BusinessWest Staff, Author at BusinessWest

AMHERST — UMass Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy, under whose leadership the commonwealth’s flagship campus experienced a decade of unprecedented success and momentum, today announced that he will retire at the end of June 2023.

Subbaswamy arrived in Amherst in July 2012, and during his tenure the campus has excelled in a wide range of key areas, including attracting growing numbers of diverse, high-achieving students, steadily improving graduation rates, and conducting cutting-edge research with real-world impact.

“It has been a privilege to serve as chancellor of this great university,” said Subbaswamy. “I will forever treasure the support and friendship of the faculty, staff, students and alumni whom I’ve come to know over the past decade and am grateful for all that we have accomplished together. By channeling our revolutionary spirit, we have become one of the fastest rising top-tier public research universities in the country and I am confident that, in its next chapter, the University of Massachusetts Amherst will soar even higher.”

UMass President Marty Meehan said, “Chancellor Subbaswamy’s leadership of UMass Amherst over the last decade has been truly extraordinary by any measure. The university has grown in impact and national stature under his skillful guidance, while he has always remained focused on student success. That was never more evident than during the last two years of unprecedented challenge and change. It has been an honor to call Swamy a friend and colleague.”

In the latest U.S. News & World Report Colleges Guide, UMass Amherst is ranked No. 26 among the 209 public universities included in the national survey. A rankings rise from No. 52 in 2010 marks a 26-step ascent, principally during Subbaswamy’s tenure.

Robert Manning, chair of the UMass Board of Trustees, said, “UMass Amherst has blossomed with Chancellor Subbaswamy as its leader. That has required skilled management, the ability to recruit great people, a sense of humor, and an unyielding pursuit of the land grant mission to serve Massachusetts and the nation through excellent teaching, high-impact research, and powerful service.”

Manning has named UMass Trustee and UMass Amherst alumnus Victor Woodridge as chair of the search committee that will be appointed to identify candidates to be the next UMass Amherst chancellor.

Under Subbaswamy’s leadership, the university has played a pivotal and unique role in educating the commonwealth. UMass Amherst alone enrolls more first-year students from Massachusetts than do the commonwealth’s top eight private universities combined. In addition, UMass Amherst awards more undergraduate STEM degrees than any other college or university in Massachusetts, public or private.

Meanwhile, the university’s research enterprise is driving innovative solutions to the world’s greatest challenges and boosting the state’s economy. In FY 2021, UMass Amherst totaled $213 million in research expenditures, and it ranked first among public universities in New England in National Science Foundation grant awards.

UMass Amherst recently secured major investments in computer science, fueling the Massachusetts tech economy. An $18 million naming gift will endow the Robert and Donna Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences. A state investment of $75 million—along with $30 million from the Amherst campus—will enhance and expand the college’s facilities, enabling accelerated enrollment growth.

The university is also playing a lead role to help address the commonwealth’s pressing health care needs supported by the largest gift in UMass Amherst history to the Marieb College of Nursing. The $21.5 million naming gift from the Elaine Nicpon Marieb Charitable Foundation is advancing the university’s innovative nursing engineering center, and it is also providing support for student scholarships, an endowed professorship, and mentorship and research initiatives designed to further access, equity and excellence in nursing education.

Subbaswamy emphasized that much remains to be done in the coming months. “Over the next year, I will remain focused on fulfilling our mission as the flagship campus of the commonwealth,” he said. “Together, we will work on significant university efforts, such as expanding flexible learning; advancing our Carbon Zero, renewable energy plans; addressing campus issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion; and preparing for our new fundraising campaign.”

V-One Debuts Special-edition Label; Proceeds to Support Ukranian Refugees

HADLEY — Valley Vodka Inc. has announced the launch of its special edition Ukrainian flag colored labels. Two dollars for every bottle sold will be donated to the Help the Ukrainian Children Foundation.

Only 500 cases have been produced, according to owner and founder Paul Kozub.

“We have been successfully producing our 100% spelt based vodka in Eastern Poland for 17 years; our distillery is located less than two hours from the Poland-Ukraine boarder and we feel compelled to support Ukraine in this unjust war,” said Kozub. “I traveled to the Ukraine-Poland boarder in early March and saw, first-hand, women & children fleeing war and I heard many horror stories.

“We feel it is our duty to support the Ukrainian refugees in Poland. So many Polish citizens have opened their homes, accepting more than 3 million refugees,” he went on. “Help The Ukrainian Children foundation in Zyrzyn Poland is doing such great work supporting these refugees and we are proud to work with them.”

Bacon Wilson Announces Additions to Firm

SPRINGFIELD — Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Attorney Timothy M. Netkovick and Attorney Jennifer R. Sharrow have joined the firm.

Netkovick is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Employment Law Practice Group. He is licensed to practice in both Massachusetts and Connecticut and has significant experience in matters including employment and commercial litigation. He has been practicing law for 20 years, having earned his J.D. from Western New England College School of Law in 2002, and a B.S. magna cum laude from American International College in 1999. He was recognized as the School of Law Academic Scholarship Recipient during his time at Western New England, and an All-American Scholar in 1998 at American International. He will be working from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location.

Sharrow is a member of Bacon Wilson’s Commercial Law Practice Group. She is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She has more than a decade of experience working in public service, with experience in federal programs where she focused on municipal, non-profit, and business development. She earned her J.D. in 2010 from the University of Connecticut School of Law and earned a B.A. summa cum laude from the University of New Hampshire in 2007.

She has volunteered her time by serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Habitat for Humanity from 2010 to 2011 and participated in multiple pro bono programs including the Women’s Bar Foundation Family Law Project and the Hampden County Bar Association Lawyer for the Day Program. Currently, she serves as the Legal Chair for the Shoshin Ryu Martial Arts Association and is a member of the Belchertown Zoning Board of Appeals. She will work from Bacon Wilson’s Springfield location. 

Bacon Wilson’s Managing Shareholder, Kenneth J. Albano, welcomed the new attorneys to the legal family, “Tim and Jennifer provide significant depth and experience to their respective practice groups.”

The firm also welcomed Alayna Anderson, as the marketing coordinator, who recently joined the firm at the Springfield location. She is a Cape Cod Native who since relocated to Springfield after earning her bachelor of Science degree in marketing as well as her master’s of Business Administration, both from Springfield College. She will work directly with Bacon Wilson’s Executive Director, Lisa Carpenter, on all aspects of managing the firm’s marketing and public relations for all five locations. 

Breeze Airways Marks First Anniversary, Launches 7 New Routes at Bradley

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — Coinciding with its one-year anniversary at Bradley International Airport, Breeze Airways has announced that it is launching seven new flights at the airport — six over the course of three days, starting this Thursday, with the seventh starting after Labor Day.

The new flights will be taking off this week to Nashville, Tenn.; Akron/Canton, Ohio; Savannah, Ga.; Richmond, Va.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla., and, finally in September, to Las Vegas, Nev.

“Over the past 12 months, Breeze has been a tremendous partner at Bradley International Airport,” said Kevin Dillon, A.A.E., executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority.  “With the launch of the new flights, we have reached an exciting one-year milestone as their New England base and are thrilled to celebrate their network expansion which now includes a total of 11 destinations.”

The majority of these new routes will be operated on Breeze’s fleet of new Airbus A220s once the airline begins the rollout of the new aircraft. Other than Nashville and Las Vegas, all the destinations are brand new routes to Bradley International Airport.

“The addition of the Airbus A220-300 is a game-changer for us as we can now serve Hartford guests not only up and down the east coast but all the way to Las Vegas,” said Breeze’s founder and CEO David Neeleman.  “The A220 offers travelers the widest cabin, highest ceiling, largest windows and biggest overhead stowage in this class, while still managing to burn 25% less fuel, with half the noise footprint of past generations and everyone loves to fly on it.”

Since making their debut at Bradley International Airport in late May 2021, Breeze Airways has named the airport one of its five national bases and has expanded its nonstop offerings to eleven destinations.

In addition to the launch of the seven new routes, the airline currently operates nonstop service from Bradley International Airport to Columbus, Ohio; Norfolk, Va., Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Charleston, S.C. 

Springfield Chamber Slates Annual Meeting

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Regional Chamber will stage its annual meeting celebration on June 15, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Sheraton Springfield.

The evening, sponsored by Florence Bank with support from Health New England, will honor Evan Plotkin, president, and owner of NAI Samuel D. Plotkin and Associates, as the 2022 Springfield Regional Chamber Richard J. Moriarty Citizen of the Year. The event will also celebrate the chamber’s accomplishments from the year, recognize the 2022 Springfield Leadership Institute graduates, honor outgoing President Nancy Creed, and welcome incoming Chamber President, Diana Szynal. Creed will officially step down from her role as President on June 30 but will remain in a part-time capacity to support Szynal, who will assume the role on July 5.

A cocktail hour with heavy hors d’oeuvres will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the program, which will include a champagne toast. Reservations are $75 for members in advance and $85 for general admission. Reservations must be made by June 10 and can be made online at the annual meeting event page. For additional information, reach out to [email protected].

Amherst College Names New President

AMHERST — The Board of Trustees at Amherst College announced Wednesday that Michael Elliott, a 1992 graduate, has been named the next president of the institution.

He will succeed Carolyn ‘Biddy’ Martin, who announced last year that she would retire from the presidency but continue teaching at the college. He is expected to begin work August 1.

Elliott has been the chief academic and executive officer of Emory College of Arts and Science in Atlanta since 2016.

He earned a doctorate in English and comparative literature at Columbia University in 1998. His bachelor’s degree from Amherst consisted of a dual major in Russian and English.

Air Canada Restores Flights Between Bradley and Toronto

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announced the return of Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline, at Bradley International Airport. The airline restored its nonstop service between Bradley International Airport (BDL) and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on Wednesday.

“We are thrilled to welcome back Air Canada to Bradley International Airport,” said Kevin A. Dillon, A.A.E., executive director of the CAA. “Air Canada’s long-standing partnership with our airport has been and continues to be key to our route network. The airline not only facilitates seamless connectivity between our regions, but it also offers a convenient gateway to the rest of the world via its Toronto-Pearson hub. As we celebrate Air Canada’s return, we look forward to once again offering our passengers an easy way to access Canada and beyond.”

