Home Articles posted by BusinessWest Staff (Page 220)

Red Lion Inn Reopens to Public

By
Daily News

STOCKBRIDGE — The venerable Red Lion Inn in the heart of the Berkshires has reopened, and is ready to welcome guests back to the iconic front porch to relax in rocking chairs after a day spent outdoors soaking in the region’s fresh air and open spaces.

“The Berkshires are an ideal destination for travelers to truly get away and reconnect with nature,” said Max Scherff, general manager at the Red Lion Inn. “Several months of strategic planning have led to the creation of safeguards that ensure the highest levels of hygiene and cleanliness are met. We look forward to warmly, and safely, welcoming our guests to the Red Lion Inn.”

The Red Lion Inn will offer alfresco dining daily in the Courtyard starting with breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. on weekdays and until 10:30 a.m. on weekends. Lunch will be served from noon to 2:30 p.m. Dinner service is from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Limited menu items will be offered from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Takeout and room-service options are also available.

Local Businesses Donate More Than 400 Meals for Frontline Workers

By
Daily News

LUDLOW — The novel coronavirus has sparked a public-health emergency that has required frontline workers like doctors and nurses, first responders, and pharmacists to work tirelessly to keep the public safe. With this in mind, Ludlow-based Pioneer Valley Financial Group and Mill’s Tavern & Grille formed a partnership to cook and deliver food to the frontline workers who need the community’s support the most.

Starting on April 10, each week, PV Financial donated $350 to Mill’s Tavern to help pay for the cost of food and delivery, while also relying upon donations from the community through a GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $2,280.

“This is my way of giving back to those frontline workers who are sacrificing and contributing so much to keep us safe during these tough times,” said Paul Marques, owner of Mill’s Tavern & Grille.

Donations to the GoFundMe campaign have allowed Mill’s Tavern and PV Financial to deliver more than 400 meals to hospitals, police and fire departments, and pharmacies all across Western Mass. These locations include the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, Baystate Mary Lane in Ware, and CVS Pharmacy in Ludlow.

“Delivering to local doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and National Guard members working diligently during these uncertain times means more than just providing free meals,” PV Financial Managing Partner Edward Sokolowski said. “It’s a show of support to members of our community fighting an unspeakable tragedy, putting themselves at risk to keep others safe.”

Alumni Achievement Award Nominations Close Today

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Today is the last day to submit nominations for BusinessWest’s sixth annual Alumni Achievement Award. The deadline is 5 p.m. — no exceptions.

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. Candidates must be from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007 to 2019.

Past winners include: 2019: Cinda Jones, president, W.D. Cowls Inc. (40 Under Forty 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).

The 2020 honoree will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala later this year. The presenting sponsor of the Alumni Achievement Award is Health New England.

Eversource Completes Westfield Reliability Project

By
Daily News

WESTFIELD — Eversource has completed construction of the Westfield Reliability Project, installing a three-mile-long electric circuit on an existing 115-kilovolt overhead transmission line in Westfield to help ensure the continued and safe delivery of reliable power. Part of the energy company’s work to ensure reliability for customers, the Westfield Reliability Project is one of many transmission upgrades to help meet the electric system’s evolving needs to support a clean-energy future.

“With many people continuing to work and learn from home, the safe and reliable delivery of power has never been more essential than it is during these uncertain times,” said Eversource President of Transmission Bill Quinlan. “The completion of the Westfield Reliability Project is an exciting development in our efforts to serve our customers and to support economic growth in the future. As restoration and landscaping continue through the spring and summer, we will maintain close communication and collaboration with our host communities, property owners, and businesses while adhering to social distancing and other best practices to safeguard health and prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

The power lines have been installed on existing structures along the right of way from the Pochassic substation, near Oakdale Avenue, to the Buck Pond substation near Medeiros Way. The Westfield Reliability Project also includes constructing new equipment adjacent to Eversource’s existing Pochassic substation and related upgrades to the Buck Pond substation.

Eversource representatives have been working closely with city officials. As the energy company’s crews and contractors work to complete final construction activities, including environmental monitoring and reporting, they continue to follow strict safety precautions, including practicing social distancing, wearing face coverings, and using enhanced sanitation practices.

“We are grateful to our host communities for their input and partnership throughout the planning process, as well as their understanding and patience, as we work together to serve the public during the pandemic,” Quinlan said. “We remain committed to being a good neighbor and environmental steward as this project will deliver benefits to the region for years to come.”

This project is one of several designed to strengthen the electric system serving Pittsfield, Greenfield, and surrounding areas.

Two-part ‘Interrupting Racism’ Online Training to Be Offered on June 25, 29

By
Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Learning to be an active bystander and interrupting racism before it escalates is critical to creating cultural change in the workplace, schools, and communities. Human in Common is poised and ready to help. This innovative business teaches individuals to effectively interrupt bias and discrimination and create policies and practices that amplify racial equity.

The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce has invited Human in Common to offer its timely training, “Interrupting Racism: Policies, Practices, and Everyday Acts of Solidarity for Businesses and Nonprofits.” This two-part Zoom training will occur on Thursday, June 25 from 1 to 4 p.m., and Monday, June 29 from 1 to 4 p.m.

This training begins with a timeline of the history of racism in the U.S. to bring awareness to the conditions that have led to systemic racism. Participants will develop a diversity mission statement, practice six ‘ethical upstander’ methods for interrupting racism in the workplace, explore policies and practices to amplify racial equity, and engage in small breakout groups to practice anti-racism skills using real-life scenarios.

Human in Common Director Deborah Cohen noted that the Harvard Business Review and the Equal Opportunity Opportunity Commission (EEOC) found that, after 30 years of legislation, racial and sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace are still at epicemic levels, and traditional diversity trainings don’t seem to be working. The EEOC, Harvard Business Review, and now Forbes are recommending active bystander training to prepare workers with the skills to appropriately intervene.

“Too often, well-intentioned people want to do the right thing, but are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing, and as a result remain silent,” Cohen said. “This workshop breaks it down, teaching specific skills and providing opportunities to practice in a supportive environment. The result is greater awareness, confidence, and ability to nip problems in the bud. Participants leave with a diversity mission statement, language for effectively and respectfully interrupting bias, and specific policies and practices to amplify racial equity.”

The event webpage is bit.ly/2MMrNmr, or visit www.facebook.com/events/193655011884223.

Initial Unemployment Claims Up Slightly Last Week in Massachusetts

By
Daily News

BOSTON — Massachusetts had 44,660 individuals file an initial claim for standard unemployment insurance (UI) from May 31 to June 6, an increase of 17,626 over the previous week. Since March 15, a total of 968,899 initial claims have been filed for UI. At 565,898, continued UI claims decreased by 9,964 or 1.7% over the previous week, the second consecutive week of decline.

There were 20,991 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) initial claims filed for the week ending June 6, 33,290 fewer than the previous week. Since April 20, 2020, 594,068 claimants have filed for PUA.

The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which provided up to 13 weeks of extended benefits to individuals who have exhausted or expired their regular unemployment compensation since July 2019, was implemented on May 21. For the week ending June 6, 3,692 PEUC claims were filed, bringing the total of PEUC filings to 46,945 since implementation.

Mill Town Acquires Bousquet Mountain, Announces Partnership with Berkshire East

By
Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Mill Town, a community-impact investment firm, announced it has acquired Bousquet Mountain, one of the oldest ski areas in the country and a training ground for many top U.S. ski racers, from the Tamarack Ski Nominee Trust and owners Sherry and P.J. Roberts.

The sale includes 155 acres across four parcels, including the summit of Yokun Ridge, 22 trails, multiple buildings, and operational equipment.

“We are excited to keep Bousquet as a vital recreational resource for the region,” said Tim Burke, Mill Town’s CEO and managing director. “A significant focus of our work is to invest in and improve businesses, real estate, and outdoor recreational assets in Pittsfield to make it a stronger city and an appealing place for families and employers. Bousquet met all of these criteria. We plan to invest in the ski-operation infrastructure and the lodge, and we are excited to work with strong partners to enhance the on-mountain experience.”

On that front, Mill Town and Berkshire East Mountain Resort of Charlemont announced a collaboration agreement. As part of this agreement, Berkshire East and Catamount management, including owners Jon and Jim Schaefer, will advise Bousquet on capital and operational decisions and investments. Bousquet will also be a component of the Berkshire Pass, joining Berkshire East and Catamount as the third mountain to be featured as part of this season-pass program.

“We are thrilled to partner with Mill Town to ensure Bousquet will be a respected skiing and outdoor-recreation asset for years to come,” Jim and Jon Schaefer said. “Positioned between Berkshire East and Catamount, we feel that Bousquet will provide significant value to Berkshire Pass holders as another great skiing and riding option in Western Massachusetts. We think there is a great future here.”

UMassFive Steps Up to Help Students, Families Pay for College in Uncertain Times

By
Daily News

HADLEY — With uncertainty surrounding whether colleges will reopen this fall for in-person classes, and new financial realities brought about by the ongoing pandemic, many families will be facing difficult decisions about higher education in the coming weeks. UMassFive College Federal Credit Union, in collaboration with Credit Union Student Choice (CUSC), is rising to meet this challenge by providing clear guidance and flexible funding solutions for college-bound students and their families.

“Planning and paying for college is stressful for families even in the best of times,” said Craig Boivin, vice president of Marketing at UMassFive. “With so many unanswered questions about the upcoming fall semester, we’re expanding our offerings to include a new online hub of timely articles and resources, as well as an even more flexible college-funding solution with our private education line of credit.”

UMassFive’s application process now allows borrowers to establish a line of credit without requiring them to specify a school or input a specific loan amount. This innovative approach is unique in the private student-loan marketplace and will give borrowers peace of mind, knowing they have secured funding regardless of their decision for this fall. Additionally, this setup means borrowers know what funds they have available now, and in the future, without the need to reapply each year. Once they have decided on attendance at a particular school and/or determined the exact loan amount needed, borrowers can easily return to their account to finalize their funding request.

“UMassFive has offered a private education line of credit through our partner, Credit Union Student Choice, for the past 11 years to help families responsibly fill funding gaps that remain after other sources have been exhausted,” Boivin said. “Our solution features competitive interest rates, in-school deferred payment, and a graduated repayment option. Now more than ever, we recognize that families are seeking both financial support and trusted experts to turn to for information. As their local credit union, we are here to fulfill those needs.”

In addition to the online information hub, UMassFive members can receive one-on-one advice about planning and paying for college from a college access and repayment counselor and access an online library of self-paced webinars.

To learn more about UMassFive’s private student lending solution, visit umassfive.studentchoice.org.

Big Y Appoints Stephen Creed Distribution Leader

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Foods Inc. announced the appointment of Stephen Creed to the new position of senior director of Distribution and Logistics. Creed is responsible for leading Big Y’s distribution teams as they transition into their newly expanded, 430,000-square-foot space. He reports to Michael D’Amour, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Creed has more than 40 years of experience in the distribution industry, mostly within the supermarket realm. He began his career in 1979 with Stop & Shop Inc., where he held various positions, including produce and grocery receiving and operations. Throughout his career, he’s held positions of increasing responsibility at companies such as Spartan Stores in Michigan, where he was the assistant warehouse manager.

At C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. in Massachusetts and Vermont, Creed started as facility manager and then became director of Perishables Distribution. In 1997, he was appointed director of operations for Quality King Distributors Inc. in New York, where he managed nationwide distribution from five separate warehouses consisting of food, pharmaceuticals, health and beauty care, fragrances, and general merchandise. He later became director of distribution for Supervalu in Suffield, Conn., before being promoted to project director for Corporate Distribution at its headquarters in Minnesota and later promoted to general manager, Logistics Services in its Midwest Regional Headquarters Distribution Center in Kenosha, Wis.

Returning to his roots in New England from 2005 to 2019, Creed joined Associated Grocers of New England in Pembroke, N.H. He started as vice president, Warehousing and Transportation, and became senior vice president, Warehousing and Transportation until his most recent position there as senior vice president, Supply Chain Management.

Creed has served on the New Hampshire Motor Transport Assoc. and the Ryder National Food & Beverage Advisory Board. His professional training includes the Cornell University Executive Food Management Program along with Dale Carnegie Executive Management and Zenger-Miller Quest Training.

Springfield College Health Science Students Assist with COVID-19 Data Project

By
COVID-19 Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Students from the Springfield College health science major have been working on a national project to track the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S.

