Home Articles posted by BusinessWest Staff (Page 193)
Daily News

LEE — Lee Bank is amplifying its longstanding community-reinvestment efforts with the creation of the Lee Bank Foundation, after a record year of contributions to the Berkshire nonprofit community.

In 2021, Lee Bank projects it will distribute $250,000 through the foundation, a more formal entity for community donations. In 2020, Lee Bank awarded $179,000 to community organizations, following several years of steady growth in funding.

“Lee Bank’s community contributions stretch back to its origins in 1852, but establishing Lee Bank Foundation sharpens our focus even further,” said Chuck Leach, the bank’s president. “The foundation also simplifies the application process for organizations doing meaningful work to support our Berkshire community.”

The foundation has its home at Marble House, a former residential property at 102 West Park St. in Lee. Purchased by Lee Bank in 2018, the building was recently renovated by Allegrone Construction. The property offers gathering spaces for community groups, bank staff, board meetings, and special events, and will also be home to a new financial-wellness service, for which hiring is under way.

In recent years, Lee Bank has typically set aside at least 5% of its annual net income for the support of area nonprofits. This giving has been on the rise: in 2020, the bank contributed nearly $179,000 to community nonprofits; in 2019, $145,000; and in 2018, $120,000. Last year, Lee Bank’s distributions included $50,000 to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund for Berkshire County.

The bank has supported more than 200 programs and organizations in recent years, including Greenagers, Community Access to the Arts, Berkshire Humane Society, Berkshire Immigrant Center, and others.

The foundation will be funded at $5 million by Berkshire Financial Services (Lee Bank’s parent company), with the goal of providing $250,000 in grants annually to nonprofits.

“The timing for creation of the Lee Bank Foundation could not be better,” said Jake McCandless, a foundation board member. “After a year of turmoil and uncertainty with COVID-19, nonprofits supporting our community and our neighbors will benefit from a streamlined process that supports their vital missions now and into the future.”

In addition to a 2021 grant goal of $250,000, Lee Bank’s employee-driven, branch-based sponsorships will continue as in the past, with a $70,000 projection this year. “In addition to foundation funding, our branch-based sponsorship awards are recommended by employees based on their awareness of local needs and activities in their branch communities,” Leach said.

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Viability Inc., a human-service provider, recently announced Project (VR)², a virtual-reality program dedicated to enhancing access to employment for all and inclusion and empowerment for people with disabilities and other disadvantages.

According to its creators, Project (VR)² is where vocational rehabilitation meets virtual reality (VR)². This first-of-its-kind project, deployed in the midst of COVID-19, will help people who are chronically underserved and marginalized build the vital skills required to advance their ability to gain and maintain employment.

(VR)² makes it possible for individuals to acquire essential interactive soft skills that make or break job success — communication, interviewing, adapting, and problem-solving — in a controlled, safe, and self-reflective virtual work environment. Partners of the virtual collaborative include Link To VR, Bodyswaps, Cleanbox Technology, and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission.

The VR platform Bodyswaps offers a soft-skills simulator, much the same way companies like Boeing leverage flight simulators.

“Immersive VR learning provides access for individuals who are otherwise overlooked in the employment world,” said Kristin Rotas, Viability director. “Access to training and work experiences virtually builds confidence and readiness that will better equip participants to hold jobs that provide income along with a sense of purpose to individuals, a willing workforce for employers, and greater societal equity.”

The program also offers iPads for a 2D immersion into the virtual training and readiness environments.

Collaborating with Cleanbox and Link To VR allowed Viability to safely deploy the VR project in the midst of COVID-19. Cleanbox’s system utilizes UVC rays to eradicate 99.99% of viruses, bacteria, and fungi, essentially decontaminating the headset for reuse.

Viability’s vision for Project (VR)² expanded significantly when the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission provided assisted funding. Together, they are pioneering a new training initiative and encouraging states to bring about technological changes to their current rehabilitation efforts. To help manage the deployment, Viability called on Link To VR, a leading spatial computing company with offices in Boston.

“We were honored to take part in such a fantastic project which provides hands-on access to transformative technologies which help level a competitive employment playing field,” said Edward Zemba, CEO of Link To VR.

Viability is a community-based human-services agency providing employment services, vocational and life-skills training, and other supports to more than 4,000 individuals across five states. Viability partners with more than 600 employers and leverages community resources to overcome barriers with a mission of helping to build a world where individuals with disabilities and other disadvantages can realize their full potential.

To learn more about Project (VR)², e-mail Rotas at [email protected].

Daily News

AGAWAM — Starting on Tuesday, April 27 from 3 to 5 p.m., with continuing sessions on Wednesday, May 26 and Wednesday, June 30, the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE) and its training partners from Protective Advanced Safety Services (PASS), will present a three-part training series at EANE’s Agawam training center for regional employers on workplace violence prevention.

Session topics include “Who’s Coming to Work,” “CALM: De-escalation Strategies,” and “Hire Right, Fire Smart.” All three sessions are designed to equip employers with the tools and knowledge they need to keep their workplaces safe from violence, including microaggressions, employee-relations escalations, and the worst-case scenario: an active shooter.

“With today’s volatile climate, we’re seeing people dealing with increased pressures like financial stress, domestic violence, increased drug and alcohol abuse, and mental illness. All of this creates the perfect storm for employers, and they need to be prepared that some of this stress will be coming to their workplaces,” said John Nettis of PASS. We’ve designed these trainings to support employers as they are welcoming staff back to their facilities.”

Space in this training series is limited to 10 participants as EANE is following state guidelines on social distancing and capacity limits. The cost for the program is $331.50 for all three sessions. Interested parties can reach out to Allison Ebner at [email protected] or call (413) 789-6400 for more information.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper announced the college’s plans for the 2021 commencement ceremonies the weekend of May 14-16. The festivities will begin on Friday, May 14 with a virtual opening celebration streamed live starting at 6:30 p.m. Following Friday’s opening celebration, the college will host eight separate in-person ceremonies, four on Saturday, May 15 and four on Sunday, May 16, at Stagg Field on the Springfield College main campus. All ceremonies will be streamed live on springfield.edu, including the in-person ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday.

“After such a challenging year, these celebrations are something to look forward to and a wonderful way to celebrate the accomplishments of our students,” Cooper said. “Student input in these decisions has been important and helpful, including responses to the survey and student-leader involvement on the commencement committee.”

On May 15, the School of Health Sciences will hold its graduate commencement at 8:30 a.m. and its undergraduate commencement at 11:30 a.m. Also on May 15, the School of Arts and Sciences will hold its graduate commencement at 3 p.m. and its undergraduate commencement at 5 p.m.

On May 16, the School of Physical Education, Performance and Sport Leadership will hold its graduate commencement at 8:30 a.m. and its undergraduate commencement at 11:30 a.m. Also on May 16, the School of Social Work and Behavioral Sciences will hold its graduate commencement at 3 p.m. and its undergraduate commencement at 6:30 p.m.

Each ceremony is expected to be approximately 60 to 75 minutes in length. Graduates who have completed a degree application will receive an e-mail with instructions for registering guests, and those tickets will be valid for the specified ceremony only. No tickets will be available during commencement weekend.

“With the exception of Friday’s virtual event, the ceremonies will be in-person gatherings, designed to comply with the restrictions in place by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, while retaining elements of commencement that are important to our students,” Cooper said. “Each graduate will be permitted to invite up to two guests to the in-person commencement ceremonies, something we know is important to our students and is made possible because of the commencement guidelines provided by the Commonwealth. The ceremonies will also be livestreamed on springfield.edu, but having some guests on campus is a positive step.”

In between ceremonies, the commencement and guest areas, including the chairs and stage, will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, and all graduates and guests will be required to wear face coverings at all times and adhere to social-distancing guidelines. All seating at Stagg Field will allow for appropriate six-foot social distancing between graduates and between guest groups.

In addition, the Springfield College main campus will be open to graduating students and their guests on May 15 and 16 to allow graduates to take photos with their friends and families at their favorite outdoor campus locations before or after their ceremony.

Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — On Friday, April 9 at noon, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) master of business administration (MBA) program will present a free virtual panel on entrepreneurship and small business in the time of COVID-19, as part of its “Friday Focus” panel series examining the pandemic’s impact on business and economic development.

Moderated by MCLA Director of Corporate Engagement and Strategic Partnerships Joshua Mendel, this series features local business leaders, MBA program alumni, and faculty from MCLA’s Business Department.

To register, visit mcla.edu/mba. All events will take place virtually and are free and open to the public. This event will also be streamed to the MCLA Facebook page and will be archived on the MCLA YouTube channel for later viewing.

MCLA’s MBA program is a part-time, accelerated program designed to meet the needs of the working adult learner. Most courses meet through a combination of online and face-to-face instruction and blend classroom experience with practical, hands-on fieldwork. In addition, the program offers diverse academic programming and provides a high return on investment. MCLA’s MBA program accepts applications throughout the year, and new students may begin the program in the fall, spring, and summer.

Daily News

NEW YORK — Laurel Road, a brand of KeyBank, unveiled Laurel Road for Doctors, a digital bank tailored to physicians and dentists with products and services designed to provide the financial help and peace of mind they need through each career stage. The goal of the new digital bank is to help ease the burden for doctors of paying down student debt, finding more balance between work and life, and planning for the future.

With Laurel Road for Doctors, Laurel Road and KeyBank expand on an existing suite of tailored digital banking and lending products and extensive experience, working directly with doctors to create a platform that meets the distinct challenges of this community.

“We believe in providing our customers with the choice to digitally fulfill their financial needs, especially when it makes their lives easier to do so,” said Chris Gorman, chairman and CEO of KeyCorp. “We acquired Laurel Road in 2019 with the intention of scaling this digital-born business. Through this new digital bank offering, we are able to provide a secure online experience and customized banking solutions to meet the special needs of physicians and dentists.”

Laurel Road for Doctors is launching at the right time for many, as two-thirds of doctors plan to be more financially focused in 2021 to benefit their career and personal financial security compared to 2020, according to a new survey of 750 U.S. physicians and dentists conducted by Laurel Road and the White Coat Investor, an online community for doctors.

“From our long-standing work with doctors, we know that many face financial-management challenges while navigating high debt and high-stress careers dedicated to caring for others, leaving them little time to balance personal and financial pursuits,” said Alyssa Schaefer, chief experience officer at Laurel Road. “With thoughtful tools and resources dedicated to supporting the financial health and life goals of physicians and dentists, we aspire for Laurel Road for Doctors to be a destination for all of their financial needs.”

Physicians and dentists can find more information about Laurel Road for Doctors at www.laurelroad.com/doctors.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through a program called Difference Makers.

The 2021 Difference Makers include Kristin Carlson, president of Peerless Precision; EforAll Holyoke; Janine Fondon, founder of UnityFirst.com and professor at Bay Path University; Harold Grinspoon, philanthropist and founder of Aspen Square Management; Chad Moir, founder and owner of DopaFit Parkinson’s Movement Center; Bill Parks, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield; and Pete Westover, founder and partner at Conservation Works, LLC.

The 13th annual Difference Makers celebration will be a virtual event taking place today, April 1, from 6 to 8 p.m. This event, like our hugely successful Women of Impact celebration in January, be presented using the REMO platform, and will feature networking, videos of the event sponsors, introductions of the honorees, and comments from the Difference Makers themselves.

The sponsors for this year’s program are Burkhart Pizzanelli, the Royal Law Firm, TommyCar Auto Group, and United Way of Pioneer Valley. The Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament is a nonprofit partner.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) is planning a virtual commencement for spring and preparing to welcome students, faculty, and staff safely back to campus for the fall 2021 semester.

HCC’s 75th-anniversary commencement will be livestreamed on Saturday, June 5 on the HCC website and the college’s social-media channels. The virtual commencement will celebrate the class of 2021 as well as the class of 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, HCC made the decision last year to recognize the class of 2020 with a virtual celebration in August 2020 and also invite graduates to participate in a more traditional graduation ceremony this year along with the class of 2021.

Planning for commencement begins months in advance, and HCC officials made their decision on this year’s ceremony based on conditions in February before new guidelines were announced allowing for limited outdoor and indoor ceremonies.

“Unlike the 2020 celebration, the 2021 ceremony will include traditional commencement moments with an emphasis on the elements our students told us matter most to them,” HCC President Christina Royal said. Those elements include having student orators from both classes and keynote speeches delivered by the 2020 and 2021 recipients of the Elaine Marieb Chair for Teaching Excellence, HCC’s highest faculty award. “We will also have a virtual procession and the traditional reading of names of graduates from both classes along with photographs submitted by members of each class.”

For the fall 2021 semester, which begins Tuesday, Sept. 7, HCC is offering a variety of class formats, including face-to-face, in-person, on-campus classes with a maximum of 10 students per classroom.

Following guidelines from the CDC and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the fall 2021 return-to-campus plan allows for maximum flexibility and adaptability, at all times prioritizing the safety and well-being of HCC students, faculty, and staff.

HCC will provide multiple course formats to suit different learning styles and personal preferences: on campus, blended on campus and remote, synchronous remote, and asynchronous online.

“HCC is paying particular attention to scheduling courses that will allow incoming students to maximize on-campus instruction if they so choose,” Royal said. “The plan provides us the flexibility to make adjustments as public-health conditions evolve over the months ahead.”

In addition to on-campus, blended, and remote offerings for fall 2021, HCC will continue to offer a full slate of fully online courses across the curriculum. As much as possible, administration offices and student services will also be open and staffed, while maintaining safe and social-distancing protocols, including mandatory mask wearing and plexiglass screens in areas where students and members of the public most closely interact with staff.

While campus offices and support services will be open to students this fall, HCC will also continue to offer services and support through online chat and Zoom for students who feel more comfortable accessing college services remotely.

“I really believe the pandemic has made HCC a better version of itself,” Royal said. “We have enhanced our support for students and have amplified student voices throughout every decision-making process, always placing students first. We have made equity a greater priority across the college, enabling us to truly and more deeply serve our community.”

Registration opens Monday, April 12 for summer and fall classes at HCC.

Daily News

WESTFIELD — The Westfield Starfires announced the addition of Annalise Eak to the staff as coordinator of Group Sales & Fan Experiences.

Eak, a Westfield native and graduate of Westfield State University, is pursuing a graduate degree at Bay Path University. For the last seven years, she has served as a marketing supervisor at Six Flags New England. She was a Starfires Game Day Operations volunteer at Bullens Field in both 2019 and 2020. She is vice president of the Westfield Babe Ruth board of directors and served on the World Series executive committee in 2019. She is a Westfield Centennial Lions Club member and Westfield Technical Academy sports volunteer.

“Annalise is a fixture at Bullens Field and a huge asset to the Starfires organization,” team owner and co-founder Christopher Thompson said. “We are thrilled to have her take on this expanded role within the front office.”

