — Alter interior space on second and third floors for new office and cubicle use

1441 Main Street LLC
1441 Main St.
$57,310 — Remove escalator, install new steel stairs, and infill floor at TD Bank Center

ARG BCSPRMA001 LLC
800 Boston Road
$117,000 — Alter interior tenant space for T-Mobile

City of Springfield
111 Maple St.
$11,500 — Erect prefabricated shade pavilion in rear yard area of Milton Bradley Elementary School

City of Springfield
1059 South Branch Parkway
$2,537,000 — Alterior interior space at Veterans Golf Course café and clubhouse

Onyx Springfield Crossing LLC
1655 Boston Road
$21,580,193.14 — Erect new Target store

Phaneuf Realty LLC
494 Chestnut St.
$21,800 — Roofing

Picknelly Family LP
1 Monarch Place
$889,950 — Alter portion of seventh floor for new tenant space for UBS Financial Services

Things We’d Like to See in 2025

By
Opinion

Editorial

 

It’s a new year, and in keeping with what has become a tradition, we’ll take this opportunity in early January to list some things we’d like to see over the next 12 months — what should be an intriguing time, to say the least.

• More growth of new sectors. While traditional precision manufacturing, long a staple of the regional economy, has remained a constant, some other sectors, such as healthcare (especially hospitals) and higher education are struggling to some extent. Meanwhile, virtually all sectors, from banking to insurance to retail, are seeing consolidation, which usually translates into fewer jobs and higher vacancy rates with commercial real estate.

In this environment, the region needs growth in what would be considered non-traditional sectors. And there are opportunities in realms such as food science and food tech, clean energy and clean tech, and data centers, including a proposed, $3 billion project in Westfield that would be the largest of its kind in the state. Growth of these sectors and others represents the region’s best opportunity to create new jobs and perhaps replace those that will be lost in other areas.

• More creative use and re-use of commercial real estate. We’ve seen a lot of it in recent years, from former department stores converted into trampoline centers to the YMCA moving into Tower Square in Springfield; from artists moving into several old mills to Discovery Polytech Early College High School relocating to 1350 Main St., another office tower in downtown Springfield.

And we’ll need to see more it as sectors continue to shrink through consolidation and remote work continues to create more vacancies in office buildings. Creative re-use, be it housing, artists, schools, or small-business incubators, creates jobs and vibrancy.

• More people going to the office, and more often. Yes, there is a place for remote work and hybrid schedules — when such accommodations are needed, and maybe a day or two a week for those seeking a regular schedule of working from home. But having people in the office is better for businesses of all kinds, from the standpoints of communication, collaboration, and productivity, and better for communities and their central business districts.

Companies such as Amazon and even President-elect Trump are, or soon will be, ordering people back to work — or else. Business owners don’t need to be so demanding, we believe, but more work in the office and less remote work is good for the region’s economy.

• More entrepreneurship. Or even more, as the case may be. We’ve been encouraged by the efforts of several area agencies — from EforAll to area chambers of commerce to the Latino Economic Development Corp. — to encourage entrepreneurship among all constituencies, but especially women and minorities, and help businesses get off the ground and stay in business.

Such efforts not only enable people to work for themselves instead of someone else, they create jobs, fill some of those commercial real-estate vacancies, and create vibrancy in our gateway cities. Most of these businesses are small, as in very small, and most will not create more than a handful of jobs, but such ventures are an important source of growth for any region.

Build a Future-ready Workforce

By Contributor
Opinion

Opinion

By Allison Ebner

 

As organizational leaders and HR professionals, we are going to continue to be challenged in the new year and beyond with a roller coaster of issues as we try to match our workforces to the complex needs of our organizations and the demands of our clients and consumers. It will take an incredible amount of innovation for us to remain competitive not only within our industry landscape, but also in our employee-engagement strategies.

Nearly every industry will be experiencing significant labor-force challenges with pending retirements from the Boomers and Gen-X, and we’re also facing a transformational time in work experience and career expectations from our Millennial and Gen-Z employees. So as an organizational leader today, how should you best prepare for the coming disruptions? Here are three strategies to consider as we turn the corner into 2025:

1. Prioritize investments in continuous learning and development for your staff. Business, technology, and talent trends are moving at the speed of light. By creating a continuous learning model for your staff, you are empowering them to be resilient thinkers who can make better decisions for themselves, your organization, and your customers.

How do you approach this? Conduct an optimization assessment of each role or department in your organization. What competencies would help a team member perform at their peak? Keep it simple with a list of technical skills, power skills (formerly called soft skills), and future skills. Once you identify the list, create a learning pathway that helps you skill-build in each area.

2. Focus on building leaders with high levels of emotional intelligence. This will make or break you. Period. Full stop. It’s hard to describe just how much this matters in our work ecosystems today, but I’ll try to do just that. If you can create people leaders with this competency — even to a high degree, not perfection — you will slay your competition and crush your employee-retention goals.

We no longer have a workforce that will tolerate moderately decent managers. They have to be better. They need to instill a sense of urgency to get the job done right, combined with empathy, accountability, and the ability to teach resilience practices. This is key because our world is going to continuously evolve and change. We need to build teams that can inspire and motivate our future workforce through change and chaos and turn these uncertainties into opportunities.

3. Strengthen the bonds between technology and your people. The fifth industrial revolution has arrived, and it’s the evolution of people and machines working together to build our organizations and move us forward. Whatever industry you’re in, you can use technology to propel innovation and create a workplace the optimizes technology while enhancing the human experience.

It’s also all about your customer experience. If we want to win the battle for market share, grant funding, venture capital … whatever it is that makes you tick, you’ll need to have a strategy that includes providing your talent with the best tech tools to give you an advantage.

By embracing a mindset of continuous learning, combined with leveling up your people leaders and blending technology in your current work practices, leading organizations can pivot from a traditional model aimed at scalable efficiency that grew out of our industrial past to one that is far more suited to a world in which speed, agility, and innovation rule the day, and in which people expect more meaning, choice, growth, and autonomy at work.

 

Allison Ebner is president of the Employers Assoc. of New England. This article first appeared on the EANE blog; eane.org