SPRINGFIELD — True to its promise, MGM Springfield has established strong relationships with Springfield-based businesses in preparation for the casino’s Aug. 24 launch. Specially brewed lager from White Lion Brewing Co. will be served on MGM’s casino floor. The bottled lager is appropriately named King of Hearts.

According to White Lion brew master Mike Yates, “this lager is brewed exclusively for MGM Springfield. It’s a classic German style lager, light amber in color with an ABV of 4.7%. It’s crisp and drinkable with subtle flavors, thanks to both German and American hops with a touch of sweetness from German malts.”

“White Lion has been on our radar since we first came into town,” said Anthony Caratozzolo, vice president of Food & Beverage for MGM Springfield. “I’ve always been impressed with both the beer and owner Ray Berry’s tenacity and his commitment to Springfield.”

Several months ago, Berry and Yates were invited to talk specifics with MGM’s food and beverage team. The decision was made to develop a distinctive lager, and Yates went to work. According to Berry, “this lager is something special. The White Lion team is thrilled to be part of this extraordinary moment in Springfield’s history.”

MGM notes that, in addition to King of Hearts, White Lion’s signature brews will be available at TAP Sports Bar.

HOLYOKE — Dr. Ursula McMillian, a board-certified surgeon, has joined Holyoke Medical Center. Specializing in bariatric and general surgery, she is the newest provider in the HMC Weight Management Program.

“I am excited to be joining the innovative team at the Weight Management Program,” McMillian said. “The philosophy of care and commitment to helping patients find the right tools to maintain a healthy weight, for life, is what drew me to this opportunity. I am also impressed by how friendly everyone is here and appreciate the fact that Holyoke Medical Center is an independent community hospital, focused on patients’ overall health and well-being.”

Passionate about exercise and its role in a healthy life, McMillian is known to practice what she preaches, often creating videos of herself exercising and sharing them online for her patients to follow along. This provides an avenue for her to relate to patients and demonstrates her understanding of the hard work that goes into maintaining a healthy weight. “My passion stems from my own struggles with weight throughout my life. I understand and have empathy and compassion for what my patients are going through.”

The HMC Weight Management Program has experienced tremendous growth since it opened in late February 2016. Under the medical direction of Dr. Yannis Raftopoulos, the program has treated more than 1,500 patients in the Pioneer Valley. With the addition of McMillian, the office now has two bariatric surgeons, two physician assistants, two registered dietitians, and two behavioral health specialists to support the needs of the program’s patients.

McMillian received her bachelor’s degree in physiology and neurobiology from the University of Connecticut, and attended the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. She then completed a general surgery internship at the University of Massachusetts, a general surgery residency at the Hospital of Saint Raphael, and a fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at Danbury Hospital. She has been practicing since 2010 in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and is a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Society of Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons.

“We are proud to welcome Dr. McMillian to the Holyoke Medical Center family. Her surgical expertise and dynamic energy have already begun to make a positive impact with our patients and the organization,” said Spiros Hatiras, Holyoke Medical Center’s president and CEO.

McMillian is accepting new patients at 11 Hospital Drive in Holyoke. Before making an appointment, patients must first attend a free information session to learn more about the program and the services available. Programs are offered several times each month in both English and Spanish. To register for an upcoming program, call (413) 535-4757, or visit holyokehealth.com/events.

LENEXA, Kan. — Mediware Information Systems Inc., a portfolio company of TPG Capital and a leading supplier of software solutions for healthcare and human-service providers and payers, recently acquired Northampton-based Fazzi Associates, one of the largest companies serving home health and hospice.

The acquisition creates a unique alignment between two healthcare industry leaders — one in innovative software, the other in outsourced services, consultation, and education. The combined company will have a greater capacity to help post-acute and community-based providers increase efficiency and improve clinical, financial, and operational performance to advance patient care.

The addition of Fazzi Associates enables Mediware to offer new, comprehensive, and best-in-class services and solutions — including medical coding, revenue-cycle management, education, CAHPS, consulting, and ancillary solutions that address key challenges and evolving complexities affecting the post-acute care sectors.

“Fazzi Associates complements the Mediware family and further strengthens our ability to advance high-quality and efficient patient care while also driving down health care costs,” said Bill Miller, CEO of Mediware. “Fazzi Associates’ extensive industry knowledge and insights will help us identify potential new opportunities for expansion, which is core to Mediware’s long-term growth strategy.”

Founded in 1978, Fazzi Associates is the largest and oldest provider of coding services in home health and hospice. Serving more than 1,400 agencies across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., Fazzi Associates’ management team has a track record of success in helping post-acute-care agencies improve quality, enhance efficiency, and accelerate growth.

“Mediware shares our mission of driving a culture focused on innovation, quality, and consistency in health care,” said Tim Ashe, president of Fazzi Associates. “Together, Mediware and Fazzi Associates will be well-positioned for rapid growth as we continue to expand the ways we can help our home-health and hospice customers be successful.”

Mediware plans to maintain Fazzi Associates’ brand and Western Mass. headquarters; the firm’s leadership team will continue to lead Fazzi Associates’ lines of business. Dr. Bob Fazzi will serve in a strategic advisory role with Mediware, consulting on industry relations, home-health advocacy, growth opportunities, and innovation.

