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

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Daily News

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, a college ranking system.

Academic Influence consists of academics and data scientists who use artificial-intelligence technology to analyze publicly available data and measure the impact of work produced by the world’s top academic influencers. 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.

“We’re honored and delighted to be ranked as one of the best community colleges in Massachusetts and the nation,” STCC President John Cook said. “I applaud our talented faculty and staff for their dedication and commitment to STCC and going the extra mile to help our students succeed. Many of our faculty bring real-world technical experience into the labs and classrooms. Their expertise, combined with their caring approach to working with students, makes STCC truly shine as a wonderful and unique institution.”

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.

“Our approach highlights community colleges that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size,” according to a description on the Academic Influence website. “If you are serious about finding the best community colleges for an associate’s degree or professional certification, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence.”

HCC Ranked Among Best Community Colleges in U.S.

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Daily News

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.”

Bradley International Airport Launches Non-stop Service to Nashville

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Daily News

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announced the launch of Southwest Airlines flights from Bradley International Airport to Nashville International Airport (BNA) in Tennessee.

“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.”

Flights are available for booking at www.southwest.com. Southwest Airlines has been operating at Bradley International Airport for more than 20 years.

Country Bank Partners with Seven Local Banks on Virtual Credit for Life Program

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Daily News

WARE — Country Bank announced it has partnered with seven other local banks to transform the Credit for Life program from an on-site event to a virtual event. Credit for Life, a popular financial-literacy program, has been offered for more than a decade within many Massachusetts public schools.

With most, if not all, schools adopting a virtual learning model for students, Credit for Life organizers connected last summer to explore a virtual experience in 2021. As part of the virtual transformation, organizers enlisted FitMoney.org, a nonprofit financial-literacy organization, to serve as the key fiscal agent, and Stackpole & Partners of Newburyport for the design and implementation of an interactive website. Contributing partners are Country Bank, Institution for Savings, Cape Cod 5, Bay Coast Bank, HarborOne Bank, the Savings Bank, Rockland Trust, and Westfield Bank.

During the half-day, online Credit for Life Fair, students will assume the role of a 25-year-old adult and be asked to make financial decisions on how to spend their money.

“The Credit for Life Fair is one of the most important and impactful events we offer every year,” said Jodie Gerulaitis, vice president of Community Relations at Country Bank. “We are honored to be able to partner with other local banks to make the fair a reality again for students. The interactive website is a tool that educators and others can use in the current learning environment. Teachers are being asked to do so much right now, this is just one small way we can offer our support.”

Development of the website is in the final stages; the group is hopeful that the site will be ready for use by high schools toward the end of March. In addition, the partnership group is also in the process of establishing a 501(c)(3) that will allow for the ability to raise funds and plan for future school financial-literacy initiatives similar to creditforlife.org.

Elms College to Host Inaugural Distinguished Lecture in Ethics on March 24

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Daily News

CHICOPEE — The St. Augustine Center for Ethics, Religion, and Culture (CERC) at Elms College will hold its inaugural Distinguished Lecture in Ethics on Wednesday, March 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. Due to COVID-19 protocols, this event will be held virtually via Zoom.

The highlight of the event will be the keynote speech by the Rev. James Keenan, vice provost for Global Engagement, Canisius professor of theology, and director of the Jesuit Institute at Boston College.

The title of Keenan’s lecture is “Finding God in the Twin Pandemics: Theological Reflections on the Role of the University in the Age of COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter.”

“The inaugural Distinguished Lecture in Ethics will examine the role that colleges and universities play in healing the various infections — viral and social alike — affecting the health and dignity of the communities they serve,” said Peter DePergola II, executive director of the CERC and Shaughness Family chair for the Study of the Humanities at Elms.

The St. Augustine Center for Ethics, Religion, and Culture was launched in October 2020 to increase engagement and discourse on the most pressing and complex questions related to ethics, religion, and culture in today’s society, and to lead the regional community in thoughtful, engaging dialogue.

“Since its founding in 1928 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, Elms College has served as a scholastic clearinghouse that unites individuals together in the common pursuit of addressing fundamental ethical, religious, and cultural issues related to identity, responsibility, and meaning,” DePergola said.

A Jesuit priest since 1982, Keenan received a licentiate and a doctorate from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He has edited or written 25 books and published more than 400 essays, articles, and reviews. Currently, he is writing another book, A Brief History of Catholic Ethics.

This free event is open to the public. Visit www.elms.edu/events/cerc-lecture to register. A Zoom link will be sent to all participants prior to the lecture.

Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity Partners with Union Tradeswomen

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Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Habitat for Humanity Women Build Week event, sponsored by Lowe’s, is an opportunity to spread the positive and powerful message of “women helping women” and facilitate in building stronger and safer communities.

During the weeklong event, which began March 8, women from all walks of life and skill levels have come together to work on a job site. Under the guidance of construction professionals, the group learns new skills and/or adds to their repertoire.

At Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH), the event has been a staple for several years teaming up with Lowe’s. This year, GSHFH has partnered with Western Mass. Tradeswomen to empower and encourage women volunteers to become involved on the build site.

“This is an awesome opportunity to showcase the skills of women and prove gender shouldn’t dictate capability,” said Brandice O’Brien, Marketing and Communications manager at GSHFH. “Whether the women on these build sites are construction workers or volunteers, they are simply ‘women helping women.’ The house they are working on is for a single mother.”

Western Mass. Tradeswomen is a network of female construction workers in Western Mass., Northern Conn., and Worcester. The majority of the women are in unions. They meet regularly to support one another, build their labor movement, and promote union construction careers for girls and women. The group began several years ago on the construction site of what is now MGM Springfield, where, because of a project labor agreement, workforce-diversity goals were consistently met by contractors.

“It has been a joy to get to work on a project with my sisters this week. We are skilled professionals, we love what we do, and it has been really fun to get to share that together,” said Amy Calandrella of Western Mass. Tradeswomen, who organized the tradeswomen volunteers for this year’s Women Build Week. She is a journeyman operating engineer with International Union of Operating Engineers Local 98 and serves on the board of the Western Massachusetts Area Labor Federation.

During Women Build 2021, GSHFH construction crew and volunteers are working on a two-story, four-bedroom house in Springfield for single mother Ana and her children. Volunteers help with inside finish work, painting, installing cabinets and countertops, building the front-porch rails, and putting in the walkway.

GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through homeownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. Habitat’s mission to provide homeownership opportunities to low-income families is unique as it requires partner families to work alongside the community that is reaching out to help them. GSHFH has helped roughly 100 local families realize their dream of homeownership over the last 33 years.

HCC, Happier Valley Comedy to Offer ‘Establishing Resilience: Building Happiness’

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — 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 on Saturday, April 10 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.

“Finding more joy in 2021 is a priority for me,” said Michele Cabral, HCC’s executive director of Business, Corporate and Professional Development. “As a participant in Pam’s 30-day ‘Happiness Experiment,’ I can tell you without doubt that this class is for everyone. In this single session, participants will get an introduction into the full program, while Pam shares many useful tips and resources to help people get an uplifting start to the new year.”

Happier Valley Comedy, based in Hadley, is the region’s first and only comedy theater and training program.

Therapeutic Equestrian Center to Host Virtual Film Festival

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — 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.

Jordan Hart Named Executive Director of Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce has named Jordan Hart its new executive director.

“Jordan brings a longtime commitment to Holyoke and to the chamber to her new position,” said Harry Montalvo of bankESB, the chamber’s board chair. “We are looking forward to her leadership in mapping out new strategies to work with our members as we emerge from the challenges of the past year.”

Hart will replace Andréa Marion in the role. Marion recently announced her departure to pursue other opportunities.

“It is such an honor to serve our membership as their new executive director,” Hart said. “I have gotten to know many of our members and business leaders in our community since I started at the chamber in 2013, and I look forward to bringing vibrancy and presence to our membership through new programming and collaborations as we emerge from the limitations imposed by the pandemic. And, of course, I’ll be excited to start seeing our members in person again soon.”

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.

“It’s great to see Jordan Hart take the reins of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce at this critical time,” said Aaron Vega, director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development. “Jordan has been actively involved in every aspect of the chamber’s work for over seven years. I know Jordan is passionate about our city, supporting current business and attracting new businesses here. As director at the Office of Planning and Economic Development, I look forward to working with Jordan in her new role.”

State Awards $3.2 Million to Prepare Prime Sites for Revitalization

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Daily News

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration announced $3,184,000 in funding for 10 projects in the fifth annual round of Site Readiness Program awards. These awards provide resources to help municipalities, private-sector businesses, and nonprofit economic-development entities overcome obstacles to developing otherwise prime sites for large-scale industrial and commercial use.

