NORTHAMPTON — State Sen. Eric Lesser said the biggest step toward unlocking the vast economic potential of Western Mass. is solving the region’s transportation crisis. In a keynote address Friday at the Food Bank of Western Mass. Transportation Forum, the senator outlined a modern transportation network that would finally connect Springfield and its surrounding areas to Boston.

“In many ways, Western Mass. has an inverse challenge from Metro Boston. We have a fantastic quality of life; we have a lot to offer,” Lesser said. “Imagine if we had a one-seat ride — 80 minutes — from Springfield’s Union Station to Boston’s South Station 16 times per day. Think about what that would do for our communities. It would be a game-changer for us in so many ways.”

Lesser, who serves as the Senate chairperson for the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies and vice chair for the Joint Committee on Transportation, presented preliminary findings from MassDOT’s recent study of the service. One of the six alternatives touts the possibility of high-speed rail service between Springfield and Boston that could take as little as 80 minutes each way.

The senator also praised his colleagues in the Western Mass. delegation for their work toward enacting an equitable transit system statewide. Last month, the Valley Flyer program between Greenfield and Springfield started service, making it possible for commuters to travel from Greenfield to Manhattan and back on the same day.

Sens. Jo Comferford and Adam Hinds and Reps. Joseph Wagner, Mindy Domb, Dan Carey, Natalie Blais, John Velis, Lindsay Sabadosa, and Tricia Farley-Bouvier attended the forum as well.

“How many people here have a son or daughter, family member, or friend that grew up here in Western Mass., but had to leave to find a good job?” Lesser said. “I ask this question everywhere I go because our transportation crisis in Western Mass. shows us the cost of not investing in transportation — both in lost economic opportunity and in deeply personal ways such as this.”

LUDLOW — LUSO Federal Credit Union announced the promotion of Michael Dias to assistant manager of its Ludlow and Wilbraham branches. In his new role, Dias will be responsible for overseeing member service and daily branch operations, as well as increasing business-development efforts.

Dias began his banking career at LUSO as a Member Service representative in early 2018 and has most recently served as Member Service Department supervisor and lead VIP banker. In addition to his role at the credit union, he is working on obtaining his MBA in business analytics from Western New England University and serves on the board of directors for the Our Lady of Fatima Festival.

“During his time here, Michael has been a great asset to LUSO and the community as a whole,” said Jennifer Calheno, president and CEO of the credit union. “He has been an amazing addition to our team, and we hope his continued success is just the start of a long-standing relationship with LUSO.”

AMHERST — The Family Business Center’s (FBC) dinner forum on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke will address three issues that are critical to every business. The presenters are strategic partners of the FBC, including Ross Giombetti discussing “How to Not Go Off Track with Onboarding,” Lauren Ostberg of Bulkley Richardson on “Cybersecurity Is More Than Virus-protection Software,” and Tim Murphy of Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. on “Your Employee Handbook: Is It a Ticking Time Bomb?”

The Family Business Center’s morning workshop on Friday, Sept. 20 at South Hadley Public Library will show attendees how and why to build a great corporate culture. It will be presented by Elizabeth Solomon, longtime researcher and writer for Great Place to Work United States and a certified Daniel Goleman emotional intelligence coach; and Jim Young, who has had several leadership roles in private business and coaches leadership teams in transition, as well as helping people “find the gentle man in you.” The workshop is free to FBC members and partners and $40 for all other owners and key managers of Western Mass. closely held and family-owned companies.

To register for either event, visit fambizpv.com/calendar/index.html.

HOLYOKE — Attorney Karen Jackson of Jackson Law, an elder-law and estate-planning firm, will teach a series of classes at Holyoke Community College highlighting the latest developments in elder law and estate planning.

The six-hour course, called “Elder Law and Estate Planning: What You Need to Know,” will be presented in three two-hour sessions on Mondays, Oct. 7, 21, and 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is $99.

“The course will explain the basic building blocks of an estate plan,” Jackson said. “From that foundation, we will also consider the various specialized trust documents that support this planning. I will clarify the probate-court process and what it means to probate a will. And I will explore current Medicare and MassHealth issues that are affecting seniors.”

In the first session, Jackson will explain each document in the core estate plan and discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity or physical health or before sudden loss of life.

The second session will address trusts, the probate-court process, Medicare hot topics, and options for community care and home care. Jackson will provide pertinent information and details about each to assist attendees in their planning now.

In the third and final session, Jackson will introduce the various Medicaid programs that provide long-term skilled nursing-home care in Massachusetts and the financial assistance associated with each.

While participants may attend as many sessions as they choose, they must still pay the full course cost of $99. To register, call (413) 552-2500 or visit www.hcc.edu/bce.

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Community College (GCC) recently welcomed Joanne Marqusee, president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Health Care (CDHC), to its board of trustees. One of 11 trustees, she was officially appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker on Aug. 30 and will replace former trustee Elizabeth Sillin.

Marqusee has been a respected healthcare leader for over three decades. Before coming to Cooley in 2014, she served as chief operating officer and executive vice president of Hallmark Health, after having spent 15 years at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston as senior vice president. With a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University, her career began in government, where she served in agencies including the New York City Health and Hospitals Corp. and the New York State Department of Health.

Well-known for its nursing and allied-health programs, “GCC is really important for the success and sustainability of healthcare. The population of adults 65 and older is expected to grow by nearly 15% in the next decade, and there is a growing need for enough staff and providers to carry us into the future,” Marqusee said, adding that she aims to strengthen the relationship between healthcare and academia.