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Armory National Historic Site will host Bryan Farr for his program, “Historic Route 20: America’s Longest Road” on Saturday, Aug. 4 from 2 to 3 p.m.

Guests will hear how an early Native American path became the earliest postal roads to westward expansion routes, which presidents called Route 20 home and how Lincoln made history along the highway, and more. The program will take place in the museum theater. Admission is free.

Farr, president of the Historic Route 20 Assoc., is often referred to as the ‘Route 20 guy.’ He will share a 3,000-mile adventure across 12 states connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans, including many stories and scenic photos of his journeys that include 19 National Park sites.

“This is one of the last great highways that you can still drive in its entirety that has not been lost to history, cut up, or rerouted to the interstates,” Farr said. “There was nothing out there to preserve and promote its significance and history as a whole in American culture.”

Farr grew up in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Every summer, his family would take a trip to Buffalo via Route 20. Upon moving to New England in 2004, he noticed the numerous exits on the Mass Pike, and a curiosity was piqued. A conversation with another historic route organization spurred him to create an organization promoting small towns, historical sites, and more on the original 1926 alignment of U.S. Route 20.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will again offer a hands-on program for individuals who want to become FAA-licensed drone pilots. “Flying Drones for Profit, Public Safety, and Commercial Applications” will run on four consecutive Saturdays, Sept. 29 through Oct. 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the main campus of HCC, 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke.

The course will prepare individuals to take the Federal Aviation Administration Remote Pilot in Charge exam, which they must pass to become licensed drone operators. All classes will be taught by Larry Harmon, co-director of the GeoGraphics Laboratory at Bridgewater State University and an industry consultant on small, unmanned aircraft systems.

“Larry is the expert in New England on this,” said Ken White, HCC’s dean of Community Services.

The lecture portion of the course will meet in the HCC Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development on the main campus. Students will fly drones outside on the college sports fields.

The course focuses on all content required to pass the FAA test, including regulations, national airspace system rules, weather, aircraft loading, aircraft performance, and flight operations.

“You have to understand everything the FAA needs you to know about flying a drone, what the rules are, how you fly legally, and how you fly safely,” Harmon said.  

The cost for the four-week, non-credit course is $315. Space is limited. Drones will be provided for use in class. Participants can bring their own, but that is not necessary.

This is the second time HCC has offered the drone pilot course. In the spring, HCC became the first college in Western Mass. to offer a drone pilot course to the general public.  

The course should appeal to professionals in a wide range of industries, White said, including engineering, construction, insurance, agriculture, emergency services, public safety, security, environmental management, transportation, and retail, as well as those involved in more artistic pursuits like movies, video, and photography.  

CLEVELAND — KeyBank recently announced the acquisition of a digital lending platform for small businesses created by Bolstr. The software, expected to be implemented in 2018, will enable KeyBank to provide faster and easier access both to SBA loans and to traditional capital for business owners.

This move accelerates KeyBank’s ability to serve small businesses by expanding their access to capital and quickly delivering credit solutions through an online application process and enhanced digital capabilities. 

“KeyBank is deeply committed to helping small businesses thrive and to providing them with the funding they need to grow,” said Jamie Warder, head of KeyBank Business Banking. “Bolstr’s technology transforms the small-business lending process and allows us to more efficiently serve small businesses for their SBA and traditional lending needs.”

Founded in 2010, Bolstr was designed to provide flexible loans that are specially tailored to small-business owners. With Bolstr’s technology, KeyBank will be able to digitally accept and process loan applications significantly faster, greatly reducing the time and paperwork it takes to process these requests.

“We are excited to work with an organization that is dedicated to helping communities and small businesses prosper,” said Charlie Tribbett, co-founder of Bolstr. “By combining our digital expertise and KeyBank’s industry knowledge, business owners will receive exceptional service and the efficient lending experience they need to be successful.”

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest magazine is currently accepting nominations for a new recognition program to honor a specific segment of the local population: women who are making an impact in and on this region. Nominees who score the highest in the eyes and minds of a panel of three independent judges will be honored at a luncheon on Thursday, Dec. 6 at the Sheraton Springfield.

“We decided to create a special program recognizing women because, after careful consideration, we decided that this region needed one and that BusinessWest was the right organization to do it,” Kate Campiti, associate publisher and sales manager for BusinessWest, explained. “While women have certainly made great strides over the past several decades, and many women have made great achievements and broken through that proverbial glass ceiling, doing so remains a stern challenge for many.”

‘Women of Impact’ was chosen as the name for the program because, while nominees can be from the world of business, they can also be from other realms, such as the nonprofit community, healthcare, public service, law enforcement, education, social work, the mentorship community, a combination of all these — any inspirational women on any level.

Nominations are due by Monday, Aug. 13. For guidlelines to consider when nominating, visit www.businesswest.com/women-of-impact. Nominations may be submitted at businesswest.com/women-of-impact-nomination-information-criteria.