The airline has returned to Bradley International Airport after a two-year absence due to the international travel disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The last Air Canada flights operated at the airport in the spring of 2020.

“Connecticut is an extremely popular destination, appealing to Canadians and global customers alike who enjoy the leisure activities, recreation, arts and culture, tourism and hospitality the state is renowned for,” said Lisa Pierce, vice president, Canada & USA Sales for Air Canada. “With customer interest in travel resuming post pandemic, we are thrilled to launch our services connecting Bradley International Airport to our Toronto hub. In addition to enabling Canadians and global visitors to come visit Connecticut, our flights also make it especially convenient for area residents to visit and enjoy everything Canada has to offer, or to connect internationally beyond.” 

The newly launched service will utilize a 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft. It will operate daily and year-round, departing Bradley at 12:45 p.m. and arriving in Toronto at 2:07 p.m.; flights leave Toronto at 11 a.m. and arrive at Bradley at 12:14 p.m.

The resumption of the service was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a festive send-off at the gate on Wednesday.

Passengers interested in booking a flight should visit www.AirCanada.com.

Kevin Conway Named SVP/CIDO at Baystate Health

SPRINGFIELD — Kevin Conway, whose IT expertise spans both domestic and global markets, has been named Senior Vice President & Chief Information & Digital Officer (SVP/CIDO) of Baystate Health.

His appointment becomes effective June 27. 

Conway, a strategic executive with more than 25 years of success in executive leadership, strategic planning, and consulting within large academic multi-facility healthcare IT systems, most recently served as client executive for Tegria Services Group, overseeing the clinical and digital transformation initiative for Northern Ireland. In his role, he was responsible for strategic direction and leadership of Epic Solutions deployment as part of the overall digital health strategy for acute, community, mental health, and social care services. 

Previously, Conway held the role of Chief Information Officer at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he managed all facets of IT operations of clinical and essential service departments at UPMC Presbyterian, UPMC Shadyside, and UPMC Mercy & UPMC Magee-Womens Hospitals. He also served as VP of IT Advisory Services, chief information officer, and director of IT at UPMC.

Conway received his BA in Business Administration Health Management Systems from Robert Morris University.

In his new role at Baystate Health, Conway will be a key senior executive responsible for the health system’s information and technology systems. His work will include system interoperability and optimization of IT systems, transformation of business processes, human-centered design, enhancements of patient-centered technologies, and focused work on cyber and information security.

Founders of Park Square Realty Celebrate 35th Anniversary

Carolyn Coughlen and Kate Cheever, two of the three founders of Park Square Realty are celebrating 35 years with the company.

The two were recognized at the recent Park Square Realty Awards and Recognition Event held at Tucker’s Restaurant in Southwick. They are still actively practicing real estate.

Natives of Westfield, the founding brokers desired to use their real estate experience to open what many called a “boutique” real estate firm in 1987, to serve the area with excellent service to clients and a local connection. Over the years Park Square Realty has stayed true to the vision that the founders had and has grown with 56 agents and two offices in Westfield and West Springfield.

HCC to Stage 75th Commencement Exercises on June 4 

HOLYOKE — Springfield entrepreneur Mychal Connolly will be honored with a distinguished service award on June 4, as Holyoke Community College holds its 75th anniversary commencement exercises at the MassMutual Center. 

The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. 

HCC will confer associate degrees and certificates to more than 600 graduates from the class of 2022. Alumni from the classes of 2020 and 2021, who were not able to celebrate their graduations in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will also be recognized as HCC marks its 75th year as the oldest community college in Massachusetts. 

Sheila Gould, associate professor of Education and recipient of the 2022 Elaine Marieb Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence, will lead the procession of faculty, staff, and graduates into the MassMutual arena and give the keynote address. 

Biology major Yannelis Cruz ’22 of Springfield will give a speech to her classmates as student orator. Carolyn Sicbaldi ’22 of South Hadley will present the class gift. Liberal arts major Deanna Bach ’22 of Longmeadow and music major Elena Ciampa ’22 of Florence will both give musical performances of original songs.  

Connolly is an HCC alum from the class of 2004 and owner of Stand Out Truck, a digital mobile billboard company. In addition, Connolly has served as an alumni mentor for the HCC Alumni Champions Mentorship Network. In 2021, he established an annual scholarship through the HCC Foundation for business and marketing majors. He has also worked as a volunteer for HCC’s annual “Together HCC — Drive to Change Lives” fundraising campaigns. 

Gould, a Holyoke native and graduate of Holyoke High School who now lives in Chicopee, is coordinator of HCC’s Early Childhood Education program, co-host of HCC’s Itsy Bitsy Zoomcast, and one of the co-founders of HCC’s new Itsy Bitsy Child Watch program. This spring, she received the 2022 Marieb Award, which recognizes a full-time member of the faculty for outstanding classroom teaching. Award recipients serve for one year, receive a small stipend for professional development, lead the procession at Commencement, and also give the keynote graduation speech. 

HCC will also stream Saturday’s Commencement ceremony over the Internet. The live stream will be available both on Facebook and through a link on the main page of the college website, www.hcc.edu, where other details about this year’s Commencement can also be found.

Attorney Kylie Brown Joins The Royal Law Firm

The Royal Law Firm recently welcomed Attorney Kylie Brown to its team.

Brown received her bachelor’s degree from Lasell College and her juris doctor from Western New England University School of Law.

She is admitted to practice law in the state of Connecticut. Prior to joining The Royal Law Firm, she worked as a Law Clerk of Court at the Connecticut Superior Courts in Hartford, Rockville and New Britain.

Bulkley Richardson Welcomes Five Summer Associates

SPRINGFIED — Bulkley Richardson has welcomed five law students to its 2022 Summer Associate Program.

The robust program will introduce law students to the inner workings of a law firm, where they will receive mentorship from lawyers ranging from firm leaders and retired judges all the way through the ranks to junior associates, and gain exposure to real-life legal matters.

This year’s Summer Associates are:

Allison Laughner, who is currently attending Western New England University School of Law, where she is on the Law Review staff. She is also working toward an MBA at Western New England University College of Business and earned a B.A. from Smith College;
Jacob Cronin is currently attending Northeastern University School of Law. He earned a B.A. from Connecticut College with additional coursework at Carnegie Mellon University and Georgetown University; 
Sara Sam-Njogu is currently attending Western New England University School of Law. She earned a B.A., magna cum laude, from St. Lawrence University and participated in the Denmark International Study Abroad Program in Copenhagen, Denmark with a focus on international business;
Christa “Christabelle” Calabretta is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law and earned a B.A. from St. John’s University and an A.A. from Suffolk County Community College; and 
Mumina Egal is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law, where in addition to a juris doctorate, she is seeking certificates in both Intellectual Property and Transactional Practice. Egal received a bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Ottawa.

“The firm’s Summer Associate Program continues to thrive, and we are honored to have such a talented group of law students who chose to spend the next few months with us receiving in-depth legal training and exposure to a wide range of legal matters,” said Mike Roundy, head of Bulkley Richardson’s Summer Associate Program.”   

Bulkley Richardson continues to accept resumes from future summer associates, as well as recent law school graduates and attorneys considering a lateral move. Visit https://bulkley.com/summer-associates/ for more information.

MCLA Alumni Association to Hold Awards Ceremony for Distinguished Alumni, Friends of the College 

NORTH ADAMS — On June 4, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Alumni Association will stage its annual Alumni Awards Brunch to recognize distinguished alumni and friends of the college for their accomplishments.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to noon at Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation on the MCLA campus, with a special session for photos of awardees from noon to 12:30 p.m. 

The following recipients will be recognized:  

Ricardo Arroyo ’11, 2021 Vanguard Award;
James Casey ’00, 2020 Distinguished Alumnus Award;   
Mallory D’Aniello ’10, 2021 Outstanding Educator Award;   
Charlotte Degen ’73, 2020 Outstanding Service to the College Award; 
Mark Halloran ’77, 2020 Outstanding Educator Award; 
Robert Howland Jr. ’06, 2020 Community Service & Citizenship Award; 
George Jacobs ’83, 2021 Distinguished Alumnus Award; 
Celia Norcross, 2021 Outstanding Service to the College Award; 
Kimberly Roberts-Morandi ’91, ’01, M.Ed. ’00, 2021 Outstanding Educator Award;
Kaite Rosa ’10, 2020 Vanguard Award; 
Margaret (Meg) Skowron ’71, M.Ed. ’74, 2020 Outstanding Educator Emeritus Award;   
Darcie Sosa ’14, 2021 Community Service & Citizenship Award.

This ceremony was deferred in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, so this year, many alumni will be recognized for their accomplishments, as well as their contributions to the MCLA community.  

See descriptions of each award at https://alumni.mcla.edu/distinguished-alumni.  

Holyoke Y Slates ‘Leaders vs. Future Leaders’ Basketball Game

HOLYOKE — On June 3 at 6 p.m., The Holyoke YMCA will be hosting ‘The Leaders of Holyoke vs. The Future Leaders’ basketball game.

This event will bring together the present and future of Holyoke with the hopes of creating bonds that will inspire our youth to continue the amazing work that our current leaders do and in return the youth will bring out the athlete or at least someone who resembles an athlete in our current leaders.

The YMCA’s after school KIDDOS, teen staff and high school members will join forces and create the “Future Leaders” team. On the opposite side of the future leader’s team will be the “Leaders of Holyoke’ team, led by team captain, Mayor Joshua Garcia.

Joining Garcia will be Anthony Soto (Superintendent of Holyoke Public Schools), Stephen Mahoney (Assistant Superintendent of HPS), Israel Rivera (city councilor at large), Juan Maldonado (Holyoke High School dean of students and varsity boys’ basketball head coach), Andrea Enright (Holyoke public school teacher and varsity girls’ basketball head coach), Marc Swygert (Donahue School principal), Emil Morales (Holyoke police officer), Juan Vazquez (local business owner) and many more.

All the players will be sporting shirts that were proudly sponsored by Harry Melendez, owner of Train 42.

This is not just a game; this is an event that will have something for everyone in attendance. At half-time, we will be having a “Zumba Demo,” and After Zumba, some of the leaders will be sharing their stories, talking directly to our youth about the impact they can make in our community.

Amherst Area Chamber Slates New-member Expo

HADLEY — The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce will stage its 2022 New Member Expo, featuring businesses who have joined since 2020, on Wednesday, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Homewood Suites on Russell Street, Hadley.