“We are delighted to have Joanne appointed to our board,” said GCC President Yves Salomon-Fernandez. “Healthcare is so important to our region. We thank Governor Baker for keeping our board diverse and representative of the employers in the region.”

Added trustee Robert Cohn, “Joanne Marqusee is a perfect match for our diverse board of skillsets. As CEO of CDHC, she has proven skills in finance, strategic planning, and collaborating with all employees to ensure the best outcomes for all. These are the exact skills that work well for GCC. We are thrilled with her appointment.”

Marqusee said the college’s motto, “You Belong Here,” reflects her own long-held passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. “I have tried to do a lot of work throughout my career on making sure people feel like they belong. My passion as a leader is in creating a culture of teamwork.”

WARE — Each year, the Boston Business Journal celebrates Massachusetts corporations and nonprofits for their contributions in giving back to communities in Massachusetts. During this year’s celebration held on Sept. 5, Country Bank was recognized as one of the Top Charitable Contributors in 2019 and received a Corporate Citizenship Award.

A total of 105 companies were recognized during the evening; Country Bank ranked 62nd with total donations of $1 million to various nonprofits within the region.

Country Bank employs 235 staff members within Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties. In 2018, staff members actively promoted the bank’s mission of giving back to the communities they serve by volunteering more than 1,100 hours in community service.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) theater alumni, together with students from the HCC Theater Department, will gather for the fourth year in a row to produce an evening of one-act plays written in just 24 hours.

The fourth annual HCC 24-hour theater festival, renamed the HCC Phillips Festival last year in memory of the late HCC drama teacher Leslie Phillips, who inspired the festival’s creation, will be presented on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Leslie Phillips Theater in HCC’s Fine & Performing Arts Building. Participants will first gather on Friday, Sept. 27 in the theater to begin planning and writing the plays to be performed the following night.

Like the previous three festivals, the fourth is a benefit show, and all proceeds will go toward the Leslie Phillips Fund for Theater Arts and Education at Holyoke Community College.

This event was first organized in 2016 by HCC alumni working with Pat Sandoval, HCC Theater professor, as a tribute to Phillips, founder of the HCC drama program, who died in 1988. Phillips played a pivotal role in the formation of HCC’s Theater department and lent her creative talent and intense focus to inspiring students to explore and discover their passion for the performing arts.

Tickets for the show are $15 for general admission and $10 for students, seniors, HCC faculty, and staff. Advance tickets are being sold online at brownpapertickets.com. Search for ‘Phillips Festival.’

Anyone who would like to participate in this year’s festival can contact the HCC Alumni Players at [email protected] or on the HCC Alumni Players Facebook page.

AMHERST — Ernest Pharmaceuticals, a startup venture based at UMass Amherst’s Institute of Applied Life Sciences (IALS), is one of four companies to win $2,500 from the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center (MTTC) in a business-pitch poster competition in Boston. This recognizes the groundbreaking young biotech firm as it brings its research on programmed bacteria that deliver anti-cancer treatment to tumors from lab to market.

Ernest Pharmaceuticals CEO and bioengineer Nele Van Dessel presented the poster at MTTC’s 12th annual Massachusetts Life Sciences Innovation Day; the company was one among 30 vying for four prizes. She said she and co-founder Neil Forbes, a professor of Chemical Engineering at UMass Amherst, believe the company’s association with IALS has been a crucial factor in its steady success.

“We showed up three years ago at IALS with good science but no business plan,” Van Dessel said, adding that the IALS venture mentoring team “showed us how to start speaking to business to identify our market.” The biotech entrepreneurs also learned how to identify the most effective cancer target type, how to apply for grants, and how to help their treatment reach patients sooner. “Basically, we went from speaking to scientists to pitching to investors.”

Furthermore, IALS’ strategic planning, technology transfer, and other business services, such as developing conflict-of-interest, research, and compliance guidelines have been essential for the development of Ernest Pharmaceuticals. “On the science side, we were good,” Van Dessel said. “We just needed help on the business side, and IALS came through. Where there’s a need they can help you with, they will. We’re very grateful.”

Van Dessel, who earned a Ph.D. in bioengineering at home in Belgium, came to UMass Amherst looking specifically for Forbes after she read all his published papers on what she calls his unconventional but effective use of Salmonella bacteria to deliver cancer-busting compounds to kill metastatic breast cancer tumors from inside. Forbes named the company after his grandfather Ernest, who died of prostate cancer.

Since co-founding Ernest Pharmaceuticals with Forbes, Van Dessel has talked with a large number of oncologists to learn where the greatest need is in cancer treatment today, in particular which metastatic diseases are the hardest to treat. In this way, she and Forbes identified an urgent need for new tools to treat metastatic liver, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers. “So we broadened our approach and went after federal funding to specifically address those,” Van Dessel said.

Also benefiting from the UMass Amherst – IALS Business Innovation Fellows program, Ernest and three other campus startups received Small Business Innovation Research phase I grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health in 2018, bringing them into this year with significant funding, Van Dessel noted. “So now we are looking to raise $1 million to focus on bacterial strain development, for a safe and effective bacteria to deliver to target tumors.”

