SPRINGFIELD — When was the last time you evaluated your information-security practices, or considered the technical, legal, and financial risks a cybersecurity incident could pose to your business? In the second segment of its CyberSafe series, Bulkley Richardson will help businesses of all sizes assess the scope, risks, and value of both administrative and technical information-security practices.

Jim Duda and Lauren Ostberg, attorneys in Bulkley Richardson’s cybersecurity practice, will team up with Frank Vincentelli of Integrated IT and Scott Garcia of Smith Brothers Insurance for this event, to be held on Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Bulkley Richardson’s office in Springfield. A networking reception will follow the program. Registration is required at [email protected].

The CyberSafe series meets quarterly to cover topics on preparation, assessment, implementation, and response to ensure that attendees are aware of their legal obligations, safeguards to stay protected, and what to do in the event of a breach.

SPRINGFIELD — The third annual class of Healthcare Heroes will be honored at the Sheraton Springfield tonight, Oct. 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Media coverage is welcome.

Healthcare Heroes, a recognition program involving the Western Mass. healthcare sector, was launched in 2017 by HCN and BusinessWest. The program was created to shed a bright light on the outstanding work being done across the broad spectrum of health and wellness services, and the institutions and people providing that care.

The Heroes for 2019 are:

• Lifetime Achievement (tie): Katherine Wilson, president and CEO, Behavioral Health Network Inc.; and Frank Robinson, vice president, Public Health, Baystate Health;

• Health/Wellness Administrator/Administration: Emily Uguccioni, executive director, Linda Manor Assisted Living;

• Collaboration in Health/Wellness: Carol Constant, convener, Dementia Friendly Western Massachusetts; and director of Community Engagement, Loomis Communities;

• Community Health: Amy Walker, certified nurse midwife, Cooley Dickinson Health Care;

• Emerging Leader: Tara Ferrante, program director of the Holyoke Outpatient Clinic, ServiceNet;

• Innovation in Health/Wellness: Cristina Huebner Torres, vice president, Research & Population Health, Caring Health Center Inc.; and

• Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider: Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield.

The class of 2019 was profiled in the Sept. 2 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com.

Healthcare Heroes is sponsored by American International College and Baystate Health/Health New England (presenting sponsors), Behavioral Health Network, Comcast Business, and Development Associates (partner sponsors), and Bulkley Richardson, Design to Finish, Elms College, Keiter Builders, Loomis Communities, and Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health (supporting sponsors).

HOLYOKE — The entrepreneurship program SPARK EforAll Holyoke will host an informal networking event on Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Unicorn Inn, 126 Main St., Holyoke.

Anyone with a passion for entrepreneurship and helping local businesses is encouraged to stop by to learn more about becoming a mentor this winter. Accelerator mentors come from a variety of backgrounds and use their business and leadership experience to guide new entrepreneurs through the process of turning their idea into a growing business. Mentors work in teams of three and are matched with an entrepreneur based on schedule availability and desire to work together.

For more information and/or to RSVP, e-mail [email protected].

BOSTON — Today, Oct. 17, the Assoc. of Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADDP) and the Department of Developmental Services will hold Talking Tech 2019, an event celebrating the promise of technology for empowerment and social inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Delcie Bean, CEO of Hadley-based Paragus IT, will be a featured guest speaker alongside other experts in a wide range of technological areas, including remote monitoring, staffing solutions, assistive technologies, cybersecurity, and more.

ADDP is a trade association representing more than 120 providers throughout Massachusetts. The organization is committed to enhancing the political, financial, and educational health of member organizations that serve people with disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities and acquired brain injuries.

“It’s an honor to be invited to speak at an event for this very important organization,” Bean said. “Individuals with disabilities rely on technology in ways many of us don’t understand. As tech professionals, it’s important that we do everything we can to support the mission of ADDP.”

ENFIELD, Conn. — Asnuntuck Community College (ACC) will host an open house on Tuesday, Nov. 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The open house will feature information about ACC’s credit and credit-free opportunities, information sessions from Admissions and Financial Aid, campus tours, as well as an information session and tour in the Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Center. ACC’s Follett Bookstore will also be open for business during the event. Walk-ins are welcome.

Web registration for the spring semester will open on Monday, Oct. 28. Asnuntuck is currently accepting applications for the winter 2019, spring 2020, and fall 2020 terms. Visit www.asnuntuck.edu for information on how to register.

SPRINGFIELD — Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM) was recognized recently by Massachusetts’ Department of Youth Services (DYS) for its work with local youth. DYS, the juvenile-justice agency for the Commonwealth, gave JAWM the 2019 Commissioner’s Award for Outstanding Community Partner in the Western Region at a ceremony on Oct. 4 in Dorchester.

JAWM, which provides workforce-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial-literacy programs to K-12 youth, was nominated by Sharon Bess, youth employment development specialist at the Center for Human Development (CHD) in Springfield. Bess wrote in her nomination that “Junior Achievement has allowed us to introduce career readiness and financial literacy in a unique way that leaves a lasting impact on our young people and creates a foundation toward positive change to their futures.”