The event is presented by UMassFive College Credit Union, and includes Supporting Sponsor Steve Lewis Subaru and Contributing Sponsor Superior Plus Energy, features local nonprofit Children’s Advocacy Center Hampshire County, and is hosted by Homewood Suites, part of the Pioneer Valley Hotel Group.

“When the doors went dark, we engaged with new members and new business owners in record numbers, but we missed out on this annual in-person tradition,” said Claudia Pazmany, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce. “And when the team at Pioneer Valley Hotel Group, who has generously opened up their Homewood Suites property to us, with expansive patio and BBQ and beautiful views of Hadley, and then UMass Five College Credit Union graciously stepped up to sponsor this important event, we knew it was going to be special.

“Partners from every part of the community have stepped forward to make this a regional networking event,” she went on. “Food will be from Homewood Suites/Pioneer Valley Hotel Group, Texas Roadhouse, Herrell’s Ice Cream and Hamel’s Catering/SummitView Banquet & Meeting House; tastings from Four Seasons Liquors, Artifact Cider and V-One Vodka; and live music with Hayden Treble, an acoustic duo, will be the perfect backdrop to this event. As a Chamber, leading through partnership is what builds business and community and we are grateful to all who will make this event possible.”

To register for the event, visit amherstarea.com

Coalition for an Equitable Economy Hires Tracye Whitfield as Executive Director

BOSTON — The Coalition for an Equitable Economy (CEE) announced the hiring of Tracye Whitfield as its new executive director. In this new role, Whitfield, named a Woman of Impact by BusinessWest in 2021, will lead the coalition’s efforts to ensure equitable access to capital for BIPOC small business owners across the state of Massachusetts. Whitfield will continue the coalition’s efforts in creating new programs and policy needed to change and dismantle racist structures preventing the equitable investments needed to support the growth and viability of these businesses.

“I am thrilled to be joining CEE at this important moment in the coalition’s history,” said Whitfield. ”There is a lot of energy and momentum around efforts to create a more equitable economy, and I look forward to working with CEE members and partners to make real progress on this critical issue.”

Prior to joining CEE, Whitfield was appointed as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer by Mayor Reichelt for West Springfield. Her work in this role included promoting a diverse environment free from discrimination among employees as well as residents of their town — with an emphasis on racial equity when recruiting new people or hiring existing ones.

In her 25-year career, Whitfield has served as a finance analyst for the city of Springfield and data analyst at Springfield Technical Community College. She also worked in various positions, including one with MassMutual Financial Group and youth advocacy at Martin Luther King Family Services. She served as the director of business development for Training And Workforce Options (TWO), a collaboration between STCC and HCC where she assisted employers in developing customized trainings to strengthen their workforces. She’s also the owner of T&J Tax and Credit Savers, focusing on individual and small business tax preparation, credit repair, and assisting clients on their journey to home ownership.

In 2018, she became an elected official in her community as a Springfield city councilor at Large. She is now the first African American woman vice president of this position. For the past seven years, she’s served as co-chair of Mason Square C-3 Initiative. This position has allowed her to work closely with residents and local organizations and police officers to promote public safety while also improving the quality of life throughout the community.

The Coalition for an Equitable Economy convenes and partners with a broad cross-sector coalition of stakeholders from across Massachusetts aligned around a shared commitment to building an equitable small business ecosystem and to the values of racial equity, collaboration, and shared leadership.

Caolo & Bieniek Architects Selected to Design New Northfield Emergency Services Facility

CHICOPEE — Caolo & Bieniek Architects (CBA) has been selected, and has begun work, on designing options for a public safety complex to serve the town of Northfield.

The CBA design team boasts 60 years of experience working in Western Mass., with extensive knowledge in the construction of public safety complexes, police stations, fire stations, and emergency service facilities.

The team will compose a feasibility study assessing program needs and developing Phase 1 – programing and conceptual design.

The focus of the study is to explore design options that accommodate the town’s Fire Department, Police Department, and Emergency Medical Services Department. Each department’s current condition is in need of attention and redesign to better enable department members to effectively serve their community.

Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley Provides Financial Gift to Community Legal Aid

Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

SPRINGFIELD — The law firm of Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley recently made a $3,500 donation to support Community Legal Aid of Central and Western Massachusetts.

Community Legal Aid Executive Director Jonathan Mannina Esq., in accepting the donation said, “with the firm’s gift, PSRB is helping to pass on the American promise of equal justice under the law. With Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley’s support, Community Legal Aid will be able to continue to serve some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

“It is critical to us as a firm, that the work of the Community Legal Aid continue,” said Charlie Casartello Jr., Managing Partner at Pellegrini, Seeley Ryan & Blakesley. “For 70 years, they have provided invaluable advocacy for and support to people who otherwise would not be able to afford legal representation in central and western Massachusetts. The impact they make is tremendous and we are proud that we can make a difference in their mission.” 

BusinessTalk with Charlie Epstein, senior vice president of HUB International and Epstein Financial

By BusinessWest Staff May 30, 2022

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest, in partnership with Living Local, has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 114: May 30, 2022

George O’Brien talks with Charlie Epstein, senior vice president of HUB International and Epstein Financial

BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien talks with Charlie Epstein, senior vice president of HUB International and Epstein Financial. The two discuss his upcoming show at Holyoke Community College — Yield of Dreams — and how it brings together his twin passions — acting and educating people about not just saving for retirement, but realizing their dreams. It’s all must listening, so join us on BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Living Local and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

Sponsored by:

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Economic Recovery for State, U.S. Stalls, Observes MassBenchmarks Editorial Board

The most recent MassBenchmarks Board meeting showed a lapse in the economic recovery, as factors including the labor market, inflation, the Omicron variant, and the Ukraine conflict have fomented uncertainties. As a result, although Massachusetts continues to outperform the U.S. economy by most measures, there has been a notable slowdown in economic activity.

In the first quarter of 2022, following six straight quarters of growth, both Massachusetts’ real gross state product and national real gross domestic product (GDP) saw reversals, declining by 1.0% and 1.4% percent at annual rates, respectively. This is a stark contrast to the last quarter of 2021 when annualized growth rates were 7.8% and 6.9%, respectively, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

In contrast to GDP, payroll employment in Massachusetts maintained its forward momentum and actually accelerated in the first quarter of 2022. Payroll employment, for example, increased at both the state and national levels, up 5.2% at an annual rate in Massachusetts in the first quarter, slightly higher than the 4.8% rate for the U.S. However, because Massachusetts experienced some of the most severe job losses and dramatic increases in unemployment rates in the nation during the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, employment remains 2.4% below peak (a deficit of 89,000 jobs).

In contrast, the U.S. is now about 1.0% below its February 2020 jobs peak, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The divergence of GDP and employment growth trends during the first quarter indicates a large decline in productivity — more people are working but output is decreasing. The productivity decline could be driven by the fact that low-wage sectors (with below-average productivity) are currently leading job growth, and/or by other factors such as supply constraints that are limiting production, and labor hoarding. The latter possibility is consistent with the historically low level of layoffs.

In terms of GDP growth, Massachusetts and other states have followed national trends more closely than in previous business cycles, according to the board. This is likely due to both regional economies becoming more diversified over time as industries are less localized as well as the pandemic having a large economic impact on all states. For example, COVID-related stimulus spending is promoting greater convergence among the states in general — allowing most to ride the same wave towards fiscal recovery. As such, the national economic situation, including its endemic risks, have a great bearing on the Massachusetts economy.

AIC Partners with STCC with Signing of Articulation Agreement

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) has signed an articulation agreement with Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), formally establishing a close academic relationship between the two-year college and the four-year institution.

This accord between American International College and Springfield Technical Community College aligns academic programs that enhance the seamless transition of STCC graduates and qualified candidates from STCC, and promote a smooth, successful transfer to AIC.

This articulation agreement offers time and cost savings for students by recognizing the coursework pursued at the community college and demonstrates the ongoing commitment of both AIC and STCC to the community and its students, by ensuring that educational pathways are created for all those who wish to consider a degree in higher education.

At AIC, the program is referred to as Direct Connect. Direct Connect transfer students automatically receive a $4,000 scholarship in addition to their earned merit scholarship, before any need-based aid is awarded. This means Direct Connect students can earn up to $18,000 in financial gift aid, not loans, before being evaluated for additional need-based aid. And, unlike some other transfer articulation agreements, the Direct Connect program at AIC allows students to study and major in their area of interest while attending their community college.

“We are honored to have entered into a partnership with Springfield Technical Community College,” said American International College President Hubert Benitez. The execution of articulation agreements with our community colleges, exemplifies AIC’s vision of expanding the services we provide to our students and to the communities we serve. In this time where the value of education is being questioned, we are ensuring that students not lose time or credits in the transition.”

“We appreciate the continued collaboration between STCC and AIC, and welcome, in particular, the program-specific nature of this partnership,” said STCC President John Cook. “As neighbors just over a mile from one another, it is wonderful to continue our shared commitment to college access and affordability.”   

More information about American International College’s Direct Connect program and other undergraduate, and graduate degree programs can be found online at www.aic.edu.

STCC’s Dean of STEM to Serve on Engineering Technology Council 

SPRINGFIELD — Lara Sharp, dean of the School of STEM at Springfield Technical Community College, was named to the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Engineering Technology Council.

Sharp is the only community college representative on the council. 

The ASEE is a nonprofit organization of individuals and institutions committed to furthering education in engineering and engineering technology. The ASEE Engineering Technology Council is committed to promoting quality engineering technology education.

“It is an honor to be voted on to the Engineering Technology Council,” Sharp said. “This will be an opportunity to share best practices and develop new ideas that we can use in our engineering technology programs at STCC.”

Vice President of Academic Affairs Geraldine de Berly said Sharp’s membership benefits the School and STEM and students enrolled in the programs.

“I’m delighted that Lara Sharp will be the STCC representative on the ASEE Engineering Technology Council,” de Berly said. “By serving in this position, she will have an opportunity to share ideas with distinguished colleagues in colleges and universities across the nation. We see this as a win for our students and faculty.”

The only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC offers a wide variety of programs in science, technology, engineering and math, many of which cannot be found elsewhere in Western Mass. The college offers affordable transfer options in engineering and science as well as two-year degrees and one-year certificates that prepare graduates for positions in the region’s workforce.