Country Bank is a supporting sponsor of the event, and additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, call Bevin Peters, Marketing and Events director, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail [email protected].

HOLYOKE — Evelyn Humphries, a Girls Inc. of Holyoke Eureka! scholar, joined nine girls from six states for a four-day trip to Washington, D.C. to advocate on behalf of girls across the country. After a year of meeting virtually, this was the first time the girls from the Girls Action Network (GAN) came together in person.

In addition to participating in leadership and public-speaking training, the girls held meetings with several senators. The girls, all 14 to 18 years old, didn’t shy away from tough conversations — they discussed issues important to them, including immigration, gun safety, and student anti-discrimination policies. Highlights included visiting with U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Dianne Feinstein. They also met Melyssa Guerrero, a Girls Inc. alumna who works in U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s office, and Carla Hayden, the first female librarian of Congress.

“I was truly inspired to see Evie and the other teen girls advocate for positive change,” said Suzanne Parker, executive director at Girls Inc. of Holyoke. “It’s important for all of us to hear the voices of young people, especially when it comes to things that impact their lives.”

GAN helped to develop the Girls Inc. national policy agenda and to mobilize grassroots action across the Girls Inc. network. Throughout the year, the girls received practical resources, training, and hands-on experience so they were ready to enact change in their local communities. The Girls Inc. Public Policy Office organized the trip to Washington, D.C.

AGAWAM — OMG Inc. announced four promotions in supply-chain management and operations. Brad Bedard was promoted to director of Supply Chain Management, Wayne Ringenbach was promoted to director of Manufacturing, Chris Mowatt was promoted to director of Manufacturing Engineering, and Geri McCarthy was promoted to director of Operations.

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 the company’s supply and distribution performance. He has been with OMG since August 2007, most recently as director of Distribution & 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.

Ringenbach is responsible for all facets of manufacturing in Agawam, including post-manufacturing processes of heat treating, coating, product packing, and ongoing maintenance activities. He started with OMG in 1992 and has held several positions throughout his career, including maintenance manager and, most recently, manufacturing manager. He is a master electrician and attended Springfield Technical Community College.

Mowatt will develop and implement a strategic roadmap to improve company manufacturing performance across the business units using the Steel Business System as well as best practices and specialized modeling, analysis, simulation, and computation tools. He has been with OMG since 2011 and is responsible for several significant functional and efficiency advances in the company’s Agawam manufacturing facility. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Western New England College and a master’s degree in engineering management from Western New England University.

McCarthy will manage the company’s production planning teams, as well as continuous improvement, quality, and manufacturing training. She was hired in 2012 to oversee the company’s finishing process, including the coating and packing functions. Most recently, she was in an operations role in the company’s FastenMaster division. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business from American International College and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

BOSTON — Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc. announced that Gary Levante was appointed vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) officer, a newly created position within the Berkshire Bank Foundation. 

In this role, Levante will work to expand the foundation’s community-engagement efforts to implement an all-encompassing CSR strategy. In doing so, he will lead Berkshire’s efforts to integrate corporate social responsibility into all of the company’s and foundation’s activities, supporting key objectives, such as strengthening communities and engaging employees. Levante will oversee the development of CSR goals, policies, and programs, with a strong focus on establishing a framework of standards and tools for advancing social responsibility. 

“Giving back to our communities and focusing on how we impact the world around us are important components of Berkshire’s culture and future,” said Lori Gazzillo, Berkshire Bank Foundation’s senior vice president and director. “Gary’s deep understanding of Berkshire’s core values, as well as his experience, knowledge, and professional networks in the community, will be invaluable as we formalize and enhance our CSR strategies and programs.”

An employee of Berkshire since 2010, Levante previously held the position of assistant vice president, Community Engagement officer. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont. He serves on the Pittsfield Community Development Board and the boards of Downtown Pittsfield Inc. and America’s Charities, and is a member of the Corporate Volunteer Council of Greater Boston. He was named the New England Regional Lead for United Nations IMPACT2030.

“I’m excited and honored to be able to evolve Berkshire’s CSR efforts,” Levante said. “The company has a culture of engagement and a commitment to advance our socially responsible practices, which is a win-win for our communities, customers, employees, and shareholders. I look forward to playing a key role in advancing and communicating our CSR accomplishments.”

SPRINGFIELD — The third installment of the BusinessWest lecture series Future Tense, titled “Change Considerations: An Examination of Lean Process, Market Disruption, and the Future of Your Business,” will take place on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Tech Foundry, 1391 Main St., ninth floor, Springfield.

The lecture, open exclusively to CEOs and business owners, will be delivered by Mark Borsari, president of Sanderson MacLeod. The cost is a $25 donation to Tech Foundry. Event sponsors include Paragus IT, the Jamrog Group, and Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.

With increasingly automated business processes, AI, and machine manufacturing, lean concepts are becoming more important than ever in terms of staying competitive. Borsari will discuss change and innovation through lean concepts and focus on resulting cultural considerations. The presentation will also address already-active market disrupters that will affect business processes in various industries.

Metered street parking is available near the venue, and there are several parking-garage options nearby as well. To register, visit businesswest.com/lecture-series-2.