The Westfield Starfires are part of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, which offers collegiate summer baseball to fans in seven New England cities. The Starfires joined the league as an expansion franchise for the summer of 2019 and play in historic Billy Bullens Field in Westfield. The 2021 schedule will be released in the coming weeks.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — “National Security Priorities in Biden’s First 100 Days” will be the topic of a discussion by Western New England University (WNEU) School of Law Dean Sudha Setty on Thursday, April 15 at noon. The cost for this virtual event, presented by the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, is $10 (free for students).

Setty will discuss various national-security priorities of the Biden administration, including investigations into domestic terrorism, anticipated policy changes regarding targeted killings, and foreign-policy priorities.

Setty became dean of the School of Law in 2018 and has served on the faculty since 2006. She is the author of National Security Secrecy: Comparative Effects on Democracy and the Rule of Law, the editor of Constitutions, Security, and the Rule of Law), and has written dozens of articles on national-security law and policy.

She was recognized as part of the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Top Women in the Law in 2019, and the WNEU School of Law honored her with the Catherine J. Jones Professor of Year Award in 2009, 2016, and 2018. She was recognized in 2015 as a Trailblazer by the South Asian Bar Assoc. of Connecticut and received the 2017 Tapping Reeve Legal Educator Award from the Connecticut Bar Assoc. In July 2018, she was elected to membership in the American Law Institute.

The April 15 event is sponsored by Glenmeadow, Sir Speedy, and Wilbraham & Monson Academy. For more information and to register, visit the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts website at www.wacwestma.org.

Daily News

SOUTHAMPTON — DopaFit Inc., a Parkinson’s disease movement center, is known for helping people with Parkinson’s slow the progression of their disease with exercise and other non-pharmacological treatments. Those who suffer from Parkinson’s disease are often forced to stop doing the things they love. Many give up their passions, hobbies, and lose their sense of self. Limitless by DopaFit has been created to empower people with Parkinson’s disease to redefine their lives by giving them a chance to do something they once loved.

On Monday, April 5, Rick Burkhart, a current DopaFit fighter, will fly a plane with the help of Fly LUGU flight school at the Westfield Barnes Airport. Burkhart has not flown an airplane in more than 10 years since he was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Prior to his diagnosis, he was an avid pilot and owned a flight school at Westfield Barnes Airport. He often took cross-country flights, and even donated his time and planes to drop off much-needed supplies to remote areas of impoverished countries.

“Far too often, when people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, they expect to be disabled within five years,” said Chad Moir, founder and CEO of DopaFit Inc. and the Limitless project. “This does not have to be the case. With exercise, eating healthy, and keeping a positive attitude, people with Parkinson’s disease can live a long and active life. Limitless by DopaFit is meant to help people with Parkinson’s continue to live their life without limits.”

DopaFit Inc. plans to offer the Limitless program on a quarterly basis and encourages people living with Parkinson’s disease to apply for their chance to live DopaFit’s motto, “Parkinson’s without limits.” For more information, visit www.dopafit.com or call (203) 828-7189.

Picture This

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

 

 

Students Serving Students

 

The Springfield College Center for Service and Leadership and the Humanics in Action Club recently delivered more than 200 fire-safety kits to Rebecca M. Johnson Elementary School, and 100 incentive kits to both Elias Brookings Elementary School and William N. DeBerry Elementary School. The fire-safety kits (top) include washcloths, emergency whistles, water bottles, granola bars, a face mask, soap, a toothbrush, and toothpaste, as well as donated items from the Springfield Fire Department, including a fire hat and a fire-safety booklet. The intention behind the fire-safety kits is that, in an emergency, the kids could grab the bag and have emergency supplies. The incentive kits (bottom) include an activity book, notebook, crayons, slime, DIY slap bracelets, positive notes, and erasers.

 

 

Fatal Rewards

 

The Holyoke Community College Theater Department’s fall 2020 production, a live-streamed virtual play called “Fatal Fisticuffs,” won two awards at this year’s Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. The original work, written by HCC alumnus Tom Roche, was recognized with a merit award for innovation in digital theater. HCC student Nanette Mendieta of Holyoke won an award for excellence in stage management. Pictured: HCC Theater Professor Tim Cochran, right, directs a fight sequence with HCC alumnus actor Mike Pray for “Fatal Fisticuffs,” as streaming coach and HCC alumnus Cory Missildine, left, records the action against a green screen.

 

 

Agenda

Difference Makers

April 1: BusinessWest will celebrate its Difference Makers class of 2021 with a virtual celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. The 2021 Difference Makers include Kristin Carlson, president of Peerless Precision; EforAll Holyoke; Janine Fondon, founder of UnityFirst.com and professor at Bay Path University; Harold Grinspoon, philanthropist and founder of Aspen Square Management; Chad Moir, founder and owner of DopaFit Parkinson’s Movement Center; Bill Parks, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield; and Pete Westover, founder and partner at Conservation Works, LLC. Like the Women of Impact celebration in January, this event will be presented using the REMO platform, and will feature networking, videos of the event sponsors, introductions of the honorees, and comments from the Difference Makers themselves. RSVP at live.remo.co/e/difference-makers-2021. The sponsors for this year’s program are Burkhart Pizzanelli, the Royal Law Firm, TommyCar Auto Group, and United Way of Pioneer Valley. The Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament is a nonprofit partner.

 

Institute for Trustees

Starting April 7: Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation (BTCF) announced it is partnering with the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) in presenting the 2021 Institute for Trustees, an annual conference inviting nonprofit leaders to gather together for educational workshops and networking opportunities. Building on the success of BTCF’s 2018 Board Leadership Forum and designed for board leaders and executive directors, the event features 24 virtual workshops from leading nonprofit experts and opportunities to connect with hundreds of peers equally committed to their leadership roles. This partnership is part of a broader effort between BTCF and ECCF to leverage resources in support of building capacity and leadership within the nonprofit sector, given the challenges facing organizations due to the pandemic and its economic consequences. The Institute for Trustees kicks off on April 7 with a keynote address by Phil Buchanan, president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, titled “Leading for Nonprofit Impact Amid Unprecedented Challenge.” Beginning April 9, workshops and opportunities to connect with fellow attendees through topic-driven, informal peer discussions will be spread over the course of four weeks. Workshop topics include racial equity, endowment building, crisis planning, governance, advocacy, finance, and much more. To register for the program, visit eccf.org/ift. Registrations will be accepted at a discounted early-bird rate of $110 until March 7. After that, registration will cost $130 and will close April 7.

 

Winnie Film Festival Tour

April 9-11: The Therapeutic Equestrian Center (TEC), located in Holyoke, is hosting a virtual fundraising event featuring the 2021 Winnie Film Festival Tour. This film fest will feature exclusive, world-premiere short documentary films that celebrate the healing powers of the horse. Attendees will enjoy two hours of inspiring and heartwarming films anytime from 5 p.m. on Friday, April 9 until 10 p.m. on Sunday, April 11. A fee of $25 is requested to register, and participants will be provided a link to stream to any smart device, such as phones, tablets, and TVs. Binge in one sitting, or stretch the viewing out over the entire weekend — the choice is yours. To register for this virtual event, visit tecriders.org. Gary Rome Hyundai is the exclusive event sponsor. TEC has been closed during the pandemic but hopes to open later this year. Proceeds from this event will help feed and care for its stable of horses and provide necessary materials needed for a safe reopening. The Therapeutic Equestrian Center empowers children and adults with physical, emotional, and developmental needs to live their best lives. Through a range of individually designed, equine-assisted programs, lessons, and recreational activities, TEV enhances the bodies, minds, and spirits of riders, creating a stronger, more compassionate and inclusive community in which every member is encouraged and able to thrive.

 

Country Bank Shred Day

April 10: Country Bank is partnering with PROSHRED Security for its annual Shred Day to allow the public to discard their documents safely and securely. According to the Federal Trade Commission, there were 1.4 million identity theft reports in 2020, and that number continues to rise. Country Bank offers this free shredding service to the public because it understands the importance of helping consumers keep their identity safe. All visitors are asked to practice social distancing and will be required to wear a mask. Country Bank’s free Community Shred Day will take place at the following branch locations: 155 West Street, Ware, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.; 2379 Boston Road, Wilbraham, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; 1084 Main St., Leicester, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.; and 37 Worcester Road, Charlton, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Items to consider for shredding include old documents, tax returns, bank statements, receipts, bills, or anything that contains personal, identifiable information.

 

‘Establishing Resilience: Building Happiness’

April 10: Holyoke Community College (HCC) is partnering with Pam Victor, president and founder of Happier Valley Comedy, to offer “Establishing Resilience: Building Happiness,” a Zoom workshop, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost of the class is $99. To register, visit hcc.edu/happiness. Victor, a comedian and improv facilitator who prefers the title ‘head of happiness,’ will lead participants on an experiential exploration of happiness and resilience building to enhance their joy and ease at work and home. She will share stress-relieving exercises and techniques to help people bring more well-being, laughter, gratitude, and play into their daily lives. Happier Valley Comedy, based in Hadley, is the region’s first and only comedy theater and training program.

 

Nominations for Ad Club Creative Awards

Through April 18: The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts invites the community to apply for its 2021 Creative Awards. The club has simplified the rules and eliminated physical entries entirely, due to COVID-19 restrictions. As always, Ad Club members will receive a discounted rate; members will receive a personalized discount code via e-mail. Participants will have the opportunity to virtually meet the agencies, marketing departments, and freelance artists behind the work. Award winners will be announced at the Ad Club’s Creative Awards show scheduled for Thursday, May 20. Categories that qualify participants for entry include advertising, copywriting, design, interactive and web media, photography, video and motion, and student work. Visit www.adclubwm.org/events/creativeawards2021 for the guidelines and application form, or contact the Ad Club at (413) 342-0533 or [email protected].

 

Alumni Achievement Award Nominations

Through April 23: When BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007, it did so to identify rising stars across our region — individuals who were excelling in business and through involvement within the community — and celebrate their accomplishments. In 2015, BusinessWest announced a new award, one that builds on the foundation upon which 40 Under Forty was created. It’s called the Alumni Achievement Award (formerly the Continued Excellence Award). As the name suggests, it is presented to the 40 Under Forty honoree who, in the eyes of an independent panel of judges, has most impressively continued and built upon his or her track record of accomplishment. To nominate someone for this award, visit businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40-under-forty-alumni-achievement-award. The deadline is Friday, April 23 at 5 p.m., no exceptions. The 2020 honoree will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala in June. Candidates must be from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007 to 2020. A list of 40 Under Forty Alumni can be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40-under-forty.

 

Springfield Partners for Community Action Scholarships

Through April 23: Springfield Partners for Community Action announced it will award a number of $1,000 scholarships that can help recipients with tuition and alleviate the cost of going back to school and investing in bettering themselves. All applicants must be Springfield residents, and income-eligibility guidelines may apply. Scholarships will be awarded to those attending accredited/licensed schools in Massachusetts. Applications must be received by April 23. Late entries will not be considered. If selected, recipients must be available to attend an awards event (most likely virtual) in June. Visit www.springfieldpartnersinc.com/whatwedo/scholarshipsprogram for the application form and information on how to apply.

 

VA Healthcare Virtual Summit

May 24-26: The Institute for Defense and Government Advancement (IDGA) announced plans for the IDGA VA Healthcare Summit. HCN is sponsoring this event, at which attendees will have the opportunity to meet with the leaders positioned to provide substantive change across the department, with a particular focus on advancing patient advocacy and experience, digital transformation, community and vendor engagement, e-learning, the VA’s innovation ecosystem, and more. IDGA’s summit will highlight these areas across the agenda, as well as include enabling VA initiatives currently underway to advance the most critical needs for veterans across the U.S. This year’s agenda, developed through indepth research by IDGA, covers a range of topics, including VHA innovation ecosystem initiatives, VA telehealth capabilities, financial management and business-transformation efforts, and a deep dive into clinical delivery. For more information and to view the agenda, visit www.idga.org/events-veteransaffairshealthcare-spring. To join and receive a 20% discount, register at bit.ly/3sts2FV and quote code VAH_HCN. All federal, state, and local government, as well as military and law enforcement, can attend at no cost.

People on the Move
Briana Wales

Briana Wales

Emma Mesa-Melendez

Emma Mesa-Melendez

Keith McKittrick

Keith McKittrick

Ullapi Shrestha

Ullapi Shrestha

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced the appointments of Briana Wales as vice president for People and Culture, Emma Mesa-Melendez as director of Communications, Keith McKittrick as Development coordinator, and Ullapi Shrestha as program assistant. These appointments are the latest example of CFWM’s ongoing commitment to expand its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts internally and within the nonprofit sector. Wales will focus on a wide scope of DEI initiatives to guide both the foundation’s external and internal DEI work, training, and development of best practices. She has an extensive career in workforce development for youth and adults and has provided leadership in both nonprofit and quasi-public settings. In her efforts to serve communities, she has fostered partnerships and programming to increase equity and access for underrepresented or marginalized groups. She received her bachelor’s degree in social justice education from UMass Amherst and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mount Holyoke College. Mesa-Melendez will be responsible for CFWM’s communications strategy and will assist with DEI initiatives. In recent work, she has consulted in marketing and graphic design, and previously served as vice president for Community Relations, Human Resources, and Marketing Management for New Valley Bank & Trust. She received her MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and her bachelor’s degree in critical social thought from Mount Holyoke College. She has worked with several nonprofits as both a board member and volunteer, including the Minority Inclusion Project, Farmington Valley YMCA, Vet Air, and the Performance Project. McKittrick comes to the foundation with 25 years of experience in philanthropy. He has held positions at UMass Amherst, Western New England University, and Holyoke Community College, where he has worked with donors to establish scholarships and fundraise for educational initiatives. He received his master’s degree in public administration from Framingham State University and his bachelor’s degree in political science from Westfield State University. Shrestha has worked as an interpreter at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and as an intern at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. She has volunteered with the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity. She received her master’s degree in management from Saint Joseph College and her bachelor’s degree in business marketing from the Institute of Technology in Carlow, Ireland.

•••••

Marianna Roy

Marianna Roy

Jodi Giustina

Jodi Giustina

OMG Roofing Products has hired Marianna Roy as a customer service representative and Jodi Giustina as a sales and marketing assistant. Roy is responsible for assisting customers in placing orders and in funneling customer inquiries to the organization. She is initially responsible for handling the Firestone account, the company’s Northeast Region, and a portion of the Mid-Atlantic Region. She began her career at OMG Roofing Products as a temporary customer service representative in July 2020. Prior to joining OMG, she was with the Law Offices of John E. Miller. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Westfield State University. Giustina is responsible for a wide assortment of administrative duties to support the company’s sales and marketing team, customer service department, as well as key account managers. She joined OMG Roofing Products from PNC Business Credit, where she was a senior business development associate. Earlier, she held several positions with BKM, most recently as a project coordinator. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Simmons College in Boston.

