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Dress Down for Animals

Feb. 15: Employers, are you looking for a fun way to engage your staff while helping local shelter animals? By participating in Dress Down for Animals Day, your business can help provide life-saving care to dogs, cats, and other small animals at the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center in Springfield. Through this program, employees will make a minimum donation of $5, $10, or whatever level the employer sets for the privilege of wearing whatever they wish to work on Feb. 15, with proceeds donated to the shelter. Prizes will be awarded based on donation total and number of employees participating. Businesses can compete for a a chair yoga session for up to 50 employees, a catered dessert party, a chance to introduce a business to 7,000 people on the Thomas J. O’Connor Facebook page, and more. To request a form to fill out and return with donations, call (413) 533-4817 or e-mail [email protected]. For more information about the adoption center, visit www.tjofoundation.org.

 

Business-law Basics

March 12, April 16: Get the business-law basics that every small-business owner and entrepreneur needs to know from the legal experts at the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Western New England University. This series of free information sessions is focused on key topics to help plan and grow a small business. Sessions will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at Western New England University School of Law, in the Blake Law Center. The events are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. The dates, topics, and presenters are: March 12, “Intellectual Property Law Basics,” with attorneys Peter Irvine of Peter Irvine Law Offices, Leah Kunkel of the Law Offices of Leah Kunkel, and Michelle Bugbee of Solutia Inc.; and April 16, “Bankruptcy,” with attorneys George Roumeliotis of Roumeliotis  Law Group, Justin Dion of Bacon Wilson, and Kara Rescia of Eaton & Rescia. To learn more about upcoming events hosted by the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, visit www.wne.edu/cie.

 

Women’s Fund Celebration

March 14: The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts will celebrate its 15th anniversary by honoring 16 local women with the first-ever Standing on Her Shoulders Awards. The celebration, at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, begins at 5 p.m. with a cocktail hour and photographic exhibit of the award recipients and a showcase of the Women’s Fund grantees. The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. with a musical performance, presentation of the Standing on Her Shoulders Awards, and a speech by Luma Mufleh, founder and coach of a soccer team called the Fugees, short for refugees.  An immigrant from Jordan and a Smith College graduate, Mufleh has created several businesses to employ refugees and immigrants in her community. That will be followed by an after-party and dancing from 8:45 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets cost $100. RSVP by March 7 to Julie Holt at (413) 529-0087, ext. 10, or register online at www.womensfund.net. The Women’s Fund is a public foundation that has reached over 80,000 people through $2 million in grant awards. More than 100 women have participated in the Women’s Fund Leadership Institute for Political and Pubic Impact. The 16 Standing on Her Shoulders Award recipients include Elaine Barkin, Ethel Case, Claire Cox, Verda Dale, Ruth Hooke, Vera Kalm, Gail Kielson, Susan Lowenstein Kitchell, Gloria Lomax, Ruth Stewart Loving, Ruth Moore, Venessa O’Brien, Lorna Peterson, Linda Slakey, Marlene Werenski, and Angela Wright.

 

Difference Makers 2013

March 21: The annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House starting at 5 p.m. Details on the event will be published in upcoming issues of the magazine. Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. Several dozen nominations for the award were received this year, and the winners have been chosen. They will be announced in the magazine’s Feb. 11 issue. For more information, call (413) 781-8600.

 

Not Just Business as Usual

April 4: The Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation will host its fourth annual Not Just Business as Usual event at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. A cocktail and networking reception will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by the dinner program and keynote speaker from 7 to 9 p.m.
This year, in celebration of 40 years of excellence in nursing at STCC, speakers include ‘The Three Doctors’ — Drs. George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt, and Sampson Davis — who are well-known for their work delivering messages of hope and inspiration. As teenagers growing up on the inner-city streets of Newark, N.J., the three friends made a pact to stick together, go to college, graduate, and achieve their dreams of becoming medical doctors. They have been lauded by Oprah Winfrey as being “bigger than rock stars” and have been featured as medical experts on the Tom Joyner Morning Radio Show and CNN. The Three Doctors received the Essence Award in 2000 for their accomplishments and leadership, and a BET Honors Award in 2009. Over the past two years alone, the Not Just Business as Usual event has provided the STCC Foundation with more than $100,000 to support college and student needs. Funds help to provide STCC students with access to opportunities — through scholarships, technology, and career direction — to be successful future employees and citizens. A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available. Individual tickets cost $175 each. If your business is interested in purchasing a table, contact Robert LePage at (413) 755-4477 or [email protected].

 

40 Under Forty

June 20: BusinessWest will present its seventh class of regional rising stars at the annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The gala will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Look for event details in upcoming issues of BusinessWest — including the must-read April 22 issue in which the class of 2013 will be profiled — or call (413) 781-8600 for more information.

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HP Vendor Showcase

Feb. 5: Entre Computer and vendor partner Hewlett Packard (HP) will exhibit the latest technologies and products for 2013 from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. The event, hosted by Hewlett Packard and strategic partners, will introduce new information from Entre, Intel, and Microsoft, who will all be present to discuss the latest innovations from their companies, including the new HP Business Tablet featuring Windows 8 and Intel technology, HP point-of-sale products, and digital signage. The event will highlight HP’s innovation in personal computers and printing. Some of the educational topics covered will include mobile computing, Microsoft Windows 8, and a host of leading-edge solutions, followed by dinner and a partner technology exposition. Entre Computer invites all qualifying customers, businesses, healthcare providers, manufacturers, banks, and retailers to the exhibit, and all are welcome to a complimentary, self-guided tour of the Hall of Fame at the conclusion of the program. Attendance and seating are limited, and pre-registration is required by visiting hpbroadband.com. For additional information, contact Entre Computer at (413) 736-2112 or e-mail [email protected].

 

Essence Editor to Speak

Feb. 5: Susan Taylor of Essence magazine will speak at Springfield Technical Community College at 11 a.m. in the Scibelli Hall gym as part of the STCC Diversity Council Event Series. The presentation, which coincides with Black History Month, is free and open to the public. Taylor’s name is synonymous with Essence magazine, the brand she built as the magazine’s fashion and beauty editor, editor in chief, and editorial director. For nearly three decades, Taylor has been the driving force behind one of the most celebrated black-owned businesses of our time and a legend in the magazine-publishing world. For 27 years, Taylor authored one of the magazine’s most popular columns, “In the Spirit.” She is the only African-American woman to be recognized by the Magazine Publishers of America with the Henry Johnson Fisher Award, the industry’s highest honor, and the first to be inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame. Taylor also is the recipient of the NAACP President’s Award for visionary leadership and has honorary degrees from more than a dozen colleges and universities.
A fourth-generation entrepreneur and the author of four books, she supports a host of organizations dedicated to moving the black community forward, but her passion and focus today is with the National Cares Mentoring Movement, a call to action which she founded in 2006 as Essence Cares. The National Cares Mentoring Movement (www.caresmentoring.org) is a massive campaign to recruit 1 million able adults to help secure children who are in peril and losing ground. Taylor’s presentation is sponsored by PeoplesBank, Hampden Bank, the STCC Diversity Council, the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, Baystate Health, Health New England, MassMutual, and the United Way of Pioneer Valley.

 

Business-law Basics

Feb. 5, March 12, April 16: Get the business-law basics that every small-business owner and entrepreneur needs to know from the legal experts at the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Western New England University. This series of free information sessions is focused on key topics to help plan and grow a small business. All sessions will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at Western New England University School of Law, in the Blake Law Center. All events are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. The topics and presenters are: Feb. 5, “Legal Issues in Finance,” with attorneys Scott Foster of Bulkley Richardson and Michael Sweet of Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy; March 12, “Intellectual Property Law Basics,” with attorneys Peter Irvine of Peter Irvine Law Offices, Leah Kunkel of the Law Offices of Leah Kunkel, and Michelle Bugbee of Solutia Inc.; April 16: “Bankruptcy,” with attorneys George Roumeliotis of Roumeliotis  Law Group, Justin Dion of Bacon Wilson, and Kara Rescia of Eaton & Rescia. To learn more about upcoming events hosted by the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, visit www.wne.edu/cie.

 

40 Under Forty Reunion

Feb. 7: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The event, open only to 40 Under Forty winners, event judges, and sponsors, will begin at 5:30 p.m. and feature a talk from Peter Straley, president of Health New England, about leadership and community involvement. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600 or e-mail [email protected].

 

 

Dress Down for Animals

Feb. 15: Employers, are you looking for a fun way to engage your staff while helping local shelter animals? By participating in Dress Down for Animals Day, your business can help provide life-saving care to dogs, cats, and other small animals at the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center in Springfield. Through this program, employees will make a minimum donation of $5, $10, or whatever level the employer sets for the privilege of wearing whatever they wish to work on Feb. 15, with proceeds donated to the shelter. Prizes will be awarded based on donation total and number of employees participating. Businesses can compete for a $590 advertising package from Reminder Publications, a chair yoga session for up to 50 employees, a catered dessert party, a chance to introduce a business to 7,000 people on the Thomas J. O’Connor Facebook page, and more. To request a form to fill out and return with donations, call (413) 533-4817 or e-mail [email protected]. For more information about the adoption center, visit www.tjofoundation.org.

 

Difference Makers 2013

March 21: The annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House starting at 5 p.m. Details on the event will be published in upcoming issues of the magazine. Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. Several dozen nominations for the award were received this year, and the winners have been chosen. They will be announced in the magazine’s Feb. 11 issue. For more information, call (413) 781-8600.

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‘Perfect Pitch’ Program

Jan. 22: The Scibelli Enterprise Center in Springfield will host a day-long program called “Perfect Pitch,” delivered by Linda Plano, a seasoned entrepreneur’s coach and professional who is familiar with academic programs. As its name implies, the program helps entrepreneurs perfect their company’s pitch to a variety of audiences. Plano, via her firm, Plano and Simple, is subsidizing the cost of this workshop through her sponsorship of ACTION, the Assoc. of Cleantech Incubators of New England, of which the SEC is a member, so the fee is only $50 per participant, and food is included. Non-cleantech companies are also encouraged to attend. Registration is available online at www.planoandsimple.com/ppworkshop-2013-01-22-springfield-mass. Attendance will be limited. There are some valuable pre-workshop webinars and advising sessions described on the website as well.