AMHERST — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County (BBBSHC), a program of CHD, announced the appointment of Claudia Pazmany as its new advisory board president.

Pazmany, the new executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, joined BBBSHC as an advisory board member in May 2016. She served on the development committee and led the efforts to celebrate outgoing Executive Director Renee Moss, while simultaneously serving on the search committee to hire her replacement, current Executive Director Jessie Cooley. 

“Claudia’s successful 17-year history in professional fundraising has made her a true steward of her craft in philanthropy, and this is part of what drew her to us,” said Cooley. “Claudia is also passionate about the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters, with contagious enthusiasm and innovative ideas, and she will help lead us into the next phase of our program’s growth.”

Pazmany embraces the goal of empowering youth through mentoring relationships. “Our program is unique and maintains high-quality match support, which ultimately yields greater impact for both mentee and mentor,” she said. “Participants in our program gain a renewed sense of community, and mentees emerge stronger, more confident, and ready to be our new community leaders. I am thrilled to be a part of this organization and to take on this new role, leading a stellar advisory board.”

Erin Couture, vice president at Florence Bank, has served as BBBSHC board president for four years, overseeing the transition in agency leadership, leading the effort to grow annual events like the successful Daffodil Run, and earning the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s Person of the Year Award in 2018.

AMHERST — Krish Thiagarajan, an expert on marine renewable energy and energy-producing offshore structures, has been appointed to the endowed chair in Renewable Energy in the UMass Amherst College of Engineering.

The chair was established in 2014 with $2.5 million in funding from the state Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to attract a preeminent scholar in the field to provide leadership in positioning both the university and the Commonwealth to take advantage of opportunities in emerging areas of renewable energy. Thiagarajan will collaborate with DOER staff on renewable-energy research and projects.

Thiagarajan’s studies focus on harvesting energy from waves in marine environments. His expertise will broaden and strengthen the research program in renewable energy at UMass Amherst, which has long been a national leader in wind energy. His appointments as endowed chair and professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering with tenure were approved June 20 by the university’s board of trustees.

Thiagarajan came to UMass Amherst last spring after serving six years as the presidential chair in Energy at the University of Maine, where his research attracted more than $22 million in funding. At Maine, he also led the Marine Ocean and Offshore Research (MOOR) Group, which studied how human-made structures interact with the complex ocean environment. MOOR’s focus spanned offshore wind and wave energy systems, coastal infrastructure, and naval architecture.

From 1997 to 2011, Thiagarajan taught at the University of Western Australia in Perth, where he was on the faculty of the Centre for Oil and Gas Engineering, which became a school in 2003. He was a visiting professor at the National University of Singapore in 2011 and at the University of Michigan in 2005, a visiting associate professor at the University of Houston in 2001, and a lecturer at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania in 1995-97.

Thiagarajan is a fellow of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. He is the author or co-author of a book, a book chapter, nearly 40 journal articles, and more than 80 conference papers.

Thiagarajan completed his bachelor’s degree in naval architecture at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras in 1986. He earned a master’s degree in ocean engineering at Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1989 before pursuing further graduate studies at the University of Michigan, where he was awarded master’s degrees in mechanical engineering, and naval architecture and marine engineering, both in 1992, and a Ph.D. in naval architecture and marine engineering in 1993. He was a research fellow in marine hydrodynamics at the University of Michigan in 1993-95.

WESTFIELD — The Western Massachusetts Council of the Boy Scouts of America announced the completed sale of the 186-acre Chesterfield Scout Reservation to a buyer who plans to maintain the property and continue to offer outdoor programs.

The council has owned both Chesterfield and the Horace A. Moses Scout Reservation in Russell since the merger of two area councils in 2008. The camps are 25 miles apart, and the Moses Reservation is a nearly 1,300-acre property. The maintenance of both properties — buildings and grounds — was overwhelming, and following an 18-month property study, the decision was made to sell Chesterfield in 2014. 

“There are many fond memories people have of Chesterfield Scout Reservation, which will last a lifetime, but we determined, through due diligence, including an in-depth property study, that selling was in the best interest of the Scouts served by the council,” said David Kruse, CEO and Scout executive for the Western Massachusetts Council of the Boy Scouts of America. 

Kruse said the council will remain focused on dedicating its time and resources to the Moses Reservation. Proceeds from the Chesterfield sale will allow for continual investment in the Moses Reservation, which includes adding to the maintenance endowment and eliminating the council’s debt.     

Some of the improvements already made to Moses Reservation feature the addition of metal roofs and replacement of windows and rotting wood on several buildings. There has also been a significant investment in activities for campers, such as an ATV riding program, water trampoline installation at the camp waterfront, and a 68-foot climbing tower. A new bathroom and shower facility will be completed later this year.

“We are committed to making the Moses Scout Reservation a fun experience through a diversity of activities,” Kruse said. “Continual reinvestment in the property to better serve the youth of Western Massachusetts is the most important part of that commitment.”

