Briefcase

Springfield Regional Chamber Merger Approved

SPRINGFIELD — The Massachusetts secretary of state has given final approval to the merger between the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce to officially form the Springfield Regional Chamber. At a meeting of both the ACCGS and the Springfield Chamber, the membership of the ACCGS and the Springfield Chamber voted in person and by proxy to unanimously approve the merger and create the new organization. The creation of one unified organization was the result of more than two years of discussions, comprehensive analyses, reviews of best practices, and benchmarking against chambers across the country. Under the previous model, the ACCGS served as an umbrella organization providing services and benefits to a collective of affiliate chambers: the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, the Professional Women’s Chamber of Commerce (PWC), and the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce (ERC5). The new organization reflects the merger of the ACCGS and Springfield into one organization. “Our region is one economic marketplace,” said chamber President Jeffrey Ciuffreda. “This merger better reflects the regional thinking of our membership, and, as a result, we have a clearer and strengthened vision, stronger collaborations with existing regional partners, and greater opportunities for new ones. It enables the chamber to grow so that its members can grow, too.” He added that the move “also allows us to have a stronger, more unified voice to better shape policy on Beacon Hill and in Washington,” and noted that the merger also allows the chamber to have an increased regional presence to help drive growth, a more cohesive structure, operational efficiencies, and more effective and impactful use of resources. “In the end, this merger should provide for an increased level of service to our members so that we can maximize their financial investment in us.” While the ERC5 voted not to merge, the Springfield Regional Chamber will continue to provide services to these members through the remainder of their membership term. “We continue to work with the ERC5 and its leadership to identify mutually beneficial ways to work together to strengthen the region as a whole,” said Ciuffreda. Meanwhile, the Springfield Regional Chamber has debuted its new logo. According to Nancy Creed, the chamber’s vice president of marketing and communications, the new logo has a more modern look. “We wanted the logo to better reflect what we do rather than who we are,” she said. “Many still don’t understand what a chamber does, but this logo, specifically the words ‘Connect to Commerce,’ clearly reflect our purpose.” The logo, created by Creed with assistance from consultant Gary Czelusniak, centers around the number two because, as Creed noted, “partnerships take two for success — the chamber and a business, the chamber and the region, the chamber and its members, not to mention the businesses and consumers, businesses and employees, and the list goes on. Success is all about working together and building relationships.” She said the choice of colors also are significant, noting that orange represents enthusiasm, creativity, success, strength, and endurance, and is a color highly accepted among the younger generations. “Believe it or not, seeing the color orange actually increases the oxygen supply to the brain and stimulates mental activity, and people associate orange with good value.” She said grey, on the other hand, is associated with power, strength, authority, prestige without being overly formal, reliability, and stability. “Grey is also perceived as long-lasting and classic. That holds true for us since we have been connecting people to commerce for more than a century.” Springfield Regional Chamber members in good standing can use the new logo on their websites as a means of communicating to consumers their commitment and investment in the chamber. The chamber is also working on a new website, www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, and chamber staff have all transitioned to the new domain name for their e-mail addresses.

Single-family Home Sales Up in Pioneer Valley

SPRINGFIELD — The Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley reported that single-family home sales in September were up 19% across the Valley compared to the same time last year. The median price is up 4.1% from $191,750 last year at this time to $199,700 this year. In Hampden County, sales were up 12.2% and median price up 7.1% from September 2014, while in Hampshire County, sales were up 45.2%, and median price was up 1.9%. In Franklin County, sales were up 15.4%, but median price was down 8.8%.