•••••

The Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce has named Jordan Hart its new executive director. Hart will replace Andréa Marion, who recently announced her departure to pursue other opportunities. Hart has served in a variety of roles in the past eight years at the chamber, most recently as program coordinator. She is a board member at Enchanted Circle Theater and was a leader of the “Have a Ball in Holyoke” public art effort through Leadership Holyoke. She holds an associate degree from Holyoke Community College and is currently taking courses at Greenfield Community College. Among the top priorities for the 131-year-old chamber moving forward are re-establishing a solid suite of programming and seminars to support local businesses in their success, continuing to serve as a cheerleader for economic development and job growth in the city, and working with leaders throughout the area to bolster civic pride and quality of life in Holyoke and surrounding communities. Key to Hart’s responsibilities will be collaborating closely with partners throughout the region, including leaders at City Hall.

•••••

Michele Snizek

Michele Snizek

River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC) named Michele Snizek its senior program director. Snizek will oversee RVCC’s school-based health centers and HIV/AIDS Project to ensure that these grant-funded programs are responsive to funder terms and conditions and compliant with grant rules and regulations. Snizek received a bachelor’s degree in social work from Elms College and a master’s degree in public administration from Westfield State University. She has extensive experience managing federal and state grants in the Greater Holyoke community, development and writing of grant proposals, managing grant compliance, and reporting and budget management for both federal and state applications. She is also a licensed social worker. Prior to joining RVCC, Snizek was the director of Retention at Holyoke Community College. A key focus of her work was closing HCC’s equity gaps, which were further widened during remote operations this year. This put a spotlight on the need for enhanced mental-health services for students. She started her career at HCC as a Title III activity director, managing a five-year, $1.8 million Department of Education grant focused on first-year students. For more than 20 years, she held two different positions, director of Planning and Development and director of Program Operations, at Holyoke, Chicopee, and Springfield Head Start Inc.

•••••

Michelle Baity

Michelle Baity

BFAIR announced the promotion of Michelle Baity to the position of senior vice president of Human Resources. Baity joined BFAIR’s senior-management team three years ago and brought with her numerous years of experience in human resources as well as the human-services field. Since joining the team, she has formed a strong Human Resources department that has been invaluable with assisting the agency to manage the enormous challenges it has faced over the past year. According to Ethel Altiery, BFAIR’s executive director, “Michelle has been with BFAIR for three years, and working closely with her has been a wonderful experience for me. She has brought my level of knowledge and experience in the world of human resources to a new level. I look forward to working with Michelle for many more years to come.” Baity is directly responsible for crafting employee-benefit offerings and developing an educational-assistance policy to support skill development in pursuit of an organization focused on creating opportunities for advancement.

•••••

Melissa Blissett

Melissa Blissett

Square One announced the promotion of Melissa Blissett to vice president of Family Support Services. A native of Springfield, Blissett joined Square One in 2014 as a Springfield College School of Social Work intern. Upon graduation in 2015, she joined the agency’s Healthy Families and Supervised Visitation programs. In 2017, she went to work as a Child and Family Law Division social worker for the Committee for Public Council Services in Springfield. In 2018, she returned to Square One as assistant vice president of Family Services. Blissett graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in psychology and developmental disabilities. She earned her master of social work degree from Springfield College, where she currently serves as an adjunct professor. She is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and actively volunteers for the Reading Success by 4th Grade initiative.

•••••

Thomas Hull, associate professor of Mathematics at Western New England University (WNEU), recently published his latest book, Origametry: Mathematical Methods in Paper Folding. In his book, Hull takes a deep dive into the math behind origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding. His research uses graph theory, combinatorics, geometry, and other areas of math, with applications in engineering, materials science, art, and education. He is a leading expert on the mathematics of origami, having given talks on this topic all over the world. Hull has been practicing origami since he was 8 years old and studying the mathematics behind origami for the past 30 years. He holds both a PhD and a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Rhode Island and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Hampshire College. Several of the origami models he has invented are well-known among origami artists, including his ‘five intersecting tetrahedra’ model, a star-like structure, featured on the cover of his new book, which the British Origami Society voted as being one of the top 10 origami models of all time.

Company Notebook

STCC Named Fourth-best Community College in U.S.

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) was ranked as the fourth-best community college in the nation and second-best in Massachusetts, according to Academic Influence (click here), a college ranking system. On March 4, the website released its first-ever ranking of the 50 best community colleges in America. STCC is one of six Massachusetts community colleges listed in the top 20. STCC, the Commonwealth’s only technical community college, offers comprehensive workforce and technical education in fields that include manufacturing; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); healthcare; business; human services; and the liberal arts. The college is federally designated as a Hispanic-serving institution, with more than 30% of students identifying at Latinx. Academic Influence considered 839 community colleges in the U.S. that were fully accredited, enrolled at least 1,000 students, and provided primarily two-year associate-degree programs along with certificate credentials in most cases. In a separate recognition, STCC’s online business degree program was recently ranked as the second-most-popular in the New England region, according to Business Degree Central, an online resource for students. The website ranked STCC’s program second out of 11 colleges in New England. The business program was also ranked second-most-popular in Massachusetts.

 

HCC Ranked Among Best Community Colleges in U.S.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) ranks among the best community colleges in the U.S. for 2021, according to Academic Influence, a technology-driven education-evaluation group. HCC was listed 20th out of 839 community colleges nationwide. In particular, HCC was noted for the strength of its academic programs in criminal justice, nursing, computer science, business, education, and engineering. “In rankings on other sites, students typically see only the largest community colleges. We believe we take a smarter and more comprehensive approach,” said Jed Macosko, academic director of Academic Influence and professor of physics at Wake Forest University. Criteria for the schools in this ranking include a minimum of 1,000 enrolled students, full accreditation, and exclusively two-year (or associate) degree programs. “We look at how influential the school’s faculty is and then factor in the student-body size. We call this metric ‘concentrated influence,’” Macosko said. “Those community colleges with a strong faculty but comparatively fewer students, schools that might otherwise get lost in the shadows of their larger competitors, now have an opportunity to shine. Because students often choose to attend a school nearby, this kind of illumination provides a truer view of how influential their neighborhood community college may actually be, regardless of its size.”

 

Serve Food Opens Shared Kitchen to Aspiring Restaurateurs

HOLYOKE — Serve Food, a new business in Holyoke, recently hosted its grand opening at its 112 High St. location. Serve Food, a shared-use kitchen, is a certified commercial kitchen in which individuals or businesses prepare value-added food products and meals using a monthly membership. Because expenses are shared, the costs are significantly lower than if an entrepreneur started a kitchen on his or her own. All utilities, maintenance expenses, equipment repairs, sanitation, and cleaning supplies are included in the membership fees, allowing members to focus on their product. With membership in the Serve Food kitchen, members can get access to a kitchen almost immediately at little to no risk or extra expense, and have an opportunity to learn and collaborate with other local chefs and food makers. Serve Food’s website, servema.com, also plans to sell members’ products on its website.

 

Turning Leaf Centers Opens Dispensary Doors to Public

NORTHAMPTON — Turning Leaf Centers opened its doors on 261 King St. in Northampton on March 15. The dispensary features a ‘craft bar,’ experience, which will allow patrons to be educated on everything marijuana, have rolling parties, and participate in flower talk. “We believe the large, curated space will allow people to have an experience nobody has seen with the craft bar, live music days, and seating areas,” co-owner Stephanie McNair said. “Supporting our local community is something that is very important to us as a company. We are looking to display and promote local artists and have event demonstrations and educational seminars in our space.” Turning Leaf Centers Northampton has cultivated an eclectic menu from every product category and price point for every type of cannabis consumer.

 

UMass President to Again Recommend Tuition Freeze

BOSTON — University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan announced he will recommend that the university’s board of trustees freeze tuition for in-state undergraduates for the academic year beginning in September. If approved by the UMass board, this would be the second straight year of a tuition freeze at the Commonwealth’s 75,000-student national public research university system. The average pre-financial-aid in-state undergraduate tuition at UMass was $14,722 for academic years 2019-20 and 2020-21. UMass has the fifth-lowest tuition among the six New England public universities — University of Vermont ($19,062), University of New Hampshire ($18,938), University of Connecticut ($17,834), University of Rhode Island ($15,004), and the University of Maine ($11,712) — this academic year. UMass awarded $971 million in federal, state, institutional and other financial aid in FY20. Since FY15, institutional aid — funds set aside by the university to decrease actual student costs — has increased 49% to $351 million per year.

 

Florence Bank Opens Third Hampden County Branch

CHICOPEE — Florence Bank opened its third Hampden County branch at 705 Memorial Dr. in Chicopee on March 22, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony is slated for Wednesday, May 5. The Chicopee branch has an open floor plan with two teller pods and innovative technology for quick cash handling. The location will also feature a drive-up ATM with SMART technology for easy depositing. Kimberly Downing will serve as assistant vice president and branch manager for the new location. Other employees who will staff the new location are Diane Afonso, assistant branch manager; Tracy Keefe, customer service representative and senior teller; Kiara Sonoda, teller operations manager; and Karen Willemain, senior teller.

Jake’s Barber Shop Celebrates Five Years with Community Contribution

GREAT BARRINGTON — As Jake’s Barber Shop commemorates the start of its fifth year in the community, owner Jake Hunker is marking the moment by supporting Railroad Street Youth Project, a local organization that encourages focus and commitment for others. RYSP is a Great Barrington not-for-profit organization that encourages community teenagers to meet, learn, talk, and focus on the future. For the week of Tuesday, March 30 through Saturday, April 3, the barber shop will donate $5 from each haircut to RSYP. Appointments for RSYP-benefiting haircuts from Hunker can be made online through booksy.com, and customers can also call (413) 717-4238 for an appointment. Railroad Street Youth Project is a nonprofit organization helping young people bring their ideas and inspirations to fruition and discover their place in the world. Its Youth Operational Board continues to fund youth-inspired projects, run ongoing mentoring and apprenticeship programs, provide sexual-health programming through local schools, offer job training and career counseling, and staff an active drop-in center that provides counseling, mediation, referrals, and advocacy services for young people in need.

 

Springfield College Recognized for Community-college Transfer

SPRINGFIELD — For the sixth consecutive year, Springfield College has been named to Phi Theta Kappa’s Transfer Honor Roll, which identifies the top four-year colleges and universities for creating dynamic pathways to support community-college transfer. Springfield College is one of only 150 colleges and universities in the country to be recognized for this honor, including one of only six colleges and universities in Massachusetts. “We are very honored once again to be among a small, select group of colleges recognized nationally by Phi Theta Kappa for our high level of commitment to the success of transfer students,” said Stuart Jones, vice president for Enrollment Management at Springfield College. “Educating students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others is the hallmark of who we are and what we do best.”

 

Bradley Airport Launches Non-stop Service to Nashville, Miami

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announced the launch of non-stop flights from Bradley International Airport (BDL) to Nashville International Airport (BNA) in Tennessee on Southwest Airlines, and non-stop flights from Bradley to Miami International Airport (MIA) on JetBlue. “We are excited to launch Southwest Airlines’ non-stop service to Nashville from Bradley International Airport,” said Kevin Dillon, executive director of the CAA. “Nashville is a popular destination that also offers key connectivity to major destinations across Southwest’s West Coast network. The launch of this service significantly enhances our non-stop offering for our travelers, and, with its introduction, we are pleased to strengthen our long-standing partnership with Southwest Airlines.” In addition, “we welcome JetBlue’s expansion at Bradley International Airport and the addition of new, non-stop service to Miami,” Dillon said. “This new route, which follows JetBlue’s other recent route launches, is a significant vote of confidence in our airport and the market we serve.”

Incorporations

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

EAST LONGMEADOW

Fortini Construction & Remodeling Inc., 46 Center Square East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Mathew L. Fortini, 138 Feeding Hills Road, Westfield, MA 01085. Home construction and remodeling.

Via Appia Ristorante, Inc., 46 Center Square East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Jorge Alexander Gomez, 21 Bruce St. Springfield, MA 01119. Restaurant.

DALTON

My Fantasy Band Inc., 609 Main St. Dalton, MA 01226. Elizabeth A. Sharp, same. Online entertainment.

LANESBORO

Walter Tool Distributor, Inc., 30 Scott Road, Lanesboro, MA 01237. Jeffrey M. Walter, same. Tool sales.

LEE

Hare Krishna Inc., 155 Summer St., Lee, MA 01238. Gaurang Panwala, same. Wholesale.

LENOX

Sadhi Corp., 659 Prospect St., Apt. A1, Chicopee, MA 01020. Ankit Patel, same. Package store.

PITTSFIELD

G.B. Cleaning Services Inc., 483 Tyler St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Gladis M. Bravo, same. House and office cleaning.

GetLofty Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Caribell Burgos, 405 Newbury St., Apt. B Springfield, MA 01104. Bakery.

SANDISFIELD

Charles Pease Plumbing & Heating Inc., 31 South Main St., Sandisfield, MA 01255. Charles A. Pease, 102 South Main St. Sandisfield, MA 01255. Plumbing and heating services.

SPRINGFIELD

J & E Transport Inc., 100 Garvey Dr., Springfield, MA 01109. Anibal Collazo, same. Transportation.

J & L Transport Express Inc., 172 Davis St., Springfield, MA 01104. Maria Pagan, same. Trucking.

Majestic Barber Shop Inc., 51 Willow St., PO Box 2622 Lynn, MA 01901. Misael Colon Andino, 74 Monmouth St., 1st Fl. Springfield, MA 01109. Barber shop.

S & F Investors Inc., 254 Worthington St., Springfield, MA 01103. Dominga Vasquez-Pujols, 63 Wilson St. Springfield, MA 01104. Restaurant.

WESTFIELD

R & W Transport, Corp., 549 Russell Road Unit 6C Westfield, MA 01085. Wilmary Martinez, same. Transportation.

VikVik Transportation Inc., 23 East Silver St. Westfield, MA 01085. Viktor Babinov, same. Trucking.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Best Out of State Movers Inc., 203 Circuit Ave., Suite 104 West Springfield, MA 01089. Michael Peri, same. Moving & storage services.

WILBRAHAM

Firefly Landscapes, Inc., 278 Soule Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Brian Tassinari, same. Landscaping.

WILLIAMSBURG

Ambika, Inc., 35 Main St. Williamsburg, MA 01096. Aarti D. Patel, 431 East St. Easthampton, MA 01027. Liquor Store.

DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of March 2021. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

NORTHAMPTON

Anderson Hardwood Floors
477 Burts Pit Road
David Anderson

Bridget Mulkerrins, LICSW
26 Harold St.
Bridget Mulkerrins

Cautina Hospitality, LLC
203 King St.
William Georgas

The Death Set
178 Island Road
Johnny Siera

Jack’s Cannabis Co.
34 Bridge St.
Jack Carney

Kungbao, LLC
16 Crafts Ave.
Bao Tsai Huang, Kunghuan Chen

Maple and Main, LLC
28 North Maple St.
Kathleen Iles, Julia Held

MEAI
80 Damon Road, #7205
Robert Soliwoda

Northampton Veterinary Clinic
190 Nonotuck St., Suite 105
Northampton Veterinary Clinic, LLC

Penguin Place
26 Main St.
Eric Bennett

Petals and Clay
719 Park Hill Road
Priscilla Touhey

Re-Set School
408 Fairway Village
Jennifer Bryan

Robot Tree
145 South St.
Nathan Medlock

Volvo Cars Pioneer Valley
48 Damon Road
TNM Auto Corp.

