BusinessWest Staff, Author at BusinessWest

SPRINGFIELD — The new Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program at American International College (AIC) is a unique program that expands and compliments other health professions programs within the School of Health Sciences.

With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, a predicted shortage of primary-care providers is on the horizon. The FNP program is designed to help meet that need. Nurse practitioners provide direct patient care and are able to assess patients, order and interpret diagnostic tests, diagnose, and manage treatment plans, including prescribing medications. Coming from a nursing background, family nurse practitioners approach patient care by employing a holistic, collaborative, and patient-centered model with the goal of helping people live the fullest lives possible.

The FNP program at AIC is the only master’s-level nurse-practitioner program in the area. The flexible program provides a blended approach of classroom and online study. Its eight-semester, part-time schedule allows students to continue working while earning their advanced degree.

According to AIC Dean of Health Sciences Cesarina Thompson, “the Family Nurse Practitioner program adds another level of expertise to the college’s other advanced degree programs in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Nursing within the School of Health Sciences. And, in terms of the workforce, there is an ever-present need to work better together for the safety and quality of healthcare.”

For more information about the Family Nurse Practitioner program, contact Associate Director for Graduate Nursing Programs Ellen Furman at (413) 205-3561 or [email protected]. To learn more about AIC’s graduate and undergraduate programs, visit www.aic.edu.

Surgeon’s Work on Breast-cancer Device Featured at Conference

WESTFIELD — A Noble Hospital breast surgeon’s work with a new device that improves treatment of breast cancers was featured recently at a prestigious international medical conference.

Dr. Steven Schonholz presented a scientific poster at the 32nd annual Miami Breast Cancer Conference in Miami Beach, Fla., from Feb. 26 to March 1. He focused on BioZorb, a novel, three-dimensional, bio-absorbable surgical marker that helps physicians track the tumor site after lumpectomy surgery to remove cancer and deliver more precise radiation treatment.

Schonholz, director of the Center for Comprehensive Breast Health at Noble Hospital, was the first physician in Massachusetts to use BioZorb as part of his medical practice. BioZorb contains several tiny titanium clips positioned in a 3-D pattern inside a bio-absorbable coil. The body eventually resorbs the coil, leaving the titanium clips for long-term visualization of the surgery site.

“This unique device does a better job of helping us protect healthy tissue around the surgical site during radiation therapy,” said Schonholz. “It can also provide our patients with a more satisfying cosmetic result after treatment.”

Schonholz explained at the conference that the BioZorb market is readily placed by the surgeon and can be easily visualized; helps target the radiation therapy to a smaller target area, resulting in less radiation to normal tissues; and provides a stable, 3-D identification of where the tumor was prior to removal, to help with treatment and longer-term follow-up.

The annual Miami Breast Cancer Conference brings together surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists with the aim of fostering awareness of state-of-the-art treatments in each therapeutic area and encouraging cross-team cooperation in the clinic.

Chicopee Chamber Presents Employment-law Seminar March 18

CHICOPEE — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a labor- and employment-law firm serving the Greater Springfield area, announced that attorney John Gannon will address attendees of the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce Lunch & Learn on Wednesday, March 18 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hampton Inn, 600 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Massachusetts-based businesses are working to revise policies based on two new leave laws that will take effect this year.

Registration for the event can be completed online at chicopeechamber.org. Chamber members receive a discounted rate of $15 per person, while non-members can attend for a registration fee of $23.

“The new parental- and sick-leave laws should have employers questioning company policies,” said Gannon. “It’s imperative that policies and procedures are updated — including new language for handbooks — to stay in compliance of the law. I encourage both Chicopee Chamber members and non-members to take advantage of this opportunity to learn about both laws that will impact business this year.”

Specifically, Massachusetts has a new parental-leave law that will go into effect April 7. Under existing state law, new mothers are entitled to take up to eight weeks of unpaid leave to care for the new child if they work for organizations with six or more employees. Under the new law, signed by former Gov. Deval Patrick just before he left office, unpaid leave is now afforded to male employees as well as females.

Additionally, Massachusetts has a new sick-leave law that will go into effect July 1. The law entitles employees to earn up to 40 hours of paid sick time each year if they work for businesses with 11 or more employees; those working for companies with fewer than 11 employees will be entitled to earn up to 40 hours of unpaid sick leave.

Attendees will learn what the laws require, how leave is earned, when employees can begin to earn this time and when they can use it, what happens to earned leave at the end of a calendar year, what sick and paternal leave can be used for, whether advanced notice is required for leave, and what employers can require regarding documentation for leave.

Gannon joined Skoler Abbott in 2011, practicing in the firm’s Springfield office. He has defended employers against claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wrongful termination, as well as actions arising under the Family Medical Leave Act and wage and hour law. He also has experience with lawsuits seeking to enforce restrictive covenants and protect trade secrets. He is a regular contributor to business publications and to the Massachusetts Employment Law Letter. He also is a frequent speaker on employment-related legal topics for a wide variety of associations and organizations, including appearances on CBS 3 Springfield and Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Gray House Hosts 24th Annual Spaghetti Supper March 25

SPRINGFIELD — The Gray House will hold its 24th annual Spaghetti Supper on Wednesday, March 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Greek Cultural Center, 22 St. George St., Springfield.

This special event is a crucial fund-raiser for the Gray House, typically attracting about 400 attendees. Tickets for the event are $5 for adults and $3 for children, and may be purchased at the door. In addition to the supper, there will be a raffle and a silent auction. This year, first prize at the raffle is a foursome to the Ranch Golf Club in Southwick, valued at $400. The East Longmeadow Knights of Columbus Council #9960 will once again be cooking the meal for the spaghetti supper.

All proceeds will help the Gray House provide food, clothing, and educational services to neighbors in need. This year, the Gray House will honor Bay Path University (BPU) for its overall support.

“We’re excited to honor Bay Path and acknowledge their assistant director of Student Activities, Michelle Mirti, and Dr. Kathryn Wiezbicki-Stevens from the Psychology Department,” said Dena Calvanese, executive director of the Gray House. “These two women have introduced many fantastic Bay Path students to the Gray House, and some of those students have become dedicated, compassionate, and very active volunteers. The Gray House relies on volunteers, and the Bay Path community truly makes a difference for the Gray House and, more importantly, to the people we serve.”

The Gray House is a small, neighborhood agency located in and serving the North End of Springfield, one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods and one of the poorest in the state, where than 50% of residents live in poverty and struggle to meet their daily needs. The Gray House assists by providing food, clothing, adult education, and after-school and summer programming for children, and has been providing such support for 30 years and assisted nearly 11,000 people in 2014.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call (413) 734-6696, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.grayhouse.org.

ACCGS April Business@Breakfast to Feature Mayors’ Forum

HOLYOKE — The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) April Business@Breakfast will feature a Mayors’ Forum as the highlight of the event on Wednesday, April 1 from 7:15 to 9 a.m. at the Delaney House, 3 Country Club Road, Holyoke, sponsored by United Personnel Services.

Dave Madsen, managing editor and primary anchor for abc40, will moderate an informal discussion with West Springfield Mayor Edward Sullivan, Westfield Mayor Daniel Knapik, and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. The discussion will provide attendees with an inside look at the personal and professional lives of these elected officials.

Sullivan is halfway through his first term as mayor. Knapik has served as mayor of Westfield since 2010 and announced this year that he is seeking out new challenges and will not be running for another term. Sarno has announced his candidacy for a fourth term in office. If elected and he completes the entire term, it would make him the longest-standing mayor in Springfield’s history.

Business@Breakfast is a monthly series that pays tribute to individuals, businesses, and organizations for major contributions to civic and economic growth and for actions that bring honor to the region.

Tickets are $20 for ACCGS members and $30 for general admission. Reservations are suggested and can be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com or by contacting Member Services Director Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected]. Sponsorship opportunities are also available; contact Mazzaferro at (413) 755-1313 for information.

Seminar on March 31 to Tackle Transitioning Business Ownership

SPRINGFIELD — One of the largest challenges facing business owners today is how to solve the question, “how do I get out of my business?” If you are like 2.7 million American business owners over the age of 55, the answer carries a greater significance. The country is embarking on the largest transition of business ownership in history, yet three out of four owners haven’t taken a single step to prepare for what will be the most competitive sellers’ market ever.

The good news is, it’s not too late to start planning. Kevin and Michael Vann of the Vann Group are providing a primer on what you need to know about the succession/transition planning process on Tuesday, March 31, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Colony Club in Springfield.

Topics to be discussed include the current transition/succession landscape, establishing transition expectations and objectives, business valuation facts and realities, family and partner dynamics, exit options and structure considerations, preparing the company for transition, and your advisors and the value they create. Breakfast will be served, and each attendee will receive a free, customized Business Exit/Transition Readiness Analysis ($1,000 value).

To register, contact Michael Wright at (413) 543-2776 or [email protected], or register online.

United Bank Names Moyah Smith Community Outreach Officer

GLASTONBURY, Conn. — William Crawford IV, CEO of United Financial Bancorp Inc. and United Bank of Glastonbury, Conn., announced the hiring of Moyah Smith, who has taken on the primary role of United’s community outreach officer, responsible for covering Western Mass.

In this role, Smith has assumed a number of key responsibilities, including organizing and participating in financial-literacy programs and classes where local residents can learn more about a range of important topics such as money management, the homebuying process, and how to repair and maintain good credit. She will also leverage her mortgage banking experience and strong ties to the Western Mass. region to promote and guide local residents through the entire homebuying process from application to closing.

Her volunteerism and reputation in the Western Mass. community is extensive; she has dedicated her time to several nonprofit organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, Rebuilding Together Springfield, Relay for Life, the Alzheimer’s Assoc., and Project Clean Up Springfield, among others. She also volunteers weekly as a personality for the local nonprofit community radio station WTCC-FM at Springfield Technical Community College.

In addition to serving as the community outreach officer in Western Mass, Smith will also hold the title of mortgage loan officer for United Bank. She gained considerable mortgage banking experience while working as a MLO for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in West Springfield from 1998 to 2004. Smith was also a Realtor and MLO with Keller Williams Realty in Longmeadow from 2004 to 2009.

Before coming to United, Smith was a regional account executive with Elavon Inc., where she worked with banks and credit unions in delivering business solutions for small to mid-sized banks and providing merchant services to the company’s commercial customer base. Smith is based at United Bank’s offices at 95 Elm St. in West Springfield. She reports to Lisa Kraus, vice president and Western Mass. sales manager.

Unemployment Rate Drops to 5.1% in January

BOSTON — The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) released preliminary January 2015 estimates Tuesday showing the Massachusetts total unemployment rate dropped to 5.1% from the revised December 2014 rate of 5.3%, a 0.2% decrease. This is the lowest unemployment rate since May 2008.

Over the year, the unemployment rate fell a full 1.0% from 6.1% last January. Over the month, jobs were up 2,600, with private-sector gains of 800 in six of the nine sectors. Over the year, the number of jobs grew by 68,000, with 56,600 private-sector job gains.

Annual year-end revisions released Tuesday also indicate unemployment rates were lower in all but three months from April 2012 through December 2014 than previously published. These revisions show that Massachusetts added 60,700 jobs in 2014 with private-sector job gains of 50,800. Education and health services; and professional, scientific, and business services sectors added the most jobs in 2014.

No Holds Barred

Cover Story

Roca Is Relentless in Efforts to Give Young People a Fresh Start

Christine Judd, director of Roca’s Springfield facility, with Kadeem Batchelor, one of the “young people” now in phase 1 of the agency’s intense intervention program.

It’s called Roca — that’s Spanish for rock, as in rock solid. And it’s an apt name for an organization, created in 1988, that helps very high-risk individuals — those who have been incarcerated, are in gangs, have substance-abuse issues, and have dropped out of school — somehow get their lives on a much better track. Now four years old, Roca’s Springfield office is enjoying success with this daunting task by being, in a word, relentless.

David Rios says that, in the weeks and months after he entered the Roca program in Springfield last summer, “the street,” as he called it, kept trying to lure him back to a lifestyle that eventually landed him in the Hampden County Correctional Facility in Ludlow, and he was often tempted — very tempted.

And it’s easy to see why.

Indeed, the money he could make selling drugs was almost exponentially higher than what he earned shoveling snow, clearing fire hydrants, mowing lawns, and cleaning alleyways in downtown Holyoke — just some of the many assignments parceled out as part of Roca’s transitional employment efforts.

But what kept him from returning to the streets was something far more important — and powerful — than money.

“I’m the father of six now, and I saw myself either looking at them through glass and explaining to them why I was there, or being out with them,” he told BusinessWest. “I put my mind in a place where I wanted to be home and be able to see my kids and hug my kids.”

Helping all the “young people” — that’s the term this organization uses in reference to those it works with — who come through the doors find such a place is the unofficial mission statement for Roca, which was founded in Chelsea in 1988 and expanded into Springfield in 2010 and later into Boston.

Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe

The official mission is to “disrupt the cycle of incarceration and poverty by helping young people transform their lives,” and it carries out this mission through a four-year program that all those involved, from Christine Judd, director of the Springfield facility, to Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe, to people like Rios, described with the word intense.

“And it needs to be because of the people we’re working with,” said Judd, noting that Roca — which translates into ‘rock’ in Spanish — was designed specifically for individuals (in Springfield, males ages 17-24) who are seriously at risk, meaning they’ve been incarcerated, have no real work history, dropped out of school, and usually needed to be dragged into this program kicking and screaming.

She calls them “Roca kids.”

Ashe, sheriff for more than 40 years now, needed a few more words to describe this constituency. “In every urban area in America today, there is a population of young people who are over a cliff,” he said. “And what we’re trying to do is set up a safety net at the bottom. Roca is that net; no other nonprofit, no other education center has been able to connect with this population and get them to consider changing their ways.”

David Rios says he found it tempting to return to the street, but he’s been steeled by a desire not to view his children through the glass wall of a prison visiting center.

The intensity it takes to make this connection and get people into, and then to stay with, the program is only heightened by the fact that the organization’s efforts are funded through what’s known as a ‘pay for success’ (PFS) model, which, as the name suggests, only pays for Roca’s services if and when better outcomes are achieved and days of incarcerations are avoided, thus reducing the burden to the taxpayers.

A year into the unique PFS initiative, Roca is hitting its numbers and actually exceeding them, said Lili Elkins, the agency’s chief strategy officer, noting that, of the young men retained in Roca’s model 24 months or longer, 92% had no new arrests, 98% had no new technical violations, and 89% retained employment for at least 90 days.

While still in its relative infancy, at least when compared with the facility in Chelsea, Roca Springfield is making major contributions to that success record. Last December, the operation honored its first ‘graduates,’ those who had successfully completed the four-year program and moved on to permanent employment.

Trevor Gayle was one of them.

He’s now a full-time employee of Chase Management, a Springfield-based property-management company for which he handles a variety of duties ranging from painting to maintenance to apartment-turnover work. He has his own place now and has been able to put the street in his rear-view mirror.

When asked if he thought such a fate was possible when he came to Roca, somewhat reluctantly, in the summer of 2011 — after spending six months in jail for sitting in the seat next to a friend who shot and wounded an individual as he approached their vehicle — he paused a minute and shook his head.

“No … I never thought I’d be here,” he said as he sat at what amounts to the conference room at Chase’s office, explaining that he didn’t find Roca — it found him. “Every day, I think about how many times I could have been put away or put in the dirt, just because of me hanging out there. I’m really lucky.”

For this issue, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at Roca and how it manages to help people Gayle turn their lives around, stay out of prison, and beat the street.

Coming to Terms

Kadeem Batchelor said that, when he first arrived at Roca six months ago after spending four years at the Ludlow jail for “being young and following,” which translates into drug and gun crimes, he didn’t get the concept, or big picture, as he put it.

Suffice it to say, he gets it now.

“I was used to everything happening overnight,” he said. “Once I realized the concept that things don’t happen overnight, and once I calmed down and started listening, my outlook changed. Before I came here, I was ignorant and didn’t care; I’m much more mature now. Here, they show you how to face reality, stand up to your problems, just be a man about your situation and not try to take the easy way out.”

Such an attitudinal change is what Molly Baldwin had in mind when she founded Roca in 1988. The concept, as summed up in the marketing slogan ‘less jail, more future,’ was simple — use street outreach, data-driven case management, stage-based education, and employment training to reduce individuals’ involvement in crime, keep them out of jail, and help them get jobs.

Carrying out that mission has been anything but simple, but Roca has succeeded through partnerships — with constituencies ranging from law-enforcement officials to private business owners — that essentially involve the entire community in the work to keep young people on a path to success. “We’ve always operated with the attitude that everyone matters in life,” Baldwin told BusinessWest. “Today, many young people are having a lot of difficulties, but they, too, can make the changes to turn their lives around, and it’s a privilege to do this work.”

Roca’s success in Chelsea eventually caught the attention of Ashe, who, over the years, had created or adopted a number of programs to transition individuals from incarceration to the workforce, but needed a program that specifically focused on that ultra-high-risk constituency, which, as he said, was over a cliff, and possessed the requisite intensity to achieve results.

“We really liked the model,” he explained. “There is a relentless pursuit, or unyielding pursuit, of these people, and we knew that it took this kind of intensity, this kind of focus, to get young people away from a pursuit of drugs, violence, and gangs. Roca had the passion, the commitment, and the dedication to connect with this population.”

From the beginning, all those who became involved locally, at Ashe’s behest, understood the agency’s importance, its mission, and the many challenges to carrying it out.

Frank Fitzgerald, principal with Fitzgerald Attorneys at Law and a member of the original advisory board for Roca Springfield, said the City of Homes — like other major urban centers — has changed considerably since he grew up there.

“When I was a kid, we’d hang out on the corner; the cruiser would pull up, and the officer would crook a finger at us and put us in the back seat,” he recalled. “We’d say, ‘I didn’t do anything,’ and they’d say, ‘it’s not what you did, it’s what you’re thinking about doing.’ We’d be driven home to our parents, and the activities for the evening would be substantially curtailed.

“Today, in our core cities, it’s not like that — it’s serious crime,” he went on. “And this [Roca] is what we need; we need people out bringing these guys in, putting them through the program, and putting them to work. The economic benefit of someone who’s productive in society, as opposed to someone in jail, at the taxpayer’s expense, is huge.”

Trevor Gayle, a recent graduate of Roca, is now a full-time employee of Chase Management Service, whose owner, Sheryl Chase, saw an opportunity to help young men in the program.

The challenging demographic with which Roca works, as described by Judd, Ashe, and Fitzgerald, is captured in these statistics, supplied by Elkins: In FY 2014, the Springfield site served 140 young men in its intervention model, 97% of whom were Hispanic/Latino, African-American, or biracial; 97% had a history of arrests; 83% had prior convictions; 86% had dropped out of high school; 83% had a substance-abuse history; 81% were gang-involved; and 49% were young fathers.

Beyond these characteristics, many of the participants didn’t want anything to do with Roca — initially, at least — and that’s the way the agency wants it.

“If you want to be in, we don’t want you,” said Elkins, as she talked about all three Roca operations. “We’re an interesting program because we are truly focused on the highest-risk young men and the ones who are not able to engage in traditional programming. We joke with people and say, ‘if you’re able to show up for programming on your own, without us needing to harass you and drag you in, we’ll send you somewhere else because you’re too high-functioning, and you don’t need our services.’”

Judd agreed. “If you’re high-risk enough, and I’ve had a conversation with you and I deem you a Roca kid, we own you,” she said. “At which point, we’re relentless and we’ll stay on you, whether you want us to or not. Our outreach workers are constantly knocking on doors, and sometimes they’re slammed in their face; it’s a four-year program, and for that first six months, it’s about being relentless and building that relationship of trust.”

The Springfield program began with 50 such individuals and a staff of three. Things got started in a few rooms donated to the cause by Ashe, and the operation later moved into a small building on School Street. Its first day there, a tornado roared through the South End, just a few blocks away.

Since then, Roca has been an equally powerful force.

Work in Progress

Judd said the agency’s four-year program has three phases: the first six months (and there’s actually a phase within that phase); months six through 24, when transitional employment initiatives take place; and then the final two years, when the young people move on to outside placement with a number of area employers, including Beacon Management, Lenox American Saw, F.L. Roberts, Steven A. Roberts Landscape Architecture & Construction, and others.

Actually, work sometimes begins while someone is still incarcerated, so that when they reach Roca’s door, they know what the program is about and can, in some ways, hit the ground running, she explainedJudd added that, through that pay-for-success initiative, referrals come to Roca from probation departments, parole offices, the Department of Corrections, and the Department of Youth Services.

“We’ll go behind the wall in those facilities to meet with those young people and build those relationships before they get out,” she explained. “When they get out, we find their address, and we maintain contact; our whole goal is to get them into our building, and when they’re here, it’s very rare that they walk out without some sense of camaraderie, a sense of belonging, or a sense of family.”

Gayle recalls that he hadn’t been out of jail long after that shooting episode before those at Roca started looking for him. Actually, they went to his younger brother first, hoping he might be an intermediary and convince him to take part. Those plans didn’t go according to the script.

Christian Vasquez, who arrived at Roca last summer, is working toward his GED and driver’s license, and possesses what he called a “new attitude.”

“My brother told me, ‘Trevor, you don’t want to do this — it’s the police after you again; what are they talking about, getting you a job? Don’t do it,’” he recalled, adding that, thankfully, he didn’t heed that advice. “I went down to Roca and decided to give it a shot; I didn’t want to keep getting incarcerated for things I didn’t do and wasn’t involved in, because that’s what it seemed like to me.”

But he admitted that it was difficult in the beginning. Indeed, like Rios, he said the street kept beckoning, and it was hard not to listen. Meanwhile, he didn’t take to the Roca way quickly or easily.

“In the early stages, I was being real belligerent, and they were telling me stuff that I couldn’t do, and I was upset because I couldn’t do it,” he recalled. “I was still in that phase where, if you tell me not to do something, I’m still going to do it anyway.”

Judd said such struggles are commonplace, and, as she talked about phase 1 of the program, she drew a comparison to the TV show The Biggest Loser and the beginning of those contestants’ experiences.

“That’s when you see the biggest behavioral change,” she explained. “The first time a young man walks into our door, his pants are down around his knees, he’s got his colors on, he’s representing his set. And his language and decorum are way off — he doesn’t look you in the eye, there’s no handshake … that’s the first 60 days.”

Transition Game

By the time those two months are over, there is usually recognizable change, she said, adding that the first phase of the program is dedicated to assessing an individual, achieving some measure of buy-in, and building the relationships and trust that will certainly be needed to get through phases 2 and 3.

The former involves transitional employment, she noted, adding that this takes place between months six and 24 and involves work four days a week for a host of employers, including the cities of Springfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee, as well as a few property-management companies, including Chase. The fifth day, Wednesday, is “development day,” said Judd, during which the young people work on everything from financial literacy to mock interviews to what she called “fatherhood class.”

The move from phase 2 to phase 3 equates to shifting from basic training to advanced programming, said Judd, adding that those who make this transition — and some make it more easily than others — become essentially temporary employees for several area companies, including the property-management businesses, F.L. Roberts, Lenox American Saw, and others.

“They either have a job or they’re still looking for a job, or whatever, but we’re working hard over the next two years to get them placed, get them in housing, or get them in school,” she explained. “This is where we say, ‘it’s time to put your big-boy pants on and do it. You still have our support; however, it’s time to grow up.’”

For phases 2 and 3 to meet their missions, and for participants to move on to graduation and permanent employment, Roca needs partners in the form of area employers willing to step forward and assist this still-high-risk demographic, Judd said.

Sheryl Chase became one willingly because she recognized the need, had some opportunities to help, and saw a responsibility to assist a constituency that many would prefer to ignore or designate as someone else’s problem.

“Roca is a great program, and its work is really important to the community,” said Chase, who now has a diverse portfolio that includes everything from single-family homes to a 50-unit apartment complex and manages 10 full-time employees.

She first became involved with the transitional-employment phase of the Roca program, using participants to help clear properties of the heavy snows last winter, before taking things to a higher level by hiring two men, one of them Gayle, full time.

