Alignable Honors Judy Herrell as Northampton’s Local Business Person of 2025

NORTHAMPTON — Alignable, the largest online networking platform for small businesses, announced that Judy Herrell of Herrell’s Ice Cream has been elected as Northampton’s 2025 Business Person of the Year.

Alignable’s 2025 Local Business Person of the Year contest logged more than 333,000 votes, 77,000 recommendations, and 4,750 winners across the U.S. and Canada.

The largest online networking platform for business owners, alignable.com invited its more than 9 million members to shout out local business leaders who have gone above and beyond guiding peers and supporting entire communities amid challenging economic conditions.

The 2025 contest was Alignable’s most popular competition in more than six years, with participation surging 20% compared to 2024.

During the 2025 contest, held from Jan. 14 to March 7, 4,750 business owners — spanning more than 4,500 communities — were recognized as winners, including ties. These leaders were honored for their dedication to supporting their peers and communities amid a year of economic challenges.

“In our local business community, we look out for each other and refer businesses down the street or around the corner to help make everyone in town as successful as possible,” Herrell said. “The challenges we’ve all encountered have compelled many of us to offer counsel to peers fighting to keep their businesses afloat. While I’m thrilled to receive this award, it’s really a testament to our entire community.”