Programs include civil engineering technology, electrical engineering technology, mechanical engineering technology, optics and photonics (laser technology), and more.

Sharp was named dean of the School of STEM in 2021. Her professional experience includes six years at St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, Fla., as the program director for Engineering, Manufacturing and Building Arts and also serving as the acting dean of Natural Sciences, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Building Arts.

From 2013-2015, she was at the Corporate College of Polk State College, in Winter Haven, Fla., managing National Science Foundation (NSF) and Department of Labor (DOL) grants in advanced manufacturing and engineering technology.

Sharp spent more than 11 years teaching chemistry, natural science and engineering to high school students at various locations.

Sharp also brings industry experience, having worked at Specialty Minerals Inc. as a process engineer and an operator technician as well as an educational consultant for PASCO Scientific.

She has been recognized for her outstanding teaching as well as her community engagement including a STEM Woman of the Year Award from Girls Inc. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math.

UMass Announces $250,000 in Technology Development Fund Awards

BOSTON — New technologies aimed at reducing patients’ and health-care workers’ exposure to drug-resistant bacteria, detecting important ocean data, and determining genetic disorders linked to autism and other medical conditions could get closer to market thanks to $250,000 in seed funding announced today by University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan.

Ten faculty research projects will each receive up to $25,000 from the Technology Development Fund, which helps to commercialize scientific breakthroughs throughout the five-campus University of Massachusetts. The fund is overseen by the Office of Technology Commercialization and Ventures (OTCV) at the UMass President’s Office in Boston.

“As a public research university, UMass has a duty to drive innovation that strengthens the socio-economic fabric of our communities, nation, and world,” said President Meehan. “With these grants, we’re investing in world class faculty who are carrying out our mission through their cutting-edge discoveries, attracting the highest quality collaborators, and bringing the results of research to the marketplace.”

The Technology Development Fund awards provide supplemental funding to help close the gap between UMass research discoveries and proven technology that address the most pressing issues facing the region, the nation, and the world, often laying the groundwork for major breakthroughs. 

“These faculty projects showcase how UMass continues to realize long-term growth and achievement in its commercialization enterprise,” said Carl Rust, Executive Director of Industry Engagement and Business Development, who oversees the OTCV initiative. 

The UMass system drives discovery and economic growth throughout the state, conducting $752 million in annual research and development in fields critical to the Commonwealth’s economy. Pre-pandemic, the university generated $7.5 billion in statewide economic activity – a 10-to-1 return on investment by the Commonwealth.  UMass supports close to 50,000 jobs in Massachusetts, including nearly 18,000 faculty and staff members and more than 30,000 private sector jobs. 

Since 2004, UMass has invested nearly $3 million in faculty R&D projects through the Technology Development Fund. Projects are chosen for their commercial viability, in hopes that development of the technology will lead to a startup company or licensing agreement. Funding for the annual awards comes from commercial licensing income on previous faculty discoveries. 

UMass continues to have a strong record of generating income from the commercialization of its academic research – $257 million over the last five years – and typically places among the top 25 universities in a national survey of income generated by technology transfer. 

This year’s recipients of the $25,000 Technology Development Fund awards include:

Carlos Gradil, DVM, MS, PhD, DACT, Department of Veterinary & Animal Sciences — UMass Amherst: This project is advancing a new ‘frameless’ magnetic contraceptive intrauterine device (IUD) based on physics and specifically designed to conform to a female’s body. The long-acting magnetic device offers the same efficacy as current IUDs, but with greater safety, easy insertion and removal, and reduced pain risks without the need for strings. The modified devices will include traditional copper coatings to make these IUDs capable of providing a reliable, nonhormonal contraception option. 

Alexander Suvorov and Richard J. Pilsner, Department of Environmental Health Sciences — UMass Amherst:  The team is examining how advanced paternal age at fertilization is a risk factor for many health conditions in offspring, including neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders and different forms of cancer. Researchers have developed a therapeutic intervention that resets encoded epigenetic information of sperm into a younger state. Significant demand is anticipated for these therapies that will restore “young” epigenetic program in sperm of older men to ensure healthy offspring. 

Adam Grabell and Tauhidur Rahman, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences — UMass Amherst: The team has created EarlyScreen, a lab-based game and algorithm that detects the presence of psychological disorders in preschool children with a high degree of accuracy compared to commonly used diagnosis tools. Psychological disorders emerging in the first few years of life often persist across later developmental stages and into adulthood, resulting in significant impairment and societal costs. The emerging signs of psychological disorders are difficult to differentiate from normative misbehavior in early childhood, creating a “when to worry” problem for caregivers and providers. EarlyScreen’s algorithm automatically extracts features such as facial expressions, gaze, and head movement from video footage. 

Jie Song, Department of Orthopedics and Physical Rehabilitation — UMass Chan Medical School

The team has developed StaphShield, a metallic implant-coating capable of on-demand release of antibiotics to prevent biofilm formation and bone infection caused by S. aureus, a type of bacteria found on human skin. The technology provides timely release of antibiotics to kill the bacteria before they have a chance to colonize the implant or invade surrounding bone. Researchers aim to tailor the StaphShield formulation as off-the-shelf dip-coatings where the drug load could be conveniently adjusted based on different clinical needs and the coating could be consistently applied to commercial implants by medical staff without altering implant manufacturing.

Joel D. Richter, Department of Molecular Medicine — UMass Chan Medical School: The Richter Lab team is researching Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), a genetic disorder that is the most common inherited form of intellectual impairment and most frequent single gene cause of autism worldwide. FXS is caused by a CGG triplet repeat expansion in the gene FMR1, resulting in the absence of the RNA binding FMRP. Children with FXS and an FMR1 mutation may have speech and development delays, hyperactivity, aggression, epilepsy, and other health issues. The team’s technology has discovered that white blood cells from FXS individuals 1 have altered RNA splicing, which serves as a statistically robust blood biomarker for the disorder that could facilitate the development of new therapeutic inventions to treat the disease.

Survey: Gas Prices, Inflation Impacting Summer Travel Plans More Than COVID

WASHINGTON — More than two years into the pandemic, Americans report that gas prices and inflation will impact their summer travel decisions more than concerns about COVID-19, according to a new survey conducted by Morning Consult and commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Memorial Day weekend marks the start of summer travel season, a traditionally busy time for the hotel industry. And this year, nearly seven in 10 Americans (69%) report being likely to travel this summer, with 60% saying they are likely to take more vacations this year compared to 2020-21.

New concerns about gas prices and inflation, however, are impacting Americans’ travel plans in a variety of ways. Majorities say they are likely to take fewer leisure trips (57%) and shorter trips (54%) due to current gas prices, while 44% are likely to postpone trips, and 33% are likely to cancel with no plans to reschedule. 82% say gas prices will have at least some impact on their travel destination(s).

The survey of 2,210 adults was conducted May 18-22, 2022. Other key findings include:

68% of Americans agree they have a greater appreciation for travel because of missed experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic;
57% are planning a family vacation this summer, a majority of which plan to stay in a hotel;
46% are likely to travel overnight for a family event such as a wedding, birthday, anniversary, or family reunion;
25% are likely to travel for Memorial Day; 32% for 4th of July; and 27% for Labor Day;
60% say they are likely to take more vacations this year compared to 2020-21;
60% are likely to attend more indoor gatherings;
57% are likely to take longer vacations;
56% are likely to take trips to farther-away destinations; and
90% say gas prices are a consideration in deciding whether to travel in the next three months (50% major consideration, 23% moderate consideration, 17% slight consideration, 10% not a consideration)

“The pandemic has instilled in most people a greater appreciation for travel, and that’s reflected in the plans Americans are making to get out and about this summer,” said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA. “But just as COVID’s negative impact on travel is starting to wane, a new set of challenges is emerging in the form of historic inflation and record high gas prices. We will be keeping a close eye on these issues and urging Congress and the administration to do the same in order to help ensure they don’t negatively impact hotels’ continued pandemic recovery.”

The Alchemy Fund Helps Innovators Transform Ideas into Businesses

Innovation and Startups

Spinning Ideas into Gold

The three partners of the Alchemy Fund, from left, Chris Bignell, Chris Sims, and Brett Gearing, say the Pioneer Valley has no shortage of entrepreneurs with ideas that can be turned into profitable companies.

When BusinessWest first spoke with the founders of the Alchemy Fund four years ago, their vision of helping entrepreneurs spin their ideas into profitable businesses by providing funds, advisory services, business acumen, and more, was itself just an idea.

And as the Alchemy partners started raising the fund, their idea was met with some skepticism, they recalled, noting that some wondered out loud if there would be real need for the services they wanted to provide — if there would be any deals to be made.

In the four years since, those doubts have largely been erased.

“It turns out there are a lot of people in this area who have the urge to innovate,” said Chris Sims, co-founder and partner of the Alchemy Fund. “We’ve found a bunch of people who are dreamers and ideas people, who saw opportunities and started to act on them.”

And with help from the fund and its founders, many are moving well beyond the concept state and into operation. Overall, Alchemy now has 13 portfolio companies across its two funds that together boast more 73 employees — the majority of which are local.

“It turns out there are a lot of people in this area who have the urge to innovate. We’ve found a bunch of people who are dreamers and ideas people, who saw opportunities and started to act on them.”

Holyoke-based Clean Crop Technologies, which produces technology that removes contamination from foods, is one of those companies. Clean Crop could have located anywhere — but chose to be in Western Mass. and is making it happen here through the help of many components to the region’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, including the Alchemy Fund.

“We were introduced through Forge, an innovation and manufacturing ecosystem support group with offices in Western Mass.,” said Dan White, the company’s CEO and co-founder. “They introduced me to Chris Sims. Chris and Alchemy were the first institutional capital commitment on Clean Crop’s seed-round raise.”

Alchemy helped Clean Crop create a battle plan to turn what it had, something that works in academic papers, into a working product — while also providing insight into how to bring it to customers. In the course of doing so, Clean Crop was able to do complete two rounds of major funding, both of which Alchemy participated in, from several investors, including the MassMutual Catalyst Fund.

“Chris is an extended part of the Clean Crop family; he has helped us sharpen our strategy at key intervals, and provides executive coaching and advisory office hours twice a month with our leadership team,” White explained. “He consistently helps sharpen our focus and prioritize resource deployment to the most relevant questions at that moment.”