The other hire didn’t work out, she said, an indication of how difficult it is for some to make the transition from the street to the workforce. “It’s tough going from making $1,000 a week selling drugs to making $12 an hour busting your butt; it’s a whole different mentality, and you have to answer to people in ways you’ve never had to answer to them before.”

Gayle is faring much better with the transition, said Chase, adding that the company is being supportive in any way it can. Indeed, while employees are required to have cars so they can get from site to site easily, that policy has been waived for Gayle, who either works with a partner or stays at one site all day.

“We understand the challenges he’s facing,” said Chase, “and are trying to help him succeed.”

Street Smarts

What Roca has been able to provide for both graduates and those still involved in its various phases is a sense of hope that they can leave the street behind and find something better, if not inherently more lucrative financially. It’s also provided both a desire to set goals and an attitude that they can, indeed, be met.

Gayle, 24, soon to be 25, calls them “power moves,” or big steps toward being successful in life. Getting a job was simply the first, he said, adding that he wants to eventually go back to school, become a great father to his son, own a home, and, most importantly, become a role model for his child.

“I feel like, if I can change everything around now, then when he gets older, when he starts acting up, because every kid goes through it … when he sees that and he sees how his father did it, he can definitely follow suit and do the same thing.”

As for Rios, he has three and half years to go before he graduates, but already he sees significant light at the of the tunnel.

“I see myself doing good; I see a lot of doors opening that I couldn’t imagine opening for me,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot, including stuff I didn’t even know that I could do.”

Christian Vasquez, like Batchelor, Gayle, and most others, was hard-headed when he arrived at Roca last summer after a short stint in prison that was nonetheless long enough to make him pledge never to go back.

But his stance eventually softened during that six-month period of transition Judd described. He’s working toward his GED and his driver’s license, is exploring possible paths to a career as a graphic artist, and has developed what he described as a new attitude.

“I’m carrying myself the right way, and I’m looking forward, not back at everything that happened,” he told BusinessWest. “I’ve changed a lot — I’m not the same person I used to be. I’m more calm, and I’m just striving for my goals like I’m supposed to. I’ve got stuff I’m looking forward to.”

Batchelor, meanwhile, is currently enrolled at Springfield Technical Community College, with designs on majoring in business, while also looking toward getting into comedy — he recently did a one-man show at Roca — or acting.

“Whatever you put your dream to, they’re here to support you,” he said of the staff and volunteers at Roca. “They can help you change your life.”

With that, he spoke for everyone who has somehow made it to and through Roca’s door.

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

Community Spotlight: Chicopee

Community Spotlight Features

Chicopee Officials Take Balanced Path to Growth

From left, Mayor Richard Kos, Carl Dietz, and Lee Pouliet stand near the former Lyman Mill, which a developer plans to turn into 50 market-rate loft apartments.

Mayor Richard Kos is taking a multi-pronged approach to economic development in Chicopee.

Rather than focusing strictly on new initiatives, he and other city officials are taking steps to preserve and repair existing infrastructure, while preparing for the future.

“Balance is important. People like to see things that are different, but we also have to take care of what we have,” said Kos, citing a wide variety of projects that will help revitalize the downtown area, promote pride in home ownership, and pave the way for ambitious undertakings on sites once used for military housing, as well as the former Facemate and Uniroyal properties.

Since Kos took office for the second time 14 months ago, one-third of the senior management staff has changed, and new ideas are being generated. “Some positions were vacant, and some became open through attrition and retirement,” he said. “We brought in some new talent, and the people on board are continuing the work that has been done with fresh eyes, new ideas, and skill sets in a seamless manner.”

The effort includes making full use of City Hall and the auditorium on the third floor, which has been closed for years and is now being renovated. The graceful room contains beautiful stained-glass windows, two balconies, and architectural details difficult to replicate today, and Kos hopes that, when repairs to the crumbling plaster are complete, it can be used to televise all meetings of city officials as well as school events and other city functions. “We want to make sure everything we do is accessible to the public; that type of transparency is really good for the city,” he said, explaining that the telecasts will be also be put on the city’s website so people who do not have cable TV subscriptions can view them.

Through a partnership with Mass IT, Chicopee has also become one of the first cities in the state to offer free wi-fi service downtown. “We’re calling it Chi-Fi; it’s an initiative designed to bring people downtown,” Kos said.

Others include more public parking, and last month the Munich Haus restaurant purchased the former, long-abandoned Ferris parking lot on Center Street with help from the city, which included $150,000 in block-grant funding.

“They will make 15 of the 50 parking spaces public and will also create five new full-time positions,” said Carl Dietz, the city’s building commissioner and director of community development.

The city also purchased and demolished an abandoned, multi-family home on Front Street, and the lot will be used to create dozens of additional parking spaces.

Although Kos said a plan to convert the former Cabotville Mill into new housing units is not likely to happen, a developer is pursuing the purchase of the former Lyman Mill property on lower Front Street. “It’s very exciting, as he plans to turn it into 50 market rate, loft-style apartments.”

Lee Pouliot agreed. “The apartments will be built in a way that will allow people to work and live in them,” said the city’s acting planning director.

In addition, an innovative owner-occupied, multi-family grant program will kick off this month in Chicopee Center, Chicopee Falls, and Willimansett to help make properties in those neighborhoods more marketable.

“The city worked with Polish National Credit Union and Chicopee Savings on the program, and we will provide entitlements of up to $16,000 to help people purchase homes,” Kos said, noting that buyers must live in them and will receive $1,000 each year for up to 16 years if they remain in the homes. “We believe this will improve the quality of life; landlords who live in a property they own are more likely to keep it clean and hold tenants responsible for their behavior than absentee landlords,” Kos said, adding that he believes well-maintained homes and pride in ownership are far more effective in improving neighborhoods than additional police patrols and efforts to enforce compliance codes.

Another new project is about to begin in Aldenville. “Wells Fargo foreclosed on a very small, single-family home on 42 Grace St. and offered the city $10,000 to use toward its redevelopment,” Pouliot said. “We expect to demolish it and have students from Chicopee Comprehensive High School build a new home on the site.”

Restoring Vitality

Memorial Drive has been a busy commercial strip for decades, and it continues to add vibrancy. Ground will be broken this spring for a new PetSmart store at Chicopee Crossing that will create 50 new jobs. But even though the 3.7-mile corridor is flourishing, Kos said it is not being ignored.

“Memorial Drive is our major commercial area, and although it continues to grow, we want to see if there are ways to make it better,” the mayor told BusinessWest.

So, last fall, the city contracted with UMass and a group of students in the Architecture and Regional Planning master’s program who called themselves Hill House Planners, to undertake a study of the roadway. They divided it into three sections and examined traffic flow, the vacancy rate, potential redevelopment strategies, and how much space is available for green infrastructure, along with zoning conflict resolution in areas where commercial property abuts residential property.

The study was completed in December, and suggestions include reducing the speed limit, adding new signage and multiple roundabouts, creating a bicycle path (which would be of particular benefit to residents on the South Hadley end of the corridor), and installing new sidewalks on both sides of the street that would improve access to shopping and commercial properties.

Kos said the results of the study are helpful and under consideration. “It’s one more area where we are looking for new ideas,” he told BusinessWest, explaining that the undertaking is in line with his plan to maintain and improve things that work, while addressing problem properties and issues.

The old library building, which has become an eyesore in the city’s center since it was vacated in 2003 when a new library was built, is one of those problem areas. The City Council allocated funding to remove a significant amount of asbestos and lead paint in the interior, and EDM Achitecture has been chosen to examine possibilities for reuse. “It’s just part of what we are doing to remove impediments to progress through preparation,” Kos said.

Progress is also being made on a plan to convert the former Chapin School, located between Meadow and Chicopee streets, into 40 apartments for homeless veterans through the Soldier On program.

“The school has been vacant and unused for 12 years, and this will be great for the neighborhood, as the veterans in the program have a history of taking great pride in their homes,” Dietz said.

In addition, interest in the former Facemate site and the Chicopee River Business Park, located just off Route 291, has escalated over the past year, officials said.

“In the last six or eight months, new companies have leased space both inside and outside of the park, and we are anticipating an active spring,” said Dietz, adding that, in the next few months, the city will put out a request for proposals to redevelop about five acres of land next to the new, $8.2 million RiverMills Center on West Main Street, which was constructed after former Facemate factory buildings were demolished and hazardous waste was removed from the property.

Westover Air Reserve Base has always played a prominent role in the city, and Kos said a plan created to expand its use through partnerships will help it thrive, which is especially important in light of the budgetary cuts the government has been making at military installations across the country.

“The state has allocated $5 million to UMass to lease and transform a vacant building on the base into a National Aeronautics, Research, Development and Training Center, and private investments around or on Westover will also provide jobs,” Kos said, speculating that, at some point, an aviation training program could be established at Chicopee Comprehensive High School that would contribute to jobs within that industry.

Dietz added that Westover Metropolitan Airport Development Corp. is playing an important role in the joint effort to ensure that Westover remains open. The corporation oversees the airport as well as four industrial parks built on land vacated by the military.

“They are partnering with the base to make things more efficient so they can play a larger role in the aircraft-maintenance business,” he said. “As the private side grows, the military is able to reduce its costs.”

The corporation also hopes to develop an unused, 100-acre site near the airport which could attract new businesses related to the aeronautics industry.

Kos said the state has also given the city $1 million to help demolish antiquated Navy housing off of James Street on a 26-acre plot, which Chicopee acquired at no cost in 2011. The plan is to build a 4-megawatt solar farm on the property, leveraging the state grant with an additional $1 million from city coffers.

“The electricity that will be generated should save Westover $100,000 each year and will also save our residents money,” Kos said. “Plus, Westover will receive $900,000 from the state’s military bond bill to do energy-infrastructure work that will make it more efficient.”

Changes are also being made to other properties throughout the city. “We are completing $250,000 in improvements to Wisnowski Park, and the wading pool is being turned into a splash pool, and the City Council appropriated $185,000 to fix structural problems in the administration building on the former Uniroyal-Facemate property,” Pouliet said.

Future Possibilities

The city will continue to seek ways to redevelop unutilized properties, and Kos said officials from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield told him they will consider building a new regional Catholic high school on the former Uniroyal factory site.

“Our city is strong; we have maintained our savings, our growth, and the services we offer, and a lot of our initiatives have received wholehearted support from the City Council and our legislative delegation,” said the mayor. “Chicopee is fortunate to have four representatives and three senators, led by Rep. Joe Wagner, as they have played a monumental role in our success.”

The mayor and other officials have high hopes for downtown and view it as an ideal location for new restaurants and businesses related to the healthcare industry.

“People come from all over Western Mass. to go to the Herbarium for holistic care, and the Munich Haus and Collegian Court have been real successes,” said Kos. “So, we believe the work that will be done on Interstate 91 for the casino will provide an opportunity for new restaurants in a spot with plenty of free parking that lends itself to future growth.”

During his recent State of the City address, he said the last year has been fruitful, but credited it to a team effort. “When I took office, I promised to work to make the city better. And I’m pleased to report that, together, we are doing that.”

Chicopee at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1848
Population: 55,717 (2013) 
Area: 23.9 square miles 
County: Hampden
Residential Tax Rate: $17.54
Commercial Tax Rate: $31.67
Median Household Income: $46,708 (2010)
Family Household Income: $57,760 (2010)
Type of government: Mayor; City Council
Largest Employers: Westover Air Reserve Base; City of Chicopee: ; J. Polep Distribution Services; Turbo Care Inc.
Latest information available

Editorial

Opinion

Boston, Bay State Don’t Need the Olympics

Under most all circumstances, a business magazine like this one would support any effort that would bring people, dollars, and attention to this state and, when possible, this region.

But in the case of 2024 Olympics, we’ll make an exception. Now that Boston has been selected as this country’s entry, or candidate, for those games, speculation has run rampant, expectations are soaring, and political officials, including many from this area code, are seeing dollar signs and a chance to showcase their communities.

We can’t end all that, and we certainly won’t, but maybe we can add a few much-needed doses of reality to this equation, starting with what some might consider a bold pronouncement: Boston and Massachusetts don’t need the Olympics!

That’s right. We don’t. Those who think we do, or are quite sure we do, are focused on three, perhaps four things: money, exposure, prestige, and jobs. And it’s really all about the first item on that list.

The money comes from building the infrastructure and facilities that would be required to host an Olympics, and perhaps from the spectators who would come to watch them and the media who would come to cover it. Revenue is always welcome, but there must be easier ways to amass it and more effective means to spread that wealth.

As for exposure and prestige, first we have to debate whether the Olympics actually supply those things, and if so, what does it amount to? Did Athens gain any real exposure in 2004, and did it gain any prestige? How about Moscow in 1980? Los Angeles in 1984? Atlanta in 1996? Or London in 2012? The answer in each case is ‘no.’

As for Massachusetts, it has always been known around the world for its institutions of higher learning, its hospitals and medical centers, and its noted vacation spots — Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Berkshires (and none of those locales would be hosting any Olympic events). What is there to gain?

How does a few weeks’ worth of 45-second aerial shots of Boston and its suburbs at the start of each Olympics broadcast help put the Bay State on the map? It’s already on the map in every way that it needs to be.

As for jobs, yes, there will be some of those — mostly construction jobs, and those are important to that industry. But the benefit will be concentrated to a few huge firms and for a relatively short period of time. And a city doesn’t host the Olympics to gain a few thousand construction jobs — or, at least, it shouldn’t.

No, a city hosts the Olympics to do what Barcelona did in 1992 and, to a lesser extent, what Beijing did in 2008, and what Rio de Janeiro hopes to do in 2016 — announce its presence and make a statement.

Barcelona was an industrial backwater into the late ’80s, granted one with stunning architecture, great weather, and one of the best harbors in the world. It used the Olympics to showcase itself and make itself into one of the top tourist destinations in Europe, if not the world.

Boston in 2014 (let alone 2024) is not Barcelona in 1983. Cranes fill the skies in the Hub, and there are more than 15 million square feet of new buildings under construction. Boston doesn’t have to tell the world it has arrived any more than London did in 2012.

Overall, we see the Olympics as an unneeded extravagance. Worse, it is a distraction at a time when the state and individual communities need to be focused on other, more pertinent matters, such as creating viable, long-term sources of jobs. Instead, the mayor of Fall River is trying to get the rowing competition on Watuppa Pond, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno is trying to bring the basketball competition to the city where the game was invented (good luck with that one), and Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse is pushing hard to bring Olympic volleyball to his city, where that sport was conceived (where they would host those matches, we don’t know).

As we said, this is a distraction, one this state just doesn’t need for the next nine years.

Opinion

Opinion

Adjust Health Law for Small Businesses

By Jon Hurst

Congressional Republicans and President Obama continue to wrangle over the future of the nation’s healthcare law. But they need to focus on fixing the law rather than repealing it or threatening vetoes on any form of improvement.

It is no surprise to us in Massachusetts that the shortcomings of the basic framework of the Affordable Care Act mean marketplace discrimination for small businesses and their employees. We saw that in our state model of the ACA. Powerful lobbying groups protected certain consumer groups from harm. Big businesses were protected and retained the ability to self-insure, while lower-income individuals qualified for taxpayer-funded premium assistance.

Left unprotected and arguably disadvantaged were those in the middle — owners and employees of small businesses. Several years of double-digit premium increases here resulted in changes to state law to help empower small businesses.

Washington should make changes to the ACA like those made in Massachusetts to make sure health-insurance reform works for everyone. Here are four recommendations:

• Allow existing organizations — associations, professional societies, and chambers of commerce — to form nonprofit, small-business cooperatives to enhance purchasing power, provide more choices, and better educate their members and employees on the importance of wellness programs and the use of provider-transparency tools. This is how small businesses want to buy their insurance. Consider that, since their start in 2012, the Massachusetts cooperatives have served more small businesses than the state’s Health Connector, and they haven’t cost the taxpayer one dime.

• Allow insurers to give discounts to small businesses as they get bigger. It is a fact that, for both actuarial and administrative reasons, the more people a business covers, the lower the cost per person. Yet the Affordable Care Act is phasing out this ability for any employer with fewer than 99 employees, since the law eliminated the size-rating factor from the small-group market.

Those businesses with 100 or more employees are not hurt by this policy, which in turn gives them a huge premium competitive advantage. The phaseout of the size-rating factor means artificially higher premiums for growing small businesses. The logical way to avoid unreasonable premiums is to leave the fully insured small-group market entirely and to self-insure. Already, 55% percent of the Massachusetts market is self-insured. This trend will grow rapidly unless this discriminatory ACA policy is fixed.

• Change the definition of full-time employee from 30 to 35 hours per week. Massachusetts used the 35-hour threshold without disruption, but the same can’t be said of the 30-hour ACA requirement. Most small employers consider employees working 35 hours or more to be full-timers, but few have the same view about 30 hours.

• Allow small businesses to avoid state mandates — just as big businesses do. Self-insured employers operate under federal law and can avoid state mandates. But small, fully insured employers have no escape. Twenty-four new mandates and/or assessments have been passed in Massachusetts since 2006, making the health-insurance marketplace increasingly discriminatory. The ACA needs to address the proliferation of state mandates.

Unfair provisions in the healthcare law are putting small businesses and their employees at a huge disadvantage.

The Affordable Care Act can work for everyone, but not under today’s model. Unfair provisions are putting small businesses and their employees at a huge disadvantage, endangering their futures. Washington needs to fix the problems.

Jon Hurst is president of the Retailers Assoc. of Massachusetts.

Honoring the Difference Makers

Features

Seventh Annual Gala Set for March 19 at the Log Cabin

The big night is almost upon us.

That would be March 19, of course, and the annual Difference Makers gala, an event that has become a not-to-be-missed networking opportunity and, much more importantly, an opportunity to celebrate groups and individuals who are making a difference in Western Mass.

The tradition began in 2009 with the first class of Difference Makers, which featured a diverse group that showed the many ways one can make a positive impact. It included Bill Ward, director of the regional Employment Board of Hampden County; Susan Jaye Kaplan, founder of GoFIT and co-founder of Link to Libraries; the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield; and PeoplesBank President Doug Bowen and Kate Kane, managing director of the Springfield office of Northwestern Mutual, both of whom have donated countless hours to area nonprofits and economic-development-related agencies.

Each successive class has had both its own unique character and a common bond with all the others — individuals, groups, or companies who have stepped up and used their talents, energy, and imagination to improve quality of life in this region.

The class of 2015 HERE carries on that legacy. This year’s honorees are:

• Katelynn’s Ride: The K-Ride, as organizers call it, was created in 2011 to honor the memory of Katelynn Battista, who lost her courageous battle to leukemia at age 11. The event raises money for both Baystate Children’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute through the Jimmy Fund. Locally, some of the funds awarded to Baystate have gone to support a new position, a nurse practitioner who acts as a liaison between the families of cancer patients and the teams of specialists that provide needed care.

• MassMutual: The financial-services giant is being honored not simply for the depth of its philanthropy or community involvement, but the strategic nature of such endeavors. Focused in three areas — education, economic development, and ‘community vitality,’ the company’s many contributions are long-term in focus with the goal of strengthening the community and building a quality workforce.

• Judy Matt, president of the Spirit of Springfield: For more than three decades, Matt has been at the forefront of coordinating family-focused events for the residents of Springfield and surrounding communities. That list includes Fourth of July fireworks, the annual pancake breakfast (once touted as the world’s largest), the Big Balloon Parade, and Bright Nights, the holiday lighting display that is on many national lists of must-see attractions.

• The new ownership team of the Student Prince and the Fort: Last summer, Rudy Scherff, second-generation co-owner of the Springfield-based institution known as the Student Prince and the Fort, announced that, if new ownership could not found, the iconic restaurant and tavern would likely close amid falling profits and rising costs. Into the breach stepped a somewhat unlikely group — Peter Picknelly, owner of Peter Pan Bus Lines; the Yee family, owners of the Hu Ke Lau in Chicopee and other restaurants; and Kevin and Michael Vann, father-and-son consultants who have worked with a number of restaurateurs over the years.

• Valley Venture Mentors: Through a host of initiatives ranging from monthly mentoring sessions to shared-workspace initiatives, to a new accelerator program which just welcomed its first cohort of 30 companies, VVM is, according to many observers, making real progress in creating an entrepreneurial renaissance in Springfield and the region as a whole.

The March 19 event will feature butlered hors d’oeuvres, lavish food stations, a networking hour, introductions of the Difference Makers, and remarks from the honorees. Tickets are $60 per person, with reserved tables of 10 available.

For more information or to order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or go HERE.

Herd It Through the Grapevine

Environment and Engineering Sections

The Goat Girls Offer a Green Solution to Invasive Plants

Hope Crolius, seen here with Dan, says the goat business came with a steep learning curve.

Hope Crolius remembers that it all started … well, quite organically.

She had left a career as a writer — she started as a reporter with the Daily Hampshire Gazette and later freelanced, working for several area colleges — and was doing well with her next entrepreneurial venture, known as Artemis Garden Consultants, LLC, what she described as a “garden-revival company.”

The customer inquiry that changed and enriched her life in several ways came in 2010 from a landowner in Shutesbury who had a barn and pasture that hadn’t been visited by grazing animals in some time and was starting to fill in with what Crolius called “early-succession woody plants” — red cedar and certain kinds of cherries.

“I said flippantly — I wasn’t serious, but in a way, I was — ‘you should really just get some sheep,’” she recalled. “And he took me up on it — he said, ‘go for it,’ and I went for it.”

Actually, before going for it, she did a little research and quickly discovered that what this landowner really needed were some goats, not sheep, because the former ‘browse’ while the latter graze, an important distinction. And she went about getting some — not for him, as it turned out (although she didn’t really know it at the time), but for her.

“I was driving by a farm in Amherst and saw a herd of goats wandering around the farmyard,” she recalled. “I knocked on the door and said, ‘would you ever be interested in selling any of these goats?’ and she said, ‘I’d definitely be interested; we have too many of them.’”

Crolius eventually acquired three mixed-breed ‘mongrels’ that would form the foundation of an enterprise known now as the Goat Girls.

It’s known not only throughout this region, but across the state and in other parts of New England. That’s because there aren’t many operations like this in the Northeast — they are more popular in other regions — and also because there is a rapidly growing constituency that, like the landowner in Shutesbury, would prefer to clear brush and invasive plants in a decidedly green fashion.

Indeed, while this is definitely the off season for the venture’s 19 goats — who are spending their time enduring the cold (something they do rather easily) while dining on a large supply of donated Christmas trees, among other things — the spring’s schedule is filling up, and fast.

And it’s been that way almost from the beginning.

“Right away, the phone started to ring; people would say, ‘I hear you have goats to rent,’” she told BusinessWest. “This thing just happened, and it just took off.”

The Goat Girls’ 19 goats are currently feasting on hay and Christmas trees, but soon they’ll have tastier fare, such as poison ivy and bittersweet, to munch on.

Today, teams of goats (usually six or seven to a team) are dispatched to jobs large and small, at a rate that averages $575 per week. Clients have ranged from homeowners looking to clear a portion of a two-acre lot to the administrators of the 64-acre Boulder Brook Reservation in Wellesley, who hired the goats and their herders to clear the poison ivy, wild grape, and bittersweet that started invading the premises after crews for a nearby landowner cut down nearly 100 trees in 2011, letting the sunshine in.

There is no five-year plan for this venture or something approaching a firm, long-term strategy, but there is already talk of expansion and perhaps even licensing or franchising the operation. Meanwhile, one new, and popular, twist is an intensive training course the company offers to those from outside its service region who may want to start something similar.

It all sounds easy, but there was actually a steep learning curve involving everything from pricing to goat maintenance and veterinary care; from the ins of outs of electrified fencing to simple math — how many goats does it take to clear a certain amount of acreage?

For this issue and its focus on environment and engineering, BusinessWest takes a look at that learning curve and how the Goat Girls, even though it remains a very small venture, has became a rare breed of business success story.

Branch Offices

While quite proud of what she’s done with the Goat Girls, Crolius stressed repeatedly that this concept is certainly nothing new or imaginative — at least not the part about goats doing the work of lawnmowers, pruners, and herbicides.

Indeed, she said goats are second only to dogs in terms of the origin of their domestication, and there are those who say they actually predate canines in that regard. Meanwhile, goats have been used to clear brush and unwanted plant species for centuries; during World War II, when gas was heavily rationed, homeowners, golf courses, and park superintendents used sheep and goats to keep their grounds in order.