SOUTHWICK

Brinkmann Constructors
686 College Highway
Andrew Lucas

Open Arms Child Care Center
568 College Highway
Jeffrey King

Southwick Nutrition
108 Congamond Road, Suite 110
Gloria Mendoza

WESTFIELD

AC Auto Sales
766 Southampton Road
Angel Cotto

Bergeron Renovation & Remodeling
1106 East Mountain Road
N.R. Bergeron Drywall Contractor

Bitcoin Depot
286 Southampton Road
Lux Vending, LLC

Fresh Look Interiors
350 Montgomery Road
Lou Sirois

Full Render Design, LLC
77 Mill St., Suite 12
Michael Michon

I Buy Stuff
53 Pontoosic Road
Bob Plummer, Susan Plummer

Swords Home Improvement
173 Highland Ave.
Keith Swords

Take Charge Nutrition
285 Elm St.
Tina Gonzalez

Tammy’s VIP Nails & Spa
47 Southwick Road
Tammy Gilmore

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Arnold’s Auto Body Service Inc.
400 Main St.
William Bushey

Bella Napoli
185 Elm St.
Gennaro Moccia

Elms Cleaners & Expert Alterations
245 Elm St.
Urszula Maiysiak

Jiffy Lube #2561
788 Memorial Ave.
Albert Chance

NTYR Soul
155 River St.
Charles Christian

Old Time Errand Service
282 Morton St.
Robert Polverari Jr.

A Pro’s Touch Cleaning Service
155 River St.
Danny Dominguez

Red’s Towing
1554 Riverdale St.
Chad Willard

Bankruptcies

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

Brehaut, Cynthia L.
a/k/a Larivee, Cynthia Louise
157 Wilder Ter.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/17/2021

Cable, Beverly A.
274 Mohawk Forest Blvd.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/22/2021

Devlin, Kai Markas
11B Couture Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/26/2021

Faughnan, Kymberli Sophia
1040 Williamsville Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/26/2021

Fleagle, Robert D.
Fleagle, Christina J.
21 Raymond Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/25/2021

Hyytinen, Dawn E.
200 Lower St.
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/22/2021

Kolek, Walter Stanley
Kolek, Joette A.
a/k/a Mitera, Joette A.
77 Edbert St., Apt. D
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/26/2021

LaMountain, Steven W.
LaMountain, Katherine
35 Cooley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/19/2021

Liska, Lori Ann
139 Feeding Hills Road, Apt. A
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/27/2021

Longs, Isaiah A.
72 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/15/2021

O’Connor, Timothy C.
O’Connor, Karen E.
243 Woodhill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Date: 02//2021

O’Keefe, Elizabeth
3 Apache Dr.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/28/2021

Patnode, Eileen Marie
161 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/26/2021

Reveliotis, Lynne-Marie
PO Box 68
Heath, MA 01346
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/26/2021

Rozenblyum, Larisa
70 Perrine Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/17/2021

Russo, Joseph A.
10 Meadowbrook Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/22/2021

Terrero, Ana F.
672 Alden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/15/2021

Thomas, Joseph J.
Thomas, Nancy, L.
366 Acrebrook Dr.
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/24/2021

Torres, Julio A.
Diaz, Evelin D.
105 Oswego St., Apt. 1A
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/25/2021

Vila, Veronica, M.
155 White St., Apt. B,
Springfield, MA 01108,
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/18/2021

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

ASHFIELD

719 Barnes Rd
Ashfield, MA 01370
Amount: $740,000
Buyer: Elena Oxman
Seller: Marie Stella 2012 RET
Date: 03/05/21

139 Williamsburg Rd
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Catherine S Cantler
Seller: Michael Z Edelstein
Date: 02/24/21

CHARLEMONT

165 Main St
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: John Dunphy
Seller: Meeting House Const LLC
Date: 03/02/21

COLRAIN

206 East Colrain Rd
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Casey L Chadwick
Seller: Ryan C Castine
Date: 02/26/21

CONWAY

150 Ashfield Rd
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Kara T McGillicuddy
Seller: Benjamin Winsor
Date: 02/26/21

DEERFIELD

10 Hoosac Rd
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Erin E Obrien
Seller: Jackson, Sylvia J Est
Date: 02/25/21

25 Jones Rd
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $262,850
Buyer: Benjamin D Lambert
Seller: Ralph F Jelley
Date: 02/26/21

River Road #C
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: John L Bussard
Seller: Bonita J Weeks
Date: 03/04/21

16 Yankee Candle Way
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $22,300,000
Buyer: LML Yankee Candle Way LLC
Seller: Yankee Candle Way LLC
Date: 02/26/21

27 Yankee Candle Way
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $22,300,000
Buyer: LML Yankee Candle Way LLC
Seller: Yankee Candle Way LLC
Date: 02/26/21

GILL

23 Oak St
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Sara M McMahon
Seller: Robert A Mattson
Date: 02/26/21

GREENFIELD

69 Burnham Rd
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Laura C Dowling
Seller: Viorika Nelson
Date: 03/05/21

33 Devens St
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: John V Crowe
Seller: 33 Devens RT
Date: 02/26/21

139 Elm St
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Kathryn Ball
Seller: Jamie M Picard
Date: 03/05/21

28 Forest Ave
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jason Haskins
Seller: Greenblatt 2014 IRT
Date: 02/26/21

Laurel St. (rear)
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Laurel Street Greenfield LLC
Seller: John Karakla
Date: 03/01/21

242 Mohawk Trail
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $2,062,500
Buyer: 242 Mohawk LLC
Seller: FMI US Property Holdings LLC
Date: 02/25/21

124 Petty Plain Rd
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $296,900
Buyer: Benegan 2 LLC
Seller: H Robert Birdsong
Date: 02/22/21

MONTAGUE

71 7th St
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Eduard N Bublik
Seller: Robert E Facto
Date: 02/26/21

32 Central St
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Carole Roy
Seller: Pilgrims Of Saint Michael
Date: 02/23/21

NORTHFIELD

50 Glenwood Ave
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Natalie J Larsen
Seller: Wallace, Mary L Est
Date: 02/26/21

ORANGE

475 East River St
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Jamie Powell
Seller: Peggy L Peirce
Date: 03/05/21

52 East Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Noble Manna Farms LLC
Seller: 0 East Road RT
Date: 02/24/21

7 Eddy St
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Justin M Frost
Seller: Tracy Rothstein
Date: 02/26/21

16 Hillside Ter
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Pamela A Knapp
Seller: Christopher Chadwick
Date: 02/26/21

415 Tully Rd
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Dora P Tasso-Costello
Seller: Norman H Gates
Date: 02/26/21

SHELBURNE

253 Colrain Shelburne Rd
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $364,000
Buyer: Virginia H Vogt
Seller: Ann Dore
Date: 03/02/21

62 Mechanic St
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Timothy McCrory
Seller: William D Umstatter
Date: 02/26/21

SHUTESBURY

58 Old Egypt Rd
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $302,000
Buyer: Suzanne E Rataj
Seller: Caleb G Truesdell
Date: 02/23/21

SUNDERLAND

14 North Plain Rd
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Elizabeth H Wassmann
Seller: Jeffrey B Hubbard
Date: 03/01/21

300 North Silver Ln
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Alexander D Will
Seller: Mark T Fabianowicz
Date: 02/26/21

WENDELL

71 West St
Wendell, MA 01380
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Michelle E Leh
Seller: Edgewater Construction Inc
Date: 02/23/21

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

22 Florida Dr
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Huy Ton
Seller: Joy L Benoit
Date: 02/26/21

76 Fordham Ave
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Joseph Chambers
Seller: Matthew T Moskey
Date: 03/05/21

14 Forge St
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $484,900
Buyer: R J&D A Guggino RET
Seller: Joseph A Frigo
Date: 02/26/21

32 King St
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Round 2 LLC
Seller: Property Advantage Inc
Date: 02/23/21

321 Leonard St
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Maura Archuleta
Seller: VIP Homes & Associates LLC
Date: 03/01/21

24 Maple View Ln
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $267,500
Buyer: Jordan C Visconti
Seller: Marc A Gendron
Date: 02/26/21

198 Mill St
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: William C Tragakis
Seller: Jose Quinones
Date: 02/26/21

19-21 Orlando St
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Kendall Hill-Manning
Seller: Jeffery C Hill
Date: 02/22/21

229 Pineview Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Maraya Sanderson
Seller: Persio Salvatore Est
Date: 02/26/21

1169 River Rd
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Bryan Cunningham
Seller: Norma I Moreno
Date: 02/25/21

93-95 Sheri Ln
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Chubchek K Muradova
Seller: Mark J Danalis
Date: 03/03/21

119 Shoemaker Ln
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Petr Yurchenko
Seller: Virginia M Berger
Date: 02/25/21

22 Sunrise Ter
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Daniel Mastroianni
Seller: Paul J Traska
Date: 03/05/21

105 Walnut St
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: 105 Walnut Realty LLC
Seller: Susan Robinson
Date: 03/05/21

BRIMFIELD

12 3rd St
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Rocha REI & Home Improvement
Seller: Regina L Ryan
Date: 03/01/21

Devils Lane
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $319,900
Buyer: Michelle M Dunfield
Seller: Sean E Downey
Date: 02/25/21

131 East Brimfield Holland
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $259,875
Buyer: Woodstock Golf LLC
Seller: US Bank
Date: 03/02/21

CHICOPEE

43 Archie St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Terrence F Szcygiel
Seller: Jared S Debettencourt
Date: 03/03/21

36 Bell St
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $486,000
Buyer: Tihwdi LLC
Seller: Paul Sowa
Date: 03/05/21

59 Brightwood St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Waldo Portillo
Seller: Joejoe Properties LLC
Date: 03/02/21

139 Chapel St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Sefunmi L Ogunmola
Seller: Lorraine C Hundley
Date: 03/02/21

471 Chicopee St
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $486,000
Buyer: Tihwdi LLC
Seller: Paul Sowa
Date: 03/05/21

Clarendon Ave
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Volodymyr Boyko
Seller: Antonio Fonseca
Date: 03/03/21

162 Clarendon Ave
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Edwin E Diaz
Seller: Maria Uzun
Date: 03/05/21

130 Delaney Ave
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Cassidy Carpenter
Seller: Alexander Merkulov
Date: 02/25/21

32 Empire St
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Jake J Thibault
Seller: Mark J Guertin
Date: 02/25/21

30 Everett St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $243,500
Buyer: Colton J Duxbury
Seller: Kelly Kendall
Date: 02/25/21

600 Granby Rd
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Natasha Falcon
Seller: Shawn S Smith
Date: 03/04/21

19 Grove Ave
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Christopher Quinones
Seller: Onyx Investments LLC
Date: 03/03/21

185 Grove St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: RT Commercials LLC
Seller: ALP Of Chicopee Inc
Date: 03/05/21

Grove St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: RT Commercials LLC
Seller: Laurence L Wojcik
Date: 03/05/21

197 Hampden St
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Daniel N Aguilar
Seller: William R Bury
Date: 03/05/21

185 Irene St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $192,250
Buyer: Jesse Geary
Seller: Kevin J Shea
Date: 02/26/21

199 Jacob St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Richard Alvarado
Seller: Ozkan Yagan
Date: 03/02/21

62 Lukasik St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $224,999
Buyer: Elizabeth Cebula
Seller: Timothy Fournier
Date: 02/26/21

232 Montcalm St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Amanda L Carlson
Seller: Round 2 LLC
Date: 02/26/21

15 Muzzy St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Denia M Perez-Salas
Seller: Jean P Gauthier
Date: 03/04/21

70 Narragansett Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Helen Turner
Seller: Sergey Sevostyanov
Date: 03/05/21

149 Rolf Ave
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Tabitha L Christian
Seller: George K Labonte
Date: 02/26/21

51 Schley St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Nestor G Ramos
Seller: Manchester Enterprises
Date: 02/25/21

26 Sesame Dr
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Jon J Edwards
Seller: Martine Iampietro
Date: 03/01/21

61 Shepherd St
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Sherri Moquin
Seller: John J Rivard
Date: 02/24/21

Sheridan St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: DGL Properties LLC
Seller: Westside Housing Inc
Date: 03/05/21

5 Stockbridge St
Chicopee, MA 01103
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Bruce J Mailhott
Seller: Waycon Inc
Date: 02/26/21

45 Sycamore Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Timothy J Fournier
Seller: Grandview Development Assocs. LLC
Date: 03/02/21

63 Whittlesey Ave
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Douglas D Benoit
Seller: Robert Opsitnick
Date: 02/23/21

44 White St
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Leo E Fugler
Seller: US Bank
Date: 03/05/21

19 Willette St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jesus S Munoz-Laviena
Seller: Eduard Yanyuk
Date: 02/26/21

102 Winthrop St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Megan K Sullivan
Seller: Yelena Kulakova
Date: 02/25/21

111 Woodlawn St
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Michelle M Dostie
Seller: Erin Bernashe
Date: 02/23/21

EAST LONGMEADOW

14 Bella Vista Dr
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $599,900
Buyer: Alexandra Szawlowski
Seller: AC Homebuilding LLC
Date: 02/26/21

10 Bunker Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $369,000
Buyer: Sylvia Inserni-Vazquez
Seller: Antonio Calabrese
Date: 03/04/21

114 Canterbury Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $570,000
Buyer: Gregory Webster
Seller: Stephen A Crane
Date: 03/05/21

130 Elm St
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Quazi K Uddin
Seller: Forrest Devine
Date: 02/22/21

159 Elm St
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: RC Builders LLC
Seller: Brahman Holdings LLC
Date: 02/26/21

40 Fairview St
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Sarah Parker
Seller: Walter J Esposito
Date: 03/05/21

37 Greenacre Ln
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Sarah J Wells
Seller: Michael F Farrell
Date: 03/02/21

51 Hillside Dr
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Joan Calderon
Seller: Jennifer L White
Date: 02/26/21

67 John St
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Alfonso Gioiella
Seller: Patrick F Eckert
Date: 02/22/21

40 Linden Ave
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $175,010
Buyer: William Raleigh
Seller: FNMA
Date: 02/26/21

6 Old Pasture Dr
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Manu Sachdev
Seller: Michael J Kane
Date: 02/26/21

162 Pease Rd
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $369,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Pike
Seller: Jeffrey S Morneau
Date: 03/01/21

112 Porter Rd
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Amanda A Torcia
Seller: Doyle Porter Road LLC
Date: 03/01/21

43 Powder Hill Rd
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Juan Esteves
Seller: Patricia A Ahern
Date: 02/26/21

