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Year: 2025

Monson Savings Bank Donates $2,000 to Whip City Animal Sanctuary

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Daily News

MONSON — Michael Rouette, executive vice president and COO of Monson Savings Bank, recently presented a $2,000 donation to Robin and Kerry Plourde, co-founders of Whip City Animal Sanctuary, on behalf of the bank.

Whip City Animal Sanctuary was selected as a recipient of a donation from Monson Savings Bank after securing a spot in the top 10 of the bank’s 2025 Community Giving Initiative. Community members cast their votes for their favorite local nonprofits, and Whip City Animal Sanctuary was chosen to receive support.

“As a volunteer-run nonprofit, Whip City Animal Sanctuary relies heavily on the generosity of our community,” Robin Plourde said. “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who voted for us and to Monson Savings Bank for organizing such a meaningful annual initiative.”

Whip City Animal Sanctuary is a Westfield-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2020 to provide long-term care for surrendered, neglected, and abused farm animals. The organization provides desperately needed shelter, feed, and veterinary care services to ensure that each one of its residents gets the chance to live out the remainder of their lives in a comfortable and safe environment.

“We are honored to be recognized through Monson Savings Bank’s Community Giving Initiative,” Kerry Plourde said. “Support like this makes a real difference in helping us care for the animals and continue our mission. We’re so thankful to everyone who took the time to vote for us.”

Rouette congratulated Whip City Animal Sanctuary on placing in the top 10 for the second year in a row.

“Monson Savings Bank’s commitment to the community goes beyond financial service; it extends to the care and well-being of all who call it home, including animals,” he said. “Whip City Animal Sanctuary provides a safe, nurturing environment for farm animals in need, and we’re proud to support their compassionate mission. We hope this contribution helps them expand their reach and continue making a meaningful impact.”

BusinessTalk with Michelle Grout, executive director of the Springfield Business Improvement District

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Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 238: July 21, 2025

George O’Brien Interviews Michelle Grout, executive director of the Springfield Business Improvement District

Michelle Grout

It’s called ‘Odyssey.’ That’s the art installation placed this summer in Tower Square Park in Springfield — the one featuring three pigeons around a Campbell’s soup can. It was placed there to turn some heads, generate talk, activate a space, and bring people to the downtown. And it’s doing all of that and more, according to Michelle Grout, executive director of the Springfield Business Improvement District. Overall, ‘Odyssey’ represents just one of the ways the BID is getting creative in its efforts to promote downtown, create vibrancy, and generate economic development, as Grout explains on the next episode of BusinessTalk, hosted by contributing writer George O’Brien. It’s must listening, so tune into BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest.

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Valet Park of America Marks 35 Years of Steady Growth

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Angela and Ted Chagnon (front, second and third from left) and the leadership team at Valet Park of America
Features

Lots to Celebrate

Angela and Ted Chagnon (front, second and third from left) and the leadership team at Valet Park of America

Angela and Ted Chagnon (front, second and third from left) and the leadership team at Valet Park of America

 

When Ted Chagnon started his own business in 1990, he had big goals, but there were times, early on, when operating in seven states — from New England to Florida — and employing more than 1,250 people may have seemed like a dream too far.

But that’s precisely the growth trajectory Valet Park of America celebrated when it marked 35 years in business last month.

“It was kind of slow growth at first,” Chagnon said, recalling that his first two valet clients were Yankee Pedlar restaurant in Holyoke and Hotel Northampton, and other small businesses followed. It took two years before the company landed its first major client, Baystate Medical Center, and over the next several years, other large clients followed, particularly in the medical realm, from UMass Medical Center to MetroWest Medical Center in Natick and Framingham.

“Around 2005, we started adding ski resorts, locations in Albany, some locations in Connecticut, and we started to build some momentum. It was tough because we didn’t have any resources in the beginning.”

Initially focused on valet parking only, the business later expanded into parking management, operating lots and garages, and then other transportation services.

“That was simply because a lot of our clients, whether it’s a medical facility, a college, a casino, or a ski resort, sometimes need more than just valet; they need parking management services or transportation for guests, patients, or even transporting employees off site,” Chagnon explained. “Sometimes you’re moving the employees to off-site parking garages and parking lots when you run out of space.”

The company operates in a wide geographic footprint, from Buffalo, N.Y. to Boston, as well as in Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Florida. “We’re in Virginia as of last year, and we’ve been in Florida for five years now, and we’ve really grown tremendously there.”

Many employees have been with Valet Park of America for decades, some more than 30 years. Some of those are family, and Chagnon called this a family business; his wife, Angela, is senior vice president, with responsibilities in client relations, human resources, payroll, auditing, and marketing, and other relatives work in leadership positions as well.

“It’s so important to remember what those frontline people are doing out there, with the weather, and the circumstances, and the vehicles, and the hectic days. It can be stressful at times, and to have somebody in here who understands that and appreciates that is huge.”

“My sister was one of the founders. My niece runs our payroll department. My brother runs our fleet management and quality control department. So we are very much a family-run and owned and operated business,” he said.

But he also attributes this employee loyalty to a culture of opportunity, where someone can start by parking cars and eventually move up as other opportunities arise.

“As we grow, we have to hire more people, more regional managers, and it’s nice that we can promote from within. Many worked for us during college and came on board full-time right after college. I don’t think many of them thought they were going to have a career in parking, but then they stayed with the company. In fact, some of their kids are in college now and working for us.”

 

Getting Behind the Wheel

The Chagnons initially operated the company from home, then moved into an office at 191 Chestnut St. in Springfield, where Valet Park of America is still headquartered today.

“Then we kind of grew,” he said, but it was very gradual growth until about 20 years in, when both the roster of clients and the company’s geographic reach started to create more noticeable momentum. “Then you start becoming a bigger company, with different challenges. But one of the biggest, I think, has been keeping the mentality of a family-run and owned business and maintaining that culture.”

Angela agreed. “I think that just came naturally to Ted and me. I love seeing somebody that starts off as an entry-level valet attendant, and now they’re in the payroll department, or they’re helping me in the accounting department. It’s very rewarding to know that we can do that for them. Anytime we have an opening in the office, we post internally. I love to bring somebody up who knows us, who knows the business, who knows our culture, who appreciates what those frontline employees do.

“That’s the biggest factor for me,” she added. “I’m more internal; we’re more support staff on the back end, and it’s so important to remember what those frontline people are doing out there, with the weather, and the circumstances, and the vehicles, and the hectic days. It can be stressful at times, and to have somebody in here who understands that and appreciates that is huge. It makes a difference, I think, to the frontline employees when they see that. I’ve parked cars. I know what’s happening.”

With the company’s growth, Ted said he’s competing with a number of national firms, and dealing with the sorts of economic shifts that any industry faces — and, like many of them, he relies on a diverse client mix to weather those trends.

Angela and Ted Chagnon launched their enterprise 35 years ago last month

Angela and Ted Chagnon launched their enterprise 35 years ago last month

“During COVID, which was unusual, colleges got shut down; they’re doing well now, but they’re finding some fiscal restraints. Hospitals right now are finding some fiscal restraints as well; there have been some cuts there. And restaurants, in some cases, with inflation, have had to cut back, and valet services might be something that’s cut,” he explained.

“But we’ve expanded to ski resorts and casinos and still have medical facilities, colleges, and independent parking lots. So we have a wide range of industries that we service,” he added. “So we do well; one industry might be seeing some cuts or finding some fiscal restraints, and something else might be flourishing. And some states might be doing better than others. It’s never completely smooth sailing.”

The pandemic, as Chagnon noted, was indeed unusual, and particularly challenging, as colleges, casinos, and ski resorts shut down and hospitals cut way back on visitor traffic.

“We had to evolve and adapt, and we had to lay a lot of people off, but here’s what we did: we went back to our hospital clients especially and said, ‘is there anything you need us to do? You don’t need us to transport anyone. You don’t need any parking services, but what can we do for you?’

“And as things progressed, we ended up staffing a lot of COVID testing sites. We were greeting people, lining up the parking, queuing them up, checking them in. That rolled into screener services at a lot of facilities where you would come in and we’d check your temperature, and we’d ask you an array of questions pertaining to travel and things like that before you could enter the hospital. We’d register you. Because the hospitals were short-staffed, and we had a lot of people that had been working with us for a long time, and we wanted to retain them.”

Two scenes from last month’s 35th anniversary celebration, a family-friendly event that drew about 500 people.

Two scenes from last month’s 35th anniversary celebration, a family-friendly event that drew about 500 people.

It was a time of pivoting and resilience for most businesses, he noted.

“Everyone just said, ‘what do we need to do to keep the lights on?’ Because we still had bills to pay, mortgages and insurance and leases on vehicles. You still had to charge through that and make it happen. So we were fortunate that we had a decent number of people that were willing to do that,” he continued. “I was here at work every day just fighting through those challenges. It was a difficult time.”

 

Shifting into the Next Gear

With the pandemic well in the rear view — literally and figuratively — Valet Park of America continues to grow its services and footprint while maintaining that culture the Chagnons value. Last month, the company marked 35 years with a family-oriented celebration in its expansive parking lot, featuring inflatables, rock climbing, cornhole, face painting, and other activities.

“That brought about 500 people here — about 200 employees and all their kids and their spouses — and it was a very much a family environment for everyone to celebrate,” Ted said.

The event also individually recognized employees who had been with the company for 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years. “We wanted to start with the fifth year, but we had over 150 employees that were here more than five years and a large number of employees over 10 years, and would have been here for two days celebrating each one of them individually,” he said.

“We take pride in our employees’ tenure and the environment that we provide for them,” he added. “It’s a company that can’t run on its own. You can’t have just one person or two people running it. You need a large, supportive team behind you.”

The company also invests in plenty of training for its employees, he told BusinessWest. “We do a lot of training year-round for all our staff because we feel it’s important to make sure that they’re educated, that they know the business, and it gives them opportunity to advance.

“And it helps maintain our culture, too, because we’re in the people business, any way you look at it. We might be in the parking business, we might be in transportation, but it takes people to provide those services, and our employees are really our greatest asset.”

That culture extends to community involvement in many ways as well, supporting organizations like the USO, Jenna’s Blessing Bags, and the various foundations of the company’s medical clients — not to mention encouraging employee volunteerism with nonprofits and charitable events, like the annual UMass Cancer Walk. And those efforts are multiplied across the company’s seven states.

Looking ahead, Chagnon said Valet Park of America will continue to grow smartly and innovate in a number of ways — like its adoption some years ago of automation in the parking process at many sites.

“It’s a company that can’t run on its own. You can’t have just one person or two people running it. You need a large, supportive team behind you.”

“We distribute magnetic parking gates and started building our own entrance and exit payment kiosks for parking garages and parking lots. We kind of branched off into that a little bit to try to be a multi-faceted service provider for our clients.

“We try to control costs for them, provide a very good service, evolve, and adapt to their needs as a vendor or partner. And I think we do that well,” he continued. “Every year we see growth, and it’s primarily because of the services that we provide and the quality that we provide and a lot of good referrals.”

Angela agreed. “Our culture is so important to us, and it always has been. It’s something we focus on every year when we talk about our goals. We make sure to maintain, as best we can, communication and relationships with all the employees as we continue to grow,” she told BusinessWest. “And we have seen that nice, steady growth … obviously minus the COVID years.”

“We’re just looking forward to the next number of years,” Ted added. “Hopefully we have quite a few ahead of us.”

Why Every Company Needs a Compliance Program

By Contributor
Accounting and Tax Planning

The Unseen Superhero

By Tanzi Cannon-Eckerle, Esq.

 

Most likely, nobody dreams of growing up and becoming a compliance officer. Hollywood has yet to greenlight Compliance: The Movie, and you’re unlikely to see glossy magazine profiles of the world’s top compliance chiefs (though wouldn’t that be a page turner?). Still, in the narrative of modern business, the compliance program is the unsung superhero — quietly saving the day, one avoided disaster at a time.

Why, you might ask, does your company even need a compliance program? Isn’t it just a bunch of paperwork, long-winded training sessions, and rules that seem designed to stop you from having fun? Well … kind of — but it is also so much more. The reality is far more entertaining — and, in the long run, far more profitable. Let’s unpack the reasons with wit, wisdom, and a few hypothetical examples that might hit closer to home than you’d expect.

 

The Wild West Without Compliance

Imagine a company called AutoToastBot, the world’s fastest-growing supplier of smart toasters, run by a CEO who believes rules are for “other people.” Employees are encouraged to be creative — so creative, in fact, that the accounting team once tried recording sales made to imaginary customers in Neverland. Human resources operates like a game show, where every new hire spins a wheel to determine their salary. Marketing’s latest campaign involves sending unsolicited bread samples to every mailbox in the country, leading to the Great Pigeon Stampede of 2025.

Tanzi Cannon-Eckerle“A compliance program is a structured set of internal policies, procedures, and controls designed to ensure that a company and its employees follow laws, regulations, and ethical standards. Think of it as the operating manual for not accidentally (or intentionally) landing your company on the evening news.”

Unsurprisingly, the government takes notice. Regulators descend. Fines are levied, lawsuits filed, and soon the only thing rising faster than the company’s bread is its legal bill. The story of AutoToastBot ends not with a bang, but with a whimper — and a cautionary tale about why compliance isn’t just a buzzword, but a business necessity.

 

What Is a Compliance Program, Anyway?

A compliance program is a structured set of internal policies, procedures, and controls designed to ensure that a company and its employees follow laws, regulations, and ethical standards. Think of it as the operating manual for not accidentally (or intentionally) landing your company on the evening news.

A proper compliance program typically includes:

• Clear guidelines on what’s allowed and what’s not;

• Training sessions to educate staff (yes, even those who think they know everything);

• Mechanisms for reporting and addressing violations; and

• Periodic reviews and updates to keep up with new regulations.

In short, it’s about building an organizational immune system to detect, prevent, and respond to business risks before they become full-blown crises.

 

Example 2: The Vendor Who Wasn’t

SirTechalot prides itself on speed. In the rush to launch a new product, the procurement team skips the vendor due diligence. The chosen supplier, BestParts4U, offers unbeatable prices and an address suspiciously similar to a parking garage. Months later, the company receives counterfeit parts, and customers post photos of exploding gadgets. Oops. The company’s new product is promptly banned from the market, and its CEO becomes intimately familiar with legal counsel.

A compliance program requires vendor vetting to ensure suppliers are real, reputable, and not just a front for creative entrepreneurship.

 

The Real Value (Beyond Avoiding Jail Time)

Even when the value of a good compliance program is clear, the implementation and continued execution of it can seem drab, dull, a fun sucker … yes, many employees see compliance as the ‘fun police’: “You can’t do this. You mustn’t do that. Please don’t build a zipline from the roof to the parking lot.”

While it may seem like compliance dampens creativity, the truth is that a good compliance program doesn’t stifle innovation — it guides it. Imagine trying to play a sport with no rules. The strongest players would dominate, injuries would soar, and chaos would reign. Rules, like those in compliance, create a level playing field. They keep the game fun for everyone (and out of court).

Of course, avoiding handcuffs and headlines is a good incentive, but the value of compliance goes deeper. It presents significant strategic value for forward-thinking organizations. A well-structured compliance program can:

• Enhance reputation: Nobody wants to do business with a company known for shortcuts or scandals. Compliance builds trust.

• Build employee morale: People thrive in environments where expectations are clear and fair. Compliance fosters a culture of integrity.

• Reduce risks: By proactively identifying and mitigating risks, companies can avoid costly fines, sanctions, and litigation.

• Create competitive advantage: Companies that anticipate and address risks don’t just survive — they outpace competitors mired in litigation and scandal.

• Promote sustainability: Long-term growth depends on responsible, legal operations. Compliance isn’t just a cost; it’s an investment.

• Attract investment: Investors are increasingly scrutinizing compliance and governance structures before committing capital.

 

How to Build a Compliance Program Without Losing Your Sanity

The good news? Compliance does not require a PhD in legalese or a taste for endless PowerPoints. Here’s how to get started.

First, leadership must be committed to compliance and must walk the walk. Remember, compliance works best when it’s embedded in the company’s culture, not tacked on like an afterthought. The next steps are to:

• Appoint a compliance officer or team (preferably someone who enjoys reading fine print);

• Map out the legal and ethical requirements for your industry;

• Draft clear policies, in plain language (bonus points for humor);

• Create regular, interactive training — think quizzes, scenarios, even the occasional game show;

• Set up anonymous reporting channels for concerns; and

• Review and update your program regularly to keep pace with new laws and business changes.

 

Some Key Areas of Compliance

• Data privacy and protection: In the age of digital everything, regulators have turned the spotlight on how businesses handle personal info. Companies must have robust security measures and transparency in their data practices.

• Anti-bribery and corruption: With laws like the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act, it’s all about keeping it clean. These regulations demand businesses whip up comprehensive training and auditing systems to deter any shady dealings.

• Environmental compliance: Sustainability is the new black. From emissions standards to waste management protocols, businesses are now expected to be green warriors, adhering to environmental regulations with gusto.

• Employment law and workplace practices: Fair hiring, anti-discrimination, and occupational safety regulations are the guardians of a positive work environment. Think of them as the cool kids ensuring every workplace is just and safe.

• Financial reporting and anti-money laundering: Accurate financial reporting and vigilance against money laundering are not just about ticking boxes. They’re the bedrock of maintaining investor and public confidence, making sure the financial ship sails smoothly.

 

The Compliance Program: Everyone’s Secret Superpower

In the end, a compliance program is less about red tape and more about creating a workplace where everyone knows the rules — and the reasons behind them. It prevents disasters, protects reputations, and empowers companies to grow with confidence.

So, the next time someone suggests that compliance is boring, remind them of AutoToastBot’s Pigeon Stampede, or SirTechalot’s exploding gadgets. A compliance program may never win an Oscar, but it will help your company survive to see another business day — and that’s a story worth telling.

 

Tanzi Cannon-Eckerle is the principal attorney at General Counsel by Cannon, PLLC, a fractional general counsel law firm that focuses on labor, employment, and business law. She is also a certified workplace investigator, compliance professional, and equity and inclusion officer. For more information about workplace investigations or to seek legal assistance on business matters or labor and employment concerns, schedule a free, 30-minute consultation by emailing [email protected], or visit gcbycannon.com and fill out the ‘Contact Us’ form.

How to Keep Your Business from Being Victimized by Scammers

By Contributor
Accounting and Tax Planning

Online Fraud on the Rise

By Dan Werme and Terra Carnrike-Granata

 

We’re all aware of the many ways scammers are working to defraud individuals out of their hard-earned money. But small businesses continue to be in the crosshairs of today’s online criminals.

The Federal Trade Commission highlights a wide range of fraudulent schemes targeting businesses, including scams involving fake invoices and unordered merchandise, online listings and advertising, credit card processing and equipment leasing, tech support, altering online reviews, bank and business impersonation scams, and the list goes on.

In its 2024 Internet Crime Report, released earlier this year, the FBI showed that business email compromises resulted in $2.77 billion in losses to businesses. Phishing or spoofing scams, defined by the FBI as “the use of unsolicited email, text messages, and telephone calls purportedly from a legitimate company requesting personal, financial, and/or login credentials,” were the cause of $70 million in losses. Other scams, like tech support and personal data breaches, resulted in losses exceeding $1.4 billion.

In all, businesses and individuals lost a record $16.6 billion to cybercriminals last year, and projections are that scams driven by artificial intelligence (AI) could result in as much as $40 billion in losses by 2027.

Terra Carnrike-Granata

Terra Carnrike-Granata

Dan Werme

Dan Werme

“In all, businesses and individuals lost a record $16.6 billion to cybercriminals last year, and projections are that scams driven by artificial intelligence (AI) could result in as much as $40 billion in losses by 2027.”

Protecting your company’s valuable financial assets starts with internal security; a few simple steps can go a long way in protecting your business from external threats. Your business should:

• Trust but verify whenever you receive a request for payment or invoice changes from customers, vendors, or partners. It is important to make direct contact using a trusted phone number to confirm the instructions aren’t coming from a scammer.

• Implement good computer security practices. It’s essential to establish and maintain basic security procedures and controls for your business, and to update and distribute these to all employees regularly.

• Safeguard your information. Some simple steps include installing commercial antivirus software on all computers, ensuring those programs are updated regularly, and installing spyware detection programs.

• Educate your employees. A robust security program, combined with awareness of warning signs, safe practices, and responses to a suspected takeover, is crucial for protecting your company and its customers.

• Protect your online environment. Do not use unprotected internet connections. Encrypt sensitive data and keep your computer up to date with the latest virus protections. Use complex passwords and change them periodically.

• Partner with your bank to prevent unauthorized transactions.

• Pay attention to suspicious activity and react quickly. Look out for unexplained account or network activity, pop-ups, and suspicious emails. If detected, immediately contact your financial institution, stop all online activity, and remove any systems that may have been compromised. Keep records of what happened. And never share one-time pins, especially if you receive a call from someone claiming to be your financial institution. Banks don’t ask that.

• Understand your responsibilities and liabilities. The account agreement with your bank will outline the commercially reasonable security measures required for your business. You must understand and implement the security safeguards in the agreement. If you don’t, you could be liable for losses resulting from a takeover.

 

What to Do After an Incident

Despite taking these critical steps, businesses can sometimes be victimized by cybercriminals. In such cases, immediate action is crucial to help limit the damage or loss.

In the event of a cybercrime incident, several steps should be taken. First and most important, cease all activity on your computer system immediately, contact your bank, and change your online banking passwords. Other actions include opening new accounts, filing reports with local police and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, and keeping meticulous records of events around the hack.

If you’ve lost your business’s credit or debit cards or checks, contact your bank.

If you think you’re being scammed through email, remember that financial institutions will never ask for personal information or account access credentials in an email. Don’t click on any links or respond to the message — delete the email and check your computer for spyware or other malware and contact your bank.

Identity theft can impact businesses as well as individuals, and there are several ways to know if you have been victimized. They include notices or emails telling you that your account information has been updated or that your information may have been compromised, bills or collection calls for accounts you’ve never opened, unknown accounts or inquiries that appear on your credit report, or an unexpected denial of a credit card application. If you suspect your identity has been stolen, contact your bank and place a fraud alert on your credit report by contacting one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.

In our increasingly digital world, threats abound, with the growth of AI-based scams exponentially increasing those threats. NBT Bank’s Business Fraud Information Center provides a full range of resources and information to help keep your business secure. We work to provide up-to-date fraud information and alerts to help ensure your business won’t be one of the thousands victimized by scammers.

Dan Werme is regional president of Massachusetts for NBT Bank, which serves commercial and retail banking clients at locations in North Adams, Pittsfield, Lee, Great Barrington, South Egremont, and Sheffield. Terra Carnrike-Granata is senior director of Information Security at NBT Bank, where she designs and implements sophisticated controls to prevent loss and mitigate risk, while also developing innovative ways to educate consumers and businesses on cyber threats.

Monson Developmental Center Is the Latest Westmass Challenge

By
An aerial view of the Monson Developmental Center campus.
Commercial Real Estate

The Next Chapter

An aerial view of the Monson Developmental Center campus.

An aerial view of the Monson Developmental Center campus.

 

When Jeff Daley first pitched the Westmass Area Development Corp. board on the concept of redeveloping a portion of the former Monson Developmental Center (MDC) campus, it wasn’t a hard sell, necessarily.

“But it was a sell,” said Daley, the agency’s president and CEO, and for several reasons.