Peter Reinhart, IALS director, noted that “I am delighted that Ernest Pharmaceuticals, an innovative startup advancing their novel oncology drug-delivery platform with technology licensed from UMass Amherst, won the poster competition in a strong collection of emerging companies.”

Hosted at the UMass President’s Office, MTTC enables public and private research universities and medical centers in Massachusetts to lead the nation in translating basic research to the market, creating jobs and spurring economic development.

SPRINGFIELD — The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS) board of directors elected Amie Miarecki, director of Community Relations at Sunshine Village, as the new board president.

Miarecki is the former vice president and will serve a two-year term, succeeding Ashley Clark, Cash Management officer at Berkshire Bank, who has six years of board service and leadership, including a two-year term as president. As provided by the organization’s bylaws, Clark has reached her maximum consecutive years of board service and will remain an advisor to the board of directors.

The YPS board of directors also elected Meredith Perri, High School Sports editor for MassLive, to a two-year term as the vice president, and Andrew Mankus, director of Operations for Residential Dining at UMass Amherst, to a two-year term as treasurer.

“I am excited to follow in the footsteps of the visionaries that began YPS all those years ago,” Miarecki said. “I look forward to continuing a legacy of leadership that celebrates all our area has to offer. Along with a dynamic board of directors, we will fulfill the mission and bring even more professional-development, cultural, and recreational opportunities to our membership as well as make contributions through our YPS Cares foundation. We welcome our members and community partners to join YPS as we do our part in the renaissance of Springfield.”

Added Clark, “YPS is built to provide Springfield’s young professionals with the tools they need to succeed, personally and professionally. Many great leaders have passed through our doors over the last 12 years. Today’s new leadership team will undoubtedly continue to embrace the mission of YPS and provide Springfield with positive impact and value for our membership. It was a great honor to serve as president, and I have made many lasting connections because of YPS.”

SPRINGFIELD — Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced that attorney Michele Feinstein, a shareholder in the firm, has been certified as an accredited estate planner (AEP) by the National Assoc. of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC).

The AEP designation is a graduate-level, multi-disciplinary specialization in estate planning that requires estate-planning professionals to meet special education, experience, and knowledge requirements, as well as ongoing continuing-education requirements.

The NAEPC is a national network of affiliated estate-planning councils and credentialed professionals. It includes more than 270 estate-planning councils and provides services to an estimated 30,000 individual members. It has nearly 2,000 active AEP designees with representation in nearly every state of the country. The professionals are typically within the accounting, insurance, legal, trust-services, philanthropic, or financial-planning fields, all of whom spend at least a third of the time on estate planning.

In addition to estate-planning administration, Feinstein concentrates her practice in the areas of elder law, health law, and corporate and business planning, including all aspects of planning for the succession of business interests, representation of closely held businesses and their owners, and representation of physicians in their individual and group practices.

Feinstein has received many professional recognitions, including repeated selection to Super Lawyers of Massachusetts, Top Women Attorneys of New England, Best Lawyers in America, and Top Women of Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

SPRINGFIELD — Michael Ostrowski, president and CEO; John Lund, chief financial officer; and Michael Kelley, mortgage originator at Arrha Credit Union, invite everyone of all ages and abilities to help raise Alzheimer’s awareness funds toward a cure at the James E. Graham Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 14 and the 2019 Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sunday, Sept. 15.

“The golf tournament and walk are about continuing to build a community to honor our loved ones and find a cure,” Lund said.

During the golf tournament Lund, on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Assoc. and as chair of the executive leadership committee, will read a proclamation from the City Council proclaiming Sept. 14 Jimmy Graham Day.

“It is a great honor to help champion the walk,” he said. “My sincerest thanks goes to Justin Hurst, president of Springfield City Council, and the council at large for their tremendous acknowledgement. As a caregiver of my father, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and recently passed away, I appreciate the importance of a support network. It’s hard to watch a loved one lose their memory and no longer know who you are. There are many stories just like mine, and at Arrha, we want others to share theirs. Together, we can build awareness and shine a light on this terrible disease.”

Added Kelly, “my family and I are honored to help fight against Alzheimer’s, a disease that has affected several members in our family. We are proud to be involved with the Alzheimer’s Association and take part in the walk. We welcome everyone to join us.”

On Sept. 14, the four-person scramble begins at 11:30 a.m. at Agawam Municipal Golf Course (click here to register), and on Sept. 15, the 2019 Walk to End Alzheimer’s opens 8:30 a.m. at Holyoke Community College (click here to register).

BOSTON — Brooke Thomson, most recently vice president of Government Affairs for AT&T and a former senior official with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office, will become executive vice president of Government Affairs at Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM).

Thomson is no stranger to AIM. She has served as a member of the its board of directors and executive committee and chaired the board’s government affairs committee for the past year. She replaces John Regan, who took over as president and CEO of the 3,500-member business association in May.

“Brooke Thomson will allow AIM to move forward without missing a beat on critical upcoming debates on transportation, healthcare costs, and education funding. She brings unparalleled intelligence and experience to the complex issues that AIM tackles every day on behalf of Massachusetts employers,” Regan said.

Joanne Hilferty, president and CEO of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries in Boston and chair of the AIM board of directors, added that “Brooke understands both government affairs and the broader mission of AIM as an association of forward-thinking employers working to make Massachusetts a better place for everyone by empowering success and creating change.”