The funding will finance pre-development work including feasibility studies, master planning, environmental work, strategic land acquisition, and site improvements, increasing the development potential of nearly 900 acres across the Commonwealth.

“Our administration is committed to helping communities achieve their economic-development goals, and we will continue to work with the public and private sectors to ensure Massachusetts remains a great place to do business,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “The Site Readiness Program addresses both goals by helping local partners advance key sites to shovel-ready status, and we look forward to these awards supporting projects that create jobs and revenue in their communities.”

Four of the projects are based in Western Mass., including:

• The Belchertown Economic Development and Industrial Corp. will use $804,000 in Site Readiness funds for the abatement and demolition of the disused power plant at Carriage Grove. When cleared, the one-acre site will become a development pad or a parking area to support the development of an adjacent 15-acre industrial district.

• The town of Palmer will use $280,000 in Site Readiness funds to design the replacement of the Church Street Bridge over the Ware River. The bridge provides direct access to the village of Thorndike and is critical to the redevelopment of the Thorndike Energy Mill Complex.

• The Pittsfield Economic Development Authority will use $880,000 in Site Readiness funds to complete the design, environmental permitting, and bid-ready documents for the construction of an internal site roadway, utilities, and stormwater facilities for this 16.5-acre parcel known as Site 9. The funds will be used for engineering and design services as well as crushing existing pavement on the site, which is expected to accommodate 282,000 square feet of industrial uses and open space.

• The town of Southwick will use $105,000 in Site Readiness funds to evaluate the feasibility of extending a road connection between existing industrial areas along Hudson Drive and Sam West Road, thereby creating new development sites for industrial uses. The funds will also be used to study the potential extension of municipal sewer service to the area.

Monson Savings Bank to Host Five Free Community Shred Days

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Daily News

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank announced it will host five of its popular, free Community Shred Days in 2021, and all are welcome. The events, one Shred Day taking place at each branch location, have been scheduled to begin on March 27, with the last on Aug. 7.

As in past years, Monson Savings Bank is partnering with PROSHRED of Wilbraham for this series of events welcoming the public to discard their documents in a safe and secure manner. This is a perfect opportunity to dispose of unwanted documents such as tax returns, bank or credit-card statements, bills, or medical records. Pre-packaged refreshments and giveaways will be available while supplies last. Health and safety protocols will be carefully followed. All visitors are asked to practice social distancing and will be required to wear a mask.

Monson Savings Bank’s free Community Shred Days will take place on the following dates and locations, all from 9 a.m. to noon:

• March 27, 15 Somers Road, Hampden;

• May 22, 136 West St., Ware;

• June 5, 100 Post Office Park, Wilbraham;

• June 26, 61 North Main St., East Longmeadow; and

• Aug. 7, 146 Main St., Monson.

“The protection of personal information and data is extremely important to us here at Monson Savings Bank, and we are happy to have partnered with PROSHRED to provide this complimentary opportunity to not only our customers, but to all community members,” said Dan Moriarty, president and CEO. “All are welcome to visit Monson Savings Bank and the PROSHRED trucks during the scheduled events, to bring their materials they would like to discard of securely.”

Wistariahurst to Host ‘Spring Things with Patti Steinman’ on March 24

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — On Wednesday, March 24 at 2 p.m., Wistariahurst will present “Spring Things with Patti Steinman,” a live, virtual program on Zoom. This program is open to all members of the public, but has been especially designed to address the needs of area seniors, many of whom continue to be socially isolated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is free to attend, but spaces are limited, and pre-registration is required.

Spring is a time for new growth, new migrants, and beauty all around. Participants will take a virtual tour of spring in New England by looking at wildflowers, birds, salamanders, and more with Patti Steinman of Mass Audubon.

Steinman is the education coordinator of Mass Audubon’s Connecticut River Valley Sanctuaries, based in Easthampton. She has worked in the environmental-education field for more than 30 years, developing, teaching, and overseeing adult programs, day camps, nature preschools, and special events.

The Alvarium Foundation is funding this program, which is also supported through a Community Development Block Grant to address, prevent, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is administered through the Holyoke Office of Community Development and has been planned in consultation with the Holyoke Council on Aging.

To register for “Spring Things with Patti Steinman,” visit www.wistariahurst.org or e-mail Eileen Maginnis at the Holyoke Council on Aging at [email protected]. To share an idea for a topic to be considered for a future Wistariahurst session, contact [email protected].

Massachusetts DUA Announces Additional Anti-fraud Identification Measures

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Daily News

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) announced it has implemented new security measures to speed up identity verification and protect claimant accounts. These measures also address the continued surge of fraudulent claim attempts.

The Department has contracted with the security vendor ID.me, a federally certified identity-verification provider that specializes in digital identity protection. ID.me will implement solutions designed to reduce wait times on identity verification issues for unemployment claimants.

This new mobile-friendly method of identity verification will help protect the integrity of the system and allow DUA to make payments more quickly to legitimate claimants. ID.me is being implemented for the traditional Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. The identity verification process for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides financial assistance to groups like the self-employed, is not undergoing any changes at this time.

The initial group of claimants who will benefit from the introduction of ID.me are those who are currently waiting for identity-verification issues to be adjudicated. ID.me will be added for new claimants in the coming weeks.

For all claimants clearing the ID.me process, a notice of approval will be issued from UI Online, and, if otherwise eligible, payments to the claimant will commence within several days.

DUA is also implementing additional multi-factor authentication (MFA) measures within the UI Online system to help reduce the risk of fraud and cybersecurity attacks. MFA is an authentication method that requires the user to provide an additional form of verification to gain access to a system. Generally, this is a code sent to the claimant’s cell phone or e-mail that the claimant must then enter to access UI Online. MFA is one aspect of a strong identity and access-management policy that strengthens access to these critical systems and reduces the likelihood of cybersecurity attacks.

UMass Amherst to Present Virtual Symposium on ‘Computing for the Common Good’

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Daily News

AMHERST — The UMass Amherst College of Information and Computer Sciences will present an all-virtual symposium on “Computing for the Common Good” on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 16-17, from noon to 5 p.m.

The symposium will feature keynotes, research talks, and interactive discussions on applying computing and data science to society’s big problems. Attendees will learn about the ways UMass researchers are applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computing at scale to serve the common good.

Click here to register via Zoom.

Springfield College Recognized for Pathways to Support Community-college Transfer

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Daily News

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.”

HCC Spring Session III Classes to Begin March 29

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — It’s not too late to sign up for spring session classes at Holyoke Community College. The final round of HCC’s Spring Flex Start series, Spring Session III, begins Monday, March 29, and runs for seven weeks. All spring-semester courses conclude by Wednesday, May 12.

Students who enroll for Spring Session III have the opportunity to take a variety of different classes in a wide array of academic areas and can earn as many as four credits per course for a lab science, such as biology or forensic science.

These accelerated spring courses are being offered in anatomy and physiology, anthropology, biology, communication, Earth science, education, engineering, English, English as a second language, forensic science, history, human services, marketing, math, nutrition, philosophy, political science, psychology, social science, and sociology.

HCC introduced two Flexible Fall start dates last semester to accommodate students as they adjusted to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Full spring-semester classes started Jan. 25 and run for 14 weeks. Spring Session II classes began Feb. 16 and run for 12 weeks. HCC will continue to offer multiple start dates during the fall 2021 semester.

“Students who are unsure whether starting in March is possible for them should contact the HCC Admissions office to meet one-on-one with an Admissions counselor,” said Mark Hudgik, director of Admissions. “If the March 29 start date doesn’t work, HCC has two summer sessions that begin on June 1 and July 6.”

Most spring-session classes are still either fully online or blended remote, which means they include both asynchronous lessons and real-time virtual instruction. A full list of classes for Spring Session II and III can be viewed at hcc.edu/spring.

HCC also offers weekly online information sessions for prospective students. Visit hcc.edu/visit-campus for dates and times or to sign up.

For more information or to apply, visit hcc.edu/apply, call (413) 552-2321, e-mail [email protected], or visit hcc.edu and click on the ‘Chat Now’ box.

Business Confidence Rises Again in February

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Daily News

BOSTON — The recovery of business confidence in Massachusetts picked up steam during February, driven by surging optimism among employers in their own company prospects and an increasingly bullish outlook among manufacturers.

The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index gained 4 points to 56.4 during a month marked by accelerating business reopenings and progress in the battle to moderate COVID-19.

The reading was 18 points higher than at the onset of the pandemic, but still 5.7 points shy of its level in February 2020. The Future Index portion of the BCI, which measures expectations for six months out, is now almost even with its reading of a year ago.

