HOLYOKE — The Holyoke Community College Foundation awarded a record 231 scholarships to incoming, current, and graduating HCC students for the 2019-20 academic year, totaling nearly $250,000.

The HCC community recognized the awardees along with the donors whose generosity makes those scholarships possible at a May 9 reception in the HCC Bartley Center for Athletics & Recreation.

Longmeadow resident and HCC alumni donor Gregory Schneider, co-founder and chairman of 3BL Media in Northampton, and scholarship recipient and graduating art major Catherine Carija were the keynote speakers.  

“I had been out of school for 34 years,” said Carija. “Lucky for me I found my way to HCC. I was greated so warmly by faculty and staff, and without the generosity of donors and HCC Foundation scholarships — all that belief in me — I wouldn’t be graduating now and going on to Mount Holyoke College.”

Over the years, the HCC Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising arm of the college, has provided nearly $2.8 million in student scholarships while also investing in classroom equipment and technology for select academic and student-support programs. 

“The community is so invested in the foundation and in the college. It’s quite impressive,” said Amanda Sbriscia, vice president of Institutional Advancement. “People are passionate about our mission and the work that we do, and that translates into life-changing financial support.”

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College Assistant Professor of History Ian Delahanty and Assistant Professor of Religion Katherine Dugan are leading 24 Springfield College undergraduate students on a short-term study-abroad trip to Ireland from May 14 through May 23.

“This is such a great opportunity for our students to explore the landscape of Ireland, including Dublin, Belfast, and all the way up to Galway,” said Dugan. “The students will be engaged in tours of historic museums, participating in the Gaelic Games, and will experience a variety of cultural experiences in a historic country.”

The educational and cultural experiences the students will experience include excursions to Ireland’s dramatic Atlantic coastline, including the rugged Burren, the majestic Cliffs of Moher, and the rocky Aran Islands.

“Both Professor Delahanty and I teach similar minded courses, and we found some nice overlap in how we teach history, and the history of immigration, that would make this trip a great experience for everyone involved,” said Dugan, who plans on leading a trip to the Immigration Museum in Ireland. “We also realize many of our students are in majors that make it difficult for them to commit to a full semester of study abroad, so this short-term trip gives them an opportunity to experience a study-abroad experience right at the conclusion of a busy semester.”

Springfield College history major Hogan Tomkunas was interested in going on the trip to enhance his knowledge of history in a real-word setting.

“Being able to experience the rich history in Ireland firsthand made this trip very interesting to me,” he said. “Just being able to experience a different culture that is outside of my comfort zone is exciting, and to be able to have this experience shared with my faculty advisor and fellow students is just a perfect way to end the semester.”

Other students agreed. “This is great that Springfield College has given us the opportunity to have this experience,” said sports biology major Alex Rachmaciej. “The friendships that are made on these trips last a lifetime, so I am very excited to be part of this experience.”

GREENFIELD — Christopher Pike has been promoted to assistant vice president and Special Assets officer at Greenfield Savings Bank, with the responsibilities of loan operations and special-assets management. Before joining the bank in 2014, he was an associate director and bank consultant at RMPI Consulting.

“Chris first came to our attention as a consultant to our bank,” said Josh Parker, vice president and Operations officer. “Chris was impressed by our bank, and we were impressed by his experience, so we offered him a job.”

Pike also volunteers his time for a number of local community organizations, including helping at the Stone Soup Kitchen, working at the Franklin County Fair Rotary food booth, and fundraising for the YMCA. He received his MBA from Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire.

BOSTON — Joanne Hilferty, president and CEO of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries in Boston, is set to be elected chair of the board of Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Friday as the state’s largest business association convenes for its annual meeting.

Dennis Leonard, president and CEO of Delta Dental Plan of Massachusetts, is expected to be elected treasurer of the association, while Patricia Begrowicz, president of Onyx Specialty Paper in South Lee, will be assistant treasurer.

Hilferty, Leonard, and Begrowicz will stand for election alongside a diverse slate of 13 new board members. The officers and directors will be unanimously recommended by the AIM nominating committee.

A member of AIM’s board since 2008, Hilferty was elected to the AIM executive committee in 2010. She became assistant treasurer in 2012 and treasurer in 2015. She will be the first woman to chair the AIM board.

“AIM stands at a pivotal moment as it seeks to represent the full diversity of employers creating economic opportunity for the people of Massachusetts,” Hilferty said. “I look forward to working with the board to assure that the organization is inclusive as it represents current members and reaches out to new ones in order to continue to be a leading force advocating for economic vitality in the new economy.”