15 Ridgewood Rd
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: John J Kelly
Seller: John J Kelly
Date: 03/05/21

24-26 School St
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Hugh C Scott
Seller: Julianne Socha
Date: 02/24/21

28 Taylor St
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $216,850
Buyer: John F Shevlin
Seller: Michael A Perkins
Date: 03/02/21

5 Voyer Ave
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Van T Nguyen
Seller: Michael White
Date: 02/26/21

20 Westminster St
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Annamaria Wynne
Seller: Stephen A Bourque
Date: 02/26/21

HAMPDEN

350 Chapin Rd
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: Jared M Duff
Seller: David B Paradis
Date: 02/26/21

33 South Monson Rd
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Corey O’Keefe
Seller: Brett S Purchas
Date: 03/02/21

 

HOLLAND

61 East Brimfield Rd
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Gloria T Kay
Date: 02/24/21

8 Forest Court
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: Mark Santore
Seller: US Bank
Date: 03/05/21

HOLYOKE

205 Beech St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Brendan H Shea
Seller: Samantha Bousquet
Date: 02/26/21

22 Bemis Rd
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $337,000
Buyer: Michaela R Schwartz
Seller: Robert Zucker
Date: 03/05/21

7 Clark St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $209,200
Buyer: Evilin Lopez
Seller: Lasca Hoey
Date: 03/05/21

1312-1316 Dwight St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Giovanni Cotto-Colon
Seller: Alan L Betournay
Date: 02/26/21

1035 Hampden St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $253,750
Buyer: Christopher W Butler
Seller: Marven Realty Corp.
Date: 02/25/21

233 Huron Ave
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Amy M Craig
Seller: John E McMahon
Date: 02/26/21

120 Middle Water St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: WTM SM LLC
Seller: E&L Corp.
Date: 03/05/21

2054 Northampton St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Riley P Provost
Seller: Rowinski, Leokadia Est
Date: 02/26/21

2 Orchard St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Helson Morales
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 02/23/21

425 Pleasant St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $137,300
Buyer: RC Builders LLC
Seller: Brahman Holdings LLC
Date: 03/05/21

47 Ridgewood Ave
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $198,650
Buyer: Jessica Morales
Seller: Harold F Skelton
Date: 02/22/21

31 Sunset Rd
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Lillian K Krause-Ely
Seller: Lunardini, Adam J Est
Date: 02/24/21

44-46 Vernon St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $247,500
Buyer: Gildaly Negron-Correa
Seller: Kevin M Murray
Date: 03/01/21

3 Wall Rd
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Diana T Olsheski
Seller: Andrew J Farr
Date: 03/01/21

19 Willow St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $207,500
Buyer: Austin J Fuller
Seller: Miriam I Allam
Date: 02/26/21

LONGMEADOW

130 Arlington Rd
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Isabel Dubrinsky-Clayton
Seller: Alexander J Zayac
Date: 02/26/21

203 Captain Rd
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $413,500
Buyer: Seth A Stutman
Seller: Adam Weinberg
Date: 03/02/21

64 Clairmont St
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Nadin Sozudogru
Seller: David C Merrill
Date: 02/23/21

535 Converse St
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Donna A Bertolotti
Seller: Peter A Bonavita
Date: 02/26/21

30 Lorenz St
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Yong J No
Seller: Mary E David
Date: 03/03/21

39 Robin Rd
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Paul F Liebman
Seller: Venessa O’Brien RET
Date: 02/26/21

LUDLOW

258 Fuller St
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Chandler C Noga
Seller: Homer J Foucher
Date: 02/24/21

Harvest Dr. #38
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $139,900
Buyer: Brian T Donovan
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 03/05/21

95 Higher Brook Dr
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Tymothy C Mills
Seller: Higher Brook LLC
Date: 03/01/21

61 Lillian St
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Isabel Soares
Seller: Fernando J DosSantos
Date: 02/24/21

30 Oakridge St
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Nathan J Pereira
Seller: Joan M Simao
Date: 03/05/21

32 Reynolds St
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Jason R Riether
Seller: Tymothy C Mills
Date: 03/01/21

Sunset Dr. #18
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Ryan Mickiewicz
Seller: Jeremy J Procon
Date: 02/26/21

903 West St
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Daniel M Marra
Seller: Carol E Aurnhammer
Date: 02/22/21

261 Woodland Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $441,000
Buyer: Stephen D Audette
Seller: Frank J Gallo
Date: 03/05/21

MONSON

180 Hovey Rd
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $492,500
Buyer: David B Paradis
Seller: Christopher N Russell
Date: 03/01/21

239 Hovey Rd
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $478,000
Buyer: Tymmothy Dore
Seller: James S Beniamino
Date: 02/26/21

34 Paradise Lake Rd
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Paradise Lake Road LLC
Seller: Lisa Borlen
Date: 02/22/21

21 State St
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Rose Was
Seller: Cara A McIntire
Date: 03/05/21

27 Thayer Rd
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Justin A Melbourne
Seller: James A Dirico
Date: 03/03/21

85 Upper Palmer Rd
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $195,700
Buyer: Argolica LLC
Seller: Mary E Barker
Date: 03/05/21

PALMER

1 Bowden St
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: James R Morway
Seller: Richmond E Young
Date: 02/25/21

275 Breckenridge St
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Jacob Korzec
Seller: Paul E Holloway
Date: 03/05/21

1217 Calkins Rd
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: John P Galarneau
Seller: Paul Bukowski
Date: 02/26/21

22 Griffin St
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Heidi D Gotthoffer
Seller: Natalie Smalley
Date: 03/05/21

4001-4003 Hill St
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jose Miranda
Seller: Glenn R Hanson
Date: 03/02/21

1682 North Main St
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $131,600
Buyer: Birtal 1987 LLC
Seller: Laelia LLC
Date: 02/22/21

4013-A-D Pine St
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $406,000
Buyer: 4030 Pine Street LLC
Seller: Paul J Corrow
Date: 03/01/21

1289 South Main St
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $132,450
Buyer: John W Lech
Seller: Erin C Johnson
Date: 02/25/21

239-A Stimson St
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Mark Iodice
Seller: Glenn R Hanson
Date: 02/26/21

239-B Stimson St
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Mark Iodice
Seller: Glenn R Hanson
Date: 02/26/21

70 Water St
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Anthon Quenneville-Burke
Seller: Nicholas Garceau
Date: 03/01/21

SPRINGFIELD

92 Alden St
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Abdulrahman F Naser
Seller: Martha A Collins
Date: 03/04/21

185 Ambrose St
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Samuel Waruingi
Seller: Joanuel Claudio
Date: 03/04/21

88 Ardmore St
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Angel T Catala
Seller: Daniel M Moriarty
Date: 02/22/21

104 Ashbrook St
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Jennifer T McDiarmid
Seller: Kelley Diederich
Date: 03/05/21

28-30 Aster St
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Reymer Perez-Jimenez
Seller: Arnold Construction Inc
Date: 02/26/21

150 Bairdcrest Rd
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Marie Osorio
Seller: Quang K Tran
Date: 02/24/21

24 Beechwood Ave
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Daniela F Esteban
Seller: William G Smith
Date: 03/05/21

46 Benton St
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $172,500
Buyer: Mitchell Glucksman
Seller: Wayne F Trahan
Date: 02/26/21

13 Biella St
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Yessinia M Reyes
Seller: Blanco Realty LLC
Date: 02/24/21

9-11 Bloomfield St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Juan C Garcia-Cortez
Seller: Lachenauer LLC
Date: 02/25/21

77 Bretton Rd
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $224,250
Buyer: Sonya L Bosworth
Seller: Joshua R Sprague
Date: 03/05/21

179 Cabinet St
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Rayana T Williams
Seller: Charlette A Scott
Date: 02/26/21

95 Campechi St
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Nelmarie Rivera-Rosado
Seller: Jose Diaz
Date: 02/25/21

157 Canterbury Rd
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Samantha M Thompson
Seller: Moltenbrey Builders LLC
Date: 02/26/21

40 Chalfonte Dr
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Paul J Desrosiers
Seller: Carlos E Martinez
Date: 02/23/21

31 Colonial Ave
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Anderson Guzman
Seller: Chad Lynch
Date: 03/05/21

219 Cooley St
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Preston R Delvalle
Seller: Patriot Living LLC
Date: 02/26/21

18 Dell Place
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $247,400
Buyer: Ronnie Williams
Seller: Daniel V Walsh
Date: 03/01/21

483 Dickinson St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Joseph Santaniello
Seller: Deborah A Kenefick
Date: 02/22/21

817 Dickinson St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: William R Godin
Seller: Laura M Deluca
Date: 03/03/21

121 Dorset St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Vy Lefebvre
Seller: Todd Lefebvre
Date: 02/25/21

109-111 Dwight Rd
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Ellie Larson
Seller: Mengru Li
Date: 02/25/21

52 Eleanor Rd
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Dilip Biswa
Seller: Eric F Abel
Date: 02/23/21

67 Ellsworth Ave
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Jean E Donnelly
Seller: Michelle J Wynne
Date: 02/26/21

86 Emerson St
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Juan Mosquea
Seller: Carrasquillo Fix Up LLC
Date: 03/03/21

51 Ferncliff Ave
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $217,500
Buyer: Adam McNulty
Seller: Michael J Cross
Date: 03/04/21

41 Garcia St
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Cassandra Proulx
Seller: Gary W Proulx
Date: 02/25/21

38 Grattan St
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Sean P Garcia
Seller: Melissa C Brown
Date: 03/05/21

81 Haskin St
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Eduardo Rodriguez
Seller: JJJ 17 LLC
Date: 02/24/21

54 Homestead Ave
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Mohamed A Kibodya
Date: 03/05/21

50-52 Humbert St
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Shamier Lindo
Seller: Sandra I Roman
Date: 02/25/21

109-111 Kensington Ave
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Oscar Naula
Seller: Theocles, Charles A Est
Date: 03/01/21

28 Kenwood Park
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $200,217
Buyer: Sunshine Homes LLC
Seller: Sunshine Homes LLC
Date: 03/03/21

112 Lake Dr
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jennifer M Donoso
Seller: Paul Bernardes
Date: 03/04/21

124 Longhill St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Mimi F Pezzuto 2020 RET
Seller: Gilberto E Ramirez
Date: 03/03/21

134 Longhill St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Siobhan Silver
Seller: Gregory J Leishman
Date: 03/03/21

45-47 Los Angeles St
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Kathyria B Rodriguez
Seller: Fred D Sousa
Date: 02/25/21

1592-1596 Main St
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: 1670 Main Street LLC
Seller: New England Farm Workers
Date: 02/26/21

1600 Main St
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: 1670 Main Street LLC
Seller: New England Farm Workers
Date: 02/26/21

4-20 Maple St
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $930,000
Buyer: Tree House Properties LLC
Seller: Caserta Co LLC
Date: 03/01/21

71 Margerie St
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Luz M Merced-Figueroa
Seller: Lachenauer LLC
Date: 02/23/21

91 Mulberry St
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $249,040
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: William G Duquette
Date: 03/03/21

132-134 Noel St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: David Feliciano
Seller: Klaire Bielonko
Date: 02/26/21

27 Northway Dr
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Tascon Homes LLC
Seller: Hosten, Reed D Jr Est
Date: 02/26/21

178 Nottingham St
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Fernando Laboy
Seller: Andrew Allen
Date: 02/22/21

19-21 Nye St
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Joel Duran
Seller: Anderson, Margaret M Est
Date: 03/05/21

255 Oak St
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $147,263
Buyer: RE Legacy Investments LLC
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 03/05/21

261 Oakland St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Jose Lopez
Seller: HAJ Group LLC
Date: 03/01/21

272 Old Farm Rd
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Bryan Mahoney
Seller: Daniel T Mahoney
Date: 02/25/21

211 Osborne Ter
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Irina Buynovskaya
Seller: Peter Stefanyszyn
Date: 03/02/21

387-389 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Jose M Vazquez-Roman
Seller: JJJ 17 LLC
Date: 02/26/21

1222-1224 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Vincent Nazario
Seller: Eduardo G Casanova
Date: 02/22/21

170 Paridon St
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Richard Asencio
Seller: Zadkiel RT
Date: 02/26/21

1457 Parker St
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Nancy Cunningham
Seller: Alan R Barrett
Date: 03/03/21

109-111 Pearl St
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: 121 Spr St Enterprise LLC
Seller: 121 Spr St LLC
Date: 02/26/21

260 Pheland St
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $145,377
Buyer: Marco Scibelli
Seller: James A Sansalone
Date: 03/01/21

125 Pilgrim Rd
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Aguinaldo C Lomba
Seller: Sergio Hernandez
Date: 03/05/21

6-8 Pinevale St
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jeremy Arsenault
Seller: Paulo M Fragoso
Date: 02/26/21

320 Plumtree Rd
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jordyn L Moquin
Seller: Revitalized Renovations
Date: 02/26/21

24 Ramah St
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Svetlana Barrios
Seller: Sergio L Hernandez
Date: 02/22/21

32 Randall Place
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Ramon Garrick
Seller: Phoenix Development Inc
Date: 03/01/21

263 Redlands St
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Jaqueline Luna
Seller: Timothy Brown
Date: 02/22/21

50 Riverview Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Fatema M Alhussein
Seller: Anthony A Sergentanis
Date: 02/26/21

500 Roosevelt Ave
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $332,500
Buyer: Dana Delgardo
Seller: Karoline Syner
Date: 02/22/21

863 Roosevelt Ave
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Laura Cunningham
Seller: Jayce Barr
Date: 02/26/21

127 Sawmill Rd
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Nakisha A Williams
Seller: Gregory Webster
Date: 03/05/21

97 Sherwood Rd
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $233,000
Buyer: Mark J Cianciola
Seller: Corina Brouder
Date: 02/22/21

76-78 Somerset St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $268,200
Buyer: Wilmer A Santos
Seller: Vieira Family Prop LLC
Date: 02/23/21

58 South Tallyho Dr
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Novlette Wilson
Seller: Slepchuk, Walter Est
Date: 03/05/21

250 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Matthew Holmes
Seller: Jeffrey R Smith
Date: 03/05/21

109-111 Spring St
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: 121 Spring St. Enterprise LLC
Seller: 121 Spring St. LLC
Date: 02/26/21

117 Spring St
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: 121 Spring St. Enterprise LLC
Seller: 121 Spring St. LLC
Date: 02/26/21

177 Springfield St
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: Spencer J Johnson
Seller: Thomas K Reen
Date: 02/22/21

181 State St
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $930,000
Buyer: Tree House Properties LLC
Seller: Caserta Co LLC
Date: 03/01/21

33 Warner St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Edgar Ramos
Seller: Linda L Meehan
Date: 02/26/21

120-122 West Alvord St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Samuel Saillant
Seller: Jala Wallace
Date: 02/23/21