Students Yue Li, Ashley Tanner, Alexandra Christine Jones, Brenna Keefe, Dhruvi Patel, and Callie Dowd have been taking part in an internship to assist with this project. Participating students are responsible for tracking historical data and collecting daily data, as well as participating in special-interest team projects that include computer-based automation, data visualization, infectious disease, policy, social media, and fundraising.

This internship is part of BroadStreet’s COVID-19 Data Project, a collaboration of more than 200 students, statisticians, epidemiologists, healthcare experts, and data scientists throughout the country, Springfield College Assistant Professor of Public Health Sofija Zagarins explained.

The project is a collaboration of more than 40 colleges and universities throughout the U.S., bringing together people who are committed to having the most accurate, community-level data about COVID-19 positive tests and fatality rates. Along with Springfield College, colleges and universities also taking part include Harvard University, Yale University, Boston University, Temple University, and Duke University.

Through BroadStreet’s COVID-19 Data Project Internship, healthcare professionals have access to data that can help them to improve how they spend their time and resources on improving community health.

“We have been humbled by the outpouring of support, especially from the collegiate community,” BroadStreet co-founder Tracy Flood said. “We know that, right now, students have a unique set of challenges trying to navigate these difficult times. Despite this, we wanted to recognize students who have graciously donated their time and talent to our project.”

For more information about the project, visit covid19dataproject.org to follow along with information and updates from the participants.

BusinessWest, Living Local to Launch Podcast

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest, in partnership with Living Local, the area nonprofit dedicated to promoting locally owned businesses, will launch a podcast on Monday, June 15 called “Business Talk,” a name that speaks volumes about its overall mission.

“We’ll be talking about business — and with business owners and managers,” said George O’Brien, editor and associate publisher of BusinessWest, who will be one of the show’s co-hosts, along with Thom Fox, a strategy consultant and former host of “The Engine,” aired on WHYN NewsTalk 560. 

Elaborating, O’Brien said the twice-weekly podcast will feature guests from across the broad spectrum of business — from CEOs of major corporations to the owners of small businesses on Main Street, to leaders of business-focused agencies such as area chambers of commerce and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts — all talking about the issues of the day

“And as the region and its business community confront the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many issues to discuss,” said O’Brien, adding that the podcast’s first installment, sponsored by UMassFive College Federal Credit Union, will feature an interview with Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce. O’Brien and Creed will discuss a wide range of issues, from the reopening of the economy to the impact of the pandemic on downtown Springfield, to the future of chambers of commerce.

As noted, the first episode will premiere on Monday, June 15 and can be accessed at businesswest.com/business-talk-podcast-series. It will also be available to stream on radio.com (WMAS, WEEI, Nash Icon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts).

Way Finders Names Keith Fairey President and CEO

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Way Finders’ board of directors announced that Keith Fairey will serve as its next president and CEO, succeeding Peter Gagliardi, who will retire on June 30 after nearly 30 years of service with the organization.

Way Finders began a national search for its new CEO following Gagliardi’s retirement announcement in December. The search process was led by six members of Way Finders’ board of directors in partnership with consultants from Marcum LLP.

Fairey most recently served as senior vice president at Enterprise Community Partners Inc., where he led the management, oversight, and strategic guidance of Enterprise’s 11 regional market teams across the U.S. Fairey has extensive experience in community development and real-estate finance, organizational development, and strategic planning. Enterprise Community Partners is a national nonprofit organization that brings leaders in policy and investment together to advance local affordable-housing development. Since its inception 35 years ago, Enterprise has created more than 660,000 homes nationwide with more than $50 billion in investment.

Prior to joining Enterprise, Keith was chief operating officer of Mount Hope Housing Co. in the Bronx, N.Y. He has also served as the assistant director of Community Pride, the community-building program of the Harlem Children’s Zone.

Fairey has a master of public administration degree with a concentration in public finance and financial management from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and a bachelor’s degree in history education from the University of Delaware.

“I am thrilled to be joining Way Finders as its next president and CEO,” he said. “I am also extremely grateful to Peter Gagliardi for his tireless, compassionate, and transformative leadership in the region and Commonwealth. I look forward to working with the exceptional staff and committed board on furthering the organization’s mission of lighting pathways and opening doors to homes and communities where people thrive. I believe our programs and services that support housing stability, economic security, and upward mobility are critical during this time of crisis and will be essential to an equitable recovery for our clients and communities.”

Royal, P.C. Clarifies Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020

By
Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Now that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act of 2020 has been signed into law by President Trump, companies may have questions about how to modify their approaches while staying in compliance. Royal, P.C. is offering guidance to help with that.

This new act amends the original PPP by providing additional flexibility in how and when loan funds are spent while retaining the potential of full forgiveness. Changes under the new act include new extension periods, loan-use requirements, payroll-tax deferrals, loan forgiveness, and extension of repayment.

Under the new amendments, borrowers of the PPP loan now have 24 weeks to spend the funds provided to them by the loan, up from eight weeks under the original act. To be eligible for full loan forgiveness for such funds, borrowers must spend at least 60% of the funds toward payroll cost, down from 75%. For borrowers who use less than the required 60%, partial loan forgiveness will remain as long as the loan is spent toward payroll costs. Furthermore, borrowers of these loans are able to defer payroll taxes as provided under the CARES Act with potential deferral dates extended to 2022.

Additional extensions included under the act include the time period in which employers who have obtained a PPP loan must either rehire or eliminate positions to reduce their workforce. The new extension period grants an additional six months to employers with an end date of Dec. 31.

Moreover, extensions of repayment have been extended to five years, up from two years, from the minimum maturity date for the loan balance for loans made after June 5. Borrowers may also be able to defer loan payments until their debt-forgiveness date has been determined. For borrowers who do not meet the requisites for loan forgiveness, the first loan payment will become due 10 months after the last day of the covered period.

The deadline to submit PPP loan applications is June 30.

If you have any questions about the Paycheck Protection Program, or any other labor and employment-law matters, feel free to contact the attorneys at Royal, P.C. at (413) 586-2288.

Holyoke Medical Center Welcomes Mark Dunn as Health Information Management Director

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center announced the appointment of Mark Dunn as director of Health Information Management (HIM).

“With nearly 20 years of experience, Mark brings a broad range of knowledge to the organization, and we are glad he has joined us,” said Michael Koziol, chief financial officer of Holyoke Medical Center. “As the director of Health Information Management, he will ensure efficient and compliant handling of all patient records and related documents.”

In addition to his role at Holyoke Medical Center, Dunn is also an adjunct instructor of Health Information Management at both Manchester Community College and Charter Oak State College in Connecticut.

“I am honored to have been selected to join the Holyoke Medical Center team and am looking forward to ensuring that the privacy and accuracy of our patients’ records are maintained at all times,” Dunn said.

Most recently, Dunn served as corporate director of HIM and privacy officer at Masonicare, a senior-health and retirement-living organization in Connecticut. His prior experience included information-management positions with Cornell-Scott Hill Health Corp., Yale New Haven Hospital, and Smart Document Solutions, all in New Haven, Conn.; Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y.; and Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.

Dunn is a registered health information administrator. He received his bachelor’s degree in administration from SUNY University at Stony Brook, N.Y., and his master’s degree in health services administration from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. He also holds a post-master’s certificate in long-term post-acute care, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in health information administration.

Alumni Achievement Award Nominations Close on June 12

By
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, June 12 at 5 p.m. No exceptions. Candidates must be from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007 to 2019. Past winners include: 2019: Cinda Jones, president, W.D. Cowls Inc. (40 Under Forty 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).

The 2020 honoree will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala later this year. The presenting sponsor of the Alumni Achievement Award is Health New England.

Area Nonprofits Receive $230,000 from Harvard Pilgrim Foundation for COVID-19 Relief

By
Daily News

WORCESTER — A total of 25 Central and Western Mass. nonprofits have received nearly $230,000 from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation for COVID-19 relief efforts.

Most organizations in the region received a $10,000 grant for supporting community needs during the pandemic, such as food access and meal delivery, services for older adults and immigrant families, social and community services, and emergency response.

“Now more than ever, it is so critical to support our communities and organizations who are providing services to those residents of Central and Western Mass. impacted by COVID-19,” said Patrick Cahill, vice president and Massachusetts market lead for Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, the foundation’s parent company. “The impact of this pandemic is enormous, and right from the start, we responded to the immediate needs facing nonprofit partners and communities. We are very grateful to all who are helping to feed and care for our community members, and we are committed to supporting them in the weeks and months ahead.”

Among the 25 recipients, the following 10 Western Mass. organizations received funding as part of the Harvard Pilgrim Foundation’s COVID-19 Assistance Fund: Berkshire County Arc (Pittsfield), Gardening the Community (Springfield), Greater Springfield Senior Services (Springfield), Grow Food Northampton (Northampton), Just Roots Inc. (Greenfield), Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen & Pantry (Chicopee), Nuestras Raices Inc. (Holyoke), Rooting Rises (Pittsfield), Stone Soup Café Inc. (Greenfield), and UMass Amherst.

The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation committed more than $3.5 million in initial grants for COVID-19 relief efforts in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Connecticut.

Help Women Cross the Digital Divide Through a Day of Giving on June 18

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — When Dress for Success Western Massachusetts was forced to shut down its boutique due to social distancing, staff and volunteers sprang into action to see how they could continue to serve the women in their programs. They quickly learned that many of the women were at a distinct disadvantage because they either lacked connectivity or did not know how to use the tools needed for things like Zoom meetings or online learning.

To remedy this, Dress for Success put together a digital-literacy task force to provide outreach and individual support during this critical time. On Thursday, June 18, the organization will host a 24-hour Day of Giving. The goal of the Day of Giving is to purchase at least 20 laptops — complete with software and internet access — to help women bridge the digital divide.

“Not surprisingly, those who are already challenged by socioeconomic barriers are being even more severely impacted by this pandemic,” said Jessica Dupont, Dress for Success board president. “While we are all transitioning to a heavily digital world, we want to make sure women who do not have the financial means to own a computer or have internet access are not left behind.”

Dress for Success Western Massachusetts is part of a worldwide nonprofit organization dedicated to the empowerment of women as they take control of their personal and professional lives. Programs include Foot in the Door, a professional women’s mentorship group, and the Margaret R. Fitzgerald Mentoring Program. At the completion of such programs, each woman receives free professional attire and accessories at the Dress for Success suiting boutique at Eastfield Mall in Springfield. Prior to the pandemic, women were also referred to the boutique by social-service agencies throughout the region.

People can visit Dress for Success Western Massachusetts at westernmass.dressforsuccess.org and donate online at any time, but the organization hopes they will do so on June 18 during the Day of Giving. Call Margaret Tantillo, executive director, at (860) 638-8980 for additional details.

Janice Beetle Books to Launch Series of Free Podcasts for Children and Families

By
Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — Janice Beetle of Janice Beetle Books will launch a 20-day series of free podcasts for children and families on her website, janicebeetlebooks.com, starting June 22.

Called Poem Pods, the homegrown broadcasts are narrated by Beetle and her feisty 11-year-old grandson Eli.

A blog that will post on June 22 will offer a complete Poem Pod schedule, outlining posting dates, the names of interviewees, conversation topics, and that day’s activities. The pods themselves will begin on June 23 and post daily through July 12.

“As Eli and I say in our homegrown broadcasts, Poem Pods are fun poems and fun stories for fun people,” Beetle said. “My hope is that they give children encouragement, entertainment, and inspiration to get them thinking creatively as a summer without camps and public swimming pools begins.”

Poem Pods are theme-based and explore concepts like family, friendship, inspiration, vulnerability, fears, and asking for help. When the day’s poem is about family, for instance, Beetle and her grandson discuss the importance of family, and they interview a family.

At the start of each segment, Beetle and Eli talk about Beetle’s writing inspirations and education, starting when she was 6 years old and her grandmother gave her a notebook.

The poems, written by Beetle years ago for her two daughters, are short and silly and cover topics from dogs and cats to family, raindrops, love, and friendship. They follow the introductory conversation and are in the middle of the podcast — “much like a pea is in the center of a pea pod,” she said.

After the day’s poems are read, Beetle and her grandson have lively and interesting conversations on that day’s theme and offer children an activity. In 11 of the pods, they bring on a guest, and Eli conducts an interview that extends the discussion.

The interviews also offer a closer look at the inspirations of others, along with an education into what it’s like to be a writer, a medical professional, or an air-traffic controller, for instance.

Along with each audio post, each episode will also feature a written transcript in the blog feed for those who would rather read than listen. Or, some could choose to listen while reading along.