The 13 new directors set to join AIM’s 75-member board include Arthur Barrett, president, Barrett Distribution Centers, Franklin; Peter Bowman, vice president, External Affairs, Verizon Communications, Boston; Janice Goodman, owner, Cityscapes, Boston; Dominick Ianno, head of State Government Relations, MassMutual, Springfield; Marie Johnson, treasurer, Ken’s Foods Inc., Marlborough; Pia Kumar, owner, Universal Plastics, Holyoke; Marianne Lancaster, president, Lancaster Packaging, Hudson; Emiley Lockhart, senior counsel and director of Regional Initiatives, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth; Thomas Pacheco, chief financial officer, Acushnet Holdings Corporation, Fairhaven; Srinivas Reddy, director, Global Innovation & Supply Network Operations, Procter & Gamble, Boston; Emily Reichert, chief executive officer, Greentown Labs, Somerville; Kumble Subbaswamy, chancellor, UMass Amherst; and Annemarie Watson, president, Crane Currency, Dalton.

“We are delighted to welcome such an impressive group of CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to the AIM board of directors,” outgoing AIM President and CEO Rick Lord said. “These new board members are accomplished, committed, and full of creative energy that will keep AIM moving into the future.”

SPRINGFIELD — Girls on the Run of Western MA will host its 5K celebration on Sunday, June 2 at 10:30 a.m at Springfield College.

The mission of Girls on the Run is to inspire girls to be healthy, joyful, and confident using an experiential-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. Girls on the Run is a physical-activity-based, positive youth-development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls in third through eighth grade. During the 10-week program, girls participate in lessons that foster confidence, build peer connections, and encourage community service while they prepare for an end-of-season, celebratory 5K event.

Participation in the 5K event on June 2 is open to the public. About 950 girls from 68 school sites around Western Mass., as well as 280 volunteer coaches, have participated in the program this season. Around 2,500 participants are expected at the event.

The pre-registration cost is $25 for adults and $10 for children and includes a Girls on the Run 5K event shirt. After a group warm-up, the event will begin on the outdoor track on Alden Street and will continue through the campus.

Registration is open at www.girlsontherunwesternma.org, and will also be available the day of the event beginning at 9 a.m. The run will begin at 10:30 a.m., but festivities, including a group warm up and games, will begin at 10 a.m., so early arrival is suggested. For more information about the event, how to register, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.girlsontherunwesternma.org.

SPRINGFIELD — In the spring of 2017, BusinessWest and its sister publication, HCN, created a new and exciting recognition program called Healthcare Heroes.

It was launched with the theory that there are heroes working all across this region’s wide, deep, and all-important healthcare sector, and that there was no shortage of fascinating stories to tell and individuals and groups to honor. Two years later, that theory has been validated, and stories that needed to be told have been told.

But there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of heroes who stories we still need to tell. And that’s where you come in.

Nominations for the class of 2019 are due July 12, and we encourage you to get involved and help recognize someone you consider to be a hero in the community we call Western Mass. in one (or more) of these seven categories: Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider, Health/Wellness Administrator/Administration, Emerging Leader, Community Health, Innovation in Health/Wellness, Collaboration in Health/Wellness, and Lifetime Achievement.

To nominate a Healthcare Hero, click here.

SPRINGFIELD — With a growing number of clients in the space, Bulkley Richardson announced the launch of its Craft Brew and Distillery practice. The firm advises local craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries in all stages of development, from startups to established businesses.

The firm’s attorneys possess a depth of expertise in the relevant areas of law to assist with startup and entity formation; state, federal, and local licensing; financing; distribution agreements; intellectual-property matters; real-estate matters and commercial leases; construction and expansion; mergers and acquisitions; business succession planning; and litigation. The Craft Brew and Distillery practice is led by attorneys Ryan Barry, Scott Foster, Michael Roundy, and Sarah Willey.

To help launch this new practice, Bulkley Richardson has signed on as lead sponsor, alongside Berkshire Bank, of What’s on Tap Wednesday, the new, weekly outdoor beer garden featuring local breweries. The events are held on Wednesdays after work beginning June 5 through September 18, and will rotate locations among 1350 Main St., Duryea Way, MGM Springfield, Tower Square Park, and the Shops at Marketplace. Each week will feature live music, local food, and guest brewers.