 

Essence Editor to Speak

Feb. 5: Susan Taylor of Essence magazine will speak at Springfield Technical Community College at 11 a.m. in the Scibelli Hall gym as part of the STCC Diversity Council Event Series. The presentation, which coincides with Black History Month, is free and open to the public. Taylor’s name is synonymous with Essence magazine, the brand she built as the magazine’s fashion and beauty editor, editor in chief, and editorial director. For nearly three decades, Taylor has been the driving force behind one of the most celebrated black-owned businesses of our time and a legend in the magazine-publishing world. She is the only African-American woman to be recognized by the Magazine Publishers of America with the Henry Johnson Fisher Award, the industry’s highest honor, and the first to be inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame. Taylor also is the recipient of the NAACP President’s Award for visionary leadership and has honorary degrees from more than a dozen colleges and universities. A fourth-generation entrepreneur and the author of four books, she supports a host of organizations dedicated to moving the black community forward, but her passion and focus today is with the National Cares Mentoring Movement, a call to action which she founded in 2006 as Essence Cares. The National Cares Mentoring Movement (www.caresmentoring.org) is a massive campaign to recruit 1 million able adults to help secure children who are in peril and losing ground. Taylor’s presentation is sponsored by PeoplesBank, Hampden Bank, the STCC Diversity Council, the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, Baystate Health, Health New England, MassMutual, and the United Way of Pioneer Valley.

 

HP Vendor Showcase

Feb. 5: Entre Computer and vendor partner Hewlett Packard (HP) will exhibit the latest technologies and products for 2013 from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. The event, hosted by Hewlett Packard and strategic partners, will introduce new information from Entre, Intel, and Microsoft, who will all be present to discuss the latest innovations from their companies, including the new HP Business Tablet featuring Windows 8 and Intel technology, HP point-of-sale products, and digital signage. The event will highlight HP’s innovation in personal computers and printing. Some of the educational topics covered will include mobile computing, Microsoft Windows 8, and a host of leading-edge solutions, followed by dinner and a partner technology exposition. Entre Computer invites all qualifying customers, businesses, healthcare providers, manufacturers, banks, and retailers to the exhibit, and all are welcome to a complimentary, self-guided tour of the Hall of Fame at the conclusion of the program. Attendance and seating are limited, and pre-registration is required by visiting hpbroadband.com. For additional information, contact Entre Computer at (413) 736-2112 or e-mail [email protected].

 

40 Under Forty Reunion

Feb. 7: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The event, open only to 40 Under Forty winners, event judges, and sponsors, will begin at 5:30 p.m. and feature a talk from Peter Straley, president of Health New England, about leadership and community involvement. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600 or e-mail [email protected].

 

Difference Makers 2013

March 21: The annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House starting at 5 p.m. Details on the event will be published in upcoming issues of the magazine. Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. Several dozen nominations for the award have been received, and are now being reviewed. The winners will be announced in the magazine’s Feb. 11 issue. For more information, call (413) 781-8600.

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Building Your Future

Jan. 8: MassMutual and Western New England University are teaming up to present the MassMutual Building Your Future Conference from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at WNEU. More than 400 Springfield public- and private-school students in grades 10 through 12 are scheduled to attend.

The free conference is designed to give students the tools and knowledge to construct a blueprint for their education and careers. Workshops will touch on college and career planning, problem solving, and time- and money-management skills. MassMutual Academic Achievers earn an invitation to the conference by maintaining a B average or better for four consecutive marking periods during grades 10 through 12.

“Choosing the right career path is imperative to a successful future, but many of our young people aren’t aware of local career opportunities,” said Nick Fyntrilakis, vice president for Community Responsibility at MassMutual, adding that the conference “exposes students to career opportunities that are available in financial services at MassMutual and beyond. Our programs encourage students to excel academically and gain valuable exposure to rewarding careers.”

This year’s conference will offer students a variety of hands-on activities in various fields, including financial services, business, information technology, broadcast communications, criminal justice, medicine, and the sciences. Workshops will also address the college admissions process, paying for college, making a good first impression, and preparing for life’s curveballs. The keynote speaker will be Terrell Hill, principal at High School Inc., a four-year, college-preparatory school for students in grades 9 through 12 who are interested in pursuing careers in the insurance and financial-services industries. Other highlights of the conference include a video contest and a raffle featuring a laptop computer, flatscreen televisions, iPods, and other prizes. The snow date for the conference is Jan. 11. To register, visit www1.wne.edu/massmutual/byf.

 

Essence Editor to Speak

Feb. 5: Susan Taylor of Essence magazine will speak at Springfield Technical Community College at 11 a.m. in the Scibelli Hall gym as part of the STCC Diversity Council Event Series. The presentation, which coincides with Black History Month, is free and open to the public. Taylor’s name is synonymous with Essence magazine, the brand she built as the magazine’s fashion and beauty editor, editor in chief, and editorial director. For nearly three decades, Taylor has been the driving force behind one of the most celebrated black-owned businesses of our time and a legend in the magazine-publishing world. For 27 years, Taylor authored one of the magazine’s most popular columns, “In the Spirit.” She is the only African-American woman to be recognized by the Magazine Publishers of America with the Henry Johnson Fisher Award, the industry’s highest honor, and the first to be inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame. Taylor also is the recipient of the NAACP President’s Award for visionary leadership and has honorary degrees from more than a dozen colleges and universities.
A fourth-generation entrepreneur and the author of four books, she supports a host of organizations dedicated to moving the black community forward, but her passion and focus today is with the National Cares Mentoring Movement, a call to action which she founded in 2006 as Essence Cares. The National Cares Mentoring Movement (www.caresmentoring.org) is a massive campaign to recruit 1 million able adults to help secure children who are in peril and losing ground. Taylor’s presentation is sponsored by PeoplesBank, Hampden Bank, the STCC Diversity Council, the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, Baystate Health, Health New England, MassMutual, and the United Way of Pioneer Valley.

 

40 Under Forty Reunion

Feb. 7: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The event, open only to 40 Under Forty winners, event judges, and sponsors, will begin at 5:30 p.m. and feature a talk from Peter Straley, president of Health New England, about leadership and community involvement. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600 or e-mail [email protected].

 

Charlotte’s Web Exhibit

Through April 22: The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst is offering a rare opportunity for guests to see selections from the 20th-century classic Charlotte’s Web, written by E.B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams. “Some Book! Some Art! Selected Drawings by Garth Williams for Charlotte’s Web” will be on exhibit through April 22, and celebrates Williams’s 100th birthday and the 60th anniversary of the book. For more information, visit, www.carle museum.org.

 

Difference Makers 2013

March 21: The annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, starting at 5 p.m. Details on the event will be published in upcoming issues of the magazine. Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. Several dozen nominations for the award have been received, and are now being reviewed. The winners will be announced in the magazine’s Feb. 11 issue. For more information, call (413) 781-8600.

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Employment Law and Human Resources Update

Nov. 8: The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast will stage its annual Employment Law and Human Services Practices Update at the Holyoke Hotel and Conference Center (formerly the Holiday Inn). The conference, sponsored by Johnson & Hill Staffing Services, will address the challenging state and federal legal and regulatory environment for employers, and present practical solutions and information to guide employers in their day-to-day employment decisions. The conference is designed for all levels of management — executives, corporate counsel, human-resource professionals, managers, and supervisors — who need practical and timely information to help negotiate ever-evolving employment issues. Conference presenters will include Joel Berner, chief of Enforcement for the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination; Charles Krich, principal attorney for the Connecticut Human Rights Organization; attorney Elaine Reall; and attorneys from Skoler Abbott & Presser, P.C., and EANE. For more information, contact Karen Cronenberger at (877) 662-6444.

 

40 Under Forty Reunion

Nov. 8: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program at the Log Cabin Banquet & meeting House inn Holyoke. The event, open only to 40 Under Forty winners, event judges, and sponsors, will begin at 5:30 and feature a talk from Peter Straley, president of Health New England, about leadership and community involvement. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600 or e-mail [email protected].

 

Innovators and Inventors

Nov. 12: In a historical lecture titled “Innovators and Inventors: Mary Woolley and the City Beautiful,” Sara Jonsberg will visit the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke at 6 p.m. to discuss the mutually supportive relationship in the early 20th century between the city of Holyoke and Woolley, who was president of Mount Holyoke College from 1901 to 1937. The event is sponsored by the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College. The suggested donation is $5.

 

Starting a Business

Nov. 12: The Scibelli Enterprise Center is hosting an event for individuals who are interested in starting a business. “SEC Emerging/Growth Seminar Series: Making the Most of Licenses and Commercial Contracts” will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, One Federal Street, Bldg. 101, Springfield. This seminar will help business owners learn how to enter into license agreements and contracts to make them work for the business. Admission and parking are free. For more information, contact Bev Kelleher at (413) 755-6112 or [email protected].

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Understanding Your Company’s Cash Flow

Oct. 24: Your business runs on cash — cash in and cash out. At a workshop titled “Understanding Your Company’s Cash Flow,” presented by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network, attendees can learn the basics of cash flow, how to manage cash-flow projections, the timing of cash inflows and outflows, how to improve a company’s cash flow, and how cash flow is different from profit. The workshop will take place at 10 a.m. at PeoplesBank, 330 Whitney Ave., Holyoke, and will be presented by Robb Morton of Boisselle, Morton & Associates in South Hadley. For more information, call (413) 737-6712.