“It’s an imposing site, and there’s a ton of work that has to be done,” he said of the 100-acre parcel, which essentially sits between two mountains, with very little of what would be considered flat land. “And there’s a lot of money that has to be invested just to make the site developable again.”

But Daley was able to sell his board on the concept — a commitment from the state to provide a $9 million site readiness grant to the agency, as well as an accompanying reversion clause, certainly proved to be a turning point in the sales process — and late last month, the Commonwealth officially conveyed the property to Westmass, touting the transaction as part of ongoing efforts to utilize existing properties to build more housing in a state where there is a strong need for it.

And with that transfer, Westmass, in partnership with the state’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, will commence work to create what will be known as the Village at Sawmill Brook.

The brook runs through the middle of the property, said Daley, adding that the name was chosen to reflect the rural nature of the community, and a ‘village’ is what is intended, with both residential and commercial development planned.

This is a village that will take shape over the next 10 to 20 years, he noted, adding that the first steps in the process involve demolition of almost all of the 14 existing buildings on the site — one structure, a recreation center at MDC, might be salvaged — as well as environmental remediation and infrastructure improvements.

Demolition is slated to begin early next year, and actual building will likely commence in maybe three years, Daley said.

Exactly what will be built remains to be seen, he told BusinessWest, as well as a gathering of about 100 Monson residents at a recent meeting of the Monson Board of Selectmen, noting that the site, and the market, will likely determine what shape this village will take.

“It’s an imposing site, and there’s a ton of work that has to be done. And there’s a lot of money that has to be invested just to make the site developable again.”

There will be housing, and probably several forms of it, with subdivisions, senior housing, veterans’ housing, and other options under consideration.

One of the first steps in the process will be creation of a master plan for the site to determine how many of those 100 acres can be developed, and in what ways.

“We’re in discussions with several of the groups that do housing for veterans,” Daley noted. “We’ll also talk with folks who do assisted living projects around the area to see if there’s a need for that in the Monson area.”

The next phase of the MDC project will involve demolition of the buildings on the campus

The next phase of the MDC project will involve demolition of the buildings on the campus, most of which are in an advanced state of deterioration.

There could also be senior affordable housing, similar to what has been created at another Westmass property, Ludlow Mills, he went on, adding that single-family homes, condos, duplexes, and fourplexes could also be in the mix. There will also be commercial elements, he said, such as retail businesses with residential units on the upper floors of buildings, in keeping with that ‘village’ concept.

“Right now, it’s a blank slate,” he noted, adding, again, that need and market conditions will likely dictate how the site is redeveloped.

Before any development can take place, the site needs to be cleared and infrastructure improved, a massive undertaking involving everything from the demolition of existing buildings, some of which are quite large, to replacement of a bridge that provides access to the site, for which the state has approved $5 million in funding.

The total cost of site preparation work is expected to approach and perhaps exceed $20 million, said Daley, adding that the state will work with Westmass to identify additional funding sources to advance the development.

Overall, the project represents a different kind of challenge for Westmass, but in many ways it is similar to the Ludlow Mills in that it involves extensive demolition and redevelopment of cleared sites.

“This is what we do … this is where Westmass shines,” Daley explained. “We take older properties and figure out what we can do with them, and I thank the governor and her team for trusting us and supporting us with the financial resources to do this. But once it’s down, cleaned, and demoed, it’s up to us to put together a really good, solid development plan that will benefit Monson.”

WNE Awarded Grant to Use AI, Drones to Help Families Reduce Energy Costs

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — West Springfield families will benefit from a new partnership between Western New England University (WNE) College of Engineering and Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) that uses drone and AI technology to identify heat loss and implement energy-saving home retrofits — at no cost to qualifying residents.

This partnership is possible thanks to a $149,700 EmPower Massachusetts grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

Through this initiative, the team will conduct thermographic assessments to detect heat loss in the homes of low-income families in West Springfield. Principal investigator (PI) Yu Hou and co-PI Steven Li will lead efforts using drones equipped with thermal cameras to create thermographic models. They will apply artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to analyze and quantify heat loss, simulate building energy consumption, and generate automated retrofitting plans. WNE will work with GSHFH to implement these plans for selected families.

“This project helps residents understand their home conditions and reduce energy costs while giving WNE students hands-on experience applying classroom knowledge to real-world construction projects,” said Hou, assistant professor in the WNE Construction Management department. “Students will use AI techniques — specifically computer vision methods — to identify areas of heat loss from building envelope images.”

Students can use local homes as case studies, integrating building energy simulation and tools like building information modeling into their coursework.

“This work enables us to assess residential energy consumption and building efficiency while also exploring public trust in generative AI,” said Li, professor in the Industrial Engineering & Engineering Management department at WNE.

Aimee Giroux, executive director at GSHFH, added that “we’re excited to partner with Western New England University on this important initiative. This grant will support our Home Preservation Program and help us provide lower-income homeowners with valuable information on improving energy efficiency. We’re especially thrilled to work alongside WNE students, whose participation brings fresh insight and energy to our shared mission of building stronger, more sustainable communities.”

Bulkley Richardson Named a Legacy Law Firm by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly released its inaugural list of Legacy Law Firms, spotlighting firms that have not merely survived but thrived for 25 years or more years.

According to Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, “Firms range in size from three lawyers to hundreds of attorneys, but all have weathered economic shifts, technological transformations, and an evolving legal landscape while maintaining a core commitment to client service.”

Bulkley Richardson’s profile, as prepared by a Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly staff writer, noted the firm’s size (39 attorneys) and commitment to talent acquisition, workplace culture, and commitment to the local community.

“Community engagement forms part of the firm’s foundational DNA,” the publication noted regarding the latter. “Through initiatives addressing food insecurity, supporting arts and culture, contributing to healthcare organizations, and funding educational programs, Bulkley Richardson actively participates in community development. Recent efforts include connecting lawyers and staff with meaningful volunteer opportunities.”

The publication also praised the firm’s longevity and strategic positioning, delivering service quality comparable to major national practices, but also the personalized attention and long-term relationships characteristic of boutique practices.

“The firm’s competitive edge stems from exceptional attorney retention, with many building lifelong careers while experiencing continuous professional growth,” it added. “Low staff turnover reflects loyalty earned through collaborative culture and mutual commitment. Strategic succession planning, developed years in advance, ensures seamless client transitions and relationship continuity when changes occur.”

‘Echoes of Heritage’ Mural Unveiled in Springfield

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Rocky’s Ace Hardware, one of the country’s largest family-owned Ace Hardware dealers with 50 locations in nine states, recently helped bring to life a vibrant new mural supporting cultural pride in downtown Springfield.

“Echoes of Heritage,” a celebration of Latino culture and community, was created on June 28 on the side of Downtown Supermarket at 121 Spring St. Led by Dominican artist Pedro Veras and organized by the 7 Arts Latino Foundation, the mural was a one-day collaboration involving local students, families, and several community sponsors. While the mural was completed prior to its unveiling, the artist intentionally left a small section at the bottom unfinished so that members of the community could ceremoniously help complete it during the event.

Rocky’s Ace Hardware donated all the paint and materials needed for the large-scale public artwork, continuing its tradition of supporting the neighborhoods it serves.

“We’re honored to contribute to such a meaningful project that celebrates Springfield’s Latino community and empowers youth through art,” Rocky’s Ace Hardware President Rocco Falcone said. “While our part was small compared to the vision and talent behind the mural, we’re proud to help make their vision a reality.”

Spectators gathered throughout the day to watch the mural come to life, each brushstroke honoring the strength, heritage, and hopes of Latino immigrants.

In addition to Rocky’s Ace Hardware, the project was supported by the Hispanic-American Library, Harmony Entertainment Enterprise, and the Springfield Cultural Council. “Echoes of Heritage” now stands as a lasting tribute to the contributions of Springfield’s Latino community — past, present, and future.

Nomination Deadline for Healthcare Heroes Extended to July 25

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — In the spring of 2017, BusinessWest and its sister publication, the Healthcare News, created a new recognition program called Healthcare Heroes. It was launched with the theory that there are heroes working across this region’s wide, deep, and all-important healthcare sector, and that there was no shortage of fascinating stories to tell and individuals and groups to honor. That theory has certainly been validated.

But there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of heroes whose stories we still need to tell. And that’s where you come in. The nomination deadline for the class of 2025 has been extended to Friday, July 25, and we encourage you to get involved and help recognize someone you consider to be a hero in the Western Mass. region in one (or more) of these eight categories: Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider; Health/Wellness Administrator; Emerging Leader; Community Health; Health Educator; Innovation in Health/Wellness; Collaboration in Health/Wellness; and Lifetime Achievement.

Nominations can be submitted at businesswest.com/healthcareheroes/nominations.

Center Created in Former CityStage Is Designed to Educate, Inspire

By
Bob and Roberta Bolduc
Cover Story

Work of Arts

 

As he talks about Hope for Youth & Families (HYF), the foundation he created in 2022 after selling his Pride chain of gas stations and stores, Bob Bolduc will inevitably reference the “three legs of the stool,” as he puts it, meaning its main focus points.

One is literacy, where the family foundation is making progress in efforts to help young people who fall behind in reading proficiency and are in danger of dropping out of school as a result. The initiative, involving interns and peer-to-peer support, has yielded results, with half of those involved moving up a full grade in reading level and another quarter moving up two grades.

Bob and Roberta Bolduc

Bob and Roberta Bolduc.

Students take a guitar lesson during one of the summer programs at Hope Center for the Arts.

Students take a guitar lesson during one of the summer programs at Hope Center for the Arts.

The second stool involves high-achieving students and providing them with avenues to a college education. And the third is participation in the arts, something that is in many ways lacking in Springfield, said Bolduc, due to funding restrictions in the schools.

It is this third leg, the arts, that is … well, taking center stage recently through a massive, ongoing effort to transform the former CityStage in downtown Springfield, dormant for several years now, into an arts hub for Springfield youth.

Called the Hope Center for the Arts, the facility has become a passion project for Bolduc, his wife, Roberta, and his foundation, which acquired the former CityStage for $1 million at auction in 2023 and has since invested roughly $15 million in the center, which will be thoroughly modern in every respect.

“We didn’t spare any expense — it’s all state-of-the-art, from the stage to the security,” said Bolduc, adding that the center, spread across nearly 40,000 square feet over two levels, is designed to provide flexible learning, rehearsal, and performance space that will advance the mission of HYF and several partner organizations focused on both the arts and helping youth and families in Springfield thrive.

Build-out of various spaces continued at a frenetic pace through the winter and spring, leading to the start of free summer programs for middle school and high school students, which began July 7 and will run until Aug. 1. During the school year, there will be after-school programs.

Meanwhile, the city and region will regain a valuable asset in the center’s main stage, which has been retrofitted with sound and lighting equipment that will make it one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in the country, one that will see a full schedule of performances — starting with the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival earlier this month — by artists that will involve young people involved with the center in some way.

“The arts are not just entertaining and cultural, which we need in this city; they’re also inspiring. Imagine a kid who gets turned on to dance or vocals or an instrument and then goes to a good school on a scholarship … we’ve changed their life.”

As he talked about the main stage, Kyle Homstead, technical director of the center, said the sound will be “three-dimensional” in nature, and the lighting system will enable crews to create virtually any kind of digital landscape, both behind the performers on a large screen and beneath their feet on the stage.

“All this makes this room a multi-media powerhouse,” he explained, one that will draw performers across a broad spectrum to Springfield. “We’ll be able to transform and bring all kinds of imagination to life. Whether it’s a touring performance artist or kids in our program, we’ll be able to take their ideas and all the types of art going on in this facility and really bring it to life.”

While the main stage gets much of the attention, the center focuses on all aspects of the arts and also includes a 110-seat black box theater, two large rehearsal rooms and two smaller ones, practice rooms, a recording studio and media production room, a digital arts classroom, a visual arts studio, a photography studio, childcare space, a teen café and lounge, and a catering kitchen and service counter. There are also plans to convert the former Pizzeria Uno space (currently a hookah lounge at the tail end of its lease) into a student-run coffee shop.

Kyle Homstead (at left) on the main stage at the Hope Center for the Arts.

Kyle Homstead (at left) on the main stage at the Hope Center for the Arts.

Bolduc showed off all of this and more during a detailed tour during which he focused on not just on the facilities being created, but what they mean for young people in the city — and their families.

“The arts are not just entertaining and cultural, which we need in this city; they’re also inspiring,” he explained. “Imagine a kid who gets turned on to dance or vocals or an instrument and then goes to a good school on a scholarship … we’ve changed their life.

“Arts programming can be an important contributor to student success in school, and yet arts programs are often the first to fall victim to budget cuts,” he went on, adding that compounding this is a lack of things do after school. “Unless they play sports, they have nothing to do, and … being kids, some of them are going to get into trouble. Young people who may not be interested in sports deserve just as much opportunity and access to programs that enrich their lives and encourage them to express themselves.”

For this issue, BusinessWest got what we’ll call a backstage look at the Hope Center for the Arts, learning not only how that dormant space has been dramatically and colorfully transformed, but how its various programs may transform young lives.

 

Filling in the Canvas

Flashing back a few years, Bolduc said he approached the city about possibly renting CityStage for some initiatives to address that third leg of the stool he mentioned.

He said he was told that, while this might be an option, the city would prefer to sell it to him — or anyone else who might be interested.

“We came to realize that we had the potential here to be not just a theater, like it used to be, but to make this a true center for the arts.”

Not many were, and Bolduc prevailed at a public auction. And it was soon thereafter that he and others at the foundation realized that they could and should do much more than revive the main stage — originally known as StageWest and later renamed CityStage — that had hosted a wide variety of plays and other forms of entertainment for more than 35 years.

“We came to realize that we had the potential here to be not just a theater, like it used to be, but to make this a true center for the arts,” he explained. “We created an advisory board and met with just about every nonprofit group in the region and had them all through for tours. And people would say, ‘you can do this,’ and ‘you can do that.’ So it became very clear that we had the potential here to create a center for the arts, something like the Kennedy Center.”

And over the past 18 months or so, this vision has become a stunning reality, he said, adding that the project has involved a wide variety of tradespeople working on everything from HVAC systems to security systems; lighting installations to creation of a toddlers’ room where parents can leave younger children while they watch performances involving older siblings.

And the famously detail-oriented Bolduc has presided over every step in the process, from arrangement of free breakfast and lunch to a program enabling parents to drop off children early for programming — and pick them up late — to accommodate work schedules, to streaming services for parents and grandparents who can’t get to a performance for some reason.

“I’m a perfectionist; we’ve taken care of all those details. Whenever we see a problem, we fix it,” he said, adding that the summer programs alone come with a price tag north of $250,000.

An architect’s rendering of the courtyard area, being renovated by the city, outside the Hope Center for the Arts.

An architect’s rendering of the courtyard area, being renovated by the city, outside the Hope Center for the Arts.

Meanwhile, the facilities are, as noted, state of the art. And nowhere is this more true than in the main stage, which has been reborn, and transformed, in dramatic fashion, as Homstead explained.

“We’re super excited about what this theater is going to bring to Springfield,” he said, adding that, while the team at the foundation drew inspiration from its unique design and construction of the stage and seating areas, the technical systems have been redesigned to make this one of the most advanced theaters in the Northeast — starting with what’s known as a spacial audio system, designed by L-Acoustics, a global leader in speaker manufacturing.

“They’re at the vanguard of audio technology; across the front, instead of the traditional left and right speakers, there’s five hangs of speakers that are part of what we call the main scene, and then we have 26 speakers in surround. What that allows us to do is mix in a whole new way that’s three-dimensional.

“Instead of hearing all the sounds piled on top of one another coming out of two speakers, left and right, we’re spreading all those sounds across the entire sound field to create something that, if you close your eyes, sounds very three-dimensional and very much as if you’re listening to a band spread out on stage,” he went on, adding that this is the second such installation in the country.

 

The Sound of Progress

The huge investments in the former CityStage space, which include much more than the main stage, paid dividends that were recognizable on day two of the summer program, when Bolduc led another tour, showing young people getting lessons in guitar, vocals, dance, theater, and more.

“This is not a summer camp,” he explained. “Kids can sign up for it, state their preferences, and they’ll be able to go to programs by professional artists to learn and participate in theater, all kinds of chorus, all kinds of dance, all kinds of visual arts, photography, creative writing, and audio-visual media labs that are as good or better than any of the top colleges.”

The summer programs will be a testing ground of sorts, Bolduc noted, adding that they will help shape programming to be conducted during the school year, which will have those twin goals of immersing young people in the arts and perhaps inspiring pursuit of college arts programs and careers in various fields.

The facility even includes recording rooms that young people can utilize to create portfolios of their work that may help them get accepted into a college arts program.

“They need a recording of them singing, playing an instrument, dancing, or whatever — and there’s no place to do that,” he explained. “We have recording studios where they can do it for free.”

Overall, every aspect of the center is similarly designed to not only educate, but provide a leg up for pursuit of further education or employment.

And that extends to the planned coffee shop in the former Pizzeria Uno space, a work in progress on many levels and a program that may not become reality for a few years, but is already stirring the imagination.

“Imagine if this was run by kids so we can teach them business, marketing, finance, and culinary arts, and it was open to the public,” Bolduc said. “And suppose there was a small stage in there with an open mic so that students can go in there and perform for free; they get to shine.”

Allowing young people to shine, and perhaps change the trajectory of their lives in the process, is the overriding mission of the Hope Center for the Arts, which has transformed a once-vacant space and has the power to help transform Springfield’s downtown as well as generations of young people.

It is truly a work of arts.

What the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Means for Taxpayers, Businesses

By Contributor
Accounting and Tax Planning Special Coverage

A Sweeping Tax Overhaul

By Tim Provost, CPA

In a dramatic display of legislative determination, the U.S. Congress passed, and President Trump signed into law, a sweeping tax reform package on July 4. Though stripped of its campaign-era title for procedural reasons, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act represents one of the most comprehensive overhauls of the U.S. tax code since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017.

Packed with both solidified extensions of soon-to-expire provisions and a host of new reforms aimed at individuals and businesses, the legislation reshapes the tax landscape for years to come. It also dramatically curtails green energy tax incentives to offset the substantial cost of these reforms, estimated to exceed $5 trillion over a decade.

 

Making TCJA Permanent

At its core, the bill cements many key provisions of the TCJA that were set to expire at the end of 2025. These include the maintenance of reduced individual income tax brackets (10% to 37%), the higher standard deduction, the elimination of personal exemptions, and the expanded alternative minimum tax thresholds.

The final legislation increases the standard deduction beginning in 2025, setting it at $31,500 for joint filers, $23,625 for heads of household, and $15,750 for single or married individuals filing separately. These figures will continue to be indexed for inflation.

The child tax credit is permanently increased to $2,200 per child, with inflation adjustments and a refundable portion of $1,700 for 2025.

The act also preserves the expanded estate tax exemption at $15 million (indexed for inflation) and makes permanent several itemized deduction limits and changes to the mortgage interest deduction, which will now include mortgage insurance premiums.

Tim Provost“In a move that drastically shifts federal energy policy, the act eliminates or shortens a range of green energy tax credits introduced in the Inflation Reduction Act.”

Tax Relief for Workers and Families

Among the most headline-grabbing provisions are new deductions designed to benefit middle-income earners in specific professions:

• A new tax deduction of up to $25,000 is available for tip income received in specific occupations (excluding highly compensated employees). The deduction begins to phase out at $150,000 of modified adjusted gross income for individuals and $300,000 for joint filers. This deduction is available through 2028.

• Overtime compensation is now partially shielded from taxation, with a deduction capped at $12,500 per taxpayer and income limits similar to those for tips.

• Seniors age 65 and over are eligible for a bonus standard deduction of $6,000 through 2028, subject to income phaseouts.

 

SALT Cap Expansion, Expiration

Long a point of contention, the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap sees a temporary reprieve. The cap is lifted from $10,000 to $40,000 in 2025, increasing slightly each year through 2029, before reverting to the original limit in 2030. However, phaseouts apply for taxpayers with high incomes, starting at a modified adjusted gross income of $500,000.

 

Business Provisions Made Permanent

For businesses, the bill makes several long-advocated provisions permanent:

• It reinstates 100% bonus depreciation for qualified property placed in service after Jan. 19, 2025 and makes it permanent. The bill further includes expanded eligibility for manufacturing property and broader asset classes.

• The bill permanently reinstates full expensing of domestic research and experimental (R&E) costs from 2025. Small business taxpayers with average annual gross receipts of $31 million or less may even retroactively apply this change back to 2022 through amended returns. Taxpayers who previously capitalized R&E costs after Dec. 31, 2021, and before Jan. 1, 2025, may elect to accelerate the remaining deductions for such expenditures over a one-year period or ratably over a two-year period.

• Though the House bill proposed increasing the qualified business income (Sec. 199A) deduction to 23%, the final law keeps it at 20% while expanding phase-out thresholds. The deduction is now permanent.

• The maximum small business expensing (Sec. 179) deduction is increased to $2.5 million, with a phase-out beginning at $4 million of property acquisition.

 

IRS Reform and International Tax Tweaks

The Act terminates the IRS Direct File program, reallocating funds to study a public-private partnership model for free tax filing solutions.

International tax changes include renaming and modifying deductions:

• FDII and GILTI are renamed to FDDEI (foreign-derived deduction eligible income) and NCTI (net CFC tested income), respectively, with corresponding deduction percentages reduced slightly from current levels.

• The base erosion and anti-abuse tax rate is stabilized at 10.5% instead of the scheduled increase to 12.5%.

“Businesses, especially those involved in capital investment and research, will benefit from enhanced expensing rules and the permanence of deductions that had previously been temporary.”

Green Energy Rollbacks: A Major Offset

In a move that drastically shifts federal energy policy, the act eliminates or shortens a range of green energy tax credits introduced in the Inflation Reduction Act.

Clean vehicle credits, residential clean energy credits, alternative fuel infrastructure credits, and energy-efficient home credits are terminated after Dec. 31, 2025 (or slightly later in the Senate compromise).

Notably, the New Markets Tax Credit, supporting low-income investment, was preserved and even made permanent, a lone holdover in an otherwise sweeping repeal of energy-related incentives.

 

Final Thoughts

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act legislation brings a significant degree of clarity and continuity to the federal tax code. By making many provisions of the TCJA permanent and introducing new deductions targeted at workers and families, the law offers both simplification and expanded relief for a broad spectrum of taxpayers.

At the same time, the reduction or elimination of several green energy incentives reflects a reprioritization of fiscal resources aimed at offsetting the cost of these reforms. Businesses, especially those involved in capital investment and research, will benefit from enhanced expensing rules and the permanence of deductions that had previously been temporary.

As the new provisions take effect, taxpayers, advisors, and financial professionals will need to evaluate how the changes impact planning strategies and compliance obligations in both the near and long terms. Continued guidance from the IRS and Treasury will be critical to implementing the new rules effectively and ensuring that both individuals and organizations can make informed decisions under the updated tax framework.

 

Tim Provost, CPA is a partner at MP CPAs. He has more than 15 years of practice in personal and business taxation at both the federal and state levels, as well as experience working with international affiliates on foreign tax issues. He provides consulting and tax solutions to a diverse group of clients, including individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and trusts. Provost specializes in working with high-net-worth clients and private equity firms and their owners. He is also a certified valuation analyst who works with clients on the value of a particular business for the purpose of acquisitions, sales, and gift and estate tax purposes, to name a few.