The firm will also sponsor the second annual Whip City Brewfest on Saturday, June 1 in Westfield to support the Amelia Park Children’s Museum. Roundy has been on the festival’s planning committee from the inception and is heavily involved in the planning of the event.

“We have the experience of working within regulated industries,” Foster said, “and Bulkley Richardson, as a firm, has the depth to handle matters from business formation to succession planning, zoning issues to construction, licensing to protection of IP assets, and contracts to employment matters.”

Added Barry, “if you’re keeping an eye on the market, breweries are popping up everywhere from small basement productions to large-scale commercial brands. And our brewery clients run both ends of that spectrum. We have not only the legal experience, but our group also has the business experience and resources to help our clients achieve success.”

LONGMEADOW — Ready to take your career to the next level? A professional headshot and a graduate degree can help take you there. Attendees of Bay Path University’s spring graduate open house can meet with programs directors, faculty, admissions team members, and financial-aid representatives, and learn about the graduate-school admissions process, ways to finance an education, and more than 30 graduate degrees and certificates available at Bay Path University online or on campus, while enjoying light refreshments and entering to win raffle prizes.

A professional photographer will also be at the event taking free headshots, perfect for use on a LinkedIn profile or résumé.

The spring graduate open house is slated for Wednesday, May 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Bay Path’s Longmeadow campus at 588 Longmeadow St. For more information or to register, visit baypath.edu/visit or e-mail [email protected].

HOLYOKE — Students enrolled full-time in chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics, or other STEM fields at Holyoke Community College (HCC) may qualify for a National Science Foundation (NSF) scholarship of up to $10,000 a year toward tuition and fees. 

Recipients of the scholarship become members of HCC’s STEM Scholars program and participate in field trips and benefit from other exclusive STEM-related events and activities each semester. The NSF STEM scholarship continues each semester students maintain good academic standing.

Incoming and current HCC students are encouraged to apply. The application deadline for the 2019-20 academic year is Monday, July 15.

Eligibility guidelines for the National Science Foundation STEM scholarship can be viewed at www.hcc.edu/scholarships, where there is also a link to the online application under ‘National Science Foundation Scholarships in STEM.’

Applicants must be enrolled full time in a STEM program, demonstrate academic ability or potential, and demonstrate financial need, according to the guidelines. STEM disciplines include biological sciences, physical sciences, math, computer and information services, geosciences, and engineering.

SOUTHWICK — More than 200 golfers are expected to participate in the 39th annual Brightside Golf Classic on Monday, July 22 at the Ranch Golf Club in Southwick.

“This event raises funds to continue Brightside’s mission to support our community’s most vulnerable children and their families,” said Carrie Fuller-McMahon, executive director of the Office of Philanthropy at Mercy Medical Center and its affiliates.

Two tee times are available. Registration and breakfast for the morning session will begin at 6:45 a.m. with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m., followed by a lunch reception with the presentation of awards and prizes at 11:30 a.m. Lunch and registration for the afternoon session will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. The evening reception will be held immediately following the tournament from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Prices include green fees, golf cart, breakfast and/or lunch, a gift and swag bag, and a reception featuring cocktails, food stations, an auction, and networking. On-course food and beverages will be provided by event sponsors throughout the day. Golfers will also be eligible for a chance to win prizes and participate in raffles during the day.

The 2019 Golf Classic chairs are Hank Downey, vice president, Commercial Loan officer, Florence Savings Bank; John Kendzierski, founder and director, Professional Dry Wall Construction Inc.; Dan Moriarty, senior vice president, chief financial officer, Monson Savings Bank; and Dan Marini, vice president of Marketing and Sales Administration, Westfield Bank.

Brightside for Families and Children provides in-home counseling and family support to more than 700 children and their families throughout Western Mass. Services include resource coordination, parenting-skills development, behavioral-technique instruction, community support programs, and other programs tailored to prevent hospitalization from occurring. Specialized assessments such as neuropsychological evaluations and testing are also available.

For more information on sponsorships, donations, and attending the event, contact Traci Heath at (413) 748-9935 or [email protected]. Information is also available at www.mercycares.com/brightside-golf-classic.

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) announced that Cassandra Morrey has been promoted to vice president and Residential Lending officer; Karen Cartier has been promored to vice president, Compliance, Fraud Prevention, and Community Reinvestment officer; and Misty Lyons has been appointed mortgage officer.

Morrey will be responsible for daily oversight of the Residential Lending department, including origination, process, closing, quality control, and compliance. She joined Greenfield Savings Bank in 2010 after working in the banking industry for 17 years.