Massachusetts grew at a 7.9% annual rate in the fourth quarter, double the national pace. At the same time, the state unemployment stands at 7.4%, and hundreds of thousands of people remain out of work because of the public-health crisis.

“Business confidence has risen or remained steady in seven of the last nine months, giving Massachusetts the kind of measured optimism that will drive economic growth as the COVID-19 situation improves,” said Raymond Torto, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and chair of the AIM Board of Economic Advisors (BEA).

The AIM Index, based on a survey of more than 140 Massachusetts employers, has appeared monthly since July 1991. It is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. The Index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009.

The constituent indicators that make up the Business Confidence Index were all higher for the second consecutive month in February. Every indicator is now above 50 and in positive territory for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.

Employers’ confidence in their own companies rose 4.3 points to 59.0. It marked the fifth consecutive monthly increase for the Company Index.

The Massachusetts Index assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth climbed comfortably into optimistic territory, gaining 4.2 points to 54.3. The U.S. Index measuring conditions nationally rose 2.7 points to 50.4.

The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, was up 3.4 points to 51.8. The Future Index increased 4.6 points to 61.0.

The Employment Index gained 3.0 points to 55.6, suggesting that cautious employers may be looking to expand payrolls as soon as pandemic-driven restrictions are eased. A growing number of employers are reporting challenges with hiring skilled workers despite the relatively high state unemployment rate.

Confidence among manufacturing companies climbed 5.1 points to 56.2 during February, leaving it 5.2 points below its year-earlier level.

Medium-sized companies (57.8) were more bullish than large companies (55.5) or small companies (55.0). Companies in Western Mass. (56.9) have a slightly brighter outlook than those in Eastern Mass. (55.9).

Elmore Alexander, retired dean of the Ricciardi College of Business at Bridgewater State University and a BEA member, said higher-than-expected tax revenues in Massachusetts and moderating COVID-19 case numbers support the strengthening of business confidence.

“Much of the economy appears poised for growth once the pandemic is under control,” he noted. “At the same time, there are major sectors such as travel, tourism, and hospitality that still face a steep climb after losing more than a third of their jobs in the past 12 months.”

AIM President and CEO John Regan, also a BEA member, noted that COVID-19 has had a devastating and potentially permanent impact on women in the workforce. The percentage of women participating in the U.S. labor market in October 2020 was the lowest since 1988, and of the 9.8 million jobs that have not yet returned, 55% belong to women.

“In one year, COVID-19 wiped out a generation of progress and put the precariousness of being a woman in the modern American workplace into stark perspective,” he said.

Associated Industries of Massachusetts is asking employers to alter their policies to help women and other caregivers remain on the job during the pandemic. Recommendations include providing pay increases and advancement steps to women caregivers on schedule rather than penalizing those who have been on leave or working limited hours, and extending the time workers can be on leave.

Dr. David Brown to Lead Cooley Dickinson Health Care as Interim President, CEO

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Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Dr. David Brown has begun serving as the interim president and CEO at Cooley Dickinson Health Care. Brown steps in to lead the organization after Joanne Marqusee announced her resignation in January following seven years of service to Cooley Dickinson.

Brown, chief of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), will serve in an interim capacity while a search is conducted for a permanent president and CEO. The search process will be aligned with the Mass General Brigham United Against Racism priority and will include a diverse search committee and slate of candidates for consideration.

“We are so fortunate that Dr. Brown has enthusiastically agreed to serve as interim president and CEO,” said Fraser Beede, chair of the Cooley Dickinson Health Care board of trustees. “Dr. Brown’s personal and professional connections to Cooley Dickinson, along with his leadership experience and position at the MGH, offer Cooley Dickinson an extremely capable, respected leader during the transition.”

Brown, who has been a member of the Cooley Dickinson Health Care board of trustees since the Northampton hospital joined the MGH family in 2013, said he was excited by the opportunity to lead Cooley Dickinson. “I’ve seen the progress this organization made under Joanne Marqusee’s leadership, and I’m looking forward to building on her legacy.”

Beede and MGH President Dr. Peter Slavin agreed that the ideal interim CEO would know the community; be knowledgeable about Cooley Dickinson as well as the MGH, which are both part of the Mass General Brigham system; have management and leadership experience; and be willing to serve in an interim capacity.

“I have worked closely with David for many years in his leadership roles at the MGH,” Slavin said. “David is someone who is a wise, thoughtful and creative decision maker and problem solver. I am looking forward to working with him in his new capacity at Cooley.”

Brown will continue to oversee the MGH Department of Emergency Medicine as well as maintain his major administrative and committee roles at both MGH and Mass General Brigham. To ensure a smooth handoff of responsibilities, he has been meeting with Marqusee and the Cooley Dickinson senior leadership since Marqusee’s announcement.

“It has meant a lot to me, as someone who grew up in the Pioneer Valley, to serve as a trustee — and now as interim president and CEO — in support of the community that I love and where much of my family still lives,” he said.

After receiving his undergraduate degree at Princeton and then his medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1989, Brown began his career in emergency medicine as an intern at MGH, later becoming vice chair, then department chair. He is the MGH trustees professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a diplomate of both the American Board of Emergency Medicine and the American Board of Internal Medicine, and a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. He has also served for many years as the physician for the New England Patriots.

Finck & Perras Insurance Agency Welcomes Jennifer Ewers

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Daily News

FLORENCE — Finck & Perras Insurance Agency announced that Jennifer Ewers has joined its team as a business development specialist working primarily out of the agency’s Florence location. In this position, she will provide personal-lines insurance services for customers looking for homeowners, automobile, umbrella, and other coverages.

Ewers has more than 17 years of experience working in the Pioneer Valley with customers on their insurance needs. She will also continue her role working with several local nonprofit agencies, including her seat on the board of directors for the Cancer Connection and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County.

Jay Seyler Joins Greenfield Cooperative Bank as VP of Commercial Lending

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Daily News

GREENFIELD — Tony Worden, president and chief operating officer at Greenfield Cooperative Bank (GCB), announced that Jay Seyler has joined the bank as the new vice president of Commercial Lending. He will be based primarily in the King Street, Northampton office and aid the efforts of GCB’s Commercial Lending department, reporting directly to Michael Buckmaster, senior vice president of Commercial Lending.

“We are pleased to be able to add someone with Jay’s background and experience to our team,” Worden said. “He has spent his entire career in the Pioneer Valley and has a proven track record of working with local business owners to achieve their goals.”

With close to 35 years of commercial-banking experience, Seyler joins the GCB team from PeoplesBank in Holyoke, having previously worked at NUVO Bank and as a team leader at Westfield Bank for 11 years.

Seyler is also an active member of the community as a volunteer and former board member for the Drama Studio in Springfield, as well as a board member and past president of the East Longmeadow Rotary Club.

TUCKed In Eldercare, Care Management and Consulting Welcomes Katie Krupka

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Daily News

NANTUCKET — TUCKed In Eldercare, Care Management and Consulting recently welcomed Katie Krupka, gerontologist, certified senior advisor, and certified dementia practitioner, to its care-management team serving Western Mass.

As a geriatric care-management company, TUCKed In offers guidance to support clients to live their best lives as they age. Services include acting as a support system, making home visits and suggesting needed services, arranging and overseeing support services and outside agencies, coordinating medical services, coordinating transportation needs, evaluating alternative living options, providing caregiver stress relief and education, and advocating for the client and his or her family.

BusinessTalk with Peter Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House

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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 55: March 8, 2021

George O’Brien talks with Peter Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, the Delaney House, and other hospitality-related businesses

On this installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien talks with Peter Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, the Delaney House, and other hospitality-related businesses. The two discuss the state’s changing regulations and protocols for such businesses what they mean for this embattled sector of the economy. They also discuss when ‘normal’ might return and what it might look like, and also how the restaurant landscape will likely be altered long term by this pandemic. It’s must listening, so join us on BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Living Local.

 

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It’s Time to Nominate an Individual for the Alumni Achievement Award

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — 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. Only nominations submitted to BusinessWest on this form will be considered. 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. For your convenience, a list of 40 Under Forty Alumni can be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40-under-forty (scroll to the bottom).

Past winners include: 2020: Carla Cosenzi, president, TommyCar Auto Group (40 Under Forty class of 2012), and Peter DePergola, director of Clinical Ethics, Baystate Health (class of 2015); 2019: Cinda Jones, president, W.D. Cowls Inc. (class of 2007); 2018: Samalid Hogan, regional director, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (class of 2013); 2017: Scott Foster, attorney, Bulkley Richardson (class of 2011), and Nicole Griffin, owner, ManeHire (class of 2014); 2016: Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president, Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England (class of 2008); 2015: Delcie Bean, president, Paragus Strategic IT (class of 2008).