To receive an e-mail when the Poem Pod schedule posts, and to receive each day’s new Poem Pod post, sign up for the blog at janicebeetlebooks.com.

COVID Stories

By
Coronavirus Cover Story

Shell-shocked Businesses Respond with Grit, Determination

The COVID-19 pandemic has rocked businesses large and small in virtually every sector of the economy. The individual stories vary somewhat, but there are several common themes — lost revenue streams, struggles to make payroll and pay the bills, and large amounts of uncertainty about what the future holds. But there are other commonalities as well, including a willingness, born of necessity, to respond to this crisis — the worst situation any of these business owners have faced — with determination, imagination, and the will to find a way to get to the ‘other side.’ For this issue, BusinessWest talked with 10 business owners about what has happened since the pandemic arrived with brutal force three incredibly long months ago, and how they’re battling back. These are their COVID stories.

Zasco Productions

Event company works to pivot, position itself for the long term

Jim White says business at Go Graphix is down considerably

Go Graphix

In a sign of the times, this company has pivoted into new products

Dr. Yolanda Lenzy

Lenzy Dermatology

Practice owner says many patients still wary of returning to her office

Liz Rosenberg

TheToy Box

Shop owner finds ways to share joy at a time when it’s badly needed

Teddy Bear Pools

During peak season, this area fixture is making up for lost weeks

Sarah Eustis

Main Street Hospitality

Hotel group continues to grow through an uncertain time

Lenny Underwood

Lenny Underwood

For this photographer and sock maker, the pandemic is a developing story

Doug Mercier, right, with brother and partner Chuck

Mercier Carpet

Pandemic poses challenges, opportunities for flooring company

Bernie Gelinas said his appointment book has been full

Cuts Plus

Salon owner says he missed the relationships the most

Eastside Grill’s new outdoor seating area

Eastside Grill

Restaurant owner says reopening will be exciting, but scary, too

BusinessTalk with Nancy Creed

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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 1: June 15, 2020

George interviews Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber

Nancy Creed

George O’Brien interviews Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce. O’Brien and Creed will discuss a wide range of issues, from the reopening of the economy to the impact of the pandemic on downtown Springfield, to the future of chambers of commerce.

 

 

Sponsored by:

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Picture This

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Ayame Anthony is pleased with her haul
Picture This

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

Summer Fun

The law firm Pellegrini, Seeley Ryan & Blakesley donated $3,000 and employees’ time to provide and distribute summer-activity backpacks to 300 children for the Boys & Girls club of Greater Westfield. The backpacks were stuffed with art supplies, puzzles, games, soccer and gym balls, and other items for children.

Attorney Patrick McHugh stuffs a backpack

Attorney Patrick McHugh stuffs a backpack

 

Ayame Anthony is pleased with her haul

Ayame Anthony is pleased with her haul

 

 

Feed the Fight

Peter Pan Bus Lines and the Bean Restaurant Group recently teamed up with U.S. Rep. Richard Neal to show appreciation for first responders. On May 26, as part of the “Feed the Fight” project, Neal helped deliver more than 300 meals to Mercy Medical Center in Springfield. Supported by a donation from Neal’s campaign and organized by Peter Pan and the Bean Group, the project rewards the hard work of frontline healthcare workers while also supporting local Western Mass. restaurants.

 

 

Bridging the Gap

bankESB recently donated $5,000 to the Easthampton Community Center to support the Kid’s Bag Pantry program, which typically provides each child up to age 18 with a bag of food monthly during the school year and weekly during the summer months. This year, the weekly program began in March due to school closures, contributing to a shortfall in funding. Pictured: Easthampton Community Center Executive Director Robin Bialecki (left) receives the donation from Natalie Didonna, assistant vice president and branch officer at bankESB’s Easthampton office.

 

 

 

 

 

Agenda

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Agenda

Alumni Achievement Award Nominations

Through June 12: 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, June 12 at 5 p.m. No exceptions. Candidates must be from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007 to 2019. Past winners include: 2019: Cinda Jones, president, W.D. Cowls Inc. (40 Under Forty 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). The 2020 honoree will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala later this year. The presenting sponsor of the Alumni Achievement Award is Health New England.

Healthcare Heroes Nominations

Through July 1: Since the phrase COVID-19 came into our lexicon, those working in the broad healthcare field have emerged as the true heroes during a pandemic that has changed every facet of life as we know it. And over the past several months, the world has paid tribute to these heroes, and in all kinds of ways — from applauding in unison from apartment-complex windows to bringing hot meals to hospital and nursing-home workers; from donating much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) to people putting hearts on their front lawns and mailboxes to thank first responders, healthcare workers, postal workers, and others. BusinessWest and its sister publication, the Healthcare News, will pay tribute in their own way, by dedicating their annual Healthcare Heroes program in 2020 to those who are have emerged as true heroes during this crisis. Healthcare Heroes was launched by the two publications in 2017 to recognize those working in this all-important sector of the region’s economy, many of whom are overlooked when it comes to traditional recognition programs. Over the years, the program has recognized providers, administrators, emerging leaders, innovators, and collaborators. For 2020, the program will shift its focus somewhat to the COVID-19 pandemic and all those who are working in the healthcare field or helping to assist it at this trying time. All manner of heroes have emerged this year, and we invite you to nominate one — or several — for what has become a very prestigious honor in Western Mass.: the Healthcare Heroes award. To assist those thinking of nominating someone for this honor, we are simplifying the process. All we desire is a 400- to 500-word essay and/or two-minute video entry explaining why the group or individual stands out as an inspiration, and a truly bright star in a galaxy of healthcare heroes. These nominations will be carefully considered by a panel of independent judges, who will select the class of 2020. The deadline for nominations is July 1. For more information on how to nominate someone for the Healthcare Heroes class of 2020, visit businesswest.com/healthcare-heroes/nomination-form. Videos can be sent via dropbox to [email protected].

Submission Period for Virtual Art Show

Through Aug. 13: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NAMI Western Massachusetts will present a virtual art show this year, and is now accepting artwork for the show. Submissions are limited to individuals living with a mental-health diagnosis, and the artwork will be displayed on the organization’s website and social-media pages for a limited time, then switched out for new artwork. To submit, e-mail a picture of the art to [email protected]. Note the size of the piece, the medium, and the price if it is for sale. The artist should also specify if they want their name used. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 13.

People on the Move

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People on the Move
Paul Belsito

Paul Belsito

The directors of the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation announced the appointment of Paul Belsito as executive director of the foundation, succeeding Mary Walachy, who has served in the position for the past 23 years. Belsito will begin his new role on June 1. Belsito most recently worked for the Hanover Insurance Group in Worcester, where he served as president of the Hanover Insurance Group Foundation and assistant vice president for Community Relations. In his nearly eight years at Hanover, Belsito led charitable giving, community relations, and employee giving and service in the company’s efforts to improve the lives of Worcester’s youth. The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation places special emphasis on programs designed to strengthen schools and propel youth to higher levels of success. One of Belsito’s signature initiatives was supporting the Advancement Via Individualized Determination college readiness program in Worcester Public Schools. During her tenure, Walachy guided the foundation in establishing several signature initiatives, including Cherish Every Child, the nationally-recognized Reading Success by 4th Grade initiative, the 413families/familias community texting initiative, and the advocacy group Springfield Business Leaders for Education. Most recently, she led the effort to establish and build the innovative Educare Springfield early-education center, which opened in the fall of 2019 near the campus of Springfield College and Brookings Elementary School. Walachy will continue to represent the Davis Foundation in its role as philanthropic lead for Educare Springfield, the 24th Educare in the country and the first in Massachusetts, through the end of 2020. A native of Worcester, Belsito has long been deeply involved in his community, serving on numerous nonprofit boards, including corporator of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, associate trustee of the Nativity School of Worcester, and presently as chair of the board of the EcoTarium. In the last few months, he co-led the city of Worcester’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in support of COVID-19 pandemic response. Belsito brings a diversity of professional experiences across higher education, politics, and government to the Davis Foundation in addition to his significant experience in philanthropy and community engagement. Prior to joining Hanover, he served in the Office of the President at Assumption College as executive assistant for Government and Community Relations, and as a district director in the Massachusetts State Senate. He holds a bachelor’s degree in management and an MBA, both from Assumption College.

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Vanessa Otero

Vanessa Otero

The board of directors of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley (HRIPV) announced that former board member Vanessa Otero has been named interim director through the end of the year to support and move forward the work of the institute. The institute also announced it has become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. As part of that move, the HRIPV board has appointed Baystate Health executive and longtime social-justice advocate Frank Robinson as the organization’s first president. Otero is among the co-founders of HRIPV that grew out of a City2City Pioneer Valley visit to Grand Rapids, Mich. in 2011, where a Healing Racism Institute was formed and housed at the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. Grand Rapids has also established institutes in its community’s faith and higher-education sectors. Otero is currently director of Smith College’s Urban Education Initiative. She has deep roots in the community, serving on state and regional boards, including being appointed to the Governor’s Latino Advisory Commission. She is also the chair of the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission. Mostly recently, Otero was asked to join the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Health Equity Advisory Group, advising Commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel and DPH on health-equity issues related to and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and providing suggestions on solutions to be implemented at all levels. Otero graduated from Smith College as an Ada Comstock Scholar. She has a master’s degree in public policy administration from UMass Amherst.

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Brenna Breeding

Brenna Breeding

Brenna Breeding has joined the bankESB Marketing Department as its digital marketing manager. In this role, she will be responsible for providing strategic, tactical, and analytical support for online and digital marketing initiatives for bankESB and across the member banks of its parent company, Hometown Financial Group. Prior to joining bankESB, Breeding was the marketing communications associate with VentureWell in Hadley, and before that was the communications and marketing specialist for the Center for Responsive Schools. Breeding earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware. She is an active volunteer in the Greater Springfield community and has been a member of the Junior League of Greater Springfield for seven years.

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Jessica Colon

Jessica Colon

Kim Bruno

Kim Bruno

DiGrigoli Salon, located in West Springfield, officially opened for business on May 26, included in the phase 1 reopening plan for Massachusetts. At the same time, two stylists, Jessica Colon and Kim Bruno, have been promoted to ‘the Artist’ level, the highest recognition of experience, due to their dedication, loyalty, and improvement throughout their careers. Colon joined the DiGrigoli Salon artistic team upon graduating DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology in 2008 and has grown into a stylist with a large and still-growing clientele over the past 12 years. She is particularly skilled in color formulation, precision cutting, and blow-drying curly hair types. In addition to a full appointment schedule, she has also performed demos and worked with upcoming stylists and students, all while continuing her own education at beauty shows such as Premiere Orlando in Florida and the Beauty Experience in New York. Bruno, also a graduate of DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology, became a stylist at the salon in 2011, and her skills and clientele have grown exponentially since then. With expertise in vivid colors and makeup, she has become one of the most sought-after stylists and makeup artists in the area. Frequently appearing on local lifestyle TV programs, she demonstrates standard makeup, special-FX makeup, and hairstyling techniques to a wide audience. Much like Colon, Bruno takes the time to educate others while balancing a booked schedule and pursuing her own education at the aforementioned beauty shows. DiGrigoli Salon is currently booking appointments and taking all recommended precautions necessary for the health and safety of both clients and the stylists. Appointments with Colon, Bruno, or any experienced DiGrigoli stylist can be made by calling (413) 827-8888 Tuesday through Saturday.

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Richard Meelia

Richard Meelia

The Elms College board of trustees appointed Richard Meelia, principal of Meelia Ventures, LLC, as a new member of the board. From July 2007 until his retirement in July 2011, Meelia served as chairman, president, and CEO of Covidien, an $11 billion global healthcare-products company, following its separation from Tyco International in June 2007. Prior to that separation, Meelia served in a variety of senior leadership roles, including CEO and president of Tyco Healthcare. In addition to his business experience, Meelia has a passion for student experiential learning. He funded the Meelia Center for Student Engagement and Volunteerism at Saint Anselm College and has provided support to establish the Srs. Kathleen Keating and Maxyne Schneider Experiential Learning Fund at Elms College. Meelia is the chairman of the board of Haemonetics, a global provider of blood and plasma supplies and services located in Braintree. He is also a member of the board of directors of several organizations, including St. Francis House in Boston, the largest day shelter in Massachusetts; Por Cristo, a Brighton nonprofit dedicated to improving the health of poor children and their families in Ecuador; and Conformis, a knee-replacement manufacturer in Billerica. He has served on the board of trustees of Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.

