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Month: April 2025

Kerry Parsons

By
Class of 2025

Service Operations Manager, Colonial Life: Age 39

Kerry Parsons

Kerry Parsons

Kerry Parsons knows she’s not dealing with people in their best moments. But she said it’s gratifying to help them through those times.

“People only call on their worst day, or a really bad day, and when somebody is hurt or going through a stressful time, they don’t want to talk insurance,” she explained. “So I like being able to help people navigate that and give them some positive news on a day that’s probably not so positive for them.”

In her role at Colonial Life’s Western Mass. office, Parsons assists with billing and claims and coordinates meetings between benefits counselors and employees. She started there with a summer job in 2005 and never left. “I just worked in the office, got my license, and I’m still here.”

She’s still active in the community as well. For example, she’s been volunteering for the Miracle League of Western Massachusetts, which offers youth with disabilities the chance to play baseball, since 2015. She led a golf tournament that raised funds to build an accessible playground in Holyoke where everyone, including children with mobility devices and physical challenges, can access all equipment with their peers.a

In addition, Parsons spearheaded a $60,000 fundraising campaign for the Holyoke Public Library, leading a committee that raised the funds with golf tournaments over three years.

She’s also a committee member with Magic for Maddie, a nonprofit formed in memory of her best friend’s niece, who died in 2022 at age 8 from a rare form of pediatric brain cancer that very few survive.

“Seeing Maddie and her family go through that, we wanted to give back to the families that are in the fight,” Parsons said. “We donate to families that are going through that. And it shouldn’t be less than a 1% survival rate. They need more research. So we’re giving them funds for research as well.”

The list goes on, from volunteering in her younger daughters’ schools (her eldest is in the U.S. Navy) to supporting local libraries, food pantries, arts and culture organizations, and, as noted, accessible recreation. In fact, she and her mother, Maureen Ross O’Connell, were honored by the Holyoke Rotary Club in 2024 with the Paul Harris Fellow Award for their service.

“I grew up watching my mom give back,” Parsons said. “I saw what people can do and what the community needs, and it really got to me. I wanted to be involved.”

—Joseph Bednar

Brigid Owino

By
Class of 2025

Birth and Postpartum Doula and Childbirth Educator, Perinatal Wellness Partners: Age 38

Brigid Owino

Brigid Owino

Brigid Owino’s journey into the field of perinatal care is a deeply personal one.

She gave birth to her first child during the early days of the pandemic, while also dealing with a difficult separation from her partner, and the isolation contributed to a challenging battle with postpartum depression.

“It was a very lonely, painful journey going through the birth process,” she recalled. “During that time, you weren’t even allowed to have a person in the room with you at the hospital.”

But when she became pregnant with her second child, with the support of compassionate professionals and loved ones, the birth experience was healing and transformative.

“I was present this time. I was ready. I took childbirth classes with a doula. And I wondered how many women go through this themselves and don’t have that support.”

Owino wound up doing some volunteer work in perinatal care, then began working in the field professionally and, eventually, launching her own company, Perinatal Wellness Partners.

Her mission is to create a nurturing, supportive environment where women feel informed, confident, and empowered throughout their journey through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. She said she provides trauma-informed, mindful care tailored to each client’s needs, whether navigating a routine pregnancy or facing complexities such as maternal-fetal medicine cases, cesarean deliveries, medical emergencies, or harm reduction during pregnancy.

Having earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at UMass Amherst and worked in the mental-health field before her current career, she’s also pursuing a master’s degree in mental health at Framingam State University.

“Mental health, especially in perinatal health, can be very taboo,” she noted. “Often, women are afraid to say, ‘I’m experiencing problems. I’m not feeling well. I’m not bonding with my baby.’ That’s why I wanted to be very honest with my journey. As someone who had PTSD, I wanted to show people that you can go through this and still love your baby and still thrive as a mother.”

Owino also serves a peer mentor doula with Moms Do Care, where she connects families to resources and community supports from pregnancy through postpartum. She is also a board member with the Green River Doula Network, which fosters community for doulas, midwives, and birth workers.

And she remains grateful to keep telling her story.

“No matter what your journey, I want you to know that you’re seen and heard, and you’ll be better off for it.”

—Joseph Bednar

Geoff Naunheim

By
Class of 2025

Executive Director, United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region: Age 35

Geoff Naunheim

Geoff Naunheim

Geoff Naunheim has a heart for nonprofits, so when a position at the United Way of Hampshire County opened up in 2017 — specifically, Community Investment director, where he advocated for and collaborated among numerous United Way program partners — he jumped at it, and excelled in that role for more than four years.

“That’s the program side of the United Way, the part that engages with the nonprofit community and works on how we can invest in the nonprofit sector,” he explained. “That was a real interest of mine. And I loved it.”

And when a bigger role opened up in 2022 at the now-combined United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region, he didn’t hesitate, serving as interim executive director for seven months before being offered the permanent job.

“We’re trying to build the shelf, trying to create a strong network of social-service organizations in Hampshire and Franklin County,” Naunheim said. “How do we strengthen those services, and how do we invest in programs that are best-positioned to deliver the best services? It’s really gratifying work.”

It’s challenging work, too. Over the past few years, he noted, homelessness has risen across the region, food-insecurity rates are up, and housing costs are way up.

“I like engaging with people in the nonprofit community who are doing incredible and inspiring work in Western Mass. and often working in tough circumstances on some really challenging problems — and making people’s lives a little bit better,” he said.

He has tackled these trends while managing the merger of the former United Way of Franklin County and United Way of Hampshire County into one organization. “I worked on making sure our processes and cultures aligned and blended in the spirit of the United Way.”

In his spare time, Naunheim is an avid hiking enthusiast — and he’s not satisfied with level ground. He and his wife just finished the New Hampshire 48 last summer, which are all 48 peaks above 4,000 feet in that state. He’s now working through the 100 highest peaks in New England.

“If you had told me 10 years ago that I’d be waking up at 5 a.m. to drive to a trailhead, I would have said you were crazy,” he laughed. “But it’s fun. I love getting into the woods. It gives me some space to think and decompress.”

And then get back to work surmounting some truly pressing problems.

—Joseph Bednar

Marc Murphy

By
Class of 2025

Co-owner, Lock and Key Realty: Age 39

Marc Murphy

Marc Murphy

Marc Murphy’s trajectory in the real-estate world has been impressive, to put it mildly.

After graduating from Western New England University in 2008, he entered the real-estate world in 2011, then launched Lock and Key Realty with a business partner in 2019. Starting with three agents, the firm has grown to 60 agents and recorded $230 million in sales last year, with a portfolio of commercial and residential properties, including apartment complexes, commercial offices, and industrial sites.

“We continue to be in the top five in Hampden and Hampshire County. We’ve definitely been very busy,” Murphy said, crediting much of that success to the team he’s built and the work environment he’s tried to cultivate.

“We’re able to attract a lot of the top talent in the area through our training of agents and our culture,” he told BusinessWest. “We believe in top-tier service for our clients, whether it’s a first-time homebuyer or an investor or a commercial client. We have resources to solve any problem and make the process as easy as possible with attorneys, lenders, insurance brokers, accountants, and so forth.”

In short, he added, “when we split off, we wanted to create a company with a win-win culture. Every scenario we create should be a win-win for agents, customers, everyone involved.”

Murphy gives back to the community through an annual golf tournament the firm started four years ago, with all proceeds donated to nonprofits; over the last four years, the event has given $20,000 to Habitat for Humanity and the Hartsprings Foundation.

“They’re both heavily involved in real estate, and they’re great organizations; we’ve become close with them over the years,” he said. “We’re trying to do our part.”

Meanwhile, most of his free time centers around his wife, Danielle, and three children, all under age 9. “That keeps me very busy, from traveling to practices to spending time with them. It’s very enjoyable.”

So is real estate, even though it’s been more challenging the past few years, he explained. “Inventory has been the biggest challenge in this area. And there have been a lot of law changes and rule changes around real-estate transactions. We’ve been at the forefront of training our agents in how to deal with it.”

That’s one aspect of what Murphy enjoys most about this career — the people he works with. “They’re awesome. We’re able to problem-solve using our resources and experience, and that’s the fun part.”

—Joseph Bednar

Dr. Divya Mudumba

By
Class of 2025

Practice Owner, Smileworks Family Dentistry and Palmer Smiles: Age 37

Dr. Divya Mudumba

Dr. Divya Mudumba

Dr. Divya Mudumba’s life is a story of turning a negative into a positive.

“I’m from an Army background. My dad was always posted in places where there was not much access to dental care, so I grew up with bad dental experiences,” she explained of her early life in India. “After a few years, I met a female dentist who was serving in the Army, and she made me feel so comfortable in the chair that I decided to become like her.”

She wound up volunteering at that practice, which grew her interest to the point where she decided to pursue a dental career. Today, Mudumba owns two practices, in Pittsfield and Palmer, where she specializes in pediatric and family dentistry, with an emphasis on compassionate, comfort-centered care.

“Eventually, I became more inclined toward kids,” she said. “That’s where long-term anxiety comes from. If you have a bad experience growing up as a kid, it stays with you. It makes you more scared of going to the dentist. That’s why I decided to be a pediatric dentist.”

She also prioritizes patients from underserved populations, including the Medicaid population and veterans in Pittsfield.

“I’m blessed with the ability to change people’s lives, giving them a beautiful and healthy smile, and helping anxious patients get over their anxiety and learn to love — or at least have a level of comfort toward — seeing a dentist for their checkup.”

Mudumba, who was honored last year as a 40 Under 40 dentist by Incisal Edge magazine, is also community-minded, including a breast-cancer donation drive at Smileworks each October. “So many patients have gone through breast-cancer treatment or know someone who has,” she said.

She also frequently speaks on dental health at local schools and daycare centers, reinforcing oral-health awareness among young people, and is working on a collaboration between YWCA and Smiles for Success (a sister organization to the American Assoc. of Women Dentists) so women in YWCA programs can access dental care and rehabilitation.

“Women dentists volunteer their time and practice resources to help women whose background may be one of domestic violence or sexual abuse; they have suffered some dental neglect and trauma, and they’re trying to get back in the game, get ready for a job,” she explained. “We find these women and help them rehabilitate their oral health to a level that they feel confident.”

—Joseph Bednar

Jason Moran

By
Class of 2025

President, Morduct LLC: Age 39

Jason Moran

Jason Moran

Jason Moran started working in his family’s heating and air-conditioning business at age 15, but eventually decided he wanted to step out on his own. So, in 2017, he found a retiring contractor looking to sell his operation and hit the ground running.

It turned out to be a good decision; today, as president of Morduct LLC, Moran has scaled up his company dramatically, now employing more than 10 associates.

As an HVAC and sheet-metal contractor, most of his clients are heating and AC contractors or mechanical contractors.

“It’s a fulfilling career,” he said. “You’re always at a different location, not just sitting on your hands. Maybe you’re in a commercial space or an office space one day, and in a hospital the next day, and maybe working at an aerospace facility the next day.

“I enjoy working with my hands, even though, as the boss, I shouldn’t be working as much as I do in the field,” he added. “And I like resolving clients’ problems. Maybe they’ve had four other companies there, and then we figure it out and take care of it for them.”

As a member of Associated Builders & Contractors, Moran collaborates with industry leaders to promote best practices, support vocational programs, and advocate for policies that strengthen the trades.

He’s also deeply involved in local workforce-development efforts, partnering with technical high schools and apprenticeship programs to give aspiring tradespeople hands-on experience, mentorship, and professional guidance.

“I strongly encourage young people to get into the trades, especially this trade,” he said. “I like meeting different people and feeling a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. We’re the only trade that takes a raw material and turns it into something. Plumbing is a manufactured product; you can only use it how it’s manufactured. In our trade, the sky’s the limit; you can make anything.”