 

Top Trends in Politics

Oct. 24: “Top Trends in Politics @Westfield State: a Round-table Discussion of What is Happening Now” will be staged at the Woodward Center on the Westfield State University campus starting at 7 p.m. A public reception begins at 6:30. The event is described as “an exploration of election year 2012 — the issues, candidates, strategies, and political climate” — and will feature six panelists. They include Douglas Brinkley, bestselling author of Cronkite, historian, and professor at Rice University; Hendrick Hertzberg, senior editor and political commentator for the New Yorker; Shannon O’Brien, former Massachusetts state treasurer and receiver general; Dan Thomasson, nationally syndicated columnist and former editor and vice president of Scripps Howard; Lowell Weicker, former U.S. senator and U.S. representative; and Westfield State University President Evan Dobelle. For more information, visit www.westfield.ma.edu

 

Rays of Hope Walk in Springfield, Greenfield

Oct. 28: As the nation observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month, thousands of walkers and runners will be hitting the pavement to support breast health in Western Mass. as part of the 19th annual Rays of Hope – A Walk Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer, and its accompanying 3rd annual Run Toward the Cure 8K. This year’s annual walk events, presented by Health New England, are set for Springfield and Greenfield, while the run is held only in Springfield. Last year some 21,000 combined walkers and runners from Springfield and Greenfield, including over 600 teams, participated in Rays of Hope. Since 1994, the program has raised $10.25 million, all of which has remained in local communities on behalf of patients and their families affected by breast cancer. The Springfield walk and run begin at Temple Beth El on Dickinson Street, with registration set for 9 a.m. The walk in Greenfield begins at Energy Park on Miles Street, with registration at 10 a.m. The Springfield walk steps off at 10:30 a.m., preceded at 10:15 a.m. by the run, and the Greenfield walk begins later at noon. Walkers in Springfield can choose from a two- or five-mile route. The shorter route is accessible to handicapped participants, while the five-mile stroll is a little more challenging with some hills. In Greenfield, participants can select a two- or three-mile route, both of which travel up Main Street before taking different directions. Participants can register for both the walk and run online at baystatehealth.org/raysofhope, where they can also create their own personal webpage to assist them in their fund-raising efforts. For the Springfield Walk, free parking with shuttle service is available at locations near Temple Beth El, including in East Longmeadow at American Saw and East Longmeadow High School, as well as in Longmeadow at Blueberry Hill School and Longmeadow High School, and at other locations found on the Rays of Hope website. Participants are asked to refrain from parking on the side streets near the temple. In Greenfield, free parking is available in the public lots behind Green Fields Market, on Chapman Street behind Wilson’s Department Store, behind the Franklin County Court House, and in the Freedom Credit Union parking lot. Walkers are asked not to park in the Wilson’s Department Store lot for the benefit of its customers. There is no shuttle service, as all lots are within walking distance of Energy Park. Handicapped parking is available at Temple Beth El and at Energy Park for those with an official handicapped parking permit and/or license plate only. No pets, other than service dogs, are allowed at either the Springfield or Greenfield locations.

 

Equity-financing Workshop

Oct. 31: For some new or small businesses, equity financing is the most appropriate way to bring required capital into the firm. This could be the case because the businesses are high-risk, high-growth, or in need of more startup and growth capital than can be supplied by other sources. At a workshop titled “Equity Financing for High Potential/High Growth Ventures,” presented by the Mass. Small Development Center Network, attendees can learn about this attractive financing option. The program will provide an overview of equity financing and answer questions such as, what qualifies a venture for equity financing? What are the biggest mistakes you can make and the smartest things you can do while seeking equity investment? What should the venture leadership team look like? What are equity investors looking for? What matters the most in seeking equity investment? What are the major reasons why a business is funded or not funded? How are equity deals structured? And how do you set a valuation for a new venture?

The workshop, to be presented by Peter Morton of the MSBDC Network, Central Regional Office, will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St. in Springfield. A light lunch will be provided. For more information, call (413) 737-6712.

 

HCC Fall Open House

Nov. 1: Holyoke Community College will stage its annual Fall Open House from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development’s PeoplesBank Room. Guests can learn about HCC’s nearly 100 degree and certificate programs, as well as the school’s comprehensive support, services, student clubs and activities, financial aid, and more. Applications for admission will be accepted at the event, and there will also be individual breakout sessions for financial aid and adult learners. The open house will feature a new segment called “Conversations by Division” beginning at 6 p.m. Guests will be assigned to a separate meet-and-greet based on their intended major, led by division teams. Each divisional conversation will be followed by a short question-and-answer session and then a student panel discussion. For more information, contact the Office of Admissions at (413) 552-2321 or [email protected].

 

Writer, Essayist to Speak

Nov. 5: Anne Fadiman, a writer, essayist, and author whose first book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, won her a National Critics Book Circle Award, will visit the region as part of the Ovations series, sponsored by the Chicopee Savings Bank Endowment for Academic Excellence, the STCC Office of Academic Affairs, and the STCC Honors Program. There will two performances, at 10:10 and 11:15 a.m., in Scibelli Hall. Both are free and open to the public. The Washington Post called Fadiman’s book “an intriguing, spirit-lifting, extraordinary exploration.” The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down tells the story of Lia Lee, the daughter of Hmong immigrants from Laos, who was diagnosed with epilepsy in 1981. What follows is the story of a clash of cultures as well as an examination of the U.S. healthcare system. The book is often taught in university literary journalism courses across the country and serves as a casebook for cross-cultural sensitivity. Fadiman also is the author of Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader and At Large and at Small: Familiar Essays. She currently resides in Whately and is a professor of English and writing mentor at Yale University. For additional information about the Ovations series, contact Philip O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

 

Employment Law and Human Resources Practices Update

Nov. 8: The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast will stage its annual Employment Law and Human Services Practices Update at the Holyoke Hotel and Conference Center (formerly the Holiday Inn). The conference, sponsored by Johnson & Hill Staffing Services, will address the challenging state and federal legal and regulatory environment for employers, and present practical solutions and information to guide employers in their day-to-day employment decisions. The conference is designed for all levels of management — executives, corporate counsel, human-resource professionals, managers, and supervisors — who need practical and timely information to help negotiate ever-evolving employment issues. Conference presenters will include Joel Berner, chief of Enforcement for the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination; Charles Krich, principal attorney for the Connecticut Human Rights Organization; attorney Elaine Reall; and attorneys from Skoler Abbott & Presser, P.C., and EANE. For more information, contact Karen Cronenberger at (877) 662-6444.

 

40 Under Forty Reunion

Nov. 8: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program at the Log Cabin Banquet & meeting House inn Holyoke. The event, open only to 40 Under Forty winners, event judges, and sponsors, will begin at 5:30 and feature a talk from Peter Straley, president of Health New England, about leadership and community involvement. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected].

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Photographers Click at Westfield State

Through Oct. 20: Westfield State University’s Arno Maris Campus Gallery is hosting “Through the Iris, the Photographic Perspective,” an exhibit featuring the work of local photographers Betsy Feick, Elizabeth Garcia, Bill Hughes, and Dan Minicucci. Feick’s collection, “The Meadows,” highlights local rustic scenery from Northampton. “My specialized infrared camera captures a part of the light spectrum invisible to our human eyes,” she said. “My slightly distorting wide-angle lenses put the viewer right in the picture and add an unearthly quality to the photos.” Garcia’s “Nebulous” is an abstract collection of photographs described as “science fiction-like.” There is a lack of clarity in terms of what subject matter the images are conveying and a slight level of confusion about how they were conceived. The collection “has cohesively morphed my visual aesthetics in painting and photography into an abstract world of suspension,” she said. “The ability to initiate imagination and pondering in the minds of others is an admirable gift that inspires me and sustains my intrinsic visual engagement as an artist and viewer.” Meanwhile, Hughes’ “Dream Sketches,” she said, “are pictures which explore visual possibilities that may exist when time, space, and motion are allowed to accumulate through the lens of a camera and be recorded. Finally, Minicucci’s photos reflect the more than 15 years he has spent documenting the flora, fauna, and scenery of the Westfield River Watershed. There will be an artist’s reception on Oct. 4 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., with live music and refreshments. Normal gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 2 to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 2 to 7 p.m.; and Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. The gallery is located in WSU’s Ely Campus Center.

 

World Affairs Council Annual Meeting

Oct. 10: Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash will speak at the World Affairs Council of Western Mass. Annual Meeting & Dinner in the Mahogany Room of the Springfield Sheraton Hotel in downtown Springfield. More details will be forthcoming. Lash is an internationally recognized expert on practical solutions to global sustainability and development challenges. Before he became president of Hampshire College in 2011, he served as president of World Resources Institute (WRI), an environmental think tank with offices in eight countries and partners in more than 50 countries. WRI is an international leader on issues ranging from low-carbon development to sustainable transportation. From 1993 to 1999, Lash was co-chair of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, a group of government, business, labor, civil-rights, and environmental leaders appointed by Bill Clinton that developed visionary recommendations for strategies to promote sustainable development. He played a key role in the creation and success of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, which in 2007 issued the highly influential “Call to Action” on global warming. Prior to WRI, Lash held posts as director of Vermont Law School’s Environmental Law Center, Vermont secretary of Natural Resources, and Vermont commissioner of Environmental Conservation, as well as a federal prosecutor. For more information on the event, call (413) 733-0110.

 

Brown, Warren to Debate

Oct. 10: Massachusetts citizens will soon cast ballots for U.S. senator in a nationally followed race. On behalf of the Western Mass. U.S. Senate Debate Consortium, the Springfield Public Forum will serve as coordinator of one of the debates between Republican Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren. Slated for Symphony Hall, this will be the only debate between the candidates held in Western Mass. Tickets are required, but are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis at various locations in the area, including the Economic Development Council, 1441 Main St., Springfield, as well as from event partners Mass Live, New England Public Radio, the Daily Hampshire Gazette, the Republican, UMass Amherst, the Amherst Valley Press Club, Western New England University, WGBY, WGGB (abc40 and Fox 6), WSHM (CBS 3), and WWLP (NBC 22). Tickets are general admission only.

 

Western Mass.

Business Expo

Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

 

Novelist, Playwright to Speak at STCC

Oct. 12: Andrea Hairston, novelist and playwright, will visit the region as part of the Ovations series, sponsored by the Chicopee Savings Bank Endowment for Academic Excellence, the STCC Office of Academic Affairs, and the STCC Honors Program. There will two performances, at 10:10 and 11:15 a.m., in Scibelli Hall. Both are free and open to the public. Hairston is the Artistic Director of Chrysalis Theatre. For more than 30 years, Hairston has created original music, dance, and mask productions. In 1997, Hairston turned her interest to science fiction and wrote a sci-fi theatre jam, Archangels of Funk. She also published her first sci-fi novel, Mindscape, which won the Carl Brandon Parallax Award. Tony Award winning playwright Pearl Cleage said, “Andrea Hairston’s Mindscape starts with a vision of the way things ought to be and then takes us along on the amazing journey that must be undertaken to make that vision a reality.” Hairston has spent her career exploring the links between arts and science. This multi-faceted presentation will feature readings, music, and performance. For additional information about the Ovations series, contact Philip O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

 

An Evening of

Classical Music

Oct. 19: The New England Farm Workers’ Council, the North End Educational Development Fund, the Student Prince & Fort Restaurant, and the Puerto Rican/Latino Leadership Council will present “Diversecity,” an evening at Springfield’s Symphony Hall with the internationally renowned Puerto Rico Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring 70 musicians and guest singers. The symphony will be conducted by Maestro Rafael Enrique Irizarry III, with special guest Kevin Rhodes. The event, starting at 7:30 p.m. and hosted by Bax & O’Brien of Rock 102, is intended to bring local residents together in celebration of the strength, diversity, and cultural richness of this region and its people. Tickets may be purchased at symphonyhall.com or ticketmaster.com.