More recently, goats have been used in forest-fire-prone states like California to clear the undergrowth that can fuel such a blaze and extend its life, and sheep now patrol a number of landmarks in Paris as an alternative to lawnmowers.

What is relatively new — again, at least in this region — is the notion of goats as a viable, profitable business, said Crolius, stressing the importance of both those adjectives.

This brings her back to that learning curve she mentioned, because, in her estimation, it took probably three years to “figure all this out” and enable this subsidiary to finish a year in the black.

By ‘all this,’ she was referring to everything from goat diet and nutrition to determining how much the animals could clear in a day, week, or month; from understanding good goat working conditions (they don’t mind heat or cold, because they’re essentially desert animals, but really don’t like rain or wind) to determining how many times a crew would have to return to a site to effectively subdue a patch of poison ivy (three or four, by her count).

There were also lessons in worker productivity (only females and spayed males, known as wethers, are used, to make sure the help is focused solely on their work).

The process of learning these and other things began not long after that Shutesbury landowner said ‘go for it,’ said Crolius, adding that her foray into goats was a natural extension of what she was doing at the time.

And that was fulfilling an entrepreneurial urge that took her far afield from journalism, quite literally.

“I gave up writing for something more physical, and also to have my own time,” she explained. “Of course, I learned that going into business for yourself does nothing of the sort — a 9-to-5 job looks positively luxurious right now.

“But I still wouldn’t trade what I’m doing for a 9-to-5,” she went on, adding that Artemis Garden Consultants specializes in what she called “non-mechanical dimensions of landscape care — anything but mowing and blowing,” with a heavy accent on weeding, edging, and mulching.

The Goat Girls venture now has a wide array of clients, each one looking for a ‘green’ solution to their landscaping problem.

“If someone’s yard is tired and overgrown, or they don’t have time to take care of it, we’ll come in and prune small trees and shrubs,” she noted. “We’ll weed … we give definition to things.”

Over the years, she had built up a large portfolio of residential and commercial clients, most of them in Hampshire and Franklin counties, and wasn’t exactly looking to diversify into four-legged brush clearing, but, as they say, opportunity knocked, even if she didn’t realize it at the time.

Crunching the Numbers

The goats Crolius purchased from that farm owner back in 2010 went for roughly $100 each, or a fraction of what a purebred Labrador retriever puppy might run.

But while the animals, at least the mixed-breed varieties, certainly won’t break the budget, the overall startup costs, though light compared to some other businesses, are not insignificant, she told BusinessWest. One must factor in housing for the animals — she’s renting about a quarter-acre within a large farm in East Amherst and built an elaborate pen/office complex on it — as well as transportation to get the goats to and from a job; the electrified fencing that keeps them focused on their assignment and not the roses, hostas, or geraniums that they will also eat; and other factors.

But there is certainly enough demand for ‘green’ landscaping services, not to mention the frequent requests for goats for children’s birthday parties, festivals, and other occasions, to recover those costs, said Crolius, adding that the key to profitability is analyzing the numbers, making smart decisions with resources, and creating a workable model, which, as she said, took some time.

Dan Green, president of the Green Internet Group, who helped Crolius get the operation off the ground and expand it, and currently handles the Goat Girls website, agreed, saying this amounts to a new business sector, one where the entrepreneur has to learn by doing.

“If you want to start a dry-cleaning operation or a photo studio, you have many other ones to compare benchmarks to so you can figure out where that curve should be,” he explained. “There are not a lot of comparison-shopping opportunities for a goat business.”

Over time, Crolius calculated that a team of seven goats could clear a quarter-acre in a week, or an acre a month, performance that varies with the density of the brush and the frequency of fence moving. This allowed her to effectively price and allocate her services for what usually amounts to a 28-week season.

But as she became more experienced, Crolius, like all successful business owners, learned new ways to become more efficient and, therefore, more profitable.

For example, she realized a few years in that she could reduce expenses significantly, and make customers even more happy (in most cases, anyway), by leaving the goats with a client for the duration of their assignment (they hang in a portable pen), rather than dropping them off and picking them up every day, along with their herders.

“You instruct the client on how to take care of them, and believe me, the clients can’t get enough of them; they change their water, they talk to them … they hate to see them go,” she said, adding that, because most clients have gardens, they’re even grateful for what the goats leave behind after all that munching.

While making her foray into goats profitable, Crolius has, along the way, taken a number of steps to make it more rewarding personally. One is an extension of what she called an apprenticeship program at Artemis Garden Consultants that enables young people to join the venture as interns and gain invaluable experience toward a variety of different careers.

“My joy in life is hiring young people and giving them the opportunity to have hands-on, on-the-job field training,” she told BusinessWest, referring to her gardening business while noting quickly that she has taken that same passion to the Goat Girls.

Indeed, as she was saying those words, as if on cue, Emilie Rabideau, a pre-veterinary-science major at nearby UMass Amherst, arrived to help tend to the goats.

“It’s a really good résumé builder,” she said, “as far as experience and learning how to manage a business at the same as you work with the animals.”

As for the training program, set to commence in a few weeks, Crolius stressed that she is not breeding competition, but rather creating opportunities for more goat businesses and, therefore, more ‘green’ landscaping.

Over the course of two intense days, attendees can learn about everything from field work to care for the animals to marketing their goat venture, said Crolius, noting that there are three sessions slated for this spring, and a great amount of interest has been shown.

Looking ahead, but not that far, because that’s difficult to do in this business, Crolius said expansion is possible, although there comes a point where simply adding more goats is not cost-effective. Meanwhile, licensing the concept is an option that’s being explored.

For now, she’s focused on honing that business model, providing opportunities for young people to learn while doing, and making the region more green while also making some overgrown areas, well, far less green.

Brush with Fame

As she wrapped up her talk with BusinessWest, Crolius went to assist Rabideau with letting the goats into the front portion of their pen for a late-afternoon meal of hay.

Before doing so, she issued a recommendation — more like a warning, actually — to steer clear, because the goats will not go around anyone who happens to be standing in their way once the gate is opened.

It was a warning well-heeded.

Soon, the extreme energy the goats exhibited as they raced for their dinner will be directed toward the eradication of brush and invasive plants of all types and at all manner of venues.

Spring is almost here, which means it’s time for the goats to shine and give a new definition to the phrase ‘green business.’

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

Sound Business Practices

Environment and Engineering Sections

FloDesign Continues to Ride a Wave of Innovation

Stanley Kowalski says FloDesign and its spinoffs are continuing a pattern of turning ideas into breakthroughs — and new companies.

Stanley Kowalski III says filters will soon become obsolete.

“They will never be needed in anything again — during manufacturing, in automobiles, airplanes, furnaces, faucets — anything you can possibly think of,” Kowalski, chairman of the board at Wilbraham-based FloDesign Inc., told BusinessWest, adding that he and his team at FloDesign Sonics, a spinoff venture, are developing technology that will use sound waves for that work.

That technology is based on a scientific discovery made two years ago by a team of engineers at FloDesign Sonics, co-founded by Kowalski, Bart Lipkens, Louis Masi, and Walter Presz, after Lipkens received a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to figure out how to rid reservoirs of anthrax.

“During a process of trial and error, we discovered that acoustics could play a vital role in detection,” said Kowalski. “It led to the discovery of a three- dimensional wave that we did not predict, and since literature didn’t capture what we saw and the theory for it was not fully developed, we went on a quest to find out why and how it worked.”

The principle they discovered is complex, but Kowalski provided a simplified way to explain it. “First, think of sound waves as an invisible force field that can be used to manipulate and hold things in space,” he said. “Next, imagine a chamber filled with fluid; if you generate a consistent flow of sound waves through it, then introduce living cells or debris into the wave, it will be held there by the invisible force field, and the cells will be gently pushed together and form clumps. When they get big enough, they either fall out of the solution due to gravity or rise to the top due to buoyancy.

“The 3-D wave is like an invisible catcher’s mitt,” he continued. “It retains the contaminant, and, because the diameter of the debris is increased due to acoustic forces, the gravity or buoyancy becomes dominant, and the clumps rise or fall out.”

This invisible catcher’s mitt has a seemingly unlimited number of practical applications, including drug manufacturing and filtering blood during surgery, said Kowalski, adding that the sound-wave technology is one of many interesting developments at FloDesign and its many spinoffs.

These include work on a firearms noise suppressor for the military, a development that will reduce high incidences of hearing damage, as well as new prototype development for a diverse set of clients.

Wayne Thresher, who took the helm at FloDesign three years ago, said engineers who work for the company and its spinoffs pride themselves in thinking outside of the box, executing a design efficiently, and manufacturing a prototype.

“We recently finished a product for a company related to fluid flow; they had needed it for three years, but couldn’t figure out how to make it. But Dr. Presz and I went to their location, and within 20 minutes, we came up with two concepts,” he said. “We like a good challenge, and a lot of things relate to fluid flow and air flow. This is our 25th year in business, and we have some really good success stories.”

For this issue and its focus on environment and engineering, BusinessWest looks at some of those success stories and others that are still being written.

Down to a Science

Kowalski said FloDesign Sonics’ sound-wave technology was patented and has earned the company several prestigious grants in a highly competitive market.

The first was from the National Science Foundation, which issued a challenge to find a way to separate oil and gas contaminants from water. This is critical work because a number of states have had their water supplies polluted due to a process called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. It involves pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of water, sand, and chemicals into the ground to break apart rock and free the gas inside, which is problematic because some of the water that returns to ground level is contaminated.

From left, Bart Lipkens, Stanley Kowalski, Brian McCarthy, and Matthew Wilander show off new technology used to manufacture pharmaceuticals.

FloDesign Sonics received a grant in 2012 for the initial phase of the project, and another in 2013 to build a prototype, said Kowalski, adding that, later that year, it also tested a prototype for a life-sciences application that involves harvesting and filtering cells derived from the ovaries of Chinese hamsters that are used to make injectable monoclonal antibody drugs, which are being used to fight cancer, diabetes, and other illnesses.

“Most drug manufacturers use a process called ‘harvesting’ in which the Chinese hamster cell is separated via filtration or centrifuge and then killed. Genetic engineering has enabled cells to reproduce readily and create higher concentrations per batch, but the higher concentrations put a burden on the current filtration and centrifugation methods that results in fouling of filters and loss of product,” Kowalski explained. “But FloDesign Sonics’ new method does not touch the cell. We can handle higher cell concentrations for batch processes and enable continuous manufacturing where the cell is kept alive; it is continuously fed with nutrients and continues to express the protein.

“This is the holy grail of drug manufacturing. All future drugs will be made this way, and FloDesign Sonics believes they have unlocked this potential,” he told BusinessWest, adding that the company used venture-capital money to perform more than 100 trials with leading biopharmaceutical companies, which resulted in six prototypes and a machine it is now selling.

In March 2014, the company hired 14 new employees, and in September of that year, it received another prestigious grant from the National Institute for Health, which came with a new challenge: devising a better way of filtering blood during bypass surgery.

“Although it’s the most popular surgery in the world, it is so invasive that incisions to the body cause fat and debris to be released into the bloodstream; the particles can get caught in the brain and cause strokes, which is referred to as ‘pump head,’” said Kowalski, explaining that this phenomenon occurs because the particles are not captured when they go through the centrifuges and filters used in the bypass process.

FloDesign Sonics used the $100,000 grant to put its acoustic-separation technology to work in a new machine that captures the particles, which it is testing on pigs. “We hope to have human trials with it shortly,” Kowalski said.

So, although the company has yet to create its own website or launch a marketing campaign, it has undergone remarkable growth over the past 18 months, including the securing of $10 million in investments, $3 million in grants, and frequent offers to buy the firm out.

“The discovery we made has limitless possibilities, which range from cleaning the planet’s water supply to use in the life-science field and manufacturing adaptations,” Kowalski said. “When we first started, we were really just replicating what others had done, but when we began getting into theories of acoustics, we found missing holes that we probed. We had already developed a system that worked through trial and error, but it was kind of a 3M moment when we understood the depths of what we had discovered.

“Recall that 3M discovered a glue ideal for the Post-it Note and didn’t realize how important the invention was,” he went on. “We had also discovered an amazing tool, but had to identify needs for it in industry. It blows us away that we’re now helping get life-saving drugs to people faster and cheaper.”

Lipkens, who secured the prestigious grants, said it’s exciting to take new technology and put it to use in successful commercial applications.

“It was always my dream to take a discovery in the lab and transform it into a startup company and see everyone involved, including students, become part of a successful endeavor,” he said, adding that he taught a course with his wife, Kirsten, in how acoustics work in musical instruments before the discovery was made at FloDesign Sonics.

Designs on Growth

Taking discoveries and turning them into products and companies, while also involving students in those developments, has been the pattern at FloDesign from the start.

The aerospace firm has designed, prototyped, and developed products ranging from noise suppressors for jet engines to something called a RAP nozzle, which transmits a fluid force, gas, or fine particles over a distance with minimal loss. The company recently purchased a new CNC mill and lathe, which will allow it to manufacture more prototypes in its Wilbraham location.

This ability to take a concept from the design stage to production is important to Thresher, whose former employers included United Technologies. “They outsourced all of their machine work, eliminating local mom-and-pop operations, and I thought it was the wrong way to do business,” he said.

Although FloDesign is not set up to do mass production, it has the capability of manufacturing up to 2,000 parts for a company, which sets it apart from other contract-engineering firms in the area.

“Engineering companies don’t usually have their own machine shops or the ability to manufacture what they design,” Thresher said, adding that, as a result, many engineers don’t consider factors such as cost when they create a design. “But we do, as we specialize in prototype development.”

Presz created the company in 1990 while he was an engineering professor at Western New England College so he could give his students an opportunity to put theory into practice, and, as a result, FloDesign has a history of using student interns. The experience has proved invaluable for many, including Amanda Kalish, who was unable to find a job after graduating from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

“Employers want you to have work experience, so this allowed me to bridge the gap while giving me the flexibility to finish my master’s degree in mechanical engineering,” she said.

It has also given her the opportunity to take an idea from concept to prototype and, in some cases, a finished product. “What they do here is unique,” she told BusinessWest. “In a larger company, you are only assigned one aspect of a project and don’t get to see the whole cycle.”

Kowalski said FloDesign Sonics is just one of several spinoff companies that have come out of FloDesign. They include FloDesign Wind Turbine, which was founded in 2008, and FloDesign Water Turbine, which was established in 2009. “They all have something to do with fluid dynamics and acoustic solutions. We have the best people in the world working on this.”

A new product may soon spawn another company. It’s a firearm suppressor that FloDesign developed for the U.S. Marine Corps, and Kowalski said there is enormous potential for it.

He explained that almost every soldier in combat returns with hearing loss, which costs the government more than $2 billion each year. “If they can put a suppressor on every firearm, it could result in a paradigm shift,” he noted.

Although suppressors have existed for some time, they are prohibitively expensive and last only one-tenth as long as the barrel of a gun. “But the prototypes we have developed last longer than the barrel,” Kowalski said.

Expanding Horizons

Mike Harsh, who has recently been appointed to FloDesign Sonic’s board of directors, spent almost 36 years in medical instrumentation and imaging at GE Healthcare, he told BusinessWest, and he has never seen anything like the technology FloDesign Sonics has developed.

“It has the potential to fundamentally change entire industries and the way they think about filtration,” he said. “The entrepreneurial spirit in this company is contagious, and the convergence of this unique and innovative application of acoustics to filtration will unleash a new tool in healthcare that can also be leveraged into other industries.”

Kowalski is also enthusiastic and describes FloDesign’s Wilbraham location as a “think tank.”

“We have created more than 300 jobs, and, although this is our hub, we also have offices in Charlton and Waltham. But it all started here,” he said, as he watched fluid circulate in and out of the machine created by FloDesign Sonics to solve filtration problems related to the manufacture of new pharmaceutical drugs.

“We plan to save people’s lives and eventually clean the planet with our invention,” he said, describing what has become a very fluid path to success.

Over the Dotted Line

Westfield Bank Continues to Grow After Connecticut Expansion

Westfield Bank President and CEO James Hagan

Westfield Bank recorded an especially strong year in 2014, thanks partly to the success of two new branches in Connecticut. At a time when more banks are looking across state lines for growth opportunities, Westfield’s president says the moves made sense because the bank’s name was already well-known in the border towns of Granby and Enfield. However, as the bank continues to expand and add services — like a new wealth-management division — its leaders don’t want to lose the community involvement for which it’s well-known.

Kevin O’Connor says it’s just a dotted line separating Massachusetts and Connecticut — a line Westfield Bank has crossed with considerable success.

“Part of our strategic plan is to look at expansion and strategic opportunities,” said O’Connor, the bank’s senior vice president of Retail Banking, Consumer Lending, and Marketing. “Certainly Connecticut represents natural growth for us.”

Specifically, the bank opened new offices in Granby, Conn. in 2013 and Enfield late in 2014. “That’s very new for us, to go into the Northern Connecticut marketplace,” said James Hagan, the bank’s president and CEO. “We’ve never had a presence there, but we thought it would be a nice opportunity for us to expand, especially in our commercial-loan portfolio.”

While it doesn’t tell the whole story, the success of those two branches has contributed to a $17.1 million increase, or 2.1%, in total deposits during 2014, and especially an $87.3 million jump, or 13.7%, in total loans over the same period.

It helps, Hagan said, that Connecticut customers have long been aware of the Westfield Bank name, thanks to its presence in Agawam, Feeding Hills, and Southwick.

“There has been some shakeup in the marketplace through mergers and acquisitions, and our name has played very well there,” he told BusinessWest. “We weren’t unknown. We had some name recognition. And it has gone better than we’d budgeted or anticipated. We’re very pleased with the Northern Connecticut marketplace, and we’re ahead of our plans in both branches.”

Banking lines have increasingly been falling, with several recent cross-border mergers and expansions in recent months, from United Bank joining with Rockville Bank to Connecticut-based Farmington Bank setting up shop in the Pioneer Valley. O’Connor said these moves often make sense, especially with many people living in one state and working in another.

“I think it makes life easier for them to have us on both sides of the border,” he said. “You see the dotted line of the state border, but really, it’s nothing more than moving from one town to the next.”

To boost business, Hagan said the bank keeps the two new branches open seven days a week, building off a successful model at its East Main Street branch in Westfield, and made a point of hiring bankers from the Northern Connecticut marketplace to run the new offices.

“The Connecticut people have brought a base of business with them, which has been tremendously helpful. They have professional contacts, personal contacts, and as they move from one institution to another, they’re able to bring their customer base with them.”

O’Connor agreed. “We have a lot of nice connections in the community, and we’re reaching out to those communities to make sure we understand and address their needs.”

Providing Solutions

Growth for Westfield Bank has not been limited to branch expansion, however.

“We’ve continually looked at our products and services to make sure we’re well-matched against national banks and regional banks,” O’Connor said. “So, while having a community-bank model, staying true to our culture, we want to offer products and services people are looking for, that resonate well in the community. Over the last few years, electronic banking services have been a good example of how we’ve stayed matched with other banks.”

O’Connor also heads up Westfield Bank’s new Wealth Management division, for which it has partnered with Charter Oak Insurance and Financial, an affiliate of MassMutual.

“We started that in February of last year,” he said. “We spent a lot of time looking for the right partner before partnering with Charter Oak.

“We had not offered those services before” he added. “A lot of times, customers were looking for those solutions — insurance, investments — and we wanted the best match for those services. That continues to grow month over month.”

Hagan said bank leadership is pleased with the alliance, and said a full range of wealth-management services for individuals and businesses was long overdue.

“We want to be that full-solutions provider,” O’Connor added. “If we can’t do something ourselves, we’ll form an alliance or partnership with somebody, so we can bring our services full-circle.”

Kevin O’Connor says Connecticut represents natural growth for the bank, considering its well-established presence along the state line.

As for electronic and mobile banking, “we’re trying to stay ahead of the curve in our communities and make sure our customers have the conveniences they need,” he said, noting that adoption of the bank’s mobile app was very strong. “We rolled out mobile deposit a few weeks ago, and we’re really happy with that. Also, as we redo the ATMs, instead of old envelope ATMs, we’re going to image ATMs. Again, it’s easier for the customer, easier for us.”

Despite the uptick in online and mobile banking, he added, bricks-and-mortar activity hasn’t declined, partly because of the new branches. “We’re gaining so many customers while we’re seeing more customers going electronic, so we’re hitting on all barrels in that regard.”

Seeing opportunities in the commercial-lending arena, Westfield Bank is also seeing its move to Tower Square in Springfield paying off.

“One reason why we moved our mid-market and core commercial lenders there was to be closer to spheres of influence — to be downtown, in a center for accounting firms, law firms. Our small-business leneders are still here [in Westfield], but for larger relationships, we wanted a central location, and to be closer to our Connecticut ventures as well.”

Added O’Connor, “that was an extension of our plan to better align ourselves with Springfield and the 91 corridor, without losing our roots.”

Hagan pointed to that 13.7% growth in loan volume between December 2013 and December 2014 as evidence that the strategy is working.

“That’s very strong; actually, anything in the high single digits is an excellent year, and we were able to approach the 14% figure.”

Part of that growth must be attributed to a strengthening economy, he noted, but he also credits the bank’s aggressive follow-up efforts to obtain new business.

“We have a constant calling effort,” he said. “We’ve always had a philosophy here at the bank that we’ll continue to call on various accounts, because sometimes it takes two, three, even four years to move one account to this bank. If we were somebody’s close second choice, they would always say, ‘gee, if anything happens, if my bank sells out or my loan officer leaves, I’ll come to you guys.’ That’s part of it — and there has been some disruption in the marketplace. Our calling effort is something we pride ourselves on.”

Community Ties

Westfield Bank also prides itself on its community-support efforts, O’Connor said. “Jim has been such a leader in commitment to communities, to charitable giving — and that legacy plays out across the region.”

One example is the bank’s recent $150,000 donation to the Sr. Caritas Cancer Center being expanded at Mercy Medical Center in Springfield.

“That was eye-opening,” Hagan said. “Kevin and I took a tour there, and we learned that 45% of the population in Western Mass. will use this facility, 45% will use Baystate, and the remaining 10% will go to Boston or Hartford or elsewhere. We thought that was an important statistic.

“When we grant out funds from our Future Fund,” he continued, “we want to support as many people in as many communities as we can. It’s a central location for folks battling cancer, so we thought it was a worthy donation, and absolutely something we wanted to get involved with. We look for organizations that can service the most people within their particular area, whether it’s Western Mass., Northern Conn., or wherever our branches are. We want to serve all those areas with our dollars.”

O’Connor said making choices about which causes to support gets tougher every year, simply because of the growing number of requests.

“We have large things like Sr. Caritas Cancer Center or the Westfield Senior Center, which we committed to last year, but we also try to be very attentive to the small needs; you have to try to balance the large requests with the smaller ones.”

The reason, Hagan noted, is that “you may make a $2,000 donation to someone, and it’s every bit as important as a $10,000 donation to someone else, because it’s about their survival and their ability to service the needs of their clients. We’ve always supported programs that our employee base is involved with — backed them with funding from the Future Fund, supported golf tournaments, wine tastings, many of those events. We want to get involved.”

O’Connor noted that the bank also encourages volunteerism by giving every employee a full paid day each year to use for volunteer efforts. “Many employees go well beyond by volunteering at events; it’s not just financial contributions.”

One key question now is which communities Westfield Bank will set its eyes on next. Whatever the case, O’Connor said, the institution will continue to focus on smart, measured steps.

“As big as we might get, Jim always emphasizes what made us who we are — that connection to our communities. It’s important that we represent our communities well,” he told BusinessWest. “At the same time, a couple of years ago, Jim charged each senior officer to continually look for improvements and efficiencies. So we’re growing very carefully, with smart growth, efficient growth.”

On both sides of the dotted line.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

After the Gold Rush

Falling Prices Typically Correspond with an Improving Economy

Tim Suffish says gold prices tend to rise when there’s fear in the market — but fear is typically unhealthy for the economy.

The gold rush, at least for the time being, is over.