In one burst of creativity, he crafted a metal ductwork heart and put it in front of his house during the COVID pandemic, a tribute to local doctors and nurses. It has since been donated to a church in Westfield.

Moran said he’s inspired by his wife, Jess, and son, Archie, calling them “big motivators in my life.”

For Jess, who nominated him for 40 Under Forty, the feeling is mutual. “His entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to workforce development, and contributions to the trades exemplify the qualities of a true leader.”

—Joseph Bednar

Kate Minifie

By
Class of 2025

Farm & Food Products Program Director, Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center: Age 34

Kate Minifie

Kate Minifie

Kate Minifie was candid when she talked about everything it takes to be an entrepreneur and bring an idea for a new food or beverage product from conception to the store shelf — and about how she doesn’t possess all those ingredients herself.

“I’m way too risk-averse,” she said with a laugh, adding quickly that, in her role as Food & Products Program director for the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center at Franklin County Community Development Corp., she works closely with those who are not.

And she finds it quite rewarding to help these individuals navigate a broad array of challenges and issues — from recipe development to regulatory compliance to general business planning — to bring a product to the marketplace.

“I like working with entrepreneurs and being part of their story,” she told BusinessWest. “My favorite thing is that every day is different, and the other thing that’s really cool is seeing someone be successful over time, someone who comes to us with an idea, and three or five years later, you can find their products in stores all over the region.”

She cited several success stories, including a Greenfield woman who created something called ‘fire cider,’ what Minifie described as a “preventive medicine.”

Minifie graduated from UMass Amherst with a degree in public health, but soon decided she was more interested in food systems, and has since worked “across the supply chain,” as she put it, meaning farms, restaurants, and a farm-to-school program in Vermont.

She then moved on to the Food Processing Center, where she initially worked in the farm-to-institution realm, running a program called Valley Veggies, whereby local produce was sourced, then frozen and sold to schools across the region.

She progressed to her current role, in which she assists entrepreneurs with products across a wide spectrum — sauces, baked products, condiments, beverages, and more.

“These are early-stage businesses,” she explained. “We counsel on all the things they need to bring a product to market — legally, safely, and in a way that’s going to get them noticed.”

Active in the community, Minifie serves on the Board of Health in Colrain and has also co-chaired the Franklin County Food Council.

When not doing all that, she likes to run with her dog in the woods and enjoys outdoor activities with her husband, Ben, and children Maeve and Miles.

—George O’Brien

Jessica Menard

By
Class of 2025

Advanced Practice Clinician Manager of Care Delivery, Education, and Training, Commonwealth Care Alliance: Age 38

Jessica Menard

Jessica Menard

Jessica Menard started her nursing career in the emergency room and has worked in that setting for a number of area hospitals during her career.

Early in her training, she said, “I thought I wanted to do labor, delivery, and pediatrics, and then I did a rotation in the emergency room, and it turns out I loved it.”

But she didn’t take a narrow view of that work; she saw early on the “connecting dots,” as she put it, between the ER and home care, and the gaps in care many patients experience between the two.

In her current role with Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA), Menard fills those gaps and helps patients navigate what can often be an overly complex, frustrating healthcare system.

“I started here as an advanced practice clinician. We take care of Medicaid patients, the chronically ill, the sickest of the sick. We have a unique model — we’re not just an insurer, but we also deliver care into the home and take care of whatever needs to be done: medical, behavioral health, socioeconomic stuff, housing. There are a lot of arms to it.”

Now in a management role, she still helps patients, but guides the professionals, too. She also actively mentors and precepts nurse practitioner and registered nurse students from UMass Amherst, Westfield State University, and American International College as they prepare to tackle this complicated world.

The Boston Globe honored Menard in 2021 with its Salute to Nurses Award, recognizing her contributions to nursing and patient care. In addition to her work at CCA, she has played a public-health role by educating people about critical health issues, including media interviews on topics such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus. She’s also a member of the Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners, supporting legislative efforts to expand NP practice and improve healthcare delivery.

“It’s truly heartbreaking to see individuals suffer as they navigate this complex healthcare system,” she said. “If I can be the person that can help them get where they need to be and see their lives change for the better, health-wise — for example, getting diabetics who aren’t controlled to a spot where they’re better controlled and their quality of life is better — that’s so gratifying to me. It brings me a lot of gratitude when I see firsthand the difference we can make.”

—Joseph Bednar

Mia McDonald

By
Class of 2025

Senior Associate, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.: Age 24

Mia McDonald

Mia McDonald

It’s a good thing Mia McDonald likes her employer so much, as she’s never worked anywhere else in her professional career.

With a lifelong aptitude for math, she figured her best career options, while studying at Westfield State University, were math teacher and actuary, and she leaned toward the latter, but once she began taking some accounting courses, she was hooked.

While still in college, she secured an accounting internship at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) and never left, handling a wide variety of responsibilities today in the audit and assurance realm.

“I love how you’re never working with the same type of things; there are new challenges and new things to learn every day. I feel my confidence growing as I’m talking to clients and becoming more familiar with the issues people are facing,” she explained. “I wanted to be a teacher initially, and there are so many great opportunities in the field where I can use some of those teaching skills to build other people up.”

Even though she’s only 24 — making her one of the youngest ever recognized by 40 Under Forty — part of McDonald’s role is being a mentor to other team members, which comes naturally because she has been mentored herself.

“It’s cool being this young and getting this award, but I wouldn’t have been able to do that without the mentorships and strong women who gave me the opportunities I’ve had,” she said, naming Chelsea Russell and Kristi Reale as two who have given her a seat at the table. “That’s been huge in my four years at MBK, and I love being able to pass that down.”

McDonald is also very active in the community, spearheading community-service events for Girls on the Run, Winter Walk, and Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke, while partipating in events for Square One, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, United Way of Pioneer Valley, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, a Bed for Every Child, and HCS Head Start, among others. She also coaches cross country and track and field at Westfield State.

“A lot of it comes from being at MBK and seeing the focus that they have on the community,” she said. “It’s really empowering to be able to give back to these organizations, especially one like Girls on the Run, whose mission and values are so close to everything I love and the things I’m passionate about.”

—Joseph Bednar

Liz Martinek

By
Class of 2025

EMS Coordinator, Baystate Health: Age 34

Liz Martinek

Liz Martinek

Liz Martinek misses riding in the ambulance. Sort of.

She was an EMT and then a paramedic for many years, and thoroughly enjoyed that work, despite its physical and mental toll.

“I like being there for people on the worst day of their life because I want to make it better,” said Martinek, who has moved on to what is, in many ways, an even more rewarding role: that of EMS coordinator for Baystate Health.

This is a role with a lengthy job description that includes everything from coordinating internal and external quality-assurance and education initiatives to helping plan and execute Baystate Health’s EMS Week activities and Disaster Day, an annual event that partners Baystate Health physician residents with all-level first responders from local communities in a staged mass-casualty disaster.

“We bridge the gap between EMS agencies, whether they’re fire departments or private ambulance services, and the hospital side,” said Martinek, who is based at Baystate Noble Hospital and works with several different fire departments from area municipalities and even Six Flags New England. “We do a lot of overview of the pre-hospital medical care that is happening out in the field and make sure that providers are following the state protocols and the standards of that care, with an eye toward continuous improvement and patient safety.”

Martinek brings a wealth of experience to her current role, from her years as a paramedic to her work as ambulance coordinator for Baystate Health and as service quality manager for Alert Ambulance — as well as her experiences during the pandemic, when her role changed to include more outreach to patients.

Indeed, she was honored by her colleagues as a Pandemic Response Hero for her patient-assessment efforts at a Westfield assisted-living facility that led to the immediate transportation of six patients in need of an emergency-room evaluation of their COVID symptoms.

Active in the community, Martinek serves as Baystate Health’s medical captain for the IRONMAN competition in Western Mass. In that role, she recruits and oversees the volunteer services provided on site during the event by physicians, nurses, paramedics, EMTs, and other emergency responders.

With encouragement from her husband, Kreig, Martinek said she got into CrossFit and has fallen in love with it, giving her more energy for doing things with her two children, Lindsay and Matthew.

—George O’Brien

Dr. Nathan Macedo

By
Class of 2025

Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School – Baystate; Associate Program Director, Greenfield Family Medicine Residency Program: Age 36

Dr. Nathan Macedo

Dr. Nathan Macedo

Many young people stumble upon their careers after studying something different.

Not Dr. Nathan Macedo, who, as far back as he can remember, always wanted to be a doctor. As a first-generation American (his parents are immigrants from Portugal), he was the first in his family to graduate high school, let alone college.

“I was probably inspired by my own pediatrician, and then, growing up, I always had a passion for serving others,” he said, noting that he volunteered at a local hospital while in high school and was an EMT in college. “Those experiences solidified my path going to medical school.”

He pursued a master’s degree in public health and his medical degree at the same time at Tufts University School of Medicine, and became interested in family medicine there. When he spent time in hospital wards, his interest in a different setting became even more clear. “I really loved building relationships long-term, getting to know the patients, figuring things out together, and helping them stay healthy and out of the hospital.”

Now, at Greenfield Family Medicine, Macedo is 100% outpatient-focused.

“Part of the reason why I gravitated to primary care and family medicine is I definitely would get bored if I just focused on one organ system. I like being a comprehensivist, getting to know a little bit about everyone and treating people as people,” he explained, adding that he treats everyone from newborns to nonagenarians.

As an assistant professor of Family Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School – Baystate, he also gets to train the next generation.

“I always liked teaching, and in my own clinic, I often have medical students from UMass working with me. I’m training future family-medicine doctors,” he said, emphasizing the importance of that effort. “All of us know how hard it is to find a PCP and to get an appointment. We’ve developed a good system of building a foundation for more of them.”

The residency program recruits four individuals annually for a three-year training program, and Macedo said they often challenge him as much as he does them.

“I think students push you, in good ways. They ask great questions. I feel like I’m transforming the way I practice medicine for the better because of them,” he said. “And a number are staying in Western Mass., so we’re also building that pipeline.”

—Joseph Bednar

Shannon Lynch

By
Class of 2025

Assistant Vice President of Compliance, Mount Holyoke College: Age 30

Shannon Lynch

Shannon Lynch

While attending the Western New England University School of Law, Shannon Lynch was initially interested in sports law and contract work. As she developed her oral advocacy skills, she thought maybe she’d go that route.

But her experience working with WNE’s General Counsel office impacted her in a significant way. There, she helped investigate student grievances and coordinate Title IX cases, and after beginning her career in family law and then personal injury, an opportunity arose as Trinity College’s Title IX coordinator in 2021.

“That’s a position that is federally mandated, but a lot of institutions stick it on an HR person or an interim or part-time person. So coming in, I had to build an office and develop a rapport with students where, previously, there wasn’t a lot of trust there.”

Her efforts contributed to a 284% increase in student reports filed. She led an overhaul of the college’s policy on sexual harassment and supported the redevelopment of the non-discrimination policy.

In her current role at Mount Holyoke College, Lynch combines her experience in Title IX with other federal civil-rights laws, American Disabilities Act compliance, and civil-rights matters in higher education, the latter being a long-time passion.

Since starting last summer, Lynch has seen Title IX reporting jump again.

“It’s incredibly important, especially since Title IX covers sexual assault, sex discrimination, domestic and dating violence, and stalking, all of which is very prevalent in this age group and at higher-education institutions,” she noted. And reporting is important because an institution can’t fix what it doesn’t know about. We can’t make an institution safer and better for young individuals if we don’t know what’s happening to them.”

A figure skater who rose to the U.S. Junior National team, Lynch also co-founded (with her husband, Michael, a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2022) the Lynchie and Friends Foundation, which has donated more than $40,000 to several local health-related charities through a series of golf tournaments.