There are several emerging success stories like Clean Crop in the Alchemy Fund portfolio, and together they confirm what the fund’s partners knew back in 2018.

“There’s some real validation to what we believed would happen,” said Brett Gearing, another of the founders. “We’re actually seeing and witnessing what we envisioned. It’s exciting for us for sure.”

Indeed, a lot has happened at Alchemy over the past years. For starters, its founders have launched two funds to invest in early-stage startups outside of the tech hubs of Boston and New York — with a focus on Western Mass. It has deployed all of the capital in the second fund, and will commence fundraising for its third fund soon.

“Within two years we will definitely have our third fund raised,” said Chris Bignell, Alchemy partner. “There might be some geographic expansion, and there might be a different mix of companies that we would invest in.”

Geographic expansions, yes, but Alchemy is keeping its focus local. Sims explained that in places like Boston or New York, venture capitalists typically end up chasing the same two deals as everyone else — in other words, they have an abundance of capital with a shortage of deals.

“Chris is an extended part of the Clean Crop family; he has helped us sharpen our strategy at key intervals, and provides executive coaching and advisory office hours twice a month with our leadership team. He consistently helps sharpen our focus and prioritize resource deployment to the most relevant questions at that moment.”

The reverse is true for Western Mass. Alchemy has run into what could be called a potentially good problem here — a situation where many companies are chasing a limited amount of capital. Competed deals like those in Boston are expensive, so by operating in Western Mass., Alchemy has been able to seize opportunities of the same caliber as those in major tech hubs for just a fraction of the cost.

Opportunities like Clean Crop, which has developed technologies that some are calling game-changers within the food industry.

“By definition, they are pushing the boundaries of something that hasn’t been done before,” said Sims, adding that as portfolio companies like Clean Crop grow and evolve, they attract top talent to the region.

“If you look at the folks we’re drawing into these companies, it’s not just the number — we’re creating a type of employment that literally didn’t exist here before,” he went on. “Now we’re saying you can go work at Clean Crop and help make Holyoke Massachusetts a stop on the road to the next green revolution.”

The seed-round raise White referred to was a start-up fundraising event in 2020 where Clean Crop Technologies raised $3 million — which was followed by a $6 million seed round in 2022, just two years later. He went on to explain that even before that commitment, Alchemy worked with Clean Crop for months to help sharpen its business strategy and target milestones in order to maximize its ability to raise capital.

This is an example of how the fund’s menu of services to portfolio companies extends beyond providing needed capital.

Similar to the way a sports coach would help out an up-and-coming athlete, Alchemy helps its clients upgrade their business model, assign veteran executives as mentors, add differentiating technology, and much more.

“It’s that first 10 yards that are the hardest for people who are disconnected from the norms that are obvious if you live in a major tech hub and everyone around you is doing this all the time,” Sims explained. “Here, it’s a pretty lonely experience because … who do you look to as an example?”

Alchemy has essentially bridged that gap. What the three Alchemy partners have found is that when they get entrepreneurs to the stage where their concepts can attract investments from a seed-round standpoint, they can then coach them all the way to the next level — and the next level, and the next. The companies they work with become competitive not just locally, but nationally.

“They are as good as anybody, which shouldn’t be a surprise,” said Sims.

And there’s another gap Alchemy is seeking to close. When Sims and Brett Gearing founded the Alchemy Fund, they identified a huge gap in venture dollars per capita in comparison to tech hubs like Boston and New York.

Sims, Gearing, and Bignell all concurred that startups like the ones they work with enhance and transform areas like Western Mass. into the type of place someone would want to live and do business. The Alchemy Fund sees the region between Boston and New York overflowing with opportunities, and aims to help make it just as alluring as those metro centers.

“There is something to be said for us getting in at the early stages so that these companies get a flag in the ground while it’s even harder for them to move to make the decision to go to Boston or New York at that point,” Bignell explained. “If we can get them in, get that flag in the ground… they start creating these jobs.”

And the jobs are generally well-paying jobs, he went on, the kinds of jobs that can bring people to an area like Western Mass. And as more of these jobs are created, and more people are drawn to the area, there is a snowball effect, seen in many areas around the country where startups flourish.

Yes, a lot has happened since the last time the Alchemy Fund and BusinessWest sat down together — and the story continues to generate new and exciting chapters.

“Whereas four years ago we got the reaction ‘there are no deals there, you’re wasting your time, you won’t find any entrepreneurs there,’ four years from now I hope we get the reaction, ‘of course there are deals there, why wouldn’t there be?’” Sims concluded.

Elizabeth Sears can be reached at [email protected]

Jessye Deane Named Executive Director of Franklin County Chamber

The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce board of directors has named Jessye Deane its next executive director.

Deane, a lifelong Franklin County resident and Bernardston native, has served on the Franklin County Chamber board of directors since 2019. She will assume the role currently held by Diana Szynal, who plans to take over as president of the Springfield Regional Chamber in July.

“The board is thrilled to have Jessye transition into this role at the chamber. Her ability to connect with the community and build business relationships is a tremendous asset for Franklin County and our membership,” said Shelby Snow Hasanbasic, chair of the chamber’s board of directors. “Jessye’s dynamic skillset will lead the Chamber into great success as we continue to adapt to deliver value to members in a changing economic landscape. Her vision for refining and building on the chamber’s role in Franklin County is exciting, and we believe her expertise in community collaboration will excel successful partnerships for the greater good of our members, our community, and our visitors.”

As an entrepreneur with more than a decade of experience in volunteer, community, and nonprofit service, Deane has an accomplished background in business, marketing, and community building, which Hasanbasic says will serve her well in this position.

Deane currently serves as the director of Communications & Development for the anti-poverty agency Community Action Pioneer Valley. During her 12 years at Community Action, the $36 million dollar non-profit has seen a 1,645.7% increase in private funding under her leadership.

Simultaneously, she and her husband, Danny, also own and operate two award-winning fitness studios, F45 Training Hampshire Meadows in Hadley and F45 Training Riverdale in West Springfield, where Deane has spearheaded the businesses’ community impact program, benefitting more than 86 local nonprofits with nearly $100,000 in donations and in-kind services.

“My passion has always been strengthening community through partnerships and creative collaboration, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue that work and support business and tourism in the county I love,” said Deane. “I understand the economic challenges Franklin County faces, and I am looking forward to working with our legislators to advocate on behalf of all those who work, live, and vacation in Franklin County.”

In 2019, Jessye was awarded the Chamber MVP Award for her work as an Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador. The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce named Deane its first-ever Young Professional of the Year in 2020, and she was recognized as a member of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty 2021 class.

“As someone who’s engaged with numerous Chambers up and down the valley as a business owner and as a nonprofit leader, I bring a widespread, community-minded perspective to this role,” said Deane, who presented the board of directors with a 14-page strategic planning proposal during the screening process. “I am excited to add to the already-impressive Franklin County Chamber team and its board of directors as we launch a strategic planning process to refine the Chamber’s priorities both as a business collective and as a Regional Tourism Council.”

Florence Bank Celebrates 20th Annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program

FLORENCE — Florence Bank celebrated its 20th annual Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program gala last month, awarding $100,000 to 45 nonprofits across the valley. And at the close of the event, President and CEO Kevin Day drew cheers from the audience of nonprofit leaders, announcing that giving will increase to $125,000.

“Some of you longtime recipients may recall when we began this great program back in 2002, we started by giving away $50,000,” Day said. “Years later we increased to $75,000 and then to $100,000. We’ve decided to increase the total grant amount again — to $125,000 — immediately, for grants to be awarded at next year’s gala.

“My hope is that our customers continue to use this program to provide you with a vote of confidence, as well as some much-needed funding to help you continue your mission to serve the community,” he added. “All of us at Florence Bank truly appreciate everything you do to make our communities better places to live and work.”

Day’s announcement was the second commemoration of the evening, the first coming as he called for bank and nonprofit staff and leaders to raise a glass to toast the event’s 20th year. “We can’t let that go without celebration,” he said. 

Florence Bank’s community grants program is an annual offering founded in 2002, and, through it, Florence Bank customers are invited to vote for their favorite local nonprofit in hopes it will receive a share of grant funding.

Voting takes place all year long, online at www.florencebank.com/vote and in bank branches, and each customer has only one vote. To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 votes. In 2021, roughly 7,000 votes were cast, making 45 nonprofits eligible for a grant.

Over the past 20 years, Florence Bank has tallied more than 141,000 customer votes and given grants to roughly 164 different organizations.

At its 20th annual event, held May 19 at Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park, the bank offered awards to 45 nonprofits and celebrated a total of $1.4 million in community giving through this one channel.

Six nonprofits received funding for the first time — some in Hampden County, where Florence Bank now has three branches and has established a presence as a good neighbor. Three recipients have accepted an award every year since the program launched. 

Four organizations received the maximum amount of $5,000 this year: Cancer Connection Inc., Dakin Humane Society, Food Bank of Western Mass., and Friends of Williamsburg Libraries.

“The commitment of Florence Bank customers to all of you serving the needs within our community is awesome, and we couldn’t be prouder to be able to support the programs our customers believe in,” Day said. 

Organizations receiving awards range from police, fire, library, and school groups to nonprofits that provide food, shelter or support to people living with a serious illness or disability.

In addition to the four top vote-getters, these other organizations received an award: 

Friends of Lilly Library, $4,097; Northampton Survival Center, $3,782; Amherst Survival Center, $3,588; Our Lady of the Hills Parish, $3,564; Friends of Forbes Library, $3,539; Goshen Firefighters Association, $3,370; Friends of Northampton Legion Baseball, $3,224; Easthampton Community Center, $2,909; It Takes a Village, $2,909; Williamsburg Firefighters Association, $2,642; Northampton Neighbors, $2,400; Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School, $2,303; Belchertown Animal Relief Committee, Inc. (BARC), $2,230; Manna Community Kitchen, $2,109; Shriners Hospitals for Children, $1,988; and J.F.K. Middle School PTO.