Bacon Wilson Announces Lisa Carpenter as Executive Director

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Bacon Wilson announced that Lisa Carpenter has joined the firm as the new executive director. She comes to Bacon Wilson with more than 20 years of experience in legal administration and management in the Kansas City area, with specialized skills and expertise in law-firm management and operations. She works directly with Bacon Wilson’s managing shareholder, Kenneth Albano, on all aspects of directing the firm’s five offices.

“Joining Bacon Wilson at this particular time — in the middle of a pandemic and during an important phase of the firm’s growth — is an exciting challenge,” Carpenter said. “I received a very warm welcome from the attorneys and staff, and I’m gratified to say that my prior experience in operations management has allowed me to hit the ground running on Bacon Wilson’s many projects.”

Before joining Bacon Wilson, Carpenter served as office administrator for Littler Mendelson P.C.’s Global Service Center in Kansas City, Mo., as well as its Kansas City local practice office. Littler Mendelson P.C. is an international labor and employment law firm with offices in more than 70 U.S. locations and 15 countries. Prior to that, Carpenter worked for 14 years in operations management at the Kansas City headquarters of Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP, a large international product litigation firm with more than 16 locations.

Carpenter holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Friends University and is a member of the Assoc. of Legal Administrators (ALA), where she has published multiple articles, including “Five Steps to Forming Business Partner Relationships” for Kansas City ALA publication the Hearsay, as well as “Nothing to be Afraid of … Successfully Requesting Vendor Proposals,” a piece on the request-for-proposal process for the ALA national publication ALA Currents.

HCC Student Miren Neyra Alcántara Honored as Newman Civic Fellow

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) student Miren Neyra Alcántara is the recipient of a Newman Civic Fellowship, which recognizes college leaders who demonstrate a commitment to finding solutions to challenges facing communities locally, nationally, and internationally.

Alcántara will join 212 college students from 39 states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico to form the 2021 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows, a program administered by Campus Compact, a Boston-based nonprofit working to advance the public purposes of higher education. The Newman Civic Fellowship is a year-long program for students from Campus Compact member institutions.

Alcántara — who was a finalist earlier this year for BusinessWest’s People’s Choice Young Woman of Impact Award — is a Latinx studies major at HCC and president of the college’s Latinx Empowerment Assoc. The LEA Club, as it is otherwise known, recently launched a book drive to stock a ‘Little Free Library’ the club is putting together for low-income families in the Holyoke Flats, one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods.

As LEA president, Alcántara spearheaded “Celebrating the Latinx Community,” a social-media campaign, and developed student-led panel discussions in collaboration with HCC’s Black Student Alliance and Holyoke’s Wistariahurst Museum.

She is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the college’s Student Advisory Board. She works as a peer tutor and volunteers with community organizations including Climate Change Theater Action, Common Share Food Co-op, and SPARK Reproductive Justice Now. She also teaches English to Central American immigrants through a program called Planting Literacy, an HCC collaboration with Head Start in Springfield.

She was nominated for the award by two of her professors, Vanessa Martinez and Raúl Gutiérrez.

“We’re very proud of Miren,” said Gutiérrez, coordinator of HCC’s Latinx Studies program. “HCC is lucky to have her. Her academic endeavors combined with her involvement and leadership in the community make her a necessary agent of change. She truly embodies the essence of an activist scholar. Her academic abilities, compassion, and leadership make her exactly what is needed in this world.”

Alcántara plans to graduate from HCC in December.

“I am so excited about the fellowship and this opportunity,” she said. “I plan to continue working on the LEA Club’s Little Free Library project. We are hoping to expand on it, add some workshops with the children, and adapt it in a way it becomes sustainable through the years as more students join and continue the club. I am also continuing my work with immigrant advocacy and Planting Literacy, as well as my recent involvement as a volunteer with the Women of Color Health Equity collective.”

Skoler, Abbott & Presser Welcomes New Attorney, Two Paralegals

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. recently welcomed attorney Jeremy Forgue and two paralegals, Jonathan Applefield and Tracy Belanger, to its team.

“It’s an exciting time of growth for us, and we are fortunate to find such exceptional talent to add to our team,” said attorney John Gannon, a partner at the firm. “Our recent hires bring a depth of experience to our firm and our clients. Employment and labor laws are ever-changing, and the pace has increased over the past year. Jeremy, Jonathan, and Tracy will allow us to keep our clients abreast and compliant with the latest regulations and look after their best interests.”

Forgue received his law degree from Western New England University School of Law, where he was drawn to business and employment law and was the managing editor of the university’s Law Review. Prior to joining Skoler Abbott, he was a law clerk for the Massachusetts Housing Court. He enjoys preparing employers for new and changing laws to prevent compliance issues, such as reviewing existing policies for vulnerabilities and assisting in open-forum discussions.

As a paralegal, Applefield provides broad administrative support to the attorneys and their clients. Before joining the firm, he worked for 16 years as a legal assistant in Manhattan, a job he held while earning graduate and postgraduate degrees in art history at Columbia University. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College in Maine.

Belanger, also a paralegal, earned her associate degree in administration of justice and a certificate of achievement with an emphasis on the law and public policy at Pasadena City College in California, where she was a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society. She then pursued her bachelor’s degree in criminology, law and society from the School of Social Ecology at the University of California Irvine, followed by completion of an ABA-accredited paralegal studies program and an externship at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Childcare Workers, K-12 Educators, School Staff Eligible for Vaccine Starting March 11

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Daily News

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration announced that childcare workers, K-12 educators, and K-12 school staff will be eligible to schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments starting Thursday, March 11.

This group of workers will join the currently eligible groups, including age 65+ and individuals with two or more certain medical conditions.

Educators may book appointments at all 170 sites currently open to eligible residents in Massachusetts by visiting www.mass.gov/covidvaccinemap.

Additionally, the COVID-19 Command Center will work to designate specific days at the seven mass-vaccination sites for educators to get their shots. More details will be released soon.

There are approximately 400,000 childcare workers, K-12 educators, and K-12 school staff in Massachusetts. Due to a severely constrained federal supply and the existing population that is currently eligible for vaccines, it is estimated that it will take a month for all eligible individuals to secure a first appointment. This timeframe is subject to change if federal supply increases dramatically, including the recently authorized Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

As more individuals have received a first vaccine dose across the Commonwealth, there is a greater need to book second appointments, so the mass-vaccination sites have fewer first-dose appointments available on a weekly basis.

Greenfield Savings Bank Announces Five Promotions

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Daily News

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) announced the promotions of Kim Alli to vice president and commercial loan officer, Andrew Bresciano to first vice president and commercial loan officer, Tina Flagg to assistant vice president and commercial loan administration manager, Panna Royal to vice president and senior network administrator, and Aleta Smith to commercial lending assistant.

Alli is responsible for meeting with local business customers to determine their financial needs and helping them with a wide range of commercial-loan products and services. Her position also includes developing new strategic relationships for business development, as well as establishing commercial account relationships with area small businesses and serving as an ambassador for the bank with the community. She is a member of the GSB PPP loan task force and the bank’s contributions committee.

Bresciano is responsible for working with local business customers to assist them with their credit needs, including commercial credit lines, commercial real estate and development loans, operational and equipment loans, and inventory loans. Last year, he was appointed to the leadership team managing the bank’s PPP loan task force.

Flagg is responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the loan assistants and loan-servicing specialists in the bank’s Commercial Loan department to ensure quality customer service. In addition to monitoring the department workflow, she performs a broad variety of duties related to the documentation, regulatory-compliance requirements, and servicing of commercial loans throughout their life cycle and provides customer service and administrative support to commercial-loan customers and lenders. She is also a member of the GSB PPP loan task force.

Royal will manage the maintenance of existing information systems and develop and implement the information-technology roadmap for the organization, as well as coordinating with other departments to understand business goals and challenges and implementing technology solutions to help the organization meet goals efficiently. She will also develop training programs for upgrades and system changes, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and participate in the hiring and training of the IT team.

Smith is responsible for gathering various documents and the information necessary for the underwriting and approval of commercial-loan transactions, as well as preparing commercial-loan documents, including commitment letters. She was a member of the first-round PPP loan task force, helping prepare customers’ documents. She has also been a participant of GSB shred fests, helping customers and the public prevent identity theft by shredding documents containing personal information.

Springfield College Office of Multicultural Affairs to Host Award-winning Author Today

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield College Office of Multicultural Affairs will host award-winning author, speaker, mentor, and teacher Manoucheka Celeste as part of the Cultural Connections Speaker Series today, March 4, starting at 6 p.m. Her virtual presentation will focus on race, gender, and representation. The Zoom ID for the presentation is 948-6026-5613.