“Our first daughter just turned 3,” she said. “She was in the NICU at Baystate. To go back later and present them with a check, we were able to look at the nurses and say, ‘thank you so much for everything you did for us. Here’s something for you.’ Our nephew has autism, so once a year we do something toward autism. It’s really gratifying and keeps us connected to the community.”

—Joseph Bednar

Sarah Lapolice

By
Class of 2025

Tax Department Manager, Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C.: Age 37

Sarah Lapolice

Sarah Lapolice

While earning her MBA at Elms College, Sarah Lapolice says she was influenced by many of her teachers, but especially Julie Quink, then a partner and now managing principal of the accounting firm Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C.

“There’s a certain presence about her, and I remember leaving my last MBA class with Julie … I called my mom — I called her every night — and said, ‘there’s something about this woman; I don’t want to stop learning from her.’”

And, in essence, she hasn’t.

The two have offices a few yards apart at the firm’s West Springfield headquarters, with Lapolice crediting Quink with providing the inspiration and direction to become a CPA and eventually advance to the role of Tax Department manager.

The two share a passion for building teamwork and providing support to team members whenever and however it’s needed.

Indeed, when asked to walk us through the life of a Tax Department manager, Lapolice started by saying the first thing she does is “check in with everyone at the office.”

She explained that “it’s important for me to get a sense for how everyone else is feeling, including outside of work, so you can gauge where they’re at and whether they need support. I check in with them on a personal level and then on the work front.”

That’s especially true during the height of tax season, which is when she talked with BusinessWest. It’s a stressful time, one during which, as a manager, she focuses on providing support in myriad ways.

This is part of a broad job description that includes everything from growing the firm’s client base to helping those clients optimize their tax strategies; from employee training and development to building client relationships.

Lapolice brings to these assignments, and many others, a management philosophy grounded in solid teamwork, lessons learned from playing a variety of sports — starting when she was young and continuing through college — and also from playing music in tandem with others.

While instilling the importance of teamwork, she also sets an example when it comes to work in the community. She is active with the nonprofit Girls on the Run and now serves on its board, and has served on the philanthropic services committee for the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and has also served as a board member for Libertas Academy Charter School.

—George O’Brien

 

Tashea Jenkins

By
Class of 2025

Executive Director, One Village Inc.: Age 37

Tashea Jenkins

Tashea Jenkins

“Youth is my baby.”

That’s how Tashea Jenkins described her heart for helping young people through her nonprofit, One Village Inc.

In that role, she develops and prepares both teens and young adults for the workforce through programs, activities, and community service.

During the six-week curriculum, participants attend once a week and learn about topics like communication styles, conflict management in the workplace, how to sit for an interview, and what a résumé looks like. She also hosts events, games, speakers, field trips to employers, and more. The idea is to inspire young people to develop career ambitions and give them tools to pursue them.

“The last week, we try to have four or five employers come out, and they can do a mock job fair using the tools and knowledge they learned over those six weeks,” she explained.

Jenkins launched the initiative in 2017 after four Springfield Central High School students were killed in the crash of a stolen SUV on Union Street. She established it as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit five years later.

“I wanted to give back. I tell them, ‘guys, you’ve got so much ahead for your life. Don’t go out and do stupid stuff. Do your life. You’ve got so many years before you.”

Deeply involved in the community, Jenkins has coordinated events for a number of nonprofits, including Black Men of Greater Springfield, Walk in Their Shoes Foundation, Mission Church Ministries, and Pyramid Soccer Group.

Even at work, she always worked for the betterment of society. Her past positions include lead case manager with the New England Farm Workers Council’s Youth Program, outreach counselor with Behavioral Health Network, residential stabilization specialist with the Mental Health Assoc., re-entry employment specialist with MassHire Holyoke, and community sourcing specialist at Baystate Health. A few of those roles, notably, involved connecting people with jobs.

“Young people want to work. They want money. But nobody’s teaching them how to be sustainable,” she explained. “I’ve been helping to develop seniors and juniors in the workforce, getting them matched up with the right placements, the right career path, whether it’s school or training or trade.”

She especially wants to set an example for her 13-year-old son.

“One of the things I want to instill in him is not giving up. If you fall down, don’t stay down. And if you do fail, come up with a different plan so you can get back up.”

—Joseph Bednar

Brenton Jenkins

By
Class of 2025

Founder, Vision Entertainment: Age 30

Brenton Jenkins

Brenton Jenkins

Brenton Jenkins, better known to many as DJ Onyx, says he doesn’t remember what his first paid gig was.

He guesses it was a barbecue or birthday party for a friend or relative — he started DJing for events like that when he was 14.

His first big break, he said, came a few years later when he was fortunate enough to land several high-school graduation parties in Longmeadow, where he grew up.

“They’re a big deal in that town,” said Jenkins, who has gone on to much bigger deals in his career as founder and owner of Springfield-based Vision Entertainment.

These include being the resident DJ for UMass Athletics, starting in 2016; at MGM Springfield, starting in 2020; and at the Big E, where he opens for many of the major acts, since 2019, while also handling corporate clients, luxury weddings, and a wide range of large-scale events.

He’s also the entertainment provider for a long list of area schools, and an equally long list of nonprofit events and fundraisers ranging from Baystate Health’s National Health Week to Springfield’s Historic McKnight District’s annual block party, to the Holyoke Police Officers’ Ball.

As an entrepreneur, Jenkins, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management at Westfield State University, has steadily grown his business, consistently adding clients while also broadening the list of services to include photo booths, lighting, and other attractions.

He’s passionate about his work, but also giving back and sharing what he’s learned — about DJing, business, and life in general.

An active member of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, Jenkins has become involved in several mentorship and apprenticeship programs in the region.

“Passionate about giving back to the next generation, DJ Onyx actively mentors and provides apprenticeships for local youth, introducing them to entrepreneurship and the events industry,” wrote Amie Miarecki, president of Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, as she nominated him for the 40 Under Forty award. “Through hands-on experience in DJing, event production, and business development, he equips young talent with the skills and confidence to pursue careers in entertainment and entrepreneurship.”

Added Jenkins, “when someone asks me what it means to be successful, I say that it’s about doing something you love and creating wealth for myself and the people around me. And that’s not material wealth — that’s the wealth of life, the wealth of experiences, the wealth of knowledge.”

—George O’Brien

Angela Hansberry

By
Class of 2025

Financial Planning Assistant, the Jamrog Group: Age 37

Angela Hansberry

Angela Hansberry

For much of Angela Hansberry’s life, horses were the main focal point.

She got her first horse when she was 16 and later majored in equine business management at Johnson & Wales University. After graduating, she spent the next decade managing a horse barn in New Hampshire, working in equine rescue for the MSPCA, and teaching others how to ride.

But then … she was ready for a change, and a move back to Western Mass. And, long story short, while she still rides, her life has a different set of priorities, starting with her twins, Charlotte and Ryan; the latter suffers from autism and Williams syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects many parts of the body.

There’s also a new, emerging career as a financial planning assistant with the Holyoke-based Jamrog Group.

As Hansberry tells the story, a friend working at the Jamrog Group heard she was coming back to the region and asked if she was interested in an office job with the firm. She was, and in one short year, she progressed from receptionist to paraplanner.

“I enjoyed the work, so I decided I wanted to learn more about it; I started studying and taking exams and earning my life and health insurance licenses,” she said, adding that she earned additional designations enabling her to become a retired income certified professional.

While navigating her new career and Ryan’s early interventions, surgeries, and trips to specialists in Boston, she became focused on learning more about special-needs planning — for her own family as well as company clients — an earned the industry designation as a chartered special needs consultant.

“We’ve had a handful of families come to us who have children with special needs,” she said. “So it’s great to have that specialized training and be able to help them.”

Active in the community, Hansberry is a room parent at Meadowbrook School in East Longmeadow, assists with her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, and serves as a ‘parent buddy’ to Ryan as he plays baseball in the Miracle League of Western Massachusetts.

“Angela really is amazing, and an incredible role model for working mothers who prioritize their children and master the art of balancing it all,” said Amy Jamrog, CEO of the Jamrog Group, who nominated her for this award. “She is quiet, humble, and calm; I do not know what our team would do without her contribution to us and her clients.”

—George O’Brien

Diana Guzman

By
Class of 2025

Vice President of Human Resources, YWCA of Western Massachusetts: Age 36

Diana Guzman

Diana Guzman

Diana Guzman enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at age 17, serving for four years and excelling in a human-services role, handling trainings, promotions, changes of assignments and stations, and more.

“After I ended my enlistment, I took a little break to figure out what’s next,” she recalled. “Going from a really structured military world to being on my own was completely strange to me.”

So she continued on an HR path, earning a bachelor’s degree at DeVry College of New York, then returning home to Springfield and earning an MBA at American International College. She wound up at the YWCA of Western Massachusetts as a temporary receptionist, right around the time the HR assistant was leaving. From there, it’s been a steady climb to her current role.

Among her many responsibilities — from staff attendance and performance to recruitment matters to connecting employees with training and resources — Guzman especially loves onboarding new staff members. “We already have this culture at the YWCA, and it’s great to see people come in and contribute to that.”

She also speaks throughout the community about domestic violence and sexual assault, issues the YWCA deals with on a daily basis.

“It really is a pervasive problem, and I’m able to work in an organization where we’re trying to help people, telling them, ‘you’re not alone in this. It wasn’t your fault. We’re here for you.’ Being a part of that, even from an administrative support end, supporting the staff that is doing the work, I’m proud of that.”

Outside of work, Guzman is involved with her church’s children’s ministry and media ministry, and as a board member with the Western Massachusetts World Affairs Council, where she has been able to proudly share her Dominican heritage in myriad ways.

In addition, she is enrolled in a doctoral program in business administration at Liberty University and has launched her own business, Gentle Touch Cosmetics, selling homemade soaps and balms.

But she’s also been a balm to YWCA employees, with the staff recognizing her empathy and professionalism by naming her Employee of the Month.

“Her meteoric rise is a huge accomplishment in and of itself,” wrote CEO Elizabeth Dineen, who, for the second straight year, is celebrating two YWCA employees making the Forty Under 40. “Diana is a great role model for men and women alike as to what it means to be a true professional and patriot.”

—Joseph Bednar

Koby Gardner-Levine

By
Class of 2025

Regional Manager, Office of Congressman Jim McGovern: Age 29

Koby Gardner-Levine

Koby Gardner-Levine

Koby Gardner-Levine describes his work as being a “jack of all trades.”

Indeed, as regional manager for the Northampton office of U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, he handles everything from overseeing the needs of the 30 municipalities in the western portion of the massive district (most of them in Hampshire and Franklin counties) to assisting individual constituents with matters involving Social Security, veterans’ affairs, IRS matters, and more, to overseeing $8.5 million in Community Project Funding across the district in 2024.

Overall, it’s rewarding work, said Gardner-Levine, who has worked in McGovern’s Western Mass. office for six years, adding that, in many cases, but certainly not all, problems can be solved, and issues can be properly addressed.

“No day is exactly the same as the day before it,” he noted, adding that he often works with constituents one-on-one, but is also out in the community speaking to groups, as he did recently on Medicare policies. “I like being in a role where I’m able to give back to this community and really get a better understanding of the needs in this area.”

The Northampton office is generally busy with constituent calls and inquiries from officials in those 30 communities, he said, adding that the volume of calls has increased exponentially since the start of the Trump administration and its sweeping changes and executive orders.

“Our phones have been ringing off the hook since the new administration took office,” he noted. “We’ve certainly had a lot of constituent outreach on different federal initiatives coming out of the White House, and Congress as well.”

A Clark University graduate with a master’s degree in environmental science and policy, Gardner-Levine serves on the board of the Hitchcock Center for the Environment in Amherst, just one example of his involvement in the community. He also serves on the board of the United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region and is a member of the Hampshire Food Policy Council.

He also works closely with McGovern on food-security issues, and has served as a panelist in discussions hosted by the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the Amherst Survival Center, and the Hampshire County Council of Social Agencies to discuss various topics, including last year’s White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.