Also, $1,867; Kestrel Land Trust, $1,867; Northampton High School PTO, $1,794; Riverside Industries, Inc., $1,770; R.K. Finn Ryan Road School PTO, $1,648; Cooley Dickinson Hospital, $1,624; Safe Passage, $1,624; Northampton Community Music Center, $1,527; Therapeutic Equestrian Center, $1,527; Amherst Neighbors, $1,503; Friends of M.N. Spear Memorial Library, $1,455; Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation, $1,430; Grow Food Northampton, $1,430; Smith Vocational High School PTO, $1,333; Whole Children, $1,309; Easthampton Elementary Schools PTO, $1,164; Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, $1,139; Hitchcock Center for the Environment, $1,115; Revitalize CDC, $1,091; The Parish Cupboard, $1,067; Belchertown Police K-9 Unit, $1,042; Cooley Dickinson Hospital VNA & Hospice, $1,042; Historic Northampton, $1,018; Granby Senior Center, $994; Leeds Elementary School PTO, $994; and Ludlow Boys & Girls Club, $970.

Monson Savings Bank Donates Bikes to YWCA of Western Mass.

MONSON — In the spirit of its 150th Anniversary, Monson Savings Bank announced earlier this year that it will be launching its 150 Build-a-Bike campaign. The community bank has purchased more than $20,000 worth of bikes to donate to local children and they have partnered with various non-profits in the area to host Build-a-Bike events throughout the year. Most recently, Monson Savings delivered 10 bikes and 10 helmets to YWCA of Western Mass.

Elizabeth Dineen, executive director of YWCA of Western Massachusetts Executive Director, and her team, welcomed Monson Savings Bank members to the YWCA campus. She expressed gratitude for the bank’s generosity and commented on the impact they are making in Western Massachusetts.

“We are so happy Monson Savings Bank reached out to invite us to be a part of this wonderful campaign,” she said. “We are so thankful that Monson Savings is giving us bikes for our YWCA campus, allowing children using our services to enjoy some carefree time riding a bicycle. The continued support that the bank provides to Springfield and the surrounding communities is truly amazing.”

Members of the Monson Savings team delivered the bikes that they helped to assemble with Ray Plouffe, owner of Family Bike Shop in East Longmeadow. Many members of the team expressed feelings of gratitude and a sense of fulfillment after building and delivering the bikes.

“All of us were very excited to come together for the YWCA Build-a-Bike event. Our team had a great time getting to know the YWCA team and confirming our knowledge about all of the incredible ways they help those in need,” said Dan Moriarty, President and CEO of Monson Savings Bank. “Plus, it was wonderful to deliver the bikes and hear how the YWCA plans to make a safe, designated area for children to enjoy the bikes as they receive support from the organization.”

Throughout the summer, Monson Savings Bank will also partner with I Found Light Against All Odds and the Springfield Housing Authority, South End Community Center, and Educare Springfield to host more 150 Build-a-Bike events, continuing to spread happiness to children and families throughout the area.

To learn more about Monson Savings Bank’s 150th anniversary, the bank’s historical timeline, and to view a full schedule of events visit www.monsonsavings.bank/anniversary.

Wharton Grad and Founder/CEO of GenHERationⓇ to Speak at WMA Commencement 

WILBRAHAM — Katlyn Grasso, Founder and CEO of GenHERation®, a network where young women and companies connect, will be the 2022 Commencement speaker at Wilbraham & Monson Academy on Saturday on the WMA campus at 11 a.m. The 2022 graduating class at WMA consists of 99 graduates, all of whom will be attending college.

In her role as CEO, Grasso has created GenHERation® Discovery Days, hosted the GenHERation® Summer Leadership Series, developed original GenHERation® webisodes, launched The GenHERation® Collection product line, and has grown the GenHERation® community to reach more than 500,000 young women.

Grasso is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she received a B.S. in Economics with concentrations in finance and strategic globalization. She is one of the inaugural recipients of the Penn President’s Engagement Prize, which provides Penn students with $150,000 to develop ventures that have the potential to change the world.

Grasso speaks internationally about entrepreneurship, technology, leadership and the advancement of women, and has been a featured speaker at more than 200 events. She is a frequent radio and television contributor and her work has been featured across national media outlets, including CNBC, NBC, Fast Company, Forbes, The Huffington Post, CBS, Yahoo! Finance, Seventeen Magazine and SiriusXM.

“Katlyn Grasso is such an enterprising young entrepreneur and supporter of young women in leadership, and we are proud to have her joining us for Commencement 2022,” said Head of School Brian P. Easler. “We were excited back in 2020, when Katlyn was originally scheduled to speak at commencement, so we were thrilled when she agreed to reschedule with us for this year. Katlyn has already been engaging with some of our students, and we look forward to her insights this Saturday.”

Grasso is a member of the Penn Fund Executive Board, the Penn Nursing Center for Global Women’s Health Advisory Board, the TCU Neeley Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Board of Directors, and is the tri-chair of Momentum: The Power of Penn Women. She was named to the Forbes “30 Under 30” list in 2022 as one of the most influential leaders in education.

bankESB Makes $500,000 Challenge Grant to Cooley Dickinson

EASTHAMPTON — Matthew Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, announced that the bank has made a $500,000 challenge grant to support the Emergency Department at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. The funds will be used to support Transforming Emergency Care: Campaign for the Cooley Dickinson Emergency Department, a $19.76 million expansion, reconfiguration, and renovation effort to allow Cooley Dickinson to meet the ever-evolving emergency medicine needs of all members of the community, from infants to older adults.

“Access to quality medical care is something we all count on, and Cooley Dickinson continues to do an amazing job treating our friends, family, and neighbors who live and work in our communities,” said Sosik. “bankESB is pleased to do its part in supporting Cooley Dickinson and its efforts to transform its Emergency Department into one that’s as up-to-date as possible and can unlock its full potential. We hope others will do the same.”  

According to Cooley Dickinson Hospital, its Emergency Department is 40% undersized to meet the community’s needs and cares for many patients who require critical medical attention. The number of patients visiting the department has doubled — from 17,000 in the 1970s to nearly 34,000 in recent years. Renovations are expected to break ground next spring.

Organizations contributing to the Campaign for the Cooley Dickinson Emergency Department can increase the impact of their donations through this matching grant. bankESB will give one dollar for every two dollars donated to the Emergency Department campaign through Dec. 31, up to $500,000. 

“The Emergency Department is in essence our front door and often patients and their families who come in for care are at their most vulnerable,” said Dr. Lynnette Watkins, president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Health Care. “It’s important for us to provide a safe, warm, welcoming environment to every patient, and this campaign will help ensure that we can.

“We rely on great community partners, like bankESB, who give so generously in support of the care that we provide every day,” she went on. “This challenge grant is a wonderful opportunity for you to make a gift that has an even greater impact because of bankESB’s generosity.  I encourage everyone to help us meet this challenge.  And know that your gift supports the care that is provided here, in your community.”

The challenge grant was made as part of the bank’s charitable giving program, The Giving Tree, which reflects the roots the bank has in its communities, its commitment to making a real difference in the neighborhoods it serves, and the belief that everyone’s quality of life is enhanced when we work together to solve our communities’ biggest problems. With this donation, the bank will have given more than $1 million to Cooley Dickinson over the past decade to help support the hospital’s expanded care, including a new unified cancer center, The Breast Center, and other initiatives.

Contributions may be sent to the Cooley Dickinson Hospital Development Office, P.O. Box 329, Northampton, MA  01061-0329 or made on the organization’s website at cooleydickinson.org/giving. 

The $19.76 million Emergency Department expansion, reconfiguration, and renovation will allow Cooley Dickinson to meet the ever-evolving emergency medical needs of all members of the community, from infants to elders. The current Emergency Department was not designed to face the challenges of the 21st century; this campaign will help to create safe, warm spaces in which to deliver the highest quality of specialized care for the increasing number of patients who turn to Cooley Dickinson every year.  The groundbreaking for the Emergency Department renovations is expected to begin Spring 2023. To make a gift in support of the campaign, and to help Cooley Dickinson reach the bankESB gift challenge before Dec. 31, visit www.cooleydickinson.org/giving. 

Easy Company Brewing to Launch in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Easy Company Brewing will be launching Springfield’s newest brewery Thursday at the Student Prince in downtown Springfield.

Easy Company Brewing (ECB) is a veteran-owned business that is committed to donating 100% of its profits to veterans, first responders, and their families. The name and its mission are inspired by the men of Easy Company from WW II, made famous by the book and mini-series Band of Brothers.

Following in the footsteps of the men of Easy, ECB is committed to brewing drinkable European style beers with “a little bit of American boldness and edge,” while honoring the men and women who serve or have served our country. All of ECB after-tax profits, will be donated through its companion foundation to a number of charities that do work on behalf our nation’s heroes.

Founders Jeff St. Jean and John DeVoie served together in the Air National Guard, and have teamed up to create this new beer brand in the City of Homes. St. Jean is still serving, and DeVoie is one of the co-founders of Hot Table, a Springfield based fast casual restaurant company.

ECB beers are currently contract brewed locally in Western Mass., but DeVeVoie and St. Jean hope to build a brewery and tap room in Springfield at some point.

The ECB launch party will happen Thursday, 5-8 p.m. at the Student Prince & Fort, 8 Fort Street, Springfield, MA. Their beers are currently available for sale at Table & Vine in West Springfield. Other retailers will follow this summer.

Insa Announces New Hires

CHICOPEE — Insa, a grower and retailer of medical and adult-use cannabis in Massachusetts, announced the hiring of three new employees who will play key roles in helping propel the Company forward in the burgeoning cannabis industry.

Michael Bird has been named chief people officer, Nicole Constant joins as brand director, and Kate Nelson will hold the role of director of Digital Experience.

“We are thrilled to welcome Nicole, Michael, and Kate to our team at Insa,” said Pete Gallagher, Insa co-founder. “They each have valuable expertise and deep knowledge in their respective areas. Their hard-work, insights, and problem-solving abilities will be critical in growing the Insa brand, helping the Company meet its objectives, and in helping bring high-quality cannabis to many more Insa customers.”

Bird brings significant human resources experience to the team having worked in the field for almost 30 years. Bird started in Human Resources at the Yankee Candle Company as an Employment Recruiter in 1995 when the company was owned and operated by the founder, Mike Kittredge, had 700 employees, and operated 27 retail stores. As Yankee Candle grew, so did Bird’s career. He advanced to hold a variety of positions within HR at Yankee Candle, including serving as the HR director of North American Operations where he led a team of HR business partners serving all corporate functions, with more than 5,000 employees and 500 retail stores. He went on to join The East Coast Tile Group in 2017, a family owned and operated tile importing and multi-channel tile distributor as vice president of Human Resources.