“Cassie is an outstanding member of our Residential Lending department,” said Lori Grover, senior vice president and senior Residential Lending officer. “Customers love working with her, and she is committed to helping our customers achieve home ownership.”

Morrey is an active volunteer in the community, serving as a board member and treasurer of Highland Ambulance EMS Inc., and as a fourth- to sixth-grade girls basketball coach. She graduated with honors from the New England School for Financial Studies.

Cartier manages the Bank Secrecy & Anti-Money Laundering department, the bank’s compliance-management system, and identity-theft and fraud-prevention programs.  Her department monitors transactions and identifies suspicious activity. She joined GSB in 2013 has been working in working in banking and fraud prevention for 28 years.

“Karen is tenacious in her working to protect our customers and the bank from fraud and identity theft,” said Denise Coyne, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Throughout the year, Karen gives talks on identity theft and fraud prevention to community groups, seniors, and at open houses at the bank.” 

Cartier is a 2008 graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies at the Babson Executive School and has earned additional professional designations including Certified Bank Secrecy & Anti-Money Laundering Professional (CBAP) and Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer (CBCCO). She donates some of her personal time volunteering in the community, including serving as a committee member of the annual benefit for Toys for Tots, as a board member of All Out Adventures, and a member of the GSB Relay for Life team.

Lyons is responsible for loan origination, underwriting, and approval of residential mortgages and will work directly with loan applicants, assisting them through the application process. She will serve customers throughout Franklin and Hampshire counties.

She began her career in the banking industry in 1988 and previously worked in the GSB Loan department from 2003 to 2006. She is returning to her career in banking after a three-year medical leave while recovering from a severe case of Lyme disease.

“We are so happy to have Misty back at our bank,” said Lori Grover, senior vice president and senior Residential Lending officer at Greenfield Savings Bank. “Misty has an outstanding reputation for customer service and is an excellent addition to our lending team.”

Lyons has been a member of the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley for more than 20 years and has served on the committees and boards of a wide range of organizations, including the the Franklin County Rotary Club, the Greenfield Community College Foundation board of directors, the golf committee for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department fundraiser for Warm the Children, and the YMCA sustaining fundraising campaign. She was also an elected member of the Gill-Montague Regional School Committee from 2012 to 2015.

AGAWAM — As part of the continued effort to position the company for stronger growth, Brad Bedard has been promoted to vice president of Supply Chain Management for OMG Inc.

As vice president, Bedard is responsible for overall management of the company’s global supply-chain and distribution logistics. In this new role, he will work with his organization to develop and implement short- and long-term strategies that maximize operational efficiencies, improve supply-chain and distribution performance, and manage costs. He reports to Hubert McGovern, president and CEO.

Bedard has been with OMG since 2007, most recently as director of Supply Chain Management. Earlier, he had been the company’s director of Distribution and Sales Inventory Operations Planning, where he was instrumental in developing and implementing the company’s forecasting and operations planning process. Prior to joining OMG, he held various distribution and logistics roles for Bose Corp. and Timex Corp. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University.

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Community College (GCC) Foundation awarded 127 scholarships to GCC students at its 57th annual GCC Foundation scholarship awards ceremony. The awards totaled over $190,000, with an additional $100,000 to be distributed in the fall, all made possible by donor support of endowed and direct-funded named scholarships.

The occasion is a time for members of the entire GCC community to come together to celebrate students’ academic achievements. Scholarship donors include private individuals, local businesses, corporations, faculty and staff, and alumni, and many were on hand to present their awards to the recipients. For a complete listing of the scholarships awarded, visit www.gcc.mass.edu/2019scholarships.

Scholarships range in size and eligibility requirements, and include awards to students enrolled in credit-bearing certificate and degree programs, as well as participants in the college’s non-credit workforce-development programs.

The Charlotte Waynelovich Scholarship is one example. Funded by Baystate Health and Baystate Franklin Medical Center in honor of her retirement, it was presented by Wanelovich to a GCC student in the associate degree in nursing program who lives in Franklin County.

“We think of the annual scholarship awards program as the Academy Awards of our year,” said Regina Curtis, GCC’s executive director of Resource Development, who emceed the event. “The sense in the room of pride, of academic accomplishment, of knowing that you are helping change lives or that your life is being changed, is incredibly powerful.”

She added that multiple generations were present. “We saw Susan Renfrew and Debra Gilbert present their parents’ named scholarship, and we saw students come on stage to receive their award with toddlers in tow.”