He has also worked in partnership with the African Heritage Reparations Assembly of Amherst, a group with a mission to study and develop reparation proposals for local people of African heritage.

—George O’Brien

 

Mo Freniere

By
Class of 2025

Deputy Director of Sales, Eastern States Exposition: Age 36

Mo Freniere

Mo Freniere

Mo Freniere brought a lot with her to her 40 Under Forty photo shoot, all to help capture everything that’s important to her.

There’s a promotional banner for her family’s Prospect Valley Farm in Westfield; a plaque that depicts a leadership award she won; some ribbons from Eastern States Exposition (ESE) won by her family, which has shown cattle and produce for four generations; a picture of her family; materials depicting the Westfield Fair, which she has served in many capacities; and more.

The photo captures the essence of Freniere’s life and career, which, in many ways, has revolved around agriculture, milking shorthorns, fairs, and especially the Big E, which she currently serves as deputy director of Sales.

In that capacity, she oversees the sales and administrative process for all non-fair events and manages the brick-and-mortar food and beverages service, including alcohol partners, during the Big E.

She’s responsible for growing revenue, expanding ESE’s non-fair event portfolio, and attracting new trade shows and events, and she has been successful in rebuilding that side of the Big E’s business since the difficult COVID years.

“We’re looking pretty good … it’s been a few years until these events have gotten back up to scale, but we’re steadily improving,” said Freniere, who earned a degree in animal science with a focus on agricultural finance at Cornell and worked for the Holstein Assoc. USA and briefly at Hampshire College before joining Eastern States Exposition in 2019.

A list of all she has done within the Western Mass. community — and beyond — also helps tell her story. She is or has been a member of the International Assoc. of Fairs & Expositions, an American Milking Shorthorn Junior Society advisor, a Wyben 4-H Dairy Club leader, Westfield Fair Assoc. secretary and Vendor and Concessions coordinator, a member of the ESE Ag & Ed advisory committee, an ESE milking shorthorn breed representative, and an ESE judging competition superintendent.

And while she doesn’t show cattle at the Big E any longer, because of her position with the company, her family does, and that’s just one of many forums for exhibiting their milking shorthorns.

“We travel all over the country showing our cattle,” she said. “Locally we do really well, regionally we do OK, and nationally we hold our own, so we’ve got room to grow.”

 

—George O’Brien

Amber Estelle

By
Class of 2025

Clinical Director, YWCA of Western Massachusetts: Age 32

Amber Estelle

Amber Estelle

Every year, BusinessWest lets readers know who is that year’s highest-scoring 40 Under Forty honoree, in the eyes of the five judges. And no one earns that honor by doing easy work.

That’s especially true for Amber Estelle.

As part of the leadership team at the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, her roles range from handling staff trainings on sexual-assault cases to supporting staff dealing with children who witnessed violence to supervising the sexual-assault and domestic-violence hotline. “The calls can be intense and triggering,” she said of the latter.

Again, not easy work. And not everyone comes out on the other side into a better situation, and no one at the YWCA has a hero complex, thinking they can save everyone.

“But the people who successfully leave the program, they’re always a reminder why I love doing what I do, even if it’s just that one person,” Estelle said. “We’re seed planters. We’re not always meant to make someone grow or blossom. But if they just leave here as a survivor … that one story goes a long way.”

At age 27, Estelle was appointed to oversee two four-year grants from the U.S. Department of Justice, one for adults and another for youths, to support survivors of human trafficking. She’s also a public speaker at conferences, colleges, jails, and nonprofits about domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual assault. A member of her church’s Sing Praise Team, she is also a frequent facilitator at church conferences, speaking about mental health. In her spare time, she also plays volleyball competitively..

She’s also an adjunct professor in Connecticut’s community-college system, teaching human-services courses for men in medium- and maximum-security prisons.

“A lot of people make wrong decisions. But being in prison does not make you a bad person. You just did something wrong. It doesn’t make any of us who are not in prison any more perfect,” Estelle said. “For them, the whole point is to rehabilitate, to be able to take something and learn something while they’re there so they can incorporate it into the rest of their lives when they leave.”

Many inmates are discouraged about their job prospects, she added, but social work is a career where many find that second chance.

“This field is very welcoming of people with lived experiences. You can use what you’ve been through as a tool to help people and encourage others to make different decisions so they don’t follow that path.”

—Joseph Bednar

Paris Felogloy

By
Class of 2025

School-age Childcare Director and Camp Director, Franklin County YMCA: Age 28

Paris Felogloy

Paris Felogloy

Paris Felogloy grew up attending summer camp at a YMCA.

“I remember being surrounded by so many different kids. I could come here and learn stuff from older kids and also learn stuff from the younger kids and play different games with all of them,” he recalled.

Which makes it even more gratifying to impact children today as director of Camp Apex, one of his roles at the Franklin County YMCA, where he oversees both the before- and after-school youth programs and the summer camp.

“We get kids as early as 6 a.m., then you get them back after school until 6 p.m.,” he said. “Most of the kids love it so much, they go to camp with us as well, so we watch them grow throughout the entire year. It’s awesome.”

Felogloy manages a staff of around 55 — mostly high-school or early college-age students — overseeing these programs, which typically serve about 230 children from kindergarten through grade 8. Both programs have grown under his leadership, generating talk of expanding them to meet demand.

“It’s really cool. Kids might geek out an arts-and-crafts project and then go upstairs and kick home runs in kickball. We surround kids with so many activities — swimming lessons, nature activities … a little bit of everything, from scooters, skateboards, and BMX bikes to virtual-reality stuff. We keep every moment of every day pretty busy. I just love being in front of these kids all the time. The impact is really life-changing.”

And not just for the kids, said Franklin County YMCA CEO Grady Vigneau Jr., who nominated Felogloy for 40 Under Forty, and noted that many of his staff are taking on the first professional work role of their lives — and learning under a committed teacher, coach, and mentor.

“It is not a stretch to state that Paris — within a safe, supportive, family-like environment — has developed innumerable young people into trusted, future professionals while still in high school,” Vigneau wrote.

Active in the community, Felogloy is a community ambassador for a child sexual-abuse prevention initiative through the Children’s Advocacy Center, while volunteering over the years for a host of other nonprofits. In addition, he has worked to cultivate a side business in photography and videography, and also builds furniture.

“I just enjoy the process of learning and doing things,” he said — and helping hundreds of kids do the same.

—Joseph Bednar

Chelsea Depault

By
Class of 2025

Vice President, Commercial and Municipal Lending, Greenfield Cooperative Bank: Age 36

Chelsea Depault

Chelsea Depault

Chelsea Depault says she got into banking “by default.”

As she explains it, the mother of an old boyfriend took it upon herself to help her secure a better job by submitting an application for her at Greenfield Cooperative Bank to be a teller.

That was in 2007. She got the job and has been there ever since (except for a two-year stint with Community Action of Pioneer Valley), rising in the ranks and securing a progression of titles, from accounting clerk to credit analyst; commercial loan officer to vice president, Commercial Operations officer, assuming a wide range of duties along the way.

During COVID, for example, she played a key role in helping install a manual process to train internal staff in the handling of PPP loan applications.

Today, her role as vice president, Commercial and Municipal Lending involves everything from handling loans for commercial customers, most of them small-business owners, to staffing the bank’s booth at Frontier Regional High School’s Teen Reality Fair, providing lessons in financial literacy.

These and other assignments are quite rewarding, said Depault, who earned degrees at Greenfield Community College and then the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst and has also completed the prestigious ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking program at the University of Pennsylvania. She especially likes working with business owners and guiding them through what can be a difficult process.

“No two businesses are the same, and no two deals are the same,” she explained. “Being able to help small businesses and big businesses achieve their goals — and those goals are always changing — is my favorite part of this job.”

Active in the community, she serves Community Action Pioneer Valley, a nonprofit that assists low-income residents with everything from fuel assistance to SNAP benefits, as treasurer. She also serves on the Northfield Recreation Committee (as treasurer, but also soccer and basketball coach), the Franklin County Community Development Corp. loan committee, Franklin County Community Meals, the Greenfield Public Library Foundation, the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, and more.

While doing all that, she finds plenty of time for family — husband, Doug, three children, Mason, Brody, and Ellie, and two dogs — and a wide range of outdoor activities and sports.

“All that keeps me busy,” she said. “But it’s a good busy.”

—George O’Brien

Sherleen Crespo

By
Class of 2025

Vice President, Branch Manager, and Mortgage Specialist, Westfield Bank: Age 36

Sherleen Crespo

Sherleen Crespo

Banking was a surprise career for Sherleen Crespo — but, as it turned out, a pleasant surprise. “Fresh out of high school, I was a waitress, but I needed a career, and someone told me about banking,” she recalled. “I started part-time while going to night school — and I loved it. I had a great mentor, and I went full-time from there.” Since starting that journey 17 years ago, she’s advanced through a series of supervisory roles and joined Westfield Bank as a branch manager in 2017. These days, she manages a branch of eight employees in Westfield, with responsibilities including overseeing customer service; retail and business product sales, including mortgage origination; business development and community outreach; and employee development. “My main passion in banking is financial literacy,” she added. “That’s what drew me into banking: to help people, whether they’re kids with a small bank account, middle- and high-school students, or adults. I really enjoy being able to help them financially, teach them about about credit, and keep them on a plan, whether they want to buy a home or whatever their passion is.” In the community, Crespo mentors youth on job-readiness skills; volunteered with the We Care Initiative, which provided care packages for older adults during the pandemic; and has been a board member and #GreenNFit house captain at Revitalize Community Development Corp. for the past six years, helping renovate local homes and make them safer and healthier for their residents. “We help a lot of people, and it makes a really big impact,” she said. “When you see the events, how many people get together, how many houses, it makes such a difference. It’s really touching when you work with these families from beginning to end, to see how emotional they are because it’s something they may not have been able to afford or they can’t do physically.” But Crespo’s financial-efforts in the community may be closest to her heart, whether by facilitating educational sessions in local schools and businesses or serving on the local Credit for Life committee, which sets up day-long fairs for high-school seniors, where they choose a virtual career path and make decisions about saving, budgeting, and spending. Such efforts earned her the 2019 Business Investment Award from Parent Villages. “That’s something I’m really passionate about,” she said. “I’m able to be there for the kids, and it ties into what I do at work. It’s amazing.” —Joseph Bednar

Tatiana Cole

By
Class of 2025

Business Connector and Coach, Free to Flourish, LLC: Age 38

Tatiana Cole

Tatiana Cole

Tatiana Cole said she was inspired to become an entrepreneurial coach by several family members, including her father, who had a side business cleaning commercial and residential buildings, and her mother, who sold quilts and sewing items.

She also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Central Connecticut State University and Springfield College, respectively, and built a background in event planning in higher education, from campus-wide events to professional conferences.

Marrying those aptitudes and inspirations, in 2017, Cole launched Free to Flourish, LLC, which aims to empower women entrepreneurs through coaching, strategic business planning, and networking opportunities.

As part of those efforts, she has curated large-scale Flourish Conferences in Massachusetts and North Carolina, as well as Flourish Connections networking events across Western Mass. and Connecticut.

“Free to Flourish focuses on the professional-development side of entrepreneurship,” she explained. The conferences feature the stories of real women who have overcome difficult personal struggles — from a pair of heart attacks by age 36 to ending an engagement — while running and growing their business.

“They give hope to other women that you’re not alone, that you can make it through to the other side,” she said. “As entrepreneurs, they show how they navigated that space and what lessons they had to learn.”

The networking events, typically held at women-owned businesses, also feature business owners speaking about overcoming challenges. Cole does one-on-one coaching and consulting as well and is looking to add new events to her offerings.