413 White St
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Nhu Nguyen
Seller: Long D Duong
Date: 03/05/21

145 Wildwood Ave
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jonathan Barnhart
Seller: John W Russell
Date: 02/22/21

22 Windemere St
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Marva J Charles
Seller: Jose M Lopez
Date: 02/26/21

191 Windemere St
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Humboldt Realty LLC
Seller: Charles A Platten
Date: 03/03/21

8-10 Wolcott St
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Margarita Santiago
Seller: Jonathan Lurie
Date: 03/03/21

1307-1309 Worcester St
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: 8868 Realty LLC
Seller: 1307-1309 Worcester St. LLC
Date: 02/26/21

SOUTHWICK

822 College Hwy.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Angelo S Melloni
Seller: Theresa A Lecrenski
Date: 03/01/21

17 Fred Jackson Rd
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Austin Carmel
Seller: Patricia Davis-Mocarsky
Date: 03/05/21

294 Granville Rd
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Kevin J King
Seller: Tadeusz J Filipiak
Date: 02/26/21

12 Knollwood Rd
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Ronald Vandervliet
Seller: Leah Fish
Date: 02/26/21

4 Mayflower Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Erika Ryan
Seller: Daniel R Hess
Date: 02/26/21

281 South Longyard Rd
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Andrew S Felix
Seller: Doris A Parentela
Date: 02/22/21

WESTFIELD

288 Buck Pond Rd
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $147,900
Buyer: Yevgeniya Gnidenko
Seller: St.Marie, Mary Ann J Est
Date: 02/25/21

21 Charles St
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Fatumo M Sidow
Seller: Yevgeniy Sevostyanov
Date: 02/23/21

1761 East Mountain Rd
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Alan P Desrohers
Seller: US Bank
Date: 02/26/21

55 East Silver St
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: TM Properties Inc
Seller: Joseph G Lucas
Date: 02/26/21

12 Fremont St
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $138,975
Buyer: Yelizaveta Belyakova
Seller: FNMA
Date: 02/26/21

62 Granville Rd
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Mechanic Man LLC
Seller: Joseph G Flahive
Date: 03/05/21

3 Lathrop Ave
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: Robert Wensley
Seller: Catherine A Bannish
Date: 03/05/21

4 Michael Dr
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Seth N Clark
Seller: Mario Santaniello
Date: 02/23/21

14 Morgan Ave
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Richard K Dazelle
Seller: Melanie J Brochu
Date: 02/26/21

12 Otis St
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $171,500
Buyer: Tiara Johnson
Seller: Paul G Fortini
Date: 03/05/21

106 Park River Dr
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Vitaliy Kazimirov
Seller: Collier, Paul F Est
Date: 03/05/21

15 Riverside Dr
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Richard J White
Seller: Logan A Morton
Date: 03/05/21

53 South Maple St
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $296,000
Buyer: Grace M Taylor
Seller: Jacqueline Marciano
Date: 02/26/21

298 Sackett Rd
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Eunice A Coutinho
Seller: Lawrence P Boisjolie
Date: 02/26/21

10 Sherman St
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Beth Sager
Seller: Richard Ringer
Date: 02/26/21

247 Springdale Rd
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Alberto Rodriguez
Seller: Elizabeth M Pedersen
Date: 02/26/21

19 State St
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Noemi Ramos
Seller: Lynn M Kaczman
Date: 03/02/21

187 Tannery Rd
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $337,000
Buyer: Gerald R Dorval
Seller: Israel Real Estate Co. Inc
Date: 02/24/21

30 White St
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Ivan Volchanov
Seller: Oleg Shevchenko
Date: 03/04/21

WILBRAHAM

2589 Boston Rd
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $393,532
Buyer: Nathan J Servidio
Seller: Aljera Inc
Date: 02/25/21

19 Chapin Dr
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Evan J O’Brien
Seller: Jason P Donovan
Date: 02/26/21

16 Danforth Farms Rd
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: John M Biela
Seller: Dan Roulier & Assocs. Inc
Date: 02/26/21

4 Forest Glade Dr
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Richard Grono
Seller: Wayne E Wilder
Date: 02/23/21

2 Kensington Dr
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Karl Brown
Seller: Valerie Duvall-Bernardo
Date: 03/03/21

5 Kensington Dr
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Amandeep Guliani
Seller: Gerard Langlais
Date: 03/04/21

15 Old Boston Rd
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Aja N Miller
Seller: Justin A Melbourne
Date: 03/03/21

6 Parkwood Dr
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Jake T Janas
Seller: Jared M Duff
Date: 02/26/21

7 Parkwood Dr
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Andrew A Wall
Seller: Sonja K Wall
Date: 03/05/21

7 Shady Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Kelley A Diederich
Seller: Tovan Nguyen
Date: 03/05/21

96 Stony Hill Rd
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Courtney Kotfila
Seller: Joseph Butts
Date: 02/25/21

7 Wildwood Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $140,500
Buyer: Kurt J Macdonald
Seller: Kurt J Macdonald
Date: 02/24/21

WEST SPRINGFIELD

31-33 Ames Ave
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Christopher Cole
Seller: Michael Tourville
Date: 03/05/21

32 Angeline St
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Artem Slivka
Seller: Ryan Spencer
Date: 03/03/21

45 Belle Ave
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Mikhail Saykin
Seller: Anatoliy Petrenko
Date: 03/03/21

134 Dorwin Dr
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Robert Contant
Seller: Jeanne S Goodsell
Date: 03/01/21

136 Galaska Dr
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Michael Kane
Seller: Michael P Kane
Date: 02/24/21

312 Memorial Ave
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: SNZ Realty LLC
Seller: Kquad LLC
Date: 02/25/21

338 Memorial Ave
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,200,000
Buyer: SNZ Realty LLC
Seller: Kquad LLC
Date: 02/25/21

1510 Morgan Rd
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $512,000
Buyer: Matthew T Moskey
Seller: Gerald L Krywicki
Date: 03/05/21

426 Rogers Ave
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Kayla R Lusnia
Seller: Stanley M Lusnia
Date: 03/05/21

42 Sean Louis Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $685,000
Buyer: Sayeda N Alam
Seller: Kirk D Jonah
Date: 02/26/21

10 Shadow Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Andrew J Cox
Seller: Jacqueline S Tellier
Date: 02/25/21

628 Springfield St
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $231,900
Buyer: Frank D Wilson
Seller: Joecreative Inc
Date: 03/01/21

53 Warren St
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Felecia Montiel-Yager
Seller: Gene Davis
Date: 02/22/21

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

270 East Leverett Rd
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $725,000
Buyer: Timothy Woodbury
Seller: Tanya J Hart
Date: 02/25/21

234 Market Hill Rd
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Lori A Stosz
Seller: John J Stosz
Date: 03/01/21

155 Northampton Rd
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $545,000
Buyer: Meghan MacFadden
Seller: William J Crotty
Date: 03/01/21

205 Shays St
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Daphne Lamothe
Seller: Andrew J Cox
Date: 03/01/21

551 West St
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $352,000
Buyer: Klajd Kovaci
Seller: Jing-Hua Liang
Date: 02/24/21

 

BELCHERTOWN

191 East St
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $311,000
Buyer: Teresa Waybrew-Zucker
Seller: Jay A Elfenbein
Date: 03/01/21

100 Federal St
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Shane E Ryan
Seller: Timothy E Fitzemeyer
Date: 02/25/21

786 Franklin St
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Mariah McCaughey
Seller: EPB RE Services LLC
Date: 02/22/21

101 Howard St
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Bonnie S Mcintosh
Seller: Mung Pham
Date: 02/26/21

225 Mill Valley Rd
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Robert J Stedtler
Seller: Kathleen E Hodgen
Date: 03/05/21

324 Springfield Rd
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $412,000
Buyer: Ramona Pond-Blais
Seller: Randy J Dimitropolis
Date: 02/26/21

136 Summit St
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $319,500
Buyer: Rasidi O Akodu
Seller: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Date: 02/26/21

6 Trillium Way
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $418,000
Buyer: Andrew J Swafford
Seller: Matthew Shadeed
Date: 02/26/21

EASTHAMPTON

10-12 Searle Ave
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Jonathan Soto
Seller: Mountain View Investors LP
Date: 02/22/21

GRANBY

286 Batchelor St
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Marisa A Morin
Seller: Gregory J Pion
Date: 03/05/21

107 Carver St
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $545,000
Buyer: Cara McIntire
Seller: Lora P Os
Date: 03/05/21

9 Circle Dr
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $279,000
Buyer: Erin K Murphy
Seller: Robert E Lepage
Date: 02/24/21

100-102 New Ludlow Rd
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: T Noble Property Group LLC
Seller: Michael Mclain
Date: 03/04/21

17 Sherwood Dr
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Jason A Dufault
Seller: Richard Nastrom
Date: 02/26/21

HATFIELD

12 Mountain Rd
Hatfield, MA 01066
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Michael G Thurber
Seller: L R & Rose H Kubilis LT
Date: 02/26/21

24 Plain Rd
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Kelly L Gaus
Seller: Danny R Love
Date: 03/01/21

148 West St
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $422,000
Buyer: Elyse Bianchet
Seller: Gerald R Dorval
Date: 02/26/21

NORTHAMPTON

243 Bridge St
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $140,500
Buyer: RC Builders LLC
Seller: Brahman Holdings LLC
Date: 02/22/21

994 Florence Rd
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Jeremy D Ober
Seller: Matthias Kaindl
Date: 03/03/21

65 Gothic St
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $1,190,000
Buyer: Alexander G Theodoridis
Seller: James W Hagadorn
Date: 02/26/21

26 Hatfield St
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $745,000
Buyer: Ryan Gorman
Seller: McCutcheon Development LLC
Date: 03/01/21

24 Haydenville Rd
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $690,000
Buyer: PRP RT
Seller: Richmond Big Sky LLC
Date: 02/25/21

10 Laurel St
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $300,500
Buyer: Christopher Freeman
Seller: Janice Denno
Date: 03/01/21

23 Myrtle St
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $451,000
Buyer: Ryan Richardson
Seller: Siobhan Silver TR
Date: 03/03/21

22 Old Wilson Rd
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $662,300
Buyer: Joanna Smith
Seller: Lisa M Lebiecki
Date: 03/02/21

117 Olander Dr. #17A
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $433,210
Buyer: Jessica L Kenney
Seller: Sunwood Development Corp.
Date: 02/26/21

117 Olander Dr. #17B
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $312,572
Buyer: Kathryn B Tracy
Seller: Sunwood Dev Corp
Date: 02/23/21

35 Park St
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: Sara Luria
Seller: Elizabeth E Vizentin
Date: 03/01/21

279 State St
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Anna M Martinez
Seller: Sarah E Peters
Date: 02/25/21

7 Summerfield Dr
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Robin C Parsons
Seller: Parsons, C Robin Est
Date: 02/25/21

305 Westhampton Rd
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $362,500
Buyer: Ronald E Sheffer
Seller: Lisa M Lococo
Date: 03/05/21

SOUTH HADLEY

9 Atwood Rd
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Courtney Mattingly
Seller: Maura Campbell
Date: 02/26/21

25 Berwyn St
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Dhrumil Swadia
Seller: James M Whalen
Date: 02/25/21

3 Brock Way
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Daniel R Phakos
Seller: Michael R Chunyk
Date: 02/26/21

365 East St
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $449,900
Buyer: Zachary M Hay
Seller: Oak Ridge Custom Hm Builders
Date: 02/26/21

16 Hollywood St
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Jeffery Thibault
Seller: April A Hough
Date: 02/25/21

5 Lyon Green
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: J N Duquette & Son Construction
Seller: Montain Brook LLC
Date: 02/25/21

9 Lyon Green
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: JN Duquette & Son Construction
Seller: Mountain Brook LLC
Date: 02/25/21

514 Newton St
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Jeremiah D Shrum
Seller: David A Macko
Date: 03/05/21

4 Plainville Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $388,000
Buyer: John W Bauman
Seller: Stanley J Czerwiec
Date: 03/01/21

10 River Lodge Rd
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Vanessa Bartolo
Seller: Amanda C Stutmay
Date: 02/25/21

110 River Rd
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $141,500
Buyer: Denise Swahlan
Seller: William T Lyle
Date: 03/05/21

10 Tigger Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Natasha Z Matos
Seller: Michael F Werenskin
Date: 02/25/21

SOUTHAMPTON

8 Bluemer Rd
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Vitaliy Panchenko
Seller: Anne E Buscher
Date: 02/26/21

22 Camp Jahn Rd
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Laura A Paul
Seller: Kathleen Morin-Paul
Date: 03/03/21

79 Glendale Rd
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $537,000
Buyer: Joshua Muszynski
Seller: Abdallah Hage-Sleian
Date: 02/24/21

19 Lead Mine Rd
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Vladimir Bondar
Seller: Anne E Kochan Family LP
Date: 02/24/21

47-A Strong Rd
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: William Delgado
Seller: John D Geeleher
Date: 02/25/21

2 Sophie Circle
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Scott Lessing
Seller: Marian Matosky
Date: 03/05/21

WARE

42 Dunham Ave
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Meiling Shi
Seller: Philip P Dion
Date: 03/05/21

25 Fisherdick Rd
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Alex M Adamsky
Seller: Jane H Letendre
Date: 03/05/21

4 Gwen Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Robert A Gerulaitis
Seller: Robert L Gould
Date: 03/05/21

49 Lois St
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $163,265
Buyer: David Annunziata
Seller: Court, Docket H P Est
Date: 02/26/21

65 Old Poor Farm Rd
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Michael Lavalley
Seller: Robert A Gerulaitis
Date: 03/05/21

152 Upper Church St
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Deborah A Terrien
Seller: Kristine Barnes
Date: 03/01/21

WILLIAMSBURG

12 Main St
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Heather Majercik
Seller: 41 Lyman Road NT
Date: 03/05/21

7 Williamsburg Rd
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Gary Listug
Seller: Craig R Collins
Date: 02/23/21

WESTHAMPTON

124 Chesterfield Rd
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Christopher M Kelly
Seller: Marcus C Holt
Date: 03/05/21

153 Northwest Rd
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Brittany Butler
Seller: Lee A Craig
Date: 02/26/21

WORTHINGTON

252 West St
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Jackson Mansfield
Seller: Lemaire, Theodora A Est
Date: 03/05/21

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Zoo in Forest Park will host its annual Eggstravaganza on Saturday, April 3 and Sunday, April 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event will include socially distanced grab-and-go stations with pre-packaged candy bags, take-home crafts, goody-filled Easter eggs, and books and coloring books for children (while supplies last). There will also be socially distanced animal encounters and enrichment that allow guests to get a closer look at some of the animals.

“Last season, we provided many families with a fun, safe experience outside of the home,” said Gabry Tyson, development associate at the Zoo in Forest Park. “We are looking forward to kicking off our 2021 season with Eggstravaganza, once again welcoming the community into the zoo.”