CHD is a nonprofit that delivers social and mental-health services to people in Western Mass. and Connecticut.

“We’re honored to be recognized with this Community Partner award,” said Jennifer Connolly, president of JAWM. “Starting in 2005, our partnership with CHD helped establish their Exclusive Tees program by introducing local high-school students to the JA Be Entrepreneurial program and the JA Company program. Our partnership also established the Teen Reality Fair, which provides high-school students with information on career opportunities and introduces financial literacy in a hands-on, eye-opening fashion. It’s always a pleasure to work with the youth and the staff at CHD.”

The Teen Reality Fair will take place this year on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at CHD, 332 Birnie Ave., Springfield. For more information, call JAWM at (413) 747-7670.

NORTHAMPTON — In honor of its 25th anniversary, the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley (FBC) will host a Legacy & Soul celebration at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 5 to 9 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by local reggae band ReBelle and dance instructor Anastasia Veremenyenko Christie.

In addition to celebrating its silver anniversary, the FBC will formally launch its leadership transition from its founding director, Ira Bryck, to its new director, Jessi Kirley, who will lead the organization into the next era.

“Under Ira’s leadership, the FBC has become a trusted place for owners, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders to grow their wisdom, influence, and impact,” said Kirley. “I have worked closely with Ira over the past 10 months, and his guidance and support have made me very confident of a smooth transition as we enter our next quarter-century.”

The FBC provides a unique professional learning environment for the leaders of closely held and family-founded businesses in the Western Mass. area, a setting that fosters business connections and growth. Members benefit from presentations by experts in the fields of psychology, management, law, accounting, organizational culture, emotional intelligence, finances, and more. Workshops allow for a deeper dive into topics with smaller groups, and peer-learning roundtables give owners a place to gain fresh perspectives on real challenges.

“I’m excited to pass the torch to Jessi,” said Bryck. “The Family Business Center has been a labor of love, and Jessi is well-poised to bring its legacy and soul into the next era.”

Member companies can receive up to four tickets for their leadership team to attend the event, and non-members are invited to attend for $50 per ticket, with proceeds benefiting the FBC’s new need-based grant fund for underserved business owners. The event will provide an opportunity for businesses considering joining the FBC to learn more about the benefits of membership and to network with current members.

For more information about the FBC’s 25th-anniversary celebration or to purchase tickets, visit fambizpv.com.

EASTHAMPTON — Social entrepreneurs from across the nation will gather to share their award-winning strategies at the Treehouse Foundation’s Re-envisioning Foster Care in America (REFCA) Conference this year with the goal of inspiring others to replicate and design new effective solutions in Massachusetts and beyond.

This year, the REFCA Conference, called Foster Care Innovators, will be held at Brandeis University Heller School of Social Work on Saturday, Nov. 2. The purpose of the conference is to change the foster-care narrative in America by highlighting innovative approaches and models that are making a difference in the lives of children and youth in foster care. With more than 10,000 children in foster care in Massachusetts, 40% of whom live in Western Mass., one innovative response is to link older adults and families adopting children from foster care in a planned, intergenerational neighborhood.

Treehouse launched its Treehouse Community in Easthampton 13 years ago, and will be replicating the community model to a new Boston site. There will be three keynote presentations and 24 workshops, with tracks focusing on youth-driven solutions, intergenerational solutions, and foster-care innovation.

Register online at www.treehousefoundation.net. Special rates are available for students, youth, who have experienced foster care, older adults, and Department of Children & Families workers.

Patricia Kane Hellweg

FRAMINGHAM — The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) announced that Priscilla Kane Hellweg, executive and artistic director of Enchanted Circle Theater of Holyoke, and Darnell Williams, president and CEO of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, will be the recipients of its 2019 Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The awards will be presented at MNN’s annual conference today, Oct. 16, at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center.

“We are pleased to honor Priscilla and Darnell for their inspiring careers and for their invaluable contributions to the state’s nonprofit sector,” said Jim Klocke, CEO of MNN. “Their lives of service have made indelible impacts on the lives of people across the Commonwealth.”

Enchanted Circle Theater is a nonprofit, multi-service arts organization that integrates arts and education to engage, enhance, and inspire learning. Under Kane Hellweg’s direction, it has become a regional leader in the field of arts integration. Enchanted Circle works in public school districts across Western Mass. and collaborates with more than 60 community-service partner organizations to develop work that bridges arts, education, and human services to chronically underserved communities, including youth in foster care, families in homeless shelters, and youth in residential treatment programs.

“I am incredibly honored to be chosen by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network for a Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Kane Hellweg. “To be a part of that moment of inspiration when children, youth, and adults feel their own creative potential is beyond inspiring. Thank you for this vote of confidence.”

The Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts is a nonprofit that provides services and programs in education, career, and professional development and employment for African-Americans and other residents of color.

“My family and I are so humbly honored to receive this recognition for the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network,” said Williams. “We do this work because of our passion and purpose to help people transform their lives for the better. To have that work highlighted is a sincere blessing.”

LONGMEADOW — Donna Levin, executive director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and co-founder of Care.com, will deliver the 2019 Innovative Thinking and Entrepreneurship Lecture at Bay Path University on Thursday, Oct. 17 in the Blake Student Commons on the Longmeadow campus. There will be a networking continental breakfast beginning at 7:30 a.m., with the lecture to follow at 8:15 a.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Care.com is the world’s leading online destination for helping families find and manage family care, with more than 32 million members across 20 countries. During Levin’s tenure there, she played key roles in building and leading high-performing teams and scaling the company through five rounds of funding to IPO. She was also vice president of Operations at Upromise, an online service that helps families save for college, which was acquired by Sallie Mae.

Levin has served as an entrepreneur in residence at MIT and a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Currently, at WPI, she is responsible for the university’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship ecosystem, and her work aligns entrepreneurial activities across campus and disciplines and further stimulates innovation among the university community as a whole. As a passionate advocate for innovation and entrepreneurship, she advises several early stage startups and has mentored teams at MassChallenge, TechStars, Smarter in the City, and Project Entrepreneur.

The Innovative Thinking and Entrepreneurship Lecture is sponsored by Strategic Alliances and the Advisory Council at Bay Path University. For more information or to register, visit www.baypath.edu/innovative.

HOLYOKE — Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. announced the promotions of Ian Coddington and Christopher Soderberg to associate positions.

Ian Coddington

Coddington started as an intern in 2018 and worked his way up to associate in less than a year. In his new position, his responsibilities include preparing individual and corporate tax returns and working with senior staff to conduct audit engagements. He works to understand clients’ needs and wants in the whole scope of their business.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management, with a concentration in accounting, from Westfield State University, and is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants. Outside the office, he volunteers at Junior Achievement.

Christopher Soderberg

Soderberg also began as an intern last year. As an audit associate, he assists and supports the audit team in day-to-day functions, including ensuring compliance of best practices of all audit procedures and standards and preparing and analyzing test work completed during the audit. He is passionate about developing a professional relationship with clients, with a focus on HUD and nonprofit organizations.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and management from Elms College. He plans to return there to pursue his master’s degree in accounting with a focus on financial planning, along with acquiring his CPA.

“We take pride in the fact that we are always looking toward the future of our firm — and our clients’ businesses,” said MBK Partner Howard Cheney. “It’s always great to see people who begin as interns grow and thrive at the firm.”

Kristi Bodin

GREENFIELD — Curtiss, Carey, Gates and Goodridge, LLP (CCG&G) is recently welcomed attorney Kristi Bodin to its practice. Bodin’s practice areas include business law, liquor licenses, special permits, zoning and land use, and civil litigation. She is a lifelong resident of the Pioneer Valley and is celebrating her 25th year as a lawyer in Western Mass.

Bodin has successfully guided dozens of small-business clients through the processes of entity formation, asset purchases and sales, commercial leasing, and related transactions. She also works with businesses and individuals on issues involving state and local regulations and code enforcement. She is skilled at strategic analysis, business planning, and management.

“I am excited to become a member of a firm where I can work with business owners and area residents, while contributing to the growth and vitality of Western Massachusetts,” she said.

Before becoming a lawyer, Bodin worked in materials management and production control for companies whose products included metal-cutting tools, time-recording and building-management systems, and consumer health products. In addition, she has served as an assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and assistant town counsel for several communities. She is a past member of the board of directors of the Franklin County Community Development Corp., a representative Town Meeting member in Montague, and an active member of the Amherst Rotary Club.

“Western Massachusetts is a prime marketplace for our services,” said Luke Goodridge, managing partner and a principal of CCG&G. “We have provided quality legal services to the area for many years. We are fortunate to have Kristi as part of our firm. She is an experienced professional who will help us to provide an immediate presence and a higher level of service to our clients.”

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield School Volunteers (SSV) will host Forward Fifty, its golden anniversary fundraising gala, on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at MGM Springfield. The event will honor 50 individuals, businesses, and community officials who have helped SSV become the impactful organization it is today.

“Our nonprofit could not have thrived for 50 years without our dedicated volunteers, funders, partners, and friends,” said Denise Cogman, president and CEO. “In honor of our golden anniversary, we will recognize 50 individuals and businesses with the Springfield School Volunteers Honoree Award. It was difficult to select only 50 caring adults and generous businesses, but those set to be honored truly embody our belief in making a difference.”

Forward Fifty will take place in the Bellagio Ballroom with a celebration of SSV’s rich history through speakers, photos, and videos. There will also be a buffet dinner, cash bar, and awards presentation. Proceeds from the gala will help SSV continue its work improving the lives of Springfield’s students.