“I enjoy seeing the growth, a seed planted in an interaction that turns into an action plan — and I’m all about the action plan,” she said. “I’m their biggest cheerleader. They just need someone to see them, to help them walk a little taller and hold their head high because they know at least one person is on their side.”

Cole is also active in the community, serving on the board of Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, where she mentors women on career development and financial independence, and as a mentor for EforAll/EparaTodos Pioneer Valley, helping minority and immigrant entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses.

All of this is summed up by one of her nominators, Mydalis Vera, owner of Guerrera Writer, LLC, another of this year’s 40 Under Forty class, who appreciates how Cole empowers others. “Whether through her entrepreneurial initiatives, academic leadership, or civic engagement, she continues to make a meaningful impact in the lives of students, professionals, and business owners.”

—Joseph Bednar

Olivia Calcasola

By
Class of 2025

Tax Supervisor, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.: Age 27

Olivia Calcasola

Olivia Calcasola

Olivia Calcasola started her career in accounting at the Boston-based firm RSM US.

That was in November 2019. Just a few months later, COVID hit, and, like almost everyone else at the firm, she was sent home to work, and did so for the next two years.

This was a difficult, trying stretch, she said, adding that she, like other young accountants, missed out on the mentoring and camaraderie that comes with being in an office every day.

But she believes that, ultimately, that experience has made her a better accountant and worker.

“You had to sink or swim — I pretty much had to teach myself everything that I would have learned in person or learned with a mentor,” she said. “I didn’t have what I have now — the ability to go talk to someone and knock on their door.”

Those experiences have made Calcasola even more determined to be a mentor and foster professional development.

And she does this in her role as tax supervisor at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK), where her day job involves everything from overseeing the preparation and review of complex individual, corporate, and partnership returns to managing client relationships; from conducting tax research to staying current on changes in tax laws, regulations, and rulings.

“We all have designated mentors here, but we all try to mentor each other,” she said, adding that this is one of the reasons why she enjoys what she does and loves going to work every day — even at the height of tax season.

Calcasola, a graduate of UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management and one of two young professionals from MBK named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2025, is also actively involved in many of the firm’s efforts to give back, especially through its community-service events and initiatives.

She has spearheaded an event for HCS Head Start — a drive to collect winter coats for children — while also working on the United Way of Pioneer Valley’s Stuff the Bus program, which collects school supplies, among other efforts.

Through the firm’s Community Outreach Program, she has participated in events to support groups ranging from the Springfield Boys and Girls Club to the Gray House; from Girl Scouts of Western Massachusetts to Better Together Dog Rescue.

While doing that, she finds plenty of time for her fiancé, Jon, and Siberian husky, Gunner.

 

—George O’Brien

Head Start Director Sounds Alarm on Looming Federal Funding Cuts

By
Daily News

By Nicole Blais

Since 1965, Head Start has been an essential source of support for millions of children and families, offering early childhood education, health services, and family support to those who need it most.

This 60-year history rings true right here in the Greater Holyoke, Chicopee, and Springfield area. Holyoke, Chicopee, Springfield Head Start Inc. (HCS Head Start) started in 1965 in the community room of Toepfert Housing in Holyoke with one classroom and today has grown to serve more than 600 children and families (with an additional 700 families on our waitlists) annually in several local communities.

Commentary

HCS Head Start is more than just a program; it is a lifeline that connects families to vital resources. The looming threats of federal funding cuts— especially to programs that safeguard the health and wellbeing of our children and families — is an issue affecting more than just those we serve.

These cuts should concern everyone who is committed to the vitality of the region because the ripple effect of lost funding will go far beyond families served. Parents may find themselves unable to work because they cannot secure childcare, affecting local employers.

The elimination of Head Start would impact HCS as an employer, affecting more than 220 dedicated and qualified staff, thus affecting the local economy. Our vendors, consultants, and small businesses we work with will be impacted and most importantly, children will be unprepared for kindergarten affecting our local school districts, many who are also struggling due to funding cuts.

The Head Start program is highly regulated and frequently audited to ensure we are good stewards of federal resources, and the children enrolled in our programs make significant gains toward school readiness every year. In addition, Head Start leads families to economic self-sufficiency and helps them find a pathway to independence and success, one parent and child at a time; close to 25% of employees of HCS are past or current Head Start parents. While we provide crucial early learning services for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, the strength of our program truly lies in the unwavering support of our community. Community partners, parents, devoted volunteers, consultants, and many others are integral to our success; we need you now more than ever.

For six decades, our nation has made incredible strides in early education, thanks to the critical investments made in Head Start at the federal level. Years of research tell us that, for every dollar invested in early education, our communities receive a remarkable 13% return on investment. We simply cannot afford to take steps backward now; the wellbeing of our children, families, and communities depends on it.

Nicole Blais is CEO of HCS Head Start Inc.

MSB Promotes Kate Blackwell to Assistant Branch Manager

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Daily News

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank announced the promotion of Kate Blackwell to assistant branch manager of the bank’s Ware branch.

Kate Blackwell

Kate Blackwell

In this new role, Blackwell will support branch operations, ensure exceptional customer service, guide staff development, and continue to grow strong banking relationships with new and existing customers.

Blackwell joined Monson Savings Bank nearly six years ago.

“Kate has been a vital part of our team and has grown tremendously throughout her career with Monson Savings Bank,” said Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank. “Her dedication to our customers, her passion for helping people, and her deep understanding of our community make her the perfect fit for this role.”

Before starting her career in banking, Blackwell owned and operated her own massage therapy business for five years, where she developed a strong foundation in customer service and small-business management. Since joining MSB, she has continued to build on that experience, culminating in being named the bank’s first-ever President’s Award winner for her outstanding performance.

“I’m happy to continue my career as part of the MSB family,” said Blackwell. “I look forward to helping current and future customers reach their financial goals and for them to enjoy the experience of service that sets us apart in our industry. Helping others isn’t a chore; it’s one of the greatest gifts there is.”

Lee Bank Foundation Awards $69,800 in First Grant Cycle of 2025

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Daily News

LEE — The Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $69,800 in grant funding to 13 Berkshire-based nonprofits as part of its first funding cycle of 2025. This investment underscores the foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting programs that meet vital community needs and promote equity and opportunity across the region.

Grants range from $2,500 to $10,000, and will support initiatives across a variety of sectors, including education, economic development, health services, and the arts.

The 2025 first-round grant recipients are: Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention; Berkshire Community Diaper Project; Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative; Berkshire Innovation Center; Berkshire Nursing Families; Community Recreation Assoc.; Construct;

Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Assoc.; Hilltown Village Inc. DBA It Takes a Village; Literacy Network of South Berkshire; Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center; Sonrisas; and the

Railroad Street Youth Project.

Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for the next grant cycle, with a deadline of June 2, can find application materials and eligibility details on the Community Impact section of Lee Bank’s website: www.leebank.com/community-impact/donations-sponsorships.html.

To be eligible, applicants must be designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The Foundation prioritizes proposals that align with one or more of its six focus areas: Education and literacy, food security and nutrition, economic growth and development; health and human services; and mentorship, internship, and school-to-work initiatives.

Organizations may receive one grant within a 12-month period.

Longmeadow Real Estate Developer Pleads Guilty to $19M Loan Fraud

By
Daily News

BOSTON — Longmeadow real estate developer Louis Masaschi pleaded guilty Tuesday to using fake tenant documents to secure more than $19 million in loans for real estate businesses he co-owned with his wife, which he then defaulted on, federal prosecutors said.

The Boston Globe reported that Masaschi, 59, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to identity theft, two counts of wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley’s office.

He faces up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy count and up to 30 years for each wire-fraud count, the statement said. He also could be fined up to $1 million, or twice the total of any gains or losses tied to his crimes. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 23, the statement said.

According to the statement, between May 2016 and November 2018, Masaschi used forged rent rolls and lease agreements to obtain loans for the dozens of real estate companies he co-owned with his wife, Jeanette Norman. Those companies held multiple office buildings and some apartments in Springfield, Longmeadow, and Enfield, Conn., the Globe reported.

He then made little to no payments and ultimately defaulted on the loans. In all, he sought about $60.1 million in financing and caused about $19.3 million in losses, the statement said.

Norman, Masaschi’s wife, is alleged to have conspired in the scheme, according to the statement. The couple was indicted in April 2023; Norman has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial in October 2025.

Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast Announces New Executive Peer Group

By
Daily News

AGAWAM — The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE) announced the launch of its Executive Peer Group, an exclusive leadership forum designed to connect senior executives across industries in a confidential, collaborative setting.

This invitation-only group provides C-suite and senior leaders with a trusted network to exchange ideas, tackle challenges, and strengthen leadership impact. Through expert-facilitated sessions, members will engage in strategic discussions on key business issues such as workforce planning, succession, change management, innovation, and executive decision making.

“The Executive Peer Group is a unique opportunity for senior leaders to step out of the day-to-day, think strategically, and learn from peers who truly understand the weight of leadership,” said Allison Ebner, EANE president. “This is not a seminar or workshop — it’s a sounding board, a brain trust, and a leadership accelerator.”

Key benefits of participation include confidential peer-to-peer sharing and problem solving, insight on emerging trends and executive-level challenges, access to expert facilitation and curated leadership resources, and a trusted circle for accountability, innovation, and personal growth.

This program is ideal for CEOs, presidents, COOs, CFOs, and other senior decision makers looking to elevate their leadership in today’s complex business environment. To learn more or express interest in joining, email Ebner at [email protected].

Local Farmer Awards Fuel Farm Improvements Across Western Mass.

By
Daily News

AGAWAM — Grants of up to $2,500 have been awarded to 116 farmers in Western Mass. as part of this year’s Local Farmer Awards. These grants, totaling $267,850, which support a variety of farm operations and capital-improvement projects, are funded by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation in partnership with Big Y, the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation, and other community funders. This year, the program celebrates its 11th year with a record number of recipients.

“As the growing season begins, we’re proud to support local farmers by investing directly in them and their success — whether they’re planting crops, tending to dairy and livestock year-round, or producing seasonal favorites like maple syrup,” said Charlie D’Amour, executive chairman of the board at Big Y. “These grants aren’t just about dollars — they’re an investment in our communities and support the stability and growth of our local farms to help ensure that they can continue to feed our communities for generations to come.”

The Local Farmer Awards program helps new and established farms make essential investments — such as irrigation, storage, and equipment upgrades — with farmers also contributing their own resources to strengthen their operations.

Karl Prahl, farmer and owner of Underline Farm in Easthampton, received an award to purchase new grain silos. “This grant means everything to our farm,” he said. “With the rising cost of grain, being able to store feed in bulk will help us keep costs down and keep our meat prices affordable for local families.”

In addition to the four funding partners listed above, other funders include Ann and Steve Davis, Charles and Elizabeth D’Amour, Robin and Audrey Taylor, Barbara Deslauriers, PeoplesBank, DeNucci Group Merrill, Eastern States Exposition, Andrews, HP Hood, Baystate Health, Three County Fair, Smith College, bankESB, Country Bank, and Franklin First Federal Credit Union.

“With 788 projects supported to date in our region, we’ve seen firsthand how these grants, funded by community businesses and individual philanthropists, help farmers make meaningful improvements that strengthen their businesses,” said Cari Carpenter, director of the Local Farmer Awards. “This year, the program received 207 applications, leaving 91 worthy projects unfunded, clearly illustrating the growing need for support among the region’s farmers. Our local farmers rely on our collective efforts, and we should all consider purchasing fresh, locally grown products when possible.”

Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative to Host Networking Event at Venfort Hall

By
Daily News

LENOX — Berkshire Film & Media Collaborative (BFMC) will host a spring networking event on Tuesday, May 13 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the historic Ventfort Hall in Lenox.

BFMC’s networking events bring together filmmakers, editors, technicians, educators, and media professionals from across the region to share ideas, find collaborators, and spark new creative projects.