Constant brings more than 10 years of CPG experience to the rapidly growing cannabis industry. Prior to joining Insa, she was at Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., where she led innovation for the cooperative’s Foods Business Unit, which includes the Craisins® brand. Prior to that, Constant led the new Accelerator team within Ocean Spray’s Innovation Hub. In this role, she took an entrepreneurial approach to building disruptive innovation from within. 

She is a strong believer in the medical benefits of cannabis and the quality and craftsmanship of Insa’s product portfolio. In her new role, she will be leading brand expansion and development as well as strategic planning within new and existing markets. 

In the newly created role as director of Digital Experience, Nelson will lead the creation of a full digital experience in-store and online that puts customers first and offers them seamless ways to make purchases, communicate with customer service, interact with the brand across social, SMS, email, benefit from Insa’s loyalty programs, and educate themselves on adult and medical-use cannabis products.

She joins Insa from Vista Outdoor, a publicly traded company who owns over 40 outdoor and action sports brands, where she created loyalty programs and digital marketing strategies leveraged across their portfolio. Prior to Vista Outdoor, Nelson worked at DEG Digital, a digital marketing agency where she created digital marketing strategies for premier brands such as Walmart, PepsiCo Brands, and AMC Theaters.

Two New Woman-owned Businesses Open in Thornes Marketplace

NORTHAMPTON — Two women entrepreneurs with a passion for artistry and design have opened shops in Thornes Marketplace, one offering Bohemian home décor and the other, women’s lingerie and loungewear.

Cigdem “Chi” Turkomer, the owner of Le BonNton, originally located on Old South Street, moved into Thornes last June, relocating several times within the building over the past year and recently settling permanently on the second floor.

In its fifth year, Le BonNton offers linens, furniture and other décor, which Turkomer also provides for a fee to couples through her wedding design service. On June 10 from 5-8 p.m., Thornes will host a fifth-anniversary celebration for Le BonNton in the shop, with music, local art displays and Turkish Delight sweets prepared by Turkomer.

Both women said they chose Thornes Marketplace for the downtown location, foot traffic and ambiance, and they are thrilled with the support they have received thus far from management.

“The merchants here are carefully selected,” Turkomer said. “There is a balance. And management is very professional, kind and warm-hearted. It’s a privilege to be here.”

Said Ingellis,“as a first-time shop owner, Thornes has the safety net I needed. I have experienced this in my opening week, receiving so much support and encouragement from everyone in the building. The management team has created a place where businesses thrive. They support, encourage and work together to help you get started right.”

Turkomer opened Le BonNton in 2017, offering everything from clothing made from hand-woven fabrics and other quality textiles to jewelry and home accessories such as rugs, brass candlesticks and lamps, and cotton pillowcases. Educated in a French missionary school in Istanbul for 12 years, Turkomer named the business by combining “Le Bonton,” which means “elegant form or style” in French, with the abbreviation for Northampton, “Nton.”

Drawing on the connections she made with vendors in the film industry, Turkomer buys her inventory from suppliers offering ethically manufactured products as well as from women-owned vendors. Many of her products are custom-made.

Ingellis holds a degree in philosophy from Mount Holyoke College. She grew up hearing the stories of familial female role models who were entrepreneurs. Her great-great grandmother ran a guest house on Martha’s Vineyard, and her great grandmother, Dorothy Darling, ran two restaurants in Oak Bluffs into the 1960s. 

In her shop in Thornes, the first thing customers see is a photo of Darling as a child, and she has named her first collection of lingerie the Darling Collection in homage to her. Her loungewear is inspired by evenings spent on the beach on the Vineyard; it is called Menemsha Collection after the fishing village with the world-famous sunset.  

“I have always loved lingerie and the incredible way it transforms your essence in a very private way. When you wear something beautiful close to your skin, it changes your perspective on your day, and even on yourself,” said Ingellis, who worked for various small businesses in the area—including Paul and Elizabeth’s—after graduating from Mount Holyoke. 

Picture This

Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

Square One Derby Party

The Annual Square One Derby Party made a triumphant return on May 7 at The Armory at MGM Springfield after being on placed on pause for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 200 guests who attended, all dressed in classically exuberant and colorful Kentucky Derby attire, enjoyed drinks and hors d’oeuvres while watching the heartwarming win of dark-horse (pun intended) Rich Strike unfold in an exhilarating race played out on giant screens at the Armory. Square One raised nearly $50,000 to help the children and families served by the agency from ticket sales and the generosity of event sponsors: PeoplesBank, Alekman Ditusa LLC, and USI Insurance Services.

Attendees cheer on their favorite as the horses head for the finish line

Dawn DiStefano, president and CEO of Square One, addresses those gathered for the party

Tammy Bordeaux, regional manager and vice president of PeoplesBank, offers remarks

From left, Andrea Hickson-Martin, chair of the Square One board of directors, Robyn Newhouse, vice president of The Republican, and Crystal Neuhauser, vice president of Institutional Advancement at Bay Path University, get together before the race

The Brenda Cuoco & Associates Real Estate Brokerage team poses for a photo

Celebrating 75 Years

Holyoke Community College celebrated its 75th anniversary on May 5 with a range of lively festivities. The food was prepared by HCC Culinary Arts students and chefs from MGM Springfield, and beverages were provided by White Lion Brewing and Arcpoint Brewing. Live music was performed by HCC music students and faculty, which led to dancing and contributed to the fun party atmosphere. Open houses and tours were held so visitors could explore the Commonwealth’s oldest community college and see the types of work students have been accomplishing this year. Panel discussions were also held over Zoom to include virtual options for this otherwise in-person event. The festivities concluded with a community reception at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute. The celebration was free and open to the public.

Clockwise, from top left, HCC President Christina Royal offers remarks; HCC Culinary Arts students prepare hors d’oeuvres; attendees of the early education open house pose for a photo; from left, David Bartley, former HCC president and Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Royal, and Will Puello, Holyoke city councilor, pose for a photo after HCC was presented with an official resolution from the City Council.

HCC President Christina Royal offers remarks

HCC Culinary Arts students prepare hors d’oeuvres

Attendees of the early education open house pose for a photo

HCC was presented with an official resolution from the City Council

From left, David Bartley, former HCC president and Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Royal, and Will Puello, Holyoke city councilor, pose for a photo after HCC was presented with an official resolution from the City Council

Agenda

Agenda

Annual Golf Tournament

June 3: The Hospice of the Fisher Home will present its sixth annual par 3 event at Amherst Golf Club’s nine-hole course at 1 p.m. Beer tastings and seafood slider samples will be available on the course as well as a chance to win a pair of Putnam Club seats on the 45-yard-line to a New England Patriots game. This prize has been donated by Manny’s Appliance of Hadley. Participants can get a free swing analysis, a chance at winning a new Ford Bronco, and other raffle items. They will also be invited to stop by and drop off unwanted, lightly used housewares and clothing to donate to the Fisher Home’s thrift shop. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit Hospice of the Fisher Home. Hospice staff are grateful to the contributors of this event, including donors, sponsors, and friends at the Amherst Golf Club. They make it possible to a compassionate, comprehensive, and supportive end-of-life care to patients and their loved ones in their own homes or in the hospice residence. Visit https://www.fisherhome.org/2022-golf-tournament learn more, donate, sponsor, and register. For more information, contact Ashleigh Towse: [email protected], (413) 992-2544.

Benefit Bike Ride

June 11: Area residents are invited to pedal for a great cause and help raise donations for Cancer House of Hope. A ride is scheduled on the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail (rain date is June 12). In addition to a small registration fee, ride participants are asked to raise donations from family, friends, and colleagues, with an individual fundraising goal of $100, and a family fundraising goal of $150. The ride encourages and welcomes riders of all ages and skill levels. Participants can bike five, 10, or 20 miles. Support stations will be available at all turn-around points and the start/finish location — the Stop & Shop at 57 Main St. in Westfield. To register, visit chd.org/chainofhope. For more information, call Margaret Toomey, (413) 733-1858.

40 Under Forty

June 16: BusinessWest will host the annual 40 Under Forty Gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. One of the most anticipated events of the year, the gala will celebrate the Class of 2022, which was announced in the May 2 issue of BusinessWest. The gala will feature a VIP hour for the honorees and sponsors, networking, the presentation of the Alumni Achievement Award, and introduction of members of the Class of 2022. Event tickets are sold out. Please join us for the livestream. Visit BusinessWest.com for more information. Forty Under 40 is sponsored this year by: Presenting Sponsor PeoplesBank; Alumni Achievement Award Presenting Sponsor Health New England; and supporting sponsors Comcast Business, Live Nation, Mercedes Benz of Springfield, The Mill District, Stand Out Truck, and the UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Business. The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS) is an event partner.

MOSSO Concerts

June 23/July 21: MOSSO, the Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, have announced details of their upcoming summer concerts at Symphony Hall. MOSSO will celebrate the music of Stephen Sondheim and John Williams. These concerts mark the first time in almost 20 years that the musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra have performed summer concerts in Springfield. On June 23, MOSSO celebrates the music of the late, legendary Broadway composer and lyricist, Stephen Sondheim, who penned the words and music to A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, and Into the Woods. Conductor Tim Stella will lead the program, joined by Broadway stars Hugh Panaro and Lisa Vroman. Also appearing are Ray Hardman and Kathleen Callahan-Hardman. Stella conducted The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, and before that, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, Guys and Dolls, The Most Happy Fella, Hello Dolly!, and Legs Diamond. He served as vocal coach to Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler, who portrayed Christine and the Phantom respectively, in the movie version of Phantom. Stella is former resident music director of Goodspeed Musicals, and a conductor at Radio City Music Hall. Panaro is best known for having played the role of the Phantom in Broadway’s The Phantom of the Opera more than 2,000 times. On July 21, Maestro Kevin Rhodes returns to Springfield to conduct a MOSSO benefit concert, with a program of light classics and music of renowned composer John Williams, whose works include Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Schindler’s List. Rhodes will be joined by guest soloist, violinist Yevgeny Kutik, whose two prior solo appearances in Springfield were met with great acclaim. Rhodes served as music director and conductor of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra for 20 seasons, until the SSO paused performances in 2020. He continues to serve as music director and conductor of the Traverse Symphony in Michigan, and as principal conductor of Boston’s Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra. In March 2021, Maestro Rhodes made his debut with the Orchestra of the Rome Opera in Italy, recording a live radio broadcast of Maurice Jarre’s score to Roland Petit’s ballet, Notre Dame de Paris. He will conduct productions of Giselle and La Bayadère for their 2022-23 season. Kutik, a native of Minsk, Belarus, immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of five, with the help of the Jewish Federations of North America. His 2014 album, Music from the Suitcase: A Collection of Russian Miniatures (Marquis Classics), features music he found in his family’s suitcase after immigrating to the United States from the Soviet Union in 1990. In 2021, Kutik launched Finding Home: Music from the Suitcase in Concert. Kutik’s additional releases on Marquis include his most recent album, The Death of Juliet and Other Tales. Tickets for both concerts, priced $60, $45, $25, and $10, will go on sale on May 9. For details, visit: SpringfieldSymphonyMusicians.com. MOSSO sponsors (to date) include: The Republican/MassLive, BusinessWest and Healthcare News, WWLP-22News & The CW Springfield, the Sheraton Springfield at Monarch Place, New England Public Media, the Musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Bolduc Schuster Foundation.