Strengthening the Human Element in Cyber Defense

By
Cybersecurity Special Coverage

Sophisticated Game

 

 

There’s no doubt, information security experts say, that people have become more savvy about detecting phishing attacks and other cyber threats.

Unfortunately, the hackers have become more savvy as well — exponentially so, in the era of artificial intelligence — and that’s a problem.

“The risk is getting worse, not better,” Bean said. “The sophistication of the attacks is getting infinitely better, and the variety or complexity of the attacks is getting significantly higher. And a lot of that is driven by AI.”

Elaborating, he explained that there are essentially two types of phishing attacks. One is the bread-and-butter, scattershot attacks that hope to ensnare as many random recipients as possible. And these hackers — many of them operating from foreign countries where English isn’t their first language — are now using AI to craft emails that sound more plausible, and don’t set off the same alarm bells as their cruder predecessors.

“But then there are high-value attacks, which are much more sophisticated and much more intelligent. They’re not just mass attacks sent out to hundreds or thousands or millions of people. They’re targeted attacks,” Bean said — and these employ AI to a troubling degree.

He related a real-life example of a CFO getting an email from a hacker posing as a vendor, urgently asking for a payment, at a time when the CEO was traveling and unavailable (which the hacker knew). To verify the transaction, the hacker set up a Zoom call with what turned out to be a deepfake version of an actual attorney.

“The lawyer says, ‘this is what the money is for; go ahead and wire it.’ And the CFO, at that point, is very comfortable and sends the money, no hesitation,” Bean said. “That kind of deepfake would have been impossible even three years ago; only Hollywood could provide that level of sophistication. But in the last couple of years, it’s so easy. You can get content online, combine it with certain tools, and do some really impressive stuff that’s beyond phishing — it’s straight-up cybercrime.”

Tim Miller, chief Information Security Officer at Community Bank, agreed that malicious AI tools are helping to create perfectly crafted phishing emails that are specific to a company or individual user, which is why the bank’s employees are not only trained on a regular basis to detect these threats, but tested as well.

“You don’t want to create a simulated fishing program without some level of training tied to failures,” he explained. “And you’ve got to make it believable; you’ve got to make it good. Sometimes that upsets people; we’ve done tests in the past that people have gotten really upset about, but that’s what these threat actors are doing. They don’t care what your feelings are. The point is to get an emotion out of you, a sense of urgency, of fear, and that’s how they get you to click.”

Exploiting the human element in cybercrime — known in IT circles as social engineering — is an ongoing concern for companies of all sizes.

Delcie Bean

Delcie Bean

“The risk is getting worse, not better. The sophistication of the attacks is getting infinitely better, and the variety or complexity of the attacks is getting significantly higher. And a lot of that is driven by AI.”

Hoxhunt, an organization that helps companies with IT risk management, notes that the human element is a factor in 68% of data breaches, according to a Verizon report. Of those, the Comcast Business Cybersecurity Threat Report says 80% to 95% are initiated by a phishing attack, and the total volume of phishing attacks has skyrocketed since the advent of ChatGPT in 2022.

“I think the risks from AI are going to continue to develop, and we’ve already seen significant changes from what the risks were before,” Miller said. “What was theoretical risk a year ago is actual risk now, and what that’s going to look like a year from now, I think, is somewhat unknown.”

 

Damage Done

For companies that do fall prey to cyberattacks and data breaches, the damage can be significant, Miller said, especially for companies (like banks and hospitals) in highly regulated industries, publicly traded companies, and businesses that operate in multiple states.

“Even if you deem it a small-scale event, it can mushroom very quickly,” he noted. “Now, let’s take the example of ransomware, where they’re able to get in and actually encrypt your data. In almost every ransomware event over the last couple of years, they’ve combined that with data exfiltration. So not only are they preventing you from accessing your files, they have a copy of it themselves. So it’s a combination of them wanting money from you, and they have the data already.”

Another big risk in these events is reputation risk, he went on.

“If a customer knows that you’ve had a security incident or a breach, especially a significant one, how do they know their data is going to be protected going forward? How do they know that the company is ultimately going to be able to protect them in the future? And are they more likely to find somebody else to do their business with? That’s the thing with cybersecurity incidents — it starts to degrade trust a little bit, which makes it challenging for companies to overcome.”

That’s why cybercrime is actually much more prevalent than public reports would suggest, Bean said. “You’re not going hear about 95% of them. The CEO or CFO doesn’t want to let that story get outside their little circle of trust.

“Ransomware has always been much more prevalent than we knew about because companies were keeping it secret, unless it caused a significant outage, like a hospital or an entire town being taken down,” he added. “For every one of those, another 100 businesses were hit quietly, and they dealt with it, and they weren’t telling anyone because they didn’t want it reaching the world because of loss of credibility and fear of lawsuits — and a lot of cybercrime stayed under the radar.”

Bean emphasized that the classic, non-AI attacks that have been around for years are still prevalent — essentially, “they’re trying to get you to log in and do something.” But these have become more sophisticated and targeted as well.

“They’ll know that you placed an Amazon order — ‘there’s a problem with the delivery of your dog food; click here if you still want to receive this order.’ They use very sophisticated tools to scrape your cookies when you’re on websites, and they see that you’re browsing for dog food, they assume you placed the order, and they send a very targeted attack. That stuff is growing.”

Miller said Community Bank communicates regularly with customers on how they can avoid becoming victims, while also making sure employees know what to look for.

Tim Miller

Tim Miller

“If a customer knows that you’ve had a security incident or a breach, especially a significant one, how do they know their data is going to be protected going forward? How do they know that the company is ultimately going to be able to protect them in the future? And are they more likely to find somebody else to do their business with?”

“It’s important, from our perspective, to make sure everyone inside the company understands that cybersecurity risks are everyone’s responsibility. It’s not just my role,” he explained. “And it’s important for the folks in our branches to understand what these threats are because they are the frontline to customer interactions. And if they can relay some of the information to them, that’s obviously beneficial for all.”

That’s especially true at a time when threats are increasing. “I mean, the concept of deepfakes is very much here, and it’s not going anywhere. And that’s a concept that’s really challenging for people to grasp,” Miller went on, going back again to what he emphasizes internally, which is the importance of following established processes — for instance, when a possibly deepfaked company executive is asking for a wire transfer.

“It goes back to adhering to your processes and not necessarily going off of your emotion — because your emotion in that instance would be, ‘I want to satisfy the CFO by making this wire.’ But the reality is, you might have a verification step where you call the CFO back. These attacks have gotten so good that the whole ‘smell test’ piece may not work anymore. So you have to go back to certain things that you know will identify those risks.”

 

Strong Defense

Bean emphasized the importance of both training and testing employees, saying one without the other isn’t enough.

At the same time, however, “we’ve had to shift to almost accepting that there’s going to be a certain amount of successful phishing attacks. It’s like a war — you have to cede one line in the battle and retreat to a different position that you feel is more defensible.”

And that second position, in many cases, has been recognizing what a successful breach looks like — often using AI systems to monitor that — and locking it down before damage is done.

“Most commonly, they’re stealing Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace credentials. But the second they log into the system, there are certain hallmarks about how that’s going to look. The login is different in subtle ways; a login by a bad actor sends up suspicious flags. An AI system can evaluate that login, and if there’s anything remotely suspicious, a human can lock the account, send a report to us, and we take over the case from there.

“That’s definitely been a godsend. We’re seeing hackers getting through MFA [multi-factor authentication] or getting a password through phishing, but we’re catching them the instant they log in,” Bean went on, comparing it to having both external home security and motion sensors inside the house. “The police arrive before there’s any damage.”

He added that this is a war being fought on multiple fronts, and companies need to take it seriously, through training, testing, and perhaps an outside partner.

“If someone can get in, it can be anywhere from a couple hundred thousand dollars to a couple million, and most businesses don’t have that floating around. Some go out of business or face financial hardships that might not be covered by cyber insurance. It’s not something you can afford to underinvest in.”

Miller added that “a lot of companies, especially smaller companies, don’t have budgets to invest in the latest and greatest, and that’s fine. It’s more about, are you patching your systems? Are employees aware of newer threats? There’s a lot that companies can do.

“These are the basics of cybersecurity — which, honestly, is what protects you 99% of the time,” he added. “It’s doing the basics of being skeptical. That’s one of the keys with phishing and all these other types of fraudulent attempts — being skeptical about it.”

Springfield BID Gets Creative in Efforts to Promote Downtown

By
Michelle Grout at the ‘Odyssey’ installation at Tower Square Park
Commercial Real Estate Special Coverage

Pushing the Envelope

Michelle Grout at the ‘Odyssey’ installation at Tower Square Park

Michelle Grout at the ‘Odyssey’ installation at Tower Square Park, one of the BID’s attempts to “push the envelope” in efforts to promote Springfield and bring people to the city.

 

Michelle Grout says she’s still getting emails and texts and seeing posts on social media platforms regarding the head-turning art installation in Tower Square Park known as “Odyssey,” featuring three seven-foot-tall pigeons and a Campbell’s soup can.

Not as many as when it first appeared a month or so ago, but they’re still coming in, with most of them positive in nature and candid about how nice it is to have something new and different downtown.

Her favorite missive is from a family not living in Springfield — they didn’t say where they were from — that jumped on a new reason to come to the city.

“The very first day, we had a post on social media … a family said, ‘we hadn’t been downtown in three years, but when we saw this, we know we had to come downtown for lunch,’” said Grout, president of the Springfield Business Improvement District (BID), which brought “Odyssey” to the park with support from several member sponsors. “They went to Hot Table and sat under the pigeons and had lunch.

“It’s doing its job — it’s got people talking, and it’s bringing people downtown,” she said of the installation, adding that, for the BID, the project is perhaps the most visible manifestation of ongoing efforts to do things differently when it comes to promoting the downtown and bringing people there, which is, in a nutshell, the agency’s mission.

“If you want the same results, keep doing the same things,” she said. “We don’t want the same results; we really want to try to push the envelope and get people to start thinking about Springfield as a destination again. We want to give people a reason to come.”

“Odyssey” will be on display until Labor Day, she added, and there will be other efforts to spur talk and visits — everything from a planned new mural project to a grilled cheese and tomato soup day at “Odyssey.”

These efforts coincide with new developments downtown, a rise in the number of people living there, and optimism about what’s to come, said Grout, who grew up in the city and remembers taking the bus downtown as a kid and going to the Steiger’s that sat near where those pigeons now do.

“It’s a balance of live, work, and play — it can’t be all people who live here, it can’t be all people who work here, and you can’t solely rely on people who visit here.”

The project at 31 Elm St., conversion of the former hotel into 70 units of market-rate and workforce housing, has been a catalyst for more development, with new initiatives, such as replacement of the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse — she contends that the new facility needs to be downtown — creating speculation and anticipation.

Meanwhile, the tenants at 31 Elm are making an economic impact, which generates more anticipation about other residential initiatives in the planning stages.

“There are people from that building that we see all the time in their new routines,” she explained. “They go to the farmers market, they get their coffee at Palazzo, they go to Nosh … they’re investing in their new home,” she explained. “That’s one thing that attracts someone to live in a downtown — they have these amenities; we just need to come up with the amenities. It’s a balance of live, work, and play — it can’t be all people who live here, it can’t be all people who work here, and you can’t solely rely on people who visit here.”

There are certainly challenges in the BID district, Grout said, adding that many office buildings have not fully recovered from the aftereffects of COVID on where people work. And some of these properties may now be better suited for housing, although retrofitting them will be expensive. Meanwhile, some properties require extensive investments to host any kind of tenant, given modern standards and changing needs, and the costs are, in many instances, prohibitive.

String lighting, as seen here on Worthington Street

String lighting, as seen here on Worthington Street, is one of many BID initiatives to beautify downtown Springfield.

But overall, there is energy, optimism, and movement to create that needed balance, she said, adding that it’s a different downtown than the one she grew up with, but one with many strong assets and great potential.

For this issue and its focus on commercial real estate, we talked with Grout about how the BID is getting more creative as it carries out its mission, and ever more diligent in its efforts to put the city’s best foot forward, whether it’s with flowers, string lights, or art in the park.

 

Optimistic View

The large windows in Grout’s office at 1319 Main St. face south and provide direct views of the MassMutual Center and its marquee.

“I can’t miss what’s going on; I have no excuse to say I didn’t know what’s happening,” she joked, adding that she doesn’t need this view to know what’s going on across Bruce Landon Way — or at any of the other downtown venues downtown.

In fact, it’s her job to know — or at least one small part of her job, one that she arrived at after spending several years in residential real estate and a decade at the BID. She started there as administrative assistant to Director Chris Russell, then Operations director, then interim director when Russell stepped down three years now, and now director.

She’s seen and been through quite a bit over her 12 years with the agency, including what she called the “ebb and flow” of the downtown, a global pandemic and its many impacts, and now, what she describes as a resurgence in development over the past several years.

That resurgence has taken many forms, is both public and private in nature, and has involved several different properties, including 31 Elm St.; ongoing efforts to redevelop the Clocktower Building and adjacent Colonial Block into more housing and ground-floor retail; ambitious work to revitalize several long-vacant or mostly vacant properties on Worthington Street in the city’s entertainment district; the new Convention Center Carpark and the adjoining space, which is being activated for events; renovation of Court Square; the new Hope for Youth & Families Arts Center; and more.

“These investments are very inspirational and, I’m sure all would agree, necessary,” said Grout, adding that these initiatives and others will bring more people and vibrancy to a downtown the BID serves in many different ways — specifically, 221 parcels across an area stretching from West Columbus Avenue to Chestnut Street (but also Mattoon Street and the Quadrangle), and from just south of State Street to the Arch.

These include what Grout called supplemental services beyond what the city provides to keep the downtown clean and safe — from beautification efforts and lighting to broad economic development initiatives.

Indeed, the BID was awarded a $100,000 grant from the state Executive Office of Economic Development to subsidize new businesses and fill vacant storefronts in the district, she explained, adding that 13 ventures took advantage of the program, earning grants ranging from $7,500 to $15,000.

The farmers’ market in Tower Square Park

The farmers’ market in Tower Square Park is another BID initiative to activate downtown spaces and bring people to the city.

The BID is also charged with marketing the downtown, an assignment that takes on many forms, from robust programming to a website that that includes a calendar of upcoming events, snapshots of downtown restaurants with links to their websites, and listings of hotels and attractions, including MGM Springfield, Riverfront Park, the Springfield Museums, and the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, with programming, the BID has moved away from outdoor concerts, she explained, and much more toward promoting venues that offer live music, from MGM Springfield to Theodores’ to the Student Prince.

“We’ve pivoted to more destination placement, complimentary support to what’s already happening to grow a broader audience for that,” she said, adding that the “Odyssey” installation falls squarely into the category of marketing and promotion, although it is certainly non-traditional in nature.

As she talked about how it arrived in Springfield, Grout said the Downtown Boston Alliance had worked with a Quebec-based company called EXMURO on its Winteractive, a winter arts exhibition, and introductions were made.

“We saw the success they had in bringing people back to their district for a unique and unexpected experience, and the impact it had,” she explained. “And we thought that, on a Springfield scale, we could find the right piece to do the same thing, and after a few months of consulting, we landed on this piece.”

“Odyssey” has been in display in several cities — it was in Quebec City last fall, for example — but this is its first appearance in the U.S. And, as Grout noted, it has garnered attention and generated talk, which was the goal.

“People would ask, ‘what’s it for, what’s it about?’” she told BusinessWest. “My answer is getting people talking — it’s given people another reason to come down, another block to walk, another sight to see.”

 

Art and Soul

And there will be more efforts like it — although certainly not exactly like it — to keep creating a buzz, said Grout, noting there will be other art installations in other locations.

Meanwhile, another of her primary goals is to build on existing collaborations with community partners and “work smarter, not harder,” as she put it.

“We want to build efficiencies within everyone’s initiatives,” she explained. “You see a lot of people working at the same thing; if they all work together, it would be more efficient.”

As an example, she cited the relationship between the BID and the MassMutual Center and its marketing team. The two entities started working more closely together two years ago, and since that commitment, both have seen dramatic increases in engagement and followers on social media platforms, with the BID’s rising 18% and the MassMutual Center’s 65%. This surge has coincided with an increase in acts and a schedule that attracts people of all ages, she noted.

Another collaborative effort involves the Springfield Cultural Council, said Grout, adding that the agencies are working on several different initiatives, including a new mural project now in the planning stages and dependent on grant funding, as well as Art on Market Street, a free drop-in art program for young people slated for Saturdays this summer.

The downtown farmers market, meanwhile, has become a Friday tradition in the city. Presented by Country Bank, it runs from June until the end of September and features several local vendors, live music, and family-friendly activities.

Then, there are ongoing efforts to make the downtown clean and safe, which play a huge role in its overall success.

“If it looks good, people feel good, and that makes them want to come back and not be afraid to walk another block, go to another place, and see another site,” she explained, adding that these efforts go well beyond watering plants and picking up trash. “It takes a village.”

Indeed, it does. And in the village of downtown Springfield, there is progress, anticipation, and, yes, talk. And not just about the three pigeons and a Campbell’s soup can.

 

Springfield Features Many Developing Stories

By
Ray Berry at Pridelands on Mane Street, what he calls a spinoff of a winning concept from the days before COVID.
Community Spotlight Special Coverage

Community Spotlight

Ray Berry at Pridelands on Mane Street, what he calls a spinoff of a winning concept from the days before COVID.

Ray Berry at Pridelands on Mane Street, what he calls a spinoff of a winning concept from the days before COVID.

Diana Szynal took the job as president of the Springfield Regional Chamber — and an office overlooking Tower Square Park — three years ago.

Back then, the city was still trying to shake off the effects of COVID, she said, with many workers at downtown businesses still spending considerable time working remotely.

They’re not all back five days a week, she stressed, but there is far more vibrancy in the downtown than when she started — and on many levels.

“More people are in their offices more days of the week, and this has helped create a lot of vitality downtown … I’m seeing a lot of energy there,” she said. “There are some new restaurants opening and new businesses coming in. There are a lot of people walking around and enjoying being downtown.”

And that sentiment certainly includes what Szynal can see out her window in Tower Square Park, which is home to a popular farmers market and, more recently, an attention-grabbing art installation called Odyssey — one of the Springfield Business Improvement District’s more creative (literally and figuratively) efforts to promote the downtown and bring people to it  — and a new outdoor event destination created by White Lion Brewing called Pridelands on Mane Street, which kicked off July 9.

Diana Szynal

Diana Szynal

“More people are in their offices more days of the week, and this has helped create a lot of vitality downtown … I’m seeing a lot of energy there. There are some new restaurants opening and new businesses coming in. There are a lot of people walking around and enjoying being downtown.”

Ray Berry, owner of White Lion, said the destination, created from three custom-designed shipping containers, offers a unique backdrop for planned weekly entertainment on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, but also for company outings, team socials, or casual get-togethers with friends and family.

“There are so many positive moving parts to engage and enjoy downtown,” he said. “We see Pridelands as another piece of the mosaic.”

This broad activation of Tower Square Park is just one of many storylines converging in the City of Homes. Others include:

• Progress to create more housing of all kinds, from market-rate apartments in the downtown to higher-end homes in different areas of the city (more on this later);

• The high-profile project to redevelop the Clocktower Building, Colonial Block, and two other adjoining properties into roughly 100 units of market-rate housing, as well as infrastructure improvements in that area, including a new parking garage;

• The transformation of the former CityStage into the Hope Center for the Arts, a state-of-the-art facility to designed to educate young people and perhaps inspire careers in the arts ;

• Ambitious work to revitalize the entertainment district through redevelopment of a block of buildings on Worthington Street, a project led by Raipher and Joseph Pellegrino in partnership with the city, detailed in the July 7 issue of BusinessWest;

• Continued discussion, and some anxiety, about the future of some downtown office buildings, which continue to struggle in this post-COVID era;

• Plans to replace the troubled Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse — the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance has issued a request for proposals for a new site, preferably in the downtown; they’re due back in October — and speculation about what will done with the existing structure as well as adjacent properties in that area off State Street, including the former First Church;

An architect’s rendering of the planned improvements, including a new parking garage, in the South End, between State Street and Union Street.

An architect’s rendering of the planned improvements, including a new parking garage, in the South End, between State Street and Union Street.

• The continued success of the Springfield Thunderbirds, which will soon enter their 10th season and continue to set the bar higher with everything from ticket sales to marketing and social media content (see below

• Movement toward creation of a master plan for redevelopment of the Mason Square neighborhood and adjoining areas;

• Visible signs of progress in a massive project to reimagine the former Eastfield Mall as a retail center with a large residential component; and

• Future redevelopment of the former Massachusetts Career Development Institute property on Wilbraham Avenue. The site was demolished four years ago, and speculation continues about what will come next in an area that has seen strong residential growth.

Overall, housing remains one of the main focal points, said Tim Sheehan, the city’s chief Development officer, noting that that there is both urgent need for more housing and several ongoing initiatives to address that need. These include everything from the aforementioned South End project to redevelopment of the former Springfield School Department headquarters on State Street to plans to build high-end homes on the pre-tornado campus of Cathedral High School.

This residential growth reflects both strong need for more housing as well as greater interest in the city overall as a place to live and work, he went on, adding that work is taking place on many fronts to meet the needs of new (and old) residents, and make Springfield a true destination.

 

All That Jazz

Evan Plotkin, president and CEO of NAI Plotkin, has long been a cheerleader for Springfield and a prime mover when it comes to projects to promote the city and especially its downtown and cast them in a positive light. These include everything from mural projects to the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival, which took place last week and was in its final planning stages as he talked with BusinessWest.

Plotkin said he sees a number of positive developments taking place in the city, including several in the office tower he co-owns, 1350 Main St., where a high school now resides on the top two floors. But it’s what he’s not seeing that has him concerned.

Springfield at a Glance

Year Incorporated: 1852
Population: 155,929
Area: 33.1 square miles
County: Hampden
Residential tax rate: $15.68
Commercial tax rate: $35.22
Median Household Income: $35,236
Median Family Income: $51,110
Type of government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Baystate Health, MassMutual Financial Group, Big Y Foods, MGM Springfield, Mercy Medical Center, Center for Human Development
* Latest information available

That list includes new businesses coming to the city and its downtown; instead, he said, there’s much more movement of existing businesses and restaurants, a game of musical chairs that doesn’t result in real growth, just a shift of vacancies from one building to another.

Something else he’s not seeing is consistent effort from the city to maintain landmarks like Stearns Square, which was revitalized several years ago, but sees its ornate fountain not in use the majority of the time.

“They invested in the hardscape and the landscape, and then they walked away,” he said of the city and its efforts at the park. “And this is a pattern; we put up plaques saying ‘we did this’ and ‘we did that’ and ‘here’s this brand new park,’ but the next year, they don’t mow the lawn and let the weeds grow back.”

Overall, more work is needed to maintain and preserve such treasures and to make the city a more desirable place to visit — and work in and live in, he went on, adding that he would like to see the city create a permanent stage downtown near Stearns Square (a temporary one was set up for the Jazz Fest) and make live music a prominent piece of the puzzle, as it was years ago.

Live music is just one of the components of Pridelands on Mane Street, a play on words that also represents what Berry called a “spinoff of a proven concept, pre-COVID.”

Elaborating, he said that, before the pandemic, White Lion created pop-up beer gardens at several sites around downtown. The last few years, though, it has concentrated these efforts in Tower Square Park, making use of retrofitted shipping containers.