Celeste is an associate professor in the Center for Gender, Sexualities, and Women’s Studies Research at the University of Florida. She is in the African American Studies Program and conducts research on media representations of race, gender, class, and sexuality, and on identity formation in the U.S. and the Caribbean, specifically in Haiti.

Her most recent work focuses on citizenship narratives surrounding blackness, black womanhood, and trans-national mobility. Her book Race, Gender, and Citizenship in the African Diaspora: Travelling Blackness received both the National Communication Assoc. Diamond Anniversary Book Award and its Outstanding Book Award, presented by the African American Communication and Culture Division and Black Caucus.

She is committed to critical scholarship on representations of blackness, which appear in academic journals as well in public venues, including the Seattle Times, the Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma, and Spark: Elevating Scholarship on Social Issues.

Celeste’s presentation is sponsored by Springfield College’s Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Multicultural Fund. The overarching goal of the Multicultural Fund is to support and encourage campus-based collaborations that promote social justice, antiracism, inclusion, and acceptance within the Springfield College community. Faculty, staff, students, and student clubs and organizations may apply for a grant through the fund in order to support these goals. More information can be found at springfield.edu/inclusion-and-community-engagement/multicultural-fund.

On the Move Forum to Advance Women Slated for March 8

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Daily News

LONGMEADOW — In honor of Women’s History Month in March and International Women’s Day on March 8, Bay Path University, Springfield Museums, and UnityFirst will present the fifth annual On the Move Forum to Advance Women on Monday, March 8 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

This year’s theme, “Women in Leadership: This Is What Change Looks Like — Past, Present, and Future,” offers virtual attendees an intergenerational, cross-cultural, gender-inclusive, and history-infused conversation focused on women. Now in its fifth year, the event has engaged more than 1,000 women in community conversations and presentations on women’s history, empowerment, and advancement.

This year’s event aligns with the priority theme of the 65th session of the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women, “Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World.” According to Catalyst, in 2020, women of color represented only 18% of entry-level positions, and few advanced to leadership positions. While white women held almost one-third (32.8%) of total management positions in the U.S. in 2020, Asian women (2.2%), black women (4.1%), and Hispanic women (4.5%) held a much smaller share.

The 2021 On the Move Forum will feature an opening perspective by Ariana Curtis, director of Content: Race, Community, and Our Shared Future: Reckoning with Our Racial Past at the Smithsonian Institution. The keynote presentation will be given by On the Move’s inaugural scholar, Laura Lovett, associate professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh and author of With Her Fist Raised: Dorothy Pitman Hughes and the Transformative Power of Black Activism. Her book is the first biography about Pitman Hughes, a trailblazing black feminist activist whose work made children, race, and welfare rights central to the 1970s women’s movement.

Lovett is currently co-editing a collection of essays on African-American women leaders who helped frame the U.S. answer to the call by the United Nations to identify a nationwide agenda for International Women’s Year. That book — It’s Our Movement Now: Black Women’s Politics and the 1977 National Women’s Conference — was co-edited by Kelly Giles, a sociology professor at UMass, and Rachel Daniel of Massasoit Community College, and features a chapter by On the Move founder Janine Fondon, chair of Undergraduate Communications and assistant professor at Bay Path University.

“As a college dedicated to the advancement of women, On the Move is a signature event that brings the community together to discover and learn about the women who have and are paving the way for all women,” said Sandra Doran, president of Bay Path University. “In addition, the event creates an opportunity to have safe, meaningful conversations about change, allowing all voices to be heard and all individuals to feel they belong.”

Kay Simpson, president and CEO of Springfield Museums, added that “the Museums, historically known as the People’s College, are proud to be a part of the conversation orchestrated by the On the Move Forum. As a gathering place for curious people, the Museums strongly support collaborative efforts to help us all engage through authentic educational and social experiences that foster connection.”

This event is free and open to the public and is hosted in collaboration with a range of organizations, including Springfield Museums, Women Innovators and Trailblazers, the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, Girls Inc. of the Valley, Arise for Social Justice, the African American Female Professors Assoc., NAMIC New England, Creative Futures, LLC, and others.

Registration is required. To register, visit baypath.edu/onthemove.

Holyoke Hummus Food Truck Comes to Resinate Northampton

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Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Holyoke Hummus and Resinate Northampton recently announced a new partnership. The Holyoke Hummus food truck is now serving in the parking lot of Resinate at 110 Pleasant St. in Northampton and is open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 7 p.m.

“We are so happy to be in partnership with Resinate,” said John Grossman, owner of Holyoke Hummus. “Our customers in Northampton have been so welcoming to us. We love building a second home here.”

Matt Yee, director of Retail at Resinate Northampton, added that “it’s a win-win for us. We provide a benefit to our customers, and we get to support another local business.”

Holyoke Hummus serves falafel, hummus, and other Middle Eastern treats. Delivery and online ordering are available at holyokehummus.com. The truck is also available for special events and catering.

John Pappas Named to Century Club at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Morgan Stanley announced that John Pappas, a senior vice president and financial advisor in its Wealth Management office in Springfield, has been named to the firm’s prestigious Century Club, an elite group composed of the firm’s top financial advisors. The appointment recognizes his consistent creativity and excellence in providing a wide range of investment products and wealth-management services to his clients.

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management provides access to a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses, and institutions, including brokerage and investment advisory services, financial and wealth planning, cash management and lending products and services, annuities and insurance, and retirement and trust services.

Dress for Success Western Massachusetts Announces Four New Board Members

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Dress for Success Western Massachusetts announced the addition of four new members to its board of directors.

“These women will be a great addition to our board,” said Jessica Dupont, the organization’s president. “They each bring a unique skill set and perspective to the organization. We are honored to have them join our leadership team and help us advance the organization.”

Nikki Burnett brings more than 20 years of program coordination, board management, and volunteer engagement to the Dress for Success board of directors. She is currently the executive director of Educare in Springfield and has also worked at the American Heart Assoc. and Baystate Medical Center.

Mariangeliz Fines-Delbrey is a previous client of Dress for Success and has worked for the last 13 years in patient care in the Springfield area, and is also a one-on-one special-education paraprofessional. She has been an advocate for patients and their families and has completed many trainings and certifications to further her education and ability to provide outreach to the community.

Jenary Merced is also a previous client of Dress for Success and brings a wealth of community work and volunteer experience to the board. She has worked in higher education for the last five years, most recently as a community outreach and admissions counselor at Springfield Technical Community College.

Myra Quick brings many years of experience in employee development and volunteer recruitment and is currently the CEO and president of Fast Forward Learning and Development. She holds certifications from the Society of Human Resources Management and the Assoc. for Training and Development, among others.

Dress for Success Western Massachusetts is part of a worldwide nonprofit organization whose overall mission is to help women journey toward self-sufficiency. More than suiting its clients, the organization offers programs including mentoring and interview training to area women seeking meaningful employment.

MCLA Professor and Author Caren Beilin Named 2021 Hardman Scholar-in-Residence

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Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — Caren Beilin, an assistant professor in the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) English & Communications Department, will offer a free community conversation via Zoom on Tuesday, March 9 at 5:30 p.m., in her role as this spring semester’s Hardman Scholar-in-Residence.

This event is free and open to the public; visit bit.ly/MCLAHardman to register. Beilin will also present a faculty talk via Zoom at noon on March 9.

Beilin is a creative writer working at the intersection of feminism and disability poetics. She is the author of the nonfiction book Blackfishing the IUD, a CLMP Firecracker Award nominee. Her other books include a memoir, Spain, and a novel, The University of Pennsylvania.

In addition to her work as a professor and author, Beilin has developed a new residency program in coordination with MASS MoCA that will invite young, emerging writers into the MCLA and North Adams community. Her talk will highlight this new programming and the ways the Hardman Special Initiative funding has been key to its launch.

Made possible through the Hardman Family Endowment, this series, which also includes the annual fall Hardman Lecture, presents in-depth discussions with some of the leading journalists of our time.

Christina’s House Gets a Hand with Giving a Hand Up

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Davis Foundation recently awarded Christina’s House with a $15,000 grant to do what it does best — giving a hand up to homeless and near-homeless women and their children. A largely underserved population, these women and their families will stay with Christina’s House for 18 months to two years while they establish healthy living habits, become employed, and earn a GED or job training for upward mobility in the workforce.