“Not to put too strong a spin on it, but in our view, gold in most times is seen as an alternative, something you go to almost by default. For example, gold often does well when there’s a lot of fear in the market,” said Tim Suffish, senior vice president of equity markets for St. Germain Investment Management in Springfield.

“In, quote-unquote, ‘normal’ times, you invest in stocks, invest in bonds. You’re looking for growth, and bonds tend to perform well in that environment. When you’re scared of something — inflation, or the Eurozone is going to blow up, or geopolitical saber rattling — any time there’s fear in the market, gold will tend to perk up as an asset.”

With the economy — and especially the stock market — humming along compared to the dark days after the financial collapse of 2008, that squeezes out gold, a reality reflected in its falling value. At its recent peak, late in 2011, gold was selling for almost $1,900 per ounce, but has hovered around $1,200 in recent weeks, as the economy adds jobs and the Federal Reserve expected to begin increasing short-term interest rates, which could soften the demand for non-interest-bearing assets like gold.

That softening was clear through last year, as gold-coin sales by the U.S. Mint declined by 36% from 2013. Simply put, an improviong economy is bad for gold.

“People are always asking me, ‘is gold a good investment?’ My answer is always the same: ‘it had better not be,’” wrote Louis Woodhill, an economist who writes a column for Forbes.

“Periods in which investors could profit by buying and holding gold have been terrible for workers and for the economy as a whole,” he noted, adding that buying gold is less of an investment than a trade, a zero-sum game where whatever one ‘investor’ gains, another loses. “From the point of view of the real economy, gold is not an investment at all. Real investment makes everyone better off. Trades produce winners and losers.”

As a firm that deals in long-term investments, Suffish told BusinessWest, “gold is something we don’t really invest in. For the most part, it’s something we don’t really believe in.”

That’s not to say it’s inherently bad. “It’s seen as alternative currency. When there’s not a lot of trust in the U.S. dollar or mainstream currencies, gold is seen as the ultimate alternative currency. That’s a good thing; you can’t print more gold, just like they’re not making any more Florida real estate.”

But in a strengthening economy, he added, investors should look elsewhere.

Long-term Loser

Economist Brian Lund, in a column for dailyfinance.com, cites research by economics professor Jeremy Siegel that tracks the long-term performance of various asset classes in terms of purchasing power, adjusted for inflation. Basically, he determines what a $1 investment in 1802 would have been worth in 2006.

Stocks far outpaced the other vehicles, returning $755,163. Bonds and T-bills returned $1,803 and $301, respectively, on the initial dollar investment. Gold didn’t even double in value, coming in at $1.95.

True, this doesn’t reflect the recent peak in 2011, but the underlying point is that gold is a poor long-term investment.

“In addition to its miserable historical performance,” Lund added, “gold also has many other failings as an investment, not least of which are the cumbersome and inefficient options available to own it.”

For example, he said, shipping costs of buying gold in bullion form cuts into profits, and so does storing it. “Keeping it at home exposes it to the risk of theft, fire, or natural disaster. Taking it to the bank requires the rental of a safe deposit box, the cost of which will eat into your profit as well. Firms will store your physical gold on site, but they charge for the service, and the idea of having your yellow treasure held by someone somewhere else, commingled with that of others, is not very appealing.”

Suffish agreed. “If you can invest in a nice, blue-chip U.S. company, like Johnson & Johnson or Procter & Gamble, that pays good dividends, they literally pay you as a shareholder,” he said. “When you invest in gold, you have to pay to own it — to insure it, to store it. Similar to real estate, it has costs associated with it.”

Still, he added, “when there’s strong inflation, gold should do well.” Unfortunately for gold investors, that’s not the case right now.

“The good news is that there is no inflation,” economist and journalist Larry Kudlow noted late last year. “That’s largely because those excess reserves at the Fed have not circulated through the economy.”

But mostly, Suffish said, it’s a lack of fear in the economy — which most would consider a good thing — driving the downward momentum of gold.

“When looking for alternatives in the portfolio, gold sometimes gets a small piece of the pie. But gold has not done well for the past couple of years; it’s down a third from its peak in 2011,” he noted. “At the same time, the measures of fear in the market have come way down, the measures of inflation have come way down, and especially in the past six months, the dollar has done very, very well.

“Our economy, even though it’s not hitting on all cylinders, is better than alternative economies out there right now,” Suffish went on. “We have an environment of low fear, low inflation, and a strong dollar — and the combination of those three is very bad for gold historically.”

Finance journalist Marcie Geffner made a similar observation at bankrate.com.

“Gold’s rise in the past has been driven by fear of the unknown and the unthinkable,” she wrote recently. “The unknown was whether the U.S. dollar would weaken. The unthinkable was whether the world’s major economies would suffer another near-catastrophic financial crisis.”

Hedging Their Bets

Still, the meteoric rise of gold prices in the late 2000s made it attractive as a short-term investment, or at least a hedge, she noted, but not much else. “Gold might be a glittering temptation for investors looking to fatten their investment returns with a relatively safe commodity. But it’s far from foolproof.”

Suffish noted that, before its recent rise, “it was dead money for a long time, but that was really true of all commodities; they were dormant from the ’80s through the early 2000s. Then commodities really perked up.”

That had to do with the rise of exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, in the 1990s. “Through ETFs, you could invest in gold, oil, and natural gas, and a lot of commodities had a good run for a period of years during that time,” Suffish said. “In the 2000s, gold went from well under $100 all the way to $1,800. Over that time, it gave you some good returns. But in general, [commodities] have not been great long-term growers in portfolios.”

As for the near future of gold, “there are lots of analysts that are trying to forecast where gold prices will go next,” Woodhill wrote. “This kind of prediction is fundamentally impossible, because future gold-price movements will be caused by events that have not yet happened.”

But if their direction continues to reflect the opposite of the economy in general, falling gold prices might not be such a bad thing.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Regarding Records Retention

Often, ‘What’ May Be More Important Than ‘for How Long?’

By KRISTINA DRZAL-HOUGHTON, CPA MST

Kristina Drzal-Houghton

With the start of a new tax year, taxes become the focus of many businesses. As administrators gather their financial information to provide to their accountants, questions regarding records retention begin to fly. More often than not, administrators ask, “how long do I keep these?” or “when should we destroy our records?”

However, one area of concern that can often be overlooked is determining what records to keep in order to substantiate expenses. In this case, the ‘what’ may be more important than the ‘how long,’ should an IRS audit occur.

Every item of expense taken as a business deduction must be supported by documentary evidence. Documentary evidence consists of receipts, paid bills, or similar evidence sufficient to support an expenditure. Ordinarily, documentary evidence will be considered adequate to support an expenditure if it includes sufficient information to establish the amount, date, place, and essential character of the expenditure. These documents can be retained electronically and need not be the original bills.

Documentary evidence includes electronic charge expense receipts provided by a credit-card company. In many cases, a credit-card statement or charge record is sufficient documentary evidence of an expense. For example, the nature of an expense paid to a car-rental company is ordinarily clear on its face.

If the nature of the expense isn’t clear on the face of the receipt, a credit-card receipt isn’t sufficient unless it contains an itemized breakdown. The requirement of a detailed breakdown would be required for payments to online or retail stores. The IRS will also detail examine phone and other utility bills to confirm the service location. Auditors will often request the backup policy information for insurance payments so they can confirm the business purpose. Additionally, payments to service vendors should indicate where the services were rendered.

Reimbursing employees’ business expenses can often be an area where there are documentation challenges, especially where the employee is also a shareholder. It is important to obtain the proper documentations from all employees. I have seen practices assessed taxes when former shareholders are no longer with the practice and will not supply backup documents. When substantiating expenses, the initial documentation obtained is key.

For any payment to be deductible, there must be a business connection. An arrangement meets the business-connection requirement if it provides reimbursements only for business expenses that are allowable as deductions and that are paid or incurred by the employee in connection with the performance of services as an employee. The reimbursement to the employee may include amounts charged directly or indirectly to the practice through credit-card systems or another direct method.

The documentation requirement is met if the arrangement requires each business expense to be substantiated to the practice within a reasonable period of time. An arrangement that reimburses travel, entertainment, or other deductible business expenses meets this requirement if information sufficient to satisfy the requirement is submitted to the practice.

The IRS will disallow any expense for travel away from home, including meals, lodging, and entertainment, unless the taxpayer substantiates by adequate records for each expenditure.

For example, when substantiating expenses for travel away from home, the IRS requires, in addition to documentary substantiation for each expense, that the time, place. and business purpose of the travel be proven. Furthermore, when substantiating entertainment expenses, you must prove the time, place, and business purpose of the entertainment, and the business relationship of the persons entertained.

Documentary evidence of lodging must show separate amounts for charges such as lodging, meals, and telephone calls. Thus, a hotel receipt will support an expenditure for business travel if it shows the name, location, date, and separate amounts charged for lodging, meals, telephone.

An electronic credit-card receipt meets this documentary evidence requirement if the receipt has an aggregate charge itemizing each expense, such as a final bill from a hotel listing separately the costs for meals, lodging, and telephone calls. But neither an electronic credit-card receipt nor a regular credit-card statement or charge record alone is acceptable evidence of a lodging expense if the statement doesn’t segregate lodging from other expenses that may not be deducted, such as non-deductible meal and entertainment expenses or personal expenses (e.g., spa charges or gift purchases).

Unreimbursed business expenses paid by a shareholder-employee on behalf of a corporation are employee business expenses subject to the 2%-of-AGI floor. However, when a shareholder-employee is a controlling stockholder, the IRS often asserts that the shareholder cannot deduct the expenses at all because they relate to corporate business rather than to duties as an employee. Therefore, practices should consider having a policy requiring the reimbursement of corporate expenses paid by shareholders. The corporation can then deduct the expense when paid, while the shareholder can treat the reimbursement as a repayment of the advanced funds.

Now may be the perfect time to draft or update your accounting policies and procedures document. Many associations can provide model documents, but you should still consult your accountant or tax advisor before finalizing your document.

Kristina Drzal-Houghton, CPA MST is the partner in charge of Taxation at Holyoke-based Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; (413) 536-8510.

By All Accounts

A chart of banks doing business in Western Mass.

Click HERE to download the PDF chart

Invested Interests

A chart of area financial services and brokerage firms

Click HERE to download the PDF chart

Grounds for Optimism

Manufacturing Sections

Chemex, Maker of Iconic Coffeemaker, Is Expanding Its Horizons

Eliza Jane Grassy shows off the famous Chemex coffeemaker.

The conference room in the Chemex manufacturing and distribution facility in Chicopee isn’t really serving the company in that capacity at this time — well, not only in that capacity, to be more precise.

Instead, while renovations continue at the plant on Veterans Drive, which the company moved into last summer, it is also acting as both storage area and museum of sorts, with all manner of material related to the famous Chemex coffeemaker — assembled on that site — and its inventor, Peter Schlumbohm.

“He was kind of a mad scientist — he had lots of inventions and lots of ideas,” Eliza Jane Grassy, vice president of the company, said of Schlumbohm as she pointed out photos of him, news clippings, and even a sketch of one of his concepts that never became reality — the so-called Chemmobile, an early form of SUV.

But most of the room’s artifacts are devoted to the coffeemaker itself, a work of art and a piece of Americana, both figuratively and quite literally — it is included in the collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. There is also one on display at the Smithsonian and other museums. Meanwhile, in 1958, designers at the Illinois Institute of Technology deemed it “one of the best-designed products of modern times.”

Its 74-year history, not to mention those various accolades and others, are chronicled in various displays scattered about the conference room, including advertisements, signs, early sketches of the product, and several of the actual items, in an array of sizes.

In most respects, the conference room is now a nod to the past. Indeed, most of the items are now decades old. But in one corner sit a few boxes containing the company’s newest product (actually, reintroduction of an old one), an automatic version of the iconic coffeemaker — called the Ottomatic — that is already becoming a hit. Meanwhile, out in the shipping area, the labels on the boxes provide more evidence that this company, while clinging to its proud traditions, is certainly not stuck in the 19th century.

The addresses are for commercial clients and retailers in England, Malaysia, Germany, Japan, Sweden, and other countries, and they are indicative of a strong push over the past few years to make this product an international phenomenon rather than just a domestic one.

Still more evidence can be found with the stamps on Grassy’s passport, and also those carried by her mother, Liz, the company’s president, and brother, Adams, who also serves as vice president. Indeed, Grassy has been to Australia and England in recent months, attending coffee conventions, while Adams has other territory, including Asia, and her mother travels almost everywhere.

“We’re now distributing all over the world, and it’s something we’ve been tackling over the past four or five years,” said Grassy, who traces the origins of this global expansion to aggressive outreach fueled by heightened interest from coffee roasters in virtually every time zone — simply one manifestation of the explosion in business opportunities generated by coffee.

She told BusinessWest that the sharp upward trajectory of sales and profits in recent years is not so much a case of being in the right place (planet Earth) at the right time — although that’s part of it — but rather having an iconic product, creating international demand for it, and then meeting it.

To do that, the company, which had been located in Pittsfield for more than 30 years, was forced to seek out considerably larger quarters, and eventually settled on the site in Chicopee, just down the street from the main gate to Westover Air Reserve Base.

The new facility provides more space for both the limited manufacturing that takes place there — what amounts to final assembly of the coffee makers as well as cutting and packaging of the filters — and the more extensive distribution efforts.

Renowned for its simplistic design, the Chemex coffeemaker is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and other museums.

Several employees have been added over the past few months, and more additions are likely, said Grassy, noting that new machinery to package the filters has been acquired, and other investments in technology have been made.

Overall, demand keeps growing, and keeping up with it is a considerable challenge, meaning this is an exciting — and critical — time for the company.

For this issue and its focus on manufacturing, BusinessWest takes a look at this iconic product and the current efforts to continue its legacy, but in a contemporary fashion.

Bean Entrepreneurial

Grassy remembers virtually growing up in the Pittsfield plant where her parents took the company after acquiring it and refocusing its efforts solely on making coffeemakers after unsuccessful bids to expand the brand to other household items.

She recalls working a variety of jobs, from tying the strands of rawhide that go around the neck of each carafe to packing boxes in the warehouse. She also remembers the letters that would come with orders for new coffeemakers and especially the filters used in them, an equally potent source of revenue.

“People would write about how they had their coffeemaker for however many years, they love it, and it has become a part of the family,” she told BusinessWest, adding that such longevity isn’t the hindrance it might be if one were selling tires (primarily because the company also sells the filters). Instead, it’s a wonderfully effective selling point and a steady source of sales for the holidays, weddings, and virtually any time of the year.

Soon, the company will likely be getting more of these letters, and perhaps in a few different languages, as it continues its global push.

But before talking about that, Grassy set the stage by going back several decades and using the material in the cluttered conference room to help tell the story.

It begins with Schlumbohm. The German-born chemist-turned-inventor relocated to the U.S. in the 1930s and, within a few years, had filed more than 40 patents, most of them dealing in advances in refrigeration through chemical, mechanical, and engineering processes. But there were others, including one for a filtering device filed in 1939.

It would eventually become, along with the tremendously simple design, the heart and soul of the Chemex coffeemaker, which went into production only a few months after the U.S. entered World War II.

The product’s success is owed to a blend of chemistry and design: the narrow-waist flask, or carafe, uses filters made of chemically bonded paper, perhaps 30% thicker than those used for most drip-method coffeemakers, which removes most of the oils and chemicals, giving the coffee a distinctive taste that has helped Chemex more than withstand the recent onslaught from Keurig and other manufacturers.

“We have an entirely different philosophy, for lack of a better word, when it comes to making coffee,” she explained, adding that nothing has changed in 74 years. “The Chemex was designed as a pour-over method, so that the coffee grounds would be properly extracted. Schlumbohm, as a chemist, knew that pouring water over grounds created a chemical reaction, and his dissatisfaction with coffee at the time led him to develop bonded Chemex filters. When it extracts out all the undesirable oils, sediment, and fats, that just leaves the flavor of the bean and the caffeine.”

Peter Schlumbohm, inventor of the Chemex coffeemaker, is seen is this photo, one of the company’s many artifacts, sketching the Chemmobile.

Upon its introduction, the Chemex immediately drew favorable reviews — it appeared on the cover of the Museum of Modern Art’s “Useful Objects in Wartime” bulletin — and solid sales that remained constant through the next several decades and long after Schlumbohm willed the company to an heir who later sold it to the first of a succession of private owners.

Over the years, the product has enjoyed a prominent place in popular culture. James Bond is seen using one in From Russia with Love, the second movie in the 53-year-old series; Mary Tyler Moore had one prominently displayed in her kitchen in her sitcom from the early ’70s; and the product appeared repeatedly in the Dick Tracy comic strip, for example. As part of its efforts to recreate the late ’50s and early ’60s, the makers of Mad Men placed a Chemex in Don Draper’s kitchen.

But the product has certainly stood the test of time, and has been anything but a museum piece, said Grassy, adding that it’s as popular now as it was in the ’50s, when Schlumbohm gave one as a gift to President Harry Truman.

The company was eventually sold to a concern that tried to broaden the Chemex brand to a host of kitchen appliances, said Grassy, adding that a succession of owners essentially failed to replicate the coffeemaker’s success with other products, and the company went into bankruptcy.

Sip Codes

When her parents bought it, they returned it to its roots, and it continued to “plunk along,” as Grassy put it, into the ’90s and the start of this century, when coffee ceased being a drink and instead became a thriving industry, with huge new chains like Starbucks and smaller coffee roasters setting up shop in cities across the country.

The Chemex coffeemaker has been part of the phenomenon, she said, adding that it is used by many specialty coffee chains, including Blue Bottle, Stumptown, George Howell, and others, who want to showcase their coffees in the best way possible.

“The Chemex truly makes a really, really good cup of coffee,” she noted. “And that’s very important for coffee roasters — they want to showcase their coffee beans and the flavors, and with the Chemex process, they’re really able to do that; there’s no bitterness, and you can make it as strong as you want.”

When the company became more aggressive with regard to generating new business, both domestically and overseas, and orders started, well, pouring in, those involved started expanding their horizons, and in many different ways.

It was as that profound change was happening that Grassy and her brother decided to become part of the leadership team at the company. Indeed, while they both grew up at the Pittsfield plant, neither had intentions of making this a career, she said.

“I had just moved to Cambridge from San Francisco — I had attended an art school out there and had gone for fine art — and had planned to go to Leslie for an art-therapy degree, when I got diverted,” she said. “My mother said, ‘things are busy; I’d love it if you could come help, even on weekends or part-time.’

“So I started commuting back to the Berkshires, and that’s when I noticed something interesting was happening,” she went on. “I noticed it in cafés and online, and I said, ‘something’s going on here, and we just need to get involved,’ and the rest is history.’”

What was going on lay at the heart of the basic laws concerning supply and demand. Changing times and iconic products were creating demand, and now the company had to go about creating a supply.

While the company has always sold its product overseas, Grassy said, volume there was a fraction of what it was domestically. That started to change when she and her mother traveled to London five years ago for a coffee event.

“We started making connections there,” she said, adding that these involved both retailers and the growing legions of coffee roasters, and these connections helped introduce the product to new markets and new constituencies, thus generating sales volume.

The pattern has been repeated in other European countries, including Germany and Austria, and also in Asia, South America, Australia, and other spots around the globe, said Grassy, to the point where international sales are now approaching domestic volume.

And while expanding its market reach, the company is also introducing new products, such as the Ottomatic, a machine (manufactured in Ireland) that brings the same brewing chemistry and philosophy, but with the push of button.

“It’s a revolutionary automatic coffee machine,” she explained. “It actually has as shower head, so, as opposed to a regular coffee machine which has one stream straight down, ours showers down and has a pulsing to mimic the Chemex brewing. It’s been a huge success for us.”

Meanwhile, it has rebranded, changing a logo that had been constant since the ’80s, and also created new packaging, updated the website, and made full use of the wide array of social-media outlets to get its message across.

“It’s been quite an evolution,” said Grassy, adding that a thread through its many elements has been sensitivity to the company’s long, proud history, while also modernizing the brand as necessary. This approach can be seen in some of the new advertisements, which have a ’50s look to them.

“We want to take a company with a rich history and continue that legacy in a contemporary way,” she explained. “Our history is very special, and we don’t want to deviate from it. We want to marry the past with the present and future.”

Off-the-cup Remarks

As she wrapped up a tour of the Chicopee facility, Grassy paused in the spacious, still-vacant front area of the building.

Eventually, it will be reshaped into a display area for many of those artifacts now in the conference room — which represent only a fraction of what the company has stored in its archives — and there will also be a small coffee bar for employees and customers.

It’s an exciting development, one of many taking place at this company that is writing new chapters in a story that is rich in character — and flavor.

In other words, this is a venture on very solid ground — or grounds, as the case may be.

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

Winds of Change

Manufacturing Sections

Excel Dryer Gains Market Share by Touting Green Benefits

Denis (left) and Bill Gagnon show off XLERATOR models branded with company logos, one of the product’s aesthetic selling points.

If there’s one statistic that drives Excel Dryer, it’s this one: 85%.

That’s the percentage of commercial restrooms in the U.S. that eschew hand dryers for paper towels. That represents significant — and attainable — opportunities, said William Gagnon, vice president of marketing for the East Longmeadow-based company started by his father, Denis, in 1999. After all, when Excel launched its signature product, the XLERATOR, in 2001, that number was 90%. And it continues to shrink.

“Excel Dryer works with all commercial facilities because all businesses have restrooms,” he told BusinessWest, listing some segments that purchase the most hand dryers, including schools; the hospitality industry — including restaurants, hotels, resorts, casinos, and amusement parks — assembly areas like stadiums, convention centers, and concert venues; healthcare; government; retail stores; and transportation facilities like airports, DOTs, and public-transit centers. “We are very successful with all facilities that focus on saving time, money, and the environment.”

The challenge is educating people about the benefits of using high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers, which improve the user experience compared to older dryers, he said, adding that the XLERATOR dries hands three times faster than conventional hand dryers.

But the education efforts are working, and so is word of mouth.

“Since this new category of hand dryers has become available, hand dryers have gained significant traction versus paper towels,” Gagnon said, citing a report from Dodge Data and Analytics that Excel Dryer products are now listed among the specifications in more than half of new commercial construction projects that include hand dryers. “This means that architects and interior designers working in the commercial-restroom field prefer Excel Dryer models to any others on the market.”

Indeed, the XLERATOR’s initial success — it burst onto the market with a 700% increase in sales between 2001 and 2008 — was no fluke; the company continues to record double-digit growth each year, and 2014 was the best year in Excel’s history.

In fact, Gagnon says Excel has done nothing less than revolutionize the hand-dryer industry, changing the environment in commercial restrooms in more ways than one.

Heating Up

Environmental concerns are, in fact, at the top of Excel’s marketing strategy, but Gagnon said it’s fighting a messaging war with paper-towel manufacturers.

Specifically, he noted that paper-industry giants fund studies claiming that recycled paper towels must be better for the environment than electric hand dryers. “That couldn’t be further from the truth,” he added, claiming that Excel’s high-powered dryers actually represent a 70% reduction in carbon footprint compared to recycled paper towels.

“The paper industry also likes to say that paper towels are more sanitary,” he went on, “but independent, third-party studies from leading academic and research organizations debunk this myth time and time again.”

He cited a study from the Mayo Clinic that found no difference between paper towels and hand dryers in removing bacteria from washed hands. However, another study published in the American Journal of Infection Control found 17 species of bacteria on unused, recycled paper towels, and noted that this may have implications in industrial and clinical settings, like hospitals, which house immunocompromised individuals. “When a leading publication about infection control warns against using paper towels in healthcare settings,” Gagnon said, “that’s a pretty strong statement.”

To further emphasize the company’s dual emphases on cleanliness and ecological impact, Excel Dryer recently launched a new product, the XLERATOReco, which uses what Gagnon calls “no-heat technology” to dry hands quickly using only 500 watts.

“It offers all the same features and benefits of the original XLERATOR hand dryer, except for the heating element,” he explained. “This hand dryer significantly reduces energy consumption and is the best choice for facilities looking to reduce costs and energy usage.” He added that it’s also an attractive choice for facilities in warmer climates where the heating element is not as beneficial.