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The West Springfield franchise of Visiting Angels announced that Michele Anstett, co-founder of the business, has transitioned to full ownership and assumed the role of president and CEO. Visiting Angels offers in-home care services to elderly and disabled adults throughout Western Mass. Anstett started the business in 1999 with her business partner, Joe Arduino, and served as the chief financial officer (CFO) for the past 20 years. Arduino recently retired, and Anstett has since assumed the role of full ownership, president, and director. Since 1999, the home-care landscape has changed dramatically in the Pioneer Valley. Anstett’s experience growing the business for the past 20 years in an evolving sector equips her to handle the modern challenges of the industry and successfully direct the business. Anstett’s franchise was the ninth franchise in the Visiting Angels network, which has since increased in size to more than 400 agencies internationally. With her guidance as co-director and CFO, the franchise has grown to provide more than 70,000 hours of care annually, helping seniors to maintain a sense of independence, dignity, and quality of life in their own home setting. Anstett brings dedication, compassion, experience, and attention to detail to the role — fundamental skills for successful leadership in the ever-evolving home-care industry. Particularly now, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Anstett has taken rapid action to increase caregiver training and certification to establish effective strategies to ensure client safety under the current circumstances.

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook

Olver Design Building Receives Architecture Institute’s Highest Honor

AMHERST — The American Institute of Architecture’s (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) announced recently that the John W. Olver Design Building on the UMass Amherst campus is a winner this year of its highest honor, the COTE Top Ten Awards. Projects “illustrate the solutions architects have provided for the health and welfare of our communities and the planet,” the AIA citation says. Called the most technologically advanced CLT building in the country, the Design Building opened in 2017 to house the campus’s Department of Architecture, Building and Construction Technology Program (BCT), and Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning. The BCT program developed some of the CLT technology used and has since been testing native Massachusetts wood species for CLT suitability. The building is named for former congressman and UMass Amherst Chemistry professor John Olver and was designed by Boston architectural firm Leers Weinzapfel. In 2014, Olver attended a talk by associate professor of Environmental Conservation Peggi Clouston of the BCT program. She noted how CLT construction using lower-quality wood was enjoying a comeback. Olver, recognizing an expanded use for regional wood, encouraged campus officials to consider adopting the new technology. Built of CLT timber and glue-laminated columns, the 87,000-square-foot Design Building saves the equivalent of more than 2,300 metric tons of carbon compared to a traditional energy-intense steel and concrete building. It uses 54% less energy than a typical campus building and is one of two in North America to use CLT for wind and seismic resistance. Its footprint once a parking lot, the building now includes a rooftop garden and rain-garden landscaping. A central courtyard highlights natural light while reducing heat loss. Its open central stairway invites visitors to take the stairs instead of an elevator.

Whittlesey Achieves Blue Partner Status with Datto

HARTFORD, Conn — Whittlesey announced it has achieved exclusive Blue partner status with Datto, the world’s leading provider of IT solutions delivered through managed service providers (MSPs). Datto Blue status represents the top 5% of the company’s partners worldwide. “We’ve been partnered with Datto since 2014,” said Mark Torello, partner in charge of Whittlesey Technology. “We’ve been growing with them as they’ve branched out from data backup and recovery products to networking, cloud continuity, and device management. The reliability of their products and services and outstanding customer and technical support have been consistently top‐notch and provided us the resources to accelerate our business growth. It’s an honor to be acknowledged for putting these products and tools to use and demonstrating success.” Whittlesey has exceeded high standards of performance to qualify for Blue status within Datto’s Global Partner Program, the highest classification provided by Datto. Blue status includes many exclusive programs and benefits designed to support further enablement and business growth.

TRE Olive Wins Two Awards at International Olive Oil Competition

EAST LONGMEADOW — TRE Olive, located in East Longmeadow, is both a Gold and Silver award winner at this year’s 2020 New York International Olive Oil Competition. The NYIOOC is held each spring in New York and is the world’s largest and most prestigious olive oil contest. Its annual listing of award winners is considered the authoritative guide to the year’s best extra-virgin olive oils, according to Joe Maruca, co-owner of TRE Olive. TRE Olive won the Gold Award for Campo Dieci “Terra dei Nonni,” which means ‘land of our grandparents.’ The Silver was awarded for its TRE Olive Select. In addition to its award-winning extra-virgin olive oil, TRE Olive also offers a tree-adoption program. When an olive tree is adopted, the recipient will receive an adoption certificate, a gift box, a photo of their tree, a welcome brochure, and three tins of olive oil to get started. The tree is also tagged with the adoptee’s name for one year.

Paragus IT Named to Forbes ‘Small Giants’ List

HADLEY — Every year, Forbes publishes its “Small Giants” list highlighting 25 businesses “whose commitment to greatness over fast growth has enabled them to best serve their customers, employees, and communities.” This year, Paragus IT was recognized as an innovator in the small-business world, with Forbes citing the Hadley-based firm’s employee-ownership structure and mission to make IT fun, among other features. “It’s an honor to be included on such a diverse and amazing list of other small businesses around the country,” said Delcie Bean, CEO of Paragus IT. “And it’s great that a magazine as prestigious as Forbes is committed to appreciating what makes small businesses great. As an employee-owned company, our employees, or partners, as we call them, were so excited to be recognized for our passion for making IT fun.”

Bacon Wilson Donates $10,000 to YMCA of Greater Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Bacon Wilson announced that the firm has recently completed a $10,000 contribution to the capital campaign for the YMCA of Greater Springfield. The pledge originated in the fall of 2019, as Bacon Wilson supported the YMCA’s transition from the former Chestnut Street location to the new Tower Square facility in downtown Springfield. “My partners and I are very pleased to be able to support the Springfield YMCA at this critical moment,” said attorney Kenneth Albano, Bacon Wilson’s managing partner. “Bacon Wilson is pleased to know our contribution will boost the mission and continuing good works of the YMCA of Greater Springfield.”

Bay Path Launches Master’s Program in Learning, Design, and Technology

LONGMEADOW — As an onslaught of complex challenges, and the urgency to develop innovative solutions to meet them, promise to reshape higher education, Bay Path University announces the launch of a new master’s program in Learning, Design, and Technology (LDT) this fall. The fully online program will tap into Bay Path’s long-standing position as a leader in the use of emerging technologies, creative curricula, and learning analytics to train professionals looking to shape the ongoing evolution of higher education by applying technology to the development of innovative, accessible, and impactful learning processes. Designed by a broadly representative team of Bay Path faculty and staff, the LDT program was launched to give students a students a deep foundation in the tools and theory of learning design, technology innovation, learning analytics, and higher-education leadership, a foundation on which they can create engaging and innovative learning experiences for all students. Students will also have the opportunity to enroll jointly in Bay Path’s doctoral program in Higher Education Leadership and Organizational Studies (HELOS) and carry out applied, real-world learning design projects. While the launch comes at a time when the coronavirus has transformed campuses, Bay Path has used technology to pioneer unique teaching and learning formats and offer flexible, dynamic, and personalized educational experiences for 20 years. The university’s diverse student population includes its traditional on-campus undergraduates, online graduate students, and online adult learners obtaining bachelor’s degrees through the American Women’s College. 

Food Insecurity Prompts Big Y to Make Second Round of Donations

SPRINGFIELD — With regional food banks experiencing unprecedented demand, Big Y is providing an additional $125,000 in support to address the rise in food insecurity. With the donations made in March, Big Y has provided $250,000 in financial assistance to area food banks in addition to the healthy surplus food it provides to them on a weekly basis. Using the estimate that every dollar donated provides four meals, the Big Y financial assistance amounts to 1 million meals. The donation will be split equally by the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the Worcester County Food Bank, and the Greater Boston Food Bank in Massachusetts, as well as Foodshare and the Connecticut Food Bank in Connecticut. As part of its commitment to hunger relief in its neighborhoods and ongoing partnerships with regional food banks, Big Y provided an estimated $11.5 million of healthy surplus food to these organizations in 2019. This food donation amounts to an estimated 5.7 million meals, two-thirds of which include donations of meat and fresh produce as well as bakery and non-perishable grocery items. Frozen food and dairy products account for one-third of the annual donation.

MCLA Innovation & Entrepreneurship Challenge Announces Three Winners

NORTH ADAMS — Although this year’s Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) Innovation & Entrepreneurship Challenge, held May 4-8, was a virtual affair, the college community still came together to view and vote for the three finalists’ pitches. The finalists, all seniors, who pitched their business ideas via video, were David Flight, Kimberly Granito, and Sierra Lamonde. The students were coached through a series of deliverables — determining a solution to a problem, developing a budget and business plan as the road map for the project or business, and presenting before a panel of judges. Granito’s Detailing Dream won first place, which came with a $7,500 award. Lamonde’s Pyrography Crafts placed second, for a $5,000 award, and Flight’s Settling the States won the $2,500 third-place award. The startup funding awards aim to cover inventory, equipment, and marketing costs for the three new businesses. Granito’s winning business, Detailing Dream, is a car-detailing service meant to cater to people who may think they don’t have the time or money for such a service. Granito’s packages include lower-cost options that other companies don’t offer because they usually cater to luxury cars. Unlike most of her competitors, Granito’s business would also include a mobile option where she would come to the customer, so they could take advantage of the service without leaving their home or office. Second-place winner Lamonde said her business, Pyrography Crafts, aims to bring joy to customers by creating one-of-a-kind, handcrafted wood burnings of people, pets and other animals, cartoons, and more. Flight’s Settling the States is a company that designs legacy board games inspired by the geographical regions of the U.S. The company’s first product, Settling New England, has players compete against each other to survive the changing seasons to become legend settlers.

Monson Savings Bank Announces New Loan & Operations Center

MONSON — Because Monson Savings Bank continues to grow by adding new positions and new personnel, and has outgrown some of its spaces, some employees are moving this week into a new, 12,000-square-foot office space on the top floor at 75 Post Office Park in Wilbraham. This location will be the new Monson Savings Bank Loan & Operations Center. The following departments will be moving: Commercial Lending, Residential Lending, Collections, Compliance, Retail Administration, Retail Operations, Business Development, Municipal Banking, and E-Banking. The main branch and corporate headquarters will still be located in Monson.

Taylor Real Estate Moving to Liberty Street in Easthampton

EASTHAMPTON — Taylor Real Estate, which is celebrating 65 years of operation this year, announced it will move to a new location on Liberty Street in Easthampton this month. Chuck Conner, a third-generation owner of the business founded by his grandfather in 1955, said the new office space offers convenient off-street parking for clients and staff as well as on-site storage for the firm’s plentiful ‘for sale’ signage, and a newer, brighter workspace for staff. He noted that the move is symbolic of moving the firm into the future, when ownership and operations will be assumed by his daughters, Megan Conner and Danica Achin, both licensed Realtors with the firm. In addition to working with buyers and sellers, Megan handles administration and advertising, and Achin is the rental division manager. Additional change has come in the form of new technology that allows a digital approach to marketing and communication and the execution of documentation. Houses can be shown to potential buyers via virtual visits made possible by professional photography, and closing papers can be signed electronically.

Incorporations

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Incorporations

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

ASHFIELD

Ginevra Corp., 245 Main St., Ashfield, MA 01330. Sally G. Sasso, same. Media/video production and other lawful activities.

CHESTERFIELD

GRS Equipment Services Inc., 526 Main Road, Chesterfield, MA 01012. George R. Sturtevant, same. Heavy equipment repair.

CHICOPEE

Fruit Life Inc 398 Front St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Jared Newell, 44 Buckingham St., Springfield, MA 01109. Grocery store.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Hilltop Wood Products Inc., 27 Helen Circle, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. James M. Cummings, same. Manufacturing wood components.

EASTHAMPTON

Haven Body Arts Inc., 31 High St., Easthampton, MA 01060. Penelope Silverstein, same. Body piercing, tattooing, and other body modifications.

GREAT BARRINGTON

GB Hospitality Inc., 249 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230. Chrisoula D. Mahida, same. Hospitality/hotel management.

HADLEY

Happy Valley Nutrition PC, 3 Phillips Place, Hadley, MA 01035. Amanda K. Mittman, same. Professional dietician and nutritional services.

HARDWICK

Hardwick Auto Inc., 2583 Greenwich Road, Hardwick, MA 01092. Jake E. Luzi, 139 Bartlett Ave., Wilbraham, MA 01095. Auto sales, repair, parts, dismantle, disposal.

LUDLOW

First Action Cleaning Inc., 15 Canterbury St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Tatiane Bruna Da Silva Mendonca, same. Cleaning services.