 

Writer, Essayist to Speak

Nov. 5: Anne Fadiman, a writer, essayist, and author whose first book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, won her a National Critics Book Circle Award, will visit the region as part of the Ovations series, sponsored by the Chicopee Savings Bank Endowment for Academic Excellence, the STCC Office of Academic Affairs, and the STCC Honors Program. There will two performances, at 10:10 and 11:15 a.m., in Scibelli Hall. Both are free and open to the public. The Washington Post called Fadiman’s book “an intriguing, spirit-lifting, extraordinary exploration.” The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down tells the story of Lia Lee, the daughter of Hmong immigrants from Laos, who was diagnosed with epilepsy in 1981. What follows is the story of a clash of cultures as well as an examination of the U.S. healthcare system. The book is often taught in university literary journalism courses across the country and serves as a casebook for cross-cultural sensitivity. Fadiman also is the author of Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader and At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays. She currently resides in Whately and is a professor of English and writing mentor at Yale University. For additional information about the Ovations series, contact Philip O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

 

40 Under Forty Reunion

Nov. 8: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program. Details on the event will be forthcoming. What is known is that it will be staged at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke, and will be open only to 40 Under Forty winners, sponsors, and their guests, as well as judges of the first six contests. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected].

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Auction and Wine, Beer & Spirit Tasting

Sept. 13: Wine tasting is a spirited, thirst-quenching and good-natured adventure. And when it is the annual Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce Auction & Wine, Beer & Spirit Tasting Event, it is also a fund-raiser for a not-for-profit community resource that supports local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and the overall development of the region. Chicopee Savings Bank is the presenting sponsor of this year’s event, to be held at the Log Cabin from 6 to 9 p.m. William Wagner, president of Chicopee Savings Bank, and John Baran, station manager of WWLP-22 News, will serve as emcees. The event will include gourmet food stations. and wine, beer, and spirit samples will be available from Berkshire Brewing, Commercial Distributing, Commonwealth Wines & Spirits, Opa-Opa, V1 Vodka, and Williams Distributing. The event will also feature a silent auction, and the Eric Bascom Jazz Trio will also provide music. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. The general public is invited. To reserve tickets, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or www.chicopeechamber.org.

 

The Big E

Sept. 14-30: From live music and parades to sea lions and a circus, there’s something for everyone at the Big E. Country music artist Rodney Atkins will play a concert at the outdoor Comcast Arena Stage on Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. The Big E’s Mardi Gras Parade returns to the fair with eight custom-made floats specially designed and built by the Kern Companies of New Orleans. The Big E Super Circus features aerial daredevils the Marinofs, the wonder dogs of David Rosaire’s Perky Pekes, the equilibristic ability of Dany Daniels and Edina, comedy, and more. In addition, the Big E will feature a show with the Peking Acrobats, horse shows, the U.S. Freestyle Motocross National Championship series, hypnotist Catherine Hickland, the Sea Lion Splash show, and much more. Look for details and show times at www.thebige.com. Gates open each day at 8 a.m., and building exhibits are open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Avenue of States is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Storrowton Village is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Craft Common is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the Midway is open Sunday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

 

Reading and Book Signing

Sept. 17: Author and education advocate Jonathan Kozol will read from his latest book on at 7 p.m. in the Leslie Phillips Theater at Holyoke Community College. The event is free and open to the public. After the reading, Kozol will discuss and sign copies of Fire in the Ashes: Twenty-five Years Among the Poorest Children in America. He is an author and educational activist known for his non-fiction books on public education in inner-city schools, beginning with Death at an Early Age in 1967, which he wrote after working as a teacher in the Boston public-school system where he was fired for teaching a poem by Langston Hughes. The book won a National Book Award. In Fire in the Ashes, Kozol revisits the schools and children he first wrote about in his books Amazing Grace and Rachel and her Children. For more information, contact Liz Golen, HCC Student Activities coordinator, at (413) 552-2418 or [email protected].

 

‘All Souls’ Author

to Discuss Memoir

Sept. 21: As part of the Ovations series, sponsored by the Chicopee Savings Bank Endowment for Academic Excellence, the STCC Office of Academic Affairs, and the STCC Honors Program, Michael Patrick McDonald will discuss his coming-of-age memoir All Souls. There will be two performances, at 10:10 and 11:15 a.m., in Scibelli Hall. Both are free and open to the public. All Souls is an account of McDonald’s upbringing in South Boston during the turbulent 1970s. MacDonald, the ninth child in a family of 11, was raised by his mother. Four of his siblings died tragically, two of whom were associated with Whitey Bulger, the notorious crime czar of South Boston. Much of All Souls deals with the power Bulger held over South Boston and the tragic effects that had on MacDonald’s family. MacDonald will return to STCC, where he captivated the audience three years ago, to talk about Whitey Bulger and the legacy Bulger leaves behind. USA Today calls MacDonald “a born rabble-rouser whose emotional power numbs the reader’s reason.” For additional information about the Ovations series, contact Philip O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

 

World Affairs Council Annual Meeting

Oct. 10: Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash will speak at the World Affairs Council of Western Mass. Annual Meeting & Dinner in the Mahogany Room of the Springfield Sheraton Hotel in downtown Springfield. More details will be forthcoming. Lash is an internationally recognized expert on practical solutions to global sustainability and development challenges. Before he became president of Hampshire College in 2011, he served as president of World Resources Institute (WRI), an environmental think tank with offices in eight countries and partners in more than 50 countries. WRI is an international leader on issues ranging from low-carbon development to sustainable transportation. From 1993 to 1999, Lash was co-chair of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, a group of government, business, labor, civil-rights, and environmental leaders appointed by Bill Clinton that developed visionary recommendations for strategies to promote sustainable development. He played a key role in the creation and success of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, which in 2007 issued the highly influential “Call to Action” on global warming. Prior to WRI, Lash held posts as director of Vermont Law School’s Environmental Law Center, Vermont secretary of Natural Resources, and Vermont commissioner of Environmental Conservation, as well as a federal prosecutor. For more information on the event, call (413) 733-0110.

 

Western Mass.

Business Expo

Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

 

Novelist, Playwright

to Speak at STCC

Oct. 12: Andrea Hairston, novelist and playwright, will visit the region as part of the Ovations series, sponsored by the Chicopee Savings Bank Endowment for Academic Excellence, the STCC Office of Academic Affairs, and the STCC Honors Program. There will two performances, at 10:10 and 11:15 a.m., in Scibelli Hall. Both are free and open to the public. Hairston is the Artistic Director of Chrysalis Theatre. For more than 30 years, Hairston has created original music, dance, and mask productions. In 1997, Hairston turned her interest to science fiction and wrote a sci-fi theatre jam, Archangels of Funk. She also published her first sci-fi novel, Mindscape, which won the Carl Brandon Parallax Award. Tony Award winning playwright Pearl Cleage said, “Andrea Hairston’s Mindscape starts with a vision of the way things ought to be and then takes us along on the amazing journey that must be undertaken to make that vision a reality.” Hairston has spent her career exploring the links between arts and science. This multi-faceted presentation will feature readings, music, and performance. For additional information about the Ovations series, contact Philip O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].
An Evening of

Classical Music

Oct. 19: The New England Farm Workers’ Council, the North End Educational Development Fund, the Student Prince & Fort Restaurant, and the Puerto Rican/Latino Leadership Council will present “Diversecity,” an evening at Springfield’s Symphony Hall with the internationally renowned Puerto Rico Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring 70 musicians and guest singers. The symphony will be conducted by Maestro Rafael Enrique Irizarry III, with special guest Kevin Rhodes. The event, starting at 7:30 p.m. and hosted by Bax & O’Brien of Rock 102, is intended to bring local residents together in celebration of the strength, diversity, and cultural richness of this region and its people. Tickets may be purchased at symphonyhall.com or ticketmaster.com.

 

Writer, Essayist to Speak

Nov. 5: Anne Fadiman, a writer, essayist, and author whose first book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, won her a National Critics Book Circle Award, will visit the region as part of the Ovations series, sponsored by the Chicopee Savings Bank Endowment for Academic Excellence, the STCC Office of Academic Affairs, and the STCC Honors Program. There will two performances, at 10:10 and 11:15 a.m., in Scibelli Hall. Both are free and open to the public. The Washington Post called Fadiman’s book “an intriguing, spirit-lifting, extraordinary exploration.” The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down tells the story of Lia Lee, the daughter of Hmong immigrants from Laos, who was diagnosed with epilepsy in 1981. What follows is the story of a clash of cultures as well as an examination of the U.S. healthcare system. The book is often taught in university literary journalism courses across the country and serves as a casebook for cross-cultural sensitivity. Fadiman also is the author of Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader and At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays. She currently resides in Whately and is a professor of English and writing mentor at Yale University. For additional information about the Ovations series, contact Philip O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

 

40 Under Forty Reunion

Nov. 8: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program. Details on the event will be forthcoming. What is known is that it will be staged at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke, and will be open only to 40 Under Forty winners, sponsors, and their guests, as well as judges of the first six contests. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected].

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

Massachusetts Chamber Business Summit

Sept. 9-11: The Massachusetts Chamber board of directors will conduct its annual Business Summit and Awards Ceremony at the Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis. The two-day meeting allows participants to meet with business professionals from across the state, as well as listen to state and local elected officials who will discuss the future of business in Massachusetts. Additionally, representatives from the Mass. Office of Economic Development will discuss loans, grants, and tax incentives available to business owners. Industry experts will also be on hand to discuss topics such as leveraging social media, search-engine optimization, and health care cost containment. The winners of the Business of the Year Award and the Employer of Choice Award will also be announced during the summit. For more information, call (617) 512-9667 or visit www.masscbi.com.