Thomson joined AT&T in 2013. Her duties for the telecommunications company include legislative and regulatory affairs in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She came to AT&T after six years in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office, where she served as chief of the Business, Technology and Economic Development Division. Prior to that, she worked as legal counsel to the Massachusetts Legislature’s Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

Thomson is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and Mount Holyoke College. Her political experience includes managing the successful campaign of Martha Coakley for attorney general in 2010.

“I am thrilled to be joining AIM, the leading voice for businesses for 104 years,” Thomson said. “I look forward to working with the outstanding AIM Government Affairs team to ensure that the organization remains a champion of business in the state as we continue to move Massachusetts forward.”

BOSTON — Business confidence continued to seesaw during August as employers warily eyed a possible economic slowdown and the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China.

The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index fell 3.3 points to 58.7 last month after surging 4.4 points during July. The Index has lost 4.5 points since August 2018 but remains within optimistic territory.

The August decline was driven by growing concern about the U.S. economy and the outlook among manufacturers — both elements driven by trade concerns.

Analysts cautioned against reading too much into the month-to-month gyrations of the Business Confidence Index, but noted that every measure of confidence now sits below its level of a year ago.

“The imposition of 15% tariffs on $112 billion worth of Chinese goods on September 1 underscores the uncertainty facing employers, particularly manufacturers, who do business in overseas markets,” said Raymond Torto, chair of AIM’s Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) and lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. “At the same time, employers are beginning to see evidence from both customers and suppliers of a slowdown in the U.S. economy. That caution is reflected in the 7.4-point confidence drop in the national outlook.”

The nation’s gross domestic product — the broadest gauge of economic health — grew at a moderate 2.0% annual rate in the April-June quarter, down from a 3.1% growth rate in the first quarter.

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 constituent indicators that make up the Index all decreased during August. The Massachusetts Index assessing business conditions within the commonwealth fell 4.3 points to 63.9, while the U.S. Index dropped to 55.2. The Massachusetts reading has decreased 0.8 points and the U.S. reading 9.5 points during the past 12 months.

The Future Index, measuring expectations for six months out, declined 3.9 points to 56.9, leaving it 3.3 points lower than a year ago. The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, lost 2.7 points to 60.5, 5.6 points lower than its reading from August 2018.

The Employment Index slipped 1.5 points for the month and 3.8 points for the year even as the state unemployment rate fell to 2.9%. Employers continue to struggle to find qualified workers in a full-employment state economy.

Non-manufacturers (60.3) were more confident than manufacturers (57.1). Small companies (61.5) remained more confident than large companies (58.7) or medium-sized companies (56.3). Companies in Eastern Mass. (60.7) continue to be more optimistic than those in Western Mass. (56.0).

Katherine Kiel, professor of Economics at the College of the Holy Cross and a BEA member, said business confidence reflects the same volatility that has shaken global financial markets in recent months. “Economic growth in Massachusetts slowed from 2.7% during the first quarter to 1.4% in the second. Employers remain optimistic overall, but see growing downside risks ranging from demographic constraints on the labor force to international uncertainty caused by factors such as tariffs and Brexit.”

CHICOPEE — Elms College ranks in the top half of schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 list of Best Regional Universities (North).

Elms College improved significantly in the 2020 rankings, moving to 86th among regional universities in the northern U.S. region, up from 99th in 2019.

Elms College also was named in the top 20% (37th) among Regional Universities (North) in a new category, Top Performers on Social Mobility, which ranks schools for enrolling and graduating large proportions of students who have received federal Pell Grants.

Elms College President Harry Dumay said the rankings demonstrate the quality of an Elms education. “We are especially proud of our high ranking in this new category, as it is strong evidence of the Elms commitment to supporting an economically diverse student population every step of the way as they earn their degrees.”

U.S. News ranks Elms College as a university because of changes to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s basic classification system and the number of graduate programs Elms offers. The Carnegie categories are the accepted standard in U.S. higher education.

NORTHAMPTON — Berkshire Design Group (BDG), a landscape-architecture, civil-engineering, and survey firm, recently welcomed Tim Armstrong, PLS in the role of survey manager.

Armstrong comes to BDG with more than 20 years of land-survey experience, and has experience managing staff and data on small and large projects from local boundary surveys to interstate energy-transmission projects. Prior to joining BDG, he was the chief land surveyor at Hill Engineers, Architects, Planners in Dalton.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Lexington Group will host an Aeron chair hockey tournament on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at its showroom located at 380 Union St., West Springfield.

For this first-of-its-kind event in New England, Lexington Group has invited players, and their administrative staff, from elite area hockey teams — American International College and UMass Amherst — to battle it out in a friendly competition on the ‘ice.’ The winning team from the first round will play against members of the Springfield Thunderbirds. The tournament will be incorporated into an After 5 networking event, with about 300 business and community professionals expected to attend.

The event will help raise funds and awareness for the Foundation for TJO Animals. Founded in 2007, the Foundation for TJO Animals is dedicated to raising much-needed funds to help the local, homeless animals at the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center, which serves the cities of Springfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee. With a focus on providing financial assistance and grants for veterinary care, the foundation has had a direct impact on saving the lives of animals at the shelter.

“We hope you will join us as a spectator or as a sponsor to ensure that we raise much-needed funds for Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center,” said Mark Proshan, president of Lexington Group.

Admission to the event is complimentary, but registration is required and can be made at lexington-aeronhockey.eventbrite.com. Donations to the Foundation for TJO Animals are appreciated and can be made in advance directly through the foundation’s website, www.tjofoundation.org, or may be made at the event.