Fast-forwarding, he explained that, with an ARPA grant from the city, White Lion was essentially tasked with reactivating the park, and it’s doing so in colorful styles, as in a shipping container wrapped (by East Longmeadow-based Go Graphix) with the White Lion logo.

“We knew, by way of our partnership with the Business Improvement District and other stakeholders, that the beer garden concept worked in years past, and pre-COVID showed that a container park concept resonates with our customer base,” Berry explained. “So we thought, why not bring the concept back, look to make it more permanent, and have it be a true destination right in the middle of the business district and the emerging arts district?”

Approaching 10th Season, T-Birds Have Matured as a Business

Nate Costa says that, when it comes to the Springfield Thunderbirds and prospects for continued growth, there isn’t room for much more.

Well … at least when it comes to ticket sales.

Indeed, capacity at the team’s home, the MassMutual Center, a.k.a. the Thunderdome, is 6,700. For the 2024-25 season, the T-Birds, an affiliate of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, averaged 6,369 per game, up from 6,321 the prior season. So, there’s still room for improvement, and the team will doggedly pursue it. But, again, not much.

Nate Costa

Nate Costa

“We’re going to eventually, hopefully, run out of tickets to sell,” Costa, the team’s president, said with a laugh, noting that this is both a good problem to have — one many other teams in the American Hockey League would love to have — and one of many solid indicators of how far this team has come.

As it readies for its 10th season of operation, with various plans to mark that milestone, the Thunderbirds have established themselves as a solid franchise with an increasingly loyal fan base, as evidenced by those numbers above … and the fact that they were achieved with the parking garage next door to the arena unavailable for the past three seasons.

Which means that, while there’s not much room for growth in ticket sales, there’s still plenty of room when it comes to growing revenue through increases in ticket prices — the team still charges well below the league average — as well as merchandise sales and other avenues.

“Over the past five years, we’ve continued to see the maturation of our business,” Costa explained. “We’re continuing to fill the building, and now it’s looking at our margins; we’re 30th in the league out of 32 teams in ticket price. It’s been really good to get the bodies in the building and show the value, but now it’s up to us to start walking that ticket price up effectively and generating revenue on the margins.”

Looking back, Costa said 2024-25 was another solid season for the T-Birds. There was a playoff run, albeit not a deep one (the team lost in the first round), with 20 sellouts, and, as noted, continued improvement in ticket sales and other measures of success.

“Every Saturday in the second half of the season, we sold out,” he noted, adding that many other games approached capacity over the final three months.

Meanwhile, off the ice, the team earned several awards from the league, which is becoming an annual tradition.

Indeed, in addition to benchmark awards for ticket sales and corporate sales, the team was recognized as having the AHL Marketing Department of the Year and the Most Unique Social Media Content. (More awards were expected at the annual league meetings in South Carolina, which were taking place as this story went to press.)

The marketing and social media content awards help explain the continued improvement in group sales and overall ticket sales, said Costa, adding that, with the shorter playoff run, the team is already “well ahead and well out in front of next season” in terms of season ticket renewals, group sales, and other initiatives.

Indeed, the team continues to set the bar higher, he went on, adding that, with the parking garage now open, the space adjacent to it being activated — the team, working with the state, which controls the property, will look to create a Yawkey Way-like atmosphere on game nights — and an already stable fan base, there are expectations for continued growth.

As for ticket sales, the team’s success on the ice and with creating a fun, always changing fan experience, coupled with the relatively small capacity of 6,700, has created both demand and urgency, said Costa, adding that the team has grown season ticket sales past 1,600 and looks to surpass 1,700 for next season.

“When you have a base like that coming in for every game, and we had a really great year for groups — we did more than $1 million in group revenue for the first time ever in Springfield hockey history — that gives you a really good base to work from to fill the rest of the building,” he explained, adding that the full (and nearly full) houses create a raucous atmosphere not seen in some other buildings.

“In Hartford, the XL Center [now PeoplesBank Arena] seats 16,000 people; when you bring 6,000 out, it just doesn’t have that same feeling,” he said. “If you get 5,000 in our building, the place is rocking; it feels like it’s full. That’s an advantage for us.”

As for ticket revenues, the T-Birds’ average price is just over $20, with the league average north of $28, said Costa, adding that there is some leeway for increases, given those statistics, the value the team delivers, and the growing demand for the product.

“Since we started here, the big thing was just trying to show as much value as possible, with the promotions and themes we do on game nights … that’s really added to why people want to buy tickets,” he explained. “Now, with the scarcity of tickets, the ticket packages are much more valuable because people are trying to lock in their seats, knowing that they’re not going to get them waiting until a week before a game.

“It’s been really good to change that mentality, and we’ve re-educated the community as to how to get tickets and the best way to get them,” he went on. “Coming out of the gates, we focused on building the base and going after large numbers; then, once you get the large numbers in the building and you start to create some emergency with sellouts, you can start to walk up your ticket price. I think we’re there.”

Heading into their 10th year, the T-Birds are ‘there’ in many respects and looking to soar still higher in 2025-26.

—George O’Brien

Pridelands is one of many sources of greater vibrancy Szynal is seeing downtown, and at the chamber as well, which is based in Springfield but boasts members from across the region. She said membership is up — 419 was the latest count — amid efforts to both grow and diversify the membership through initiatives such as a revamped, more member-focused website and television commercials.

“We’re really trying to diversify our membership in every possible way, from diversification of the people that are part of the chamber to the businesses and types of businesses that join the chamber,” she explained. “We’re really trying to cast a wide net; the chamber is most effective if there’s a lot of different types of people and businesses that are part of it.”

Elaborating, she said the chamber has been working in many ways to “be more out there,” through those TV commercials, social media content, the new website, a deeper event schedule, and more.

 

Progress Report

While there are several visible signs of momentum in the city, perhaps the most notable is what would be considered the ‘housing market,’ Sheehan said.

That’s a broad term that covers everything from still-rising home prices — the city has seen one of the more dramatic such increases in the state — to development of new housing of all kinds, including new market-rate apartments downtown, but also upscale homes in several sections of the city, including East Forest Park, the Bicentennial Highway area, and perhaps the site of the former Sears at the Eastfield Mall, acquired by one residential developer.

“The demand is for new product,” he said, referring to both homes and rental units. “And that’s why we’re seeing so much new housing development coming in that includes homes at the higher end of the market.”

Meanwhile, interior demolition has commenced at the South End properties — the Colonial Block, the Clocktower Building, and others, said Sheehan, noting that McCaffery, the Chicago-based development company leading the project, is finalizing financing, which is expected to cost roughly $50 million. Transfer of the Springfield Redevelopment Authority properties to McCaffery is expected to take place early next year, with construction expected to begin soon thereafter.

As that project progresses, so too has a $30 million infrastructure improvement initiative, including a new parking garage at the corner of Stockbridge and Willow streets, for the area from State Street to Union Street, one designed to make it more responsive to the residential growth taking place there.

“There’s significant housing development that’s back there now, with Stockbridge Court being the largest one, but there’s also the Lofts on Park Street,” he explained, adding that the work includes new sidewalks, lighting, road repair, and improvements to the surface parking in that area, and will create stronger connections to Main Street. “This will lift up that entire area, not just for the new housing, but the housing that’s historically been there for quite some time.”

While Sheehan sees progress on many fronts, from housing to the Eastfield Mall to the county courthouse, there are areas of concern.

These include the property at 101 State St., owned by MGM Springfield. There is still scaffolding on the structure nearly seven years after the casino opened, he said, adding that redevelopment of the property is a key bullet point in the host community agreement, and lack of progress there has become a point of contention between the city and the casino operator.

“We have concerns about that not moving forward in a timely way,” he said, adding that another pain point is the lack of any apparent progress at the former Vibra Hospital site on State Street, now vacant for several years, a campus that includes the so-called ‘Isolation Hospital,’ which preservationists want to save from the wrecking ball.

Another concern is the property known as the Mardi Gras building because it was home to a now-closed gentleman’s club. The restaurant known as 350 Grill will be moving from that building to the site of the former Jackalope on Worthington Street, becoming a key part of the revitalization efforts there. And while that location will likely work out well for the restaurant, it leaves the Mardi Gras building vacant and with little talk of redevelopment.

“There hasn’t been much dialogue, but there has been discussion of doing housing there,” said Sheehan, adding that the upper floors hold the potential to house dozens of units. “And it would be an ideal site for housing because there’s plenty of parking at the site, and you’re close to Union Station.”

Meanwhile, several other properties downtown are largely vacant — he listed Harrison Place and adjoining structures along Main Street, but there are others scattered across the central business district — and with little movement toward redevelopment and the properties in serious need of investment in new infrastructure.

“These owners have held and held and held and not kept up with the requisite investments they should be making in these properties,” said Sheehan, adding that speculation that some properties might become part of the MGM complex, such as those now being converted to housing in the South End, kept those owners from investing in their holdings.

Sheehan said one possible reuse for some of these properties is housing, although conversion would likely be an expensive undertaking. The state has launched a new initiative called the Momentum Fund, a first-in-the-nation state revolving fund to support mixed-income housing production, and it recently announced its first financing commitment from the fund, $5 million for the Residences of East Milton, which will create 92 new mixed-income rental units in an underutilized commercial property in the town of Milton.

He noted that Springfield has several buildings that meet that description, and hopes projects will materialize that can take advantage of the Momentum Fund, adding that housing might be the best option for many commercial properties in and around the downtown.

“We’d like to have a little more momentum in Western Mass.,” he said, “a part of the state that needs more help with housing.”

AIC Earns Early College Designation in Partnership with Duggan Academy, SEZP

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC), in partnership with the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership (SEZP), has been designated as a Massachusetts Early College Program by the state’s joint Early College Committee. The AIC-SEZP partnership is one of 18 new Early College programs announced by the Healey-Driscoll administration. AIC is the only private college west of Worcester to receive this designation.

Beginning this fall, the program will launch in partnership with Duggan Academy in Springfield with a wall-to-wall model in which every student participates. Students will have the opportunity to earn up to 60 college credits at no cost before graduating from high school. Courses will include MassTransfer-eligible credits and focus on high-growth, high-wage fields such as health sciences, education, and criminal justice.

“Early college is an important and effective tool for making higher education more accessible and affordable for every Massachusetts student,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “These new partnerships give more young people the opportunity to earn college credit at no cost while still in high school, setting them on a path to success and helping to close opportunity gaps.”

Early College programs are a central element of the administration’s Reimagining High School initiative to prepare students for college or careers and expand access for those historically underrepresented in higher education.

The new AIC-Duggan Academy program builds on a long-standing partnership between the two institutions. Through earlier collaborations, Duggan students have already earned AIC college credits with strong pass rates, and college matriculation among participants has continued to grow. The new program is designed to build on that success and help even more students access college by removing common barriers.

Key program features include personalized support, including small cohorts, academic coaching, and dedicated advisors for multi-lingual and exceptional learners; advising to promote executive functioning and college readiness; culturally responsive teaching and staffing to reflect and support the student population; and universal access, with 100% of Duggan students participating regardless of prior academic performance.

This initiative reinforces AIC’s commitment to Springfield’s youth and complements similar partnerships with other local high schools. It also supports workforce development goals outlined in the Pioneer Valley Labor Market Blueprint.

“We’re proud to partner with Duggan Academy and the Springfield Empowerment Zone on this Early College initiative,” said Michael Dodge, executive vice president for Academic Affairs and Student Life at AIC. “This designation reflects our shared belief that all students deserve opportunities to succeed. Early College is about more than earning credits — it’s about building the skills, confidence, and support networks students need for college and life. It’s a direct investment in their future and the future of Springfield, and aligns fully with AIC’s mission to expand access and advance opportunity.”

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts Announces New Board of Directors

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM) announced the appointment of new officers and several new members to its board of directors. Comprising leaders from across the region’s business, education, and nonprofit sectors, the new board brings fresh energy and strategic insight to advance JAWM’s mission of inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy.

“We’re thrilled to welcome such a dynamic group of professionals to our board,” JAWM President Amie Miarecki said. “Their diverse expertise and passion for youth development will help us expand our reach and deepen our impact across Western Massachusetts.”

Returning board members include Terrell Joyner (chair), financial advisor at Charter Oak and founder of the Consulting Web; Lena Buteau (vice chair), vice president and Retail Administration officer at Monson Savings Bank; and Anthony Lorenzano (vice president), store manager at TD Bank.

New board members include Angelo Fiore, financial advisor with St. Germain Investment Management; Robert Jones, senior vice president, Nonprofit Practice at USI; Maria LaPriore, real estate advisor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Realty Professionals; Gregg Levante, president of Pittsfield Cooperative Bank; Stefan Sjoberg, attorney with Egan, Flanagan & Cohen; and Devan Summers, vice president, Member Services and Community Development with Luso Federal Credit Union.

The board will support the organization’s mission and provide guidance in key initiatives, including financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship programming.

Patricia Begrowicz of Onyx Specialty Papers to Speak at Ventfort Hall on July 22

By
Daily News

LENOX — Patricia (Pat) Begrowicz, president and co-owner of Onyx Specialty Papers Inc. in South Lee, will present the history of papermaking in the Berkshires on Tuesday, July 22 at 4 p.m. at Ventfort Hall, 104 Walker St., Lenox. A tea will be served after her presentation.

Starting in the early 1800s, papermakers were drawn to the banks of the Housatonic River, where the supply of clean water was plentiful for making paper and generating the power needed to run a paper mill. Paper manufacturing has had a significant impact on the economy of the Berkshires since Zenas Crane’s first paper mill started operating in Dalton in 1801. At its peak in the mid-1800s, more than 60 paper mills were operating in Berkshire County.

While there are only three mills currently operating here in 2025, the economic impact of those mills is strong, and products produced in those three mills are shipped around the world. Begrowicz’s talk will explore the history of papermaking in the Berkshires, from the early days of making paper from cotton rags for use in the newly born U.S. to the paper of today made from natural and synthetic fibers used throughout the world.

In 2009, Begrowicz and her business partner purchased the assets of the former MeadWestvaco Specialty Paper Division and formed Onyx, which manufactures specialty papers serving a wide range of global markets, including automotive, decorative laminates, medical papers, and artist papers. She has worked in the paper industry for more than 30 years, with roles in process engineering, research and development, operations, business development, and executive management.

Tickets cost $45. Members receive a discount code for $5 off all ticket prices. Students age 22 and under are $22. Ticket pricing includes access to the mansion throughout the day of this event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations are strongly encouraged as seats are limited. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space allows. For reservations, visit gildedage.org/pages/calendar or call (413) 637-3206. All tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

Springfield City Library Launches Community Survey to Shape Strategic Plan

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield City Library is inviting all community members to help shape the future of library services, spaces, and priorities by participating in a new citywide community survey. As part of an ongoing effort to build on recent successes, including the 10,000 Library Card Campaign, the library has partnered with ReThinking Libraries, a national strategic consulting firm, to update and redefine its strategic priorities, mission, vision, and values.

The input gathered through this brief, 10-minute, anonymous survey will directly influence the library’s next strategic plan and ensure it reflects the evolving needs and hopes of the Springfield community. The survey is available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Swahili, and in both online and paper formats to ensure accessibility for all residents. The library’s goal is to collect at least 2,000 completed surveys to ensure robust and representative feedback from across the city.

“Our library is only as strong as the community it serves,” said Molly Fogarty, library director. “We’re proud to continue building on the momentum of recent community-driven campaigns by giving residents a voice in our future. We can’t wait to hear your thoughts, ideas, and vision for what your library can be.”

The initiative marks another important step forward in the Library’s mission, which states: “The Springfield City Library actively connects with its diverse community and provides effective resources and a safe space for all. Our library is a hub for free access to information and technology, social and civic engagement, and support of personal enrichment, well-being, and lifelong learning.”

Janet Nelson, principal consultant at ReThinking Libraries, noted that “the Springfield City Library team is deeply committed to its community and to creating a welcoming, responsive library system. It’s been a pleasure working alongside them, and we’re excited to help amplify the voices of Springfield residents to create an even greater impact citywide.”

To take the survey or learn more, visit www.springfieldlibrary.org.

Picture This

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Pictured, from left: Ken Maffia, general manager of Balise Toyota; Laurie Flynn, president and CEO of Link to Libraries; and Ben Sullivan, COO of Balise Auto Group.
Picture This

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

 

Driving Toward Literacy

Balise Toyota recently made a $5,000 donation to Link to Libraries for the Stephen Kaplan and Susan Jaye-Kaplan Community Legacy Fund, which has been matched by Toyota Motor Sales through the Toyota Dealer Match Program, resulting in a $10,000 total donation. Link to Libraries distributes books to local schools and children in need, and the legacy fund supports special requests of books beyond what the organization’s programs typically provide. 

Pictured, from left: Ken Maffia, general manager of Balise Toyota; Laurie Flynn, president and CEO of Link to Libraries; and Ben Sullivan, COO of Balise Auto Group.

Pictured, from left: Ken Maffia, general manager of Balise Toyota; Laurie Flynn, president and CEO of Link to Libraries; and Ben Sullivan, COO of Balise Auto Group.

 

 

Community Giving

Monson Savings Bank President and CEO Dan Moriarty (left) and Executive Vice President and COO Michael Rouette (right), who also serves as board chair and chief volunteer officer of the YMCA of Greater Springfield, recently presented a $3,000 donation to the Scantic Valley YMCA branch. They met with YMCA of Greater Springfield President and CEO Dexter Johnson (second from left) and branch Executive Director Debbie Kelder (third from left) to deliver the gift in person. The Scantic Valley YMCA earned this donation by being one of the top 10 vote recipients in Monson Savings Bank’s 2025 Community Giving Initiative.

YMCA of Greater Springfield President and CEO Dexter Johnson (second from left) and branch Executive Director Debbie Kelder (third from left)

YMCA of Greater Springfield President and CEO Dexter Johnson (second from left) and branch Executive Director Debbie Kelder (third from left)

 

Bikes Fight Cancer

The Bikes Fight Cancer Charity Ride, powered by Valley Solar, took place on June 14, starting and finishing at Tree House Brewing Co. in Deerfield. Hundreds of participants rode distances from 25 to 50 miles in honor of those impacted by cancer, supported by volunteers along the way. This year’s ride raised a record $250,000 in rider donations, 100% of it supporting critical research initiatives, local cancer care programs, and patient services at organizations like the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, CHD’s Cancer House of Hope, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Cancer Connection. (Photo by Simple Truth Imaging)

The Bikes Fight Cancer Charity Ride, powered by Valley Solar, took place on June 14, starting and finishing at Tree House Brewing Co. in Deerfield

The Bikes Fight Cancer Charity Ride, powered by Valley Solar, took place on June 14, starting and finishing at Tree House Brewing Co. in Deerfield (Photo by Simple Truth Imaging)

 

Open for Outpatient Care

To mark the completion of construction of the S. Prestley and Helen Blake Ambulatory Care Center at Johnson Memorial Hospital’s outpatient campus in Enfield, a blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony were held on June 26. The 42,000-square-foot center features outpatient surgical services with four operating rooms, two procedure rooms, and 20 pre- and post-operative bays, as well as diagnostic imaging services including CT scans, X-rays, mammography, bone density scans, and ultrasounds. The Blakes, longtime supporters of Johnson Memorial Hospital, donated $10 million toward the ambulatory care center named in their honor.

To mark the completion of construction of the S. Prestley and Helen Blake Ambulatory Care Center at Johnson Memorial Hospital’s outpatient campus in Enfield, a blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony were held on June 26

To mark the completion of construction of the S. Prestley and Helen Blake Ambulatory Care Center at Johnson Memorial Hospital’s outpatient campus in Enfield, a blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony were held on June 26

 

Janis Santos Scholarship

Holyoke Chicopee Springfield (HCS) Head Start recently awarded its 2025 Janis Santos Scholarship to Barbara Torres Marzan (right). She has been with HCS Head Start for close to four years and is currently an infant/toddler teacher. She was presented with the $2,000 scholarship to continue her studies at Springfield Technical Community College. Three years ago, the organization launched this annual recognition, created by Santos (left), former CEO of HCS Head Start, to support current HCS staff, parents, and Head Start alumni who are pursuing a degree in early education and care but may be encountering financial hardship.

Holyoke Chicopee Springfield (HCS) Head Start recently awarded its 2025 Janis Santos Scholarship to Barbara Torres Marzan (right)

Holyoke Chicopee Springfield (HCS) Head Start recently awarded its 2025 Janis Santos Scholarship to Barbara Torres Marzan (right);  Janis Santos (left)

 

New & Notable Business Expo

On June 5, the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual New & Notable Business Expo at the Inn on Boltwood, showcasing more than 25 of the chamber’s newest members and their products and services. Presented by Integrity Development & Construction, this summer event brought together more than 100 community members to network, explore, and celebrate the latest additions to the Greater Amherst business landscape. 

On June 5, the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual New & Notable Business Expo at the Inn on Boltwood

On June 5, the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual New & Notable Business Expo at the Inn on Boltwood. (Photo by Alexia Cota Photography)

Agenda

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Agenda

Healthcare Heroes Nominations

Through July 25: In the spring of 2017, BusinessWest and its sister publication, the Healthcare News, created a new recognition program called Healthcare Heroes. It was launched with the theory that there are heroes working across this region’s wide, deep, and all-important healthcare sector, and that there was no shortage of fascinating stories to tell and individuals and groups to honor. The nomination deadline for the class of 2025 has been extended to Friday, July 25. Potential honorees may be nominated in eight categories: Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider; Health/Wellness Administrator; Emerging Leader; Community Health; Health Educator; Innovation in Health/Wellness; Collaboration in Health/Wellness; and Lifetime Achievement. Nominations can be submitted at businesswest.com/healthcareheroes/nominations. Elms College is the presenting sponsor of Healthcare Heroes, and Holyoke Medical Center is a partner sponsor.

 

‘Why Feedback Fails’ Webinar

July 22: Everything DiSC, a Wiley brand known for advancing workplace effectiveness through personality-based insights, will host a live webinar titled “Why Feedback Fails: Guiding Managers Through Constructive Communication” at 11 a.m. This free, 60-minute session is designed to equip managers with tools and strategies to deliver feedback that is strong, actionable, and motivating, ultimately improving team engagement and performance. Led by Mark Scullard, senior director of Product Innovation at Everything DiSC, the webinar will explore the importance of delivering feedback effectively, why giving and receiving feedback is often challenging, feedback superpowers and limiters unique to each DiSC style, how to tailor feedback based on an employee’s DiSC profile, and actionable strategies for immediate workplace application. With communication and team dynamics continuing to be top priorities for organizations, this session will offer timely insights to help managers unlock their team’s full potential through personalized, emotionally intelligent leadership. Registration is open at jkirleycollective.com/why-feedback-fails.

 

Clarinet Quintet Concert

July 27: The Springfield Chamber Players Clarinet Quintet will perform at the Sevenars Summer Concerts at 4 p.m. The Clarinet Quintet features clarinetist Christopher Cullen, violinists Masako Yanagita and Miho Matsuno, violist Yuko Naito-Gotay, and cellist Melissa Westgate. This performance will be dedicated to Mark Auerbach, who was the director of Public Relations and Marketing for the Springfield Chamber Players since the organization’s founding. The Clarinet Quintet’s program for Sevenars encompasses programmatic music and popular music by contemporary composers. It will feature a work by Oscar winner Bernard Herrmann, who wrote music for Alfred Hitchcock’s films.