State Unemployment Drops in September

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate dropped to 4.6% in September, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Thursday. The preliminary job estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate Massachusetts lost 7,100 jobs in September. The job losses occurred in the education and health services; trade, transportation, and utilities; construction; and manufacturing sectors. However, year-to-date, Massachusetts has added 46,900 jobs. The preliminary estimates show 3,406,700 Massachusetts residents were employed in September, and 163,100 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,569,800. The labor force decreased by 21,900 from 3,591,700 in August, as 17,200 fewer residents were employed and 4,600 fewer residents were unemployed over the month. The statewide unemployment rate in August was 4.7%. Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell 1.0% from 5.6% in September 2014. The September state unemployment rate remains lower than the national rate of 5.1% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “The Massachusetts unemployment rate continues to decline. Although the state experienced job losses in September, the overall jobs picture is strong,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker II said. The state’s labor force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — decreased 0.4% to 64.9% over the month. The labor-force participation rate over the year has decreased 0.6% compared to September 2014. September 2015 estimates show that 3,406,800 residents were employed, and 163,100 were unemployed. There were 35,400 fewer unemployed persons over the year compared to September 2014. The largest private-sector percentage job gains over the year were in professional, scientific, and business services; leisure and hospitality; and education and health services.

State Receives Grant for Apprenticeship Programs

BOSTON — The state’s Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development was awarded a $2.9 million federal grant to expand apprenticeship opportunities in high-growth industries in Massachusetts. The American Apprenticeship Grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor, will enable the state to help 300 residents gain apprenticeship training in industries with a growing demand for new employees, such as healthcare, technology, and advanced manufacturing. The funds will support the Massachusetts Apprenticeship Initiative (MAI) to increase the number of apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities in those industries. There are more than 7,500 registered apprentices in the state in 2015. “As many employers in Massachusetts struggle to find the skilled labor to fill available jobs, this grant will enable training for individuals in high-demand industries and provide more job opportunities for the people of the Commonwealth,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. The U.S. Department of Labor awarded $175 million in American Apprenticeship Grants to 46 awardees across the nation to expand apprenticeships in high-growth industries. The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development will use the grant to build upon apprenticeship opportunities and address the skills gap for underserved residents. “Our team worked incredibly hard to be awarded one of these highly competitive grants,” said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker, II, who chairs the Workforce Skills Cabinet. “These funds will help us in our mission to meet employers’ demands for highly skilled workers so they can continue to grow their businesses. Businesses cannot grow if they cannot find enough skilled workers.” Created by the governor through an executive order, the Workforce Skills Cabinet’s goal is to align education, economic- and workforce-development programs, and policies to increase opportunities for training and employment for residents while helping businesses meet their growth needs.

Governor Files Landmark Substance-abuse Legislation

BOSTON — Continuing a series of initiatives to combat the opioid epidemic, Gov. Charlie Baker unveiled legislation to provide medical personnel with the power to intervene with patients suffering from addiction, control the spread of addictive prescription opioids, and increase education about substance-use disorder for providers and in the community. The bill, titled “An Act Relative to Substance Use Treatment, Education and Prevention,” contains several additional provisions developed by the Governor’s Opioid Working Group to address prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery. “Combating the opioid epidemic in the Commonwealth calls for a comprehensive approach, and filing today’s landmark legislation is a critical step toward creating more effective treatment pathways and better controlling opioid-prescribing practices for first-time patients,” Baker said. “Our administration has already implemented a series of the working group’s recommendations to tackle this epidemic from every angle, ranging from prevention to recovery support.” This bill calls for new requirements for practitioners, educators, and communities and amends the civil-commitment statute to specify that women committed for substance-use treatment may be sent to new secure treatment units approved by the departments of Public Health and Mental Health, and ends the practice of sending women to MCI Framingham for treatment. Further, medical professionals will be granted the authority to involuntarily commit an individual for treatment for 72 hours if they pose a danger to themselves or others. Currently, individuals suffering from substance-use disorders can be held for treatment only through an order from the courts, which are not always in session, limiting access for families and patients in need of a 24-hour ‘front door’ to treatment for a substance-related emergency. To better control opioid-prescribing practices, the legislation contains a provision limiting patients to a 72-hour supply the first time they are prescribed an opioid or when they are prescribed an opioid from a new doctor. Practitioners will also be required to always check the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) prior to prescribing an opioid to a patient, and will be required to fulfill five hours of training on pain management and addiction every two years.