Paul Belsito, executive director at the Davis Foundation, and Magnus Monroe, grants and project manager, met with the organization in early fall to better understand how the foundation could support Christina’s House. The Davis Foundation, long known in the community for its educational agenda, found a fit, and the board voted to approve and provide much-needed funds to help the organization through a tough year.

“Each family represents a corner of our community where services don’t reach,” said Shannon Mumblo, executive director at Christina’s House. “Largely overwhelmed by life circumstances, we find them managing on their own as head of household with little or no income.” Sometimes they are doubled up with families or friends, she explained, or in an abusive environment. Sometimes their only warmth and comfort is their community church. “We find them there.”

Linda Mumblo, founder and president of the organization since 2014, is well-known for describing this much-needed intervention like this: “we give them a hand up, not a handout.”

Christina’s House provides transitional housing and social services for homeless or near-homeless mothers and children. It educates, embraces, and encourages families in the program with the life skills needed to become self-sufficient as they transition from homelessness to stable environments. The organization also helps each mother seek, obtain, and maintain employment once accepted into the program, and promotes occupational advancement through résumé writing and job-skills training.

Picture This

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Picture This

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

 

 

Paws in the Workday

Monson Savings Bank recently arranged to have a certified and trained therapy dog, Rose, visit all locations to give a little comfort, relief, support, and — of course — cuddles.  Rose and her owner, Tammy Warren, visit with Nicole Shea, customer service associate at the bank’s Hampden branch.

 

 

 

Community Support

Throughout December, Freedom Credit Union partnered with its members and the local community to raise funds online to benefit the Pioneer Valley USO. Freedom matched total donations up to $2,500, helping to raise a grand total of $7,500. Pictured: Freedom President and CEO Glenn Welch, holds the check with Vice President of Retail Administration Kara Herman. (Photo courtesy of Market Mentors)

 

 

Art of the Matter

 

After retiring from her career as professor and Communication Department chair at American International College in 2018, Mary Ellen Lowney, who also works part-time as the Communications and Community Relations manager for the Springfield Housing Authority, decided to add watercolor to her world. “I started painting in March 2019, more or less on a lark,” she said. She has developed her talent under the tutelage of Joan Nelson, who has a studio in Indian Orchard. “Painting is a fairly new hobby for me,” Lowney said. “I am finding it to be relaxing, creative, and very rewarding.”

 

 

 

Agenda

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Agenda

On the Move Forum to Advance Women

March 8: In honor of Women’s History Month in March and International Women’s Day, Bay Path University, Springfield Museums, and UnityFirst will present the fifth annual On the Move Forum to Advance Women from 10 to 11:30 a.m. This year’s theme, “Women in Leadership: This Is What Change Looks Like — Past, Present, and Future,” offers virtual attendees an intergenerational, cross-cultural, gender-inclusive, and history-infused conversation focused on women. Now in its fifth year, the event has engaged more than 1,000 women in community conversations and presentations on women’s history, empowerment, and advancement. This year’s event aligns with the priority theme of the 65th session of the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women, “Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World.” According to Catalyst, in 2020, women of color represented only 18% of entry-level positions, and few advanced to leadership positions. While white women held almost one-third (32.8%) of total management positions in the U.S. in 2020, Asian women (2.2%), black women (4.1%), and Hispanic women (4.5%) held a much smaller share. The 2021 On the Move Forum will feature an opening perspective by Ariana Curtis, director of “Content: Race, Community, and Our Shared Future: Reckoning with Our Racial Past” at the Smithsonian Institution. The keynote presentation will be given by On the Move’s inaugural scholar, Laura Lovett, associate professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh and author of With Her Fist Raised: Dorothy Pitman Hughes and the Transformative Power of Black Activism. This event is free and open to the public and is hosted in collaboration with a range of organizations, including Springfield Museums, Women Innovators and Trailblazers, the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, Girls Inc. of the Valley, Arise for Social Justice, the African American Female Professors Assoc., NAMIC New England, Creative Futures, LLC, and others. Registration is required. To register, visit baypath.edu/onthemove.

 

WMAS Radiothon to Benefit Baystate Children’s Hospital

March 9-10: Six-month-old Celine Grace Stewart spent the first 11 days of her life inside the Davis Neonatal Infant Care Unit (NICU) at Baystate Children’s Hospital. Hattie Avigliano also spent the first months of her life in the NICU at Baystate Children’s Hospital, arriving in the world 3½ months early and fighting for her life. These children and their families will share their miraculous stories of surviving and thriving during the 20th annual 94.7 WMAS Radiothon to benefit Baystate Children’s Hospital. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will not be held at the hospital this year, but broadcast live from the WMAS studios for two days from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. WMAS on-air personalities, led by the Kellogg Krew of Chris, Dina, and Lopez, will fill both days with encouraging stories, and listeners will get to know the professional team from Baystate Children’s Hospital who care for their kids, their grandkids, and their neighbors’ kids. To donate, the public can call the Lia Auto Group Phone Bank at (413) 794-1111, visit wmaskids.com, or text WMASKIDS to 51555. This year’s Radiothon will be held in remembrance of Jim Raimo, 94.7 WMAS team member and Radiothon supporter, who showed great dedication to Baystate Children’s Hospital.

 

Pynchon Award Nominations

Through March 19: The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts is seeking nominations from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties for the Pynchon Award, which recognizes Western Mass. citizens who have rendered distinguished service to the community. To nominate an individual, submit a one-page letter explaining why the nominee should be considered. Include biographical information, outstanding accomplishments, examples of service to the community, organizations in which the individual is or has been active, and the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least three people who can further attest to the nominee’s eligibility for induction into the Order of William Pynchon. The Pynchon trustees reserve the right to eliminate nominations from consideration due to insufficient information. Qualifying nominees will be considered and researched by the Pynchon trustees, who are the current and five past presidents of the Advertising Club. Nominations must be submitted by March 19 to William Pynchon Trustees, Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts, P.O. Box 1022, West Springfield, MA 01090-1022, or by e-mail to [email protected]. The 2021 recipients will be announced in June, with an awards ceremony tentatively scheduled for the fall.

 

Ubora, Ahadi Award Nominations

Through March 31: The Springfield Museums is seeking nominations for the annual Ubora Award and Ahadi Youth Award. These prestigious awards — conferred by the African Hall Subcommittee — are awarded to African-American people from Greater Springfield who have gone above and beyond in demonstrating commitment to the fields of community service, education, science, humanities, and/or the arts. The nomination deadline for both awards is March 31. The Ubora and Ahadi awards will be presented at a ceremony at the Springfield Museums in the fall. True to the Swahili word that comprises its name, the Ubora Award recognizes an adult of African heritage who exemplifies excellence in their commitment to creating a better community through service. In 2020, the Ubora Award was given to Rep. Bud Williams. Named for the Swahili word for promise, the Ahadi Youth Award is presented to a young African-American who excels in academics and performs admirable service to the Greater Springfield community. Eligible candidates must be age 19 or younger, live in or have strong ties to the Greater Springfield area, and be currently enrolled in grades 10, 11, or 12. In 2020, the Ahadi Award was given to Kareem Wedderburn. Nomination forms can be downloaded by visiting springfieldmuseums.org/ubora. Nominations may be e-mailed to [email protected] or mailed to African Hall Subcommittee, c/o Valerie Cavagni, Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards St., Springfield, MA 01103.

 

Fundraising Walk in Remembrance of Dave Stawasz

April: Western New England University (WNEU) faculty, colleagues, family members, and students are invited to participate in a commemorative event in memory of Assistant Vice President of Marketing Communications Dave Stawasz, who passed away peacefully on Jan. 28, surrounded by his family, after a courageous two-year battle with stage-4 colorectal cancer. Stawasz was a graduate of South Hadley High School and Syracuse University. His early career was as a news producer at WWLP and then later at WFSB. He joined the university in 2004. Steps for Stawasz is a virtual walk taking place throughout the month of April in his honor. Participants will log as many virtual steps as they can during the month by either walking or running while collecting donations along the way through friends and family sponsorships. By signing up, participants will receive a link to share on social media. From there, participants can create a personal giving page to collect donations and update progress. Details and instructions can be found at runsignup.com/race/ma/springfield/stawasz. Interested individuals can also make a direct donation on the website without participating in the walk. All proceeds will go directly to the Stawasz family.

 

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.