“This is our first in-person networking event since COVID. We’re excited to gather members of our industry together to see old friends and make new connections,” said Diane Pearlman, executive director of BFMC. “Whether you’re a seasoned filmmaker or just curious about getting involved in this industry, we welcome you to be part of this growing creative community. We’re excited to collaborate with our friends at Ventfort Hall, featured in the Oscar-winning film The Cider House Rules. It’s the perfect location for our event.”

Ventfort Hall is an elegant, artisan-crafted Jacobean Revival mansion built in 1893 for George and Sarah Morgan, JP Morgan’s sister, in Lenox. The estate is on the National Register of Historic Places and is now a house museum. Daily self-guided tours are offered year-round, as well as lectures and teas, exhibits, ghost hunts and tours, children’s programs, and concerts.

Admission to the networking event is free, but space is limited to 100 guests. RSVP is required on Eventbrite by May 12. Click here to register.

Light bites will be served, and a cash bar will be available. Donations are welcome at the door to support BFMC’s educational programming, including its high-school documentary film curriculum, “Your Voice Through Video.”

For more information about the event, visit the Eventbrite link or email BFMC at [email protected].

WNE Launches New Master’s Degree in Biopharmaceutical Technology

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Western New England University (WNE) is launching a new master of science in biopharmaceutical technology (MSBT) program this fall. This innovative program is designed to meet the evolving needs of the biopharmaceutical industry and align with the Pharma 4.0 movement, which leverages digitalization to enhance therapeutic development and manufacturing.

The MSBT program offers an interdisciplinary curriculum blending pharmaceutical sciences, biopharmaceutics, and engineering. Students will train in state-of-the-art labs and gain hands-on experience in developing advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs), including cell and gene therapies and regenerative medicines. The program can be completed in as little as one year, providing a fast track to careers in biotech and biomanufacturing.

“This program reflects our commitment to preparing students both for the future of work and for the future of healthcare,” WNE President Robert Johnson said. “It addresses the growing workforce demands in biotech while equipping graduates with the skills needed to lead in an evolving industry.”

The curriculum emphasizes digital literacy, automation, and data fluency — skills essential for navigating Pharma 4.0, as outlined by the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering.

Supported by a $500,000 grant from the Healey-Driscoll administration through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, the MSBT program exemplifies WNE’s investment in workforce development and innovation. To learn more or apply, visit www.wne.edu/phs.

Celebrating the 40 Under Forty

By
Opinion

Editorial

Turtlepalooza. The Sheriff’s Shuffle. Lynchie and Friends. Swim 1922.

Monson Free Library. The Miracle League of Western Massachusetts. Credit for Life. Girls on the Run.

Head of Internal Audit. Founder and CEO. Dental practice owner. Farm & Food Products Program director.

Respectively, these are some of the unique community programs that members of the 40 Under Forty class of 2025 are involved with; just a few of the nonprofits to which they donate time, energy, and expertise; and a handful of the many impressive titles they now hold.

Collectively, all this helps tell story of this class, which, like the 18 before it, is full of rising stars doing impressive things. And, like previous classes, this one is diverse, although 29 are women, tying a record set just last year; what that trend means, we don’t exactly know.

But it’s diverse in every other sense of that word, including geography — members represent communities from Greenfield to Monson; Holyoke to Ludlow — and business sectors. Indeed, while there are bankers, accountants, and nonprofit managers, there’s also a DJ with his own entertainment company, an EMS coordinator, and the employment program supervisor for the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department.

This rich diversity and collection of inspiring stories helps explain why BusinessWest created its 40 Under Forty program back in 2007. The strategy was simple: solicit nominations from across Western Mass., hand them to a panel of judges, let them decide which ones stand out the most, and then inspire a region by simply telling their stories.

We’re up to 760 of them now, and each one has been different, but with some common denominators — namely, outstanding work in their chosen field and a willingness to give back to the community.

And by highlighting what they do, we learn more about them — whether they keep bees and sell honey or play the guitar or raise milking shorthorns — and this personalizes the stories, bringing into focus the many ways in which they balance life and work.

One of the reasons we created Forty Under 40 and tell these stories is to inspire others to follow the lead of those being honored and find their own way to stand out. And we have to believe that the program has done that.

After reading about these 40 people, how could you not be inspired?

Developing Executive Leaders Is Key

By Contributor
Opinion

Opinion

By Kim Dunn

Have you ever met someone who described themselves as a ‘lifelong learner?’ If you have, then you likely know why the ongoing development of executives is critical to your organization’s success.

In today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving business landscape, executive-level leaders face immense pressure to guide their organizations toward success while navigating complex challenges. The ability to make strategic decisions, foster innovation, and inspire teams is crucial — and it all begins with continuous development of leadership.

Executive development is not merely a luxury; it’s a necessity. Leaders at the top often set the tone for organizational culture and performance. By investing in the growth of executives, leaders strengthen their ability to adapt to new market trends, embrace diverse perspectives, and foster resilience in the face of uncertainty.

Leaders often feel they are responsible for having all the answers, and they put enormous pressure on themselves to be everything to everyone. In reality, we know that no one leader knows everything. We can, however, increase our knowledge while sharing experiences and challenges with peers. Developing yourself through peer learning can enhance essential skills such as emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and decision making, all of which are indispensable for effective leadership.

Facilitated peer-group conversations can provide leaders with a unique platform to connect, learn, and collaborate. Executive roles can be isolating, as individuals in these positions may feel reluctant to share vulnerabilities or challenges within their organization. Peer groups offer a safe space to exchange ideas, seek advice, and gain valuable insights from others who have faced similar situations. These conversations foster a sense of community and spark innovative solutions that might not emerge in isolation.

When executive development and peer-group interactions are prioritized, organizations reap the benefits. Leaders become more agile, insightful, and equipped to tackle both internal and external challenges. Investing in the development of executive leaders is not just an investment in individuals, it’s an investment in the future of the organization. By cultivating a culture of growth, collaboration, and shared wisdom, businesses empower their leaders to thrive and lead with purpose.

If you or someone you work with is an executive who would benefit from actively participating in an executive peer group, the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast will offer an executive-coach-facilitated executive peer group starting in June. Visit www.eane.org/executive-peer-group for more information and to register.

 

Kim Dunn is a strategic human resources consultant with the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast. This article first appeared on the EANE blog; eane.org

Picture This

By
River Valley Counseling Center recently received a donation of $1,239.50 from the Valley Players’ February production, Love Letters.
Picture This

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

 

Community Support

River Valley Counseling Center recently received a donation of $1,239.50 from the Valley Players’ February production, Love Letters. Over four performances, the net ticket revenue came to $2,479. For each play the Valley Players produces, a local nonprofit organization whose mission aligns with important themes in the play is selected to receive half of the net ticket revenue. One of the two characters in Love Letters struggles with a number of mental-health challenges with a lack of necessary resources to handle it appropriately. For that reason, River Valley Counseling Center was selected.

River Valley Counseling Center recently received a donation of $1,239.50 from the Valley Players’ February production, Love Letters.

River Valley Counseling Center recently received a donation of $1,239.50 from the Valley Players’ February production, Love Letters.

 

 

Sharing a Passion for Books

Link to Libraries recently brought two children’s book authors, Kari Allen and Carrie Kruck, to share their work and passion for books and reading with students at Sumner Avenue Elementary School in Springfield and Lambert-Lavoie Elementary School in Chicopee. Pictured is author Carrie Kruck with fourth-grade students at Sumner. Link to Libraries donated a copy of Kruck’s debut picture book, Iggy Who Breathes Fire, to every fourth-grader at the school.

Pictured is author Carrie Kruck with fourth-grade students at Sumner. Link to Libraries donated a copy of Kruck’s debut picture book, Iggy Who Breathes Fire, to every fourth-grader at the school.

Pictured is author Carrie Kruck with fourth-grade students at Sumner. Link to Libraries donated a copy of Kruck’s debut picture book, Iggy Who Breathes Fire, to every fourth-grader at the school.

 

 

Hometown Hero

Health-benefit company Wellpoint, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and community leaders made a surprise visit to the Springfield Police Department on April 3 to honor Officer Nestor Santos as a Hometown Hero. Santos was joined by his family, friends, and fellow officers in a lunch celebration.

Pictured, from left: state Rep. Bud Willams, Wellpoint General Manager David Morales, Santos, Springfield Police Superintendent Larry Akers, Beasley Media Group Director of Sales Brian Schneekloth, Sarno, and Springfield City Councilor Malo Brown.

Pictured, from left: state Rep. Bud Willams, Wellpoint General Manager David Morales, Santos, Springfield Police Superintendent Larry Akers, Beasley Media Group Director of Sales Brian Schneekloth, Sarno, and Springfield City Councilor Malo Brown.

 

Agenda

By
Agenda

Annual Age of Excellence Award Nominations

Through June 15: Do you know someone who is redefining what it means to be over 60? Building on the success of the inaugural awards in 2024, Glenmeadow announced the opening of nominations for the Age of Excellence Awards: Celebrating Success over 60. This event honors older adults in the local community who embody the vigor, purpose, and contributions that come with age and experience. Nominations are now open for individuals who have made a significant impact in their communities after age 60. Whether pursuing new professional endeavors, serving their communities, or showing extraordinary perseverance and excellence in other areas of life, these individuals deserve to be celebrated. Nominations may be submitted online at glenmeadow.org. Hard copies of the nomination form are available at the concierge desk at Glenmeadow, or a PDF may be downloaded from the event page and sent to Age of Excellence Awards, 24 Tabor Crossing, Longmeadow, MA 01106. A panel of community leaders will select the honorees, who will be recognized at the Age of Excellence Awards ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at Springfield Country Club. This inspiring event will bring together honorees, their families, friends, and supporters to recognize their achievements. Tickets are available for purchase at weblink.donorperfect.com/ageofexcellence.

 

U.S. Foreign Policy Discussion

April 29: The World Affairs Council will present Kavita Khory, Ruth Lawson professor of Politics and Carol Hoffmann Collins director of the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives at Mount Holyoke College, who will address “Emerging Powers and US Foreign Policy: Implications for Global Governance” at an Instant Issues brown-bag discussion at noon in the ninth-floor gallery of 1350 Main St. in downtown Springfield. A longtime member and friend of the council, Khory teaches courses at Mount Holyoke on comparative and international politics, South Asia, and migration. She has written on topics covering South Asian politics, foreign policy, and diaspora politics. The cost is $5 for World Affairs Council members and $10 for non-members. High-school and undergraduate students can attend for free. To register online with a credit card, visit wacwestma.org, or call the World Affairs Council at (413) 733-0110.

 

Pioneer Valley Conference for Women

May 1: The fourth annual Pioneer Valley Conference for Women will be held in person from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. Sponsors include Liberty Bank, Westfield Savings Bank, M&T Bank, and YMCA of Western Massachusetts. Xiomara Albán DeLobato will serve as emcee for the conference. As vice president and chief of staff for the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, she works to facilitate growth and development of the region’s economy. She is also an active member of numerous boards, including Girls Inc. of the Valley, Veritas Prep Charter School in Springfield, and others. Keynote speakers are Krystal Say, co-founder of the Hyouman Experience and owner of SWEAT Power Yoga, and Dr. Jacqueline Johnson, who serves as chief Facilities Expansion and Sustainability officer at Caring Health Center and is also a faculty member at Bay Path University, teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from 30 local experts on 10 panels throughout the morning and afternoon. Visit sheslocal.org/pioneer-valley-conference-for-women to see the different panel topics available, and for more information about the conference.