 

Brew at the Zoo

Aug. 2: The Zoo in Forest Park’s seventh annual Brew at the Zoo, presented by PeoplesBank, will take place from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Brew at the Zoo is the zoo’s largest fundraiser of the year, raising money in support of its mission to inspire the community to respect and value the natural world through education, conservation, and rehabilitation. This event includes beer samples from more than 20 breweries, food trucks, live music, a raffle, and a chance to visit with the zoo’s more than 200 animals. A limited number of VIP tickets are available, which include extra time to sample the beer, as well as interactive animal encounters and keeper talks with members of the zoo’s animal care and education teams. The VIP timeslot runs from noon to 1:30 p.m., and tickets are limited. The zoo will be closed to the public for this ticketed event on Aug. 2. Advance tickets are required, and all IDs will be checked at the door. No one under 21 will be admitted. For a list of participating breweries and to purchase tickets, visit www.forestparkzoo.org/brew.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
James Barbier

James Barbier

Zonglin Li

Zonglin Li

Timothy Wang

Timothy Wang

Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced that James Barbier, Zonglin Li, and Timothy Wang have all joined the firm in the role of architectural associate. Barbier recently earned his bachelor of architecture degree from the Syracuse University School of Architecture, where he completed his thesis exploring kinematic systems and how they can be used to create interactive facades that respond to environmental phenomena. He is also currently exploring the potential of using topological joinery to create wooden structures that satisfy design for disassembly and adaptive reuse strategies. Barbier’s experience includes internships in which he worked on log cabin homes, multi-family housing, and medical buildings. He also participated in research investigating how architecture can be used to design opportunities in low-income communities. Li interned at Dietz & Company last summer and worked at the firm during breaks throughout his final year of school. He recently graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with his bachelor of architecture degree, where his thesis focused on reimagining Penn Station through the perspective of interior urbanism and structured improvisation. He investigated how interior public spaces can operate as urban systems, merging the boundaries between circulation, commerce, and public life, and suggested areas that redefined urban movement and fostered new layers of interaction between the old and new city systems. Li also participated in the construction of Rise, Repeat, a pavilion structure exploring modular repetition and material economy through standard construction components, featured at the BuildFest 2024 Woodstock Pavilions. Wang recently earned his master of architecture degree from the University of Hartford, where his thesis focused on transforming an underutilized park in San Francisco’s Chinatown into a culture and arts center. His concept reinterpreted traditional Chinese architectural elements to match the contemporary style of the building while still making subtle gestures at the history. While completing his degree, Wang interned with architectural firms in Connecticut, where he worked on high-end residential, master planning, and K-12 educational projects.

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The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts’ trustees of the Order of William Pynchon announced their selection of two local residents as this year’s Pynchon Medal recipients, Paul Lambert and Anthony Russo. Lambert has served as president and CEO of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra since 2022, having initially joined as interim director. He guided the organization through a period of significant challenges, resolving contractual disputes and restoring its operational stability. In so doing, he ensured that live classical music remains a part of the region’s cultural landscape. Under his leadership, the symphony has embraced cultural diversity in its programming to attract broader audiences throughout the region. Prior to joining the symphony, Lambert spent two decades at Springfield’s Basketball Hall of Fame, where he developed community engagement initiatives that connected the city’s residents, especially young people, with the organization’s programs. He continues his community involvement through the Springfield Rotary Club, where he has helped establish programs for those in need, including a monthly meal service for the region’s unhoused population. As vice president of the Agawam City Council, Russo has distinguished himself through responsive leadership and an approach to public service that extends well beyond traditional council duties. He has shown exceptional commitment to the community’s most vulnerable residents through hands-on charitable work and personal sacrifice. He donates his entire council salary to local charitable organizations and families in need, with a special focus during the holidays on ensuring no child goes without. For several years, he has made annual visits to local Toys for Tots drives, arriving with a trunk full of toys purchased with his council earnings to benefit children in need. In service to Agawam’s elderly population, Russo organized the Sand for Seniors program, personally ensuring that more than 60 residents receive sand for safe home access during treacherous winter months, while also volunteering regularly at the Agawam Senior Center for meal service and social activities. The presentation of the Pynchon Medal and celebration will take place this fall, with a date and time to be announced.

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Alexarey Overbaugh

Alexarey Overbaugh

Pittsfield Cooperative Bank announced the appointment of Alexarey Overbaugh to assistant branch manager of its Williams Street, Pittsfield location. Since joining the team in November 2021, Overbaugh has consistently brought dedication and excellence to every role. Starting as a teller at the bank’s South Street branch, she quickly became known for exceptional customer service and a strong work ethic. In March 2024, she was promoted to head teller at the newly opened Williams Street branch, where she helped establish smooth operations from day one. Now, she continues to grow professionally as the assistant branch manager, bringing leadership, experience, and a deep commitment to both team success and community service. With nearly a decade of experience in customer service and sales, Overbaugh has built a reputation for reliability, leadership, and strong client relationships. She began her career in 2015 in retail, gaining valuable frontline experience and a solid foundation in customer care.

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Natalia Castagno

Natalia Castagno

Heather Haskins

Heather Haskins

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently added two members to its Institutional Advancement team: Natalia Castagno as assistant director of Alumni Relations, and Heather Haskins as assistant director of Annual Giving. Prior to HCC, Castagno worked at Springfield College as senior assistant director of Undergraduate Admissions and coordinator of Diversity Recruitment. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University and is pursuing a master’s degree in education from Springfield College. Haskins, a 2020 graduate of HCC, returns to the college after serving as Advancement Operations associate at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. She began her HCC education at the age of 15 as a dual enrollment student from Westfield Technical Academy. After receiving her associate degree in business administration, she transferred to Bay Path University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management and marketing.

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Alera Group, a national, independent financial and insurance services firm, announced it has appointed Adam Trivilino regional director for Commercial Lines in New England. In this role, he will lead the Commercial Lines service strategy for upper mid-market and large accounts with complex insurance needs. His focus includes standardizing operations, implementing growth initiatives, and fostering stronger collaboration among Alera Group offices to enhance client service across the region. Trivilino brings a risk management mindset and broad experience in both sales and client service, having worked with the Baldwin Group, RogersGray, and other financial institutions. His appointment is one of several recent personnel moves supporting Alera Group’s broader regional integration strategy. Outside of work, he is committed to community service and has volunteered with youth organizations including Kiwanis Clubs and the Railroad Street Youth Project. Alera Group also announced that Jessica Morin has been named director of Personal Lines, New England. In this role, she is leading efforts to unify regional offices, standardize operations, and improve client segmentation, ensuring products and services are better aligned with client needs. She is also exploring new ways to enhance service delivery and drive deeper client engagement. With 15 years of industry experience, Morin brings particular expertise in managing high-net-worth portfolios. She holds several professional designations, including certified insurance service representative elite and small business coverage specialist, and is currently pursuing her certified personal risk manager certification. She is involved in her local community, having volunteered and coached for youth softball leagues.

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Al Bedini Jr.

Al Bedini Jr.

NBT Bank announced it has named Al Bedini Jr. branch manager of the bank’s office located at 331 State Road in North Adams. He has 37 years of banking experience. Most recently, he served as assistant branch manager with Greylock Federal Credit Union. Prior to that, he held roles with TD Bank and MountainOne Bank. Bedini received his education from Berkshire Community College and the University of Massachusetts. He also participated in the New England Leadership Development Program at Babson College. In addition, he holds certificates from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Active in the community, he has served on the Northern Berkshire United Way allocations committee for the past two years.

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Polish National Credit Union (PNCU) announced the promotion of Joe Pereira to vice president of Information Technology. In his new role, he will continue to lead all aspects of the credit union’s IT strategy, infrastructure, and cybersecurity initiatives. Pereira brings more than two decades of technology experience across higher education, enterprise consulting, and financial services. Since joining PNCU, he has played a critical role in advancing the credit union’s digital operations, ensuring system reliability and data security, and positioning the organization for long-term growth in a fast-changing technology landscape. Prior to joining PNCU, Pereira served as senior systems administrator at Western New England University, where he oversaw more than 120 physical and virtual servers, deployed large-scale virtualization environments, and managed systems critical to security, communication, and academic services. He also previously worked as a network engineer and technical consultant, specializing in virtual infrastructure, SQL administration, and multi-site network connectivity. He earned his bachelor’s degree in network engineering from the New England Institute of Technology in Warwick, R.I.

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Brennan LaFlamme

Brennan LaFlamme

Bill Olejarz

Bill Olejarz

Katherine Ravenelle

Katherine Ravenelle

Florence Bank recently presented its 2025 President’s Award to three staff members for exceptional service. Established in 1995, the President’s Award recognizes outstanding performance, customer service, and overall contribution to Florence Bank. Honorees are nominated by their colleagues at the bank. This year’s award recognizes Brennan LaFlamme, an IRA specialist in the bank’s main office in Florence; Bill Olejarz, an information security risk analyst, also in the main office; and Katherine Ravenelle, teller operations manager in West Springfield. LaFlamme has six years of industry experience and has served as a teller supervisor and customer service specialist. Responsible for maintaining all IRA accounts and keeping up to date on regulations, he provides IRA trainings for customers and staff. Currently working toward a degree in cybersecurity at UMass Amherst, LaFlamme is active in the community, serving as a board member for the Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Holyoke. With four years in the industry, Olejarz assesses cybersecurity risk to help protect sensitive data and systems, reviews vendor security, and works with departments to support compliance and ensure security controls are in place to reduce threats. He is skilled at third-party risk management, regulatory compliance, cybersecurity and risk reporting, security awareness training, and cross-department collaboration. Olejarz holds a master’s degree in cybersecurity management from Bay Path University, a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University, and an associate degree in computer information systems from Springfield Technical Community College. Ravenelle has 13 years of banking experience. She manages teller line operations to ensure quality service is provided while adhering to policies, procedures, and security. She handles customer transactions, account openings, and account servicing, and is skilled at customer service as well as adapting to different markets and customer needs, branch operations, and fraud prevention and detection.

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The Foundation for TJO Animals announced that Janna Brown has been named its new executive director. After a year of serving as interim director and five years as a board member, Brown is bringing her lifelong passion for animal welfare and her signature energy to the organization full-time. Before stepping into nonprofit leadership, Brown spent two decades as a meteorologist, most recently spending nine years at Western Mass News, where she became a household name. Her heart, however, has long belonged to the animals at the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center on Cottage Street, where she volunteered weekly. During her time in the spotlight, Brown helped bring visibility to TJO’s mission, with the foundation being named Western Mass News’ charity of choice, a reflection of her personal commitment to the cause.

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Country Bank announced the promotions of Katelin Sherman, David Micka, and Jason McClure to the role of credit officer. These promotions reflect each individual’s leadership, expertise, and significant contributions to the bank’s ongoing success. Sherman brings 13 years of industry experience and a strategic mindset to her role. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance with minors in Spanish and sociology from Bryant University, as well as an MBA in entrepreneurial thinking and innovative practices from Bay Path University. Her diverse academic background and forward-thinking approach play a key role in strengthening Country Bank’s commercial credit and lending capabilities. She also co-leads the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee at Country Bank. Micka, with 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, is recognized for his analytical strengths and commitment to exceptional service. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business studies through the University Without Walls (UWW) program at UMass Amherst. He is passionate about community banking and values Country Bank’s strong commitment to the communities it serves. McClure offers over 25 years of banking experience with deep expertise in commercial and industrial underwriting. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an associate degree in accounting and finance from the New England College of Business and Finance, as well as certification from Omega Financial Training. His technical skills and industry knowledge significantly enhance the bank’s credit evaluation processes. Together, these team members play a pivotal role in assessing credit risk and guiding sound lending decisions. Country Bank also congratulates two of its team members, Jodie Gerulaitis, first vice president of Community Relations, and Jennifer Bujnevicie, vice president of Retail Banking and regional manager, on their recent graduation from the American Bankers Assoc. (ABA) Stonier Graduate School of Banking. The ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking is the industry’s leading graduate banking program. Graduates receive both a Stonier diploma and a Wharton leadership certificate.

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Stanley Walczyk

Stanley Walczyk

Greylock Federal Credit Union’s board of directors voted unanimously to appoint Stanley Walczyk as director emeritus in recognition of his long and distinguished service to the credit union. In April, the board of directors voted to confer the director emeritus designation on Walczyk. Individuals who are appointed directors emeriti function as an advisory committee to the board of directors. Walczyk’s designation reflects a two-year term. Walczyk was board chairman from 2018 to 2023 and served on a variety of committees during his tenure. He was the president of O’Laughlin’s Home Care Pharmacy, which was acquired by and now operates as Market 32 Price Chopper Pharmacy. He was also president of the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy and the Massachusetts Pharmacist Assoc. and a member of the National Assoc. of Retail Druggists. Walczyk was appointed as a trustee of Berkshire Community College by the governor, serving two five-year terms, and was also appointed by the governor to the Massachusetts Drug Formulary Commission. Additionally, he is a past president of the Dalton Rotary Club.

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Holyoke Chicopee Springfield (HCS) Head Start recently announced the 2025 recipient of its Janis Santos Scholarship. Three years ago, the organization launched this annual recognition, created by Santos, former CEO of HCS Head Start, to help address the shortage of early childhood teachers. Knowing the importance of supporting this profession, Santos established this scholarship to support current HCS staff, parents, and all Head Start alumni who are pursuing a degree in early education and care but may be encountering financial hardship. Santos, along with Nicole Blais, HCS Head Start’s current CEO, awarded the 2025 honor to Barbara Torres Marzan. She has been with HCS Head Start for close to four years and is currently an infant/toddler teacher. She was presented with the $2,000 scholarship to continue her studies at Springfield Technical Community College. Previous honorees include Mayra Felix, who recently completed her bachelor’s degree at Springfield College, and Notavious Andino-Galarza-Perez, who is currently studying at Columbia University.

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Olessa Stepanova

Olessa Stepanova

Longtime Boston-area TV news anchor and reporter Olessa Stepanova has joined Eversource as External Communications manager. In that role, she will help lead media engagement and storytelling across Massachusetts. With nearly two decades of newsroom experience and recent years in executive communications, Stepanova brings a relationship-first approach, journalistic instincts, and strategic perspectives to the energy industry. In her new role, she’ll serve as a media spokesperson and work closely with reporters, community partners, and public officials to communicate Eversource’s efforts to affordably advance the Commonwealth’s energy transition while ensuring safe, reliable service for customers and supporting its communities.

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Glenmeadow Inc., a provider of senior retirement lifestyle options, has selected Adetayo Olatinwo as vice president for Human Resources. She will lead the HR function, overseeing talent management, compensation, benefits, training, employee relations, and engagement, while ensuring compliance with employment law and contributing to the organization’s strategic goals and mission. She will also shape Glenmeadow’s relationships with the local secondary and post-secondary education partners to encourage senior living as a career path of choice. Olatinwo most recently served Trinity Health Of New England as Colleague and Labor Relations business partner and previously served Global Medical Response and the Mental Health Assoc. in human resources roles. She is a graduate of Western New England University and Springfield College.

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Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) recently welcomed eight new and re-elected members to its board of directors, swearing them in during its annual meeting and volunteer recognition event. GSCWM’s board of directors now stands at 21 board members total, 19 adults and two girl members. The eight include Erika Dulmaine, Neliana Ferraro de Mitchell, Sara Flynn, Jennifer Hubert, Abigail Abena Mensah (Orleans Thompson), Jennifer Merton, Katie Rozenas-Hanson, and Prisha Konduru (girl member). A diverse group of community leaders and professionals, GSCWM’s board members are chosen to oversee the organization’s strategic planning, fund development, appointment of the CEO, finances, and interaction with a community that includes 6,000 girls across 186 cities and towns in Western and Central Massachusetts.

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook

UMass Amherst Again Named to List of Best Value Colleges

AMHERST — UMass Amherst has once again been named to the Princeton Review’s guide of the nation’s Best Value Colleges, placing in the top 50 ranking for public schools for the fifth straight year in the 2025 edition of the guide. UMass Amherst slots in at 41 in this year’s public schools ranking, up nine positions from last year and the only New England public institution to make the top 50 for 2025 in the category. All 209 public and private schools listed in the guide scored exceptionally in areas of academics, affordable cost of attendance and/or financial aid, and strong career prospects for its graduates. The 68 public and 141 private institutions were chosen based on a return-on-investment (ROI) rating analysis of more than 40 data points, primarily collected from surveys of administrators at 650 colleges between the fall of 2024 and spring of 2025, as well as data from surveys of enrolled students and payscale.com’s surveys of alumni about their starting and mid-career salaries and job satisfaction. UMass Amherst also placed in the Top 20 Best Schools for Financial Aid (Public Schools) rankings at 12, one of only two New England institutions to make the list. The public schools in this category received the highest financial aid rating, which is based on school-reported data on the percentage of students who were determined to have need and received aid, the percentage of need met for those students, and the percentage of students whose need was fully met. In the past year, the flagship university of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was also named to the Princeton Review’s list of Top 50 Green Colleges for the ninth straight year, landing at 25th on the 2025 edition of the list, and UMass Dining earned the top spot on its list of Best Campus Food for an unprecedented eighth consecutive year.

 

Belt Technologies Certified by Great Place to Work

AGAWAM — Belt Technologies, manufacturer of PureSteel custom metal belt conveyor solutions, has been Great Place to Work certified for the second year in a row. Great Place to Work is a global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue and increased innovation. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Belt. Great Place to Work certification recognizes employers that create outstanding employee experiences. Becoming certified is a two-step process that includes surveying employees and completing a questionnaire about the company’s workforce dynamics, policies, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. In order to gain certification, a business needs to score a minimum of 65% on its evaluation. The average score for a company evaluation is 57%. Belt achieved a score of 93%.

 

bankESB Included in List of America’s Best-In-State Banks

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB has been recognized on the Forbes 2025 list of America’s Best-In-State Banks. This award is presented in collaboration with Statista, the statistics portal and industry ranking provider. Financial institutions serve as the foundation of the financial world, playing a critical role in maintaining the stability of global systems. America’s Best-In-State Banks 2025 aims to showcase the institutions most valued by residents in each state and to recognize the banks that have excelled in meeting the unique needs and expectations of their local communities. The ranking is based on an independent survey of over 26,000 customers in the U.S. Participants evaluated banks on several criteria, including trust, financial advice, customer services, digital services, branch services, and terms and conditions. They also rated the importance of these criteria. A sentiment analysis was conducted using the publicly available reviews and a score.

 

Bay Path Launches New Associate Degree in Nursing

LONGMEADOW — Bay Path University is launching a new associate of science in nursing (ASN) program to help address the national nursing shortage and create new entry points into the profession. The ASN program offers a flexible pathway for students to gain the knowledge, clinical experience, and credentials needed to take the NCLEX-RN exam and enter the workforce, typically within two years. For those with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, the ASN can lead into Bay Path’s RN to BSN program, and ultimately into a master of science in nursing (MSN) or a doctorate-level nurse practitioner role. Courses follow a flexible, supportive model. Students without prior college coursework begin with two terms of online academics, followed by four terms of in-person clinical labs and practicums paired with online coursework. No prerequisites are required; all competencies are built into the curriculum. Bay Path is also launching a direct-entry MSN program for students with non-nursing bachelor’s degrees. This pathway enables graduates to earn RN licensure and an MSN, preparing them for leadership and teaching roles in healthcare. Applications for both programs are open now, with classes starting in September.

 

NEPM Wins Three Awards from Public Media Journalists Assoc.

SPRINGFIELD — The New England Public Media (NEPM) newsroom has received three 2025 Public Media Journalists Assoc. (PMJA) awards. Stations competed against others with similar-sized newsrooms. Former NEPM reporter Nancy Eve Cohen’s piece, “‘Another Level of Coverup’: How a Mass. Law Prevents Clergy Abuse Survivors from Getting Justice,” secured first place in the News Feature category. Cohen has done extensive reporting on criminal justice for survivors of child sexual abuse. Investigative reporter Dusty Christensen teamed up with Republican reporter and editor Greta Jochem on a three-part series about asset forfeiture. Their piece, “Robin Hood or Legalized Theft? Why It’s Easy for Massachusetts Police to Seize Property,” won second place in the category of Collaborative Effort. Christensen also reports and edits for the Shoestring, and Jochem has served as an investigative editor at the Republican since 2023. Reporter Ben James secured a first place PMJA award, also in the category of Collaborative Effort, for his five-part series “Life on the Connecticut.” This was a collaboration with New Hampshire Public Radio, Vermont Public, and the New England News Collaborative. James is a national, award-winning print and audio journalist whose work has also appeared on NPR, the BBC, and more.

 

Bulkley Richardson Prepares YMCA Camp for Opening

SPRINGFIELD — Bulkley Richardson recently returned to the YMCA’s Stony Brook Acres Day Camp in Wilbraham for its second annual day dedicated to preparing the grounds for campers to arrive. Thirty attorneys and staff turned out to paint, clean, and do yardwork on the 20-acre property. “We chose the YMCA as a firmwide community project to honor the legacy of our partner, Jeff Poindexter, who passed away in 2024,” said Dan Finnegan, Bulkley Richardson’s managing partner. “Jeff knew summer camp was a privilege not all kids had access to and was an advocate of advancing equity in our local neighborhoods. This is our way of honoring Jeff’s longtime commitment to the YMCA and giving back to the community.”

 

River Valley Counseling Center Becomes Member of ServiceNet

NORTHAMPTON — Two of the Pioneer Valley’s leading nonprofit community mental healthcare providers are coming together on July 1, as River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC) becomes a member organization of ServiceNet. Since 1986, RVCC has operated under the umbrella of Valley Health Systems (VHS), which includes Holyoke Medical Center, Holyoke Medical Group, and Holyoke VNA Hospice Life Care. River Valley Counseling Center, established in 1953, employs approximately 350 staff who provide mental health treatment in Hampden and Hampshire counties. These include outpatient clinics in Holyoke, Chicopee, Easthampton, Springfield, and Westfield; services for students in dozens of schools and universities throughout the region; and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides in-person support to many local municipalities and businesses. ServiceNet, which had its start in 1965 when mental healthcare began shifting away from the Northampton State Hospital, now employs more than 2,500 staff in a variety of residential support and clinical programs, including outpatient clinics in Northampton, Greenfield, Holyoke, Amherst, and Pittsfield, and the PREP program in Holyoke for young people who have experienced psychosis. With ServiceNet becoming the new umbrella agency for River Valley, it will provide administrative support for RVCC and identify opportunities to further collaborate.

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

Southbridge Liquors Inc., 1 South Bridge . Agawam, MA 01001. Jay Patel, same. Liquor store.

BECKET

Viridissima Ltd., 167 Leonhardt Road, Becket, MA 01223. Jenna O’Brien, same. Horticulture and design services.

CHICOPEE

Alcance Health Services Inc., 88 Sunflower Ave., Chicopee, MA 01013. Laura Melendez Diaz, same. Utilizing behavioral and mental health tools to assist individuals and families through individual and group services, based on biblical principles.

Selena C Corp., 22 Madison St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Sulaiman Aldulaimi, same. Purchasing truckloads of merchandise, including essential goods such as clothing, food, hygiene products, and household items, and giving these goods to individuals and families in need, with a focus on underserved and low-income populations.