The event is currently sponsored by MP CPAs, St. Germain Investments, Sitterly Movers, and Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel (cup sponsors); bankESB, Behavioral Health Network, Complete Payroll Solutions, Dietz & Co. Architects, Fire Service Group, HUB International New England, Massachusetts Fire Technologies, Mercier Carpet, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, and New England Promotional Marketing (chair sponsors); AIS, Baystate Ob/Gyn, Contract Sources, Excel Dryer, KI, Lexington Group, Paragus IT, People’s United Bank, the Republican, and Westfield Bank (rink sponsors); Go Graphix and Herman Miller (goods sponsors); BusinessWest, ERC5, and West of the River Chamber of Commerce (event partners). Additional sponsorship opportunities are available.

AMHERST — UMass Amherst has climbed into the top 25 of the nation’s premier public universities, coming in 24th among the approximately 130 public institutions ranked in the “Best Colleges 2020” guide published by U.S. News & World Report.

The Commonwealth’s flagship campus moved up two slots this year. With student success, graduation rates, and other key metrics on the rise, the university continued its ascent as one of the fastest-rising, top-tier public-research universities in the country, advancing from 52nd in 2010 to 24th in 2020.

“UMass Amherst’s rise to national prominence reflects our commitment to excellence and innovative thinking,” said Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy. “We are dedicated to serving the people of Massachusetts by providing a public university that produces revolutionary ideas and impact on par with the best universities in the nation and the world. As the largest producer of undergraduate STEM degrees in the Commonwealth, the flagship campus plays a vital role in filling the talent pipeline that drives the Massachusetts knowledge economy. We are preparing the scientists, leaders, and innovators who will advance solutions to some of the world’s most complex challenges and will help to maintain Massachusetts’ competitive edge.”

For six years running, UMass Amherst has been ranked in the top 30 public universities. UMass Amherst also ranks 64th in the U.S. News & World Report Best National Universities category, moving up six places from last year’s rankings among 312 public and private institutions rated by U.S. News.

The U.S. News rankings are based on a variety of weighted factors: graduation rate, undergraduate academic reputation, faculty resources, graduation and retention rates, social mobility, alumni giving, financial resources, student selectivity, and high-school counselor ratings. All of the schools in the National Universities category offer a wide range of undergraduate majors as well as master’s and doctoral degrees, while emphasizing faculty research.

The size of UMass Amherst’s entering class this fall, approximately 5,800 students, represents an increase of 790 compared to last year. The university received a record 42,110 applications. Overall undergraduate enrollment this fall is projected to be 22,700.

EAST LONGMEADOW — September may be back-to-school month, but with many graduate programs starting later in the fall, it’s an ideal time to think about going back to school for a graduate degree.

Bay Path University’s fall graduate open house on Wednesday, Sept. 18 will provide a chance to meet with program directors, faculty, and admissions and financial-services team members to learn about the graduate-school admission process, ways to finance an education, and the 30-plus graduate degrees and certificates available to both men and women at Bay Path University online or on campus. Recently recognized by the Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the fastest-growing private master’s institutions, Bay Path offers graduate degrees in health science, education, business, cybersecurity, nonprofit management, and more.

Prospective students will have the chance to learn about Hatch Learning Commons, career services, digital learning, accessibility services, and the #IAmBayPath project. A professional photographer will be at the event taking free headshots, perfect for use on a LinkedIn profile or résumé.

The fall graduate open house is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Bay Path’s Philip H. Ryan Health Science Center at 1 Denslow Road, East Longmeadow. For more information or to register, visit baypath.edu/gograd or e-mail [email protected].

SPRINGFIELD — Dress for Success Western Massachusetts will take part in two events to honor and celebrate Hispanic Heritage month in September. The events will celebrate Latinas, who make up almost half of the women Dress for Success serves every year.

On Sunday, Sept. 15, Dress for Success will march for the first time in Springfield’s Puerto Rican parade on Main Street. The theme is “Estamos Unidos,” or “We Are United.” The mission of the annual parade is to celebrate and raise awareness of Puerto Rican culture while recognizing its many and varied contributions to the community.

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, Dress for Success will host “Women Who Dare to Succeed” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at its boutique in the Eastfield Mall in Springfield. The public is invited to attend to hear from prominent women in the Latina community and to enjoy a selection of food. Following festivities in the boutique, attendees can hear Hispanic music from 7 to 8 p.m. in the mall.

SPRINGFIELD — The Western Massachusetts Sports Commission (WMSC) and the Miracle League of Western Massachusetts recently joined forces to produce the first-ever Northeast Miracle League Tournament.

Eighty athletes and their families from surrounding Miracle Leagues in Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut traveled to Western Mass. the weekend of Sept. 7-8. The games took place at Archie Allen Field at Springfield College on Sept. 7. The WMSC hosted the Breakfast of Champions award ceremony on Sept. 8 at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham in Springfield.

The Miracle League supports active participation in baseball for boys and girls ages 4 to 21 with physical and or cognitive disabilities. The games were open to the public with free admission (donations may be made at miracleleaguewestma.com/donate.

“The Western Mass Sports Commission is proud to have hosted the first-time event for differently-abled athletes in the Northeast. We hope the athletes and their families enjoyed the tournament and all that Western Mass. has to offer,” said Mike Hurwitz, co-chairman of the WMSC, a division of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Players stayed at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham and received a medal, T-shirt, and entry to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Springfield Museums.