“Many people do not realize that SSV is a nonprofit organization that relies on public support like any other nonprofit,”said Cheryl Ronzoni, SSV board chair. “At this gala, we are looking forward to being able to highlight not only our amazing work, but also the fact that raising funds through fundraisers like this is the only way that SSV will be able to continue to provide valuable services to the staff, students, and families of the Springfield Public Schools.

Over the years, SSV has been a strong supporter of the Springfield Public Schools, developing programs in response to the diverse needs of the students and the district. Today SSV runs three distinctive programs — School-based Mentoring, Academic Support, and Read Aloud — that bring more than 1,000 volunteers each year into the schools.

Tickets and tables to Forward Fifty are now on sale at ssvgoldengala.eventbrite.com.

SPRINGFIELD — Square One has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation. The grant is part $1 million the Tufts Health Plan Foundation is donating to area nonprofits that are focused on health equity and the social determinants of health in honor of Tufts Health Plan’s 40th anniversary and its longstanding tradition of giving back to the community.

“It is a true honor to be recognized by Tufts Health Plan Foundation in such a meaningful and generous way,” said Joan Kagan, Square One President and CEO. “Each and every day, our families are impacted by health disparities and social determinants of health. With these funds, we will continue to seek out creative and effective ways to support the physical, social, and mental health and well-being of our children and families.”

The $25,000 grants — 10 in each of the states where Tufts Health Plan serves members — support a range of nonprofit organizations doing exemplary work to promote community health and wellness.

“We recognize that nonprofit organizations are on the front lines of service and play a crucial role in building stronger and healthier communities for all of us,” said Tom Croswell, president and CEO of Tufts Health Plan. “These angel grants are a way of saying ‘thank you’ to Square One and other organizations addressing the economic and social conditions that influence the health of our diverse communities and helping them to keep up the great work they do.”

The Tufts Health Plan Foundation has given more than $35 million to community organizations since 2008 and will give nearly $5 million in community grants this year.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) is once again offering a one-month, hands-on program for individuals who want to become FAA-licensed drone pilots.

“Flying Drones for Profit, Public Safety, and Commercial Applications” will run on four consecutive Tuesdays, Nov. 5 through Nov. 26, from 6 to 10 p.m. in HCC’s Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development on the HCC main campus, 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke. The cost for the four-week, non-credit course is $315. Space is limited.

The course will prepare individuals to take the Federal Aviation Administration Remote Pilot in Charge exam, which they must pass to become licensed drone operators. Classes are taught by Steven Vigneault, an alumnus of the program and owner and operator of Expeditionary Drones, an aerial photography company in East Longmeadow. Vigneault worked at Barnes Air National Guard base on the Security Force and was previously an officer for the Springfield Police Department.

The course focuses on all content required to pass the FAA Remote Pilot test, including regulations, national airspace system rules, weather, aircraft loading, aircraft performance and flight operations. It is geared toward professionals in a wide range of industries, including engineering, construction, insurance, agriculture, emergency services, public safety, security, environmental management, transportation, and retail, as well as those involved in more artistic pursuits like movies, video, and photography.

WESTFIELD — The College of Graduate and Continuing Education (CGCE) at Westfield State University will host an information session for its master of education and master of arts in English programs on Monday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. in the lobby of the Horace Mann Center, 333 Western Ave., Westfield.

These graduate programs are designed to accommodate both working teachers seeking professional licensure and new educators seeking initial licensure. The master of education programs include early-childhood education, elementary education, biology, mathematics, history, moderate disabilities, and reading specialist. The non-licensure master of education has concentrations in history and vocational technical.

Westfield State also offers graduate English programs with initial or professional licensure, as well as a non-licensure track.

“Our master of arts in English program is designed for those students who want middle and secondary teaching licensure, initial and professional, and who want to pursue doctoral study or other professional goals. Most of our students work full-time, so we organize our courses and individually advise students to fit their schedules,” Program Director Glen Brewster said, adding that small courses and seminars are offered to allow for students to work closely with full-time faculty on research in relevant academic areas to prepare them for further graduate study.

Westfield State University offers afternoon and evening courses in the fall, spring, and summer sessions as well as full-time or part-time matriculation options to better accommodate the flexible scheduling needs of a variety of students.

Information-session attendees will have an opportunity to speak with Outreach Team members and faculty about the program and its application process. The $50 application fee will be waived for all information-session attendees. To RSVP, visit www.gobacknow.com. For more information, call (413) 572-8020 or e-mail [email protected].

SPRINGFIELD — Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFS) has been awarded a competitive two-year $250,000 Citizenship and Assimilation Grant from the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This grant will allow JFS to expand its current citizenship program to better serve prospective citizens’ assimilation into American civic life in Hampden County.