The GCC Foundation was founded in 1968. Since then, it has worked with those who wish to invest in the dreams of students who work, students who cannot afford tuition, and students who cannot travel to other educational institutions — people for whom higher education is otherwise beyond the borders of their personal geographies.

SPRINGFIELD — The Hampden County Bar Assoc., in conjunction with WGGB 40, is holding a Lawyer on the Line event on Monday, May 20 from 5 to 6:30 pm.

Volunteers will provide legal advice on a variety of topics from callers during the evening news broadcast. Individuals needing advice should call (413) 846-0240 to speak to a volunteer.

FLORENCE — Florence Bank promoted Jeremy Melton to the position of senior vice president, director of Operations and Risk Management, and hired Robert Raynor to serve as vice president, Compliance and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) officer.

Melton joined Florence Bank in 2012. Prior to his recent promotion, he served as first vice president, Risk Management, Compliance, and CRA officer. He is the board chair and a member of the finance/audit committee at Tapestry.

Raynor joined Florence Bank in April 2019 with nine years of banking experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Springfield College. He is a board member and treasurer of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke.

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of Robert and the well-deserved promotion of Jeremy,” said Florence Bank President and CEO John Heaps Jr. “Their skills and expertise are invaluable, and I look forward to seeing both of them flourish in their respective roles.”

WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond, one of the leading full-service engineering and environmental consulting firms in the Northeast, climbed 19 spots this year to number 222 on Engineering News Record’s (ENR) 2019 Top 500 Design Firms ranking. In the past two years, Tighe & Bond climbed 38 spots as the firm continues to grow its regional market. ENR ranks its list of top 500 design firms nationally based on design-specific revenue from the previous year.

“We are very excited to climb 19 spots in this national ranking, which we believe is the result of continuing to execute on our strategies of expanding in our regional markets along with attracting and retaining outstanding staff across the organization,” said Bob Belitz, president and CEO of Tighe & Bond. “Of course, we could not achieve these accomplishments without the trust our clients have in us to work on their behalf and deliver superb project outcomes.”

GREAT BARRINGTON — The Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative (BFMC) will host two summer filmmaking workshops: one for 15- to 19-year-olds from Monday, June 24 to Friday, June 28, and one for 11- to 14-year-olds from Monday July 8 to Friday, July 12. These week-long workshops will meet daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Berkshire Community College’s South County Campus, 343 Main St., Great Barrington. Early dropoff (9 a.m.) and late pickup (5 p.m.) is available by request.

The purpose of the workshops are twofold: for kids to experience what it’s like to work on a real movie crew from creation of an idea to the final edit of the project, and for the group to produce a high-quality short film championed in every aspect by everyone in the group. The kids will work collaboratively — performing as actors on camera; running the lights, camera, and sound; editing; and marketing the film’s premiere to the community. On the final night, parents, friends, and the public will be invited to attend, and the young filmmakers will participate in a question-and-answer session with the audience. Each participant will walk away with a copy of the film and the experience of creating a professional-quality film together. 

Specific topics covered will include story structure, screenwriting, character development, cinematography, sound recording and mixing, lighting, editing, sound design, and marketing. 

“We are thrilled to be offering this filmmaking workshop for the young people in our community,” said Diane Pearlman, executive director of BFMC. “Video is becoming more and more important as a tool for communication. We need to teach our kids the importance of working cooperatively on a project, while giving them the tools necessary to tell a compelling story.”

The course is being taught by writer, director, actor, and educator Patrick Toole. For four years, Patrick taught filmmaking and animation at the Darrow School in New Lebanon, N.Y. He also co-created the After School Film Project with the Chatham Film Club and numerous other afterschool film and theater programs for middle- and high-school students. Toole has written, directed, and edited more than 30 short films and founded and curated several local film festivals, including the Berkshire Shorts Film Festival. He is the co-founder of the Whitdiots improv troupe and Emergent Ensemble Theater Co. He studied film at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. 

All equipment will be provided. The cost for the week-long workshop is $325. Students will need to bring lunch. Class size is limited. To register online, visit shop.berkshirecc.edu or call (413) 236-2127.

SPRINGFIELD — The Massachusetts Casino Career Training Institute (MCCTI) is offering the opportunity for students to take the necessary training to become a casino dealer in Massachusetts. Everyone who successfully passes two classes is guaranteed an audition with MGM Springfield. It will be possible to begin training in June and be working by September.