CHICOPEE — Mercedes-Benz of Springfield announced the winner of a new Mercedes-Benz. William Morrissey won the vehicle at the LETR Celebrity Golf Classic Tournament benefiting Special Olympics in coordination with the Hampden County Sheriffs on June 18. LETR stands for Law Enforcement Torch Run, and the event was held at the Wilbraham Country Club.

Morrissey will pick up his new car today, July 27. The car delivery will be held at the dealership, and attendees include the organizers of the golf outing, Morrissey, and benefactors.

“We are thrilled to have been a part of the LETR Golf Outing and couldn’t be happier for Mr. Morrissey,” said Peter Wirth, who owns the dealership with wife, Michelle. “We are proud to sponsor local community events such as this, and we hope Mr. Morrissey enjoys his new car.”

This is the second vehicle the dealership has given away in the last seven months. Nathan Vila won a GLA SUV last December at a Springfield Thunderbirds game.

“Welcome to the MB Springfield family,” Michelle Wirth told Morrissey. “We look forward to taking great care of you and your new car.”

HOLYOKE — River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC) will hold its third annual golf tournament fundraiser on Friday, Sept. 14 at East Mountain Country Club in Westfield.

“The funds raised will help RVCC to continue providing mental health and other essential supportive services to the thousands of individuals, families, and groups served throughout the Pioneer Valley,” said Rosemarie Ansel, executive director for RVCC.

The event is made possible through the sponsorships of local organizations, including Action Ambulance Service Inc. as the presenting sponsor. Additional tournament sponsors include HCN, Palmer Paving Corp., Unidine, PeoplesBank, Hannoush Jewelers, CINTAS, Qualifacts, Goss & McLain Insurance, Marsh & McLennan Agency, BMC HealthNet Plan, Just 4 Guys, and Jefferson Radiology.

The cost per golfer is $100 and includes greens fees, a golf cart, gift bag, lunch, and dinner. Golfers will also be able to participate in a raffle and silent auction. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. with a 10:30 a.m. shotgun start. There will also be contests on the course which include prizes donated by Marcotte Ford and Teddy Bear Pools.

For more information on sponsorships, donations, and registration, contact Angela Callahan, RVCC’s Marketing and Development specialist, at (413) 841-3546 or [email protected]. Information is also available at www.rvcc-inc.org or by visiting River Valley Counseling Center’s Facebook page.

WARE — Country Bank announced that Angela Barahona has joined its Commercial Banking division as vice president of Business Development and Cash Management.

She brings 17 years of experience in the industry, having held various positions over the years in customer service, management, municipal and government banking, business development, and corporate cash management. She is currently working toward her associate degree from the New England College of Business and Finance with a concentration in business adminstration.  

Barahona began her financial-services career at Country Bank in 2001 in its retail banking area. A relocation in 2006 to the eastern part of Massachusetts brought her to State Street Bank Corp. in its wire division and later to Century Bank. For the last 13 years at Century, she held various positions working her way through the ranks, where she found her passion in helping business customers.

“I am a committed and self-motivated individual who takes pride in hard work and putting the customer’s experience first,” she said. “From retail branches to high-level corporate portfolio management, my goal has always been to build strong solid relationships and find the right product or service to meet or exceed my customers’ expectations.”

Added Phil Goncalves, senior vice president of Commercial Banking, “coming back to her roots at Country Bank provides our team with an experienced and highly trained business-development and cash-management professional. Angela’s passion is to her customers and in building long-lasting relationships, which she has done for the past 17 years at various financial institutions. I am thrilled to have Angela join our team once again.”

SPRINGFIELD — A group of Springfield young women participating in the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts’ Young Women’s Initiative (YWI) recently awarded four YWI mini-grants to nonprofits that serve the Springfield area. The project was in partnership with the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.

In the past year, the YWI participants were charged with identifying and researching issues that are barriers to young women and girls in Springfield. According to Program Officer Christine Monska, “the YWAC [Young Women’s Advisory Council] worked over the course of several months to conduct research on the specific needs of their community through interviews and surveys. Then they developed a request for proposal so nonprofit organizations could address their recommendations. This process, where youth — especially young women — are at the center of discussions is the future of community development.”

As part of their exploration, the 20 young women developed a set of recommendations for action. They chose four key issues: women in leadership; rape culture; mental health; and economic, community, and workforce development. A partnership with the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts that provided grant funds allowed YWI to put out a call to Springfield-area organizations for projects that could address these issues through programming. Four grant applications were developed, and, after review, the YWAC chose to award funds to: 

• The Center for Human Development ($2,545). Grant funds will be used to provide young women residents in CHD Springfield locations with experiences outside of what state funding provides. In the past, they’ve been taken to historical sites in Boston, aquarium trips to Boston or Mystic, Six Flags outings, or a formal night out complete with fancy dresses, a limo ride to a fine-dining restaurant, and etiquette lessons. Each outing is accompanied by a clinical session, individually or as a group, to discuss the emotions experienced.

• Girls Inc. of Holyoke ($2,515). Funds received will be used toward the cost of planning and running the Teen Leadership Academy at the High School of Commerce in November. The Teen Leadership Academy is a leadership-training program run for and by women, and is offered to young women ages 15-18 at Springfield’s High School of Commerce. Girls Inc. staff members bring their expertise in meeting girls’ developmental needs, and helping girls build self-confidence and self-discipline.