H & J Group Inc., 12 Lakeview Ave., Ludlow, MA 01056. Hang Wu, same. Food services.

SPRINGFIELD

Gary’s Auto Repair and More Inc., 167 Denver St., Springfield, MA 01109. Gary Leyden, same. Auto repair, gasoline sales, state inspections.

Home Service Electrical Inc., 980 Bay St., Springfield, MA 01109. Todd E. Hickman, 34 Moody St., Ludlow MA 01056. Electrical contractors.

Human to Human Inc., 37 Chestnut St., Springfield, MA 01103. Douglas John Fisher, 1900 Home Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230. Serve as an umbrella for the programs and ministries of the episcopal diocese of Western Mass. committed to meeting people facing economic, social support and service challenges where they are in their personal journey of health, recovery and discovery.

WESTFIELD

FEK$AD Home Improvement Inc., 12 Conner Ave., Westfield, MA 01085. Anatolii Federiuc, same. Window installer.

G7 Bridge Inc., 21 Dana St., Westfield, MA 01085. Dmitriy Girich, same. Trucking.

Herd of Help Inc., 16A Herold Ave., Westfield, MA 01089. Aleksandr Abashin, same. Provide aide and support to communities in east Africa through continued mission trips.

WORTHINGTON

Healing Hearts Sanctuary Inc., 241 West St., Worthington, MA 01098. Tracy McManmon, same. Providing a sanctuary for the community. Such as offering classes, education, around all faiths. A healing spiritual sanctuary.

Doing Business as Certificates

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DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of May 2020. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

BELCHERTOWN

M & N Homes
3 Stadler St.
Neil Jackson

Pelham Auto Service
1315 Federal St.
Barney Dashiell

Shumway Farm
95 Old Amherst Road
Cory Shumway

WESTFIELD

B-Clean Home & Office Cleaning Service
50 Pequot Point Road
Carol Iwanski

Ideal Health & Body
41 Court St.
Kristen Hook

New England Title Examiners
1076 East Mountain Road
Jacqueline Brown

Bankruptcies

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Bankruptcies

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

Barnes, Anita June
43 Point Grove Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/13/2020

Bates, Odessa S.
a/k/a Carbonell, Odessa S.
24 Silver St., Apt. D-5
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/15/2020

Colon, Sugeily
211 Laurelton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/12/2020

Commisso, Frank J.
Commisso, Martha A.
39 Cooley Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/08/2020

Denino, Scott M.
62 Franklin St., Apt. 23
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/01/2020

Dowd, Nicholas J.
392 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/01/2020

French, Donna Lynn
6 Pearl Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/30/2020

Galvagni, Amanda N.
12 Meadow Lane
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/15/2020

Germain, Robert Lee
Germain, Amanda Jean
366 Lincoln Ave.
Athol, MA 0133
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/04/2020

Greylock Sand & Gravel
MJD Real Estate LLC
Dellaghelfa, Norman
56 Orchard St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/30/2020

Hardy, Jessica Elizabeth
265 Roy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/13/2020

Hunte, Aretha
107 Memorial Dr.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/07/2020

LaPlante, Ronald J.
LaPlante, Kirstin M.
2 Thomas Circle
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/04/2020

Lapomardo, Elaine M.
23 Rivercrest Way
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/06/2020

Laventure, Joseph Paul
Laventure, Rebecca A.
139 Valley Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/11/2020

Leone, Tina
5 Kania St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/08/2020

Long, Marie B.
329 Pinedale Ave.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/08/2020

Marren, James M.
235 State St., Unit 409
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/12/2020

Meuse, Terese Laraine
6 Crown Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/13/2020

Moberg, Eric Matthew
139 Union Road
Wales, MA 01081
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/01/2020

Sticco, Thomas A.
424 Dwight Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/15/2020

Terrero, Ana F.
672 Alden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Date: 05/12/2020

Wilmot, Patricia A.
16 Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/13/2020

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BERNARDSTON

24 Gill Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $293,500
Buyer: Steven F. Duffany
Seller: Douglas R. Fish
Date: 05/15/20

CHARLEMONT

456 Zoar Road
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Benjamin H. Gagnon
Seller: Ivan J. Gould
Date: 05/11/20

GREENFIELD

661 Bernardston Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: MCK 2017 Descendants TR
Seller: Wheaton Mahoney
Date: 05/11/20

303 Davis St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Paul Szczepanek
Seller: Kathleen N. Forster
Date: 05/15/20

58-60 Elm St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Veaceslav Falceanu
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/13/20

37 Norwood St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: David Cheptea
Seller: Ellen L. Rawson
Date: 05/15/20

289 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $562,500
Buyer: ACCSS 1 LLC
Seller: Timber Commercial LLC
Date: 05/15/20

291 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $562,500
Buyer: ACCSS 1 LLC
Seller: Timber Commercial LLC
Date: 05/15/20

61 Plantation Circle
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: William D. Connelley
Seller: Archer, Charmaine R., (Estate)
Date: 05/08/20

ORANGE

620 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Wayne Whitmore
Seller: Mitchell Enterprises Inc.
Date: 05/08/20

107 New Athol Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Jake Stevens
Seller: George H. Newcomb
Date: 05/15/20

SUNDERLAND

679 Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Chandra K. Gurung
Seller: Alfonso Cumplido
Date: 05/18/20

50 Claybrook Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: John G. Hansbury
Seller: Thomas L. Hollingsworth
Date: 05/18/20

258 North Main St.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Amanda L. Hanley
Seller: Ciak, Louise M., (Estate)
Date: 05/14/20

114 Old Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Toni L. Dolan
Seller: Carol M. Krimsky
Date: 05/11/20

WENDELL

87 Bullard Pasture Road
Wendell, MA 01379
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Kristen Wilson
Seller: Sharon A. Gensler
Date: 05/08/20

WHATELY

8 Dickinson Hill Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $324,000
Buyer: Daniel Lapenta
Seller: John P. Imhoff
Date: 05/08/20

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

127 Colemore St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $213,675
Buyer: Santander Bank
Seller: Pauline V. George
Date: 05/14/20

102 Country Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Thomas A. Walker
Seller: Nicholas D. Rau
Date: 05/15/20

15 Farmington Circle
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $459,000
Buyer: Erin Hurley-King
Seller: Hillside Development Corp.
Date: 05/06/20

67 Highland St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $201,000
Buyer: Mohammed E. Abdul-Baki
Seller: Melhem F. Salloum
Date: 05/11/20

48 Horsham Place
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $230,322
Buyer: Oleg Shevchenko
Seller: Jury, Renee Odette, (Estate)
Date: 05/15/20

13 Pierce St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: Kate S. Menard
Seller: Felix M. Losito
Date: 05/08/20

44 Royal St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: Paul Versace
Seller: Aleksandr Katykhin
Date: 05/07/20

86 Sunset Ter.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Richard Gomez
Seller: Robert W. King
Date: 05/06/20

BLANDFORD

1 Kaolin Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Matthew Gogal
Seller: Nicholas A. Saltmarsh
Date: 05/18/20

BRIMFIELD

108 Cubles Dr.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: Shaun McLaughlin
Seller: Douglas R. Alfreds
Date: 05/12/20

CHICOPEE

96 Arnold St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Socrates Caminero
Seller: Sabri Bajrami
Date: 05/15/20

93 Bay State Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Gabriel A. Diaz
Seller: Joshua M. Dupuis
Date: 05/12/20

7 Campbell Place
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $259,999
Buyer: Sabri Bajrami
Seller: Tascon Homes LLC
Date: 05/15/20

118 Clairmont Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Henry S. Gottardi
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 05/08/20

105 East St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Prem LLC
Seller: Thomas Fotiathis
Date: 05/15/20

52 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Haider Abdulridha
Seller: Timothy J. Czerwiecki
Date: 05/18/20

47 Harvard St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Josue X. Colon
Seller: Gregoire, Maurice, (Estate)
Date: 05/08/20

24 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: 24 Lafayette Street LLC
Seller: Henry F. Dabek
Date: 05/19/20

25 Leclair Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Juan A. Rodriguez
Seller: Elizabeth A. Girouard
Date: 05/15/20

82 Madison St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Conor J. Patrick
Seller: HLR Home Inc.
Date: 05/11/20

20 Olea St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $177,500
Buyer: Jossimarye Melendez
Seller: Joshua Figueroa
Date: 05/15/20

53 Ondrick Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Luis Rodriguez
Seller: Gale A. Ascioti
Date: 05/19/20

744 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Teresa Doyle
Seller: Joseph R. Lecuyer
Date: 05/18/20

178 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Thomas Tetrault
Seller: Eddie Martinez
Date: 05/19/20

63 Silvin Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Tommy R. Ruiz
Seller: Edward A. Rivera
Date: 05/14/20

EAST LONGMEADOW

6 Amaretta Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $307,500
Buyer: Tuan M. Tran
Seller: Samuel J. Stoughton
Date: 05/15/20

7 Callender Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Curtis B. Frick
Seller: Elizabeth A. Clarke
Date: 05/14/20

14 Crescent Hill
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $176,800
Buyer: Alexander Sneirson
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/08/20

35 Dorset St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Tiffany M. Velazquez
Seller: Joseph M. Santaniello
Date: 05/11/20

51 East Village Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Gary D. Lynch
Seller: Margaret M. Sullivan
Date: 05/14/20

33 Evergreen Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Peter A. Drane
Seller: Carol M. Kalmbach
Date: 05/08/20

253 Maple St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Joyce
Seller: Timothy A. Provost
Date: 05/15/20

674 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $243,750
Buyer: Teamwork Realty Group LLC
Seller: Steven E. Rovithis
Date: 05/06/20

141 Nottingham Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $601,000
Buyer: Ryan T. Morton
Seller: Joseph A. Champigny
Date: 05/08/20

51 Oak Brook Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Cynthie Poon
Seller: Stephanie A. Griggs
Date: 05/08/20

152 Prospect St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Shippee
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 05/18/20

64 South Brook Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $590,000
Buyer: Lindsey E. Price
Seller: Daniel P. Garvey
Date: 05/07/20

12 Speight Arden
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $130,278
Buyer: Pennymac Loan Services
Seller: Richard E. Renaud
Date: 05/11/20

7 Townview Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Brock I. Gaspar
Seller: Allison W. Li
Date: 05/14/20

57 Tufts St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Andrii Fedosh
Seller: Eric Johnson
Date: 05/19/20

HOLLAND

28 Evelyn Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Joshua D. Thomas
Seller: Jay C. Demartino
Date: 05/06/20

1 Forest Court
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Alexander Noonan
Seller: Tiffany M. Letendre
Date: 05/15/20

HOLYOKE

32 Edbert Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Etabav RT
Seller: Serge J. Odabashian
Date: 05/15/20

319 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Arnold Aleanu
Seller: Tina Laflamme
Date: 05/08/20

61-63 Elmwood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Cangialosi Group LLC
Seller: Cangi 5 Properties LLC
Date: 05/12/20

44-46 Gilman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $148,350
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Jorge A. Burgos
Date: 05/12/20

52 Gilman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Tiffany S. Thurston
Seller: Thomas F. Moriarty
Date: 05/13/20

76 Hillview Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Jess H. Dods
Seller: Susan B. Church
Date: 05/15/20

27 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Maria M. Negroni
Seller: Marcos A. Marrero
Date: 05/11/20

12 Roosevelt Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $119,000
Buyer: Best4u RT
Seller: Bank Of America
Date: 05/08/20

640 South East St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Sage Group LLC
Seller: Maurice, V. Spear Jr., (Estate)
Date: 05/11/20

2-4 Shawmut Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Sarah Boisvert
Seller: Corbin H. Chicoine
Date: 05/07/20

15 Vadnais St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Alex J. Kim
Seller: Amy C. McDonough
Date: 05/15/20

6 Western View Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $451,000
Buyer: Kyle R. Pouliot
Seller: Paul J. Digrigoli
Date: 05/06/20

LONGMEADOW

48 Colony Acres Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Michael V. Adamski
Seller: Howard A. Dickstein
Date: 05/15/20

18 Dunsany Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Alexander Giles-Eaton
Seller: David A. Andre
Date: 05/15/20

190 Kenmore Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Patrick J. Dawes
Seller: Joanne Leboeuf
Date: 05/15/20

1497 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Carol A. Watts
Seller: Corey Neal
Date: 05/11/20

7 Robin Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Corey C. Neal
Seller: Vineyard Partners Limited
Date: 05/12/20

LUDLOW

39 Andrew St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Matthew G. Gilman
Seller: Cornerstone Homebuying
Date: 05/15/20