Even the original XLERATOR, because it dries hands so quickly, uses 80% less energy than conventional hand dryers, Gagnon said, and provide a 95% cost savings versus paper towels, once the initial cost of installation is recouped — typically, within one year. Add it up, and the Excel team believes it has a winning formula for continued growth, and not just domestically.

“Approximately 25% to 30% percent of our sales are exported outside of the United States, and we are experiencing tremendous growth in international markets,” he told BusinessWest. “For example, the European adoption rate of energy-efficient technology is significantly higher than here in the U.S. They have much stricter energy restrictions and less room in landfills for waste, so high-speed, energy-efficient hand-dryer technology is much more prevalent there.”

In fact, he added, the ratio of hand dryers to paper towels in commercial restrooms in Europe is three to one, a stark reversal of the U.S. model. “As awareness for energy conservation increases, environmentally friendly, energy-efficient hand-dryer adoption rates will increase on a global scale. The United States is not as far down the path of adopting sustainable solutions, but the demand in European markets is a good indication that energy-efficient technology is the way of the future.”

At the same time, Gagnon said, Excel has managed to keep its manufacturing base in East Longmeadow, using Kaizen Cell procedures to become more efficient instead of cutting costs by moving operations overseas, like others in its industry have done. In doing so, Excel continues to add manufacturing jobs locally.

Giving a Hand

Despite its continued growth, Excel isn’t resting on its success. It has added adjustable speed and sound control for sound-sensitive areas, and a HEPA filtration system and Microban anti-microbial wall guards to support hygienic standards. Excel also recently unveiled a sixth-generation motor for longer lifespan. Now, the control assembly features error codes to make maintenance easier.

On the aesthetic side, the device’s custom digital image covers can feature corporate colors, logos, images, and taglines. “You can see our custom covers here locally at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and all across the globe,” Gagnon noted.

“Big brands like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Coca-Cola, and even the New England Patriots have them in Gillette Stadium,” he added. “It’s great to see companies support sustainable solutions and co-brand the XLERATOR hand-dryer models with their unique style. It says a lot when an organization like the Patriots believes in your brand enough to put their logo on your product.”

The covers can also feature sustainable messaging, including statistics from the EPA, explaining why hand dryers are a better choice for the environment than paper towels, Gagnon said, adding that customers have increasingly come to appreciate the green appeal of the product.

In fact, Excel is the first hand-dryer company to become affiliated with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which hosts the largest green-building trade show, and is the force behind LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for environmentally friendly buildings. “We don’t just talk the talk; we walk the walk,” Gagnon added. “Our latest Excel Dryer corporate office expansion was LEED Gold-certified.”

In addition, the company touts its membership in the Green Building Initiative and the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council, and endorsements by the Green Restaurant and Green Hotels Assoc. and a listing on the GreenSpec guide to ecologically conscious building products.

“According to the EPA, one ton of paper towels requires 17 trees, pollutes 7,000 gallons of water, and takes up 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space,” Gagnon noted. “This is just too taxing on our environment. We need to find better, sustainable solutions. Going green is no longer just a movement; it’s becoming the expectation, and we are proud to be a catalyst for positive change.”

In addition, Excel is an original seed sponsor of the Green Apple Day of Service, a program of Green Apple, a cause-marketing initiative of the USGBC Center for Green Schools.

“Three years ago, they launched a national day of service, challenging school officials to improve education facilities and promote a safer, healthier, and more sustainable place to learn,” he explained, adding that Excel has participated each year by donating custom-covered Green Apple XLERATOR hand dryers to schools around the world. The Green Apple dryers are available for any facility to purchase, and a part of the proceeds goes back to support the Green Apple initiative. The next day of service is scheduled for Sept. 25.

“As awareness of green industry has grown, so has our business,” he said, “and we look forward to continue partnering with green-industry thought leaders and organizations to continue building momentum.”

(Rest)room for Growth

To that end, Gagnon anticipates sharing more developments in the coming year, from a hand-dryer model compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act to a new, integrated sink system that features the latest XLERATOR technology.

“We continue to focus on innovative solutions for the industry,” he told BusinessWest. And with so many commercial spaces still dependent on paper, he knows there are plenty of minds left to change.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Thinking Outside the Box

Business of Aging Sections

Innovative Method Helps Caregivers Engage with Clients with Dementia

Christina Vernon shows off just a few of the items she may include in ‘engagement boxes.’

As the over-65 generation is set to dramatically expand, so will the number of Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. For those struggling with the cognitive and memory loss associated with these conditions, it’s beneficial to keep their minds active as much as possible. But how? Research by an intern at Homewatch Caregivers into a concept called ‘engagement boxes’ is setting a local standard for helping people with dementia hang on to memory, identity, and quality of life.

Christina Vernon calls it the “beach box.”

Inside are dozens of items that evoke the seashore — a jar of sand, a toy shovel and rake, a plastic bucket, a miniature beach ball, collections of seashells and sea glass, even a CD of beach-themed music.

To the average person, this array might evoke memories of a pleasant day soaking in the sun and the surf. But to someone suffering from dementia, the beach box may be nothing less than a catalyst for recovered memories and identity.

And it’s only one of dozens of such ‘engagement boxes’ that Vernon, a social-work student at Elms College, has carefully assembled for Homewatch Caregivers in West Springfield, where she works part-time, with the goal of focusing the minds of dementia patients through sensory stimulation and memory retention.

“These boxes hold items that trigger memories based on the five senses and promote conversation with people with dementia. It keeps them connected to conversation and lets them enjoy moments where they remember the past,” said Vernon.

For example, one brightly colored box might contain an old pair of white gloves, a child’s book of nursery rhymes, a small tea set, a beaded purse, and a jar of cold cream. “We might begin the activity by asking the client, ‘did you ever have a tea set?’ It may surprise you what your loved one comes out with.”

Sensory activities, she explained, involve many parts of the brain, including emotional, motor, and cognitive areas. They can allow someone with dementia to reawaken personal memories and help maintain the person’s quality of life, increase engagement with loved ones, and improve mood, behavior, and cognitive functions.

The key is to make sure the activities and conversations between caregiver and client are meaningful and individualized for each family.

“Nobody else is doing this, exactly,” said Judy Yaffe, co-owner of Homewatch Caregivers. “They’re very specialized for every client we’re working with. What happens is, we do a client history, get to know them a little more. We find out what they like and don’t like.”

Hence, the beach box would be ideal for a client who used to enjoy the beach or water activities. Other themed boxes contain baby-care items, art supplies, and vintage jewelry and toys — and Vernon often mixes and matches items to create individualized boxes to bring to clients. Caregivers engage the client with the items during visits, and, afterward, complete assessment sheets detailing what worked and what didn’t.

“The point of developing activities through the use of these boxes is to promote cognitive stimulation as an intervention for people with dementia,” Vernon said, noting that the roots of the philosophy can be traced back to 1950s research into ‘reality orientation,’ which was developed in response to confusion and disorientation in older patients in hospital settings.

Sensory exercises like the boxes Vernon maintains at Homewatch are coming more to the forefront in elder care as demographics are trending dramatically older. In short, Americans are living longer than ever before, with the massive Baby Boom generation heading into its golden years, and the number of patients with dementia — and, therefore, demand for services to assist them — are on the rise.

“Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s and dementia are going to increase,” Yaffe said. “We’re looking at a Baby Boomer tsunami.”

Engaging the Past

Engagement with dementia clients takes a variety of forms, Vernon said, showing off a pack of picture cards she uses during visits. She also shared a video of a session with a client in the early stages of dementia. Holding up a picture of stacks of coins,” she asks the client, “what is this?”

“It’s money.”

“Do you have money?”

“No.”

“Where is your money?”

“The children took it.”

“The children took it? How many children? A boy or a girl?”

“Girls. The girls took it.”

“The girls took it. Hmm,” Vernon says, while switching to a card with a picture of a game of jacks. “Did your girls ever like to play with these?”

And so on — each image, each conversation pathway leading to another cue to engage the client. The boxes Vernon has assembled take the concept a step farther, by providing something to touch, feel, hear, even smell, in addition to viewing.

“She did this as a project for her school, an internship she developed,” Yaffe told BusinessWest.

“I was responsible to do a full research project for the company I was interning for,” Vernon said, referring to Homewatch. “Basically, I found myself working with dementia clients. So I decided to do my research on sensory stimulation boxes and memory.”

Judy Yaffe, with a few of Homewatch Caregivers’ dozens of engagement boxes, says matching boxes with clients is a matter of learning their history, likes, and dislikes.

She bought several boxes worth of items on her own to test the concept. “I visited clients daily with boxes and researched what worked and what didn’t work. At the end of 16 weeks, [Homewatch] offered me a position 10 hours a week to create this program and run with it. It’s been very exciting.”

Since then, Yaffe has purchased most of the items for subsequent boxes. They include a collection of vintage toys, like a yo-yo and an original Slinky; to a “baby box” ideal for clients who love children; and a box of clip-on earrings from the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s, which Vernon brings to a client who loves jewelry. “I made it a game; I ask her to put the pairs together, and then ask if she wants to try them on. It just keeps her active.”

In addition to the boxes, Homewatch has a growing collection of books, DVDs, and CDs of various genres and topics, all aimed at helping clients with dementia keep their minds stimulated.

“The items aren’t always cheap,” Vernon said. “When I go out, I make sure the client has at least three options, and if those don’t work, I go back and find something that does work.”

Sometimes that involves a bit of role playing. “When you’re working with a dementia client, if you’re comfortable entering their world, it really works,” she said.

Yaffe agreed, noting that each client is at a different place in their disease progression and how far back their memories lie. “We’re looking at where they are in their dementia. It could be back to their childhood, could be back to their first job, and that’s where we go. Entering the client’s world, to us, is really important.”

For clients at less-advanced stages, the more hands-on the activity, the better. “One was an avid artist in sculpture, so we bring him books about sculpture,” Vernon said. “We’ve bought sketch pads and watercolor pastels, just things to keep his mind as active as possible.”

It’s all about giving caregivers tools they can work with, Yaffe said. “We’ve developed quite a library here.”

Peace of Mind

While researching the effectiveness of engagement boxes at an assisted-living facility, interviewing five people over a period of weeks, Vernon — who will graduate in May and go on to pursue her master’s degree at Springfield College — came to understand the detrimental effects of an inactive mind.

“When you’re bored, when you’re not doing anything, when a client is sitting idle, their memories are fading faster than when they’re engaged with someone,” she said. “It’s better for the client’s overall well-being to be engaged. It’s great to see people light up, to see people talk about things based on the items we take out. It’s rewarding work.”

Yaffe said eliminating isolation and loneliness are two of the goals of her agency, and the engagement boxes are now a major component of that — not to mention a practice that family members can continue after a professional caregiver has ended a shift.

“Activities bring pleasure to people with Alzheimer’s,” Vernon told BusinessWest. “Keeping people involved in prior hobbies and interests that once gave them pleasure is important. Family members should take a flexible approach that is broad-based. Read the newspaper, look at books, cook, watch family videos — and remember to concentrate on the process of an activity and not the results. Perhaps develop your own engagement box for your loved one. It’s the joy of doing and discovery that can make the difference in their quality of life.”

Many clients don’t have dementia, but do suffer from some memory impairment, and the boxes — which can be checked out and brought back to Homewatch by families — can be effective tools for them as well.

“It’s really great for a family when they see mom or dad remembering something; it really gives the family a sense of purpose, as well as direction,” Vernon said. “We constantly exchange items and find out what’s working, find out what activities are good for a client.

“A lot of it is based on the individual person,” she continued. “I talk to the client and caregiver, spend an hour getting to know them, and after the initial meeting, I have a greater idea of what I can do to enhance their experience.”

Yaffe said Homewatch has long embraced other forms of sensory engagement with clients, especially music, which the Alzheimer’s Assoc. calls one of the main catalysts to recovering memory.

“We do a lot of music with our clients. If they remember something, it’s usually music from their teenage years, and they often remember it word for word,” she said. “It’s all about engaging people in the moment — but that moment can last the rest of the day for some people, and that’s important. It’s an easy activity if you can engage them.”

Added Vernon, “you see people light up when they hear their music. I think that’s an essential thing. That’s why most of our boxes have a CD with it. For the beach box, there’s beach-themed music. For the baby box, it’s lullabyes, softer music.”

Of course, she reiterated, the best boxes are the ones that engage all the senses. “It’s so worth the time and effort to make life better,” she said. “It works. We’ve validated it, and we know that it works.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

At a Crossroads

Business of Aging Sections

Aging Population Creates Myriad Healthcare Challenges

Dr. Rebecca Starr says the role of geriatricians and others who treat the elderly will become even more important as the over-65 population dramatically expands in the coming years.

It’s no secret that the nation’s demographics are skewing older. Paul Judd doesn’t think that’s all bad.

“People talk about aging of America, but it sure beats the alternative, which is not aging,” said Judd, vice president of Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning for Baystate Health.

That said, the aging trend is no laughing matter for the healthcare industry, which faces a number of challenges directly related to the fact that Americans are living longer, often with multiple and chronic health conditions, than ever before, and the massive Baby Boom generation — all 75 million of them — will continue to swell the ranks of the over-65 crowd.

“In 2012, there were 40 million people over the age of 65. By 2040, it’s expected to double to 80 million. Really, that’s tremendous growth,” said Dr. Rebecca Starr, a geriatrician with Baystate Medical Center.

The cause isn’t solely generational; the fact is that modern medicine keeps sick people alive much longer than in decades past.

“We’re doing a great job treating heart disease, diabetes, COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease],” she continued, “and as a result, people are getting through these very significant things that they didn’t used to survive, and people are growing older. And because they’re living longer, that means we’re seeing more dementia as well.”

All of that comes with a cost. In 2010, senior citizens accounted for 13% of the population but 34% of the heathcare costs, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. But national health expenditures are projected to grow at an average rate of 5.7% through 2023, and older Americans will drive the largest percentage of that cost.

At the same time, the role of geriatricians is expected to become more prominent, Starr said.

“We have extra training, we’re fellowship-trained, and we specialize in taking care of people over 65,” she explained. “Our goal is keeping people living independendly as long as possible, and healthy as well. We look at the whole person. We take a look at all their diseases and all their medications, and we make sure their medications are appropriate for them and don’t cause adverse side effects and also that we’re not treating the side effects of their other medications, what we call a prescribing cascade.”

That said, there’s a “tremendous shortage of geriatricians,” Starr said. “I think it’s pretty significant.”

In fact, many health fields may face shortages in the coming decade, because at the same time an older population is placing more demand on the industry — for both acute care and myriad services aimed at seniors’ health maintenance and quality of life — Boomers are aging out of the healthcare workforce as well, posing what could be a difficult recruiting landscape for health organizations large and small.

Age-old Concerns

It’s an issue Judd is deeply involved with, but Baystate isn’t waiting around for that coming wave of retirements.

“If there were a silver bullet, everyone would be doing it. It would be an easy fix, and it’s certainly not,” he told BusinessWest. “With the aging of the workforce, the approach we’ve taken is to truly understand where our aging is. So we’ve done a lot of workforce planning, to try to understand where we’ve got issues and what we need to do to fill these pipelines, if you will, well in advance of it becoming a problem.”

So Baystate has launched a number of workforce-development programs with area schools and colleges, and partnered with other health systems through the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County on worker-training initiatives.

“Instead of trying to steal from each other, we’re trying to take a look at the healthcare needs of the whole Pioneer Valley and say, ‘here’s what we all need; let’s create pipelines to fill all of our needs,’ instead of Baystate doing the training and everyone tries to steal them from us.

“We have to look at it from a community perspective,” Judd added. “You see we have all these healthcare offerings in the community, and they’re all important. From a community perspective, we’ve been somewhat successful at building some healthcare pipelines, working with places like HCC and STCC, developing programs and creating oppportunties for jobs. Some of the demand to do with aging, some with changing regulations with healthcare. We’re trying to get ahead of it, create these pipelines before it gets to where there’s an issue.”

Internally, Baystate has identified a number of areas where an aging workforce and other factors could come into play — operating-room nurses, for example.

“They can be a little difficult [to recruit], because a lot of nursing schools don’t have a rotation through the operating room anymore, as they did in past years,” Judd said. “Getting young nurses interested in going into the OR can be a bit of a challenge. So we created an internship, a nine-month orientation, for any registered nurses interested in going into the OR. That’s an issue I anticipate will become more acute over the next 10 years.”

Shortages are expected to be especially high in primary care, an issue that’s already rearing its head. In its most recent Physician Workforce Study, the Mass. Medical Society listed family medicine and internal medicine atop its list of specialties facing shortages already, and new recruits into primary care aren’t expected to match the anticipated retirements of older doctors.

Keeping the Pace

That’s one reason why keeping older people healthy has taken on a new importance in America — a reality that has seen the emergence of a number of programs to help families do just that.

Take, for example, Mercy Life, a PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) program run by the Sisters of Providence Health System. Medicaid oversees PACE programs, which are on the rise in the U.S. because the role they play — providing a range of adult-day health programs aimed at keeping seniors out of nursing homes — is becoming more prominent.

Since Mercy Life opened its doors a year ago on the former Brightside for Children and Families campus in Holyoke, it has expanded its census to 82 seniors who come for primary care; physical, occupational, and speech therapy; and the services of a social worker, dietitian, nurse, and other care providers as needed.

“From anecdotal comments from people, the sense is that, in a really short period of time, people who come to the PACE program are experiencing an awakening of sorts,” said Chris McLaughlin, chief operating officer of the Mercy Continuing Care Network, which encompasses a number of independent-living, assisted-living, and skilled-nursing facilities, as well as home-care, hospice, and adult day programs.

He told of one man, about 60, who had been living with his father and never ventured out of his room. “He was kind of a curmudgeon. His brother-in-law said he reawakened when he came to the program. He didn’t think he’d like it — he wasn’t a social person — but he made friends, he’s smiling, he’s happy. His brother-in-law told me, ‘we’re seeing the old Bob we used to know come out.’”

Another woman whose husband was participating at Mercy Life told McLaughlin, “‘you’ve improved the quality of my husband’s life. He walks better, he’s not afraid he’s going to fall, and he’s regaining limited use of his hands via therapy and other work done with him.’

“People love the fact that their loved one can continue to live at home,” he continued. “We run some great nursing homes, but we never have anyone walk through the door and say, ‘geez, this is wonderful. I’ve always wanted to come here.’ They want to stay with their loved ones, in their own environment. And this has improved people’s vitality so they can continue living where they’re most comfortable.”

In a way, McLaughlin said, PACE programs are a form of accountable care, the model becoming more common at hospitals nationwide, which involve teams of providers being paid by insurers to keep patients well over a period of time, rather than being paid for each treatment, test, and hospital stay. It’s a model that becomes more challenging when dealing with an older population grappling with chronic conditions.

“As hospital stays decline, more care is being provided in people’s homes, where most of us prefer to receive care,” he told BusinessWest. “In a PACE program, we’re at risk for outcomes and at risk for managing seniors’ health within their means. The goal is to manage someone’s care and get them to a better state in terms of wellness and overall health.”

Hospital to Home

When she considers the aging of America, Starr recognizes a range of needs — specifically, growing demand for home care, residential care, adult day health, and various other services along the continuum for senior citizens. Part of her role is coordinating patient transitions into these various programs.

“That’s the goal, but it’s very difficult to put into place,” she said. “We have these multiple transitions of care; we have people transferred from one hospital to another for more acute care, they can go to rehab, perhaps home — that’s three or four transitions where you can have errors in medication, can lose track of follow-up … it can be a real problem.”

The key is communication between the different providers, especially at a time when the accountable-care model of healthcare is forcing hospitals to emphasize population health and reduce readmission rates — a task that becomes more challenging as the aging trend in America means more people living with chronic conditions.

“I think it obviously starts at home, and making sure that primary-care physicians have some geriatric training,” Starr said. “Then hospitals have to make sure the care of older adults meets the standard of geriatric care.

“Our goal is to keep people healthy by preventing and managing disease and helping people maintain function, the things they should be able to do — get out of bed, shower, get dressed, toilet themselves — because if that’s not maintained, that means extra care, that can mean nursing home as well.”

To better meet those goals, she explained, “one of the things we’re starting now is an acute-care floor dedicated to providing care for older adults, with the goal of maintaining function, preventing delirium, and having get them back home so they don’t need short-term rehab or, even worse, long-term care.”

It’s a model that might become more common over the next decade, she added. “It’s not as common as I think it should be, but where it’s been taken up, it’s shown things like reduced readmission rates, reduced length of stay, and reduced delirium. Getting people back home is really important.”

To do that effectively, Judd understands that hospitals and other providers need to be well-staffed, so he continues to cultivate programs to ensure a healthy future for Boomers in Western Mass.

“We’re taking a planning approach to it, getting in front of it, working with the local community colleges to build programs, and creating pipelines of people in the future,” he told BusinessWest. “I think, for communities like us, this will continue to be an issue.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Home After Home

Business of Aging Sections

A chart of the region’s senior living options

Click HERE to download the PDF chart

Building Permits

Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of March 2015.