 

The Big E

Sept. 14-30: From live music and parades to sea lions and a circus, there’s something for everyone at the Big E. Country music artist Rodney Atkins will play a concert at the outdoor Comcast Arena Stage on Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. The Big E’s Mardi Gras Parade returns to the fair with eight custom-made floats specially designed and built by the Kern Companies of New Orleans. The Big E Super Circus features aerial daredevils the Marinofs, the wonder dogs of David Rosaire’s Perky Pekes, the equilibristic ability of Dany Daniels and Edina, comedy, and more. In addition, the Big E will feature a show with the Peking Acrobats, horse shows, the U.S. Freestyle Motocross National Championship series, hypnotist Catherine Hickland, the Sea Lion Splash show, and much more. Look for details and show times at www.thebige.com. Gates open each day at 8 a.m., and building exhibits are open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Avenue of States is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Storrowton Village is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Craft Common is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the Midway is open Sunday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

 

World Affairs Council Annual Meeting

Oct. 10: Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash will speak at the World Affairs Council of Western Mass. Annual Meeting & Dinner in the Mahogany Room of the Springfield Sheraton Hotel in downtown Springfield. More details will be forthcoming. Lash is an internationally recognized expert on practical solutions to global sustainability and development challenges. Before he became president of Hampshire College in 2011, he served as president of World Resources Institute (WRI), an environmental think tank with offices in eight countries and partners in more than 50 countries. WRI is an international leader on issues ranging from low-carbon development to sustainable transportation. From 1993 to 1999, Lash was co-chair of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, a group of government, business, labor, civil-rights, and environmental leaders appointed by Bill Clinton that developed visionary recommendations for strategies to promote sustainable development. He played a key role in the creation and success of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, which in 2007 issued the highly influential “Call to Action” on global warming. Prior to WRI, Lash held posts as director of Vermont Law School’s Environmental Law Center, Vermont secretary of Natural Resources, and Vermont commissioner of Environmental Conservation, as well as a federal prosecutor. For more information on the event, call (413) 733-0110.

 

Western Mass.

Business Expo

Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

 

40 Under Forty Reunion

Nov. 8: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program. Details on the event will be forthcoming. What is known is that it will be staged at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke, and will be open only to 40 Under Forty winners, sponsors, and their guests, as well as judges of the first six contests. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected].

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

NEBA Golf Tournament
Aug. 26: New England Business Associates (NEBA) will host a golf tournament on at Tekoa Country Club in Westfield. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit NEBA’s skills-training, supported-employment, academic-achievement, and self-employment programs for individuals with disabilities. The tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m., and an awards and dinner ceremony will follow the finish. Sponsorship opportunities are available, and all golfers will have an opportunity to participate in contests and win prizes. To participate in the tournament and/or become an event sponsor, visit neba.eventbrite.com or contact David Parkinson, tournament director, at (413) 821-9200, ext. 145, or [email protected].

Massachusetts Chamber Business Summit
Sept. 9-11: The Massachusetts Chamber board of directors will conduct its annual Business Summit and Awards Ceremony at the Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis. The two-day meeting allows participants to meet with business professionals from across the state, as well as listen to state and local elected officials who will discuss the future of business in Massachusetts. Additionally, representatives from the Mass. Office of Economic Development will discuss loans, grants, and tax incentives available to business owners. Industry experts will also be on hand to discuss topics such as leveraging social media, search-engine optimization, and health care cost containment. The winners of the Business of the Year Award and the Employer of Choice Award will also be announced during the summit. For more information, call (617) 512-9667 or visit www.masscbi.com.

World Affairs Council Annual Meeting
Oct. 10: Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash will speak at the World Affairs Council of Western Mass. Annual Meeting & Dinner in the Mahogany Room of the Springfield Sheraton Hotel in downtown Springfield. More details will be forthcoming. Lash is an internationally recognized expert on practical solutions to global sustainability and development challenges. Before he became president of Hampshire College in 2011, he served as president of World Resources Institute (WRI), an environmental think tank with offices in eight countries and partners in more than 50 countries. WRI is an international leader on issues ranging from low-carbon development to sustainable transportation. From 1993 to 1999, Lash was co-chair of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, a group of government, business, labor, civil-rights, and environmental leaders appointed by Bill Clinton that developed visionary recommendations for strategies to promote sustainable development. He played a key role in the creation and success of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, which in 2007 issued the highly influential “Call to Action” on global warming. Prior to WRI, Lash held posts as director of Vermont Law School’s Environmental Law Center, Vermont secretary of Natural Resources, and Vermont commissioner of Environmental Conservation, as well as as a federal prosecutor. For more information on the event, call (413) 733-0110.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

40 Under Forty Reunion
Nov. 8: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program. Details on the event will be forthcoming. What is known is that it will be staged at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke, and will be open only to 40 Under Forty winners, sponsors, and their guests, as well as judges of the first six contests. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected].

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

NEBA Golf Tournament
Aug. 26: New England Business Associates (NEBA) will host a golf tournament on at Tekoa Country Club in Westfield. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit NEBA’s skills-training, supported-employment, academic-achievement, and self-employment programs for individuals with disabilities. The tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m., and an awards and dinner ceremony will follow the finish. Sponsorship opportunities are available, and all golfers will have an opportunity to participate in contests and win prizes. To participate in the tournament and/or become an event sponsor, visit neba.eventbrite.com or contact David Parkinson, tournament director, at (413) 821-9200, ext. 145, or [email protected].

Massachusetts Chamber Business Summit
Sept. 9-11: The Massachusetts Chamber board of directors will conduct its annual Business Summit and Awards Ceremony at the Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis. The two-day meeting allows participants to meet with business professionals from across the state, as well as listen to state and local elected officials who will discuss the future of business in Massachusetts. Additionally, representatives from the Mass. Office of Economic Development will discuss loans, grants, and tax incentives available to business owners. Industry experts will also be on hand to discuss topics such as leveraging social media, search-engine optimization, and health care cost containment. The winners of the Business of the Year Award and the Employer of Choice Award will also be announced during the summit. For more information, call (617) 512-9667 or visit www.masscbi.com.

World Affairs Council Annual Meeting
Oct. 10: Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash will speak at the World Affairs Council of Western Mass. Annual Meeting & Dinner in the Mahogany Room of the Springfield Sheraton Hotel in downtown Springfield. More details will be forthcoming. Lash is an internationally recognized expert on practical solutions to global sustainability and development challenges. Before he became president of Hampshire College in 2011, he served as president of World Resources Institute (WRI), an environmental think tank with offices in eight countries and partners in more than 50 countries. WRI is an international leader on issues ranging from low-carbon development to sustainable transportation. From 1993 to 1999, Lash was co-chair of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, a group of government, business, labor, civil-rights, and environmental leaders appointed by Bill Clinton that developed visionary recommendations for strategies to promote sustainable development. He played a key role in the creation and success of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, which in 2007 issued the highly influential “Call to Action” on global warming. Prior to WRI, Lash held posts as director of Vermont Law School’s Environmental Law Center, Vermont secretary of Natural Resources, and Vermont commissioner of Environmental Conservation, as well as as a federal prosecutor. For more information on the event, call (413) 733-0110.

Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

40 Under Forty Reunion
Nov. 8: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program. Details on the event will be forthcoming. What is known is that it will be staged at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke, and will be open only to 40 Under Forty winners, sponsors, and their guests, as well as judges of the first six contests. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected].

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

Massachusetts Chamber Business Summit
Sept. 9-11: The Massachusetts Chamber board of directors will conduct its annual Business Summit and Awards Ceremony at the Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis. The two-day meeting allows participants to meet with business professionals from across the state, as well as listen to state and local elected officials who will discuss the future of business in Massachusetts. Additionally, representatives from the Mass. Office of Economic Development will discuss loans, grants, and tax incentives available to business owners. Industry experts will also be on hand to discuss topics such as leveraging social media, search-engine optimization, and health care cost containment. The winners of the Business of the Year Award and the Employer of Choice Award will also be announced during the summit. For more information, call (617) 512-9667 or visit www.masscbi.com.
World Affairs Council Annual Meeting
Oct. 10: Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash will speak at the World Affairs Council of Western Mass. Annual Meeting & Dinner in the Mahogany Room of the Springfield Sheraton Hotel in downtown Springfield. More details will be forthcoming. Lash is an internationally recognized expert on practical solutions to global sustainability and development challenges. Before he became president of Hampshire College in 2011, he served as president of World Resources Institute (WRI), an environmental think tank with offices in eight countries and partners in more than 50 countries. WRI is an international leader on issues ranging from low-carbon development to sustainable transportation. From 1993 to 1999, Lash was co-chair of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, a group of government, business, labor, civil rights, and environmental leaders appointed by President Clinton that developed visionary recommendations for strategies to promote sustainable development. He played a key role in the creation and success of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, which in 2007 issued the highly influential “Call to Action” on global warming. Prior to WRI, Lash held posts as director of Vermont Law School’s Environmental Law Center, Vermont secretary of Natural Resources, and Vermont commissioner of Environmental Conservation, and as a federal prosecutor. For more information on the event, call (413) 733-0110.
Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

YMCA Celebration at Basketball Hall of Fame

June 18:  A celebration of the YMCA’s 160th anniversary will be staged at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, starting at 6 p.m. The event will feature a keynote address by sports and business leader Mannie Jackson and Boston Globe sportswriters and ESPN commentators Jackie MacMullan and Bob Ryan. MacMullan and Ryan, both Basketball Hall of Fame Award winners, will share their thoughts and experiences covering the celebrated Boston sports teams, with a special concentration on the Boston Celtics. Jackson is a former player for the Harlem Globetrotters who, after a successful business career, purchased the Globetrotters from near-bankruptcy and extinction, reinvigorating one of America’s most popular sports brands. He is now a philanthropist and author who recently released a book called Boxcar to Boardrooms: My Memories and Travels. Tickets to the June 18 celebration are available by contacting Peggy Graveline, development assistant at the YMCA of Greater Springfield, at [email protected], or by calling (413) 739-6951, ext. 179. Tickets are $160 each or $1,500 for a table of 10. All proceeds from the event will benefit the YMCA of Greater Springfield’s 2012 Annual Scholarship Campaign.

 

Health Care Expo and Career Fair

June 19: The Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Health New England to produce a Health care Expo and Career Fair to be held at The Castle of Knights on Memorial Drive in Chicopee, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. According to Gail A. Sherman, President of the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, the Healthcare Expo has a multi-level purpose. “It is an opportunity for companies in the health care industry to promote their products and services; but it will also include what we are calling the “Corridor to Your Career” section where companies that have job openings in the healthcare industry will be there to welcome and meet job seekers in that field.” Companies that are in the health care industry can reserve a skirted-marketing table. If they are members of the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, the cost is $125. For non-members, the cost is $175. Admission to the event is free. Health New England’s Lynn Ostrowski, director of Brand & Corporate Relations, will launch the day’s event by teaching attendees how to effectively manage their energy throughout the day. Complimentary coffee, herbal tea and seasonal fresh fruit will be available until 9:30 a.m. To sign up or to learn more about this event, call Sherman at (413) 594-2101.

 

Elder Planning Seminar

June 20: Williamstown Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center will host “The Ins and Outs of Health and Long-Term Care Planning” at 6 p.m. Elder-law attorney James Sisto of the Berkshire Elder Law Center — a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a certified public accountant — will discuss strategies for seniors in preparing for long-term care, financial planning, and estate planning. Certified senior adviser Kira Breard, branch manager of Interim Health Care, will discuss services designed to help with health and personal-care needs, as well as sharing information on a variety of programs and services available to seniors in Berkshire County. To RSVP for this program, call (413) 458-2111.