• Cambridge Credit Counseling ($2,515). Cambridge Credit Counseling will provide twice-weekly financial-literacy seminars and one-on-one counseling to participants in Springfield Roca’s Young Mothers program. The program is designed to assist single mothers between the ages of 16 and 24 with a history of gang involvement or drug and/or alcohol abuse. The goal of the series is to help these young mothers break out of the cycle of violence and poverty, go to work, and provide for their families’ financial needs.

• Springfield School Volunteers and Human in Common ($2,515). Human in Common is a business offering active bystander training to create more informed individuals who are prepared to stand up against discrimination, harassment, and injustice. Through a partnership with Springfield School Volunteers, Human in Common will provide eight hours of training for students at Springfield Middle School, teaching them to identify and interrupt behaviors that can escalate into sexual harassment and assault.

The Young Women’s Initiative is a national project aimed at creating sustainable prosperity for young women. The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts is leading the Springfield partnership, which began in 2017. Session topics include gender and racial justice, public policy, social activism, economic empowerment, and public speaking and leadership skills. The 10-month program is open to young women between the ages of 14 and 24 who reside in Springfield. There is no tuition fee for this program, and accepted members are paid up to $900 in stipends for attending. Applications for the 2018-19 session are due on Sept. 21. More information is available at www.mywomensfund.org/ywi-program-details.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College recently welcomed Clare Lamontagne as its new dean of Health Sciences. Lamontagne, a registered nurse who holds a Ph.D. in nursing, brings 40 years of experience to HCC as a nursing educator, administrator, clinician, and consultant.

For the past seven years, she has been a member of the full-time nursing faculty at UMass Amherst, having also served there as director of the undergraduate nursing program. She began her career in 1978 as a charge nurse at Ludlow Hospital after earning her associate degree in nursing from Springfield Technical Community College, where she worked as a member of the nursing faculty from 1988 to 2011.

“I really value community-college education,” Lamontagne said. “It’s where I started, and I felt like it was time to go full-circle and come back to a community-college setting.”

Lamontagne started at HCC July 9 and maintains a second-floor office in the Center for Health Education on Jarvis Avenue, home to HCC’s Nursing and Radiologic Technology programs as well as its medical-simulation center.

“HCC is a great place,” she said. “There’s people here that I wanted to work with, and I think that my skills can also be a benefit to the college.”

As dean of HCC’s division of Health Sciences, Lamontagne oversees the college’s programs in Nursing (associate degree and licensed practical nursing certificate); Radiologic Technology; Foundations of Health (including the Community Health Worker program); Health, Fitness, and Nutrition; Veterinary and Animal Science; and Medical Assistant. 

Lamontagne holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from American International College, a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Connecticut, and a Ph.D. in nursing from UMass Amherst. She has also worked as a nurse at Baystate Medical Center and as a volunteer at the Pioneer Valley Free Health Clinic in East Longmeadow, and has taught in the nursing programs at UConn, Elms College, and Baystate Health.

GREENFIELD — Solar Power World, a publication covering solar technology, development, and installation, published its annual Top Solar Contractors list in July. Local solar-installation company and worker-owned cooperative PV Squared was listed prominently among other top solar contractors and developers across the country.

“It’s always an honor to be recognized for what we do on a national scale, putting Western Massachusetts solar companies on the map,” said PV Squared General Manager Stacy Metzger. “While our focus remains local, the national ranking offers more insight into how we’re performing on a broader scale. It’s deeply rewarding to know that our business and installation practices are leading by example.”

HOLYOKE — Westfield resident Michele Cabral, a former accounting professor and interim dean of Business and Technology at Holyoke Community College, has been appointed the new director of Training & Workforce Options, a workforce-development partnership between HCC and Springfield Technical Community College.

TWO offers customized training for businesses and nonprofits, needs assessments, and career-development programs.

Cabral succeeds Jeffrey Hayden, who maintains his position as HCC’s vice president of Business and Community Services. As director of TWO, she will also continue in her position as director of the Massachusetts Casino Career Training Institute (MCCTI), the gaming school HCC runs jointly with STCC and MGM Springfield at 95 State St. in Springfield.

Before being named director of MCCTI last fall, Cabral served as interim dean of Business and Technology at HCC, where she was a member of the project team that helped bring the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute to life.

Cabral holds a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State University and an MBA from Elms College. She joined the faculty of HCC in 2014 as a full-time professor of accounting.

Cabral started her career as a certified public accountant working for KPMG Peat Marwick. She graduated from the Leadership Development Program while working for CIGNA Insurance Companies and joined Farm Credit Financial Partners Inc. as chief financial and operating officer while the company was in its startup phase.

She also started a successful consulting practice as well as Care for Our Troops, a nonprofit organization serving military personnel in Western Mass., and she currently serves on the board of directors for Friends of the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke.

BOSTON — Local unemployment rates decreased in two labor market areas, increased in 21 areas, and remained the same in one labor market area in the state during the month of June, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported. 