AMHERST

308 College Street, LLC
308 College St.
$3,000 — Interior renovations

Shankara Shakti
460 West St.
$3,000 — Interior renovations

CHICOPEE

Asholt Patel
1508 Memorial Dr.
$6,500 — Repairs to building

River Valley Counseling
249 Exchange St.
$10,000 — Interior renovations

GREENFIELD

Baystate Franklin Medical Center
164 High St.
$83,000 — Renovation of radiology room

Donna Pfeffer
220-228 Main St.
$3,500 — New siding

First Church of Christ
110 Federal St.
$12,000 — New roof

Four Rivers Educational Foundation
248 Colrain Road
$10,000 — Interior repairs for water damage

Green River Cemetery Association
56 Wisdom Way
$88,000 — Interior renovations and mechanical improvements

Montague City Road Terminals
34 Montague City Road
$5,000 – Roof work

Somerset Long Term Care, LLC
359 High St.
$10,000 — Interior renovations

Troy Renaud
8 North Circle
$115,000 — Installation of solar panels

LUDLOW

Citizens Bank
33 Center St.
$40,000 — Alterations

SPRINGFIELD

Friendly’s
1809 Boston Road
$13,000 — Kitchen remodel

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$295,000 — 17th floor renovation to 5,900 square feet of office space

Springfield Post Road Corporation
1380 Boston Road
$845,000 — 9,800-square-foot addition to retail plaza

Real Estate Transactions

Departments Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BUCKLAND

48 Prospect St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Grinnell Real Estate LLC
Seller: Barry L. Nye
Date: 02/04/15

DEERFIELD

32 Sawmill Plain Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Thaddeus W. Jarowski
Seller: David A. Degon
Date: 02/05/15

GREENFIELD

182 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Sherlene N. Taylor
Seller: Paula D. Drown
Date: 02/04/15

280 Deerfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Patrick S. Fields
Seller: Keith D. Ranney
Date: 01/29/15

48 Elm St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Gavin R. Lofland
Seller: Shawn A. Coates
Date: 01/30/15

20 Pine St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Douglas T. Patterson
Seller: Joan Ward
Date: 01/30/15

22 Rockland Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Shawn A. Coates
Seller: Cromack, Clayton D., (Estate)
Date: 01/30/15

161 School St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Scott M. Lehman
Seller: Jean P. Migeon
Date: 01/30/15

119 Shelburne Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Faith Kaemmerlen
Seller: Matthew D. Parody
Date: 01/29/15

123 Shelburne Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Faith Kaemmerlen
Seller: Matthew D. Parody
Date: 01/29/15

HAWLEY

49 East Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: James R. Schaefer
Seller: Edwin J. Berliner
Date: 01/26/15

LEYDEN

92 Simon Keets Road
Leyden, MA 01337
Amount: $220,500
Buyer: Erica L. Jensen
Seller: Peter S. Apostoles
Date: 01/30/15

MONTAGUE

58 Central St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Allen Fowler
Seller: John W. Doran
Date: 02/03/15

10 Federal St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Kimberly R. Niedzwiedz
Seller: Corrine E. Sysun
Date: 01/30/15

7-9 Franklin St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $135,500
Buyer: Angela Smith-Laclaire
Seller: Toby A. Holmes
Date: 01/28/15

59 Hillside Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: American General Home Equity
Seller: Scott B. Walsh
Date: 01/26/15

54 Turnpike Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Jean Walden
Seller: Patrick McCoy
Date: 01/28/15

NORTHFIELD

37 Pine St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Suzan J. Smith
Seller: William Labombard
Date: 01/30/15

ORANGE

24 Johnson Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: John D. Carey
Seller: Hometown Bank
Date: 02/05/15

47 Shelter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Easton
Seller: Workers Credit Union
Date: 02/03/15

SHELBURNE

Smead Hill Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Rae Properties LLC
Seller: Susie L. Gribbell
Date: 02/06/15

SHUTESBURY

109 Pratt Corner Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Adam G. Black
Seller: Anjali B. Dziadzio
Date: 01/26/15

SUNDERLAND

85 Old Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $239,700
Buyer: Joseph J. Delaney
Seller: Walter G. Bielunis
Date: 01/30/15

201 Plumtree Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $362,000
Buyer: Edward H. Kaplan
Seller: William W. Wells
Date: 01/30/15

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

26 Hearthstone Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: David Bolio
Seller: Barry J. Lafoe
Date: 02/03/15

62 Ramah Circle North
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Joseph F. Dempsey
Seller: Andra L. Fountain
Date: 01/30/15

38-40 River St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Eugeniu E. Corja
Seller: Raymond J. Nardi
Date: 01/30/15

632-634 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Hemal K. Batteriwala
Seller: Pravin J. Patel
Date: 02/04/15

709 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Rouhana C. Boulos
Seller: Michael A. Torcia
Date: 02/06/15

10 Woodside Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Carole J. Calabrese
Seller: Charles A. Calabrese
Date: 01/30/15

CHICOPEE

261 Arcade St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Allan P. Cote
Seller: Ryan T. Matlasz
Date: 02/05/15

27 Baltic Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Bradley T. Boulanger
Seller: Patricia A. Boulanger
Date: 02/04/15

179 Carew St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Paul G. Beauchemin
Seller: Robert J. Axner
Date: 01/29/15

16 Chateaugay St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Wieslaw Macko
Seller: Marlin Investments LLC
Date: 01/30/15

16 Davenport St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Aimee Perreault
Seller: Barbara A. Claffey
Date: 02/06/15

4 Dobek Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $219,020
Buyer: Household Finance Corp. 2
Seller: Eugene J. Gay
Date: 02/04/15

21 Dorrance St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Robert Laquerre
Seller: Jamison Quist
Date: 02/03/15

10 Harvey St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $242,300
Buyer: Robert Baron
Seller: Gary S. Toth
Date: 01/29/15

15 Henry St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Justin A. Bergeron
Seller: Tara M. Abramowicz
Date: 01/30/15

21 Lyman Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Robert F. Majkowski
Seller: Michael W. Dziekan
Date: 02/06/15

68 Marion St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $175,000
Seller: Dorothy B. Swidrak
Date: 01/30/15

48 Mary St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $176,900
Buyer: Carlton F. Crudup
Seller: Martyn Green
Date: 01/30/15

81 Mount Royal St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Yvette Owusu
Seller: Darrel H. Seal
Date: 02/06/15

35 Parkwood Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Jason M. Saletnik
Seller: Gregory S. Schlagel
Date: 01/30/15

91 Sherman Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Elian A. Marquez
Seller: Yazmin Diaz
Date: 02/04/15

Willimansett Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Taras Levchyk
Seller: Marilyn Crevier
Date: 02/06/15

EAST LONGMEADOW

56 Avery St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $284,500
Buyer: John W. Foster
Seller: Nu Way Homes Inc.
Date: 01/30/15

80 Braeburn Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Danielle Geoffrion
Seller: Heather J. Champagne
Date: 01/30/15

9 Capri Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $318,006
Buyer: Dino A. Isotti
Seller: Kent Pecoy & Sons Construction
Date: 02/05/15

11 Donamor Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $219,500
Buyer: Gabrielle D. Ploss
Seller: Michael D. Smith
Date: 01/28/15

28 Edmund St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Nu Way Homes Inc.
Seller: Joyce A. Sibley
Date: 02/05/15

60 Highlandview Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $292,500
Buyer: Sean E. Roseburg
Seller: Michael Torcia
Date: 02/06/15

655 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Ambrose I. Mwea
Seller: Christensen, Ruth E., (Estate)
Date: 02/06/15

499 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Michael J. Germain
Seller: Shirley J. Hahn
Date: 01/28/15

GRANVILLE

241 North Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Adrian R. Bosley
Seller: Holly N. Doran
Date: 01/30/15

HAMPDEN

12 Andrew Circle
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $377,000
Buyer: Gary C. Roy
Seller: Stanley Czaplicki
Date: 01/29/15

HOLLAND

3 Lakeridge Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Robert L. Jones
Seller: Daniel G. Lanza
Date: 02/06/15

HOLYOKE

42 Berkshire St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Josue Arroyo
Seller: Rafael Arroyo
Date: 01/30/15

73 Brookline Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $125,500
Buyer: Lindsey G. Brynjolfsson
Seller: Lee A. Bourdon
Date: 01/30/15

3-9 Brown Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Makkah LLC
Seller: BDMG LLC
Date: 01/30/15

379 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Debra Stosz
Seller: Michael M. Powell
Date: 02/06/15

45 Sterling Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Thomas Drohan
Seller: Robert T. Clayton
Date: 01/30/15

32 Valley Hts.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $142,800
Buyer: Melissa S. Stearns
Seller: Thomas J. Ginley
Date: 01/30/15

LONGMEADOW

113 Albemarle Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: David M. Morneau
Seller: Allen Sommer
Date: 01/30/15

9 Caravelle Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Charlotte Zeller
Seller: Shuo Xu
Date: 02/04/15

38 Chiswick St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $182,500
Buyer: Scott Humble
Seller: Howes, Arlene H., (Estate)
Date: 02/03/15

45 Exeter Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Jonathan R. Shayne
Seller: Wilson C. Mertens
Date: 01/30/15

45 Harwich Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Matthew B. Woodfield
Seller: Daniel L. Landry
Date: 01/29/15

61 Pinewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Sotiris Stamou
Seller: Anne S. Robinson
Date: 02/05/15

249 Redfern Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Buyer: Karl Schuhlen
Seller: Brian M. Axler
Date: 01/29/15

40 Sunset Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Clifford L. Lagassie
Date: 01/28/15

36 Warwick St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $288,000
Buyer: John M. Beattie
Seller: Katherine T. Lavallee
Date: 02/05/15

LUDLOW

19 Barre Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Stephane L. Cloutier
Seller: Vestal, Concepcion, (Estate)
Date: 01/30/15

1623 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Edwin Torres
Seller: Stephen E. Alspach
Date: 02/05/15

483 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Eric R. Pollander
Seller: AMP Real Estate Group LLC
Date: 02/06/15

211 Holyoke St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Laura J. Howland
Seller: Lori A. Braga
Date: 01/29/15

88 Kirkland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $176,700
Buyer: Karen Szlosek-Welch
Seller: Kirkland RT
Date: 01/30/15

48 Lehigh St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Victoria C. Baines
Seller: Manuel C. Vitorino
Date: 02/06/15

250 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Nicole V. Libiszewski
Seller: Bruschi, Karen M., (Estate)
Date: 01/28/15

126 Reynolds St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Matthew D. Wrisley
Seller: Christopher C. Gregoire
Date: 02/04/15

133 Shawinigan Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Windsor Locks FCU
Seller: Laura M. Castoe
Date: 02/03/15

153 Whitney St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Kristie L. Learned
Seller: Paula L. Moretti
Date: 01/28/15

MONSON

23-1/2 Mechanic St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Deborah F. McGorry
Seller: Keith L. Sisco
Date: 01/30/15

51 Wales Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Andrew P. Beaulieu
Seller: Darryl R. Smart
Date: 01/28/15

MONTGOMERY

1 Jason Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: Matthew W. Freniere
Seller: Jeremy Horning
Date: 01/30/15

PALMER

2141 Baptist Hill Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Richard D. Carey
Seller: John B. Foley
Date: 01/30/15

12 Peterson Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Erik T. Kaiser
Seller: Stone Bear LLC
Date: 01/30/15

RUSSELL

51 Highland Ave.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Lee M. Kozikowski
Seller: Duane P. Desilets
Date: 01/30/15

SPRINGFIELD

350 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $171,500
Buyer: Octavia D. Peterson
Seller: Ryan L. Mayhew
Date: 01/28/15

1237-1239 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 02/03/15

130 Berkshire St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Northeast Center For Youth
Seller: Roger A. Gallagher
Date: 02/04/15

123 Bronson Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Rana Morton
Seller: Janet A. Crosier
Date: 01/30/15

113 Canton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Beverly R. Mulvaney
Seller: David Cross
Date: 02/04/15

851 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Gary W. Keefe
Seller: Greenleaf Holdings Inc.
Date: 01/26/15

336 Central St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Karla Iborty
Seller: Viva Development LLC
Date: 01/30/15

84-86 Chapin Terrace
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Caraballo Realty LLC
Seller: Jose E. Llorens
Date: 02/04/15

40 Delmore St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $126,000
Buyer: John A. Lawton
Seller: Andre Houle
Date: 01/29/15

18 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Brandie L. Seymour
Seller: Tyrome M. Witherspoon
Date: 01/30/15

1157-1169 East Columbus Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: 180 Redevelopment LLC
Seller: Theresa Dangelantonio
Date: 02/03/15

961 East Columbus Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Robert D. Ober
Seller: Sandon Realty LLC
Date: 02/05/15

43-45 Eagle St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $144,000
Buyer: Steven Al-Husseini
Seller: Little Eagle LLC
Date: 02/06/15

8 Fenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $144,900
Buyer: Kenneth Fontanez
Seller: Taylor McDonald
Date: 02/02/15

28 Freeman Terrace
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $118,466
Buyer: Bayview Loan Servicing
Seller: Herminio Perez
Date: 01/26/15

33 Homestead Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Daniel Delaney
Seller: Tatyana N. Bocharnikova
Date: 01/30/15

49 Lexington St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $175,403
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Jose A. Rodriguez
Date: 02/02/15

79 Linnell St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $152,400
Buyer: David J. Abbott
Seller: Tammy E. Robinson
Date: 02/05/15

164 Lumae St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $153,900
Buyer: Steven F. Desantis
Seller: Theodore H. Knee
Date: 01/30/15

816-828 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: 816 Main Street RT
Seller: James F. Fenton
Date: 02/05/15

45 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $121,035
Buyer: AHAP LLC
Seller: JJS Capital Investment
Date: 01/26/15

90-92 Marlborough St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: A To Z Property Mgmt. & Renovation
Seller: Hallerin Realty LLP
Date: 01/30/15

117 Middle St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Jovany Pinto
Seller: John H. Westcott
Date: 01/30/15

67-69 Norfolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Tessa T. Innis
Seller: CTL Realty LLC
Date: 01/28/15

15 Oakhurst St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Angel M. Bermudez
Seller: Milton B. Curry
Date: 01/30/15

33 Redden St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Ruth Roldan
Seller: Anne K. Ambrose
Date: 01/28/15

17 Spruceland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Michael J. Fleming
Seller: Terrence O’Connell
Date: 02/03/15

51 Stratford Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Luis D. Burgos
Seller: William Raleigh
Date: 01/29/15

795 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Veronica R. Garcia
Seller: William A. Dowell
Date: 01/30/15

50 Warehouse St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: Electro Term Inc.
Seller: Center For Human Development Inc.
Date: 02/03/15

49 Washington Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $193,250
Buyer: Rosa M. Lopez
Seller: Stephen G. Smith
Date: 01/30/15

18 Wesson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: David Assarian
Seller: William P. Shamleffer
Date: 01/30/15

65 Westbrook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Brenda I. Morales
Seller: Raco, Shirley E., (Estate)
Date: 02/04/15

77 Wilcox St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $133,000
Buyer: 180 Redevelopment LLC
Seller: Theresa Dangelantonio
Date: 02/03/15

138-140 Yale St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Tamara A. Williams
Seller: SAW Construction LLC
Date: 02/02/15

SOUTHWICK

168 College Hwy.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Keith J. Hebig
Seller: Giuseppe Scuderi
Date: 02/04/15

22 Ferrin Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $324,200
Buyer: Charles J. Allessio
Seller: Kenneth Haar
Date: 01/29/15

69 Lakeview St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Ana Banari
Seller: US Bank
Date: 01/26/15

51 Mort Vining Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $459,000
Buyer: Brian M. Iserman
Seller: Urban J. Janssen
Date: 02/06/15

WALES

163 Monson Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $226,706
Seller: Joseph W. Keifer
Date: 01/26/15

WEST SPRINGFIELD

181 Doty Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $307,500
Buyer: Gill Brothers LLC
Seller: Sergei Starosielski
Date: 02/03/15

28 Lombra Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Livingstone LLC
Seller: Cella, Yvonne F., (Estate)

72 Lower Mass Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Laura Scutt-Drohan
Seller: Ronald Raffenetti
Date: 01/30/15

346 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Mykola Mevshyy
Seller: Lesli McCellan
Date: 02/02/15

535 Piper Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Sergey F. Gavel
Seller: Kozak, Robert C., (Estate)
Date: 02/03/15

WESTFIELD

23 Bush St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: George Alvarez
Seller: Jason D. Desclos
Date: 01/28/15

48 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Liquori Realty LLC
Seller: Douglas Clinic Inc.
Date: 01/28/15

95 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: T&S Holdings LLC
Seller: Cynthia E. Doel
Date: 01/30/15

560 East Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $2,300,000
Buyer: Westfield Bank
Seller: WBGLA Of Westfield MA LLC
Date: 02/06/15

587 East Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $2,300,000
Buyer: Westfield Bank
Seller: WBGLA Of Westfield MA LLC
Date: 02/06/15

31 Floral Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Tyler E. Hildack
Seller: FNMA
Date: 01/30/15

172 Holyoke Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Adam E. Abramowicz
Seller: Michelle Meyer
Date: 01/30/15

31 Kellogg St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $132,500
Buyer: Maria Malancea
Seller: Craig Filiault
Date: 01/30/15

78 Laura Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: James A. Drost
Seller: James K. Mayne
Date: 01/30/15

26 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $132,300
Buyer: Ralph A. Mastello
Seller: Foucher, Elaine V., (Estate)
Date: 01/30/15

14 Southgate Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Lorraine M. Almeida
Seller: Home Run Properties LLC
Date: 02/03/15

20 Tekoa Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Timothy K. Derrig
Seller: Deirdre Johnson
Date: 01/30/15

43 Willow Brook Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $323,000
Buyer: Duane P. Desilets
Seller: Lee M. Kozikowski
Date: 01/30/15

WILBRAHAM

41 Brainard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $227,650
Buyer: Sara M. Bronner
Seller: Justin Kochanowski
Date: 02/06/15

75 Cherry Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $340,240
Buyer: Neil W. Bennett
Seller: 2301 Boston Road LLC
Date: 01/30/15

2 Cliffside Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Kaitlin S. Romaniak
Seller: O’Neil, Agnes T., (Estate)
Date: 01/29/15

2 Leemond St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Michael S. Larson
Seller: Robert F. Pabis
Date: 01/26/15

444 Soule Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Carianne E. Haluch
Seller: Tamsey, Dorothy M., (Estate)
Date: 01/30/15

553 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Scott J. Beeman
Seller: Leslie P. Lohnes
Date: 01/30/15

4 Webster Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: Daniel Chalifour
Seller: Michael J. Thompson
Date: 01/30/15

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

1260 Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $152,500
Buyer: Renata Smith
Seller: Bank Of America
Date: 02/04/15

245 East Hadley Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Edwin E. Cruz
Seller: Mary E. Dizek
Date: 01/30/15

East Leverett Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: MKM Investments LLC
Seller: Barry L. Roberts
Date: 01/30/15

27 Greenleaves Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $214,200
Buyer: Sarah J. Emans
Seller: Amhad Development Corp.
Date: 01/26/15

BELCHERTOWN

248 Amherst Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Jason Gagnon
Seller: FNMA
Date: 01/30/15

240 Barton Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $377,500
Buyer: Oscar A. Martinez
Seller: Christopher M. Buell
Date: 02/06/15

16 Emily Lane
Belchertown, MA 01002
Amount: $421,509
Buyer: Renee E. Drysdale
Seller: JP Builders Inc.
Date: 01/28/15

North Liberty St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Pioneer Valley Custom Homes
Seller: Dudek, Sebastian E., (Estate)
Date: 02/06/15

369 State St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $210,810
Buyer: Bradley M. Marszalkowski
Seller: Scott A. Anderson
Date: 02/02/15

CUMMINGTON

Berkshire Trail
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: T&J Stone Properties LLC
Seller: MJW Properties LLC
Date: 01/28/15

EASTHAMPTON

18-20 Arlington St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $194,400
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Edwin J. Jeliciano
Date: 02/02/15

22 Hannum Brook Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Stephanie E. Flaherty
Seller: Richard S. Lyman
Date: 02/03/15

55 Holyoke St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $167,547
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Rebecca L. Skubiszewski
Date: 01/30/15

295 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Martha L. Smith
Seller: Lewis, Barbara B., (Estate)
Date: 02/04/15

28 Paul St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $335,500
Buyer: Margaret Kennedy-Nelson
Seller: David Garstka Builders
Date: 01/30/15

75 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $149,500
Buyer: Kyle R. Kazunas
Seller: Eleanor J. Lussier
Date: 01/29/15

17 Westview Terrace
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Sigmond A. Wernik LT
Seller: Craig, Jeffrey D., (Estate)
Date: 01/29/15

HADLEY

121 Rocky Hill Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Pamela A. Mandler
Seller: Jeanne E. Ammon
Date: 01/26/15

NORTHAMPTON

406 Acrebrook Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Jeffrey D. Maciborski
Seller: James F. Natale
Date: 01/28/15

39 Fair St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Stella Pang
Seller: Zewski, Stanley V., (Estate)
Date: 01/30/15

5 Garfield Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $116,660
Buyer: Christopher A. Wolcott
Seller: Pioneer Valley Habitat
Date: 01/29/15

591 Kennedy Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $386,000
Buyer: Jacqueline M. Urbanovic
Seller: Maureen F. Dwyer
Date: 01/30/15

103 Moser St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $404,815
Buyer: Johanna F. Silva
Seller: Kent Pecoy & Sons Construction
Date: 02/06/15

202 North Main St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Joslad & Associates PC
Seller: Robert G. Cromley
Date: 02/06/15

1163 Westhampton Road
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Michael Baffaro
Seller: Hamelin, Kathryn J., (Estate)
Date: 01/30/15

33 Wilson Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Kathryn M. Reagan-Talbot
Seller: Aquadro FT
Date: 01/30/15

SOUTH HADLEY

18 Central Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $152,250
Buyer: Blaney Y. Sabbs
Seller: Karen L. Szlosek-Welch
Date: 01/30/15

55 Chestnut Hill Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Timothy J. Parsons
Seller: Richard D. Tufo
Date: 01/30/15

4 Pershing Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $233,000
Buyer: Kerry L. Hussey
Seller: Sheri L. Parsons
Date: 01/30/15

15 Richview Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Stephen A. Foster
Seller: Jonathan L. Burdick
Date: 01/30/15

14 Riverlodge Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $351,300
Buyer: Daniel J. Pawlowski
Seller: Patrick J. Spring
Date: 02/03/15

SOUTHAMPTON

4 Belanger Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $155,500
Buyer: Joseph Gebo
Seller: Kennedy, James F., (Estate)
Date: 01/29/15

46 Coleman Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Berkshire Omega Corp.
Seller: John J. Marcyoniak
Date: 02/05/15

362 College Hwy.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Matthew R. Boulanger
Seller: Daniel Canning
Date: 01/30/15

7 Nicholas Lane
Southampton, MA 01085
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Anne M. Polatol
Seller: Czelusniak Custom Homes
Date: 02/03/15

Nicholas Lane #6
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $610,436
Buyer: Stanislav Adzigirey
Seller: James F. Boyle
Date: 02/06/15

104 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Stacy L. Moran
Seller: Patricia R. Hagelstein

WARE

31 West Main St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $135,900
Buyer: Sarah M. Desroches
Seller: Christiansen FT
Date: 01/29/15

WESTHAMPTON

212 Northwest Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Garth Stevenson
Seller: Jane A. Lattes
Date: 01/26/15

WORTHINGTON

50 River Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $513,000
Buyer: Lisa A. Ouellet
Seller: Mary A. Raynor
Date: 01/26/15

Bankruptcies

Bankruptcies Departments

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

Amsden, Sherry Jean
81 Sessions Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/30/15

Andras, John
Andras, Kathleen B.
82 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/05/15

Barton, Jordan Lee
27 Monument Valley Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/12/15

Bates, Christopher D.
Bates, Colleen M.
69 Hillcrest St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/09/15

Brazier, Alaine R
47 Whittlesey Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/15

Chiavacci, Lynn
a/k/a Reese, Lynn C.
27 Monument Valley Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/12/15

Dougherty, Tamera L.
a/k/a Neil, Tamera
a/k/a Seddon, Tamera
6 Stephanie Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/15

Ferrero, Donald J.
66 Partridge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/12/15

Flecher, Rosemary
30 Green St.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/06/15

Fournier, Jamie E.
a/k/a Tylunas, Jamie E.
8 Old Stage Road
West Hatfield, MA 01088
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/15

Franchere, Niki L.
24 Lemuel Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/13/15

Gallant, Brenda J.
225 College St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/06/15

Gomes, Aurora F.
26 Wilno Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/30/15

Gregori, Molly E.
P.O. Box 60352
Longmeadow, MA 01116
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/11/15

Hall, Danielle S.
P.O. Box 128
Russell, MA 01071
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/30/15

Hebert, Scott A.
Hebert, Deborah L.
a/k/a Antonuzzo, Deborah
P.O. Box 418
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/15

Hollister, Gary M.
Hollister, Linda A.
191 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/10/15

Johnson, Oscar L.
8 Grout Circle
Millers Falls, MA 01349
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/15

Lafleche, Nicole Marie
a/k/a Rumrill, Nicole M.
398 Acrebrook Dr.
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/12/15

Langevin, Marc W.
Marion-Langevin, Rebecca G.
914 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/15

Malaquias, Caroline R.
22 Savoy Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/07/15

Manning, Michael J.
Manning, Carolyn M.
27 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/13/15

Montes, Daisy
49 Palmer Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/13/15

Mulligan, Tracy
99 Alfred Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/11/15

Nuhn, John Matthew
36 Lyman Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/15

O’Neil, Joan L.
12 Randall St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/02/15

O’Shaughnessy, Michael D.
O’Shaughnessy, Wendy A.
Box 481
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/09/15

Padgett, Travis W.
Padgett, Holly A.
139 Eagle St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/15

Perez, Robert
10 Bruce St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/08/15

Pidgin, Richard J.
53 Chickering St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/11/15

Rivet, Amy Eileen
775 Springfield St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/15

Rodriguez, Roberto
7 Worthy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/02/15

Rose, Vanessa R.
a/k/a Greco, Vanessa Renee
661 Mill St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/12/15

Sabin, Greg C.
520 Cold Spring Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/11/15

Smelstor, Dawn M.
21 Fernwood Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/06/15

Smith, O’Neil Barrington
51 Whittier St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/13/15

Snow, Norman E.
6 Ed Holcomb Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/13/15

Stacy, Lori G.
16 Ridgecrest Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/04/15

Stone, Denise M.
157 Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/12/15

The Stone Works
Tile Times
Tom Boynton Handyman
Tom Boynton Carpenter
Boynton, Thomas E.
65 Schoolhouse Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/10/15

Tinker, Patricia M.
a/k/a Tinker, Trisha
233 Upper Church St.
Gilbertville, MA 01031
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/31/15

Valli, Carolyn E.
4 Caratina Dr.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/03/15

Vaughn, Viki
33 Mercedes St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/31/15

Zuccalo, Rhonda J.
a/k/a Wainwright, Rhonda J.
a/k/a Massey, Rhonda
40 Mapleshade Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/08/15

Doing Business as Certificates

DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of February 2015.