EASTHAMPTON

The Color Collaborative Inc., 116 Pleasant St., Suite 228, Easthampton, MA 01027. Caroline Pocock, 38½ Grant St., Burlington, VT 05401.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Katame Elegance Barber Shop Inc., 671 North Main St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Jose Velasquez, same. Barber shop.

GREAT BARRINGTON

Laurel Lake Dam Inc., 55 Hurlburt Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230. Jeffrey Cohen, same. To own and maintain Laurel Lake Dam and control the water quality and elevation of Laurel Lake for the benefit of the inhabitants of the town of Stockbridge and for the public good.

HOLYOKE

FCHHC Holdco Inc., 187A High St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Marc Raynald Beaulieu, same. Holding company.

LONGMEADOW

Burton Anesthesia, P.C., 53 Inverness Lane, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Heather Burton, same. Nurse anesthetist.

Sobo Solutions Inc., 94 Churchill Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Kathleen Sobo, same. Nurse anesthesiology and other nursing health services.

NORTH ADAMS

Gaffey Builders Inc., 35 Whitman St., North Adams, MA 01247. Patrick Gaffey, same. Residential and commercial building renovation and construction.

PITTSFIELD

Cape Verdean Aviators Assoc. Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Edilson Vaz Pires Gomes, same. Raises funds to provide grants, scholarships, and charity flights to underprivileged Cape Verdeans in U.S.; offers education on aviation topics; donates aviation school supplies; provides a career jumpstart to underprivileged youth by sponsoring their initial basic flight training; and provides a pathway for mentorship, networking, and learning opportunities.

Infectus Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Melike Ozturk, same. The purpose of this organization includes but is not limited to molecular tests for agricultural diseases.

Rising Team Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Jennifer Dulski, same. Custom software development and related services.

Wahconah Street Greenhouses Corp., 100 Wahconah St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Thomas Dobert, same. Greenhouse nursery.

SOUTHWICK

Southwick Chimney Sweeps and Masonry Inc., 610 College Highway, Southwick, MA 01085. Kimberly Faria, 66 Janis Road, Westfield, MA 01085. Cleaning, repair, and maintenance of chimneys and related masonry services and materials.

SPRINGFIELD

Bathworks Group Inc., 169 Williams St., Springfield, MA 01151. Joel Coelho, 33 Grattan St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Remodeling and refinishing services.

Graceful Journeys Inc., 23 Dawes St., Springfield, MA 01109. Tanisha Daniels, same. Nonprofit committed to establishing a new, safe, supportive, and spiritually enriching environment for women in recovery, and empowering women to rebuild their lives through comprehensive healing, personal growth, and support.

RGL Transport Inc., 247 Merrimac Ave., Springfield, MA 01104. Raul Gomez Lugo, same. Transportation services.

The Victory Group Inc., 35 Willow St., Unit 201, Springfield, MA 01103. Stephen Roche, same. Consulting services on FOIA, public records, legislative services, and body-worn cameras, and other lawful business activities.

WALES

Mark Machine Inc., 97 Monson Road, Wales, MA 01081. Eamon McMahon, same. Machine shop.

WESTFIELD

Precision Kitchen & Bath Inc., 467 Loomis St., Westfield, MA 01085. Siarhei Sharbatsevich, same. Remodeling residential kitchens and bathrooms.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

ANI Construction and Management Inc., 117 Sikes Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. Andrey Katykhin, same. Real estate investment.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of June 2025.

BELCHERTOWN

Adventure Waits Travel LLC
12 Sylvan Circle
Jessica Stagnaro

Cold Spring Crafts
28 Doe Hollow
Andrew French

Cornerstone Health Advocates
15 Lamson Ave.
Stephan Corbin

Devon Lane Power Equipment
10 Ware Road
Thomas Shattuck, Judith Shattuck

JND Amusements
1 Barton Ave.
Jeff Edelman

Lucky Nails
39 Federal St., #4
Bac Son

Michele’s Country Accents
54 Orchard St.
Michele Santos

Nate Packaging LLC
39 Federal St., #4
Raymond Lewis

Oma’s Witch Crafts
326 Stebbins St.
Ernamary Dunne

Sherlock Test Prep
240 Warren Wright St.
David Holmes

PITTSFIELD

AT&T Authorized Retailer
800 Dalton Ave.
Prime Communications Retails LLC

Beautiful Berkshires
101 Oliver Ave.
Jean Hamilton

Berkshire Cannoli Co.
62 Saratoga Dr.
Marie Mele

Blue Rose Media
233 East New Lenox Road
Blue Rose Media LLC

CO Watercraft Inc.
123 Onota St.
Alberto Coronel Gonzalez

DiCarlo Home Improvement
77 New Hampshire Ave.
DiCarlo Home Improvement Inc.

Exclusive Training & Transportation
226 Onota St.
Mensah Francis

Hair by Jennifer
137 North St.
Jennifer DeLorge

Hf3 Fireproofing
82 Wendell Ave.
Herbert Fletcher

Holiday Inn Express
1055 South St.
Somnath LLC

Indie Readery and Records
314 North St.
Emma Lenski, Laurie Lenski

J&M Lawn Care
48 Winter St.
Michael Clemons

J.W.M. Sharpening Service
1652 West Housatonic St.
Jeremy Manzolini

Latinas413, CreaHub & Makerspace
123 North St.
Liliana Atanacio Garcia

Lavender
82 Wendell Ave.
Dilek Soysal

Manning Construction
24 Hollister St.
Scott Manning

NAPA Auto Parts Pittsfield
440 Merrill Road
James Johnson

Newell Street Transmission Repair
269 Newell St.
Robert Gaylord

Northeast Cutting Tools & Supplies
159 Brighton Ave.
Paul Procopio Sr.

Perseverance Cleaning Systems
11 Pleasure St.
Diogo Torres

Pretty Spooky Tours Salem
82 Wendell Ave.
Stephanie Ferris

Star Flair Events
963 North St.
Stella Asamoah

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Abby Care
59 Interstate Dr.
First Choice Home Health Care Services Inc.

Ashley Arms Apartments
131 Ashley Ave.
Ashley Arms Apartments

CARSTAR Fathers & Sons Collision Center
12 Sumner St.
Fathers & Sons Inc.

 

Christian Siller Home Improvement Specialist
293 Elm St.
Siller Home Improvement Specialist

Connecting Cultures Interpreters & Translators
19 Hill St.
Connecting Cultures Interpreters & Translators

Rettura Realty
210 Windsor St.
Vincenzo Rettura

Tailoring Boutique
20 Labelle St.
Tailoring Boutique

Tropical Smoothie Café
367 Memorial Ave.
Tropical Smoothie Café

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

Akiva, Wyatt-Ephraim
131 Vermont St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/05/2025

Amidon, Kimberly M.
1522 West St.
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 13
Date: 06/12/2025

Apodaca, Benjamin S.
Apodaca, Anna
a/k/a Kopiec, Anna
34 Pequot Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2025

Asher, Jeffrey
48 Taylor St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Date: 06/12/2025

Benigno, Rasha D.
Benigno, Debra R.
135 North Plain Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2025

Cardaropoli, Alfonso
128 Eagle St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/06/2025

Chase, Robert J.
Chase, Sumi
11 Whispering Wind Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2025

Collins, Michael Anthony
283 Wildermere St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Date: 06/02/2025

Ford, Barbara Lynn
89 Thayer Road, Unit 3
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/05/2025

Fredette, Darryl L.
361 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/13/2025

Johnson, Christine M.
34 Leatherleaf Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/12/2025

Kras, Jennifer R.
a/k/a Bendiksen, Jennifer R.
31 Conrad St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/13/2025

McInerney, Jean Marie
528 Crescent St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/11/2025

Melendez, Miguel A.
70 Highland Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/06/2025

Mohsin, Frances
a/k/a Nazario, Frances
51 Everett St.
Springfield, MA 01104-3425
Chapter: 13
Date: 06/11/2025

Pelkey, Keith A.
24 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2025

Reljic, Vojislav
a/k/a Relijic, Vojislav
20 Parker Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2025

Rosario, Yessica
18 East Hooker St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/13/2025

Rzasa, Anna Maria
30 Carlton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 13
Date: 06/06/2025

Schools, Eric J.
Pholsook, Samroeng
929 Liberty St., 3rd. Fl.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/05/2025

Stewart, Denise
197 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Date: 06/02/2025

Tardif, Stephanie
128 Eagle St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/06/2025

Vera Cruz, Brunilda
238 Maple St., Apt. F2
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/05/2025

Wilson, Anthony
269 Stoney Hill Road, Apt. G5-202
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 06/06/2025

Wright, Brian
372 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Date: 06/03/2025

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BUCKLAND

155 East Buckland Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Christine Beggan
Seller: Phillip Sherwood-Berndt
Date: 06/09/25

CHARLEMONT

198 Main St.
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Shire Basecamp 413 LLC
Seller: Thomas C. Campbell
Date: 06/17/25

COLRAIN

2 Herzig Lane
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $659,000
Buyer: Frank J. Mooney
Seller: David E. Karbon INT
Date: 06/17/25

CONWAY

197 Shelburne Falls Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Anne Bigwood
Seller: Jerrold F. Axelson
Date: 06/09/25

194 Upper Baptist Hill Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Lianna Hart
Seller: David A. Barten
Date: 06/20/25

DEERFIELD

Pine Nook Road (off)
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Allen-Chase Foundation
Seller: Valeski INT
Date: 06/16/25

ERVING

32 High St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Warren Shaw
Seller: Morgan P. Hill
Date: 06/13/25

19 Pratt St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Curtis M. Chapin
Seller: Tracy E. Miner
Date: 06/16/25

GILL

61 Riverview Dr.
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $387,500
Buyer: Kole Kovacs
Seller: Kurt D. Kwader
Date: 06/20/2

 

GREENFIELD

34 Brookside Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $211,250
Buyer: Targaryen RT
Seller: Lucielle M. Hawks
Date: 06/18/25

309 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Julia B. Fay
Seller: Steve Ozcelik
Date: 06/11/25

85 Columbus Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Crispin D. Youngberg
Seller: Jennifer E. Scelsi
Date: 06/20/25

320 Conway St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Nicole G. Miner
Seller: Julia T. Shaw
Date: 06/13/25

38 Cypress St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Russell A. Johnson
Seller: Philip G. Decato
Date: 06/16/25

166 Federal St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $367,500
Buyer: David A. Peters
Seller: Marc P. Houlihan
Date: 06/20/25

146 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Timothy Brady
Seller: Robert M. Demers
Date: 06/20/25

184 Petty Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Donovan Lee
Seller: Pioner Valley Habitat For Humanity
Date: 06/16/25

18 Silver Place
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Naples Home Buyers TR
Seller: Courchesne, Donna G., (Estate)
Date: 06/18/25

HEATH

134 Sumner Stetson Road
Heath, MA 01340
Amount: $439,000
Buyer: William E. Collins
Seller: Edith A. Crochiere
Date: 06/20/25

LEVERETT

108 Old Mountain Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $633,000
Buyer: James Dunne
Seller: Andrew P. Parker-Renga
Date: 06/17/25

MONTAGUE

26 Bulkley St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $282,100
Buyer: Diane J. Leonard
Seller: Jeanne E. Lapierre
Date: 06/09/25

392 Greenfield Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Suzanne Webber
Seller: Mark D. Fronckus
Date: 06/12/25

34 Highland St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $117,500
Buyer: Stephen E. Smith
Seller: Miner, Kenneth J., (Estate)
Date: 06/10/25

7 Oakman St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Kyle A. Dodge
Seller: Rodney E. Bergiel
Date: 06/18/25

486 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Thomas R. Martin
Seller: Betsy Burnham
Date: 06/20/25

NORTHFIELD

217-I Adams Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Jason M. Bohannon
Seller: Ronald F. Ducharme
Date: 06/10/25

ORANGE

52 Kelton St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Jose R. Rivera
Seller: Claudia Correa
Date: 06/17/25

79 Marjorie St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: Frank Price
Seller: Lisa Fernandez
Date: 06/16/25

16 Sandrah Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Patrick Capparrille
Seller: Kelley, Robert J., (Estate)
Date: 06/18/25

326 West River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Mason St Pierre
Seller: Paul W. Penerian
Date: 06/11/25

SUNDERLAND

50 Claybrook Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Matthew Hnatio
Seller: John G. Hansbury
Date: 06/12/25

8 Valley View Lane
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Cullen Shipman
Seller: Janet L. Ewing
Date: 06/16/25

WENDELL

Old Farley Road
Wendell, MA 01379
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Commonwealth Of Mass.
Seller: TS Mann Lumber Co. Inc.
Date: 06/16/25

WHATELY

45 State Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Megan C. West
Seller: Justin J. Wentzel
Date: 06/12/25

 

 

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

238 Colemore St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Beth A. Regnier
Seller: Carol A. Gawron
Date: 06/12/25

265 Colemore St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Janna Mayerski
Seller: Gary Lambert
Date: 06/20/25

297 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Robert Rash
Seller: Kathleen Comeau
Date: 06/13/25

41 Denise Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Thomas Rule
Seller: Curran, Sandra J., (Estate)
Date: 06/16/25

11 Fox Farm Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $725,000
Buyer: Ratush FT
Seller: Global Home Properties LLC
Date: 06/13/25

46 Giffin Place
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $377,000
Buyer: Rusian Nepliuiev
Seller: Gary J. Fortier
Date: 06/16/25

24 Homer St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $241,250
Buyer: Jospeh T. Ceccarini
Seller: C. & Hazel M. Phillips RET
Date: 06/11/25

907 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Thanwah H. Yoshaa
Seller: Beck FT
Date: 06/20/25

241 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $338,000
Buyer: Emily Nalewanski
Seller: Laura R. Butman
Date: 06/11/25

55 Muriel Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Timothy C. Demars
Seller: Francis M. Disanti
Date: 06/20/25

94 Norris St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Mehmet Citlak
Seller: Veighey Sr., Richard D., (Estate)
Date: 06/20/25

43-45 Orlando St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $416,500
Buyer: Joyce A. Stevens
Seller: 716 Spring Valley LLC
Date: 06/18/25

131 Ridgeway Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $975,000
Buyer: Armando Roman
Seller: Valiantsin Zhmaidziak
Date: 06/20/25

74 South Park Ter.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Tyler Peich
Seller: Joseph E. Cardin
Date: 06/13/25

53 William St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: Luigi Calabrese
Seller: Ivette Nunez
Date: 06/13/25

86 Willow Brook Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: FH Vision Inc.
Seller: Deborah Krawiec
Date: 06/13/25

BLANDFORD

39 Gibbs Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $740,000
Buyer: Michael J. Zapp
Seller: Suyan Huang
Date: 06/16/25

14 Russell Stage Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Nicole C. Carriveau
Seller: Ronnie Armany
Date: 06/12/25

BRIMFIELD

73 Champeaux Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $728,500
Buyer: Sean Mazelli
Seller: David H. Peters
Date: 06/13/25

1 Warren Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Michael Cordi
Seller: Mahogany Ridge LLC
Date: 06/09/25

CHICOPEE

109 9th Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Hector Rosado
Seller: Roberto R. Negron
Date: 06/18/25

39 Algonquin St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Ferik Romanferrer
Seller: Jahjan LLC
Date: 06/18/25

95 Baskin Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Christian P. Hernandez
Seller: Colleen R. Stickeler
Date: 06/20/25

259 Beauchamp Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Lisa A. Byers-Clark
Seller: Rhonda S. Butler
Date: 06/17/25

85 Charles St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Katherine A. Robertson
Seller: M&G Renovations LLC
Date: 06/13/25

160 Crestwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Eric Graziano
Seller: Keem LLC
Date: 06/16/25

33 Dallaire Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Kyle Laplante
Seller: Mary T. Hill
Date: 06/09/25

35 Dorothy Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Lindsay J. Barker
Seller: Emerald Peist
Date: 06/18/25

101 Fairview Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $254,900
Buyer: Emily J. Gardner
Seller: Colleen Bates
Date: 06/16/25

315 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Darwin Deavens
Seller: Pah DE1 LLC
Date: 06/18/25

15 Gilmore St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Harrison Valerio
Seller: Eric B. Lachapelle
Date: 06/13/25

162 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Lawrence Phillips
Seller: Sheryl E. Bacon
Date: 06/20/25

25 Lafond Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $367,400
Buyer: Stephen Hinnebusch
Seller: Michael J. Catanzaro
Date: 06/10/25

819 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $298,650
Buyer: Lee S. Zayas
Seller: Mary C. Mudachi
Date: 06/12/25

93 Melvin St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Richard Kowalski
Seller: Ogorzalek, Ann E., (Estate)
Date: 06/09/25

104 Mount Vernon Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: James C. Pula
Seller: Ronald F. Hartling
Date: 06/20/25

200 Narragansett Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $372,500
Buyer: William T. Reguero
Seller: Savier Masionet-Pagan
Date: 06/18/25

583 New Ludlow Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Alyssa J. Croteau
Seller: John M. Lucas
Date: 06/20/25

593 New Ludlow Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $398,000
Buyer: John M. Lucas
Seller: Bryndis Curtin
Date: 06/20/25

81 Northwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Joel Pumarejo
Seller: Isander Robles
Date: 06/16/25

62 Polaski Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Maria Pastore
Seller: Richard A. Parker
Date: 06/13/25

Shepherd St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Nikita D. Salagornik
Seller: Frederick Golba
Date: 06/13/25

91 Telegraph Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $328,000
Buyer: Yun Liu
Seller: Tracy L. Allen
Date: 06/09/25

123 Watson St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Kevin T. Craven
Seller: Lynn A. Sorel
Date: 06/13/25

EAST LONGMEADOW

46 Autumn Ridge
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $765,000
Buyer: Ronald E. Johnson
Seller: Laura D. Donovan
Date: 06/17/25

15 Baldwin St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Cjb Realty LLC
Seller: Kck Holding LLC
Date: 06/17/25

6 Clover Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $1,141,000
Buyer: Nancy W. Sklar RET
Seller: D. R. Chestnut LLC
Date: 06/17/25

88 Harwich Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Kimberly Meneo
Seller: Jonathan Browne
Date: 06/17/25

24 Heritage Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $626,000
Buyer: Jonathan Stone
Seller: Susan B. Moynihan
Date: 06/20/25

9 Knollwood Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $376,000
Buyer: Kellee Omelia
Seller: Daniel M. Daggett
Date: 06/13/25

12 Melody Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Michael A. Vatrano
Seller: On The Mark LLC
Date: 06/18/25

101 Melwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Erin Beaulac
Seller: Lumturi RT
Date: 06/12/25

31 Oak Bluff Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Elisana Rubiera
Seller: Harriet J. Parzivand
Date: 06/13/25

45 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Silent Enterprises LLC
Seller: Catherine M. Dodge
Date: 06/09/25

611 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: 611 Parker Street LLC
Seller: Norman J. Corigliano
Date: 06/16/25

260 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: David Chapdelaine
Seller: Evan C. Layne
Date: 06/10/25

569 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $569,900
Buyer: Rachel B. Vieu
Seller: Jesse D. Garrison
Date: 06/20/25

208 Westwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: William Mcmahon
Seller: Dennis J. Spillane
Date: 06/16/25

HAMPDEN

237 Allen St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Steven Hearn
Seller: Jill Norton
Date: 06/20/25

159 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Nicole E. Gray
Seller: Conery Morse
Date: 06/16/25

14 Echo Valley Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Salvatore Paolucci
Seller: Michela L. Paolucci
Date: 06/18/25

East Longmeadow Road, Lot 1
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $950,000
Buyer: Ram Krishna LLC
Seller: Hampden Farms LLC
Date: 06/09/25

210 East Longmeadow Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Jem Homebuyers LLC
Seller: Schoolcraft, Evelyn A., (Estate)
Date: 06/13/25

HOLLAND

335 Mashapaug Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Adam A. Hussey
Seller: Marianne E. Guskey
Date: 06/12/25

33 Pine Tree Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Thomas P. Flaherty
Seller: David M. Costa
Date: 06/13/25

HOLYOKE

268-272 Appleton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: 378 High St. Holyoke LLC
Seller: Keybank
Date: 06/16/25

33 Dillon Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Jackson Findlay
Seller: Andrew P. Cole
Date: 06/13/25

42 Evergreen Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Cynthia Asal
Seller: Scott Lacombe
Date: 06/10/25

69 Gates St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Ibis Holdings AT
Seller: Alycar Investments LLC
Date: 06/20/25

378-380 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: 378 High St. Holyoke LLC
Seller: Keybank
Date: 06/16/25

314 Mackenzie Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Jacob P. Peloquin
Seller: Mark W. Ripa
Date: 06/11/25

28 Portland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $244,000
Buyer: Berris Morris
Seller: William P. McHugh
Date: 06/16/25

137 Whiting Farms Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $267,857
Buyer: Juan V. Aguila
Seller: Doyle, Penelope, (Estate)
Date: 06/13/25

LONGMEADOW

26 Andover Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $468,000
Buyer: Richard Appleton
Seller: Joel Wun
Date: 06/13/25

25 Deerfield Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $735,000
Buyer: Zhiyu Liu
Seller: Sally Ann Resnic RET
Date: 06/16/25

15 Falmouth Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Kevin Labrecque
Seller: Kevin C. Peabody
Date: 06/13/25

341 Farmington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Melissa Coughlin
Seller: Caroline M. St.Clair
Date: 06/18/25

97 Forest Glen Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $1,050,000
Buyer: Bachir J. Sakr
Seller: Michael P. Williams
Date: 06/11/25

638 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Laila L. Atta
Seller: Mazin Shaikhoun
Date: 06/17/25

31 Lincoln Park
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $416,088
Buyer: Michael P. Donovan
Seller: Misoon Kim
Date: 06/17/25

557 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Prabhjot Kaur
Seller: Aphrodite M. Barbalias
Date: 06/18/25

189 Rugby Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $930,000
Buyer: Michael D. Bajakian
Seller: Kimberly D. Henley
Date: 06/18/25

LUDLOW

42 Adams St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $362,500
Buyer: Shannon R. Worley
Seller: Irene M. Pereira
Date: 06/09/25

Balsam Hill Road, Lot 70
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $177,900
Buyer: Carolina Elite Bldrs LLC
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 06/09/25

Balsam Hill Road, Lot 75
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $177,900
Buyer: Carolina Elite Bldrs LLC
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 06/09/25

37 Balsam Hill Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Stephanie Nascimento
Seller: Nathan D. Quiterio
Date: 06/11/25

138-140 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Ricardo Rebecca
Seller: Saklaa RT
Date: 06/20/25

33 Hampshire St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $313,000
Buyer: John O’Brien
Seller: Maria J. Dias
Date: 06/13/25

157 Highland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Jasmin Martinez
Seller: William D. Henry
Date: 06/18/25

64 Oak Knoll Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Mitchel Wells
Seller: Shauna Looze
Date: 06/12/25

132 Prospect St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: 132 Prospect Street RET
Seller: David M. Tassinari
Date: 06/18/25

153 Ray St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Katelyn S. White
Seller: Dryjowicz, John, (Estate)
Date: 06/13/25

54 Reynolds St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Oguzhan Karaaslan
Seller: Marti-Ann Martins
Date: 06/13/25

1 Rosewood Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $655,000
Buyer: Myles Dacunha
Seller: Kenneth R. Hamel
Date: 06/20/25

State St., Lot 1
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $372,000
Buyer: Nrb Realty LLC
Seller: Westmass Area Dev Corp.
Date: 06/11/25