64 Brook Hollow Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Paulo J. Cruz
Seller: Americo G. Dacruz
Date: 05/14/20

162 Cady St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $118,500
Buyer: Michael L. Roberts
Seller: Roberts, James M., (Estate)
Date: 05/13/20

659 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Erin L. Lepage
Seller: David C. Smith
Date: 05/13/20

39 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: James R. Carvalho
Seller: Paulo J. Cruz
Date: 05/14/20

35 Fox Hill Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Steven Cassesse
Seller: Derek Sipma
Date: 05/14/20

36 Higher St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Amanda J. Purchase
Seller: William E. Duquette
Date: 05/14/20

11 Inwood Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01095
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Phillip E. Russ
Seller: Elizabeth Zirakian
Date: 05/18/20

142 Loopley St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: Nicholas Sharon
Seller: Frank N. Roda
Date: 05/18/20

47 Pondview Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $184,500
Buyer: Carrington Mortgage Services
Seller: Anita Teece
Date: 05/12/20

Turning Leaf Road #22
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $141,500
Buyer: Efrain Mendoza
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 05/08/20

MONSON

123 Bethany Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Ian Q. Tatro
Seller: Frederick McDonald
Date: 05/11/20

47 Blanchard Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Brandon T. Ford
Seller: Jennifer A. Braman
Date: 05/15/20

102 Brimfield Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Peter G. Sias
Seller: Scott E. Malo
Date: 05/11/20

68 Cote Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Janet B. Moorman
Seller: Mark E. Russell
Date: 05/06/20

40 Paradise Lake Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: April Perez-Moore
Seller: Francis P. Roach
Date: 05/08/20

32 Zuell Hill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: William B. Freeland
Seller: Robert L. Carlson
Date: 05/19/20

PALMER

9-11 Bond St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Kayla M. Turowsky
Seller: Milestone Rentals LLC
Date: 05/15/20

1042 Circle Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Samuel Houle
Seller: Kathleen Skowyra
Date: 05/15/20

573 Old Warren Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Dylan Bachand
Seller: Daniel Fisk
Date: 05/15/20

1400 Park St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Erin L. Ruggiano
Seller: Corinne F. Hulse
Date: 05/15/20

18 Sasur St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jennifer A. Braman
Seller: Claire E. Rebello
Date: 05/15/20

172 Shearer St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Rachel M. Lynds
Seller: Dylan J. Bachand
Date: 05/18/20

1397 Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Bryan Ouellette
Seller: Home Point Financial Corp.
Date: 05/08/20

SPRINGFIELD

402 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Ivan Diaz-Vazquez
Seller: Matthew L. Palatino
Date: 05/11/20

66 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $194,000
Buyer: Jimmy Cardona
Seller: Ericka L. Winslow
Date: 05/07/20

74 Ames St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Cagdas Yilmaz
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/08/20

132 Amherst St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Wayne A. Harris
Seller: Okabbs Properties LLC
Date: 05/18/20

79 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $137,500
Buyer: Ronilo Anglo
Seller: JJS Capital Investment
Date: 05/18/20

27 Ashley St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Madelaine Castro-Acevedo
Seller: Kiplin R. Samuels
Date: 05/15/20

57 Avon Place
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $136,900
Buyer: Safia Siidali
Seller: SLC Associates LLC
Date: 05/06/20

9-13 Baldwin St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Cagdas Yilmaz
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/08/20

39 Balfour Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Hector V. Garcia-Alvarado
Seller: Antonio Palermo
Date: 05/15/20

93 Bartels St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Amanda Begin
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 05/15/20

89 Brookside Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Rupert R. Gordon
Seller: Christopher Tokas
Date: 05/15/20

70-72 Burr St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Junior Properties LLC
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 05/13/20

15 Cambridge St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Molly Realty LLC
Seller: Aliciah M. Porter
Date: 05/08/20

126 Carroll St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Carole A. Colon
Seller: Viktor Smolnikov
Date: 05/12/20

38 Cherrelyn St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Carlos Cruz-Cedres
Seller: Justine T. Frazier
Date: 05/14/20

16 Colchester St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Abigail Martinez
Seller: Anchor Moore Investings
Date: 05/12/20

196-198 College St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: G. A. Hernandez-Montes
Seller: AAD LLC
Date: 05/11/20

162-164 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Patricia Meshack
Seller: Riccardo Albano
Date: 05/08/20

206 Corcoran Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Santiago
Seller: William T. Raleigh
Date: 05/19/20

44 Curve St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Walter S. Barlow
Seller: Tascon Homes LLC
Date: 05/11/20

87-89 Curve
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Gariel Cruz-Rodriguez
Seller: AJN Rentals LLC
Date: 05/08/20

134 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Luz I. Rodriguez
Seller: Alexandr Carapunarli
Date: 05/08/20

1604 Dwight St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Yitzahak Rosario
Seller: JJJ 17 LLC
Date: 05/11/20

103 Duryea St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Raymond Deneault
Seller: Bachir Saleh
Date: 05/18/20

55 Dutchess St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Erin A. Prickett
Seller: James C. Forsberg
Date: 05/15/20

143 El Paso St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Jose Rosado
Seller: Timmy J. Begin
Date: 05/15/20

329 Forest Hills Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Dwayne C. Burey
Seller: Jonathan Docanto
Date: 05/15/20

158 Fountain St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Melanie Jefferies
Seller: Prime Partners LLC
Date: 05/15/20

123 Hanson Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $134,620
Buyer: Tascon Homes LLC
Seller: PHH Mortgage Corp.
Date: 05/18/20

48 Homestead Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Nathan Shea
Seller: Mamba Capital LLC
Date: 05/06/20

450 Island Pond Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Richard G. Henry
Seller: Thomas J. Masotti
Date: 05/08/20

80 Jennings St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Marcus Garner
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 05/19/20

82 Jasper St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Marcus L. Whitley
Seller: William H. Russell
Date: 05/15/20

167 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Eddie Martinez
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 05/15/20

112 Lancaster St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Michael G. Robie
Seller: Susan E. Raimer
Date: 05/15/20

186 Louis Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Lymari Diaz
Seller: Elizabeth Hernandez
Date: 05/12/20

112 Lyons St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Madeline Cortes
Seller: Feranando F. DaSilva
Date: 05/15/20

171 Marsden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Elizmabel Colon
Seller: NRES LLC
Date: 05/08/20

95 Maynard St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Brian Donah
Seller: Pearlie L. Pitts
Date: 05/15/20

24-26 Mazarin St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Altagracia Valdez-Garcia
Seller: KEC Properties LLC
Date: 05/07/20

180 Mildred Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Joseph Santana
Seller: Elvin Gonzalez
Date: 05/11/20

19 Milton St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Hector L. Colon
Seller: Nicola S. Williams
Date: 05/11/20

383-385 Newbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Gustavo A. Olivio
Seller: TFO Properties LLC
Date: 05/08/20

103 North Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Bruce L. Tetrault
Seller: Vincent Poon
Date: 05/15/20

100-102 Newfield Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Natanael Crespo
Seller: Sylvia Bethea
Date: 05/14/20

92 Osborne Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Luis A. Deleon
Seller: Ashley M. Caron-Burey
Date: 05/15/20

182 Overlook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Lemoine
Seller: Ashleigh Malinowski
Date: 05/15/20

38-40 Parallel St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Adalberto Colon
Seller: Bank New York Mellon
Date: 05/08/20

66 Pendleton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Idalia Ojeda-Torres
Seller: Zuleika Rivera
Date: 05/11/20

158 Pendleton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $159,500
Buyer: Peter Cortes-Soto
Seller: Aquarius Real Estate LLC
Date: 05/15/20

85 Pheland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Jodanne St.George
Seller: Johannah E. Marcoux
Date: 05/11/20

35 Pinta Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $251,400
Buyer: George E. Golderesi
Seller: Carrie L. Ramos
Date: 05/07/20

1360 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Mark A. Gayle
Seller: Rosanne T. Lyons
Date: 05/08/20

49 Ranney St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $167,500
Buyer: Luis Cruz
Seller: Inci Kavraz
Date: 05/18/20

16 Ravenwood St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Chris J. Anderson
Seller: Kimberly A. Goldsmith
Date: 05/15/20

56 Rosedale Ave.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Jonathan M. Westbrooks
Seller: Paul C. Macdonald
Date: 05/11/20

140 Slumber Lane
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Steven Al-Husseini
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/19/20

110 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $162,800
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: Gary Fortune
Date: 05/12/20

110 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Paul Plante
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 05/15/20

163 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Joseph A. Wandolowski
Date: 05/12/20

257 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $229,900
Buyer: Diamante Seguin
Seller: Baystate Restoration Group
Date: 05/11/20

15 Sylvan St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Caleb A. Rozwenc
Seller: John J. Poirier
Date: 05/08/20

268 Talmadge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Amneris Serrano
Seller: Dwain P. Devine
Date: 05/07/20

16-18 Trillium St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $234,000
Buyer: Juliana M. Evans
Seller: TFO Properties LLC
Date: 05/11/20

291 Tyler St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Yeidi Cartagena
Seller: Elnora Larry
Date: 05/08/20

79 Wait St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Solimar Colorado
Seller: Lindsay Carpentier
Date: 05/07/20

24 West Colonial Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $352,400
Buyer: Emmanuel Nava
Seller: Brenda A. McGaffigan
Date: 05/15/20

747 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Anthony Charles
Seller: Mark Wedderburn
Date: 05/15/20

200 Windemere St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: C. A. Morales-Nieves
Seller: Chris Wiernasz
Date: 05/15/20

163 Winterset Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Matina S. Geanopoulos
Seller: Basile Realty LLC
Date: 05/08/20

115 Woodside Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Verleane Webb-Harris
Seller: Natasha Polite
Date: 05/07/20

1440-1442 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Robert Caudle
Seller: Artur Formejster
Date: 05/06/20

SOUTHWICK

757 College Hwy.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Donald J. McClellan
Seller: Guy Stanhope
Date: 05/06/20

18 George Loomis Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Andrew S. Brower
Seller: Allissa A. Nugent
Date: 05/18/20

50 George Loomis Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: David D. Eichstaedt
Seller: Howard P. Kelley
Date: 05/15/20

33 Gillette Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Peter J. Theodorowicz
Seller: Robert N. Tingley
Date: 05/15/20

61 Hastings Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: PHH Mortgage Corp.
Seller: Consuelo M. Carlson
Date: 05/08/20

353 North Loomis St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Phillip Price
Seller: Seth Girace
Date: 05/14/20

151 Point Grove Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Frank Grillo Enterprises
Seller: Ransford W. Kellogg Post
Date: 05/07/20

WALES

4 Cordially Colony
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Cynthia L. Price
Seller: Robert J. Pierce
Date: 05/08/20

WESTFIELD

109 Apremont Way
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $3,700,000
Buyer: Triple 7 LLC
Seller: DMA Associates LLC
Date: 05/08/20

2 Bristol St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $138,600
Buyer: Home Team LLC
Seller: Bank New York Mellon
Date: 05/15/20

22 Canterbury Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Cole Skinner
Seller: Oak Ridge Custom Home Builders
Date: 05/13/20

58 Day Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Oscar N. Naranjo
Seller: Berdahowski, Stanley F., (Estate)
Date: 05/18/20

9 Dickinson Place
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Therese Burdick
Seller: Stephen J. Bouffard
Date: 05/19/20

723 Holyoke Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: First Tennessee Bank
Seller: Kerry A. Little
Date: 05/11/20

15 Laro Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Francis B. Marsh
Seller: Raymond K. Broderick
Date: 05/15/20

11 Pineridge Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: 11 Pineridge Drive RT
Seller: Swiecanski, Henry S., (Estate)
Date: 05/19/20

1335 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Armor Fire Technologies
Seller: Judith E. Hoey
Date: 05/15/20

WILBRAHAM

3068 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Manuel Santos
Seller: Peter Baruffaldi
Date: 05/11/20

3116 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Nicholas A. Ouano
Seller: Steven A. Maiolo
Date: 05/08/20

4 Danforth Farms Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Brian M. Chapdelaine
Seller: Dan Roulier & Associates
Date: 05/08/20

2 Judith Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Timothy A. Provost
Seller: Shashi D. Desai
Date: 05/15/20

3 Millbrook Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $356,000
Buyer: Robert E. Dooley
Seller: Kelnate Realty LLC
Date: 05/19/20

19 Scenic Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Gomez
Seller: James M. Lagodich
Date: 05/15/20

24 West Colonial Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $352,400
Buyer: Emmanuel Nava
Seller: Brenda A. McGaffigan
Date: 05/15/20