Sponsors of the event included the Western Massachusetts Sports Commission, Florence Savings Bank, Eversource of Massachusetts, the Coca-Cola Co., the Big E, the Westfield Starfires, and the Springfield Thunderbirds.

SPRINGFIELD — United Personnel reported on Friday that employees’ most recent paychecks may have been stolen in a computer hack of the company that handles the company’s payroll software. Specifically, money paid on Aug. 30 through direct deposit may have been illicitly withdrawn from their accounts.

In a statement, United Personnel President and CEO Tricia Canavan said employees have been told to contact their banks immediately to taken any necessary steps to protect their accounts.

AkkenCloud, the software vendor used by United Personnel to process payroll, serves more than 650 staffing-agency clients and manages 14.8 million candidates.

“There are companies all over the country whose employees have been affected by this situation, and there is understandably a lot of anger,” Canavan said. “We are trying to help direct people on how to take action most effectively in order to get the funds returned to their accounts as quickly as possible.”

She added that United Personnel is working with the FBI, the attorney general, and local police on the matter.

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College has advanced into the top 20 in its category in the 2020 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. In the Best Regional Universities – North category, Springfield College is ranked 19th.

This year’s position represents a continuing rise in the rankings for Springfield College over the last 10 years. The college’s overall Best Colleges score has increased each year since the 2011 rankings. Also, Springfield College has moved up in the rankings in nine of the last 10 years, including jumping up nine spots from last year. The college has moved up 48 spots from its ranking in 2011.

“Our extraordinary rise in the rankings is confirmation of the commitment of our faculty and staff to cultivating academic excellence at Springfield College,” said Mary-Beth Cooper, president of Springfield College since 2013. “A Springfield College education, grounded in the Humanics philosophy, continues to be well-regarded.”

The college’s constant ranking in the top tier in its category is spurred by improved graduation rates and improved retention of first-year students. The ratings are based on such variables as peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, student selectivity, class size, alumni giving, and student-faculty ratio.

Springfield College was also ranked 15th in its category of the U.S. News Best Values rankings that showcase colleges with high quality and a lower cost, up four spots from last year. This is the fourth consecutive year that Springfield College has been listed in the Best Values category, which takes into account a college’s academic quality and net cost of attendance.

Springfield College was also ranked once again in the U.S. News A+ Schools for B Students category. Colleges in this category have strong ratings and accept a significant number of students with non-stratospheric transcripts.

HOLYOKE — SPARK EforAll Holyoke will celebrate graduates of its 2019 Summer Accelerator Program and award $5,000 in prize money at its upcoming Showcase & Celebration on Tuesday, Sept. 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. on at Wistariahurst, 238 Cabot St. in Holyoke.

Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) began its second Accelerator Program in the Pioneer Valley this past May, and this second cohort will graduate from the intensive, 12-week program at the Showcase and Celebration ceremony. This cohort will continue to meet with their mentors for the rest of the year and meet with EforAll quarterly to compete for more cash.

The eight businesses have a range of business ideas, ranging from a mobile tailor service to a Spanish-language comic book series to a pizza and wine bar. These aspiring entrepreneurs have been meeting two times a week learning from experts in the region and covering a variety of topics about business and entrepreneurship. With the help of mentors, the entrepreneurs have developed solid plans to take their business to the next level. The winners of the accelerator will share in a $5,000 prize pool that will be announced at this celebration.

Dawn Leaks, CEO of Lioness, will be the keynote speaker of the evening, and attendees will also hear from a participant in the program. The public will be able to learn about all of the business ideas and speak with the entrepreneurs themselves as they’ll have their ideas and products on display.

A new Accelerator Program will take place in Holyoke this winter. Applications are now being accepted online; to find out more, visit www.eforall.org.

CHICOPEE — The Westover Job Corps Center has immediate openings for individuals seeking free career training in the nation’s leading industries, including advanced manufacturing, automotive repair, construction, finance and business, healthcare, and hospitality.

Offered by the U.S. Department of Labor, Job Corps is the largest nationwide residential career technical training and education program in the country and has been operating for more than 50 years. The program helps eligible young people complete their high-school education, earn college credits, train for meaningful careers, and connect with employment, apprenticeship, military, or higher-education opportunities. Job Corps centers also provide on-campus housing, nutritious meal options, basic medical care, uniforms and class supplies, and enrichment and recreation activities.

“The basic eligibility requirements for entering Job Corps are simple,” said Debra Carr, acting national director of Job Corps. “The applicant must be 16 through 24 years of age, have a low income, and have educational and employment barriers or deficits. The program strongly encourages any individuals who meet these requirements, and are seeking opportunity to further their education and career pathway, to learn more about the many benefits Job Corps offers.”

Job Corps is an open-entry and open-exit program that accepts new students on a weekly basis. To obtain additional information about the specific training programs and educational opportunities offered at the Westover Job Corps Center, interested individuals can visit jobcorps.gov or call (800) 733-JOBS.

SPRINGFIELD — Wellfleet, an insurance provider and a Berkshire Hathaway company, has agreed to terms with National Guardian Life Insurance Co. (NGL) to acquire through renewals its Student and Special Risk business. Much of that business is processed through Commercial Travelers Life Insurance Co. in Utica, N.Y., a wholly owned NGL subsidiary.