The fiscal-year 2019 grants, which run through September 2021, promote prospective citizens’ assimilation into American civic life by funding educational programs designed to increase their knowledge of English, U.S. history, and civics.

“Our country welcomes legal immigrants from all over the world who come to the United States, positively contribute to our society, and engage in American civic life,” said USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli. “Immigrants who assimilate, embrace our Constitution, understand our history, and abide by our laws add to the vitality and strength of this great nation. Through this grant program, USCIS continues to support efforts to prepare immigrants to become fully vested U.S. citizens.”

JFS is one of 41 organizations in 24 states to receive nearly $10 million in funding to support citizenship-preparation services. Now in its 11th year, the USCIS Citizenship and Assimilation Grant program has helped more than 245,000 lawful, permanent residents prepare for citizenship. A ‘permanent resident’ is a person authorized by the US government to live and work in the country on a permanent basis.

SPRINGFIELD — The third annual class of Healthcare Heroes will be honored at the Sheraton Springfield on Thursday, Oct. 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Healthcare Heroes, a recognition program involving the Western Mass. healthcare sector, was launched in 2017 by HCN and BusinessWest. The program was created to shed a bright light on the outstanding work being done across the broad spectrum of health and wellness services, and the institutions and people providing that care.

The Heroes for 2019 are:

• Lifetime Achievement (tie): Katherine Wilson, president and CEO, Behavioral Health Network Inc.; and Frank Robinson, vice president, Public Health, Baystate Health;

• Health/Wellness Administrator/Administration: Emily Uguccioni, executive director, Linda Manor Assisted Living;

• Collaboration in Health/Wellness: Carol Constant, convener, Dementia Friendly Western Massachusetts; and director of Community Engagement, Loomis Communities;

• Community Health: Amy Walker, certified nurse midwife, Cooley Dickinson Health Care;

• Emerging Leader: Tara Ferrante, program director of the Holyoke Outpatient Clinic, ServiceNet;

• Innovation in Health/Wellness: Cristina Huebner Torres, vice president, Research & Population Health, Caring Health Center Inc.; and

• Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider: Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield.

The class of 2019 was profiled in the Sept. 2 issue of BusinessWest and on businesswest.com. Tickets cost $90 or $900 for a table of 10. To reserve a spot, visit www.businesswest.com/healthcare-heroes-2 or e-mail [email protected].

Healthcare Heroes is sponsored by American International College and Baystate Health/Health New England (presenting sponsors), Behavioral Health Network, Comcast Business, and Development Associates (partner sponsors), and Bulkley Richardson, Design to Finish, Elms College, Keiter Builders, Loomis Communities, and Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health (supporting sponsors).

SPRINGFIELD — Shiners Hospitals for Children – Springfield and iHeart Radio will host their annual Love to the Rescue Radiothon on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 17-18, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Now it its eighth year, the Radiothon raises money to further the hospital’s mission of providing medical and therapeutic care to children and adolescents with orthopaedic, rheumatologic, cleft lip and palate, neuromuscular, urology, and chest-wall deformity conditions, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.

On-air personalities Zito & Kera from MIX 93.1, along with Jim Polito from The Jim Polito Show on NewsRadio 560 WHYN, will be broadcasting live with inspiring interviews and testimonials from current and former patients, families, staff, Shriners, and friends. All are encouraged to tune in to Mix 93.1 or NewsRadio 560 WHYN, or listen on the iHeart Radio app.

Listeners can ‘send their love’ by pledging donations at (413) 314-6000 or (844) 350-9698, or by visiting www.lovetotherescueradiothon.org. Over the course of the Radiothon’s history, the event has raised over $1 million for the hospital.

“The Love to the Rescue Radiothon is our largest annual fundraiser, and we are very grateful to the teams and on-air personalities from iHeart Media who donate their time and talent to produce this event every year,” said Karen Motyka, director of Development at Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield. “We are also thankful for our patient families who bravely share their stories of the exceptional medical care received here at the hospital, as well as the impact it has had on their lives. Collectively, this all helps us to raise the much-needed funds in order to continue our mission.”

Donor support and community sponsors are essential to the success of the Radiothon as well. This year’s sponsors include Dunkin’ Donuts, Monson Savings, and Safari Golf Club.

SPRINGFIELD — The Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC) will present a forum featuring a panel of female leaders in Springfield, who will speak about their contributions to the renaissance of the city at a luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 17. The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History and Archives, 21 Edwards St., Springfield.

The luncheon is being held in partnership with the Springfield Museums and will be moderated by its president, Kay Simpson. Panelists include Denise Jordan, executive director of the Springfield Housing Authority; Judy Matt, president of Spirit of Springfield; Tricia Canavan, president of United Personnel; and Vanessa Otero, chief operating officer at Partners for Community. Each of the panelists will tell will tell the story of where her leadership is taking the city, her contributions to the current renaissance, and her visions for the city.

The cost is $35 for PWC members and $40 for general admission. To register, e-mail [email protected] or visit springfieldregionalchamber.com.