There are two options, one on weekdays and one on weekends. The weekday class meets Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from June 3 to July 23, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Immediately following blackjack is the carnival-games course, which runs during the same time frame and ends on Aug 26.

The weekend class meets Saturday and Sunday, June 1 to July 20, from noon to 6 p.m. Immediately following blackjack is the carnival-games course, which runs during the same time frame and ends on Aug 18.

“You bring the fun, guest-services personality. We’ll teach you everything else you need to know,” said Michele Cabral, director of MCCTI.

Classes are taught by MGM Springfield supervisors on the casino grounds. The tables, chips, and cards are close replicas of those on the casino floor.

The cost for the two classes is $598. To receive more information or help signing up, stop by MassHire Springfield on Wednesday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to noon; Friday, May 17 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; or Thursday, May 30, from 9 to 11 a.m. MassHire Springfield is located at the STCC Technology Park, 1 Federal St., Building 103-3. Drop-ins are welcome.

MCCTI is a partnership between Holyoke Community College, Springfield Technical Community College and MGM, and is authorized by the state of Massachusetts to provide the training required to become a licensed dealer. To get more information or to enroll, visit www.mccti.org. Class space is limited.

NORTHAMPTON — The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce will host its centennial event, “Torch: Our Time to Shine,” on Thursday, June 13 at 6 p.m., at the Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton.

The evening’s program will honor Suzanne Beck, who has led the chamber for 27 years, and is retiring from the organization this spring. Beck will be recognized along with those she has worked closely with during her tenure at the chamber. “There have been so many people recently stepping up to carry on the leadership that these trailblazers began,” she said. “I started to look around and notice that Northampton is in a real moment of change. I’m really looking forward to celebrating this moment with the community.”

The 100th-anniversary festivities begin on the red carpet in front of the historic Academy theater, with an opening reception beginning at 6 p.m. Northampton Community Television will interview guests on the red carpet, capturing their hopes and dreams for Northampton. Dpict facilitated illustration will be creating a live drawing in the theater lobby, sourced from attendees’ comments. The finished drawing will be revealed later in the evening.

At 7 p.m., Linda Hannum and Rus Peotter will host an interactive program featuring music, surprises, and special guests, including musicians from Downtown Sounds Workers Co-op, who will play as the show’s house band. The program’s focus will be a recognition of change and celebration of the shared call to shine together as a community. Musical groups Green Street Brew and Pioneer Valley Performing Arts’ Spectrum a cappella will also perform.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the planning for Torch, an event that will bring together the best of your favorite chamber events, with some fun twists worthy of our 100th birthday,” said event committee chairperson Matthew Bannister, vice president of Marketing & Innovation at PeoplesBank.

The celebration will continue under the stars with a party at the rear of the theatre, including food, drink, and dancing.

Lead sponsors of the event include Cooley Dickinson Health Care, the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Florence Bank, and PeoplesBank, with major support from Aladco Linen Services, BusinessWest, Keiter Builders, and Leadership Pioneer Valley.

Visit northamptonchamber.com for tickets and more information.

GREENFIELD — The Franklin County Bar Assoc., in coordination with Greenfield Community College (GCC) and the Berkshire, Hampden, and Hampshire county bar associations, will welcome Judicial Court Associate Justice Kimberly Budd to GCC on Tuesday, May 14.

Budd will speak on the topic of “The Supreme Judicial Court: How It Works, How I Got There, and What I Learned Along the Way.” Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Michael Callen will give an introduction. The event will begin at 10 a.m., with a reception following the speaking program.

The Supreme Judicial Court is the state’s highest appellate court. The court consists of a chief justice and six associate justices who are each nominated and appointed by the governor following a majority vote in the Governor’s Council.

Budd was appointed to the Supreme Judicial Court by Gov. Charlie Baker. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Georgetown University and a law degree from Harvard Law School. She began her legal career as a law clerk to Chief Justice Joseph Warner of the Massachusetts Appeals Court.

Budd was a litigation associate at Mintz Levin before serving as an asistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts in the Major Crimes and Drug units. After that, she was a university attorney for Harvard University in the General Counsel’s Office. She later served as director of the Community Values program at Harvard Business School.

She was appointed as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court by Gov. Deval Patrick in 2009. In 2016, she served as the regional administrative justice for Middlesex Criminal Business.

“We are excited Justice Budd will be in Franklin County,” said Christine Baronas, executive director of the Franklin County Bar Assoc. “This is an opportunity to learn more about her and the court. Her position on the Supreme Judicial Court makes her visit extremely special to us.”