 

40 Under Forty

June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The gala will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or log onto www.businesswest.com.

 

WBOA 30th Anniversary

June 21: Chez Josef in Agawam will be the setting for the 30th anniversary celebration of the Women’s Business Owners Alliance of the Pioneer Valley (WBOA) at 6 p.m. The WBOA will recognize its 2012 Business Woman of the Year, as well as its 2012 Outstanding New Member, and will name its Top Women in Business in the Pioneer Valley. Renate Oliver, WBOA founder, will also be a featured speaker. The event will feature entertainment by Jeannie Pomeroy-Murphy, as well as a raffle fund-raiser. For more information or tickets, call (413) 525-7345 or visit www.wboa.org.

 

Walk for Miracles at Six Flags

June 23: Six Flags New England will host Walk for Miracles, a Children’s Miracle Network initiative to raise funds for patient-care programs at Baystate Children’s Hospital. “Six Flags New England is thrilled to be the sponsor of this incredible walk that benefits our local community,” said John Winkler, the park’s president. “We are proud of our commitment to our philanthropic work.” Registration for Walk for Miracles begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by step-off at 8:30 a.m. for a family-friendly stroll of about 1.5 miles inside the amusement park. Following the walk, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., there will be a special celebration including music and entertainment, as well as a medal ceremony for Baystate Children’s Hospital’s “Miracle Kids.” Registration fee is $10 for all walkers and includes participation in the walk, a light breakfast snack, and a T-shirt, while supplies last. Walkers who raise $50 or more for their efforts will receive free admission to the park on June 23. Walkers who do not raise $50 are also welcome to enjoy the park at 50% off general admission. All proceeds will remain local and support pediatric needs throughout Baystate Health, including equipment, outreach programs, and services at Baystate Children’s Hospital in Springfield, Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware, and Baystate Visiting Nurse Assoc. & Hospice. To register, visit helpmakemiracles.org/event/walkformiracles.

 

Party with the Animals

June 23: The Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center is holding its 10th annual “Party with the Animals” fund-raiser at 5:30 p.m. under the big tent at the zoo. The October snowstorm hit the zoo especially hard. “We suffered damage to almost every exhibit at the zoo, from falling limbs from the trees that surround the zoo,” said John Lewis, executive director. Fortunately, the zoo was able to open on schedule this spring, but some exhibits are still undergoing repairs and renovations. The Party with the Animals includes gourmet food prepared by Noble Feast, a full-service bar, and music provided by the Westfield High School Jazz Band. Attendees will enjoy close encounters with some very special animal friends. The live auction, with Ray Hershel of Channel 40 as auctioneer, always generates an entertaining bidding frenzy. This is an adult-only event, and dress is casual-elegant. Tickets are $100 and can be ordered at www.forestparkzoo.org, or by calling (413) 733-2251.

 

Fork It Over

June 26: From 5 to 7:30 p.m., Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts present Fork It Over, a competitive, culinary fund-raising event featuring some of the region’s top chefs, who create original appetizers and desserts using Girl Scout cookies and present their creations to the public and a panel of judges at Storrowton Tavern and Carriage House. Participants include Hofbrauhaus, La Cucina di Hampden House, Magic Spoon Catering, School Street Bistro, Cornerstone Café, Nadim’s Mediterranean, Chandler’s, Johnsens Catering, Hampden Country Club, Eighty Jarvis, Four Main Street Bar & Grill, McLadden’s Irish Publick House, Chez Josef, Dana’s Grillroom, and Great Grapes Catering. The panel of judges who will determine the winners in both sweet and savory categories is led by Peter Rosskothen of the Log Cabin and Delaney House, and includes Lon Breedlove of the Massachusetts Restaurant Assoc., Bon Appetit Contributing Editor Dede Wilson, and West Springfield Fire Chief William Flaherty. Attendees will vote for a people’s-choice favorite. Live music will be provided by Ethel Lee and her Jazz Ensemble, and a raffle will feature items from dozens of Pioneer Valley businesses. Tickets are $30 each or four for $100 for advance purchases, and are available online at www.gscwm.org or by calling (413) 224-4031. All tickets at the door on June 26 are $30 each.

 

NYC Bus Trip

June 30: The Chicopee Chamber of Commerce will host a bus trip to New York City, leaving the chamber parking lot at 7 a.m. and returning around 9:30 p.m. Participants are on their own for the day in New York City. Tickets are $45 per person. For more information, contact Lynn at (413) 594-2101.

 

Massachusetts Chamber Business Summit

Sept. 9-11: The Massachusetts Chamber board of directors will conduct its annual Business Summit and Awards Ceremony Sept. 9-11 at the Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis. The two-day meeting allows participants to meet with business professionals from across the state, as well as listen to state and local elected officials who will discuss the future of business in Massachusetts. Additionally, representatives from the Mass. Office of Economic Development will discuss loans, grants, and tax incentives available to business owners. Industry experts will also be on hand to discuss topics such as leveraging social media, search-engine optimization, and health care cost containment. The winners of the Business of the Year Award and the Employer of Choice Award will also be announced during the summit. For more information, call (617) 512-9667 or visit www.masscbi.com.

 

Western Mass.

Business Expo

Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

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Management Fundamentals Workshop
May 24: Lyne Kendall of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network will present “Business Plan Basics” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Amherst Town Hall, first floor meeting room, 4 Boltwood Walk. The workshop will focus on management fundamentals from start-up considerations through business-plan development. Topics will include financing, marketing and business planning. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

State of the Region
June 5: The Hartford-Springfield Economic Partnership (HSEP) will stage its 2012 State of the Region Conference, from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Enfield-Springfield at One Bright Meadow Blvd. in Enfield. The event will have as its theme “State Collaboration and the Region’s Future.” Keynote speakers will be Catherine Smith, commissioner of the Conn. Department of Economic and Community Development, and Gregory Bialecki, Mass. secretary of Housing and Economic Development. Mary Ellen Jones, chair of the Connecticut Airport Authority, also will speak. There is no charge, but pre-registration is necessary.  For more information and to register, visit www.hartfordspringfield.com. The Hartford-Springfield Economic Partnership is an interstate collaboration of regional economic-development, planning, business, tourism, and educational institutions that work together to advance the region’s economic progress.

YMCA CELEBRATION
June 18:  Given the YMCA of Greater Springfield’s history with the game of basketball, it is only fitting that a celebration of the organization’s 160th Anniversary will be staged at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The event, to start at 6 p.m., will feature a keynote address by successful sports and business leader Mannie Jackson and Boston Globe sportswriters and ESPN commentators, Jackie MacMullan and Bob Ryan. MacMullan and Ryan, both Basketball Hall of Fame Award winners, will together share with guests their thoughts and experiences covering the celebrated Boston sports teams, with a special concentration on the Boston Celtics. Jackson is a former player for the Harlem Globetrotters who, after a successful business career, purchased the Globetrotters from near bankruptcy and extinction, reinvigorating one of America’s most popular sports brands. Jackson will share stories and insights from his life beginning with literally being born in a railway boxcar, to becoming the first African American player at the University of Illinois, to becoming the president of a unit of Honeywell Corporation, and his ultimate purchase of the Globetrotters and his experiences around the world with the team. Jackson is now a philanthropist and author, who recently released a book called Boxcar to Boardrooms; My Memories and Travels, that chronicles his inspiring journey. The book is on sale now www.boxcarholding.com with all proceeds donated to cancer research and the I-LEAP Academic Scholarship Program. “We are extremely honored to be joined by these three amazingly talented sports icons,” says Kirk Smith, President & CEO, YMCA of Greater Springfield. “I couldn’t ask for a better way to commemorate our 160th anniversary than with them at Center Court of the Basketball Hall of Fame.” Tickets to the June 18 celebration are available by contacting Peggy Graveline, Development assistant at the YMCA of Greater Springfield, at [email protected], or by calling (413) 739-6951, ext. 179. Tickets are $160/each, or $1,500 for a table of 10. All proceeds from the event will benefit the YMCA of Greater Springfield’s 2012 Annual Scholarship Campaign.

40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The gala will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or log onto www.businesswest.com.

WBOA 30th Anniversary
June 21: Chez Josef in Agawam will be the setting for the 30th anniversary celebration of the Women’s Business Owners Alliance of the Pioneer Valley (WBOA) at 6 p.m. The WBOA will recognize its 2012 Business Woman of the Year, as well as its 2012 Outstanding New Member, and will name its Top Women in Business in the Pioneer Valley. Renate Oliver, WBOA founder, will also be a featured speaker. The event will feature entertainment by Jeannie Pomeroy-Murphy, as well as a raffle fund-raiser. For more information or tickets, call (413) 525-7345 or visit www.wboa.org.

NYC Bus Trip
June 30: The Chicopee Chamber of Commerce will host a bus trip to New York City, leaving the chamber parking lot at 7 a.m. and returning around 9:30 p.m. Participants are on their own for the day in New York City. Tickets are $45 per person. For more information, contact Lynn at (413) 594-2101.

Massachusetts Chamber Summit
Sept. 9-11: The Massachusetts Chamber board of directors will conduct its annual Business Summit and Awards Ceremony Sept. 9-11 at the Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis. The two-day meeting allows participants to meet with business professionals from across the state, as well as listen to state and local elected officials who will discuss the future of business in Massachusetts. Additionally, representatives from the Massachusetts Office of Economic Development will discuss loans, grants, and tax incentives available to business owners. Industry experts will also be on hand to discuss topics such as leveraging social media, search-engine optimization, and health care cost containment. The winners of the Business of the Year Award and the Employer of Choice Award will also be announced during the summit. For more information, call (617) 512-9667 or visit www.masscbi.com.

Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

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Wistariahurst Concert
May 13: The Chamber Music Society at Wistariahurst returns to Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St., Holyoke, with a Mother’s Day program of romantic music by Robert and Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms. The program includes selections from the “Soirées Musicales” of Clara Schumann, early piano works from her years as a prodigy-virtuoso, performed by Tanya Blaich; songs, duets, and a vocal quartet by Robert Schumann, performed by the Wistaria Vocal Ensemble accompanied by Blaich; Brahms’ “Clarinet Sonata in E-flat Major,” performed by special guest clarinetist Michael Sussman and pianist Monica Jakuc Leverett; and Robert Schumann’s “Piano Quartet in E-flat,” performed by Jakuc Leverett, violinist Sarah Briggs, violist Delores Thayer, and cellist Volcy Pelletier. Admission is $20 at the door. Mother’s Day special offer: bring your mother for a discounted ticket of $10. Reservations are suggested. For more information, call (413) 322-5660.