WEST SPRINGFIELD

530 Bear Hole Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Judge
Seller: Amy L. Mendrala
Date: 05/15/20

99 Brookline Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jason S. Phillips
Seller: Michael Lastoria
Date: 05/15/20

64 Hill St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Turian L. McCollum
Seller: Ruslan Kuychiyev
Date: 05/08/20

16 Jensen Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Christopher R. Shain
Seller: John Bielanski
Date: 05/18/20

108 Jensen Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $219,400
Buyer: Ellen C. Shaw
Seller: Samuel Spinazzola
Date: 05/18/20

600 Kings Hwy.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Bernice McKenna
Seller: Kaydoke RT
Date: 05/14/20

72 Lower Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Joshua Daly
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 05/15/20

149 Lower Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Steven T. Sullivan
Seller: Stephen V. Zambelli
Date: 05/08/20

990 Piper Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Riteshkumar R. Patel
Seller: Clara P. Calabrese
Date: 05/07/20

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

58 Belchertown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Neal B. Patel
Seller: Keith O. Kaneta RET
Date: 05/15/20

86 Lindenridge Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $824,900
Buyer: Gregory S. Vorderstrasse
Seller: Catherine M. Cullen
Date: 05/13/20

3 Overlook Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Spracklen
Seller: Hubert, John F., (Estate)
Date: 05/08/20

10 Pine St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Pine Street Partners LLC
Seller: Smith Frank A., (Estate)
Date: 05/06/20

24 Tracy Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Andrew T. Brace
Seller: Quyen Nguyen
Date: 05/13/20

100 University Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $5,175,000
Buyer: Gleason Johndrow Investments
Seller: Elysium LLC
Date: 05/08/20

3 Wildflower Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $438,000
Buyer: Matthew T. Hoyle
Seller: Dolly G. Jolly
Date: 05/18/20

45 Wildwood Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $410,900
Buyer: Donna C. Heussler
Seller: Elizabeth H. Alcaide
Date: 05/15/20

44 Woodlot Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Steven Palatt
Seller: Feldman, Barbara P., (Estate)
Date: 05/15/20

BELCHERTOWN

267 Barton Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Maxwell Mayer
Seller: James G. Aberdale
Date: 05/18/20

44 Boardman St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Kayliegh J. Hodgen
Seller: Michael B. Mackay
Date: 05/18/20

Michael Sears Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Stephen Rock
Seller: Daguiar, Joseph L., (Estate)
Date: 05/18/20

59 Underwood St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: James W. Gelinas
Seller: James L. Beaumont
Date: 05/14/20

CUMMINGTON

32 Clark Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Bo Guyer-Carpen
Seller: Heywood Farms NT
Date: 05/15/20

28 Porter Hill Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $122,800
Buyer: Shelby L. Ellison
Seller: Douglas Noel
Date: 05/08/20

EASTHAMPTON

22 East Green St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Timothy J. Garceau
Seller: Geoffrey P. Rice
Date: 05/07/20

176 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $348,000
Buyer: Timothy A. Brault
Seller: Kara Y. Wood
Date: 05/15/20

GRANBY

92 East St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Harvey J. Lafleche
Seller: Anne M. Knox
Date: 05/15/20

72 West St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Nathan M. Henry
Seller: Joanne Henry
Date: 05/08/20

HADLEY

66 Stockbridge St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Amy E. Chapman
Seller: Morton, Bruce N., (Estate)
Date: 05/08/20

HATFIELD

14 Chestnut St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Adam J. Barker
Seller: DMP T
Date: 05/11/20

King St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Walter R. Thayer
Seller: Harriet M. Tetrault
Date: 05/15/20

24 North Hatfield Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $348,000
Buyer: Jacklyn M. Szawlowski
Seller: Thomas J. Wickles
Date: 05/15/20

NORTHAMPTON

19 Arlington St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Leeor Jaffe
Seller: Simone Topal
Date: 05/15/20

122 Florence St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Elizabeth M. Burnworth
Seller: Robin M. Larochelle
Date: 05/07/20

8 Fox Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Zachary M. Lipkin-Moore
Seller: O’Connor FT
Date: 05/11/20

60 North Elm St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Michael Chill
Seller: Joseph R. Gaubinger RET
Date: 05/18/20

126 North Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: John & Doris Szawlowski FT
Seller: Jacklyn M. Szawlowski
Date: 05/08/20

117 Olander Dr. #10
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $550,792
Buyer: James A. Glickman
Seller: Sunwood Development Corp.
Date: 05/08/20

117 Olander Dr., #11
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $464,518
Buyer: Susan Hogan
Seller: Sunwood Development Corp.
Date: 05/08/20

19 Pine Brook Curve
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $322,500
Buyer: Michael Lesley
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 05/07/20

375 Rocky Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: David A. Toone
Seller: Barbara C. Dunn
Date: 05/19/20

12 Winslow Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $523,000
Buyer: Felice Lesser
Seller: Nu-Way Homes Inc.
Date: 05/06/20

PELHAM

328 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Gregor S. Semieniuk
Seller: Patricia Millington
Date: 05/15/20

PLAINFIELD

54 South Union St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Lyla Rozelle
Seller: John G. Hanhardt
Date: 05/08/20

SOUTH HADLEY

285 Brainerd St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Mary K. Carroll-Bowlick
Seller: Hector L. Santiago
Date: 05/07/20

20 Chestnut Hill Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $344,000
Buyer: Benjamin Sabbs
Seller: Kenneth B. Minor
Date: 05/15/20

148 Old Lyman Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $337,000
Buyer: April B. Bellafiore
Seller: Todd W. Perkins
Date: 05/11/20

28 North St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: Gregory Pandoli
Seller: Michael Ermold
Date: 05/14/20

11 Silver St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Patricia Stefanelli
Seller: Joseph A. Stefanelli
Date: 05/18/20

SOUTHAMPTON

5 Gilbert Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Douglas L. Schonlaw
Seller: Jennifer C. Leveille
Date: 05/15/20

69 Moose Brook Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $271,900
Buyer: Jesse Coughlin
Seller: Kathryn R. Riel
Date: 05/14/20

90 Pleasant St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $469,900
Buyer: Alex S. Engelson
Seller: Chester J. Kellogg
Date: 05/08/20

WARE

158 Osborne Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Ann M. Votta
Seller: Julia A. Critelli
Date: 05/13/20

10-12 Pleasant St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Douglas P. Gauthier
Seller: Brian T. Hatch
Date: 05/08/20

60-62 Pleasant St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $180,500
Buyer: Arielle V. Day
Seller: Melanie C. Dodge
Date: 05/08/20

3 Walter Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Melissa Hancock
Seller: Michael Huse
Date: 05/06/20

WESTHAMPTON

242 Kings Hwy.
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Thomas Raschi
Seller: Jason T. Novak
Date: 05/11/20

WORTHINGTON

140 Cudworth Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Douglas A. Noel
Seller: Heywood Farms NT
Date: 05/08/20

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of May 2020. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

CHICOPEE

Chicopee Property
443-445 Chicopee St.
$5,000 — Demolish metal building

Christy Real Estate, LLC
390 Burnett Road
$150,000 — Roofing

Elms College
291 Springfield St.
$98,995 — Roofing

New England Tel. and Tel. Co.
29 Riverview Ter.
$188,772 — Remove and replace existing air-conditioning system

Tabernacle Baptist Church
603 New Ludlow Road
$30,000 — Repair sills and floor joist, replace entry door and windows, repair handicap ramp

LENOX

Berrydale, LLC
7 Hubbard St.
$40,000 — Repair front porch of building

Jaki Nominee Trust
12 Housatonic St.
$9,000 — Outdoor dining awning

MRG CRW Holdings, LLC
55 Lee Road
$7,543 — Replace fire-alarm panel and tie into fire-alarm network

SPRINGFIELD

Mittas Hospitality, LLC; DD Development, LLC; and Rudra Realty, LLC
1500 Main St.
$326,173 — Remodel first-floor lobby, bar, kitchen, and restaurant at Tower Square Hotel

State Transitions to Second Phase of Economic Reopening

By
COVID-19 Daily News

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration announced that phase 2 of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan begins today, June 8. Businesses and sectors set to begin opening in phase 2 are subject to compliance with all mandatory safety standards.

The following businesses will be eligible to reopen immediately, with contingencies:

• Retail, with occupancy limits;

• Childcare facilities and day camps, with detailed guidance;

• Restaurants, outdoor table service only;

• Hotels and other lodgings, but no events, functions, or meetings;

• Warehouses and distribution centers;

• Personal services without close physical contact, such as home cleaning, photography, window washing, career coaching, and education tutoring;

• Post-secondary, higher education, vocational-technical, and occupational schools for the purpose of completing graduation requirements;

• Youth and adult amateur sports, with detailed guidance;

• Outdoor recreation facilities;

• Professional sports practices, but no games or public admissions;

• Non-athletic youth instructional classes in arts, education, or life skills in groups of less than 10;

• Driving and flight schools;

• Outdoor historical spaces, but no functions, gatherings, or guided tours; and

• Funeral homes, with occupancy limits.

The following businesses will be eligible reopen later in phase 2, at a date to be determined:

• Indoor table service at restaurants; and

• Close-contact personal services, with restrictions, including hair removal and replacement, nail care, skin care, massage therapy, makeup salons and makeup-application services, tanning salons, personal training (with restrictions), and tattoo, piercing, and body-art services.

A full list with safety protocols is available at www.mass.gov/reopening.

Healthcare providers may also incrementally resume in-person elective, non-urgent procedures and services, including routine office visits, dental visits, and vision care subject to compliance with public health and safety standards. All other in-person medical, behavioral-health, dental, and vision services may also resume on June 8, except for elective cosmetic procedures and in-person day programs, which will be included in phase 3. Telehealth must continue to be utilized and prioritized to the greatest extent possible, whenever feasible and appropriate.

Limited reopening of visitation will also begin, and all visitation is subject to infection-control protocol, social distancing, and face coverings. Given the diversity of facilities and programs, there are specific timetables for visitation, and congregate-care programs will be reaching out to families with specific details on scheduling visits.

On May 18, the administration released a four-phased plan to reopen the economy based on public health data, spending at least three weeks in each phase. Key public health data, such as new cases and hospitalizations, has been closely monitored and seen a significant decline, allowing for phase 2 to begin.

The public-health dashboard designating the progress of key COVID-19 data metrics has been updated to reflect the number of COVID-19 patients in Massachusetts hospitals to green, indicating a positive trend.

Since mid-April, the seven-day average for the positive COVID-19 test rate is down 82%, the three-day average of hospitalized patients is down 55%, and the number of hospitals in surge is down 76%.

A total of 630,000 viral COVID-19 tests have been completed, and testing continues to increase throughout the state.

The Zoo at Forest Park Announces Reservation-only Reopening Today

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center has received approval from the city of Springfield to open for the 2020 season. The zoo will reopen to the general public today, June 8 at 10 a.m. In accordance with Gov. Charlie Baker’s guidelines for the state’s phase 1 reopening plan, all zoo guests, including members, are required to have a timed ticket to enter the zoo.

To make a reservation, visit The zoo’s virtual box office at buytickets.at/forestparkzoo and select the date you would like to visit. From the drop-down menu, select the time of your visit. Tickets will be honored only for the time indicated on the ticket. Select how many adults, children, and/or seniors are in your party. Each time slot is limited to 10 visitors. Then, proceed to the checkout screen.

Current zoo members should also use this system to reserve time slots, utilizing the special member code sent out via e-mail; there will be no admission charge for members.

All guests should plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to the time indicated on their pre-purchased ticket. This ensures they are at the zoo ticket booth, awaiting entry, at their scheduled time. All guests over age 2 must wear a mask at all times while inside the zoo, unless prevented by a medical condition. Guests who are unable to wear a mask are asked to skip all feline exhibits in accordance with USDA regulations. Guests must remain six feet apart from other parties at all times and follow the one-way path around the zoo, avoiding sectioned-off areas and the inside of the barn.

For more information on purchasing tickets, visit www.forestparkzoo.org, or e-mail Gabry Tyson at [email protected].

West of the River Chamber to Host Virtual Annual Meeting, Town Updates

By
Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — With the government-mandated social-distancing restrictions in place, the West of the River Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting and town updates will be a virtual event this year.

“We feel we need to continue to move forward in this new environment and show our business community that we are here, active, and supporting our members during this time” Executive Director Robin Wozniak said.

The Zoom event will take place on Tuesday, June 23 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Not only is this a free event this year, but the West of the River Chamber board of directors want to give back to its members by awarding three $500 business grants during the event.