AGAWAM

Auto Paint Motors
1039 Springfield St.
Moe M. Borhot

Feeding Hills Public Market
634 Springfield St.
Hemal Batteriwala

Mitteneague Enterprises
18 Valentine Terrace
Steven Atkinson

PDK Associates
37 White Oaks
Paul Koetsch

The Pet Agree
1 South End Bridge Circle
Dominic Scavotto

The Vape Spot
525 Springfield St.
Richard Johnson

CHICOPEE

AMF Chicopee Lanes
291 Burnett Road
Timothy Joly

Continental Beauty Salon
290 East St.
Hanna Dzierzgowski

D & D Sales and Auctioneering
815 McKinstry Ave.
Donald Perusse

Digital Vision 1
54 Truro St.
Adam Warzybok

L.E. Bolcher Inc.
95 West St.
Edward Housh

Mr. Cone
1048 Granby Road
Joseph Coelho

Serenity Salon & Spa
472 Burnett Road
Laurie Kareta

Spring Real Estate
97 Woodcrest Circle
Sheila Spring

Universal Products of Poland
234 Exchange St.
Maria Stafinski

Walz Home Improvement
33 Grattan St.
Timothy Walz

Western Mass Rebels
73 Narragansett Blvd.
Luis DeJesus

Willamansett Center West
546 Chicopee St.
David Ianacone

GREENFIELD

Alber Hearing Services
489 Bernardston Road
Lisa Alber

Citizens Investment Services
89 French King Highway
Richard McClendon

Fit Nation
298 Federal St.
Megan T. Earle

Franklin St. Barbers
34 Bank Row
Steve Prondecki

HOLYOKE

Aunty’s Market
539 Pleasant St.
Mohinder Grelval

Baystate Comfort Heating & Cooling
134 Sky View Terrace
James Lapointe

Providence Ministries for the Needy
51 Hamilton St.
William Labroad

Stop & Go
399 Hillside Ave.
Rajendera Modi

PALMER

Griswold Glass & Aluminum
1184 Park St.
Jeffrey Griswold

Walnut Street Café Inc.
8 Walnut St.
Doris Theodore

SPRINGFIELD

Fabulous Cuts Barber Shop
363 Boston Road
Joe C. Long

Grace Fellowship Sanctuary
33 Peer St.
Kelly Jones

IPC Healthcare of Massachusetts
819 Worcester St.
Adam Singer

J.A.V. Home Improvement
302 Bay St.
Juan A. Velez

Jorge Movie Production
1145 Liberty St.
Jorge Rafael

K. Duran Enterprises
19 St. James Ave.
Kelvinson Duran

Kuhn Services and Landscape
181 Garland St.
William J. Kuhn

M.R.L.R. Property Maintenance
112 State St.
Mark R. Larose

MassMutual Insurance
603 Wilbraham Road
Haq Zahoor

Mike Shepard Remodeling
191 Navajo Road
Michael G. Shepard

Miss Latina Western Massachusetts
46 Redland St.
Jennifer Rodriguez

Mr. Gordon’s Landscaping
119 Quincy St.
Eric Gordon

Nature’s Way
301 Longhill St.
Daniel Atkins

Page Blvd Bottle and Can
233 Page Blvd.
Duc Truong

Palazzo Café
1350 Main St.
Luisa Cardaropoli

The Landlocked Dog
11 Cooper St.
Ulrike D. Colonna

Tony Famous Barber Shop
1153 Main St.
Dino Isotti

WESTFIELD

Creative Critters and Crafts
24 Northwest Road
Cheryl Cote Albert

Grouse Gunner Guides
17 Leaview Dr.
Sean Searles

Plantcycled
19 Lockhouse Road
Ashley Stebbins

Quality Ink and Toner
154 Wild Flower Circle
Jeffrey Lavoine

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Avis Budget
2161 Riverdale St.
Matt Rettura

Bath Crafters
176 Labelle St.
James E. Belle-Isle

DA Services
207 Morgan Road
Brynn M. Demas

Galeria Barbershop
715 Main St.
Enrique Hernandez

IVS Transportation
1506 Westfield St.
Ivan Shabayer

M & M Jewels
52 Irving St.
Mildred Ronghi

Mario’s Shoe Service
211 Elm St.
Mario Cardinale

Santana’s Kung-Fu Studio
452 Main St.
Maria E. Santana

Total Women’s Health Care
46 Daggett Dr.
Aleli L. Villanueva

Incorporations

Departments Incorporations

Incorporations were not available at press time. They will be printed in the next edition of BusinessWest.

Briefcase

Briefcase Departments

Cathedral High School, Holyoke Catholic to Merge
SPRINGFIELD — Cathedral High School and Holyoke Catholic High School will be merged into a new, regional Catholic High School under a plan announced yesterday by Mitchell Rozanski, bishop of the Diocese of Springfield. While the site of the merged school has not been determined, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and other Cathedral supporters are still pushing for the school to be rebuilt on the tornado-damaged Surrey Road location where Cathedral had been located. “No concepts other than a new regional school have been decided,” Rozanski said, noting that Surrey Road is one of several options that will be investigated. The bishop wants the two schools’ students to be merged in a temporary location by the fall of 2016, and for a permanent school to be completed by the fall of 2017, adding that insurance money from the tornado, plus $29 million in Federal Emergency Emergency Management Agency aid, will fund the construction. “The city of Springfield has supported Cathedral at its temporary home in Wilbraham by providing over $1 million of support in busing as well as assisting with locations for athletic practices and events. We will continue to support Cathedral as long as rebuilding on Surrey Road remains the plan,” Sarno said. “I am hopeful that Bishop Rozanski and the diocese will live up to their commitment made by Bishop [Timothy] McDonnell to rebuild Cathedral, where it belongs, on Surrey Road. The extended Cathedral family and neighborhood deserve nothing less.” Since the June 1, 2011, tornado severely damaged Cathedral, its 400 students were relocated to the former Memorial School in Wilbraham, where the diocese has been renting space; enrollment has since declined to just over 200. Meanwhile, Holyoke Catholic was forced to move from its namesake city in 2002 when its building was declared unsafe. After setting up at the former St. Hyacinth College and Seminary in Granby for four years, the school, which has about 250 students, moved into the former Assumption School on Springfield Street in Chicopee, opposite Elms College, in 2006.

Governor Announces New Panel on Opioids
BOSTON — As the number of deaths from opioid-related overdoses rises, Gov. Charlie Baker is taking is appointing a 16-member working group assigned the task of putting together “specific, targeted, and tangible recommendations” by May to stem the tide. The group will be led by Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Healey, and include individuals working in government, law enforcement, and addiction treatment. As he made the announcement, Baker stood in front of a display bearing alarming statistics, including the 978 deaths attributed to opioid-related overdoses in 2013, a 46% increase from the year before. Baker, who pledged to provide quarterly data on overdoses, said the 2014 death toll would be available in April. The working group will hold public meetings, assess the resources devoted to the problem, and make specific recommendations.

MGM Announces Parking-lot Closings
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Business Improvement District (SBID) issued a reminder that changes are coming as MGM closes several downtown parking lots. These parking-lot closures, which monthly parkers were notified of six weeks ago, will require downtown workers to seek alternative parking solutions. “We understand this is not convenient for some,” said Chris Russell, SBID executive director, “but we are working very hard to make sure solutions are available. To that end, we will have SBID ambassadors on hand Monday to direct parkers to alternative lots. In addition, we are working alongside the Springfield Parking Authority, ProPark, Valet Park of America, Executive Parking, various private lots, and the mayor’s office to make sure all needs are accommodated.” Also, he went on, “the Springfield Business Improvement District is trying to work on organizing a shuttle from alternative lots outside of downtown.” In the meantime, in an effort to make this process as easy as possible, MGM Springfield has agreed to keep a few select lots open for a while longer as details are sorted out. The SBID is encouraging all individuals who are monthly parkers in downtown to not wait, but rather look for new parking as soon as possible. For continued updates on the shuttle and other related downtown news, visit the Springfield Business Improvement District’s website at www.springfielddowntown.com or follow the SBID on Facebook.

ACCGS Releases Legislative Agenda
SPRINGFIELD — The Affiliated Chamber of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) has released its 2015 legislative agenda, addressing the major legislative issues intended to strengthen business competitiveness, lower business costs, and stimulate growth in the Greater Springfield region. The agenda touches upon key issues in the areas of tax policy, workplace ethics, healthcare, and workforce development. The ACCGS will continue to update the legislative agenda throughout the session so to stay current with the evolving nature of the region. With revenues growing at a 4.5% rate, the chamber will focus on how those revenues are prioritized and spent in the areas of Gateway Cities, infrastructure, and local aid. The chamber continues to work hard in making the region competitive when it comes to the costs of doing business, and is addressing issues in the workplace with a focus on mandated sick leave, unemployment insurance, treble damage, and non-compete legislation. Healthcare costs are a major priority in this session’s agenda and remain a point of concern for the chamber and its members. The chamber will focus its efforts on addressing the federal Affordable Care Act, mandated benefits, and insurance disbursements. With more than 6,000 pieces of legislation filed at the commencement of the session on Jan. 1, the ACCGS will be monitoring the progress of these bills to better assert its position throughout the 2015-16 legislative session.

UMass Researcher Teams with Chinese Inventor on New Antibiotics
AMHERST — Margaret Riley, an evolutionary biologist at UMass Amherst and pioneer in fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria, announced this week that she is partnering with a Chinese scientist to develop a new drug platform, pheromonicins. The Chinese government is committing $400 million per year to support the newly created Pheromonicin Institute of Beijing. Riley plans to open a sister institute in the Amherst area. “At this point, I will be doing the work in Beijing,” Riley says. “Later, as we sort out details and opportunities for U.S. funding support, we may be able to bring some of the work to the Pioneer Valley.” After trying unsuccessfully for years to find funding to study and develop a more effective method of treating catheter-related urinary-tract infections (UTIs) that are resistant to current antibiotics, she was contacted by Dr. Xiao-Qing Qiu, the inventor of pheromonicins, who asked if she was interested in collaborating with his government-supported lab. Riley now plans to collaborate with Xiu to develop his powerful new drugs there instead of in the U.S. “I want to solve the problem, and if I have to fly to Beijing to do my animal trials, that’s what I’ll have to do,” she said. The short-term goal is to focus on a new treatment for UTI, but the ultimate goal is to increase the number of effective therapeutic drugs and strategies to combat drug resistance in quickly evolving diseases such as HIV, TB, malaria, cancer, and cystic fibrosis. “One of the things that people don’t realize is how significant drug resistance is in the disease process. It’s only in the past 10 or 15 years we have begun to understand the way drug resistance arises at the molecular level,” Riley noted. “Drug resistance is at the core of many of these diseases, and their ability to stay ahead of and stymie our efforts at eradicating them is extremely serious.” Antibiotics are the primary weapons against harmful bacteria like those that cause strep throat, but they have become less effective in recent years because the bacteria can evolve into ‘superbugs,’ new strains resistant to most antibiotics. A recent pledge announced by President Obama to give $1.2 billion across a half-dozen agencies to classify and monitor antibiotic-resistant bacteria, discover new antibiotics, and improve prescribing methods highlights the importance of such efforts. “I think the president’s initiative is phenomenal and long overdue,” Riley said, adding that the biggest chunk of money allotted to the effort as part of the 2016 budget proposal, nearly $1 billion, will go to the Department of Health and Human Services, which will effectively double the agency’s funding over 2015 levels, she notes. Many observers in recent years thought that new antibiotics would be discovered in time so doctors wouldn’t need to worry about resistance, Riley acknowledges. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that antibiotic-resistant bacteria now cause 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths a year in the U.S. Riley feels that’s a conservative estimate, and the real number of deaths is likely double or triple that. The economic price is high as well, she added, as much as $20 billion a year in healthcare costs and $35 billion in lost worker productivity. Further, the antibiotics doctors employ now use a “shotgun approach,” she explained, that targets healthy as well as harmful bacteria. “With this method, when people take antibiotics, the drugs also kill beneficial bacteria in our bodies that we need for good health. This can do more harm than good, especially for children who take antibiotics while young and may carry long-term damage to their microbiome.”

Company Notebook

Company Notebook Departments

MassMutual Announces 2014 Financial Results
SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. announced strong consolidated statutory financial results for 2014, including a substantial increase in earnings and net income, record sales in key businesses, and highest-ever levels of assets under management, statutory surplus, and total adjusted capital. The company reported that, for the year ended Dec. 31, 2014, sales of whole-life insurance were $418 million, up 20% from the prior 12 months — representing the ninth consecutive year of record highs — while retirement-plan sales rose 23% to $9.1 billion, also a record. The net gain from operations before policyowner dividends and taxes — the company’s primary earnings measure as a mutual company — was up 27% to $2.2 billion. Further, MassMutual’s highest-ever levels of statutory surplus and total adjusted capital — both key indicators of the company’s overall financial stability — were $14.2 billion and $16.4 billion, respectively, and continued to provide the company with substantial financial resources that help deliver long-term financial confidence and security to policyowners and customers. “I am pleased to report that 2014 was another tremendous year for MassMutual,” said Roger Crandall, MassMutual’s chairman, president, and CEO. “By delivering record results, outpacing growth in our industry, and increasing our financial strength, we performed favorably against the backdrop of a U.S. economy that continued a slow but steady rebound in 2014. Our results further illustrate our powerful momentum and have positioned the company for another great year in 2015.” He added, “through our people, products, and solutions, we continued to take steps to build a better company for our policyowners and customers, and deliver on our purpose to help people secure their future and protect the ones they love.” While dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual’s board of directors approved an estimated 2015 dividend payout of $1.6 billion, which reflects a dividend interest rate of 7.10% on eligible participating life-insurance policies, highest among its mutual competitors. Also driving MassMutual’s 2014 success was its growing network of financial professionals, who help people gain confidence by bringing clarity and solutions to some of the biggest financial challenges they face. MassMutual expanded that network by 6% over 2013 to more than 5,500 financial professionals at the end of 2014, an all-time high.

The Spa Opens for Business in Westfield
WESTFIELD — New England Dermatology & Laser Center announced the opening of the Spa, a med spa located at 57 Union St. The new med spa at New England Dermatology & Laser Center boasts a peaceful, rejuvenating atmosphere and a complete menu of services designed to relax and revitalize. “The Spa provides restorative and nourishing treatments, including your favorite spa services and products, in addition to a complete line of medically supervised esthetic procedures,” said Dr. Stanley Glazer, a board-certified physician with over 40 years experience in dermatology. “The Spa offers guests an escape from the rigors of the day-to-day by focusing on inner and outer wellness.” Glazer is joined at the Spa by Dr. Michael Loosemore, a board-certified physician with nearly 10 years of experience in dermatology and dermatologic surgery; aesthetic nurse specialist Mary Jo Devlin; aesthetic supervisor Laurie Circosta; and clinical operations manager Shannon Page. The Spa’s full menu of services include customized clinical skin care, massage and body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures, makeup, and waxing. Also available are laser treatments including hair removal and fine-line treatment, and medical esthetics like microneedling, microdermabrasion, Botox injections, dermal fillers, and laser treatments. The Spa provides restorative and nourishing treatments for both men and women, as well as teens. For more information, visit westfieldspa.com.

CDH Expands Pharmacy as Part of New Cancer Center
NORTHAMPTON — Cooley Dickinson Hospital recently went live with the operation of its expanded pharmacy, which is the first visible and tangible part of the Massachusetts General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. “Renovations to the pharmacy are an essential underpinning to the future of cancer care at Cooley Dickinson,” said Dr. Mark Novotny, chief medical officer. An expanded pharmacy with new oncology pharmacy staff allows Cooley Dickinson to offer people living with cancer the same treatment regimens, protocols, and safety for chemotherapy and radiation that Mass General Cancer Center physicians use. “This is about getting Mass General Cancer Center quality at Cooley Dickinson Hospital,” said Dr. Sean Mullally, medical oncologist and medical director of the CDH cancer center. In addition, the oversight of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center means people newly diagnosed or living with cancer no longer need to decide if they should go to Boston for care. “They can come here, and their team will help them decide what care they should receive and where,” Novotny said. The renovated pharmacy includes a new sterile-preparation space with separate rooms for chemotherapy and intravenous compounding. Chemotherapy is drug treatment given in pill, injection, and intravenous forms to kill cancer cells. The sterile-prep area has positive air pressure and hoods that filter air to prevent possible contamination while preparing the drugs. The chemotherapy prep area has negative air pressure to reduce the risk of chemotherapy exposure and specialized chemotherapy hoods that filter air to prevent contamination and preserve negative pressure to protect staff. Improved storage, more automation, and fail-safe technologies reduce the risks of introducing errors when dispensing medications from the pharmacy. Chemotherapy regimens will be reviewed and approved by on-site oncology clinical pharmacists and prepared by chemotherapy pharmacy technicians dedicated to the cancer center. The renovations to the pharmacy were needed to provide the right chemotherapy hoods, space, sterile prep areas, and ventilation for mixing chemotherapy according to best practices. In addition, the renovations and expanded space increase the standard of care for all Cooley Dickinson patients with an increased focus on quality and safety.

Springfield College Program Recognized by National Organization
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield College Strength and Conditioning Graduate Program has again received acceptance into the National Strength and Conditioning Assoc. (NSCA) Education Recognition Program (ERP) for the next three years. “The graduate strength and conditioning program provides challenging academic coursework combined with internship opportunities that in many instances lead to student employment,” said Tracey Matthews, dean of the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. “Dr. Brian Thompson has built a stellar program, and this achievement is evidence of the commitment and passion our faculty place in our graduate programs. We are extremely proud of this recognition. This further affirms the strength of our program.” A new benefit of having ERP acceptance will be the opportunity for Springfield College to host an Exam Prep Live Clinic providing students a comprehensive review of information most relevant to the certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and the national strength and condition association-certified personal trainer (NSCA-CPT) exams. As a NSCA Exam Prep Live Clinic host school, Springfield College students would be able to take advantage of a discounted rate when registering for the exam, as well as discounted rates on all CSCS and NSCA-CPT exams. Additional benefits for the college resulting from the ERP acceptance include a strong presence on the NSCA’s official website, a listing in the NSCA membership newsletter that is distributed to professional and associate members, and the opportunity for the college to receive up to three complimentary career postings on the nsca.com career-resources page for the three-year period. The Springfield College Strength and Conditioning Graduate Program prepares students to work with athletes as strength and conditioning coaches in secondary-school, collegiate, professional, and private settings. Students develop the skills and knowledge needed to design physiologically sound programs that enhance athletic performance, as well as the coaching skills needed to implement the programs.

Country Nissan Wins DealerRater Consumer Satisfaction Award
HADLEY — Country Nissan has been awarded a 2015 DealerRater Consumer Satisfaction Award, a recognition auto dealerships can earn by delivering outstanding customer service as rated by online consumer reviews. DealerRater, the car-dealer review site for consumers, created the Consumer Satisfaction Awards to enable online car shoppers to instantly spot car dealerships that provide high-quality customer service. Country Nissan has achieved consistently high marks on the DealerRater website, placing it among the top dealerships nationwide. Online shoppers visiting Country Nissan’s dealer review page on DealerRater.com will find a “2015 Consumer Satisfaction Award winner” designation.

Renaissance Advisory Services Moves to Ludlow
LUDLOW — Renaissance Advisory Services, LLC announced its expansion and relocation to Ludlow. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held recently with staff members, invited guests, and representatives of the East of the River 5 Town Chamber of Commerce in attendance. State Rep. Thomas Petrolati (D-Ludlow) performed the ceremony. According to managing director Werner Maiwald, Ludlow was selected due to the convenient access to current clients. Renaissance Advisory Services, LLC is a fully independent financial-advisory firm that works with individual and corporate clients. The firm offers portfolio services such as 401(k), IRA, personal retirement, and distribution-planning services. It also offers gas and oil syndication, fixed income accounts, corporate buy/sell, corporate executive insurance, high-income disability planning, long-term care planning, and charitable giving plans. The firm consists of two primary advisors, Werner Maiwald and Michael Hurst, who have a total of 65 years combined experience. The firm is presently seeking a third advisor. Gail Sherman, past president for the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, is the executive marketing director; Christine Maiwald serves as corporate administrator; and AnnMarie Gaudette is the receptionist. “We are unique because we are long-term advisors; we are not day traders,” said Maiwald. “We only bring on a limited number of new clients each year, which allows us to fulfill our investment philosophy and maximize our service capabilities. The financial well-being of our clients is our ultimate goal.” For more information, visit www.renadvisorysvcs.com.

Peoples on the Move

Departments People on the Move

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. announced the following:
• Kayla Helitzer, MSA, has been hired as an Associate. Helitzer began her career at MBK as an intern before acquiring her current position. She holds a master’s degree in accounting from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. In her free time, she participates in the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, volunteers at the Knesset Israel synagogue, and enjoys skiing and snowboarding;
• Joseph Vreedenburgh, MSA, has been hired as an Associate. Vreedenburgh comes to MBK with a background as a corporate accountant and experience with small to medium-sized businesses, as well as government entities. This experience provides him with a unique perspective as an auditor at the firm. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in accounting from UMass Amherst. He is a member of Northampton Area Young Professionals and enjoys hiking and mountain biking; and
• Brandon Mitchell, MSA, CPA, has been hired as an Associate. Mitchell specializes in audits of commercial and not-for-profit entities, reviews and compilations of financial statements for small businesses and individuals, and tax-return preparations. Before joining the firm, he worked as a business manager for a locally owned business. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in accountancy from Westfield State University and devotes much of his spare time to his alma mater’s Mentoring Program.
•••••

Christine Phillips

PeoplesBank announced the appointment of Christine Phillips as vice president, Human Resources. In her new position, Phillips will monitor and administer the bank’s human-resources policies and recruitment plan, oversee employee relations, administer employee benefits, and serve as the bank’s EEO/AAP officer. Phillips brings more than 15 years of human-resources experience including recruiting, performance analysis, and compliance. She not only helped a variety of organizations recruit top talent, she also helped operate a successful human-resources company. A member of the AIM Human Resources Group, Phillips holds a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst. She is a member of the South Hadley School Committee, the PTA president of Plains School, and a board member of St. Patrick’s CYO Basketball.
•••••

Elizabeth Hukowicz

Elms College has appointed Elizabeth Hukowicz dean of the newly established School of Graduate and Professional Studies. Hukowicz has been the associate academic dean of the Division of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education since 2005. Under her leadership, the number, scope, and complexity of programs in her department has increased tremendously. In recognition of this growth, the division has been restructured into a school, with Hukowicz appointed as the first dean. “The new school will serve our non-traditional and adult learners, and also highlight the importance of these programs to the strength and vitality of the institution,” said Walter Breau, vice president of academic affairs. Added Hukowicz, “this restructuring will allow the school to offer a broader array of degree options and services for adult learners on and off campus. The adult learner is at the core of what we do, and we will provide increased opportunities to better serve the adult learner in and out of the classroom, wherever and however that may be. We will continue to find new and better ways to make students successful.” Elms College offers graduate-degree programs in accounting, applied theology, autism-spectrum disorders, education, healthcare leadership, management, and nursing. The college also offers certificates of advanced graduate study in autism-spectrum disorders, communication sciences and disorders, and education.
•••••

Mike Harsh

FloDesign Sonics Inc. announced it has added Mike Harsh to its board of directors. Harsh served as vice president and chief technology officer for GE Healthcare until December 2014 and led its Global Science and Technology Organization. “The addition of Mike to our board will have a profound impact on our company,” said founder and CEO Stanley Kowalski III. “Mike has personally been involved with the research and development of acoustic-based products in life sciences. He has the ability to get into the details while envisioning our global strategy. We are delighted to have him join our team.” Added Harsh, “I am really excited to be part of FloDesign Sonics. Their entrepreneurial sprit is contagious, and the convergence of this unique and innovative application of acoustics to filtration will unleash a new tool in healthcare that can also be leveraged into other industries.” Harsh led the global Science and Technology Organization for GE Healthcare, a $18 billion business unit of General Electric focusing its research on the development of innovative diagnostics, healthcare IT, medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient-monitoring systems, biopharmaceutical-manufacturing technologies, and technologies that facilitate new drug discovery. Harsh began his career at GE in 1979 as an electrical design engineer in nuclear imaging, and subsequently held numerous design and engineering management positions with X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, patient monitoring, and information technologies. He was also the global technology leader of the Imaging Technologies Lab at the GE Global Research Center, where he led the research for imaging technologies across the company, as well as the research associated with computer visualization/image analysis and superconducting systems. He was named an officer of General Electric Co. in November 2006. Harsh earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University, and he holds numerous U.S. patents in the field of medical imaging and instrumentation.
•••••

Luis Santamaria

Luis Santamaria has been chosen as Greenfield Community College’s new director of Campus Public Safety. He will oversee GCC’s Campus Public Safety department and serve as GCC’s chief of police. Santamaria leaves his position as associate director of Public Safety for Curry College in Milton. Prior to his work at Curry College, he served as a sergeant for Tufts University for nine years and as a campus police officer at Simmons College and officer in charge at Western New England University. Santamaria graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Western New England University. He served as vice president of his class at the Special State Police Academy. He holds EMT certification and has certification as a MCJTC sexual assault investigator, defensive tactics instructor, and rape aggression defense instructor. He is bilingual in English and Spanish.
•••••

Kate Bechtold

Anthony Scibelli

Following nationwide searches, Cooley Dickinson Hospital President and CEO Joanne Marqusee announced that two healthcare executives, Katherine Bechtold and Anthony Scibelli, have joined the organization’s senior leadership team. Bechtold has been selected as Cooley Dickinson Health Care’s vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer. “I am very excited to have someone with Kate’s depth of experience, clear commitment to quality care and service excellence, collaborative style, and ability to inspire staff at all levels join the senior leadership team,” Marqusee said. Added Bechtold, “I am excited about this wonderful opportunity to lead nursing and patient-care services at Cooley Dickinson. I was impressed with the commitment to patient care that I heard from staff and medical staff alike and look forward to being part of the new leadership team that Joanne Marqusee is building.” Most recently, Bechtold served as the senior vice president and chief nurse executive for MultiCare Health System in Tacoma, Wash., where she oversaw system-wide nursing and clinical policies, case management, social work, and quality care for the five-hospital system and its primary-care, urgent-care, and specialty clinics. She also served for eight years as chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care at Centura Health Systems in Englewood, Colo., and Saint Anthony Hospital System. She counts among her accomplishments leading Saint Anthony Central Hospital to one of the highest scores in the nation for nursing quality indicators and significantly reducing nursing-management turnover rates. Scibelli has joined Cooley Dickinson Health Care as vice president, operations and chief administrative officer. He will supervise a number of departments, including Facilities, Housekeeping, Transport, Security, Nutrition, Lab, Imaging, and Human Resources. “I am very excited that a leader with Tony’s range of experience, dedication to service excellence, and ability to lead teams and promote teamwork has accepted this important position. He will add much to the new senior leader team we are building,” Marqusee said. Scibelli has most recently served as senior vice president, Human Resources, Support Services, and Post Acute Operations at Mohawk Valley Health System in Utica, N.Y., which resulted from the affiliation of Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center. He oversaw a range of functions, including Human Resources, Facilities Management, Support Services, Home Care, and Long-term Care. Scibelli joined Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare in 2004 as vice president, Human Resources and was promoted several times there. Scibelli earned a bachelor’s degree at Worcester State College and master’s degrees from Lesley College in Cambridge and SUNY Albany.
•••••
Patrick McCarthy, Sodexo Dining Services general manager for the Loomis Communities, has been selected for the Sodexo National Emerging Leaders program, joining 29 of his peers who have been identified as leaders in their field. The Sodexo Emerging Leaders program consists of an intensive, nine-month leadership-development course focusing on leadership at a strategic level. The course study includes trainings at the Sodexo North American headquarters in Gaithersburg, Md., as well as peer project assignments and online interactive trainings. Prior to working for Sodexo and the Loomis Communities, McCarthy attended classes at the Culinary Institute of America and owned restaurants in the Pioneer Valley.