Small-business Seminar
May 16: Local business owners will talk about what they have done to stay ahead of the many demands on their time and at the same time adjust for the economic environment during a workshop titled “Adapt, Diversify, Reinvent & Grow” at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. Presenters include Paul DiGrigoli of Digrigoli Salon & School of Cosmetology; Tara Tetreault of Jackson & Connor; Kate Vishnyakov of Kate Gray Inc., and Rick Ricard of Larien Products. The 9 to 11 a.m. session is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development  Center Network. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The June 21 gala will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

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MCDI Career Showcase
April 26: The Mass. Career Development Institute will host an open house from 3 to 7 p.m. to showcase its extensive training programs. The event, the MCDI Career Showcase, will take place at 140 Wilbraham Ave. in Springfield. Instructors and staff will provide demonstrations and information about job-placement assistance and financial-aid programs available. MCDI programs include culinary arts, nurse’s aide/home health aide, sheet-metal fabrication and welding, medical office professional, and precision machining and manufacturing. To register or for more information, call (413) 781-5640.

Walk of Champions
May 6: The Goodnough Dike area of the Quabbin Reservoir will be the setting for the seventh annual Walk of Champions in Ware. Participants walk in honor or in memory of loved ones affected by cancer, with the determination to make a difference in those affected by the disease. The event offers a five-mile or two-mile walk, with entertainment and refreshments along the route. For more information, visit www.baystatehealth.org/woc or e-mail Michelle Graci, manager of fund-raising events at Baystate Health at [email protected].

Small-business Seminar
May 16: Local business owners will talk about what they have done to keep ahead of the many demands on their time, and at the same time adjust for the economic environment, during a workshop titled “Adapt, Diversify, Reinvent & Grow” at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. Presenters include Paul DiGrigoli of Digrigoli Salon & School of Cosmetology; Tara Tetreault of Jackson & Connor; Kate Vishnyakov of Kate Gray Inc.; and Rick Ricard of Larien Products. The 9 to 11 a.m. session is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Management Fundamentals Workshop
May 24: Lyne Kendall of the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network will present “Business Plan Basics” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Amherst Town Hall, first floor meeting room, 4 Boltwood Walk. The workshop will focus on management fundamentals from startup considerations through business-plan development. Topics will include financing, marketing, and business planning. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

NYC Bus Trip
June 30: The Chicopee Chamber of Commerce will host a bus trip to New York City, leaving the chamber parking lot at 7 a.m. and returning around 9:30 p.m. Participants are on their own for the day in New York City. Tickets are $45 per person. For more information, contact Lynn at (413) 594-2101.

40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The June 21 gala will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

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Author Lecture on
Constitution Café
April 10: Author and philosopher Christopher Phillips’ latest book, Constitution Café, draws on the nation’s rebellious past to incite meaningful change today. He proposes that Americans revise the Constitution every so often, not just to reflect the changing times, but to revive and perpetuate the original revolutionary spirit. He will present a free lecture at 8 p.m. in the dining hall at Blake Student Commons, on the Bay Path College campus, 588 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow. The lecture is part of the annual Kaleidoscope series. For more information, call (413) 565-1000 or visit www.baypath.edu.

Lecture on
Marketing Basics
April 11: The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network will host a lecture titled “Marketing Basics” from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Dianne Doherty of the MSBDC Network will present the workshop that will focus on the basic disciplines of marketing, beginning with research (primary, secondary, qualitative, and quantitative). For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass. The cost is $40.

RetireSmart Seminar
April 11: MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division continues its web-based RetireSmart interactive participant education series with “Understanding Target-Date and Target-Risk Investments” at noon. The 30-minute presentation will cover taking charge of your retirement-investing strategy in today’s market environment; the ABCs of target-date and target-risk strategies, and how these investments may fit into your overall plan. Space for the live online seminar is prioritized to retirement-plan sponsors and participants on MassMutual’s platform. MassMutual retirement-plan clients can register by logging into their retirement-plan account at www.retiresmart.com or by visiting www.retiresmartseminars.com.

Slam Poet Lecture
April 13: Taylor Mali, a former high-school teacher who has emerged from the slam-poetry movement as one of its leaders, will discuss his performances at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Christo to Keynote Riverscaping Conference
April 19-22: An international conference on the art, history, and science of the river will feature the celebrated artist Christo, whose latest project will be to install 5.9 miles of fabric over a stretch of the Arkansas River in Colorado. The Five College Riverscaping Conference also includes lectures, gallery openings, student poster sessions, and a two-day symposium opened by Jonathan Lash, Hampshire College’s new president and the former president of the World Resources Institute. The conference marks the conclusion of the 18-month Five College Riverscaping project, funded in large part by a grant from the American delegation to the European Union and in partnership with river experts from Hamburg, Germany. Aimed at developing sustainable approaches to reconnecting people with the river, the Riverscaping effort has brought together students, policy makers, artists, academics, entrepreneurs and environmentalists in a series of ‘laboratories.’ Centered around education, research, and design, the laboratories focus on Massachusetts’ stretch of the Connecticut River and the Elbe River in Hamburg. Christo’s address, at Smith College’s John M. Green Hall, will open the conference on April 19. He will discuss the two current projects that he and Jeanne-Claude (who died in 2009) have initiated: “Over the River” on the Arkansas River and “The Mastaba,” in the United Arab Emirates. The river installation, planned for the summer of 2015, will involve suspending nearly six miles of luminous fabric panels over a 42-mile stretch of the upper Arkansas River in Colorado. The project, while controversial, has received federal and state approval. Lash will open Saturday’s symposium sessions with his comments on “Why the River Matters.” Other highlights of the symposium on Friday and Saturday include papers by a wide range of designers, scientists, and scholars from around the world, including Jinnai Hidenobou of Hosei University in Tokyo, Johan Varekamp of Wesleyan University, and T.S. McMillin of Oberlin College, author of The Meaning of Rivers. A student session takes place on Friday evening, and a performance of music and readings will follow on Saturday. The entire conference, including Christo’s address, is free and open to the public, but online registration is required. Visit www.riverscaping.org to register for the Christo address and all the other events.

Comedy Night to
Benefit Charities
April 21: Smith & Wesson Corp. will host a benefit comedy show to support two local children’s charities, the Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Ronald McDonald House, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Cedars Banquet Hall, 419 Island Pond Road, Springfield. Tickets are $30 per person, and include the show, hot and cold hors d’oeuvres prior to the show, a cash bar, raffles, fund-raising, games, and music. Teddie Barrett of Teddie B. Comedy will emcee the event, featuring professional comedians Bill Campbell, Dan Crohn, and Stacy Yannetty Pema. For tickets or more information, contact Phyllis Settembro, Smith & Wesson, (413) 747-3597; Karen Motyka, Shriners Hospital, (413) 787-2032; or Jennifer Putnam, Ronald McDonald House, (413) 794-5683.

Supply Chain Strategies
April 24: Western Mass. APICS (the Association for Operations Management), will present a seminar called “Building and Sustaining Transformational Supply Chain Capabilities” at 5:30 p.m. at the Yankee Pedlar in Holyoke. The program will be presented by Edna Conway, Cisco Systems’ chief security strategist for customer value chain management. For more information or to make reservations, call (413) 527-2832, or visit www.wmass-apics.com.

Walk of Champions
May 6: The Goodnough Dike area of the Quabbin Reservoir will be the setting for the seventh annual Walk of Champions in Ware. Participants walk in honor or in memory of loved ones affected by cancer, with the determination to make a difference in those affected by the disease. The event offers a five-mile or two-mile walk, with entertainment and refreshments along the route. For more information, visit www.baystatehealth.org/woc or e-mail Michelle Graci, manager of fund-raising events at Baystate Health at [email protected].

Small-business Seminar
May 16: Local business owners will talk about what they have done to keep ahead of the many demands on their time, and at the same time adjust for the economic environment, during a workshop titled “Adapt, Diversify, Reinvent & Grow” at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. Presenters include Paul DiGrigoli of Digrigoli Salon & School of Cosmetology; Tara Tetreault of Jackson & Connor; Kate Vishnyakov of Kate Gray Inc.; and Rick Ricard of Larien Products. The 9 to 11 a.m. session is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Management Fundamentals Workshop
May 24: Lyne Kendall of the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network will present “Business Plan Basics” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Amherst Town Hall, first floor meeting room, 4 Boltwood Walk. The workshop will focus on management fundamentals from startup considerations through business-plan development. Topics will include financing, marketing, and business planning. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

NYC Bus Trip
June 30: The Chicopee Chamber of Commerce will host a bus trip to New York City, leaving the chamber parking lot at 7 a.m. and returning around 9:30 p.m. Participants are on their own for the day in New York City. Tickets are $45 per person. For more information, contact Lynn at (413) 594-2101.
40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The June 21 gala will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

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‘Music for the Eyes’
Through April 7: The artwork of Preston Trombly, host of Sirius/XM Satellite Radio’s nationally broadcast Symphony Hall channel, titled “Music for the Eyes,” will be exhibited through April 7 at the Arno Maris Gallery in Ely Hall on the Westfield State University campus. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m., Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call (413) 572-4400 or visit www.westfield.ma.edu/galleries.

Author Lecture
March 28: Internationally acclaimed author Tom Perrotta will read from his upcoming novel, The Leftovers, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. Two of Perrotta’s books, Election and Little Children, have been made into movies, and five novels have been national bestsellers. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

ADA, FMLA Workshop
March 29: Royal LLP, in conjunction with the Human Service Forum, will present a workshop at the Delaney House in Holyoke on the compliance issues involving the ADA and FMLA. The interactive workshop addresses some of the most common questions that upper management faces each day. Attendees will learn skills and strategies that can help reduce the risk of employment litigation. For more information on the 8:30 a.m. to noon event, contact Ann-Marie Marcil at (413) 586-2288 or visit www.humanserviceforum.org.

Not Just Business as Usual
April 5: Former NBA player and businessman Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman will be the guest speaker at the Springfield Technical Community College Foundation’s third annual Not Just Business as Usual event at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. A cocktail and networking reception is planned from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by the dinner program from 7 to 9 p.m. Bridgeman spent most of his 12-year NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks, but also played for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is the current franchise owner of more than 160 Wendy’s and 120 Chili’s restaurants. The event encourages local businesses to come together for an evening to network, learn from one another, and support student success. Funds from the event will provide students access to opportunities through scholarships, technology, and career direction to be successful future employees and citizens. “It’s a time to celebrate innovations, change, and our region’s success,” said STCC Foundation Interim Director Robert LePage. A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available, and individual tickets are $175 each. For more information, contact LePage at (413) 755-4477 or [email protected].