Wellfleet will immediately assume responsibility for administrating NGL’s special-risk policies and collegiate accident and health insurance, which insures more than 26,000 students on approximately 100 campuses across the U.S. Wellfleet will maintain NGL’s Utica office, employing more than 30 insurance professionals.

“We are pleased that we have entered into this agreement with Wellfleet, one of the nation’s leading providers of health- and accident-insurance products to the higher-education market,” said Knut Olson, NGL’s president and CEO. “This transition provides our customers the ability to renew their business with a highly respected insurer who will deliver quality service. This transaction allows NGL to focus on our other lines of business.”

He added that “Wellfleet’s specialization in student and special-risk coverage for more than 25 years, and respected reputation in the market, gives NGL’s talented employees, loyal clients, and growing member base the best possible solution for operational continuity.”

Wellfleet President and CEO, Andrew DiGiorgio noted Wellfleet’s longtime business relationship with NGL and Commercial Travelers, and reiterated Wellfleet’s commitment to a smooth transition for NGL’s clients and members.

“Our priorities are to honor the commitments NGL extended to its customers, and to deliver quality service and customer-centric solutions to clients, members, and distribution partners,” DiGiorgio said.

Completion of the transaction is subject to various conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approval, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019.

GREENFIELD — The Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) is hosting its 23rd annual Source to Sea Cleanup on Sept. 27-28. This year, CRC is asking cleanup participants and all who enjoy the rivers to join it in demanding an end to trashed rivers. CRC is challenging two companies via social media — Dunkin’ Donuts and Cumberland Farms — whose trash is regularly found during the Source to Sea Cleanup. Learn how to get involved at www.ctriver.org/takeaction.

“After cleaning up tons of trash year after year for 22 years, it’s clear that repeated cleaning is not the solution to our trash problem,” CRC Executive Director Andrew Fisk said. “We need to redesign our economy so there isn’t waste in the first place. It’s time businesses step up to voluntarily do the right thing by offering more sustainable, reusable, recyclable, and compostable options.”

CRC encourages all individuals to always properly dispose of and recycle waste rather than contributing to litter in the rivers. Still, businesses and corporations play a big role in deciding what products end up in consumers’ hands and eventually make their way into the waste stream. CRC argues it’s time that corporations take responsibility for their role in trashing the rivers.

“We invite everyone to join us in telling them we expect better,” said Stacey Lennard, cleanup coordinator. CRC points out that, 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 the rivers by using more environmentally friendly options.

Consumers have been trained by businesses to rely on unnecessary disposable and single-use plastics, Fisk noted. Meanwhile, businesses and manufacturers are profiting by making these products out of cheap, petroleum-based plastic that is harmful and doesn’t easily break down. Producers and manufacturers then pass the responsibility and disposal costs for the products they make to the consumers, which leads to litter and polluted rivers.

According to the CRC, the best way businesses and corporations can cut down on their products becoming litter in the rivers is to offer more reusable options, like coffee mugs and drink cups. Dunkin’ already offers a robust line of reusable mug options, but don’t promote or incentivize them, Fisk said, whereas Cumberland Farms offers few reusable options. Additionally, bio-plastics are emerging as a promising alternative to plastic made from fossil fuels. There are plenty of eco-friendly cups and dishware items on the market that businesses should be using, he went on. These new plastics are compostable, break down in the marine environment as food, are made from waste, and are made with less energy and environmental impact than traditional petroleum plastics.

“We all have a responsibility to solve this problem,” Fisk said. “We are responsible as consumers to make good choices in how we purchase and dispose of products. Manufacturers, businesses, and government are also responsible  and it’s time they do their part. By working together, we can make a real difference for our rivers. 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.”

WESTFIELD — The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce will welcome Katie Holahan, vice president of Government Affairs for Associated Industries of Massachusetts, as keynote speaker at its quarterly business breakfast on Friday, Sept. 20 from 7 to 9 a.m. at the 104th Fighter Wing Air National Guard Base, 175 Falcon Dr., Westfield.

Holahan will talk about paid family and medical leave, potential debate in the Legislature on transportation, K-12 funding, healthcare cost containment, and general tax reform. There will also be time for questions and answers. She would like to hear what the attendees are most concerned about, what are the city’s strengths, and what opportunities they have before them.

The Chief Greeter will be Chris Thompson, co-owner of the Westfield Starfires. Immediately following the breakfast, guests can take a tour of the 104th Air National Guard Base. Tickets for the breakfast are $28 for members and $43 for general admission. For more information or registration, call (413) 568-1618 or e-mail [email protected].

The platinum event sponsor is Baystate Noble Hospital; the gold sponsor is Westfield Gas & Electric and Whip City Fiber; the silver sponsor is A Plus HVAC Inc.; the bronze sponsors are BHN – the Carson Center, Governor’s Center, and the Arbors; the registration-table sponsor is CHH Engraving Inc.; the coffee-bar sponsor is the Westfield Starfires; and the small-business sponsor is the Republican.

WILBRAHAM — On Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m., the Scantic Valley YMCA will host guest speaker Kirk Jonah, founder of the Jack Jonah Foundation, which is dedicated to the memory of Kirk’s son, who accidentally overdosed in 2016. The Jack Jonah Foundation works to educate the community and help individuals and families impacted by drugs so tragedies such as Jack’s passing will never happen again.