“Times are different now, and many businesses are struggling. We understand this and want to give back,” Wozniak said.

The event will also feature a talk on “Cybersecurity and Beyond,” a guest speaker, and Agawam Mayor Bill Sapelli and West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt giving town updates.

For more information and to register, visit www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

Researchers Call for New Federal Authority to Regulate Facial-recognition Technology

By
Daily News

AMHERST — A group of artificial-intelligence experts, including computer vision researcher and lead author Erik Learned-Miller of the UMass Amherst College of Information and Computer Sciences, recently proposed a new model for managing facial-recognition technologies at the federal level.

In a whitepaper titled “Facial Recognition Technologies in the Wild: A Call for a Federal Office,” the authors propose an FDA-inspired model that categorizes these technologies by degrees of risk and would institute corresponding controls.

“There are a lot of problems with face recognition, like breach of privacy, surveillance, unequal performance across subgroups, and profiling,” Learned-Miller explained. “Due to the high-stakes situations in which this technology is being deployed, such as in police work, financial decision making, and analysis of job applicants, harms from inaccuracies or misuse are a real and growing problem.”

Further, “people have proposed a variety of possible solutions, but we argue that they are not enough. We are proposing a new federal office for regulating the technology. We model it after some of the offices in the Food and Drug Administration for regulating medical devices and pharmaceuticals.”

He said the FDA provides a model or precedent of centralized regulation for managing complex technologies with major societal implications. Such an independent agency would encourage addressing the facial-recognition technology ecosystem as a whole. The whitepaper describing the researchers’ proposal is accompanied by a primer and basic introduction to the terminology, applications, and difficulties of evaluating this complex set of technologies.

Learned-Miller’s co-authors are Joy Buolamwini of MIT’s Media Lab and founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, computer scientist Vicente Ordóñez of the University of Virginia, and Jamie Morgenstern at the University of Washington. The project was supported by a grant from the MacArthur Foundation.

The authors write that, while various cities and states have begun to pass laws that provide oversight of facial-recognition technologies, these individual measures are not enough to guarantee the consistent protection of people’s rights or set shared expectations for organizations that buy and sell in the tech market. Although the task is complex, this whitepaper provides actionable recommendations.

Buolamwini said the paper is a starting point for how society might establish redlines and guidelines for a complex range of facial-recognition technologies. “Left unchecked,” the authors write, “they threaten to propagate discrimination and intensify the risks for eroding civil liberties and human rights.”

Last year, Learned-Miller and two others received an award from the International Conference on Computer Vision for work on one of the most influential face datasets in the world, Labeled Faces in the Wild. It has been used by companies like Google and Facebook to test their facial-recognition accuracy.

BusinessTalk with Mayor Nicole LaChapelle

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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 2: June 17, 2020

Thom Fox interviews Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle

Photo Credit: Henry Amistadi

Thom and Mayor LaChapelle discuss her service on Governor Baker’s COVID-19 Reopening Advisory Board, resources business owners can access to reopen successfully, and challenges some industries may face in a post-COVID economy. 

Sponsored by:

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Peter Pan Bus Lines Resumes Service with CDC-approved Cleaning Process

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Peter Pan Bus Lines buses will be back on the road serving major cities along the Northeast corridor starting today, June 5, and the company has developed a new cleaning process to keep both customers and employees safe.

“Shutting down was one of the hardest things we have ever done,” said Peter Picknelly, chairman of Peter Pan Bus Lines and third-generation leader of the family-owned company. “We also know that our customers have been through a lot as well. So, we are happy to be back on the road, serving our customers again, but now using the best cleaning and sanitizing practices in the transportation industry.”

During the shutdown, Peter Pan Bus Lines continued to improve its contactless boarding procedures and technologies. The company also made a significant investment in its bus cleaning and disinfecting procedures. Currently, Peter Pan Bus Lines is the only bus company using CDC-approved PermaSafe to continuously kill viruses, including COVID-19, bacteria, germs, and mold on contact. The non-toxic product also purifies passenger cabin air while making the interior surfaces antimicrobial and self-sanitizing. The company also uses state-of-the-art Victory electrostatic handheld sprayers, together with the powerful BruTabS6 sealant, to sanitize and disinfect. The virus-killing sprayer is used over the bus. Peter Pan Bus Lines cleans all its coaches every day, with some of them being cleaned mid-route.

“No-contact boarding means that, once they have purchased their ticket online or through our app, all passengers have to do to board is to simply walk up to the bus and give the driver their name,” Picknelly added. “In terms of safety and sanitizing, we are leading the industry with our CDC-approved approach. In fact, a hospital recently asked us to clean their staff buses.”

In addition, passengers are required to wear a face mask at all times while boarding, traveling, and exiting the coach; the first row of seats behind the driver will not be open for passengers; while the bus is occupied, fresh air will be continuously circulating; and employees have been issued personal protective equipment, including face masks and hand sanitizer, to follow CDC recommendations.

Routes and schedules are still changing frequently, so customers should visit peterpanbus.com for the latest information.

Massachusetts Unemployment Claims Continue to Ease

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Daily News

BOSTON — Massachusetts had 27,034 individuals file an initial claim for standard unemployment insurance (UI) from May 24 to May 30, a decrease of 10,584 over the previous week. Since March 15, a total of 924,239 initial claims have been filed for UI. For the same week, there were 575,862 continued UI claims filed, a decrease of 12,187 or 2.1% over the previous week. This marks the first decrease in continued UI weeks claimed since the beginning of the pandemic-related unemployment surge.

At 54,281, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) initial claims filed for the week ending May 30 were 93,313 less than the previous week. Since April 20, 573,077 claimants have filed for PUA.

The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which provided up to 13 weeks of extended benefits to individuals who have exhausted or expired their regular unemployment compensation since July 2019, was implemented on May 21. For the week ending May 23, 39,011 PEUC claims were filed, followed by 4,242 PEUC filings for the week of May 24 to May 30.

Max Scherff Appointed General Manager of the Red Lion Inn

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Daily News

STOCKBRIDGE — Max Scherff has been appointed general manager at the Red Lion Inn. He will oversee the historic hotel’s operational strategy to ensure execution of Main Street Hospitality’s quality standards of service and hospitality.

As general manager, Scherff will be responsible for creating and maintaining a customer-driven hotel. He will also oversee and inspire employees to meet and exceed guest expectations by consistent delivery of both product quality and service excellence. Additional responsibilities include collaborating with Main Street’s vice president of Operations and director of Finance on budget concepts for the entire property.

“It is a great pleasure to have Max Scherff take the helm of the Red Lion Inn,” said Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality. “With 20 years of leadership experience across the hospitality industry, he brings well-rounded knowledge, a lead-by-example philosophy, and enthusiastic attitude for hospitality.”

Prior to his new role at the Red Lion Inn, Scherff worked at Canyon Ranch in Lenox. While there, he served as hotel director and, before that, food and beverage director. Additional experience includes roles as assistant food and beverage director/director of banquets at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C., and assistant food and beverage director at the Omni William Penn in Pittsburgh. Before heading to the East Coast, Scherff worked in San Francisco, holding leadership roles at the Palace Hotel and the Fairmont, where he was named employee of the year in 2011.

Mural Inspired by Death of George Floyd Being Painted at MLK Jr. Family Services

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — A mural inspired by the death of George Floyd that will pay tribute to unarmed people of color killed by police, titled “Say Their Names,” is being painted on the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services building, located at 3 Rutland St. in Springfield.

In addition to the mural, there will be an adjacent area where members of the community are encouraged to share their own tributes and remembrances. The project is organized by Common Wealth Murals, organizer of Fresh Paint Springfield, and Rosemary Tracy Woods, executive director and chief curator of Art for the Soul Gallery. The mural is hosted by Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services of Springfield.

The mural was designed and is being painted by internationally known muralist and graffiti artist Wane One from New York City, with assistance from two additional muralists, Nero and Souls. Wane One painted the East Columbus Avenue parking garage during the Fresh Paint Springfield Mural Festival in 2019 and a mural for the Friends of the Homeless shelter on Worthington Street in Springfield.

The mural, which will include the phrase “Say Their Names,” will feature the names of the more than 60 unarmed people of color who have been killed by police in the U.S. in the past 12 months (from June 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020). The people whose names are included on the mural are those whom police reported as unarmed when killed. The names and demographics of those killed, as well as the circumstances of their death, were drawn from the research by Mapping Police Violence.

According to the project organizers, “we were inspired to create this mural by the death of George Floyd. We believe more must be done to prevent the excessive use of force by police, which disproportionately harms people of color. We hope this mural will create a space for public and communal mourning, inspiration, and conversation. We believe free expression and community conversation during a time of heightened tension increases the likelihood of peaceful and constructive action. We hope that this mural will help people heal, process emotions, gain new understanding, and inspire concerted effort to eliminate individual and systemic racism.”

Wane One has been an active and progressive participant in the New York City graffiti community for 36 years, and has painted more than 35 public murals in New York City and around the world. He has designed for hip-hop groups and artists like Gangstarr, Jeru the Damager, and Group Home, as well as brands such as Nike, Reebok, New Balance, and RYU.

HCC, STCC Announce Small-business Resource Series

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Daily News

HOLYOKE, SPRINGFIELD — Holyoke Community College (HCC) and Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) will jointly host a series of online workshops in June and July for area employers who want to explore programs, services, and grant-funded workforce-training opportunities to boost their small businesses.

Each of the three, 45-minute remote sessions will meet from 9 to 9:45 a.m. and focus on a different government funding source.

On June 18, Workforce Training Fund Outreach Manager Kristen Rayne will provide an overview of grant programs. On June 25, Oreste Varela, branch manager for the U.S. Small Business Administration office in Springfield, will talk about SBA programs and services available to prospective and current entrepreneurs who need assistance starting or expanding their businesses. On July 2, Melissa Scibelli, director of Workforce Development Programs for MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board, will discuss the Registered Apprenticeship program, an innovative, work-based learning model for new hires and incumbent employees that provides funds to assist businesses in closing critical workforce-gap shortages through on-the-job learning and related technical industry training.

The Small Business Resource Series is being offered by HCC and STCC through their Training and Workforce Options (TWO) partnership.

“COVID-19 is having a powerful impact on the workforce and our economy,” said Sharon Grundel, director of corporate training for TWO. “To emerge stronger, businesses really need to start retooling how they operate now, and that includes retraining their workforce to meet new workplace demands. Through TWO, HCC and STCC are at the crossroads of industry and education and perfectly positioned to assist.”

Advance registration is required for all sessions. To register, visit hcc.edu/business-series. Log-in information for each remote session will be supplied after registration is complete.

Leadership Pioneer Valley Hosts Drive-in Graduation for Class of 2020 Leaders

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — Leadership Pioneer Valley (LPV) hosted a graduation ceremony for its nine-month regional leadership-development program, called LEAP, a little differently this year. This year’s group of 33 professionals from area businesses, nonprofits, and the public sector lined up in a parking lot at Holyoke Community College to hear video congratulations from employers and elected officials before receiving certificates. The program was also livestreamed on Facebook.

“This class has risen to new challenges that weren’t anticipated by anyone and gotten closer as a result,” said Lora Wondolowski, executive director of LPV. “As a result, they have applied crisis-leadership techniques in real time and are well-positioned to lead their teams and communities.”

Participants are trained in leadership skills by experts in a classroom setting. They also attend in-depth field experiences across the region, where they met with local leaders to explore the region’s economy, arts, and key issues. The program conducted the final three months virtually.

“Leadership Pioneer Valley is intentional is its efforts, inviting diverse participants to self-reflect personally and professionally,” said Taniesha Burton of Baystate Health, class of 2020 speaker. “It provided the opportunity to obtain invaluable concepts through observations and experiences, using insightful materials to explore the process. It helped me uncover areas to improve, while challenging me to press into strengths, honing them for the better.”

Leadership Pioneer Valley LEAP graduates worked in teams during the program with area nonprofits. Projects included creating a business plan for Greenfield Community College’s Food Pantry, organizing a signature fundraiser for Each Moment We Are Alive, organizing public support for an affordable-housing unit with One Holyoke, creating planning and promotion tools for the Springfield Central Cultural District, and diversifying the constituencies and offerings of MassAudubon’s Arcadia Sanctuary. The projects are designed to be in-depth, hands-on experiences that put the LPV curriculum into action for the benefit of communities in the Pioneer Valley. The majority of teams changed their projects to meet the changing needs of organizations in light of COVID-19.