State St., Lot 2
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $457,200
Buyer: Pamet LLC
Seller: Westmass Area Dev Corp.
Date: 06/20/25

12 Stebbins St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Naf Cash LLC
Seller: John A. Luszcz
Date: 06/09/25

MONSON

195 Lower Hampden Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $699,900
Buyer: Paula Aversa
Seller: Anthony Patalano
Date: 06/13/25

MONTGOMERY

83 Main Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Taylor V. Smith
Seller: Thomas M. Thornton
Date: 06/20/25

PALMER

3020 Foster St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: John M. Mancini
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 06/13/25

1057 High St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $347,500
Buyer: Brian Pulikowski
Seller: Sherman, Irene C., (Estate)
Date: 06/10/25

1376-1378 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: 1376 Main LLC
Seller: P. E. L. Realty TLLC
Date: 06/09/25

1780 North Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Glendale RT
Seller: Christopher, Robin, (Estate)
Date: 06/13/25

165 Peterson Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Wayne M. Perry
Seller: Ryan Dominik
Date: 06/16/25

1127 South Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $3,811,462
Buyer: Eleven27 South Main LLC
Seller: Quaboag East LLC
Date: 06/18/25

230 Sykes St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $379,900
Buyer: Justin C. Mustafa
Seller: Sandra L. Trubounis
Date: 06/20/25

1010 Thorndike St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $910,000
Buyer: Demon Deacon Realty LLC
Seller: Fsg Realty LLC
Date: 06/18/25

1016 Thorndike St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $910,000
Buyer: Demon Deacon Realty LLC
Seller: Fsg Realty LLC
Date: 06/18/25

RUSSELL

108 Highland Ave.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Aramis Weimann
Seller: William K. Riley
Date: 06/10/25

SOUTHWICK

4 Evergreen Ter.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jordan D. Bushey
Seller: Kenneth B. Howe
Date: 06/09/25

33 Granville Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Stellar Homes Inc.
Seller: Twining, David, (Estate)
Date: 06/09/25

15 Overlook Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $1,350,000
Buyer: Dominic Santaniello
Seller: Valeriy Burkovskiy
Date: 06/10/25

3 Pine Knoll
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: Ashley M. Paier
Seller: Jeremy Dunn
Date: 06/16/25

10 Silvergrass Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Yong Jo
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 06/11/25

19 Silvergrass Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Richard Gallerani
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 06/20/25

SPRINGFIELD

32 Acushnet Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: 30 Forest Park Properties LLC
Seller: Rafael Perez
Date: 06/12/25

1114 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Veronica Vargas
Seller: Cynthia M. Gaudreau
Date: 06/10/25

156 Ashbrook St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Stacey Podmore
Seller: Barbara Vanvalkenburg
Date: 06/11/25

112 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Jonathan Vera
Seller: Round Two LLC
Date: 06/20/25

1554 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Mirna J. Rivera-Lima
Seller: Jyovani Joubert
Date: 06/20/25

429 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $2,725,000
Buyer: Rbt Enterprise LLC
Seller: 39 Kenwood NT
Date: 06/12/25

26 Belvidere St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Erin Foley
Seller: James F. Whalen
Date: 06/10/25

15 Berard Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: Laura Discawicz
Seller: Kevin Estrada
Date: 06/20/25

180 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Ethan Clayton
Seller: James, Pansy L., (Estate)
Date: 06/10/25

143 Berkshire St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $316,326
Buyer: Santo M. Castillo
Seller: Rebecca Ocasio
Date: 06/09/25

Birnie Ave. (rear) Lot A
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $682,500
Buyer: Wason Ave. Properties LLC
Seller: Andler Ltd LP
Date: 06/13/25

12 Brickett St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: R. & R. Home Improvement
Seller: Hector M. Serrano
Date: 06/18/25

89 Bristol St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: James Fiore
Seller: Kamai Norman
Date: 06/10/25

31 Burton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Ibrahim M. Aljashaam
Seller: Irving R. Newcomb
Date: 06/18/25

44-46 Calhoun St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: Amenadiel RT
Seller: Kiara L. Pina
Date: 06/10/25

739-741 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Felix M. Nova
Seller: Jjs Capital Investment LLC
Date: 06/11/25

89 Carol Ann St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Chandrashekhar H. Joshi
Seller: Israel D. Moreno
Date: 06/11/25

127 Catalpa Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Ryan Thomas
Seller: William J. Laporte
Date: 06/13/25

59 Chalmers St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Bryanne Gonzalez
Seller: John P. Brennan
Date: 06/16/25

89 Cherokee Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: McKenzie Bro Realty LLC
Seller: Faith I. Garcia
Date: 06/10/25

140-142 Cherry St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Phantom Holdings LLC
Seller: Jose R. Dejesus
Date: 06/18/25

127 Cheyenne Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $318,350
Buyer: Susan M. Glatki
Seller: Paulo J. Faria
Date: 06/18/25

24 Davis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $358,000
Buyer: RG Main & Oak LLC
Seller: Chrissy L. Ivas
Date: 06/09/25

70 Delmore St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Hosea S. Arnold
Seller: Andrews, Joseph W., (Estate)
Date: 06/20/25

33 Derryfield Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Santiago Rodriguez
Seller: B. Dream Inc.
Date: 06/20/25

171 Dorset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Anna L. Coombs
Seller: William N. Rosario
Date: 06/18/25

104-106 Dubois St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Renovagent LLC
Seller: Andrew J. Tenczar
Date: 06/20/25

26 Dwight Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Adam Jezewski
Seller: Anthony M. Santaniello
Date: 06/18/25

1688 Dwight St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Driss Errahali
Seller: Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity
Date: 06/20/25

90 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Timothy Riley
Seller: Sareen Properties LLC
Date: 06/17/25

59-61 Farnsworth St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Michele V. Ngapmen
Seller: Ambrose I. Mwea
Date: 06/13/25

53 Gail St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Donald E. Taggart
Seller: Jenna M. Molinari
Date: 06/17/25

143 Gardens Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Emilie Fernandez
Seller: Hibsher, Joy, (Estate)
Date: 06/11/25

44 Gatewood Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jonathan Jamison
Seller: Sidney Borges
Date: 06/13/25

253 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Coreen Murphy
Seller: Melanie S. Avdoulos
Date: 06/20/25

47-49 Governor St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $376,000
Buyer: Briyant R. Arias
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 06/20/25

105 Hamilton St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $327,500
Buyer: Megan Thompson
Seller: Timothy C. Demars
Date: 06/20/25

115 Hampden St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Naples Home Buyers TR
Seller: Diana L. Mieltowski
Date: 06/09/25

68 Harmon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Bennett R. Kelly
Seller: Mercedes Niziankowicz
Date: 06/12/25

325 Hartwick St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Round Two LLC
Seller: Michael A. Yandow
Date: 06/11/25

19-21 Hayden Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Carolina S. Henriquez
Seller: Urban Neighborhood Homes LLC
Date: 06/12/25

76 Hazen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Shawn A. Lee-Jacobs
Seller: Janna Mayersky
Date: 06/20/25

90 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $665,000
Buyer: Venus Real Estate LLC
Seller: Squire Investment LLC
Date: 06/13/25

118-120 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Djonatan P. Oliveira
Seller: Seajay Group LLC
Date: 06/17/25

65 Kenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Edwin O. Garcia
Seller: Mariela V. Camacho
Date: 06/12/25

9 Ladd St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Bianca P. Perez
Seller: Redwood RT
Date: 06/12/25

14 Lafayette St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Riverstone Property Holdings LLC
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 06/18/25

95 Leavitt St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: David Anthony
Seller: Stephen L. Edwards
Date: 06/13/25

58-60 Lester St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Carla Simon-Henriquez
Seller: De Q. Wu
Date: 06/17/25

45 Lexington Circle
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $740,000
Buyer: Fadi Chalhoub
Seller: Daniel Searles
Date: 06/10/25

78 Maple St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $474,109
Buyer: 78 Maple St. TR
Seller: Samuel B. Sharpe
Date: 06/20/25

346 Maple St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Lyudmyla Ligouri RET
Seller: Dontell J. Lofton
Date: 06/13/25

88 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Eric Frimpong
Seller: Nunez, Agripina, (Estate)
Date: 06/13/25

99 Massreco St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Veteran Stan LLC
Seller: Norman J. McCannon
Date: 06/10/25

142-144 Miller St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Leonardo H. Delacruz
Seller: Abdul G. Mourad
Date: 06/11/25

26 Miner St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: R. & R. Home Improvement
Seller: Laura L. Discawicz
Date: 06/20/25

27 Newhall St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Surabhi S. Felix
Seller: Jealyn M. Rivera
Date: 06/20/25

179 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $180,169
Buyer: Cwabs Inc.
Seller: Rebecca Rivera
Date: 06/17/25

283 Oakland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Deen Orange 190 LLC
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 06/13/25

291 Oakland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Deen Orange 190 LLC
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 06/13/25

299 Oakland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Deen Orange 190 LLC
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 06/13/25

154 Packard Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Margarita Rivera-Walker
Seller: Daniel Chalue
Date: 06/09/25

25 Pheland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Manuel Rivera
Seller: Naples Home Buyers TR
Date: 06/17/25

127-129 Pineywoods Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Frances K. Harrell
Seller: Darcy Lambert
Date: 06/13/25

95 Quincy St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Emmanuel Pinywah
Seller: Springfield Ventures RT
Date: 06/20/25

29-31 Rush St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Dream Living Solutions LLC
Seller: Isanthes LLC
Date: 06/16/25

137 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Cornerstone Hmbuying LLC
Seller: Jordan, Toni L., (Estate)
Date: 06/10/25

60 Skyridge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Jordan A. Torres
Seller: AJ Capital Inc.
Date: 06/10/25

30-32 Sterling St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Aurelina Placencio
Seller: Panidis Philip
Date: 06/20/25

35-37 Suffolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Yarimar Castro
Seller: Marco Z. Martinez
Date: 06/10/25

31 Thornton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $304,000
Buyer: Daniel A. Poveda
Seller: Jamie A. Shepard
Date: 06/16/25

28-30 Tracy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Alexander Pineda
Seller: Irma Rodriguez
Date: 06/20/25

101 Victoria St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $283,500
Buyer: Angel L. Rivera
Seller: LB-Igloo Properties IV LLC
Date: 06/18/25

53 Warrenton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Bho Realty LLC
Seller: Armando M. Fernandez
Date: 06/10/25

149 Wason Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $682,500
Buyer: Wason Ave. Properties LLC
Seller: Andler Ltd LP
Date: 06/13/25

105 Wilber St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: 105 Wilber Street NT
Seller: Ana L. Borges
Date: 06/18/25

46-48 Windsor St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Fanny P. Polanco
Seller: Clearedge Lending LLC
Date: 06/20/25

845 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Alberto F. Robles
Seller: Cig4 LLC
Date: 06/20/25

WALES

73 Main St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $432,000
Buyer: Matthew Smart
Seller: Jurisdised Agencies LLC
Date: 06/09/25

90 Union Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Matthew Carpenter
Seller: Vandall, Eugene C., (Estate)
Date: 06/11/25

WEST SPRINGFIELD

270 Ely Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $379,000
Buyer: William N. Rosario
Seller: Kimberly L. Linares
Date: 06/18/25

50 Hathorne Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Carly Camossi-Lapalme
Seller: Andrew M. Paier
Date: 06/16/25

367 Hillcrest Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $407,500
Buyer: Christopher A. Allen
Seller: Zachary D. Breton
Date: 06/09/25

118 Janet St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Candace Holman
Seller: Richard C. Galarneau
Date: 06/20/25

77 Jensen Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Kimberly Dunleavy
Seller: Susan L. Lucia
Date: 06/12/25

250 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Susan L. Lucia
Seller: Shannon Cavanaugh
Date: 06/12/25

136 Queen Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Rui Ferreira
Seller: ML Saleh Holdings Inc.
Date: 06/18/25

76 Squire Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $451,000
Buyer: Isa Turan
Seller: Konstantin P. Khodunov
Date: 06/13/25

WESTFIELD

87 Birch Bluffs Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Kristin Halls
Seller: Jenelle L. Masotti
Date: 06/12/25

5 Blueberry Ridge
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $595,000
Buyer: Jonas Black
Seller: Michael T. Rockwal
Date: 06/17/25

26 Day Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $600,700
Buyer: Shelley Oconnell
Seller: Gerard Mattia
Date: 06/16/25

1368 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Citizens Bank Na
Seller: Valerie L. Williams
Date: 06/13/25

43 Kittredge Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: David Tompkins
Seller: Kelli Wood
Date: 06/12/25

27 Laurel Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Debra Ramistella
Seller: Ramistella, James B., (Estate)
Date: 06/12/25

16 Locust St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $274,900
Buyer: Flipping Best LLC
Seller: Dreampath Homebuyers LLC
Date: 06/18/25

24 Maple St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Robert Boyer
Seller: Mac Squared LLC
Date: 06/10/25

40 Mechanic St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Monolith Holdings LLC
Seller: Cam Property Mgmt. LLC
Date: 06/11/25

65 Michael Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Robert L. Warren-Dunning
Seller: Karen M. Schuster
Date: 06/20/25

42 Mockingbird Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $665,000
Buyer: Edward C. Bell
Seller: Mary Ellen Ploran TR
Date: 06/17/25

410 Montgomery Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $705,000
Buyer: Courtney Paquette
Seller: Mary M. Burke
Date: 06/20/25

64 Northridge Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Shawn D. Medeiros
Seller: Cindy A. Nikiforakis
Date: 06/13/25

30 Patterson St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Patrick Greaney
Seller: Michael D. Getto
Date: 06/13/25

100 Ridgecrest Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Nicholas C. Bonavita
Seller: Carl Hanselman
Date: 06/18/25

182 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Kristi L. Gonzales
Seller: Gonzales, Michael P., (Estate)
Date: 06/09/25

87 West Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Luke E. Callender
Seller: Houser, Janet R., (Estate)
Date: 06/09/25

769 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: William Rivera
Seller: Smith, Laurel J., (Estate)
Date: 06/20/25

77 Westfield Industrial Park
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $1,600,000
Buyer: Jdz 2 LLC
Seller: Aml LLC
Date: 06/11/25

WILBRAHAM

17 Briar Cliff Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $890,000
Buyer: Dingbin Chen
Seller: Chetana H. Sanghvi
Date: 06/10/25

16 Maple St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Wicked Deals LLC
Seller: Kenneth A. Fish
Date: 06/18/25

2 South Colonial Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Joseph S. Fusco
Seller: Karen T. Ouricelli-O’Brien
Date: 06/11/25

4 Willow Brook Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $701,000
Buyer: Jeffrey R. Colapietro
Seller: Myungseob Kim
Date: 06/18/25

2 Woodside Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Ethan Lanciaux
Seller: Peter M. Woodbury
Date: 06/12/25

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

101 Cherry Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Jessica W. Reyes
Seller: Shelley Young Barnett RET
Date: 06/18/25

360 College St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: J&J Lee 360 LLC
Seller: L. H. B. Amherst LLC
Date: 06/18/25

34 Dickinson St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $1,100,000
Buyer: Amherst College
Seller: Matthew Cornell
Date: 06/10/25

874 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $672,000
Buyer: Jbk Partners LLC
Seller: Elizabeth Rosenberg
Date: 06/17/25

22 Eames Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $645,000
Buyer: Blake A. Minchoff
Seller: Wharton C. Clay
Date: 06/17/25

199 Glendale Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Kristin M. Small
Seller: Marion A. Waskiewicz RET
Date: 06/13/25

237 Grantwood Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Tiffany Quan
Seller: Ronald P. Marino
Date: 06/16/25

30 Hills Road
Amherst, MA 01004
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Greta Birkby
Seller: Paul H. Motts
Date: 06/11/25

267 Shutesbury Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $825,000
Buyer: Kyle Nitzsche FT
Seller: Brittany M. Hutson
Date: 06/20/25

10 Taylor St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Cats In Baby Dresses LLC
Seller: Kimberly G. Keegan
Date: 06/11/25

BELCHERTOWN

230 Allen St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $730,000
Buyer: Kyke A. Maslak
Seller: Laliberte Home Builders Inc.
Date: 06/11/25

54 Edelcy Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Marley
Seller: Amanda L. Marley
Date: 06/18/25

63 Oakridge Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $570,000
Buyer: Jerri Ross
Seller: Samuel Clark
Date: 06/13/25

312 South St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Shauna A. Looze
Seller: Gerald R. Maloney
Date: 06/12/25

CHESTERFIELD

574 Main Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $449,900
Buyer: Richard A. Provencher
Seller: Cody Rida
Date: 06/09/25

EASTHAMPTON

27 Bryan Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $380,500
Buyer: Ewa T. Nowicki
Seller: Romney Biddulph
Date: 06/13/25

21 Davis St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Matthew Grant
Seller: Stephen A. Wilby
Date: 06/18/25

6 Grove St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Thoms W. Brown
Seller: Andrew Greto
Date: 06/20/25

3 Gula Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $364,000
Buyer: Emily Ivashenko
Seller: Peter Marks
Date: 06/18/25

20 Holly Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Maureen Pine
Seller: J. J. & Dawn M. Jarmen RET
Date: 06/09/25

36 Holly Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $1,250,000
Buyer: Alexander J. Castergini
Seller: Steven P. Winkel
Date: 06/12/25

52-54 Holyoke St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jeremy D. Ober
Seller: Thomas W. Brown
Date: 06/16/25

278 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $835,000
Buyer: Robert F. Staley
Seller: Ctna Costruction LLC
Date: 06/20/25

26 Mount Tom Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Congamond Management LLC
Seller: Daniel Ortmeyer
Date: 06/16/25

1 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $696,000
Buyer: One Noho LLC
Seller: One Northampton St. Enterprises
Date: 06/17/25

1 Park Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $570,000
Buyer: Simpson Ferguson FT
Seller: John A. Soler
Date: 06/16/25

44 Pleasant St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: St Properties LLC
Seller: Lawrence L. Pontbriant
Date: 06/09/25

GOSHEN

123 West St.
Goshen, MA 01026
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Cathy D. Evans
Seller: Emerson Int.
Date: 06/18/25

HADLEY

135 East St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $543,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Rosenberg
Seller: Jonathan K. Child
Date: 06/18/25

9 High Meadow Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $644,000
Buyer: Chenghui Zheng
Seller: Glenn Stowell
Date: 06/10/25

16 Highland Circle
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $498,900
Buyer: Joanne G. Katz
Seller: Alice L. Holmes
Date: 06/11/25

21 Shattuck Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $720,210
Buyer: Kyle Zeng
Seller: Steven F. Johnson
Date: 06/13/25

HATFIELD

62 Dwight St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Selina Fournier
Seller: Bryan M. Schwartz
Date: 06/20/25

7 Linseed Hill Road
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Cody Shane
Seller: Thomas M. Luce
Date: 06/20/25

 

HUNTINGTON

147 Worthington Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $369,000
Buyer: John B. Aldrich
Seller: Azure L. Layton
Date: 06/09/25

NORTHAMPTON

90 Brierwood Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Michelle Pratt
Seller: Gary B. Rackliffe
Date: 06/18/25

183 Brookside Circle
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Tedesco FT
Seller: Judy A. Peret
Date: 06/10/25

955 Burts Pit Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Sangmin Yun
Seller: William E. Clayton
Date: 06/09/25

48 Chapel St., Lot N
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Jane Christensen FT
Seller: Anne M. Lapointe
Date: 06/18/25

492 Elm St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: John C. Owens
Seller: Grenat TR
Date: 06/09/25

27 Fairview Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: David Pruskin
Seller: O’Brien, Claudia M., (Estate)
Date: 06/12/25

90 Fox Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: Haley E. Marek
Seller: Buy Or Sell Realty LLC
Date: 06/20/25

42 Grove Ave.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: Annie Salsich
Seller: Candy Henry, (Estate)
Date: 06/18/25

22 Hockanum Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $234,000
Buyer: Jeremy Durrin
Seller: Andiron LLC
Date: 06/12/25

326 King St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $775,000
Buyer: Zig Northampton LLC
Seller: Greco Properties LLP
Date: 06/12/25

54 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Rgb Properties Florence LLC
Seller: Sbc Realty LLC
Date: 06/12/25

597 North Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $1,306,000
Buyer: D. H. & Jamie L. Pierce Jret
Seller: Thomas E. Quinn
Date: 06/12/25

497 Riverside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Alicia Simoni
Seller: Freda L. Driscoll Sbar
Date: 06/17/25

5 Stowell St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Kyle H. Hughes
Seller: Brown, Stephen A., (Estate)
Date: 06/12/25

PELHAM

202 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Keith M. Polasko
Seller: Andrew T. Bagge
Date: 06/16/25

90 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Joseph E. Durham
Seller: Michael J. Beaupre
Date: 06/18/25

88 Buffam Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $700,018
Buyer: David Rubin-Baker
Seller: Bradfor White LT
Date: 06/20/25

SOUTH HADLEY

294 Brainerd St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: CIL Realty Of Mass. Inc.
Seller: Caroline B. Dziel RET
Date: 06/16/25

35 Brigham Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $323,000
Buyer: Thomas R. Herbert
Seller: Barbara E. Kedzior
Date: 06/13/25

78 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Morgan Hussey
Seller: Smith, George F., (Estate)
Date: 06/20/25

107 Lathrop St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $421,000
Buyer: Laura M. Tompkins
Seller: Doris C. Hastings
Date: 06/13/25

95 Pearl St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Jackson R. Hosking
Seller: Constance C. Grise
Date: 06/09/25

21 Silver St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $569,000
Buyer: Margaret Gallagher
Seller: I-TFor Katharine M. Beda
Date: 06/13/25

45 Spring St., Ext.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $367,000
Buyer: Melanie Bitely
Seller: Patrick M. Greaney
Date: 06/13/25

7 Susan Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $367,000
Buyer: Gary A. Leroux
Seller: Melissa Callahan
Date: 06/12/25

17 Upper River Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $658,100
Buyer: Kyle Callahan
Seller: Rory M. Pommerening
Date: 06/12/25

SOUTHAMPTON

34 Bluemer Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Christopher Hampson
Seller: Prime Flips LLC
Date: 06/11/25

70 Crooked Ledge Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Pamela H. Smith
Seller: Patrick J. Brennan
Date: 06/18/25

7 Old County Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $602,000
Buyer: Kyle Rondeau
Seller: Joel P. Kupeyan
Date: 06/17/25

5 Quigley Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Alicia E. Ziegler
Seller: Wiliam H. Ziegler
Date: 06/10/25

100 White Loaf Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $424,900
Buyer: Joseph Cardin
Seller: Arthur Vanhorne
Date: 06/13/25

WARE

80 Anderson Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Bryan M. Schwartz
Seller: Lisa J. Terry Jakshtis
Date: 06/20/25

26 Aspen St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Shellie Fountain-Hinckley
Seller: Joseph E. Pinsonnault
Date: 06/11/25

23 Beach Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Stacey J. Lowe
Seller: Philip E. Ethier
Date: 06/20/25

246 Belchertown Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Thomas J. Wood
Seller: Michael Hackett
Date: 06/12/25

4 Chester Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Jacob Perron
Seller: Alan R. Clough
Date: 06/17/25

4 Gareau Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Kimberly Boutwell
Seller: Tenzer Int.
Date: 06/12/25

105 Gilbertville Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Corey Grigas
Seller: Ross E. Kendrick
Date: 06/17/25

242 Monson Turnpike Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Kelly Parker
Seller: Victor Kolenda
Date: 06/13/25

25 Pinecrest Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Joshua Evans
Seller: Philip J. Lagrant
Date: 06/16/25

WESTHAMPTON

315 Southampton Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Richard A. Finnegan
Seller: Gavin C. Cook
Date: 06/17/25

41 Pine Island Lk
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Joyce Nolan
Seller: Tessa K. Young
Date: 06/09/25

WILLIAMSBURG

103 Petticoat Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Jeremy D. Jackman
Seller: Christopher G. Smith RET
Date: 06/13/25

WORTHINGTON

44 Goss Hill Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Michael Sanzo
Seller: Michael Moloff
Date: 06/12/25

24 Old Main Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Brett M. Mollison
Seller: Tyler Pease
Date: 06/11/25

24 Old Post Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Jeanne D. Regauld
Seller: Mikaela Spence
Date: 06/17/25

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of June 2025.