Pre-registration is required for all attendees, and tickets are limited. No additional tickets will be sold at the door. Registration closes April 1 or when all tickets are sold. To purchase tickets, visit www.forestparkzoo.org/buytickets. Library passes and Groupons cannot be used for this event.

After Eggstravaganza, the Zoo in Forest Park will officially open on Saturday, April 10 and remain open, seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for the remainder of the season (weather permitting). Due to Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 guidelines enacted for zoos across the state, all admission tickets this season will be available online only, in advance. No admissions will be sold at the Zoo’s ticket booth.

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — The Western Mass Business Show, the WHMP radio program showcasing business leaders of the Pioneer Valley, will have a new host, Tara Brewster, beginning May 1.

The show explores the experiences and perspectives of entrepreneurs, delving into their aspirations, strategies, and evolution in friendly but probing conversations. It is intended to be both entertaining and instructive, whether the listener runs a company or not. The show airs on WHMP on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Brewster is vice president for Business Development at Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB). It is her mission to form many trusted relationships with business and organizational leaders and help guide them toward how GSB can be a resource and solution for what ails them.

She serves on the boards of several nonprofits, including Double Edge Theater, the Downtown Northampton Assoc., the David Ruggles Center, Hampshire Regional YMCA, MassHire Franklin Hampshire Workforce Board, and North Star Self-Directed Learning for Teens. The Smith College alumna is also the co-founder and former co-owner of Jackson & Connor, the upscale menswear store in Thornes, in downtown Northampton.

Brewster takes the microphone from Ira Bryck, who started the show in 2014. Bryck ran the Family Business Center for 25 years and now consults with the leadership-coaching firm Giombetti Associates.

“Tara naturally builds huge and effective networks of colleagues, is a number-one fan of Pioneer Valley, and is wise and funny and curious,” Bryck said. “I will be glad to be a big fan of her show, as I have been a big fan of her.”

Brewster is excited for this new outlet for her enthusiasm and people-connecting skills. “I can think of nothing more exciting than broadcasting the conversations I enjoy having with my area colleagues to a greater number of ears in the region,” she said. “This opportunity will create a larger stage for more voices to be heard and thus find their way into the hearts of our community members. I am grateful to my friend Ira, who is always providing occasions for others to find their voice and new pathways to higher ground. Thank you, Ira — I look forward to having you on the show one day in the near future.”

Interested prospective guests can reach out to Brewster at [email protected].

Daily News

FLORENCE — Florence Bank promoted Anita Sedlak to the position of vice president, branch manager of the Easthampton office.

Sedlak brings extensive knowledge and skill to her new role. Prior to her recent promotion, she was the senior assistant branch manager at the Easthampton office. During her tenure at the bank, she has been the recipient of the Florence Bank Community Support Award, which is granted to employees who demonstrate superior levels of involvement in the community. She is a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies.

Sedlak serves her community as treasurer of Easthampton Dollars for Scholars, finance committee member for the Easthampton Helping Hand Society and a board member of the Florence Bank Easthampton Branch Charitable Foundation.

“We are happy to have Anita take on this new role as vice president, branch manager,” said Kevin Day, president and CEO of Florence Bank. “Her knowledge of the Easthampton community and rapport with our customers make her the perfect choice to serve in this capacity.”

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS) and Dress for Success Western Massachusetts have partnered to provide networking and career-advancement opportunities to local women working to establish careers.

This partnership is timely, as women have been disproportionately impacted by job loss related to COVID-19. According to the National Women’s Law Center, female workforce participation has dropped 57%, to its lowest level since 1988. McKinsey and Oxford Economics projects that employment for women may not recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2024 — a full two years after a projected recovery for men.

Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, whose mission is to help women achieve financial independence, has been working to address this reality. Its Professional Women’s Group, with the support of Eversource, launched immediately before the pandemic in early 2020, was intended to support women who have attained employment with continuing education, career-development programs, and leadership training.

While remaining true to its intent, the program has also come to support women who have lost their employment due to the pandemic and are struggling to juggle the demands of work, loss of childcare, virtual schooling, and other COVID-specific challenges. The program is focused on keeping the determined participants not just afloat, but moving forward in spite of these challenges.

YPS, a community-minded organization that focuses on business and career development, networking, and community involvement, will provide the Professional Women’s Group with complimentary YPS memberships, which will enhance access to each of these focus areas to provide new and expanded career opportunities.

“YPS is thrilled to partner with Dress for Success,” said Amie Miarecki, YPS president. “It’s a natural fit because we are focused on career development and creating connections, especially during this time when we are all seeking new ways to network. We welcome these new members and want them to take advantage of our unique events.”

Margaret Tantillo, executive director of Dress for Success, agrees that this is a natural partnership. “Giving our participants access to the expanded opportunities and new networks that YPS provides just makes sense. It’s a perfect next step for women who are looking to develop or redevelop their career. YPS membership will open doors, foster relationships, and expand upon what the Professional Women’s Group can offer in a seamless way. We’re grateful for their support.”

Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest, in partnership with Living Local, 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.

Episode 58: March 29, 2021

George O’Brien talks with Judy Matt, president of the Spirit of Springfield

Bright Nights will go on in 2020

On this installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien talks with Judy Matt, president of the Spirit of Springfield. The two have a lively discussion about the toll the pandemic has taken on this nonprofit and the many types of events it stages for the region, and how, if all goes well,  2021 could be a bounce back year for this important institution. They also talk about just how critical SOS events, like Bright Nights, the Fourth of July fireworks, the pancake breakfast, and the  Big Balloon Parade are to the quality of life in this region. It’s must listening, so join us on BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Living Local.

Also Available On

Daily News

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate was down 0.7% in February at 7.1%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts gained 14,100 jobs in February. This follows last month’s revised gain of 37,900 jobs. Over the month, the private sector added 22,300 jobs as gains occurred across all sectors, led by leisure and hospitality and professional, scientific, and business services.

From February 2020 to February 2021, BLS estimates Massachusetts lost 325,100 jobs. Losses occurred in each of the private sectors with the exception of mining and logging, with the largest-percentage losses in leisure and hospitality, with 30.1% of the jobs lost; other services, with 19.0% of the jobs lost; and education and health services, with 8.9% of the jobs lost.

The February unemployment rate was 0.9% higher than the national rate of 6.2% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The labor force dropped by 11,900 from 3,756,700 in January, as 15,700 more residents were employed and 27,600 fewer residents were unemployed over the month.

Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was up by 4.3 percentage points.

The state’s labor-force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — was down two-tenths of a percentage point at 66.3%. Compared to February 2020, the labor-force participation rate is down one-tenth of a percentage point.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College will welcome Holocaust survivor, author, and human-rights activist Marione Ingram on Thursday, April 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the college and local community.

In this lecture, Ingram will share excerpts from her memoirs, The Hands of War and The Hands of Peace. She will discuss the failure to respond to fascism and racism in Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, and the non-violent responses to those evils in the U.S. in the 1960s. She will then try to relate her experiences to the challenges that students face today.

Ingram is a writer, artist, and human-rights activist who experienced the Holocaust, Europe’s deadliest bombing, and the wrath of the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi. Throughout the turbulent ’60s and ’70s and into the 21st century, she continued to protest racism, war, sexism, Apartheid, and police violence. Ingram’s Holocaust memoir, The Hands of War, became a New York Times bestseller in 2014 and was followed by a companion memoir in 2015, The Hands of Peace, which celebrates the countless acts of non-violent defiance that culminated in the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965.

Event sponsors include Springfield College’s Office of Spiritual Life; Holocaust Remembrance Committee; Department of Literature, Writing, and Journalism; Department of Humanities and Social Sciences; and Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) honored two faculty members as this year’s 2021 Endowed Chairs, awards named for two of the college’s founders. In a video sent to the STCC campus community, President John Cook congratulated this year’s recipients, Professors Ann-Marie Simao and Joshua Carreiro.

Carreiro received the Anthony M. Scibelli Endowed Chair, and Simao received the Joseph J. Deliso Sr. Endowed Chair. They received a monetary award — $3,000 each — and wooden chairs with plaques inscribed with their names. They can apply $1,500 to professional development and $1,500 to their academic department.

Cook said the awards are a way to “recognize significant accomplishment and excellence in teaching. As we know as a community college, this is fundamental to us and to our work, and I’m thrilled to once again help congratulate our recipients.”

In announcing the Deliso recipient, Barbara Washburn, interim dean of the School of STEM, said Simao, a mathematics professor, is known for her early adoption of open education resources (OER), which allows students to access textbooks and other resources for free. She uses OER for all of her math courses.

“She designed her math courses to be very hands-on and interactive,” Washburn said. “Her passion for teaching, her innovative ways for learning math, and her commitment to serve the college make her a great asset to the Math Department and STCC. “

Simao, who has taught full-time at STCC since 2012, said she was honored and humbled to receive the award. “One of the things I love about teaching is watching the ‘aha’ moment when the students finally get it. With math, we find that a lot of students who walk into the classroom are completely fearful of math. Part of my job is to explain math in a way that students can understand it and make them love it, and make them want to delve deeper into learning about math and how fun it can be.”

Simao earned a master’s degree in education from Fitchburg State University and in math from Central Connecticut State University. She received a bachelor’s degree from Providence College.

Richard Greco, dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, announced the Scibelli Endowed Chair recipient, Carreiro, who has been teaching at STCC since 2012 and serves as chair of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Greco said Carreiro has shown strong leadership in online education, and has helped faculty transition to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Josh has been a leader in the development of curriculum here at STCC, beginning with creating the Urban Studies program, which is a unique program that allows students to delve into problem solving in regard to real-life problems within our cities. Josh is a leader in the classroom, always employing the newest technologies.”

Carreiro said he was surprised and excited to receive the award. “It’s a great honor, and I definitely feel it represents not just my own hard work at the school but all of the great work that everybody is doing on campus, and especially within my own department. When I think about teaching and what drives me as an educator, I really do think about the larger community — how students can not only transform their own lives, but how they can strengthen their communities.”

Carreiro earned his PhD in sociology from UMass Amherst. He started his college pathway at Manchester Community College in Connecticut, where he earned an associate degree. He then transferred to University of Connecticut in Storrs, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and philosophy.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through a program called Difference Makers.

The 2021 Difference Makers include Kristin Carlson, president of Peerless Precision; EforAll Holyoke; Janine Fondon, founder of UnityFirst.com and professor at Bay Path University; Harold Grinspoon, philanthropist and founder of Aspen Square Management; Chad Moir, founder and owner of DopaFit Parkinson’s Movement Center; Bill Parks, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield; and Pete Westover, founder and partner at Conservation Works, LLC.

The 13th annual Difference Makers celebration will be a virtual event taking place on Thursday, April 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. This event, like our hugely successful Women of Impact celebration in January, be presented using the REMO platform, and will feature networking, videos of the event sponsors, introductions of the honorees, and comments from the Difference Makers themselves.

RSVP before March 30 by clicking here. For a helpful tutorial on working with REMO, click here. For more information and links to the stories about our honorees, click here.

The sponsors for this year’s program are Burkhart Pizzanelli, the Royal Law Firm, TommyCar Auto Group, and United Way of Pioneer Valley. The Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament is a nonprofit partner.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Out of some 8,000 breweries in the United States, only 60, or fewer than 1%, are black-owned businesses. In Massachusetts, which boasts more than 200 breweries, only about a half-dozen are black-owned. One of them is White Lion Brewery in Springfield.

“The fabric of the craft-beer trade doesn’t mirror the fabric of the communities we work, play, and live in,” said Berry, White Lion’s owner and founder, who sits on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild.

In response, Berry and the owners of three other Massachusetts breweries — Arcpoint in Belchertown, Crue Brew in Raynham, and 67 Degrees in Franklin — have banded together on a project they hope will draw more people of color to the industry.

The project is called “As One.” Fittingly, it’s a beer — specifically, a juicy New England IPA. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this limited-release brew will go toward the creation of a scholarship at Holyoke Community College (HCC) for students of color who enroll in its beer, cider, and winemaking program.

“Throughout the country, there have been a number of initiatives driven by breweries, trade stakeholders, and guilds who recognize the diversity and inclusion deficits and want to be change agents,” Berry said. “Some of those initiatives happen to be scholarship-driven.”

The idea for “As One” came from C.J. Eldridge, co-owner of Arcpoint, who had read an article about the experiences of black Massachusetts brewery owners in an historically white-dominated industry. The story featured interviews with Berry and Kevin Merritt, owner of Crue Brew, and also mentioned 67 Degrees, which is co-owned by Arnold Cruzeau.

“I saw all those guys in the article, and it inspired me to want to get together with them and brew something and also bring some awareness,” Eldridge said. “We want to attempt to spread brewing out to more people of color, not necessarily just black, but people of color in general, and get them into the business — let them know what it’s about.”

HCC debuted its beer, cider, and winemaking program in the fall of 2020, so the decision to partner with the college made sense, Berry added. “Craft beer is all about local. If we want to expand the conversation, this is a perfect opportunity for us to align ourselves with a great local institution.”

The label for “As One” includes the names and logos of all four breweries plus HCC’s, along with this description: “As One, a collaboration of unity, is just that. We came up with a conversation starter, something to bring people together.”

It continues, “As many of you may or may not know, people of color make up approximately 1% of ownership in the craft-brew industry. To this end, we have teamed with Holyoke Community College to create a scholarship for their brewing program. The financial aid will help people of color break into the industry that is far underrepresented. We hope you enjoy this beer with open minds and open hearts.”

Katie Stinchon, executive director of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild, noted that “we are very excited about the pipeline of talent that this scholarship program could generate while also helping to break down barriers, open doors, and hold them open for people of color in our community. As an industry we are very aware that the makeup of our brewery owners, staff, and consumers are predominantly male and pale. This is a great step to work to change that, and something that can be emulated in other regions and institutions across Massachusetts.”

The scholarship, as yet unnamed, will be administered by the HCC Foundation.

“Every scholarship tells a story about why someone feels it’s important to give back, or what they hope to make possible with the establishment of the fund,” said Amanda Sbriscia, HCC’s vice president of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the HCC Foundation. “The scholarship that will be created as a result of this brewery partnership is so powerful because it’s all about creating opportunity, and it’s a real example of people coming together to create positive change. HCC students can see themselves in each of these business owners and realize that they, too, can chase and achieve their dreams.”

Sbriscia joined Berry, Eldridge, Merritt, and Cruzeau on March 11 at White Lion Brewery in Tower Square in Springfield for the one-day brewing of “As One.” Canning is scheduled for Monday, March 29. The beer will be available starting Wednesday, March 31, during White Lion’s weekly “Cans to Go” sessions at the brewery, which run every Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m., and every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

“Springfield has a lot of diversity, so it’s great that we’re doing this in the heart of Springfield,” Eldridge said. “A lot of people of color, they’re gonna be like, ‘oh, damn, look at these guys here, just like me. They’re pumping out beer and working together for something like that.’”