GREENFIELD — On Sept. 27 and 28, an estimated 3,500 volunteers gathered at more than 125 locations along the Connecticut River and tributary streams in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont for the Connecticut River Conservancy’s (CRC) 23rd annual Source to Sea Cleanup.

Volunteers with work gloves and trash bags got dirty — and some got wet — in their effort to remove nearly 50 tons of trash from in and along the rivers. This massive effort for cleaner rivers included over 50 groups from the Massachusetts region of the four-state Connecticut River basin. Groups included local river and conservation groups; elementary, high-school, and college students; Girl and Boy Scouts; and many employee volunteer groups from local businesses.

Notably, CRC worked with Northeast Paving and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department to remove 650 tires from a tire dump along the Deerfield River in Greenfield. The effort involved manually loading tires into machinery that hauled the tires from the ravine and trucking them to another location where they were hosed off by the Greenfield Fire Department and later removed for recycling by Bridgestone Tires4Ward.

Now, focus shifts to preventing trash in the first place.

“Source to Sea Cleanup volunteers’ hard work and dedication is inspiring and makes a real difference for our rivers,” says Andrew Fisk, CRC’s executive director. “But our work isn’t done until we put ourselves out of the river cleanup business.”

While the two-day cleanup event is over for this year, CRC continues its work on trash pollution year-round. Via social media, CRC is especially challenging two companies — Dunkin’ Donuts and Cumberland Farms — whose trash is regularly found during the Source to Sea Cleanup.

“We invite everyone to join us in telling them we expect better,” said Stacey Source to Sea Cleanup coordinator. “We want less single-use plastic and plastic foam, we want more reusable and compostable options, and we want items that are easier to recycle and keep out of landfills.

“We need our legislators, businesses, and manufacturers to see just how bad the problem is and hear from their constituents and customers that we aren’t going to put up with them ignoring this problem any longer,” she added. “We’ve been doing our part for 23 years by cleaning up our rivers. It’s time they finally do their part in helping solve our trash problem.”

Given how much Dunkin’ Donuts and Cumberland Farms trash is found during the Source to Sea Cleanup, these companies have a unique opportunity to make a huge difference for rivers by using more environmentally friendly options, Fisk noted.

“We all have a responsibility to solve this problem — individuals, manufacturers, businesses, and government,” he said. “After cleaning up over 1,100 tons of trash over the course of 23 years, it’s clear that repeated cleaning is not the solution to our trash problem. We need to redesign our economy so there isn’t waste in the first place. These ideas are going to take time, decades even. And we’ll keep at it as long as it takes. But our rivers need change now.”

Final trash-cleanup totals are still being tallied. Volunteers turned out from faith communities, watershed groups, schools, community and youth organizations, and at least 35 businesses and employee service groups.

In addition to the tons of small litter picked up this year by volunteers, CRC’s Source to Sea Cleanup also tackles large trash-dump sites and removes large debris from the rivers. For example, 54 tires were removed from beneath the surface of the Connecticut River at the mouth of the Ashuelot River in New Hampshire, and large chunks of metal were pulled from the Ottauquechee River in Woodstock, Vt.

Eversource, the lead Source to Sea Cleanup sponsor, had three employee cleanup groups — one each in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.

“At Eversource, we’re committed to caring for the environment and take great care to promote conservation while carefully managing natural and cultural resources,” said Rod Powell, the company’s president of Corporate Citizenship. “Working with the CRC at their Source to Sea Cleanup event is an opportunity for our employees to put this passion for the environment into action as we serve the neighborhoods where we work and live.”

SPRINGFIELD — Two magic shows on Sunday, Oct. 13 at the Armory at MGM Springfield will benefit the Treehouse Foundation, an Easthampton-based nonprofit that supports children who’ve experienced foster care.

“Straight Up Magic with Jason Bishop” is a family-friendly show performed by Jason Bishop, an illusionist who performs internationally, and who grew up in foster care. After a Treehouse board member read about his story in a Southwest Airlines magazine and contacted Bishop about performing a benefit for Treehouse, the magician was enthusiastic about agreeing.

“I’m an illusionist first and foremost, and I entertain people,” he said recently, “but if my story can inspire a young person in foster care to dream big and help Treehouse at the same time, that’s a win-win.”

About 10,000 children and youth are in foster care in Massachusetts, and a disproportionate 40% of those live in Western Mass. Treehouse helps support these kids and foster adoptive families through its intergenerational Treehouse Community and its HEROES Youth Leaders program, which serves 70 youth ages 14-24 from the Pioneer Valley.

Tickets to the magic shows are available at www.treehousefoundation.net.

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Technical Community College board of trustees recently welcomed two new members and a new chair, Mary Catherine “Marikate” Murren.

The new members are Jynai McDonald, who was appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker in June, and Yanira Aviles, who was elected by the student body in April.