Compared to June 2017, the rates dropped in 15 labor-market areas, remained the same in four areas, and increased in five-labor market areas.

Twelve of the 15 areas for which job estimates are published recorded a seasonal job gain in June. The largest gains occurred in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Barnstable, Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, Pittsfield, and Framingham areas.  The Leominster-Gardner, Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, and Peabody-Salem-Beverly areas lost jobs over the month.

From June 2017 to June 2018, 13 of the 15 areas added jobs, with the largest percentage gains in the Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury, Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, and Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton areas. The Peabody-Salem-Beverly area’s jobs level remained unchanged over the year, while the Framingham area lost jobs.

In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the statewide unadjusted unemployment rate for June was 3.9%. Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the month of June remained at 3.5% for the ninth consecutive month. The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 21,400-job gain in June, and an over-the-year gain of 63,200 jobs.

The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor-market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.

SPRINGFIELD — United Way of Pioneer Valley and Peter Pan Bus Lines will launch the annual Stuff the Bus campaign with a press-conference event on Friday, July 27 at 11 a.m. outside the Target store at the Holyoke Mall. The campaign will collect new school supplies from July 27 through Aug. 16. The supplies will be distributed in new backpacks to children who are homeless in Chicopee, Holyoke, Springfield, Westfield, West Springfield, and South Hadley.

“Holyoke Mall is proud to be a collection site once again for this important initiative,” said Lisa Wray, the mall’s director of Marketing. “Shoppers purchasing their own back-to-school clothes, shoes, and supplies will have the opportunity to donate supplies for those in need while they’re here. Holyoke Mall stores and employees will also be running their own school-supply drives to support this. Together we can give children the tools they need to succeed in the classroom.”

Added United Way President Kathy Dube, “we believe that every child should have the same opportunity for success in school. By providing backpacks and school supplies for hundreds of children who do not have a permanent home, we are showing the love and support their community has for each of them. Last year, the United Way of Pioneer Valley provided 2,000 backpacks with supplies to children of the community.”

Individuals are encouraged to donate the following age-appropriate supplies: pencil boxes, highlighters, binders, No. 2 pencils, erasers, binders, crayons, pens, glue sticks, rulers, two-pocket folders, and one-subject notebooks.

Donations may be brought to the United Way of Pioneer Valley, 1441 Main St., Suite 147, Springfield, weekdays July 27 to Aug. 16, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Holyoke Mall, upper level, near Target, July 27, 11 a.m. to noon, and Aug. 4 and 11, noon to 2 p.m.; Western Mass News, 1300 Liberty St., Springfield, weekdays July 30 to Aug. 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; or Balise Kia, 603 Riverdale St., West Springfield, Monday through Sunday, July 27 to Aug. 16, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

On Aug. 16 only, those who bring 20 or more items will receive a free ticket at Six Flags New England. This concludes the campaign, where donations can be made in conjunction with National Roller Coaster Day.

Financial contributions are also welcome and will be used to purchase additional backpacks and supplies as needed. Contributions may be made online by clicking the ‘donate’ button at www.uwpv.org.

HOLYOKE — Kelly Marcroft, Holyoke Medical Center’s director of Emergency Services, has been selected to join an expert panel to improve patient safety in emergency medicine. The panel was convened by the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety, a Massachusetts state agency that catalyzes the efforts of providers, patients, and policymakers working together to advance the safety and quality of healthcare.

The goal of this expert panel is to develop, aggregate, and disseminate practical recommendations and tools to support the efforts of Massachusetts acute-care hospitals to advance the safe delivery of emergency care in their facilities. The panel will deliberate on and endorse a set of core safety competencies that all Massachusetts emergency departments should foster, as well as create a set of best-practice standards, tools, and resources to share throughout the greater emergency-medicine community in Massachusetts.

“The expert panel is collaboratively working together to address the overarching issues in emergency medicine and identify the best solutions in order to improve patient care,” said Marcroft. “I especially appreciate being an advocate for community hospitals, to ensure our patients’ needs are being heard.”

The expert panel consists of nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and doctors from several hospitals throughout the state, including Baystate Health, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Lowell General Hospital, Sturdy Memorial Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, and UMass Memorial Medical Center. The group first met on June 26 in Boston and will continue to meet monthly over the next year.

SPRINGFIELD — Preparations for the Aug. 24 grand opening of MGM Springfield are non-stop, and that includes the company’s ongoing hiring efforts. Starting today, July 24, the MGM Springfield workforce-development team will set up its Job Talk Tuesday for the next month at Cambridge College.

Job Talk Tuesday has been a weekly Facebook Live Q&A session where MGM Springfield’s workforce-development representatives answer questions as they are posted on the MGM Springfield Facebook page. With Cambridge College hosting, the MGM Springfield team will be migrating Job Talk Tuesday from Facebook Live to an in-person Q&A session to discuss the opportunities ongoing at MGM Springfield.

“At MGM, we never stop hiring and looking for exceptional local talent,” said Wanda Gispert, regional vice president, Talent & Workforce Development for MGM Resorts. “Our local partnerships have been key to our hiring success. We are well on our way to exceeding many workforce goals that were set for MGM Springfield, but to keep pace and support a 24-hour, 365-day resort, we can’t slow down now.”