To RSVP or for more information, contact Franklin County Bar Assoc. at [email protected] or (413) 773-9839.

HOLYOKE — The Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley is gathering leaders of Western Mass. companies, agencies, and organizations to explore together the upcoming trends and forces all will need to respond to. On Tuesday, June 4 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, 100 local leaders will participate in a World Café-style session, led by strategic leadership coach Ingrid Bredenberg, that will result in an improved perspective on paths forward into the inevitable future.

Tickets are $35 (there are also discount packages, sponsor opportunities, and roles as scribes and table hosts), and includes a networking-style dinner and a relevant, practical, stimulating exploration. The FBC is doing this to mark its 25th anniversary and first-ever leadership transition with an event that will creates wins and takeaways for all.

For more information and to register, e-mail fambizpv.com/leadershipsummit.

SPRINGFIELD — Lou Brunetti lived life to the fullest as an active member of his hometown of Chicopee, participating in community and church life. He lost his fight with cancer earlier this year, while spending his last days in the care of Harmony House, a home for the terminally ill. In memory of his life and his last days at Harmony House, a ballroom and Latin dancing event will be held on Saturday, May 25 at 7 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel in Springfield.

Organized by David Rosinski of Chicopee, the evening promises to be an exciting showcase of local and national dancers. Rosinski, who operates Dancing a la Carte and is a teacher, choreographer, and coach, is a former U.S. and world exhibition champion. He has won every major ballroom competition in the country with his partner, Michelle Evans. He appeared on Star Search in 1990 and performed with Juliet Prowse.

There will be a VIP wine and cheese reception prior to the show for those who choose to donate $100 for available VIP seating. Only 50 of these VIP seats will be sold, so it is encouraged to get tickets early. Hosting the VIP event will be Fr. William Tourigny of Ste. Rose de Lima Parish in Chicopee, where Brunetti was a lifetime congregant and an active volunteer.

Tickets range from $30 to the $100 VIP donation and are available in advance from Rosinski by calling (413) 519-2435 or at Ste. Rose de Lima church before and after weekend masses.

Harmony House currently occupies a small house in Chicopee, which was offered by a local family for use while the organization is in the process of renovating a much larger home in the Aldenville section of the city. Staffed mainly by volunteers of all kinds — nurses, CNAs, caregivers, companions, and more — Harmony House is totally privately funded through the generosity of individuals, businesses, and foundations. Contributions are gratefully accepted at all times.

Volunteers are needed for the direct care of residents, as well as for housekeeping, food preparation, and groundskeeping. For more information, visit www.harmonyhousewma.org or call (413) 331-5252.

SPRINGFIELD — MGM Resorts International announced that MGM Springfield has received the world’s first U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) New Construction Platinum level certification for a gaming resort.

MGM Springfield, which opened in August 2018, is the company’s most recent development. Working closely with state and city officials, as well as the local community, MGM Resorts committed to designing and building a property that exemplifies the company’s values in support of environmental sustainability and positive social impact while honoring local history and architecture.

A significant enabler of the LEED Platinum rating is the property’s new solar array, which will supply renewable electricity to the facility. In partnership with GE Solar, a subsidiary of General Electric based in Massachusetts, MGM Springfield will install a 1.13-megawatt solar canopy on the eighth floor, on top of the MGM Springfield garage. This array is expected to generate more than 1,600 megawatt hours of electricity, helping reduce the property’s annual carbon footprint by approximately 410 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

“As a values-driven company, we are immensely proud that MGM Springfield is the first resort in the gaming industry to achieve the LEED Platinum certification,” said Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International. “We are grateful for the response we have received from the community since opening our doors in August 2018, and we will continue to strive to be a good neighbor and explore innovative ways to improve operations, guest experiences, and the surrounding areas.”

Among its sustainable design and development elements, MGM Springfield:

• Redeveloped and revitalized a tornado-impacted site in the South End;

• Integrated smart energy infrastructure and submeters through the facility to help monitor and control the property’s electrical and mechanical systems to support year-round energy efficiency;

• Designed for significant on-site electricity generation;

• Installed 50 electric vehicle-charging stations and 140 low-emitting fuel-efficient vehicle parking spaces in some of the most preferable locations of the guest and employee garages, to encourage the use of more environmentally preferable modes of transportation;

• Diverted more than 95% of construction and demolition waste by weight from landfills during construction;

• Selected products from manufacturers that disclose information about the ingredients in their products;

• Used interior finishes such as paints, sealants, coatings, adhesives, carpeting, and composite wood products with low or no volatile organic chemicals and free of urea-formaldehyde, helping to create healthier spaces for guests and employees; and

• Created a rainwater-harvesting system and underground cistern to capture, store, and treat rainwater onsite, allowing 100% of water for landscaping to come from this source.