Baker named Murren as chair of the board over the summer. She replaces Christopher Johnson, whose term recently expired. He had served as a trustee since 2006.

Marikate Murren

Murren has served as a trustee for more than two years. She is vice president of Human Resources for MGM Springfield and graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in sports management.

“I am honored to accept the responsibility as chair of Springfield Technical Community College’s board of trustees,” Murren said. “It will be a privilege to serve with my fellow trustees to continue the good work of the community college under President John Cook, the faculty and staff, and especially the students. Springfield Technical Community College is a valued partner in the city of Springfield for surrounding employers, and I am looking forward to being a part of their future success. As a new business in the area, the college was instrumental in our efforts to create thousands of jobs at MGM Springfield. It will be a pleasure to work with my fellow trustees to move the mission of the community college forward.”

Jynai McDonald

McDonald is the family child care coordinator for Service Employee International Union Local 509. In her role, she provides leadership training, professional development, and negotiation for more than 3,500 childcare providers throughout the Commonwealth.

Previously, she served as Western Mass. regional manager for Training Resources of America Inc. She also has worked at Hampden County Career Center and Northeast Center for Youth & Families, Tri-County School. McDonald was honored as a rising star in the regional business community when she was named to BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty in 2019. She earned a bachelor’s degree in digital marketing and social media management from Bay Path University.

“It is an honor to be appointed by Governor Baker and serve the Greater Springfield community by being a part of the governing body to the only technical community college in the Commonwealth,” McDonald said. “With my background in education and workforce development, offering accessible and high-quality public education will always be a top priority for me.”

Added Cook, “with the appointment of trustee Murren as chair, STCC will enjoy continuity during our upcoming institution accreditation, and her knowledge of regional workforce needs is particularly valuable.”

Yanira Aviles

Aviles, the student trustee, said she wants to use her position to help other students who have faced barriers. In her mid-30s, Aviles took courses at STCC to prepare for the HiSET, or high school equivalency test. After passing her HiSET exam in 2016, she enrolled in the liberal arts/general studies degree program at STCC.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to serve as student trustee at STCC,” Aviles said. “I’m the first one in my family to attend college, and there was a time I never thought that would happen. I understand what it’s like to come from a low-income background. I can relate to my classmates, and will do everything I can to help them transform their lives.”

BOSTON — Business confidence remained essentially flat in Massachusetts during September despite a darkening outlook among manufacturers.

The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index rose 0.2 points to 58.9 last month after retreating in August. The Index has lost 3.7 points since September 2018 but remains within optimistic territory.

The September reading was weighed down by weakening sentiment among Bay State manufacturers. The Index’s manufacturing component dropped 2.4 points in September and 7.9 points for the year.

The results mirrored the national Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index, which fell to its lowest level since 2009 last month. A separate report by IHS Markit showed that the manufacturing sector suffered its worst quarter since 2009, though activity increased during September.

“Manufacturers are bearing the brunt of both actual and threatened tariffs against goods imported from China. Many Massachusetts companies have also become caught in retaliatory tariffs and are seeing significant weakening of their overseas business,” said Raymond Torto, chair of AIM’s Board of Economic Advisors (BEA).

The AIM Index, based on a survey of more than 100 Massachusetts employers, has appeared monthly since July 1991. It is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. The Index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009. It has remained above 50 since October 2013.

The constituent indicators that make up the Index were mixed during September. The Massachusetts Index assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth fell 0.6 points to 63.3, while the U.S. Index rose to 56.5. The Massachusetts reading has decreased 1.2 points and the U.S. reading has fallen 7.1 points during the past 12 months.

The Future Index, measuring expectations for six months out, lost 0.5 points to 56.4, leaving it 4.4 points lower than a year ago. The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, increased 0.8 points to 61.3 — 3.0 points lower than its reading of September 2018. The Employment Index rose a point for the month but remained down 3.1 points for the year. Employers continue to struggle to find qualified workers in a full-employment state economy.

Non-manufacturers (61.9) were more confident than manufacturers (55.4). Large companies (60.2) were more optimistic than medium-sized companies (59.9) or small companies (55.4), reversing a trend established during the summer. Companies in Eastern Mass. (62.6) continued to be more optimistic than those in the west (53.8).

Michael Tyler, chief investment officer at Eastern Bank Wealth Management and a BEA member, said the gaps in confidence between manufacturing companies and other businesses, and between companies in different regions of the Commonwealth, appear to be growing.

“Manufacturing has been hit by the steady increase in tariffs imposed by the United States, China, and other nations since 2018,” he noted. “The World Trade Organization estimates that the flow of goods across borders will increase by just 1.2% this year, and manufacturing companies are feeling that downdraft.”

AIM President and CEO John Regan, also a BEA member, said a separate survey shows that two-thirds of AIM-member employers expect an economic contraction between now and the end of 2020. Companies are preparing for a possible slowdown by hiring fewer people, paying down debt, and limiting capital expenditures.