 

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.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Brendan Cawley

Brendan Cawley

Garrett Welker

Garrett Welker

Susan Stebbins

Susan Stebbins

Lisa White

Lisa White

Joseph LeMay

Joseph LeMay

Kara Graves

Kara Graves

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) recently welcomed Brendan Cawley and Garrett Welker to the firm. Cawley is a senior associate in the firm’s Taxation department. Prior to MBK, he worked on a variety of clients and industries as a manager at one of the Big Four national firms. He brings to MBK nearly 10 years of public accounting experience and a strong commitment to helping clients. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from Boston College and is an enrolled agent with the Internal Revenue Service. Welker is an associate in the Assurance department. He served for seven years in the U.S. Air Force and went on to become a finance manager at a privately held business in Western Mass. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in accounting from Westfield State University. MBK also announced four promotions: Susan Stebbins, CPA to senior manager; Lisa White, CPA to senior manager; Joseph LeMay, CPA to manager; and Kara Graves, CPA to employee benefit plan niche leader. Stebbins, who has been with MBK since 1997, focuses on taxation. In her new position, she will be preparing and reviewing returns, as well as managing several professionals within the firm’s taxation department. A CPA licensed in Massachusetts and Maryland, she is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA). She holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Bentley University. With more than 20 years of public accounting experience, White focuses primarily on federal and state income-tax compliance and planning within the construction and real-estate industries. In her new role as a senior tax manager, she will continue to mentor staff as well as manage the delivery of services directly to many clients. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Middle Tennessee State University and is a member of the AICPA and the MSCPA. She is a CPA licensed to practice in both Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, and in 2011 was named among the 40 Under 40: Members to Watch by the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs. LeMay joined MBK in 2015 and works with organizations throughout Western Mass. in industries such as manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, and other service organizations. In his new role as a manager, he will manage a team in the firm’s Accounting and Auditing department. In addition, he leads initiatives to provide the department with tech updates, serves as a mentor in the firm’s formal mentorship program, and is the leader for the firm’s wellness program. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Westfield State University and a master’s degree in accountancy from Westfield State University. He is a CPA and certified valuation analyst in the state of Massachusetts and is a member of the AICPA and the MSCPA. Graves, who has been with MBK since 2011 and has more than 14 years of experience in accounting and auditing, specializes in employee benefit plans and commercial audits. In her new position, she will be overseeing all of the plans, scheduling teams and field work, researching changes on standards for pension audits, implementing any necessary updates, and facilitating training and annual planning for pension audits. She is a licensed CPA in Massachusetts and holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Roger Williams University and an master’s degree in accountancy from Western New England University. She is a member of the MSCPA and CPAmerica. She serves on the audit committee for the United Way of Hampshire County.

•••••

Dawn Fleury

Dawn Fleury

Miriam Siegel

Miriam Siegel

Tom Wolcott

Tom Wolcott

Country Bank recently announced three executive promotions within the bank’s senior management team. Dawn Fleury, CPA, has been promoted to first senior vice president of Corporate Risk. Before joining Country Bank in 2012, she had a 21-year career with the FDIC as a commissioned senior bank examiner. In her current role, she oversees the bank’s comprehensive risk-management programs, including compliance, corporate risk, internal audit, BSA fraud, commercial credit, commercial loan workout, and residential collections. Miriam Siegel, CCP, CBP has been promoted to first senior vice president of Human Resources and chief diversity officer. When she joined Country Bank in 2018, she brought 26 years of professional experience as the senior vice president of Human Resources for United Bank. In her current role, she oversees all aspects of the bank’s human-resources initiatives, as well as driving talent-management strategies to lead the bank’s learning and development team. She serves on the board of Behavioral Health Network in Springfield and the Wilbraham Personnel Advisory Board. Tom Wolcott has been promoted to first senior vice president of the Commercial Lending and Business Banking divisions. He joined Country Bank in 2019 after a previous career in the financial-services industry that spanned more than three decades, including senior vice president roles at People’s United Bank, United Bank, Citizens Bank, and Fleet Bank, primarily in the Connecticut, Springfield, and Worcester markets. He has extensive expertise in managing diverse and complex commercial clients as well as assisting small businesses with creative solutions to help them achieve their financial goals.

•••••

Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems, announced the appointment of Dean Vitarisi as chief financial officer (CFO) at Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems. Vitarisi’s prior experience included executive-level finance positions with Essen Health Care, Trinity Health Of New England, Yale New Haven Health, St. Mary’s Health System, and St. Raphael Healthcare System. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Bryant University. He then completed an MBA from Quinnipiac University, followed by a master certificate in healthcare leadership from Cornell University School of Human Ecology.

•••••

The Valley Blue Sox announced that an alumnus of their 2016 season, Hezekiah (Hez) Randolph, will take over for John Raiola as head coach. Randolph has had a successful career in both high-school and collegiate baseball. He was a designated hitter and second baseman for the University of New Orleans Privateers, where he was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American in his freshman year and All-Louisiana First Team during his senior year. He joined the Blue Sox as a player in the summer of 2016, where he was selected for the New England Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game, in addition to earning second-team honors. He then went on to join the Blue Sox coaching staff as a hitting coach in 2018.

•••••

Peter Morales

Peter Morales

Country Bank announced that Peter Morales has joined its Innovation & Technology Division as senior vice president. Morales has held several technical leadership positions, most recently as vice president and chief information officer for an international educational organization supporting more than 45,000 students in more than 40 countries worldwide. He also held positions at New York University, (leading technology at the Law and Engineering schools), and the New York and American stock exchanges. Morales began his career developing diagnostic systems for the F18, the jet the Blue Angels currently fly. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, a master’s degree in engineering management, and a doctorate in computer science and information systems. He continues to teach in two master’s programs at NYU and is on the board of directors for several incubator startups and nonprofits.

•••••

Caitlin O’Connor

Caitlin O’Connor

Monson Savings Bank announced the hire of Caitlin O’Connor as vice president and marketing officer in the bank’s Marketing department. In her new role, she will oversee all aspects of the bank’s brand and business-line marketing, advertising, public relations, and communications efforts. She will also be responsible for establishing and implementing an effective, innovative, and comprehensive marketing plan that aligns with the bank’s vision, mission, values, and strategic goals. O’Connor has been in the banking industry for 13 years and has 17 years of experience in the marketing and design industry. She is a graduate of Mount Ida College in Newton, now a campus of UMass Amherst. Prior to joining Monson Savings Bank, she held the role of vice president and marketing manager of North Brookfield Savings Bank.

•••••

Jeff Liguori, co-founder and chief investment officer at Napatree Capital, announced the addition of Matt Landon as a partner. With more than 26 years of broad investment experience, Landon began his investment career at MassMutual Financial Group, rising to the role of managing director after a series of promotions. He was later recruited to senior positions at investment-industry leaders Fidelity Investments and T. Rowe Price. He also founded Intelligent Portfolio Services, an early mover in the robo advisor space. Most recently, he held senior advisor roles at Commonwealth Financial Network and LPL Financial, helping families and business owners pursue their financial goals. Landon has earned a reputation as a skilled investment practitioner and trusted advisor to his clients. As a dedicated student of the financial markets and lifelong learner, he has been awarded the prestigious chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation. Locally, he serves as a trustee at Veritas Prep Charter School and is a member of its finance and investment committees. As a lacrosse fan and enthusiast, he also serves on the board of the Longmeadow Boys’ Lacrosse Assoc. and still suits up for an occasional over-40 lacrosse game.

•••••

Alex Bennett

Alex Bennett

Pearson Wallace Insurance (PWI), with offices in Pittsfield, Amherst, and Boston, announced that Alex Bennett has been promoted to partner within the agency. Bennett has been with PWI from the beginning, most recently holding the position of vice president of Sales. He will continue to spearhead the growth of sales as well as become involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing from Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I., and started his insurance career at Liberty Mutual in personal-lines direct sales in the Greater Boston area.

•••••

Margaret Mack has joined Bulkley Richardson as a member of the law firm’s real-estate practice group. she earned her juris doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School in 2019 and a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from the Catholic University of America in 2016. Prior to joining Bulkley Richardson, Mack was an attorney at the Global 200 law firm of Fragomen, Del Ray, Bernsen, and Lowey in New York City and a law clerk at Seyfarth Shaw in Boston, ranked 75th and 74th, respectively, among all law firms globally. She was also a research assistant for Suffolk University Law School and a legal associate at Integreon, a global provider of alternative legal solutions to leading law firms, corporations, and professional service firms.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

Health Partners New England Acquires Providence Hospital

HOLYOKE — Mercy Medical Center announced it has sold Providence Behavioral Health Hospital to HPNE, which will operate the facility under the name MiraVista Behavioral Health and resume operations of the Acute Treatment Service (detoxification), Clinical Stabilization Service (post-detoxification), and outpatient services, including the Intensive Outpatient Program, court-ordered services, and the Opioid Treatment Program without interruption of service. Additionally, HPNE plans to establish inpatient psychiatric services at the facility, and is currently working with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to acquire licensure to provide up to 84 inpatient beds. The timeline for the opening of these inpatient beds is still being determined. Mercy Medical Center will assist colleagues who are affected by the sale, where possible, with Trinity transfers, statutory benefits for employment loss, referrals for alternative employment, and further educational opportunities, and through cooperation with MiraVista for those seeking employment with the new owner. Brightside for Families and Children will continue to provide services to the Western Mass. community under the umbrella of Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health Of New England. Offices will remain in the former Providence Behavioral Health Hospital building under a lease agreement with HPNE.