Pre-registration is not necessary. For more information, contact the Scantic Valley YMCA at (413) 596-2749 or visit www.springfieldy.org.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Julie Phillips as its coordinator of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.

Phillips comes to HCC from Westfield State University, where she held positions in Institutional Advancement as associate director of Advancement Services and coordinator of Donor Relations and Annual Giving.

At HCC, Phillips completes an Institutional Advancement team that also includes Director Patrick Carpenter and Vice President Amanda Sbriscia. Phillips’s primary responsibilities at HCC will be engaging with alumni and building the college’s annual fund.

“My hope is that all HCC alumni will really come to know who Julie Phillips is,” said Carpenter, who chaired the search committee that hired Phillips and worked with her for three years at Westfield State. “She’s really the front line of two very important areas of the business that we do here, and she’s phenomenal. There is no one else I’d rather have in that position.”

Phillips holds a bachelor’s degree from Western New England University in communications and is working toward her master’s degree in public administration (concentration in nonprofit management) from Westfield State.

“Since I started in July, I have been welcomed by faculty and staff who are very passionate about what they do and the students they serve,” she said. “I am excited to build connections with HCC’s more than 38,000 worldwide alumni.”

SPRINGFIELD — Robinson Donovan, P.C. announced that Partner Jeffrey Trapani will receive the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. (MBA) Community Service Award. It will be presented during the Hampshire County Bar Assoc. (HCBA) annual meeting on Thursday, Sept. 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Garden House at Look Park in Florence. The guest speaker for the event will be state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa.

Trapani concentrates his practice in civil litigation, including insurance defense, employment law, municipal liability, business litigation, and professional malpractice. He also represents landlords in summary process action and housing-discrimination claims, and insurance companies in unfair-settlement claims and coverage issues. His practice requires him to appear before federal and state courts throughout Massachusetts, as well as various administrative agencies, including the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. In addition to trial work, he also represents clients in mediations and arbitrations.

Last year, Trapani was appointed a member of both the Standing Advisory Committee on the Rules of Civil and Appellate Procedure of the Supreme Judicial Court and the MBA’s Joint Bar Committee on Judicial Appointments as the representative for the HCBA. He is also a hearing officer for the Board of Bar Overseers and serves on the legislative steering committee for the Springfield Regional Chamber, for which he served as chair from 2016 to 2018.

“We congratulate Jeff on this tremendous honor,” said James Martin, partner at Robinson Donovan. “He is a passionate advocate for our clients and a role model in our profession. The MBA clearly recognizes his contributions to the field of law, as do all of us at Robinson Donovan.”

Trapani is a member of the federal, Massachusetts, Hampden County, and Hampshire County bar associations, as well as the Defense Research Institute and the Massachusetts Defense Lawyer Assoc.

For more information or to purchase tickets to the HCBA annual meeting, call (413) 586-8500 or e-mail [email protected].

GRANBY — OTELCO recently welcomed back David Chaplin as a senior ISP engineer in the company’s Granby office.

Chaplin has an associate degree in telecommunications from Springfield Technical Community College and a bachelor’s degree in church leadership from Southeastern University. He spent 31 years with Verizon as an OSP technician and staff management assistant, and has additional experience working as an engineering project manager for Verizon and as an electronics and communications specialist for ISO New England.

SPRINGFIELD — The Kresge Foundation awarded the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts a $100,000 grant to advance policy solutions aimed at improving climate resilience and equitably reducing health risks in low-income communities. The Springfield Climate Justice Initiative, a new project of the Live Well Springfield coalition convened by the Public Health Institute, is one of 15 community-based collaborations nationwide receiving grant funding as part of the planning phase of Kresge’s Climate Change, Health and Equity initiative.

The Springfield Climate Justice Initiative will focus on planning and implementing strategies identified in the 2017 “Strong, Healthy, & Just: Springfield Climate Action & Resilience Plan” for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and improving climate resilience in Springfield. The planning will focus on developing front-line residents’ capacity to accelerate municipal action on the top greenhouse-gas emissions reduction strategies included in the Climate Action Plan.

With this funding, the collaborators who worked together to develop the city’s “Strong, Healthy & Just” plan — the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Arise for Social Justice, and the city of Springfield — will work with partners from other sectors to develop multi-year work plans to address community-defined health and climate priorities. New partners in this Live Well Springfield initiative are Way Finders, Ener-G-Save, and the city of Springfield’s new sustainability coordinator. Specific activities will include building the capacity of residents and stakeholders related to climate action and its health-equity impacts, conducting additional research to rank and prioritize climate actions, and identifying the health-equity impacts of proposed actions.

“With a 10-year opportunity to avert the worst consequences of our climate crisis, this grant will give us the opportunity to build, nurture, and develop community leadership and advocacy to accelerate implementation of the city’s 2017 climate plan,” said Jessica Collins, executive director of the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts.

Lois DeBacker, managing director of the foundation’s Environment Program, added that “climate change is impacting people in real ways — today. The good news is that community leaders across the country are making smart choices about how they can combat climate change while improving people’s lives and well-being. Our newly awarded grants will help more communities proactively tackle the health risks that climate change introduces or exacerbate.”

Following the one-year planning phase, Kresge will award multi-year grants to up to 12 planning grant recipients. The organizations will be supported by the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC), which serves as the national program office for the planning phase of the community-based strategy of the Climate Change, Health & Equity initiative. ISC’s mission is to help communities around the world address environmental, economic, and social challenges to build a better future.