 

Eat, Drink, & Be Holyoke

May 1: The Holyoke Rotary Club announced that Eat, Drink, & Be Holyoke, its premier tasting fundraiser and silent auction, will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Holyoke Council on Aging & Senior Center and will include live music performed by the Earls & Pearls. The event will feature food prepared by Amedeo’s, Fame, Pic’s Pub, Rusty’s Place, and Sumo. Beverage tastings will be provided by Quality Beverage and Wine Haus. Tasting samples will include craft beer, seltzers, canned cocktails, and wine. Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased by visiting edbh2025.eventbrite.com. Proceeds will go toward supporting Rotary projects, mostly within the Holyoke Rotary district of Holyoke, South Hadley, and Granby. Ongoing Holyoke Rotary projects include providing several annual scholarships, providing food for those in need through community collaborations, and fostering community engagement with free summer concerts, as well as funding international clean-water initiatives.

 

Feast in the East

April 29: The ERC5 announced that Feast in the East 2025 will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Starting Gate at Great Horse, 128 Wilbraham Road, Hampden. This event will bring together more than 40 local vendors, including restaurateurs, confectioners, breweries, and wineries, creating an atmosphere for networking and community engagement. Attendees can indulge in diverse culinary experiences while enjoying the view overlooking the Pioneer Valley. PeoplesBank is the premier sponsor for this event, and Square One is the spotlighted nonprofit organization for this year’s Feast in the East. In an effort to be more impactful and mindful, event organizers have also welcomed back Rachel’s Table, which will ensure that food not served during the event will be collected and distributed to local organizations and shelters. For more information, to purchase tickets, or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.erc5.com.

 

Elms College Experiential Learning Showcase

May 2: Elms College students will showcase their real-world experiences gained through internships, research, service work, and travel opportunities at the annual Experiential Learning Showcase from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This program is open to all, with no need to register. At Elms College, 95% of students participate in internships, research, and service opportunities through the Dolores Donlin Noonan ’39 Experiential Learning Program. Students have explored opportunities with many local organizations, including Way Finders, Polish Discovery Center, Holyoke Soldiers Home, Springfield Thunderbirds, Hampden County’s Sheriff’s Office, Care Center, and the office of state Rep. Shirley Arriaga.

 

Link to Libraries Gala

May 8: Link to Libraries announce its biennial gala, an evening that celebrates the organization’s transformative impact in the community while raising vital funds to ensure children have access to the books and programming they deserve. This year’s gala, taking place at the Basketball Hall of Fame, will feature a Swifty-themed evening inspired by Taylor Swift’s celebrated Eras Tour. Guests will enjoy an elegant night filled with cocktails, dinner, an auction, and the opportunity to connect with others passionate about the power of reading to transform lives. All proceeds from the gala go directly to Link to Libraries, a nonprofit committed to fostering literacy by providing books and programming for children in underserved communities. Tickets cost $90 per person, or $250 for VIP tickets that include a pre-gala VIP cocktail reception. Tickets are available at www.linktolibraries.org.

 

‘The Journey’

May 10: Graduate Women in Business, in collaboration with the UMass Fine Arts Center, will present “The Journey,” a charity gala at the UMass Campus Center Auditorium that celebrates the talent, transitions, and triumphs of women. The evening will be filled with music, dance, an auction benefiting Girls Inc. of the Valley and the Care Center in Holyoke, and thought-provoking panel discussions with influential women who have made significant impacts in their fields, as well as a motivating, empowering keynote address. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For details, contact Melisha Williams at [email protected] or [email protected].

 

Coffee & Connections

May 16: The Chamber of Greater Easthampton will hold its second Coffee & Connections of the year from 8 to 9 a.m. at its WorkHub on Union co-working space at 33 Union St., Easthampton. Registration is complimentary and open to all business, organizational, and community leaders; however, registration is required due to limited registrations available. For more information or to register, visit the chamber’s events calendar at www.easthamptonchamber.org or email [email protected].

 

Shred Days

May 17, 31: bankESB invites customers and members of the community to two free Shred Days at local offices. No appointment is necessary. Events will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. (or until the truck is full) on the following dates and at the following locations: May 17 at the 770 Main St., Agawam office (in partnership with the Parish Cupboard, which will be collecting food donations), and May 31 at the 241 Northampton St., Easthampton office (two trucks will be at this event). Local residents can reduce their risk of identity theft by bringing old mail, receipts, statements or bills, canceled checks, pay stubs, medical records, or any other unwanted paper documents containing personal or confidential information and shredding them safely and securely for free. A professional document-destruction company will be on site in the bank’s parking lot and can accept up to two boxes of documents per person.

 

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. 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. Diverse divisions include young girls and boys, women, men, high-school ages, college level, OGs, veterans, and more. Fees range according to age. 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.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Sarah Stine

Sarah Stine

O’Connell Development Group (ODG) announced the appointment of Sarah Stine as president. She takes over the role from Jim Sullivan, who held the position for more than a decade and will continue to serve as president of the O’Connell Companies. Stine has been with the O’Connell Companies since 2012, starting her career at Daniel O’Connell’s Sons as a project manager. In 2022, she transitioned to ODG, where she served as Development manager and later as vice president of Real Estate Development. Throughout her tenure at ODG, she has played an integral role in facilitating zoning changes, securing municipal development approvals, and leading substantial upgrades to properties within the ODG portfolio. She has managed the design, coordination, and construction of multiple active development projects. As president, Stine will be responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of ODG and its subsidiaries. She will continue to lead efforts in sourcing new acquisition and development opportunities, while also remaining deeply involved in the management of ODG’s extensive real-estate development portfolio and the execution of current and future development projects.

•••••

Ruth Griggs, Northampton Jazz Festival board president, has been named a Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Assoc. in its 25th annual recognition of “activists, advocates, altruists, aiders, and abettors of jazz” across the U.S. Griggs has led the Northampton Jazz Festival since 2017, when she reformed the festival board, reinstated its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, and planned the first festival since 2015, which took place in 2018 at various venues throughout downtown Northampton. The Jazz Journalists Assoc., convened in 1987, is a nonprofit organization with 250 international members that provides creative and educational resources to individuals that forward the American art form known as jazz. Since 2001, the association has identified and hailed individuals from local jazz communities across America who go beyond their basic responsibilities to sustain and expand on musical activities. The 2025 Jazz Heroes campaign is concurrent with the 30th annual Jazz Journalists Assoc. Jazz Awards for jazz musicians. Griggs was also named a Difference Maker by BusinessWest in 2022 for her decades-long career as a marketing strategist and her leadership of the Northampton Jazz Festival.

•••••

Liz Chrystal

Liz Chrystal

Country Bank announced the appointment of Liz Chrystal as the new vice president of Project Management. Her appointment represents an important step in the bank’s continued focus on operational excellence and strategic growth. Chrystal brings more than 16 years of project-management experience to her role, including the last two years in the financial-services industry. She earned her bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with a concentration in business administration and management and holds a project management professional certification from Bryant University. Her career began in project-management roles across a variety of sectors, including commercial healthcare and IT professional services for government agencies. She later served on the IT executive leadership team at Baystate Health, a five-site integrated health system headquartered in Springfield. Most recently, she was part of the senior leadership team at a financial-services company, where she led the Enterprise Project Management Office, Customer Success, and Business Solutions divisions. Chrystal’s dedication to quality and excellence has been recognized throughout her career, including receiving the SHINE Award from Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan for her work in integrity and quality assurance. In addition to her professional contributions, Chrystal actively supports her local community through regular donations to Springfield Rescue Mission and the Cupboard Pantry in West Springfield.

•••••

Teach Western Mass (TWM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the educator workforce in Western Mass., announced that its founding executive director, Pema Latshang, will step down from her role at the end of April. Latshang launched TWM in 2016 with a bold, community-driven vision: that every student in Springfield, Holyoke, and surrounding communities in Western Mass. deserves an excellent teacher who reflects their identity and understands their lived experience. Under her leadership, TWM launched and expanded its flagship teacher residency program, placing more than 200 mission-driven educators in Springfield and Holyoke classrooms. During her tenure, Latshang and her team also launched several innovative initiatives aimed at cultivating high-quality educators, including the Teach Western Mass Residency; the Black, Latine, and Educators of Color Fellowship; TWM’s AmeriCorps Professional Corps; partnerships with American International College, Smith College, and Generation Teach; and the Certified Teachers Program and the Graduate Fellowship. These initiatives have collectively supported and trained hundreds of diverse educators who now serve students across the region, creating lasting impact in public-school classrooms. TWM’s board of directors has engaged the Financial Development Agency of Amherst to guide the leadership transition. In the interim, longtime TWM leaders Julie Anderson, deputy director of Strategy and Operations, and Lisa Doherty, deputy director of Programs, will continue leading the organization.

•••••

Brenda Petell

MountainOne recently welcomed Brenda Petell as vice president, Community Engagement officer. In this role, she leads community-engagement efforts across the Berkshires and South Shore, strengthening partnerships, advancing philanthropic initiatives, and furthering MountainOne’s long-standing commitment to the communities it serves. Petell brings a wealth of experience to MountainOne. Most recently, she served as director of Volunteer Engagement at Berkshire United Way. With a background in finance, people operations, and process improvement, her insights will be key in modernizing process and enhancing MountainOne’s community-engagement initiatives. Petell will soon be named the 2025 recipient of the Girls Inc. of the Berkshires She Knows Where She’s Going Award, which honors her ongoing work as an outstanding local female leader who serves as a role model for young women. As part of her responsibilities, she will oversee MountainOne’s Community Dividend Program, coordinate corporate giving, and ensure that MountainOne’s support aligns with initiatives that reflect the company’s mission. She will also lead employee volunteer efforts, financial-literacy programs, and storybook programming.

•••••

Alignable, the largest online networking platform for small businesses, announced that Judy Herrell of Herrell’s Ice Cream has been elected as Northampton’s 2025 Business Person of the Year. Alignable’s 2025 Local Business Person of the Year contest logged more than 333,000 votes, 77,000 recommendations, and 4,750 winners across the U.S. and Canada. The largest online networking platform for business owners, alignable.com invited its more than 9 million members to shout out local business leaders who have gone above and beyond guiding peers and supporting entire communities.

•••••

Nicole Blais

Nicole Blais

Nicole Blais, CEO of Holyoke, Chicopee, Springfield Head Start Inc. (HCS Head Start), was recently elected to the New England Head Start Assoc. (NEHSA) board of directors. Her first role at HCS Head Start, in 1996, was as Parent Education and Support specialist, where she was responsible for ensuring that performance standards and other regulations related to parent involvement were upheld at all times. She spent the next decade developing and implementing various parent and family-engagement programs, supervising a team and speaking and presenting throughout the Commonwealth, as well as at National Head Start Assoc. conferences across the country. In 2012, she transitioned to the position of director of Community Engagement, and for the next 10 years, she identified, maintained, and grew collaborations with outside agencies and community initiatives, local media outlets, political and community leaders, and funders. In 2021, Blais stepped into her current position as CEO of the regional organization. She has served multiple terms on the Massachusetts Head Start Assoc. board of directors, which serves as the voice of nearly 30 Head Start and Early Head Start organizations across Massachusetts, before accepting this new election onto the New England Head Start Assoc. board. Blais also serves the community as a Springfield Regional Chamber ambassador and Holyoke Rotary Club member. She attended Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and did her graduate studies in nonprofit management and philanthropy at Bay Path University.