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

Chamber Corners Departments

ACCGS
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555

• Thursdays through March 26: ACCGS Leadership Institute 2015, 1-4 p.m., at the TD Bank Conference Center, 1441 Main St., Springfield, in partnership with Western New England University.

• March 11: ACCGS Speed Networking, 3:30-5 p.m., at Frank Webb’s Bath Center, 145 Performance Blvd., Springfield. Network in a fast-paced round-robin format, then stay for the After 5. This event is open only to members. Reservations are $20 for members, $25 at the door. Includes complimentary ticket to After 5. Register online at www.myonlinechamber.com.

• March 11: ACCGS After 5, 5-7 p.m., at Frank Webb’s Bath Center, 145 Performance Blvd., Springfield. Reservations are $5 for members, $10 for general admission. Register online at www.myonlinechamber.com.

• March 24: ACCGS Pastries, Politics, and Policy, 8-9 a.m., at the TD Bank Conference Center, 1441 Main St., Springfield. For political and policy junkies. Reservations are $15 for members, $25 for general admission. Register online at www.myonlinechamber.com.

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.amherstarea.com
(413) 253-0700

• March 26: Margarita Madness 2015, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Hadley Farms Meeting House, 41 Russell St., Hadley. Taste a variety of margaritas and vote for your favorites. This is a Division One competition between restaurant and business margaritas. Your votes will determine who will take home the coveted trophies. Business margaritas provided by Alden Credit Union, New England Promotional Marketing, Hadley Farms Meeting House, Country Nissan, Lord Jeffery Inn, TD Bank for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, Encharter Insurance, Applewood at Amherst, and many more to come. Restaurant margaritas provided by Bistro 63 at the Monkey Bar, Bread & Butter, Bridgeside Grille, Chandler’s Restaurant, the Pub, Lord Jeffery Inn, Hadley Farms Meeting House, Chez Josef, Johnny’s Tavern, and many more to come. Food provided by Emily’s Gourmet to Go, Something Special Catering, Pallazo Café, Glazed Donut Shop, Pop’s Biscotti, and Johnny’s Tavern. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For more information, contact the chamber at (413) 253-0700.

CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101

• March 25: 21st Annual Table Top Expo and Business Networking Event, 4:30-7 p.m., at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Exhibitor cost: $125 for a table. Admission $10 in advance, $15 at the door. To register, contact the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414

• March 25: 21st Annual Table Top Expo and Business Networking Event, 4:30-7 p.m., at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Exhibitor cost: $125 for a table. Admission is $10 in advance, $15 at the door. To register, contact the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900

• March 13: Microsoft Excel: Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts, 9-11 a.m., at the chamber office, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Learn tips and tricks no one ever teaches you from the trainers at Pioneer Training. This workshop will present our favorite tips, tricks, and shortcuts that we have collected and developed over 15 years of teaching and using Microsoft Excel. Participants are encouraged to bring laptops and follow along with the instructor, but this is not required. Admission: $20 for members, $30 for non-members.

• March 17: 35th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m., in the Hotel Northampton Grand Ballroom. Also, Join us at Fitzwilly’s for the annual after-breakfast toast and for the laying of the wreath at the Daley and Halligan memorial stone on the former state hospital grounds. Tickets: $20 per person. Tables of 10 also available.

• March 25: 21st Annual Table Top Expo and Business Networking Event, 4:30-7 p.m., at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Exhibitor cost: $125 for a table. Admission $10 in advance, $15 at the door. To register, contact the chamber at (413) 584-1900.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618

• March 13: March Breakfast, 7-9 a.m., at Westfield State University, 577 Western Ave., Westfield. Platinum sponsor: Westfield Bank. Gold sponsor: Westfield Gas & Electric. Silver sponsor: FieldEddy Insurance. For more information or to donate a raffle prize, call the Chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

• March 18: March After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., at Noble Primary Care, 57 Union St., Westfield. Bring your business cards and make connections. Refreshments will be served. Tickets: $10 for members, $15 cash for non-members. To register, call Pam at the Chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER
www.professionalwomenschamber.com
(413) 755-1310

• March 18: Professional Women’s Chamber Tabletop Expo/Luncheon,
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at Storrowton Tavern, Carriage House, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Featuring Tracy Noonan of Wicked Good Cupcakes and contestant on ABC’s Shark Tank. Reservations are $25 for PWC members, $35 for general admission. Register online at www.myonlinechamber.com.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIERLD
www.springfieldyps.com

• March 14: 2015 YP Cup Dodgeball Tournament, at Springfield College, 263 Alden St., Springfield. To register a team (up to eight players, two must be of the opposite sex ) or an individual, visit springfieldyps.com/2015-dodgeball-individual-registration-form. E-mail questions to [email protected]. Reception to follow at Nathan Bill’s Bar & Grill, 110 Pond Road, Springfield.

• March 19: March Third Thursday, 5-8 p.m., at the Storrowtown Meeting House and Carriage House, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. This event is open to everyone. Invite your friends. Food and cash bar. Admission: free for YPS members, $10 for non-members.

Agenda

Agenda Departments

Speed-networking Event
March 11: Back by popular demand, the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) will hold an afternoon of speed networking on March 11 at Frank Webb’s Bath Center, 145 Performance Blvd., Springfield, followed by an evening of informal networking at its After 5. The combination of events will provide attendees the opportunity to meet new contacts in a formal manner, then continue conversations in an informal and casual setting. The core concept to speed networking is the ‘elevator speech,’ a short summary of an individual, business, organization, product, or service that a person could deliver in the time span of a short elevator ride. Attendees will be divided into groups A and B. Members of each group will be seated across from each other. Each member of Group A will have 60 seconds to give his or her elevator speech to a member of Group B. A bell will ring, signaling the 60-second time is up, and each member of Group B will then get a chance to speak. The facilitator will signal when the 60 seconds are up again, and members of Group A will then move one seat to the right and begin the process again with a new partner. The round-robin format of networking will continue until the event is over. The event begins at 3:30 p.m. with registration and instructions. To accommodate the event, no admittance will be allowed after 3:55 p.m. The event ends at 5 p.m., and the After 5 runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Reservations are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and only members of the ACCGS, Springfield Chamber of Commerce, or East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce are eligible to participate. Reservations include a complimentary ticket to the After 5. Reservations for the After 5 only are $5 for members, $10 for general admission. The After 5 is open to the general public. Reservations may be made online and in advance at www.myonlinechamber.com or by contacting Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected].

New Lecture Series
March 12: BusinessWest and the Healthcare News are pleased to announce a new lecture series presented by Comcast Business. This series of lectures, panel discussions, and presentations will address timely and important business information, and is an ideal opportunity to meet industry leaders and network with area business professionals. The first event in the series, called “Technology Has the Power to Change Healthcare,” will be hosted by La Quinta Inn & Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. Panelists include Neil Kudler, vice president and chief medical information officer for Baystate Health; Michael Feld, CEO of VertitechIT and acting chief technology officer of Baystate Health and Lancaster General Hospital; and Delcie Bean IV, CEO, of Paragus Strategic IT. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m., followed by breakfast and networking at 7:30 a.m. and the panel discussion from 8 to 9 a.m. Admission is free, provided by Comcast Business, but RSVP is required by Thursday, March 5. Sign up online at businesswest.com/lecture-series, or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10, for more information.

Celebrate Springfield Dinner
March 12: DevelopSpringfield will host its fourth annual dinner event in celebration of Springfield and the many accomplishments the community has achieved over the past year, along with exciting new initiatives underway. The event will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Festivities will include a reception with live music by the Eric Bascom Trio, auction activities, a cash bar, and hors d’oeuvres, followed by dinner, a brief program, and presentations. Platinum sponsors this year are MassMutual Financial Group, Baystate Health, and Health New England. Many other local businesses and organizations are also supporting the organization’s work as sponsors and participants at the event. DevelopSpringfield will once again present its Partner in Progress Award to recognize the outstanding contributions of three individuals toward revitalization in Springfield. Honorees are selected for their leadership and ability to motivate and inspire others. This year’s honorees are Jerald Griffin, co-founder of Harambee and the Stone Soul Festival; Kevin Kennedy, chief development officer for the city of Springfield; and Evan Plotkin, president and owner of NAI Plotkin. In addition to the program and award presentations, greetings will be provided by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Jay Ash, newly appointed secretary of the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. All event proceeds will support DevelopSpringfield’s redevelopment initiatives, projects, and programs. More than 450 attendees — including federal, state, and city officials; leaders from the business and nonprofit communities; and local residents — are expected to come together in support of ongoing efforts to advance development and redevelopment projects, stimulate and support economic growth, and expedite the revitalization process within the city. Registration and sponsorship information is available at www.developspringfield.com or by contacting Paige Thayer at (413) 209-8808 or [email protected]. Tickets cost $75 per person, and RSVP is required by Monday, Feb. 23.

PWC Luncheon
March 18: Tracy Noonan, co-owner of Wicked Good Cupcakes, will keynote the Headline Luncheon of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield’s affiliate, the Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC), from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Carriage House at Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Noonan and her daughter, Danielle Vilagie, took their Cohasset-based cupcake baking company national after appearing on the ABC hit show Shark Tank. Wicked Good Cupcakes began when the mother-daughter team took cake-decorating classes as a way to spend quality time together. After posting their work online for friends and family, they found themselves being asked to create cupcakes for various events. The demand for their product became so high that they opened their first retail location in Cohasset in October 2011. As the reputation of their product grew, they found themselves getting hundreds of requests to ship their product across the country. However, they could not find a way to effectively ship cupcakes and have them arrive intact and fresh. That’s when they came up for the idea of a cupcake in a jar. Filling jars with freshly baked layers of cake, frosting, and filling, they were able to create a product that would stay fresh up to 10 days without refrigeration and could be easily shipped. The company’s popularity quickly grew, and, in 2013, Noonan and Vilagie appeared on Shark Tank, striking a deal with Boston-based shark Kevin O’Leary of O’Leary Ventures, and expanding their business by more than 600%, including a new retail location in Faneuil Hall in Boston and expanded facilities to handle online orders. In addition to cupcakes, the company’s product line now also includes gluten-free options, as well as pies, cheesecakes, and brownies in a jar, as well as French macaroons. Advance reservations for the luncheon are suggested and cost $25 for PWC members and $35 for general admission. Register online at www.myonlinechamber.com or by e-mailing [email protected]. PWC members who are season-pass holders must pre-register for the event by emailing [email protected].

‘Acting Skills for Real Life’
March 19 to April 16: The Division of Graduate and Continuing Education at Westfield State University will offer a class called “Acting Skills for Real Life: How to Connect and Communicate” on Thursday nights, March 19 through April 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. Students will learn about basic acting skills and theories, and how they can be applied to everyday situations such as job interviews and social settings, in addition to performances and public speaking. Course content includes vocal, movement, and imagination warmups and theatre games; improvisations around a specific set of circumstances, including real-life situations and role reversal; developing stage presence; and, if the class chooses, rehearsal and class performance of a brief scene or monologue as a rehearsed reading or ‘off book.’ The course will be taught by Nadia Creamer, who has a long career as a performer and a teacher of performing arts. Creamer was co-artistic director of Impulse Theatre and Dance for 28 years in New York, where she received more than 60 grants for her work. She was also a faculty member at New York University, Russell Sage, College of St. Rose, and Columbia-Greene Community College. The cost of this course is $80. Registration will be accepted until the first night of class. For more information and to register, contact Brandon Fredette at (413) 572-8033 or [email protected].

Mini-Medical School
March 19 to May 7: Baystate Medical Center’s Mini-Medical School, which begins its spring session on March 19, will give area residents a reason to come out of hibernation from the long, cold, snowy winter and join others interested in the expanding field of medicine. Mini-Medical School program is an eight-week health education series featuring a different aspect of medicine each week. Classes this spring will include sessions on various medical topics, such as surgery, emergency medicine, anesthesiology, pathology, and several others. Many of the ‘students,’ who often range in age from 20 to 70, participate due to a general interest in medicine and later find that many of the things they learned over the semester are relevant to their own lives. The goal of the program, offered in the hospital’s Chestnut Conference Center, is to help members of the public make more informed decisions about their healthcare while receiving insight on what it is like to be a medical student — minus the tests, interviews, and admission formalities. Each course is taught by medical-center faculty who explain the science of medicine without resorting to complex terms. Baystate Medical Center is the Western Campus of Tufts University School of Medicine and is the region’s only teaching hospital. All classes are held Thursday nights starting at 6 p.m. and run until 8 or 9 p.m., depending on the night’s topic. No basic science knowledge is needed to participate. Each participant is required to attend a minimum of six out of eight classes in order to receive a certificate of completion. Tuition is $95 per person and $80 for Senior Class and Spirit of Women members. Register for the spring semester of Mini-Medical School by calling (800) 377-4325. For more information, visit www.baystatehealth.org/minimed.

Difference Makers
March 19: The sixth annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. The class of 2015 — Katelynn’s Ride, MassMutual Financial Services, Judy Matt, Valley Venture Mentors, and the new ownership group of the Student Prince and the Fort — was profiled in the Feb. 9 issue. Tickets cost $60 per person, and reserved tables of 10 are available. To order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail [email protected].

Stronger Businesses Program
March 20: The Stronger Businesses Program will take place at the Business Growth Center at Springfield Technology Park. Designed for business owners who are focused on growth and want to take a fresh look at their markets, revenues, and operations, this workshop meets for five mornings over a seven-week period and includes two private technical-assistance sessions, one price for up to three people per company, and peer-mentoring sessions over breakfast. “It is specifically designed not to be Business 101,” said Karen Utgoff, co-founder and facilitator of the program. “The series emphasizes active learning and immediate application of specific tools and techniques to gain fresh perspective and identify opportunities and challenges, with the goal of turning those insights into actionable steps.” Added Laurie Breitner, the program’s other co-founder and facilitator, “we were gratified to learn from participants in earlier sessions that they found the program very useful, and all reported that they had improved their businesses and made well-defined plans for future growth.” The Business Growth Center has again received a grant from the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corp. to support the Stronger Businesses Program. Business owners from underserved communities are particularly encouraged to attend. Additional information about this and other programs is available at www.businessgrowthcenter.org/seminars-workshops or by contacting Mary Marquez, assistant program manager, at [email protected] or (413) 355-5680.

High-speed Rail Discussion
March 24: The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) will present a Pastries, Politics, and Policy program called “Riding the Rails: High-speed Rail Service from Springfield to Boston,” from 8 to 9 a.m. at the TD Bank Conference Center, 1441 Main St., Springfield. State Sen. Eric Lesser and Tim Brennan, executive director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), will discuss Lesser’s recently filed feasibility bill requiring the Mass. Department of Transportation to conduct a study on the viability of high-speed rail access between Springfield and Boston. They will also address the need for this service and how it can positively impact Western Mass. economies. While running for Senate, high-speed rail was the top priority in Lesser’s campaign platform, and, since being elected, has worked extensively on this issue. Brennan is an advocate for the high-speed east-west rail and, with the PVPC, is involved heavily in preparation for its possible implementation. The program cost is $15 for chamber members, $25 for general admission. For more information, contact Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected] or (413) 755-1313.

Not Just Business as Usual
April 30: The Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation’s Not Just Business as Usual (NJBAU) event is one of the premiere networking events for business leaders in Western Mass. This annual celebration, in its sixth year, is a celebration of innovative thinking which gives participants the opportunity to learn from business experts while raising significant funding for the STCC WORKS scholarship program. The event will be held at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. A cocktail and networking reception will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with dinner and the keynote speaker, Google Engineering Director Steve Vinter, to follow from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Vinter has overseen the growth of Google’s Cambridge site from 15 software engineers in 2007 to more than 900 today. He is responsible for developing digital-publishing products such as Google eBooks, Google Play Newsstand, and Play for Education, and has over 20 years of industry experience working in the Boston area, focusing on building products and services for hundreds of millions of users of mobile and cloud computing. He also is the co-founder of MassCAN, a partnership of organizations which collaborate to inspire and educate students in Massachusetts to learn computing and prepare them to lead and innovate the future economy, which will be driven by computer technology. This year, NJBAU will feature interactive workstations featuring the STCC Mobile SIM and Engineering program. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are now available. Tickets are $100 each, and sponsorships begin at $1,500. For additional information or to become a sponsor, contact Christina Tuohey, STCC director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, at (413) 755-4475 or [email protected]. To purchase tickets online, visit www.stcc.edu/njbau.

40 Under Forty
June 18: The ninth annual 40 Under Forty award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. Details on the event, which honors the region’s most accomplished and civic-minded professionals under age 40, will be published in upcoming issues. The class of 2015 will be revealed and profiled in the April 20 issue.

Court Dockets

Court Dockets Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT
Brenda Cruz v. Carrington Property Services and Frank and Priscilla Schissel
Allegation: Negligent property maintenance causing slip and fall: $4,478
Filed: 1/23/15

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT
Melissa C. Hubert v. Starbucks Corp. d/b/a Starbucks Coffee Co.
Allegation: Plaintiff ingested broken pieces of a thermometer which had been blended into her drink, causing significant personal injury: $4,728.30
Filed: 12/17/14

GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Federated Mutual Insurance Co. v. Green River Circle Sales Inc., f/k/a Green River Holding Co. Inc.
Allegation: Money due for insurance services: $8,250
Filed: 12/10/14

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Direct Energy Business Marketing, LLC assignee of Hess Corp. v. DLP Hospitality, LLC d/b/a Clarion Hotel and Conference Center
Allegation: Unpaid bills for delivery of natural gas: $28,071.64
Filed: 1/23/15

Unifirst Corp. v. Avax Technologies Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods and services and breach of contract: $56,200.68
Filed: 1/30/15

PALMER DISTRICT COURT
American Express Bank, FSB v. Fresh Cuts by Toni Inc. and Toni Marcus
Allegation: Failure to pay money due: $5,145.77
Filed: 1/15/15

Adelino Francisco v. Oak Tree Inn Inc.
Allegation: Negligent maintenance of property, causing trip and fall: $35,000+
Filed: 12/31/14

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Jany Lopez, as parent and guardian of minor, Hansel Lopez v. Walmart Stores East, L.P
Allegation: Minor was in a Walmart store when a ball rack fell, striking the minor on the forehead, causing injury: $7,500
Filed: 1/5/2015

Picture This

Departments Picture This

Send photos with a caption and contact information to: ‘Picture This’ c/o BusinessWest Magazine, 1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103 or to [email protected]

Fresh Outlook

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker was the keynote speaker at the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield’s annual Outlook luncheon on Feb. 27 at the MassMutual Center. He hit on many points during his address to the more than 800 business and civic leaders gathered, including a need to close the skills gap impacting the state’s employers and the appointment of a task force to address the state’s opioid-addition crisis.

Springfield Symphony Orchestra Announces Interim Leadership

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced that Peter Salerno will return to the post of executive director for an interim period as the board of trustees begins a nationwide search for permanent leadership.

Salerno, a local business leader and long-time member of the orchestra’s board of trustees, served in this capacity prior to the hiring of outgoing Executive Director Audrey Szychulski. In January of this year, Szychulski announced her acceptance of a new position with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, leaving the Springfield Symphony Orchestra with enhanced sponsorship and a strengthened business plan.

Salerno expressed his enthusiasm in providing support to Maestro Kevin Rhodes and SSO staff. As a returning executive director and long-time resident of the Pioneer Valley, he brings a deep knowledge of the regional market and the caliber of programming the orchestra’s audience expects.

“Our mission is to make sure that our sponsors, donors, and single-ticket attendees all have the same high expectations as we do when they walk into Symphony Hall,” said Salerno. “And the Springfield Symphony Orchestra has the musical talent and excellent support staff to fulfill that mission.”

SSO President John Chandler also voiced his support for Salerno’s appointment during this interim period. “We are very pleased to have Peter join us again in this capacity. He is already fully up to speed as we look forward to announcing our fabulous 72nd-season program.”

Rhodes echoed Chandler’s enthusiasm. “I am delighted beyond words that Peter Salerno will once again guide the administrative and business side of the orchestra’s operations. He brings decades of leadership experience and business savvy to all that he does — as well as a good humor. The upcoming ’15-’16 season promises to be a knockout year … and we’ve had a great stroke of luck to have Peter once again joining us.”

In addition to serving on the orchestra’s board of trustees, Salerno teaches at Bay Path University and Clark University, serves as Finance chair of the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee, and is lead consultant for Management Solutions, LLC. He looks forward to bringing his decades of business experience to his position with the symphony.

In the upcoming months, the SSO board of trustees will oversee a nationwide search for a permanent executive director, with the goal of having that individual in place by early fall 2015, as the symphony enters the beginning of its 72nd season.

Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin Lawyers to Speak at REBA Seminar