“A possible takeaway from the survey for state policymakers as they begin considering billions of dollars in new spending is this could be a difficult time ahead for the state economy,” Regan said. “Businesses are assuming a defensive posture, and significant tax increases — beyond the $1 billion for the new paid family and medical leave system — even for worthwhile causes, could harm the overall economy, most especially the manufacturing sector.”

AMHERST — The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its October After 5 today, Oct. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. at UMassFive College Federal Credit Union, 200 Westgate Dr., Hadley.

The event — which is sponsored and hosted by the UMassFive Commercial Services Division and catered by Log Rolling Catering — will feature live music, food, a cash bar, door prizes, and networking, as well as visits from UMass Men’s Basketball Head Coach Matt McCall and UMass Women’s Basketball Assistant Coach Lynne-Ann Kokoski.

The cost is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Click here to register.

AMHERST — A UMass Amherst biostatistician will receive up to $3 million in funding over the next five years from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to operate a UMass-based CDC Influenza Forecasting Center of Excellence, one of two in the nation.

Nicholas Reich, associate professor in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, whose flu-forecasting collaborative has produced some of the world’s most accurate models in recent years, leads a team that will work closely with the CDC, identifying new methods and data sources to sharpen the accuracy and improve communication of seasonal and pandemic flu forecasts.

“We know there are a lot of groups that have done trailblazing work in this field, so it’s really a great honor to be selected,” Reich said. A research group from Carnegie Mellon University, led by Roni Rosenfeld, was chosen as the other CDC Influenza Forecasting Center of Excellence. Rosenfeld’s group has collaborated closely with the Reich Lab at UMass Amherst as part of the FluSight Network, a multi-disciplinary consortium of flu-forecasting teams.

Improving the precision of infectious disease forecasting is life-saving work. These new predictive tools could more effectively target the public-health response to a potential flu outbreak, helping to determine the timing for flu-vaccine campaigns, potential school closures, and travel restrictions, as well as the allocation of medical supplies and antiviral medications. They could also help hospitals make the most efficient staffing decisions.

Reich is aiming to communicate more accessible and user-friendly information to the public, perhaps via a smartphone app. “We want to convey the forecasts in ways that people can understand, as it relates to their everyday lives,” he said. “If we can communicate the data effectively, we might change behavior.”

An app could help people gauge their risk based on their location and their individual characteristics. “Maybe they’ll tell grandma not to go to the shopping mall in the next two weeks, or maybe your kid with asthma won’t visit the children’s museum in Holyoke, where so many kids go to play in the winter,” Reich said. “Those are the things I can foresee, where you’re making everyday choices with this information.”

The UMass Amherst Center of Excellence includes collaborators Evan Ray, assistant professor of Mathematics and Statistics at Mount Holyoke College, who completed postdoctoral research at the Reich Lab; Caitlin Rivers, senior associate at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security; Anna Thorner, an infectious-disease specialist and the leader of the biosurveillance research team at UpToDate, an online clinical decision support resource; and BioFire and Quidel, two industry companies that run diagnostic tests for respiratory viruses. The companies serve as data providers for the UMass Center of Excellence, sharing anonymized test results from across the nation.

In recent years, flu forecasters have been spreading a wide net for their models, using Google search trends, HealthTweets, and other non-traditional sources of information. “There is quite a bit of data floating around — Internet data and anonymized, cloud-based clinical test records — that aren’t part of the public-health data record,” Reich said. “These data help us understand what’s happening right now and make more accurate projections.”

Reich’s group uses ensemble methodology, incorporating 21 models in an open platform that shares data and coding to maximize forecasting capabilities. “Pooling the strength of many models together, collaboratively with multiple teams, results in a more consistent and more accurate forecast,” he explained.

Dawn Creighton

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Community College recently welcomed Dawn Creighton as the college’s new chief Workforce Development officer. She will officially join GCC on Oct. 21, and her office will be located at the Downtown Center, 270 Main St., Greenfield.

A 2005 GCC alumna, Creighton began her career as an employment specialist at MassLive before becoming regional director for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) — the state’s largest employers’ resource group — in 2009. During her tenure at AIM, she served thousands of employer members, uniting them around issues ranging from healthcare and employment law to sustainability, budgeting, and hiring.

“Nothing gives me greater pleasure than bringing people together and finding a solution, whether a CEO who can’t find staff to take on a new supply chain or a bank looking for tellers,” she said. “I take great pride in bringing people together.”

As the former board president of Dress for Success, Creighton also built Foot in the Door, a workforce-readiness program dedicated to helping women develop critical skills for entering and re-entering the workforce.

“We are especially proud of Dawn’s professional achievements and are delighted that she wants to serve her alma mater and community this way,” said GCC President Yves Salomon-Fernandez. “She rose to the top in the search process. There is much anticipation for her to lead us to new heights.”