Working with community partners, the MGM Springfield development project includes multiple buildings within the city of Springfield, including a daycare facility, entertainment venues, and more. All aspects of this project have already achieved or are seeking a minimum of LEED Gold certification.

BOSTON — John Regan, a Boston native who has directed government-affairs advocacy at Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) for the past 12 years, was selected as the next president and CEO of the commonwealth’s largest business association. Regan succeeds AIM President and CEO Richard Lord, who is retiring after two decades leading the organization. The appointment is effective May 20.

“The AIM board of directors conducted a comprehensive search to find just the right person to lead this dynamic organization into the future,” said Patricia Begrowicz, chair of the AIM CEO search committee and President of Onyx Specialty Papers in South Lee. “After engaging with an extraordinary and diverse group of more than 100 candidates and prospects, our committee recommended unanimously to the board that John Regan should be the next president of AIM.”

Regan, who joined the AIM Government Affairs department in 2000 and was appointed executive vice president in 2007, explained that “my goals are to ensure that AIM remains the preeminent voice for businesses on Beacon Hill, and to make Massachusetts an attractive state for employers of all kinds to succeed. I’m committed to ensuring that AIM represents, and advocates for, the full diversity of Massachusetts employers. I am deeply honored and grateful to the board of directors for their confidence in me and for all the time and effort they invested in this search process.” 

At AIM, Regan’s focus has been administrative and legislative advocacy, regulatory affairs, litigation, and ballot initiatives. He has negotiated favorable outcomes for employers on major issues such as healthcare reform, paid family and medical leave, use of non-compete agreements, pay equity, unemployment-insurance rate freezes, and the 2018 compromise that avoided costly and contentious ballot questions concerning the minimum wage, sales tax, and paid leave.

“John emerged as the clear top choice to build on Rick Lord’s long legacy of success advancing the interests of employers and fostering economic growth and opportunity in the Commonwealth,” said Dan Kenary, chair of the AIM board of directors and CEO and co-founder of Massachusetts Bay Brewing Company in Boston. “We’re excited to have John lead our organization.”

Regan has deep experience in both the private and public sectors. Prior to his tenure at AIM, he served as chief operations officer for MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, overseeing real-estate development and community-revitalization projects including the transformation of the former Fort Devens. Before MassDevelopment, he was executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Business Development, leading the commonwealth’s business-retention and recruitment efforts.

Regan, a graduate of Boston Latin School, earned his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s Seminary College in Boston and a certificate in organizational management from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

PITTSFIELD — The state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) regulations go into effect on July 1 as part of the Commonwealth’s ‘grand bargain’ agreement that also raised the minimum wage. All employers large and small must take action with payroll deductions beginning July 1.

1Berkshire, in partnership with Steffans Legal, is hosting a series of free educational sessions to help employers understand exactly what is required with the July 1 regulations. They are slated for Monday, May 20 at 9 a.m. at Pittsfield City Hall; Tuesday (click here to register); Tuesday, May 21 at 8:30 a.m. at the Green in North Adams (click here to register); and Thursday, May 23 at 9 a.m. at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge (click here to register).

For those unable to attend, PCTV will livestream the May 20 event, and links to the recording will be available online and on public television.

SPRINGFIELD — Michael Ostrowski, president and CEO of Arrha Credit Union, congratulated Lucas Manzi, Accounting Department and Finance manager at Arrha, for receiving a 2019 Credit Union Difference Maker’s Award presented by the Cooperative Credit Union Assoc. at the 2019 Credit Union Marketplace Experience.

The show highlighted new technology and featured breakout sessions in many topics, including cybersecurity, the latest trends in digital banking, and ways to enhance the member experience, as well as a salute to employees that have great attitudes, positively impact others, and make a difference at their credit union, in the community, and beyond.

“Lucas was nominated for all that he is doing here at the credit union,” Ostrowski said. “He received one of the Difference Maker’s Awards for his great attitude, positive team efforts, and innovative practices that he does within our credit union and efforts in the community. We are pleased to congratulate Lucas on a very special recognition. The board sends their utmost congratulations to him for his efforts.”