In addition to Job Talk Tuesday, the event at Cambridge College will highlight the flexible evening, weekend, and online class schedules being offered at the college. Attendees will have the opportunity to see how it is possible to fit school into a busy life, obtain information about licensure and certification options, and discover what financial-aid resources and scholarships are available.

No registration is required to join Job Talk Tuesday at Cambridge College. Representatives will be available Tuesdays July 24 through Aug. 28 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring résumés. Cambridge College’s downtown Springfield campus is located at 1500 Main St. in Tower Square.

EAST LONGMEADOW — HUB International New England, LLC, a division of HUB International Limited, a global insurance brokerage, recently announced that Scott Higgins joined the agency as an account executive for Commercial Lines, and Erin Wilde has come on board as a client relationship manager. Both will work in the East Longmeadow office.

Higgins will be responsible for servicing medium- to large-sized businesses with a focus on property and casualty products. Having first started his career as a collision repair manager with GM for more than 20 years, he has a vast background in providing settlements for collision repairs. From there, he held various positions with MetLife and MetLife Financial.

Wilde will work closely with the HUB New England Employee Benefits team to service existing clients with marketing, benefits communications, regulatory requirements, cost-saving measures, and enrollment, as well as assisting with new prospects. Having worked in the employee-benefits field, including stops at Bank of Tampa and Sullivan Benefits, she has a background servicing nonprofits.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center announced the appointment of Kathleen Anderson as the hospital’s director of Community Benefits. She begins her new role on Aug. 27.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kathy to the Holyoke Medical Center team. She is an accomplished professional with over 20 years of networking experience in the city of Holyoke and regionally. Her extraordinary ability to build trusting relationships will be greatly appreciated in the role of director of Community Benefits,” said Spiros Hatiras, Holyoke Medical Center’s president and CEO.

Added Anderson, “throughout my career I have had the wonderful opportunity to get to know the needs of the community. This position will allow me to use the knowledge that I’ve gained over the years to best serve the current and future patients of HMC.”

The director of Community Benefits provides programs and services to improve health in communities and helps to increase access to healthcare. This is done to advance medical and health knowledge in the community and relieve or reduce the burden of government and other community efforts. Anderson will succeed Helen Arnold following her retirement after a 42-year career with Holyoke Medical Center.

Anderson most recently served as president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and its affiliated Centennial Foundation. Prior to that, she served as Holyoke’s Planning and Economic Development director, as well as chief of staff for two Holyoke mayors. She serves on the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development’s Economic Assistance Coordinating Council, and chairs both the Holyoke Salvation Army and Economic Development Partners of the Western Mass. Economic Development Council.

“I was born at Holyoke Medical Center, and I began my career at the hospital at the age of 14 in a volunteer position as a candy striper,” Anderson said. “This new role is a wonderful opportunity for me personally to go back to where I started. All of my family members have been cared for at the hospital, and I feel at home at Holyoke Medical Center.”

SPRINGFIELD — Effective July 30, Mika Nash will join American International College (AIC) as executive vice president for Academic Affairs. She comes to AIC from Champlain College in Vermont, where she served as dean of Continuing Professional Studies.

Nash has more than 20 years of experience in the field of higher education, with the majority of her career spent in senior leadership. In her most recent role, she was tasked with the development and administration of all academic and operational responsibilities associated with running the Continuing Professional Studies academic unit with management oversight for all curricula, academic programs, academic policies, articulation agreements, eLearning, faculty recruiting, training and development, and building student, family, and academic support services. A particular area of interest and scholarship for Nash continues to be technology innovation to expand the student experience and engagement in course content.

During her tenure with Champlain College, Nash oversaw enrollment growth from 900 active students to its current enrollment of 3,500 and doubled the portfolio of academic offerings from 30 to 65 programs. The division of Continuing Professional Studies at Champlain College serves undergraduate and graduate students in degree and certificate programs in business, accounting, information technology, and healthcare administration.

In addition to expanding academic programs and increasing enrollment while at the college, Nash sat on the provost council and was a voting member of the Curriculum Committee and Faculty Senate. Further, she served as a long-standing member of the President’s Diversity Council for the institution, was a founding member of the Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Committee, and was a graduate of and co-teacher for Intercultural University.

“I was drawn to AIC because its mission is one that resonates for me — initially built as an institution focused on providing educational opportunities to immigrants and then expanding the vision to a diverse student body, grounding that academic journey in liberal arts and a career-focused major,” Nash said.

Prior to joining Champlain College in 2007, Nash served as dean for the School of Hospitality and Restaurant Management at the New England Culinary Institute. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Vermont. She has a doctorate in higher educational leadership and policy studies.

“We look forward to Dr. Nash becoming AIC’s next academic leader. This is a very exciting time, especially with the opening of the Colaccino Center for Health Sciences this fall,” said AIC President Vince Maniaci. “Dr. Nash’s previous experience and educational philosophy blends well with our commitment to provide access and opportunity for students in their pursuit of a degree while growing our programs to help graduates meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.”