People on the Move

People on the Move

Katie Allan Zobel

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts has announced today that President and CEO Katie Allan Zobel intends to transition out of her role, concluding 17 years of service and a decade-long tenure as executive leader at the foundation. Zobel will continue to serve in her role while engaged in continued succession planning with the Foundation trustees through September 2022. “On behalf of the trustees, I want to express my gratitude for Katie’s many contributions to the Community Foundation and to our community. She has led the organization with passion and a deep commitment to its mission and impactful work,” said Paul Murphy, trustee chair. “Under Katie’s stewardship and with the support of her talented and dedicated team, the foundation’s position as the region’s philanthropy hub has been strengthened by the more than doubling of its assets; the building of strong partnerships with donors, institutional partners, and community leaders; and the nearly doubling of its staff capacity. It is without a doubt that Katie is leaving the foundation stronger than it has ever been, which benefits the communities that it serves throughout Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties.” Building on the prior accomplishments of the foundation, Zobel has led the foundation through a period of extraordinary innovation, growth, and change. Under her leadership, the foundation launched and directed ValleyGives, which raised more than $10 million through annual one-day, on-line fundraising campaigns for local nonprofits, established new partnerships with state and private philanthropy to expand funding for the region, including the launch of ValleyCreates, a partnership with the Barr Foundation established to support a vibrant arts and creativity sector in Western Mass. The foundation has also supported research on college completion and expanded funding for local colleges and universities through its Western MA Completes initiative. The Community Foundation has distributed more than $13 million through the COVID-19 Response Fund to support community members and nonprofit partners most severely impacted by the pandemic. “It has been a joy, an honor, and a privilege to serve my community as a member of the CFWM team. I arrived on a three-month temporary assignment that evolved into an amazing 17-years,” said Zobel. “I have had the great good fortune to be connected deeply to an incredibly generous and caring community that gifted me with countless opportunities to work alongside people determined to make the world a better place. “I am so proud of what we have built together, how willingly we have supported each other during some of the greatest challenges our communities have experienced, and the promise it holds for our future,” she went on. “It’s been quite an adventure and now it’s time for me to hand over the reins to the foundation’s next leader and seek out my next professional adventure.” A national search for a successor will commence this month under Murphy’s leadership. Last week the trustees elected the firm Lindauer to launch a national search for Zobel’s successor. Lindauer has substantial experience in placing highly qualified candidates in organizations like the Community Foundation.

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bankESB has promoted three of its officers to vice president.

Meagan Barrett

• Meagan Barrett has been promoted to vice president, Human Resources. Barrett joined bankESB in 2008 as a human resources assistant. She was promoted to officer in 2016 and to assistant vice president in 2019. Barrett manages a team of six and has responsibility for human resources across the family of banks of Hometown Financial Group, including bankESB, bankHometown, and Abington Bank. Barrett earned the designation of Certified Employee Engagement Specialist and also maintains a Professional in Human Resources certification. She is currently pursuing designations as both senior professional in Human Resources and the Society for Human Resources Management senior certified professional, and also is a member of the HR Advisory Council for Employers Association of the NorthEast (EANE). Barrett is active in the community, volunteering for Easter Seals and as a youth sports coach.

Cara Crochier

• Cara Crochier has been promoted to vice president, Marketing. Crochier joined bankESB as a teller in 2008 and joined the Marketing department the following year. She was promoted to interactive marketing officer in 2015 and to assistant vice president in 2018. Crochier manages a team of four and has overall responsibility for campaign management, advertising agency relations, and all earned and owned media channels across the Hometown Financial Group family of banks. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political communication from Emerson College and the designation of Certified Financial Marketing Professional from the American Bankers Association Bank Marketing School at Emory University. Crochier is active in the community, serving as a board member and clerk for the Children’s Advocacy Center and as a committee member of the New England Financial Marketing Association.

Stacey Tower

• Stacey Tower has been promoted to vice president, Strategic Project Management. Tower joined bankESB in 2001 as a teller and has held various positions in both retail banking and operations prior to joining the information technology/projects team in 2008 as a project coordinator. She was promoted to bank officer in 2014 and currently manages a team of five project managers. Tower earned her bachelor’s degree in leadership and organizational studies from Bay Path University, completed the Graduate School of Banking’s program in technology management last year, and earned the designation Certified Associate in Project Management from the Project Management Institute. She is also a board member of the Lathrop Retirement Community and is a volunteer with the Cutchins Programs for Children and Families.

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Leslie Klein Pilder

Holyoke Community College has appointed Leslie Klein Pilder as the first director of its new free program, Itsy Bitsy Child Watch. Pilder started working at HCC in March. Pilder served for nine years as executive director of the Nonotuck Community School in Northampton. She has worked as director of Buds and Blossoms, a Mandarin-immersion childcare center in Boston, and as director of The Educational Alliance Preschool in Manhattan. She has also worked at New York University’s Teaching for Success program — a research project designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in New York City’s Head Start centers. Pilder holds a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University, a master’s degree in early childhood and Montessori education from Xavier University. As a lecturer at SUNY’s Empire College, Pilder taught undergraduate and graduate students studying early childhood education and created a seminar series on adolescent rites of passage — the topic of her second master’s degree from New York University. HCC held a ribbon-cutting event for the Itsy Bitsy Child Watch Center on May 4. The center will officially open with the start of summer classes on May 24.

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Kayla Brown-Wood

BFAIR (Berkshire Family & Individual Resources) announced that Kayla Brown-Wood has been promoted to director of Day Services. In addition to her management of the Employment Service department, she will now also be providing oversight to both Day Habilitation and Community Based Day Services (CBDS) programs. Brown-Wood has been with BFAIR since 2016, and has held various roles including assistant director of Employment Services and most recently the director of Employment Services. She is also a 2021 graduate of the Berkshire Leadership Program, which led to her being asked to be a member of the 2022 Berkshire Leadership Program Steering Committee. She will also be continuing her education in graduate studies in Healthcare Administration. Since 1994, BFAIR has been providing AFC, residential, in-home clinical services, employment and day services for adults and children with developmental disabilities, acquired brain injury and autism. BFAIR is a member agency of the Northern Berkshire United Way and the Williamstown Community Chest.

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TommyCar Auto Group, operator of five dealerships in Western Massachusetts, recently welcomed Nicholas Moszynski as its new director of Marketing & Communications. Moszynski is a seasoned marketing and advertising professional, including an extensive background in digital marketing. “We’re excited to welcome Nicholas to the team,” said Carla Cosenzi, President of TommyCar Auto Group. “His digital and marketing background is going to help us streamline our advertising and elevate our digital presence. As our company evolves to satisfy the demands of the tech-savvy car shopper, Nick is the perfect person to help us lead these initiatives.” TommyCar Auto Group is comprised of Country Nissan in Hadley, Country Hyundai, Genesis of Northampton, Volvo Cars of Pioneer Valley, and Northampton Volkswagen in Northampton.

•••••

April Bartley

Holyoke VNA and Hospice Life Care, a member of Valley Health Systems and affiliate to Holyoke Medical Center, has announced the appointment of April Bartley, RN, MSN, NE-BC as its executive director. “April brings more than 15 years of innovative leadership experience with a focus of empowering staff to provide high-quality, compassionate care,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center. “We are confident that the Holyoke VNA Hospice Life Care will continue to provide the best care for our patients under her guidance.” Bartley will lead the Holyoke VNA Hospice Life Care, which has been serving the community since 1905. The organization offers a full range of home health care services that promote independence and quality of life. The professional team at Holyoke VNA Hospice Life Care works with patients and their physicians to develop a plan of care, which allows patients to remain safely at home. The team includes registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, home health aides, dieticians, interpreters, a chaplain, and volunteers. In her most recent role as director of Nursing at Sullivan County Health Care, Bartley oversaw the clinical and regulatory aspects of nursing in a skilled nursing facility with 156 dually certified beds. Her leadership resulted in an increase of average daily facility census and staffing by assertively hiring and interviewing to build staffing capacity. Prior to her success in this role, Bartley served as the director of Home Care and Hospice at Lake Sunapee VNA and Hospice and director at Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Service. Bartley received her associate’s degree in Nursing from New Hampshire Community Technical College, her bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration and bachelor of Science in Nursing from Granite State College, and her master of Science in Nursing from River University.

•••••

Kevin M. Sears, AHWD, C2EX, of Springfield, has been elected 2023 first vice president of the National Association of REALTORS®. The election took place at the NAR board of directors meeting. Sears is a broker/partner of Sears Real Estate, specializing in single-family brokerage and property management. He has served NAR in numerous capacities, including as a president’s liaison in 2019 and as NAR vice president of Government Affairs in 2017. He has a long history of serving in volunteer leadership positions. He served as the 2010 President of the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) and state REALTOR® of the Year in 2006. He has been a member of the MAR Board of Directors since 2000. The REALTOR® Association of Pioneer Valley (RAPV) elected Sears as president in 2005 and named him REALTOR® of the Year in 2006. He has also served as a Chair of a number of the association’s committees.

Company Notebook