EASTHAMPTON

Easthampton Animal Hospital LLC
410 Main St.
$33,639 — Install roof-mounted solar array

HADLEY

Easthampton Savings Bank
100 East St.
N/A — Reface existing monument sign

Philip Goulet
331 Russell St.
N/A — New interior wall tile and wall paint at Dunkin’

Philip Goulet
331 Russell St.
N/A — Install signs at Dunkin’

W/S Hadley Properties II LLC
351 Russell St., Suite 20
N/A — Minor remodel of existing Panera Bread

LEE

Onyx Specialty Papers Inc.
40 Willow St.
$121,995 — Roofing

LENOX

Town of Lenox
239 Crystal St.
$43,159,000 — Two new buildings

NORTHAMPTON

City of Northampton
210 Main St.
$16,369 — Install three automatic door openers at City Hall

City of Northampton
212 Main St.
$7,272 — Install two automatic door openers at municipal building

City of Northampton
240 Main St.
$14,545 — Install two door openers at Northampton Memorial Hall

Lake Rentals LLC
312 King St.
$10,000 — Illuminated wall sign for Sherwin-Williams

Smith College
7 College Lane
$5,640,712 — Building conversion to low-temperature hot water

PITTSFIELD

Berkshire Center for Families
480 West St.
$68,300 — Insulation

Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires
26 Melville St.
$123,000 — Demolish three-story commercial structure, including slab and foundations

Clinical & Support Options Inc.
39 Maplewood Ave.
$60,000 — Renovation for use as long-term congregate care facility: convert existing half bathroom to accessible full bathroom; alter existing room to be office space and bedroom; new openings connecting former residential units on first, second, and third floors; install sprinkler system and low-voltage fire alarm system; replace front and side porch flooring

Herald Properties LLC
60 Linden St.
$4,000 — Install fire alarm system

ServiceNet Inc.
717 Crane Ave.
$845,000 — New building for use as community-based day program by Prospect Meadow Farm

Somnath LLC
1055 South St.
$270,000 — Solar panel on roof

South Street Property LLC
101 South St.
$26,250 — Roofing

Sport Sod LLC
100 Dan Fox Dr.
$82,500 — Roofing

Kayley Stasiewski
161 Seymour St.
$200,000 — New partitions; selected structural reinforcement; alter plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems; selected demolition; new roofing; masonry repairs

Steel Realty
703 West Housatonic St.
$749,990 — Roofing

An Achievement of Note

By
Opinion

Editorial

 

When Bob Bolduc sold his hugely successful chain of Pride stations and stores a few years ago, people wondered what the entrepreneur, philanthropist, and BusinessWest Difference Maker would do next. They didn’t have to wait long for the answer.

It came in the form of Hope for Youth & Families, a foundation into which Bolduc has put the same intense drive and attention to detail as his business. In three short years, the family foundation has made progress with its three stated points of focus — literacy, helping young people find paths to a college education, and the arts.

And it is in the last category that the foundation has made its most visible, and potentially most impactful, contribution, with the creation of the Hope Center for the Arts in the former CityStage space in downtown Springfield (see story on page 4).

CityStage has been dormant for many years now, and the stunning transformation into the Hope Center for the Arts reactivates that space in a powerful way. But this is about much more than turning the stage lights back on at that theater — although that has been accomplished as well.

Bolduc and others at the foundation realized early on that they could do a lot more than bring CityStage online. They could create a true learning and performance center, where young people could become immersed in everything from dance to theater; music to photography; creative writing to visual arts.

And that’s what has been created in the various spaces at the center, into which the foundation has poured more than $15 million, by Bolduc’s estimates, for everything from new HVAC systems to a teen café and lounge to a revamped main stage that is state of the art in every way.

Bolduc likes to say he’s not making these investments in equipment or infrastructure or lighting. He’s making them in young people. Several generations of young people.

And he’s right. Because while the new stage might produce rich sound and intense lighting, what it and the other facilities at the center ultimately do is help educate young people and, through the arts, inspire them to reach higher, pursue excellence, unlock talent, and perhaps even find a career.

They might possibly have done all that without the Hope Center for the Arts, but this new facility, clearly one of the better and more inspiring stories unfolding in Springfield, makes it exponentially easier.

Bolduc says he hopes the new center changes the trajectory of many young lives in Springfield. We believe it will.

Investing in the Future of Western Mass.

By Contributor
Opinion

Opinion

By Emily Haber

When it comes to serving the needs of Western Massachusetts, our state government has a mixed record. It often directs its finite attention and resources inside 495.

However, one wildly successful program enables business leaders to deliver state funds directly to communities throughout the region. The Community Investment Tax Credit provides a 50% tax rebate on donations to nonprofit organizations known as community development corporations, or CDCs.

These organizations, 12 of which are in Western Massachusetts, provide people with safe and affordable places to live. They provide transportation in areas that lack buses or trains, equip workers with the skills that local companies need, and make other vital investments in local economies.

Launched just over a decade ago under Gov. Deval Patrick, the Community Investment Tax Credit has gained momentum under Govs. Charlie Baker and, now, Maura Healey. In its first 10 years, the program delivered $134 million to community development projects throughout Massachusetts.

In the past three years alone, CDCs in Western Massachusetts assisted nearly 2,000 entrepreneurs, educated more than 3,000 homebuyers, provided more than $29 million in grants and loans to small businesses, and built more than 200 homes.

Recognizing the undeniable success of the program, the governor and lawmakers recently expanded it as part of the Affordable Homes Act, increasing the allotment of tax credits to $15 million per year in 2025. Earlier this month, the state issued $2 million in new credits for Western Mass.

Signs of CDCs’ impact are everywhere. In Great Barrington, CDC of South Berkshire recently converted an inn into 16 month-to-month rooms with a common kitchen to house new employees of Berkshire Health Systems — Berkshire County’s largest employer. Franklin County CDC, which works in all four Western Mass. counties, assisted 365 entrepreneurs and lent $3.4 million to businesses.

In Northampton, Valley CDC is converting a long-vacant nursing home into 60 affordable apartments and installing geothermal heating and cooling systems. In Springfield, Way Finders is redeveloping distressed properties and making them available to first-time homebuyers.

Meanwhile, Quaboag Valley and Hilltown CDC are running rural vans that are a lifeline to seniors and other residents. The Community Investment Tax Credit supports countless other programs that help make Western Mass. more vibrant.

In a diverse region with more than 100 cities and towns, the program gives organizations leeway to meet the unique needs of local employers and communities. The state holds CDCs accountable so donors can feel confident that their investments will truly enhance the local economy.

Taking advantage of the program is simple: individuals, companies, or foundations that donate $1,000 or more to a qualifying CDC are eligible for a tax rebate of 50% — in effect, a matching donation that doubles the impact of a gift. The program is open to all. Those who do not pay Massachusetts taxes or owe less than the amount of the rebate receive a direct payment from the state.

From food to advanced manufacturing to biotechnology to tourism, Western Mass. possesses tremendous economic potential and is poised for growth. Yet, to fully take advantage of the opportunities ahead, the region needs to address shortfalls in housing, transportation, and support for small businesses, among other challenges. At a time of national and global uncertainty, the Community Investment Tax Credit offers the opportunity to invest close to home so that Western Mass. can thrive for generations to come.

A list of qualifying CDCs in Western Massachusetts is available at macdc.org/western-mass-cdcs.

 

Emily Haber is president and CEO of the Massachusetts Assoc. of Community Development Corporations.

Arrha Credit Union, BrightBridge Credit Union Announce Intent to Merge

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Arrha Credit Union and BrightBridge Credit Union announced their intent to merge. BrightBridge will be the continuing credit union following the merger.

This strategic partnership is based on a mutual commitment to people-first values, competitive financial offerings, and community engagement, credit unions stated. With this merger, BrightBridge will expand its field of membership to include Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties in Massachusetts, and Hartford and Tolland counties in Connecticut.

Pending regulatory and member approvals, the combined credit union will operate 23 branches across Southern New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Eastern Connecticut, and provide access to shared branching nationwide. Together, they will serve approximately 125,000 members and manage nearly $2.4 billion in assets.

“We believe this partnership is exceptionally beneficial to our members, our team, and our community,” said Michael Ostrowski, president and CEO of Arrha Credit Union. “Together, we’ll be stronger and better equipped to serve our members’ evolving financial needs. We look forward to working with the BrightBridge team to ensure a smooth transition for all.”

BrightBridge Credit Union President and CEO John Howard added That “we’re honored to be joining forces with a credit union like Arrha that has such a strong legacy of caring for its members. We believe this partnership will bring even more value and opportunity for all our members and team members.”

Throughout the merger process, both organizations have committed to transparency and open communication, with members receiving regular updates and information regarding the proposed merger.

Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce Event to Feature Gubernatorial Candidate

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Daily News

PALMER — The Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce’s After 5 networking event, slated for Wednesday, Aug. 6 at 5 p.m. at the Monson Free Library, will feature an appearance by 2026 Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Mike Kennealy.

The chamber’s After 5 networking events allow local business leaders to connect and exchange ideas and opportunities in an informal setting. The August After 5 at the Monson Free Library will include a tour and information on library activities and programs, as well as a meet and greet and Q&A session with Kennealy.

In 2018, Kennealy was appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker as Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, a role in which he visited more than 150 cities and towns in Massachusetts and built relationships with local governments and community leaders. Kennealy joined the Baker-Polito administration as assistant secretary for Business Growth in 2015, playing a key role in shaping the administration’s strategies for business development and job creation. More than 215,000 new jobs were created in Massachusetts during his tenure.

“I’m thrilled to join the dedicated business leaders of the Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce. It’s the work of our local entrepreneurs, job creators, and community leaders that truly drives the Commonwealth forward,” said Kennealy. “I look forward to engaging with members of the business community to discuss how government can be a true partner in fostering economic growth, supporting innovation, and revitalizing our communities.”

Sponsors of the chamber’s August After 5 include Monson Savings Bank, Cedarbrook Village at Ware, and Superior Plus Propane. Registration to the chamber’s networking events are open to members and non-members alike at qhma.com. The August After 5 will also include food and refreshments from the Better Bean café in Monson.

“The chamber is proud to welcome Secretary Kennealy to the Quaboag Hills region for this special event,” CEO James Przypek said. “We are thrilled to give our constituents the opportunity to hear directly from the candidate and share concerns, ideas, and solutions as business leaders and residents of the Commonwealth.”

Berkshire United Way Board Appoints Katherine von Haefen Interim President, CEO

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Daily News

PITTSFIELD — The Berkshire United Way (BUW) board of directors has appointed Katherine von Haefen, the organization’s director of Community Impact, as interim president and CEO. Von Haefen, who assumes this position following the departure of Tom Bernard, will retain her current responsibilities. The appointment is effective immediately and will continue to be interim while the board assesses the ongoing needs of the organization.

“Our community impact work is at the heart of our mission to build a community where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive, and Katherine’s work in this area has been exemplary,” said Krystle Blake, BUW board chair. “With Katherine leading the way, Berkshire United Way will continue to do what we’ve done best for 100 years — understanding what our neighbors need most and bringing together community leaders, corporate partners, legislators, and nonprofits to implement solutions that amplify our impact.”

von Haefen joined BUW as director of Community Impact in October 2021. In this role, she develops and leads region-wide convenings on topics including early childcare and early childhood education, food security, and more. She also leads BUW’s $1 million annual investment strategy for Berkshire nonprofits and played an integral role in developing the organization’s current strategic plan.

“Half of the people in our county work full-time or more and still struggle to make ends meet,” von Haefen said. “I look forward to collaborating with our board, staff, and community partners to implement solutions that really move the needle.”

She serves on the city of Pittsfield’s Preschool Partnership Leadership Committee, the Massachusetts Early Childhood Funder Collaborative steering committee, and the Berkshire Area Health Education Center board.

von Haefen brings a wealth of relevant experience to the job and provides important continuity to the organization’s current efforts. She came to BUW following a 20-plus-year career at United Way of Greater Houston (UWGH), where she served as mission and strategy manager. During her tenure at UWGH, von Haefen provided strategic leadership for United Way Bright Beginnings, a comprehensive early childhood improvement initiative, and Houston’s Kids, a citywide afterschool collaboration. She also was the lead public policy advocate for UWGH in Austin. She is passionate about working with nonprofits and helping to activate positive systems change for vulnerable members of the community.

Before moving to Texas, von Haefen worked with the Massachusetts Department of Children & Family Services and with a domestic violence organization in London. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College and a master’s in social work from the University of Houston.

City of Easthampton Launches Senior Center Building Committee

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Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — Mayor Nicole LaChapelle has selected members of the Senior Center Building Committee, which will begin meeting in September to plan for the construction of a new senior center.

In addition to city officials and staff, they include Thomas Brown, Council on Aging (COA) vice chair; Leslie Button, COA secretary; Patrick Brough, COA member; Daniel Rist, Erika Kuester, and Ann Longley, Friends of the COA; Bonnie McLoud, Commission on Disabilities; Tony Karella; David Paquette; and Elizabeth McAnulty.

The Easthampton Council on Aging and Enrichment Center is located in the former Easthampton Post Office on the corner of Union and High streets. Built in 1933, it is listed on the National Historic Register, which limits changes that can be made to it. There have been discussions in various city governance groups about the center, including relocating it to one of the former school buildings, to the former Manchester Hardware building, and the now-vacant Walgreens on Union Street. The COA board has rejected all of those options in favor of building a new construction senior center.

In the fall of 2023, the mayor formed an ad hoc Building Committee to review the experience of comparable communities that have built new senior centers recently and suggest models and features a new senior center would have to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that caters to their unique needs and interests.

The mayor accepted its recommendations in January, including separate and subdividable spaces that support small or large groups, events of various sizes, and meals; audio-visual technology; hearing- and vision-inclusive design; adequate private office space for staff to conduct appointments with residents; and sufficient parking, similar to comparable centers.

Way Finders to Cut Ribbon at Greenstead Grove on July 18

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Daily News

LUDLOW — Way Finders will celebrate the completion of its Greenstead Grove affordable apartment development located at 188 Fuller St. in Ludlow on July 18 starting at 10 a.m. The project brings 43 units of new affordable housing to the market.

Speakers include: Keith Fairey, Way Finders president and CEO; state Sen. Jake Oliveira; state Rep. Aaron Saunders; Dana LeWinter of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership; and Jim Broderick from the Way Finders board. After the speakers, attendees will tour some of the Greenstead Grove apartments and enjoy refreshments. The event will be held rain or shine.

“The housing crisis affects all communities, all families, in Western Mass.,” said Keith Fairey, Way Finders President and CEO. “This new housing checks a lot of boxes. Building it supports local businesses and workers. Completing it adds to the local property tax base. And the families who occupy it enjoy affordable rents, all utilities included. Housing that benefits our local economy, our communities, and our families — that’s a triple win.”

This brings Way Finders’ total to almost 900 units, with more than 300 more in development over the next several years.

Nestled on five acres, the seven two-story, wood-framed townhomes and one community building are in a neighborhood of single and multi-family homes. The site is across the street from the town’s new Harris Brook Elementary School. Greenstead Grove reflects Way Finders’ push to increase the supply of affordable housing in suburban areas, where there is high demand and very limited supply.

Make-It Springfield Announces Leadership Transition

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — After five years of service, Roberta Wilmore has resigned from her role as executive director of Make-It Springfield.

Wilmore joined Make-It as its first executive director in the spring of 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. She led the organization through an uncertain and challenging time and played a key role in overseeing the expansion to a new home on Bridge Street.

To support the organization during this period of transition, the board has engaged Julien Abramson, an experienced organizational consultant, to provide interim support and assist Make-It in preparing for its next phase of leadership.

Make-It Springfield is a community-focused art and creative center and collaborative maker space located at 286 Bridge St. in downtown Springfield. It is dedicated to providing a supportive environment that fosters creativity, innovation, and hands-on community collaboration.

“The board and our dedicated staff remain committed to keeping Make-It Springfield moving forward. We thank our community for its continued belief in and support of our mission,” the board stated. “Make-It Springfield will continue to be a space where all are welcome to freely explore, create, and connect.”

Berkshire Leadership Program Announces New Project

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Daily News

PITTSFIELD — 1Berkshire’s 2025 cohort of the Berkshire Leadership Program (BLP) announced a curated, bilingual guide to summer activities and year-round programming. This guide will promote access to free, low-cost, and inclusive attractions and activities, as well as provide a directory connecting Berkshire youth with essential resources, services, and opportunities in their local communities.

“Our goal is to serve youth and families in Berkshire County, with a special focus on low-income, marginalized, and Spanish-speaking communities. We are prioritizing those who may face economic, geographic, or social barriers in accessing enriching, affordable, and inclusive opportunities that Berkshire County has to offer,” said project representative Hari Kumar, BLP class of 2025. “There are many programs and resources for underserved youth available throughout the county, and our goal is to help bridge the gap between the service and their target audience.”

Available as a digital resource through Facebook and hosted online hosted on the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention website, the guide will feature local attractions, events, safe hangout spots, and essential services organized by town to reduce transportation barriers and promote equitable access. Sections such as Free Cultural Passes, Health & Well-being, and Education & Learning offer clear guidance on how to access mental health support, volunteer opportunities, job training, and discounted admission to museums, theaters, and cultural entertainment.

“We are happy to be able to offer this guide in both English and Spanish,” said Shirley Cruz, BLP class of 2025. “It is important to my community and the growing Spanish-speaking population in Berkshire County that, as we create new resources, we ensure they are offered in both languages.”

The guide will be distributed through schools, libraries, community centers, and youth-serving organizations. Supported by a searchable online directory and event calendar, this project helps ensure all youth can explore, engage with, and benefit from their communities.

In addition to serving youth and families, the guide helps align community organizations by consolidating resources and promoting collaboration, creating a more connected and coordinated youth support network across Berkshire County.

“Young people in Berkshire County deserve to feel connected, supported, and included — but too often, they don’t know where to turn,” said Cass Santos-China, BLP class of 2025. “At Berkshire Pride, we’ve seen firsthand how meaningful it is when youth feel seen and have access to safe, inclusive spaces, whether it’s through our after-school programs, GSA support, or youth-centered Pride events. This guide expands on that mission by offering a starting point for youth and families to discover local programs, opportunities, and places to belong. It’s about building bridges and ensuring that the next generation has every reason to stay, grow, and thrive here.”

United Way of Pioneer Valley’s Stuff the Bus Program Supports Homeless Children

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — United Way of Pioneer Valley announced its 2025 Stuff the Bus school supply drive. The organizaion is reaching out to the community for support in its mission to provide essential school supplies to area homeless children, starting July 23.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to start the school year prepared and excited to learn. However, for homeless children, this can be a significant challenge,” said Megan Moynihan, president and CEO of United Way of Pioneer Valley. “We would not be able to do this without the generous support of Peter Pan Bus Lines. Every year, they provide a bus and driver to deliver the backpacks to all districts in need.

Needed items include elementary age backpacks (boys & girls), middle and high school age backpacks (gender neutral), composition books, elementary age scissors, glue sticks, index cards, markers, Post-it notes, and 12-inch rulers, as well as classroom supplies for teachers, such as paper towels, hand sanitizer, and dry erase makers.

Supplies may be dropped off at any of the following locations from July 23 through Aug. 6:

  • AAA Northeast, 150 Capital Dr., West Springfield;
  • AAA Northeast, 1891 Wilbraham Road, Springfield;
  • Balise Chevy Buick GMC, 440 Hall of Fame Ave., Springfield;
  • Balise Ford of Wilbraham, 1979 Boston Road, Wilbraham;
  • Balise Honda West Springfield, 400 Riverdale St., West Springfield;
  • Balise Hyundai, 683 East Columbus Ave., Springfield;
  • Balise Kia, 635 Riverdale St., West Springfield;
  • Balise Lexus, 1385 Riverdale St., West Springfield;
  • Balise Mazda, 733 East Columbus Ave., Springfield;
  • Balise Nissan of West Springfield, 500 Riverdale St., West Springfield;
  • Balise Ready Credit, 693 East Columbus Ave., Springfield;
  • Balise Toyota, 1399 Riverdale St., West Springfield;
  • East Coast Tile, 8 Stony Brook St., Ludlow;
  • Peter Pan Bus Lines, Springfield Union Station (ticket counter);
  • United Way of Pioneer Valley, 1441 Main St., Suite 137, Springfield; and
  • Western Mass News, 1300 Liberty St., Springfield.

To learn more about sponsoring the Stuff the Bus program, email Jessica Prokop at [email protected].

T-Birds Recognized with AHL Award of Excellence for Digital Media

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Thunderbirds received more recognition during the American Hockey League’s 2025 Awards Gala on Jul. 10 in Hilton Head Island, S.C.

After previously capturing league honors for the Marketing Department of the Year and Most Unique Social Media Content, the Thunderbirds’ digital media team was recognized as the Eastern Conference Award of Excellence recipient for Digital Media.

The department has excelled with a fully in-house strategy blending creativity, consistency, and a strong brand identity. Each of the team’s 36 home games features a unique campaign built around a cohesive, season-long look, incorporating bold visuals and local imagery, with efforts spanning digital, print, radio, billboards, and social media. The team also unveiled a new-look website and mobile app to their fans during the 2024-25 season.

The Thunderbirds’ Social Media department also earned leaguewide recognition during the 2024-25 season, most noticeably by winning the award for Most Unique Social Media Content. The honor stemmed from the team’s inventive response to a shipping mishap that sent their Teddy Bear Toss jerseys to Germany by mistake. Turning an unfortunate situation into an opportunity, the social media team showcased that agility and creativity are sometimes the most powerful tools in a successful strategy.

The Mount to Welcome Pulitzer Prize Winner Jayne Anne Phillips on July 31

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Daily News

LENOX — The Mount will host acclaimed author Jayne Anne Phillips, winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, for an evening of literary insight and conversation on Thursday, July 31 at 5 p.m.

Phillips will join André Bernard, former vice president of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, for a thought-provoking discussion, including an exploration of the craft of interweaving history and storytelling, delving into the research that brings the past vividly to life.

Recently awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and named one of the New Yorker’s Best Books of the Year, Night Watchis a sweeping tale of resilience and survival in the turbulent aftermath of the Civil War. This narrative of a mother and daughter’s search for refuge has been hailed as “beautiful” and “engrossingly crafted” by the Washington Post.

Phillips is the author of eight critically acclaimed books, including Machine Dreams, Lark and Termite, and Quiet Dell. A recipient of numerous honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, two NEA Fellowships, and the Sue Kaufman Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, her work has been translated into 12 languages and continues to resonate with readers around the globe.

Tickets cost $27 for Mount members and $32 for non-members. Visit edithwharton.org to register or for more information.