Although the batch is small, the goal is to make the brewing of “As One” a special, annual event that will continue to seed the scholarship fund at HCC over the years. “It’s not a one and done, that’s for sure,” Berry said.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Home City Development Inc. (HCDI) is celebrating the start of construction of the Elias Brookings Apartments. The groundbreaking will take place today, March 26, at 2 p.m. at 367 Hancock St. in Springfield. A small group of elected public officials will gather for the event, rain or shine. The event will include speakers and a short tour, and will be livestreamed to www.facebook.com/homecitydevelopment. A video of the event, including messages from funders and partners, will be widely circulated soon afterward.

Home City Development has begun construction to adapt and reuse the former Elias Brookings School into 42 mixed-income rental apartments. Elias Brookings Apartments will contain a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and on-site parking for 61 vehicles. The property will have an elevator, laundry room, and management office. The 4,000-square-foot former gymnasium will be used as a multi-purpose resource center and community room for athletics, theater, youth and adult training and education, supportive services for residents, and other events.

Elias Brookings School was built in 1925 and opened in 1926. The school was damaged in the June 1, 2011 tornado and closed. A new Elias Brookings School was built nearby on Walnut Street, and in 2018 the former school building was purchased by Home City Development. In recognition of Home City Development’s preservation efforts, upon completion, the building will be nominated for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

Funding for the redevelopment is provided by TD Bank, National Equity Fund, Community Economic Development Assistance Corp., the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, MassHousing, the Springfield Community Preservation Committee, the Springfield Office of Housing, and Dorfman Capital.

Davis Square Architects is the project architect, and Allegrone Construction Co. is the general contractor. Construction is scheduled for completion in March 2022. The completed property will be managed by Housing Management Resources. Tenants will be selected by lottery, and lottery applications will be accepted beginning in late 2021. E-mail [email protected] to request a tenant-selection lottery application.

Home City Development Inc. is a nonprofit, resident-centered developer of multi-family and mixed-use properties in Western Mass. HCDI was founded as Better Homes Inc. in 1968 by the Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Over more than 50 years, HCDI has worked to facilitate community stability and growth in collaboration with numerous partners and residents.

Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Visiting Angels of West Springfield donated 200 St. Patrick’s Day goody bags to Mont Marie Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center located in Holyoke. These bags included St. Patrick’s Day treats and a little leprechaun for some festive spirit. These donations were distributed to the staff and residents of the healthcare center for their holiday party.

Mont Marie Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center offers clinical services and specialized programs for the rehabilitation of their residents.

Visiting Angels is a home-healthcare service that offers senior in-home care, elderly care, and care for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s. It serves towns across the Pioneer Valley and the Greater Springfield area, including Springfield, West Springfield, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Agawam, Ludlow, Westfield, Southwick, Chicopee, Feeding Hills, Indian Orchard, Holyoke, Southampton, and Montgomery. To learn more about its in-home care services or to schedule a free assessment, call (413) 733-6900.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through a program called Difference Makers.

The 2021 Difference Makers include Kristin Carlson, president of Peerless Precision; EforAll Holyoke; Janine Fondon, founder of UnityFirst.com and professor at Bay Path University; Harold Grinspoon, philanthropist and founder of Aspen Square Management; Chad Moir, founder and owner of DopaFit Parkinson’s Movement Center; Bill Parks, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield; and Pete Westover, founder and partner at Conservation Works, LLC.

The 13th annual Difference Makers celebration will be a virtual event taking place on Thursday, April 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. This event, like our hugely successful Women of Impact celebration in January, be presented using the REMO platform, and will feature networking, videos of the event sponsors, introductions of the honorees, and comments from the Difference Makers themselves.

RSVP before March 30 by clicking here. For a helpful tutorial on working with REMO, click here. For more information and links to the stories about our honorees, click here.

The sponsors for this year’s program are Burkhart Pizzanelli, the Royal Law Firm, TommyCar Auto Group, and United Way of Pioneer Valley. The Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament is a nonprofit partner.

Daily News

LONGMEADOW — Bay Path University announced plans to welcome students back to a fully operational, in-person campus for the fall 2021 semester. This decision is based on the increase and availability of COVID-19 vaccines, the continued decline in COVID cases, and the steps put in place at Bay Path over the past year to keep the campus safe. The university will continue to follow guidelines, take precautions, and prepare with all necessary contingencies for reopening as guided by the CDC and state requirements.

“Over the past year, as we managed the many implications of the pandemic, our number-one guiding principle has been the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff, and this will continue to be our priority,” said Sandra Doran, president of Bay Path University. “In looking ahead, we are very optimistic about the fall. As students and parents are making decisions about college enrollment and housing, it’s important we share our plan for in-person learning and our commitment to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for our returning, new, and prospective students on campus.”

The university’s initial fall plans include the opening of all residential halls, increasing the number of classes held in-person, a fully operational dining common, on-campus student clubs and activities, as well as a fall athletic season.

“There is no greater joy than connecting and meeting with our students,” Doran said. “We are ready, eager, and excited to have more students join us on campus this fall for their educational journey.”

Bay Path University accepts students on a rolling admission. For information regarding enrollment for the fall semester, visit the university’s website, or contact the Office of Admissions at (413) 565-1331 or [email protected]. In addition to the on-campus, in-person option, Bay Path will continue to offer online learning and hybrid models to meet students’ needs.

Daily News

WARE — Country Bank announced that Russ Fontaine has been promoted to senior vice president, Customer Experience. He is a seasoned banking professional with 30 years of experience in key management and leadership roles in consumer sales and service.

Fontaine previously held the position of first vice president, Sales and Market Management with Country Bank, where he oversaw sales and service. One example of a new program introduced by the bank, as a result of Fontaine’s recommendation, was the deployment of a “Voice of the Customer” program that enables the bank to measure and better understand the overall customer experience through various survey metrics.

In his newly created role, Fontaine is tasked with leading a bankwide collaborative effort to view things from the customer’s perspective; this applies to both the bank’s external customer and its internal customer. “This increased focus of looking at things through the lens of the customer will strengthen Country Bank’s ability to deliver a best-in-class customer service experience and, as a result, attract new customers for the bank while deepening the relationships of existing ones,” he said.

Mary McGovern, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Country Bank, noted that, “for over 170 years, providing excellent customer service has been a hallmark value and priority for Country Bank. In today’s ever-changing, dynamic customer-service landscape, customer-facing companies must ensure that the entire customer experience is a primary focus. Russ exemplifies Country Bank’s iSTEP corporate values of integrity, service, teamwork, excellence, and prosperity, and is the perfect person to fill this new role.”

Fontaine is active within the community, serving on the board of directors for the Central/Western Massachusetts March of Dimes and as a 2021 co-chair for the March for Babies fundraising event in Massachusetts. He has also served on the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity board of directors, including holding the chair role for the organization’s Restore committee. Additionally, he has been an avid supporter of the United Way and the Western Massachusetts Special Olympics.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Strain LLC, a minority-led corporation, has proposed a 2,500-square-foot adult recreational marijuana dispensary at 711 Boston Road (lower level) in Springfield’s Pine Point neighborhood. Springfield Strain has met all the criteria set forth by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission for a social/equity empowerment program dispensary with 100% minority investors. The dispensary will be locally owned and operated.

According to the company, the dispensary will offer sales of high-quality cannabis products as well as product consultation and education in a safe, secure environment.

Eddie Corbin, president of the Springfield Strain board of directors and former chief Procurement officer for the city of Springfield, noted that investors, the board of directors, and construction contractors are all minorities, adding that, “in my professional experience, this may well be a first.” In addition, all but one of the board members are Springfield residents.

As part of a host-community agreement, Springfield Strain will give 30% of its net profits to the city of Springfield and 3% to the Pine Point Citizens Council. The organization also plans to establish educational trade programs for local students.

The city of Springfield plans to announce the marijuana companies selected for negotiations on April 12.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Thomas Hull, associate professor of Mathematics at Western New England University (WNEU), recently published his latest book, Origametry: Mathematical Methods in Paper Folding. In his book, Hull takes a deep dive into the math behind origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding.

“This is the first book of its kind,” he said. “Origami can be studied with math in many ways, such as using geometry, calculus, or matrices. This is the first book that brings all these different approaches together to streamline them into a cohesive theory.”

Hull’s research uses graph theory, combinatorics, geometry, and other areas of math, with applications in engineering, materials science, art, and education. He is a leading expert on the mathematics of origami, having given talks on this topic all over the world.

“Interest in origami has been increasing over the past eight years, especially among engineers and physicists,” he said. “They see origami-inspired mechanisms as novel ways to do things like deploy large structures — such as solar panel arrays — into outer space or to make nanoscale robots. This book gathers the math needed to study such applications in one place.”

Hull has been practicing origami since he was 8 years old and studying the mathematics behind origami for the past 30 years. He holds both a PhD and a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Rhode Island and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Hampshire College.

Several of the origami models he has invented are well-known among origami artists, including his ‘five intersecting tetrahedra’ model, a star-like structure, featured on the cover of his new book, which the British Origami Society voted as being one of the top 10 origami models of all time.

“The book took over 10 years to write,” he said. “In addition to the fundamentals of origami math, it also contains research that I did with undergraduate students at Western New England University.” Hull often brings the art of origami into his math classes, and every year he has undergraduate students working with him on origami-related research. In the fall 2021 semester, he will offer a math course at WNEU on the mathematics of origami, using his new book as a guide.

“Faculty like Dr. Hull who take part in research and discovery are actively participating in their field and have access to cutting-edge insight in the subject matter they teach,” said Curt Hamakawa, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “By sharing that insight in the classroom — in this case incorporating origami lines and 3D configurations to teach math — they bring life to the academic world and provide the opportunity for students to witness the evolution of an industry.”

Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — West Springfield Drive-In, in partnership with Eastern States Exposition, will open on Friday, April 23 on the Big E Fairgrounds. The drive-in will feature two 45’ by 60’ screens and be able to accommodate 300 cars each, in a safe and socially distant family experience. The drive-in, to be located in the Gate 9 parking area, is authorized to show new-release content, once available, as well as special livestream concerts and other events.

The drive-in will be open on weekends through the springtime and then seven days a week during the summer season through Labor Day. Movies will begin at a time consistent with sunset. Closing for the Big E, scheduled for Sept. 17 to Oct. 3, the drive-in will then reopen October through December for holiday-themed experiences. Movies will be announced weekly, and ticket sales will be available at the time of the announcement. In addition, a full concession stand will also be available for guests to enjoy not only popcorn, but popular fair foods such as fried dough, fried Oreos, and cotton candy.

“We are pleased to bring this safe and socially distant family experience to the residents of West Springfield and the surrounding communities,” said EJ Dean, president of FestEvents. “During the global pandemic, we successfully operated several drive-in theaters across the state of Massachusetts, and we are grateful our partner, the Eastern States Exposition, is maximizing the use of the fairground space for the benefit of those in the community.”

Gene Cassidy, Eastern States Exposition president and CEO, added that “our fairgrounds is the perfect setting for a drive-in theater, and we are excited to welcome movie fans in April. Some may recall the Memorial Drive-In, just down the street. We are delighted to carry on that tradition of safe, family fun and look forward to working with EJ and the FestEvent team.”

Hiring for the West Springfield Drive-In is underway. Visit www.wsdrivein.com for details, or connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/westspringfielddrivein.

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — On Tuesday, March 30 from 1 to 2 p.m., Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz will join Community Growth Partners and Rebelle CEO Charlotte Hanna, alongside members of ROCA, to celebrate the commencement of construction and a flag raising at the site of a soon-to-be-opened cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facility.

The facility will be housed inside a 23,000-square-foot building at 20 Ladd Ave., which was formerly used to manufacture rifle silencers and accessories. This ceremony will signify a partnership between these organizations; the facility is expected to provide 50 new jobs in Northampton and employment opportunities for members of ROCA, which helps create pathways into the cannabis industry for those negatively impacted by the marijuana laws of the past.

Community Growth Partners is a fast-growing, vertically integrated, woman- and minority-owned cannabis company dedicated to empowering communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis criminalization. It focuses on East Coast cannabis opportunities in limited-license states, and its flagship store in the Berkshires is the closest adult-use retail location to New York City. Current growth initiatives include a pending craft-grow license in Illinois, a wholesale and delivery license in Massachusetts, and Rebelle’s new lifestyle-focused line of cannabis products and accessories that will launch in 2021.

Daily News

LONGMEADOW — Second Chance Home Care, located at 200 North Main St., Suite 4 South, East Longmeadow — a non-medical home-care agency that serves the elderly, special-needs, and autism population — held a grand-opening ceremony on March 18. Town Manager Mary McNally was in attendance to cut the ribbon and welcome Veronica Anderson, director of Second Chance Home Care, to East Longmeadow.

“We are proud to open our second location here in East Longmeadow,” Anderson said. “Second Chance Home Care was founded in 2011 with the goal of providing individuals and their loved ones with personalized, in-home care services. We are excited to be serving Hampden County. The peace of mind for our clients is paramount, and we are hopeful families will continue to see the advantages of keeping their loved ones independent in their homes and communities.”

Second Chance Home Care recently received accreditation from the Home Care Alliance. Agencies seeking accreditation are required to submit documentation to show that they meet standards established by the alliance. The standards were developed over several months in consultation with an advisory task force representing agencies throughout the Commonwealth. Training requirements, administrative protocols, and business practices are among the categories that the alliance reviews for accreditation.

Second Chance Home Care provides a full spectrum of home-care services ranging from assistance with daily living, special needs, and autism respite services to just a little help at home.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Square One announced the promotion of Melissa Blissett to vice president of Family Support Services.

A native of Springfield, Blissett joined Square One in 2014 as a Springfield College School of Social Work intern. Upon graduation in 2015, she joined the agency’s Healthy Families and Supervised Visitation programs. In 2017, she went to work as a Child and Family Law Division social worker for the Committee for Public Council Services in Springfield. In 2018, she returned to Square One as assistant vice president of Family Services.

“We conducted an extensive search to fill this important role,” said Dawn DiStefano, Square One president and CEO. “It came as no surprise that Melissa rose to the top of the applicant pool. She brings the perfect balance of compassion, expertise, and solid leadership to every project and program she touches. It is an honor to have her on our team.”

Blissett graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in psychology and developmental disabilities. She earned her master of social work degree from Springfield College, where she currently serves as an adjunct professor. She is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and actively volunteers for the Reading Success by 4th Grade initiative.

“Working at Square One is truly fulfilling,” Blissett said. “Not only can I support families in our community as they work to become more independent, I can also influence the professional and educational growth of our staff and the agency’s commitment to addressing racial equity. My background at Square One has allowed me to develop the skills and passion to help realize the vision of the agency and the goals of our Family Services programming.”

Square One currently provides early-learning services to more than 500 infants, toddlers, and school-age children each day, and family support services to 1,500 families each year, as they work to overcome the significant challenges in their lives. The large majority of Square One families come from situations involving poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, and other significant barriers that may inhibit their ability to get their children off to a good start in life.