 

State Files $400 Million Bond Bill to Rebuild Holyoke Soldiers’ Home

HOLYOKE — The Baker-Polito administration recently filed “An Act Financing the Reconstruction of the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke,” which would provide $400 million in capital authorization for a major project to reconstruct the long-term-care facility at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. This bill provides the capital authorization that would allow the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) to construct a new facility on the site of the current Soldiers’ Home that would meet the needs of the veterans of Western Mass. and their families. The capital project is on an expedited timeline, necessitated by the April 15 deadline for the VA State Home Construction Grant Program, which would provide 65% matching federal funds. To meet that deadline, DCAMM must have this authorization available by April 1, which requires this bond bill to be enacted by mid-March, with a terms bill filed and enacted soon afterwards. The design-development phase must be completed by Aug. 1 to be eligible for this cycle of the grant program.

 

Happier Valley Comedy Offers Free Happiness Program

HADLEY — After the year nonprofit organizations have had, who couldn’t use more happiness? On March 1, Happier Valley Comedy launched its Free Happiness Program, through which nonprofits serving underrepresented, marginalized communities can apply for a free Happier Valley Comedy event. Organizations can apply for the local comedy theater to provide a free improv show or a personal/professional development training session, either online or in person, when it’s safe to do so. Happier Valley Comedy developed the Free Happiness Program as part of its ‘green-lining’ efforts, which aim to provide some balance for the historic, unjust ‘red-lining’ of BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) individuals in the greater worlds of comedy, personal and professional development, and beyond. Applications open on March 1 and will be awarded by Happier Valley Comedy’s board of directors on a rolling basis through the Free Happiness Program page at happiervalley.com. Organizations must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to apply. Preference will be given to local organizations serving underrepresented, marginalized, and/or BIPOC individuals.

 

Shakespeare & Company Plans to Open 500-seat Amphitheater

LENOX — Shakespeare & Company hopes to open a 500-seat amphitheater on its grounds this summer. Founded in 1978, the theater company attracts more than 40,000 patrons to Lenox annually. “We’ve been considering this particular location on the property for a long time as part of our strategic plan,” Artistic Director Allyn Burrows said. Demolition has already begun on the buildings occupying the space where the new performance space, currently known as New Spruce Theatre, will sit. The theater company hopes it will be completed in time for the opening of King Lear this summer. The open-air theater comes after a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic forced the company to suspend all of its in-person activities.

 

Elms College, Big Y Partner on COVID-19 Vaccinations

CHICOPEE — Elms College and Big Y Supermarkets have formed a partnership to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible residents in Western Mass. In coordination with the Elms College School of Nursing, Big Y has established two COVID-19 vaccination clinics. One clinic site is in the former Staples store located in the Big Y Plaza at 443 North Main St. in East Longmeadow. The second is located in the Big Y Plaza at 237 Mohawk Trail in Greenfield, in a space formerly occupied by a mattress store. More than 200 Elms College School of Nursing students — sophomores, juniors and seniors — are participating in this joint effort with Big Y to administer and schedule COVID-19 vaccinations. While some nursing students are administering the vaccines, others help monitor patients after the shots are administered. Elms nursing students also help patients schedule appointments for their second vaccine shot. For more information on the clinics, to see if you qualify, and to schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination, visit www.bigy.com/pharmacy/covid19-vaccine-faq.

 

Girls Inc. to Receive Proceeds from Sen. Warren’s Children’s Book

HOLYOKE — U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced that a portion of the proceeds from Pinkie Promises, her new children’s book debuting this fall, will go to Girls Inc. of the Valley, as well as several other Girls Inc. chapters in Massachusetts. The book features illustrations by Charlene Chua. “We are completely blown away by this incredible act of generosity from Senator Warren,” said Suzanne Parker, Girls Inc. of the Valley’s executive director. “For the senator to think of Girls Inc. in this way is so special, and we are humbled to be among the Massachusetts Girls Inc. affiliates to receive this honor.” Girls Inc. of the Valley aims to inspire all girls to see themselves as leaders with the skills and capabilities to improve and influence their local communities.

 

Bradley International Airport Named in USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announced that USA Today has named Bradley International Airport a winner in its 2021 10Best Readers’ Choice travel contest in the “Best Small Airport” category. Bradley placed seventh out of 15 airports that were selected by industry experts as the best across the nation. In response to COVID-19, the CAA has continued to enhance services at Bradley International Airport over the past year, aimed at providing a safe, clean, and comfortable travel experience. More information about the safety measures undertaken and what travelers can expect can be found at www.bdlcares.com. On its website, USA Today noted that Bradley International Airport “ranks as the second-busiest airport after Boston Logan, yet it remains a convenient option with on-site parking, lots of charging stations, free wi-fi, and proximity to both New York and Boston.” Bradley was chosen by a panel of industry experts for inclusion in the USA Today contest, which was followed by four weeks of public voting nationwide. This is the airport’s second national recognition within the year after placing as a top-10 airport in the 2020 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice survey.

 

GCC Introduces Scholarship for Frontline, Essential Workers

GREENFIELD — In response to the ongoing economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Greenfield Community College (GCC) has introduced a scholarship to support frontline and essential workers in their education. The award allows recipients to attend GCC tuition- and fee-free for up to three years of full- or part-time study. The Frontline & Essential Workers Scholarship was conceived last summer in conversations among GCC President Yves Salomon-Fernández; Regina Curtis, executive director of Institutional Advancement and the GCC Foundation; and Linda Desjardins, director of Financial Aid. The expenditures for the scholarship for this academic year are $16,227, and the total cost over three years will be approximately $50,000. The scholarship is primarily funded by GCC’s financial-aid resources, with the help of Big Y World Class Markets. Four students received the Frontline & Essential Workers Scholarship in the 2020-21 academic year: two Big Y employees, one ETM, and one Target employee.

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

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

NORTH ADAMS

Fatih Corp., 315 Asland St., North Adams, MA 01247. Avni Elevli, 41-43, 43rd St. Sunnyside, NY 11104. Restaurant.

NORTHAMPTON

Alecho Inc., 84 Round Hill Road, Northampton, MA 01060. Gerardo Alicea, same. Sales.

SOUTH BARRE

BullGod, Inc., 21 Grove St., PO Box 60, South Barre, MA 01074. Michael Radesky, same. Lawn care services and landscaping.

PITTSFIELD

Element 7 Massachusetts Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Robert Divito, 7936 Hillside Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046. Consulting.

Garden Management Inc., 4 Eastbrook Lane, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Muhammad Khurram Zia, same. Real estate.

H and S Investigations Group Inc., 75 South Church St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Howard C. Siegel, 56 Brookside Dr. Pittsfield, MA 01201. Private investigation and security corporation.

SOUTH HADLEY

Chase Realty Holdings Inc., 95 Main St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Stephan C. Chase, 53 Griswold Rd. Ellington, CT 06029. Property ownership and management.

Coreseka Inc., 2 Linda St. South Hadley, MA 01075. Kathryn A. Hannon, same. Online retail and media.

SOUTHWICK

Designers Edge AA Inc., 549 College Highway, PO Box 450, Southwick, MA 01077. Ashley Augustus, 11 Beach Road, Southwick, MA 01077. Cosmetology and any other lawful purpose.

SPRINGFIELD

CZBW Inc., 102 Thompson St., Springfield, MA 01109. Calvin Samuel Rose, same. Full-service restaurant.

Garden Holistic Center Corporation, 441 White St., Springfield, MA 01108. Donovan Haywood Ma, same. Health, wellness, nutrition, fitness.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Atlantis Transport Corp., 22 Allen St., Floor 1, West Springfield, MA 01089. Adbi Mamedov, same. Trucking.

Bory’s Corporation, 36 Guy Place, West Springfield, MA 01089. Borys Andriychuk, same. Construction.

Community Developers Inc., 940 Westfield St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Wilfrid J. Bourque Jr., same. Real estate development corporation.

WILBRAHAM

Baystate Forktruck Inc., 2 Crane Park, Suite B, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Shawn Summers, same. Road mechanics.

EddBros Co., 60 Chilson Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Ketlyn Depaula, same. Shades installation.