•••••

Peter Pan Bus Lines announced that Mary Davila has made transportation history as the first woman awarded 2 Million Mile Motor Coach Operator status and inducted into the Safe Driving Hall of Fame by the National Safety Council. This prestigious achievement recognizes her impeccable driving record — 2 million miles without a single preventable accident. Davila began her career in 1996 in Peter Pan’s New York City Division, and has spent 28 years transporting passengers safely through the busiest cities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. She is the first female motorcoach operator to reach the 2 million-mile milestone, breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field. The National Safety Council’s Million Mile Award is one of the most respected honors in the transportation industry, and Peter Pan boasts 170 drivers who have received this distinction. With her achievement, Davila moves into an elite group of more than 40 Peter Pan drivers who have at least 2 million accident-free miles. In addition, Peter Pan has nine 3 million-mile drivers, and is home to the first two 4 million-mile drivers in the U.S., Ed Hope and Andy Anderson.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

Precision Concepts International Acquires Meredith-Springfield

LUDLOW — Meredith-Springfield Associates Inc. announced it has been acquired by Precision Concepts International LLC, a diversified provider of rigid packaging solutions based in Huntersville, N.C. Precision Concepts is a leading plastic manufacturer and packaging solutions provider with a focus on sustainability and innovation. Meredith specializes in the design and blow molding of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and HDPE (high-density polyethylene) bottles and containers. Meredith will continue to be led by its existing leadership team. Existing and prospective Meredith customers will also have the opportunity to leverage Precision Concepts’ other manufacturing facilities across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America to meet their constantly evolving needs.

 

Berkshire Bank Exceeds Goal with Community Comeback

BOSTON — Berkshire Bank’s Community Comeback program concluded by exceeding its $5 billion goal to lend and invest across the company’s markets. The bank launched the multi-year program as communities emerged from the pandemic in 2021. The impact of Community Comeback is a testament to the bank’s commitment to unlock the financial potential of the communities where its employees and clients live and work. The program focused on strengthening communities in four key areas: fueling small businesses, community financing and philanthropy, financial access and empowerment, and environmental sustainability. Highlights of its results include lending more than $3.5 billion to invest in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods, more than $600 million in lending for low-carbon projects, more than 800,000 individuals impacted through financial-wellness programming, 100% renewable electricity use since 2023, and more than $50 million in sustainable investments under management. The Community Comeback program was honored late last year with the prestigious Community Commitment Award by the American Bankers Assoc. (ABA) Foundation for its positive impact on economic inclusion in area communities.

 

Comcast Awards $20,000 to Urban League of Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Comcast announced a $20,000 grant to support the Urban League of Springfield’s Digital Learning Lab, a community resource that is helping to bridge the digital divide in Western Mass. by providing 150 participants each year with essential technology and internet skills training, specialty workshops, and more. The $20,000 grant will help fund a variety of enrichment training programs at the Urban League’s Digital Learning Lab. Programs include the Foster Grandparent Program, which helps seniors gain confidence in using online tools to mentor youth, and the Project Ready Program, which teaches students coding, advanced digital security, and pathways to careers in computer science. This grant from Comcast is part of Project UP, Comcast’s commitment to provide digital opportunities through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the internet, advance economic mobility, and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators.

 

Survey Recognizes MassMutual for Employee Retention

SPRINGFIELD — Careerminds, a global outplacement and career-development firm, polled 3,023 workers to reveal the top companies nailing employee retention, and why. According to the survey, Massachusetts’ three most coveted employers are MassMutual in Springfield, followed by Biogen and HubSpot, both in Cambridge. MassMutual is known for solid retirement benefits, automatically contributing 10% of pay into a retirement plan, regardless of employee contributions, on top of 401(k) matching, while offering a rare cash-balance pension for guaranteed income. New hires see this 10% boost immediately, alongside a $1,250 yearly wellness stipend for gym memberships or financial tools. Nationally, the top five companies to work for, based on perks and benefits, are Google, Coca-Cola, Ben & Jerry’s, Hawaiian Airlines, and Nike, according to the Careerminds survey.

 

AIC Designated 2025-26 Military Friendly School

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) announced it has earned the 2025-26 Military Friendly School designation. AIC’s Silver Award signifies that the college is among the top 20% of colleges supporting veterans and military-connected students. Only a select group of institutions achieve this honor, highlighting their commitment to serving military personnel and their families. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025-26 survey, with 830 earning awards for going above the standard. The 2025-26 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May and October issues of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at militaryfriendly.com. Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly advisory council of independent leaders in the higher-education and military-recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

 

Dewey’s Jazz Lounge Permanently Closes

SPRINGFIELD — Dewey’s Jazz Lounge, a Springfield restaurant and lounge known for its soulful ambiance, vibrant events, and dedication to community and hospitality, permanently closed its doors on April 23. Opened in 2021, Dewey’s Lounge has spent the past four years building a reputation as one of the city’s most welcoming, community-centered establishments. From live music and themed nights to special events and private celebrations, Dewey’s quickly became a cultural hub and a go-to destination for unforgettable experiences. Over the years, Dewey’s has hosted countless milestones: weddings, engagements, birthdays, bridal showers, retirements, and more.

 

 

bankESB Facilitates Grant for Volunteers in Public Schools

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB announced that it has nominated Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) of Westfield for a Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. (MBA) Charitable Foundation grant, resulting in the organization receiving a $1,000 award. Each year, the MBA Charitable Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts, with recipients nominated by member banks. bankESB nominated VIPS of Westfield in recognition of its dedication to enhancing educational opportunities and supporting students and educators in Westfield Public Schools. VIPS of Westfield works to foster partnerships between the community and the school system, providing vital resources such as tutoring, mentoring, and program support to benefit students of all ages. The $1,000 grant will help the organization continue its mission of engaging volunteers and enhancing educational programs in Westfield’s public schools.

 

Eversource Earns VETS Indexes’ 3 Star Employer Award for 2025

SPRINGFIELD — As a testament to its commitment to making veterans a priority in the workplace, Eversource has again been recognized by VETS Indexes as one of the nation’s top veteran employers for 2025. Honored with the 3 Star Employer Award, the distinction highlights the energy company’s continued achievements in recruiting, hiring, developing, and supporting both veterans and the military-connected community. Eversource is one of nearly 300 organizations that were recognized this year by VETS Indexes for their strong commitment to veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and military spouses. Participating organizations that completed and submitted surveys for the VETS Indexes Employer Awards included companies large and small, government agencies and departments, nonprofit groups, and colleges and universities.

 

Hampshire Meadow Family & Pediatric Dentistry to Expand

HADLEY — Hampshire Meadow Family & Pediatric Dentistry is breaking ground on a cutting-edge, 4,600-square-foot facility at the corner of Route 9 and East Street. This will allow the practice to meet skyrocketing demand, as its current facility — built just five years ago — has outgrown its capacity. In addition to increasing capacity for general dentistry, the new facility will serve as a regional hub for children with severe cases of decay or special healthcare needs. In 2024, the practice provided 2,962 appointments for MassHealth patients, with 2,100 pediatric and 380 adult Medicaid patients on its active roster. The practice owners hope to attract more skilled dental professionals to the region. The new facility represents a nearly $3 million investment by practice owners Dr. Cyrus Safizadeh and Dr. Noelle Nubani in the Pioneer Valley. This is in addition to more than $1 million they had previously invested in the current space. It is being built by Sweitzer Construction of Monson and 20 local subcontractors and materials vendors. The building is being designed by Larry Tuttle of Architectural Insights of Palmer. The Sweitzer team has decades of experience building state-of-the-art dental and medical facilities and built Hampshire Meadow’s original facility five years ago. The practice itself currently has 15 full-time employees, and that number is expected to increase.

 

Berkshire Bank Named Among Most Trustworthy Companies

BOSTON — Berkshire Bank has been recognized for the fourth consecutive year as one of the most trusted companies in America in Newsweek magazine’s list of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2025. Berkshire is the only Massachusetts-based bank on the list. In all, about 3,400 companies headquartered in the U.S. were considered for the list. In the end, 700 companies in 23 industries were honored. Results evaluated customer trust, employee trust, and investor trust. The analysis included what was said about the companies online, including on social-media platforms, and survey results of approximately 25,000 U.S. residents. Survey respondents who knew companies well were asked, among other things, if they believed individual companies treated their customers fairly, treated their employees fairly, and would be good long-term investments.

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

Automotive F&I Corp., 14 Primrose Lane, Agawam, MA 01001. Steven Gurau, same. Consulting service to automotive dealerships, including training for dealership personnel and covering shifts for the finance and insurance and sales departments within the dealerships.

AMHERST

Bureau of Resources and Intervention in Death, Grief, and End-of-life Services Inc., 75 Cowls Road, Apt. A215, Amherst, MA 01002. Ana Marleen Macri, same. Engages in activities that promote emotional well-being and provide support to individuals and families facing challenges related to grief, terminal illness, and end-of-life matters.

BELCHERTOWN

Shumway Holdings Inc., 97 North Washington St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Bryan Shumway, same. Industrial machine shop for the building and repair of machine-related parts and tooling.

CHICOPEE

Faria Janitorial Inc., 21 Grape St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Audileia Baudson De Faria, same. Janitorial services.

Moe Trucking Inc., 23 Hartford St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Mohammed Jassim Al Nuaimi, same. Trucking company.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Wyckoff Golf Inc., 46 Center Square, East Longmeadow, MA, 01028. Cesar Ruiz Jr., 96 Windham Dr., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Owns and operates a golf course, restaurant, and banquet facility.

GREAT BARRINGTON

Great Barrington Public Theater Inc., 352 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Susan Weekes Roeder, same. Nonprofit organization established to create opportunities for both emerging and established playwrights to have new works produced, showcase and create new opportunities for local talent, and offer affordable tickets to audiences throughout the Berkshires.

HOLYOKE

Western Mass. Dental Specialty Springfield, P.C., 330 Whitney Ave., Suite 740, Holyoke, MA 01040. Craig Saltzman, 6845 Willow Wood Dr., Unit 3065, Boca Raton, FL 33434. Dental practice.

LUDLOW

Speedway Cleaning Services Inc., 15 Canterbury St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Jose Pereira da Silva, same. Janitorial services.

PALMER

Arx Enterprises Inc., 23 Taft St., Palmer, MA 01069. Joshua Ruggiero, same. Holding company for acquiring, managing, and enhancing a diverse portfolio of businesses, driving growth through strategic investment and operational efficiency to create long-term value.

PITTSFIELD

Armadillo Home Solutions Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Matan Slagter, 1400 Main St., Suite 164, Clarksville, IN 47129. Home warranty contracts.

Celloscope Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Tomer Shussman, same. Software as a service.

Happipad Technologies Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Cailan Libby, same. Technology solutions, operational leadership, and management for housing programs, including home sharing.

Polish Falcon Club Inc., 32 Belair Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Roberta Bolotin, same. Polish cultural activities for members.

Safe Money Innovators Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Martha Warren, same.

Veknika Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Serhii Unhurian, same. E-commerce.

SOUTH HADLEY

B&B Fish Co. Inc., 1 Industrial Dr., South Hadley, MA 01075. Laura Brogle, 18 Montague Road, Westhampton, MA 01027. Wholesale sales of tropical ornamental fish.

SPRINGFIELD

Actionhelp Inc., 1380 Main St., Suite 408, Springfield, MA 01103. Ronald Sainvil, same. Nonprofit organization bridging the gap for Haitian and African immigrants transitioning to life in the U.S. by offering guidance, resources, and a sense of belonging, transforming challenges into opportunities for stability and success.

My Ty’s Wings & Fries Inc., 443 Cadwell Dr., Springfield, MA 01104. Tajohn Chatman, 41 Eddy St., Springfield, MA 01104. Food truck.

Prophecy Professional Services Inc., 631 Allen St., Springfield, MA 01118. Willy Etienne, same. Buying and reselling marketing supplies.

Victory Cares MA Inc., 455 Island Pond Road, Springfield, MA 01118. India Eadie, same. Nonprofit organization committed to uplifting and empowering underserved communities.

WESTFIELD

Pro Flooring Installation Inc., 171 Susan Dr., Westfield, MA 01085. Oleksandr Moshkivskyy, same. Flooring installation contractor.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Hard 2 Find Auto Parts Inc., 150 Front St., #1B, West Springfield, MA 01089. Jeanice Montanez, 140 Chestnut St., #315, Springfield, MA 01103. E-commerce retail business that locates, purchases, and sells hard-to-find auto parts and accessories.