Constitution Café
April 10: Author and philosopher Christopher Phillips’ latest book, Constitution Café, draws on the nation’s rebellious past to incite meaningful change today. He proposes that Americans revise the Constitution every so often, not just to reflect the changing times, but to revive and perpetuate the original revolutionary spirit. He will present a free lecture at 8 p.m. in the dining hall at Blake Student Commons, on the Bay Path College campus, 588 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow. The lecture is part of the annual Kaleidoscope series. For more information, call (413) 565-1000 or visit www.baypath.edu.

Marketing Basics Seminar
April 11: The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network will host a lecture titled “Marketing Basics” from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Dianne Doherty of the MSBDC Network will present the workshop that will focus on the basic disciplines of marketing, beginning with research (primary, secondary, qualitative, and quantitative). For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass. The cost is $40.

RetireSmart Seminar
April 11: MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division continues its web-based RetireSmart interactive participant education series with “Understanding Target-Date and Target-Risk Investments” at noon. The 30-minute presentation will cover taking charge of your retirement-investing strategy in today’s market environment; the ABCs of target-date and target-risk strategies, and how these investments may fit into your overall plan. Space for the live online seminar is prioritized to retirement-plan sponsors and participants on MassMutual’s platform. MassMutual retirement-plan clients can register by logging into their retirement-plan account at www.retiresmart.com or by visiting www.retiresmartseminars.com.

Slam Poet Lecture
April 13: Taylor Mali, a former high-school teacher who has emerged from the slam-poetry movement as one of its leaders, will discuss his performances at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Christo to Keynote Riverscaping Conference
April 19-22: An international conference on the art, history, and science of the river will feature the celebrated artist Christo, whose latest project will be to install 5.9 miles of fabric over a stretch of the Arkansas River in Colorado. The Five College Riverscaping Conference also includes lectures, gallery openings, student poster sessions, and a two-day symposium opened by Jonathan Lash, Hampshire College’s new president and the former president of the World Resources Institute. The conference marks the conclusion of the 18-month Five College Riverscaping project, funded in large part by a grant from the American delegation to the European Union and in partnership with river experts from Hamburg, Germany. Aimed at developing sustainable approaches to reconnecting people with the river, the Riverscaping effort has brought together students, policy makers, artists, academics, entrepreneurs and environmentalists in a series of ‘laboratories.’ Centered around education, research, and design, the laboratories focus on Massachusetts’ stretch of the Connecticut River and the Elbe River in Hamburg. Christo’s address, at Smith College’s John M. Green Hall, will open the conference on April 19. He will discuss the two current projects that he and Jeanne-Claude (who died in 2009) have initiated: “Over the River” on the Arkansas River and “The Mastaba,” in the United Arab Emirates. The river installation, planned for the summer of 2015, will involve suspending nearly six miles of luminous fabric panels over a 42-mile stretch of the upper Arkansas River in Colorado. The project, while controversial, has received federal and state approval. Lash will open Saturday’s symposium sessions with his comments on “Why the River Matters.” Other highlights of the symposium on Friday and Saturday include papers by a wide range of designers, scientists, and scholars from around the world, including Jinnai Hidenobou of Hosei University in Tokyo, Johan Varekamp of Wesleyan University, and T.S. McMillin of Oberlin College, author of The Meaning of Rivers. A student session takes place on Friday evening, and a performance of music and readings will follow on Saturday. The entire conference, including Christo’s address, is free and open to the public, but online registration is required. Visit www.riverscaping.org for a complete schedule and to register for the Christo address and all the other events.

Comedy Night to
Benefit Charities
April 21: Smith & Wesson Corp. will host a benefit comedy show to support two local children’s charities, the Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Ronald McDonald House, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Cedars Banquet Hall, 419 Island Pond Road, Springfield. Tickets are $30 per person, and include the show, hot and cold hors d’oeuvres prior to the show, a cash bar, raffles, fund-raising, games, and music. Teddie Barrett of Teddie B. Comedy will emcee the event, featuring professional comedians Bill Campbell, Dan Crohn, and Stacy Yannetty Pema. For tickets or more information, contact Phyllis Settembro, Smith & Wesson, (413) 747-3597; Karen Motyka, Shriners Hospital, (413) 787-2032; or Jennifer Putnam, Ronald McDonald House, (413) 794-5683.

‘Adapt, Diversify,
Reinvent & Grow’
May 16: Local business owners will talk about what they have done to keep ahead of the many demands on their time, and at the same time adjust for the economic environment, during a workshop titled “Adapt, Diversify, Reinvent & Grow” at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. Presenters include Paul DiGrigoli of Digrigoli Salon & School of Cosmetology; Tara Tetreault of Jackson & Connor; Kate Vishnyakov of Kate Gray Inc.; and Rick Ricard of Larien Products. The 9 to 11 a.m. session is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

NYC Bus Trip
June 30: The Chicopee Chamber of Commerce will host a bus trip to New York City, leaving the chamber parking lot at 7 a.m. and returning around 9:30 p.m. Participants are on their own for the day in New York City. Tickets are $45 per person. For more information, contact Lynn at (413) 594-2101.

40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The June 21 gala will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

‘Music for the Eyes’ Exhibition, Reception
Through April 7: The artwork of Preston Trombly, host of Sirius/XM Satellite Radio’s nationally broadcast Symphony Hall channel, titled “Music for the Eyes,” will be exhibited through April 7 at the Arno Maris Gallery in Ely Hall on the Westfield State University campus. An artist reception at the gallery is planned for Feb. 29 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. On March 7 at 9:30 a.m., Trombly will present a lecture on his work at the gallery titled “Confluence of Creativity: Similarities Between Composing Music and Making Visual Art.” Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m., Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call (413) 572-4400 or visit www.westfield.ma.edu/galleries.

Women in Philanthropy Conference
March 13: Women in Philanthropy of Western Mass. will host a conference titled “Growing Philanthropy, New Visions, New Voices,” from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., Springfield. The event features nationally known leaders in the field of fund development, and is appropriate for women and men who are seasoned professionals or newcomers to the field. Workshops will be led by Penelope Burk, author of Donor-Centered Fundraising; Phil Cubeta, chair in Philanthropy of the American College; and Karen Osborne, president of the Osborne Group. The keynote address, titled “New Leadership for a New Nonprofit Sector,” will be presented by Rosetta Thurman. In addition, sessions will be led by Diana McLain Smith, chief transformation officer of New Profit Inc.; Kristin Leutz and Katie Allan Zobel of the Community Foundation of Western Mass.; Phyllis Williams-Thompson of the Prematurity Campaign of the March of Dimes; Deborah Koch, director of grants at Springfield Technical Community College; Dennis Bidwell of Bidwell Advisors; and Joe Waters and Joanna MacDonald, co-authors of Cause Marketing for Dummies. For more conference details, visit www.wipwm.com. The cost of the conference, with an early discount, is $140. For more information, contact Carol Constant at (413) 222-1761 or [email protected].

Economics Conference
March 13: The Department of Economics at Western New England University in Springfield will host its ninth annual Jolicoeur Economics Conference from 9:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. in Sleith Hall Auditorium. “Economics of the 2012 Election” will be the topic of the event, which is free and open to the public. The conference will feature two sessions: “The Economy and the Great Recession,” from 9:30 to 10:20 a.m., and “The 99% and the 1%,” from 11 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. For more information, visit www.wne.edu.

Financing Your Business
March 16: The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network will host a lecture titled “Financing Your Business” from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. Speakers will include Ray Milano of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Gary Besser of First Niagara Bank, and Christopher Sikes, director of Common Capital Inc. Topics include what lenders are looking for, SBA loan programs, new SBA programs, and venture capital and grants. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass. The cost is $40.

Pioneer Valley USO Gala
March 16: The Log Cabin on Easthampton Road in Holyoke will be the setting for the second annual dinner-dance gala of the Pioneer Valley USO. The featured speaker will be American Captain Richard Phillips, who offered himself as a hostage to save his crew from Somali pirates and was freed in a high-seas rescue by U.S. Navy SEALS. The gala theme will be “Proud to be an American.” A cocktail hour at 6 p.m. will be followed by the dinner program at 7. Heroes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and top Pioneer Valley USO supporters will be honored. The Western Massachusetts All Stars Band, led by Joe Pereira, will provide the evening’s entertainment. Tickets are $45 per person and are available online at www.pioneervalleyuso.org or by calling (413) 557-3290. Tickets are limited. The mission of the Pioneer Valley USO is to “lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families.”

Difference Makers
March 22: BusinessWest will stage its Fourth Annual Difference Makers Celebration at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The program recognizes area individuals and organizations that are truly making a difference in this region. This year’s honorees are:
• Donald and Charlie D’Amour, chairman/CEO and president/COO, respectively, of Big Y Foods;
• William Messner, president of Holyoke Community College;
• Majors Tom and Linda-Jo Perks, officers with the Springfield Corps of the Salvation Army;
• Bob Schwarz, executive vice president of Peter Pan Bus Lines; and
• The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts.
The awards ceremony will feature entertainment, butlered hors d’ oeuvres, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $55 per person, with tables of 10 available. For more information or to order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.businesswest.com.

Women’s Leadership Conference
March 23: Keynote speakers Sister Helen Prejean, Marjora Carter, and Ashley Judd will share personal stories, as well as insightful advice and perspectives, during Bay Path College’s annual event at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. The theme for the 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. event is “Lead with Compassion.” Prejean is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille and an anti-death penalty activist, while Carter, an eco-entrepreneur, is president of the Majora Carter Group, and Judd is a film and stage actor and human-rights activist. For more information on the conference or to register, visit www.baypathconference.com or call Briana Sitler, director of special programs, at (413) 565-1066.

Author Lecture
March 28: Internationally acclaimed author Tom Perrotta will read from his upcoming novel, The Leftovers, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. Two of Perrotta’s books, Election and Little Children, have been made into movies, and five novels have been national bestsellers. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

ADA, FMLA Workshop
March 29: Royal LLP, in conjunction with the Human Service Forum, will present a workshop at the Delaney House in Holyoke on the compliance issues involving the ADA and FMLA. The interactive workshop addresses some of the most common questions that upper management faces each day. Attendees will learn skills and strategies that can help reduce the risk of employment litigation. For more information on the 8:30 a.m. to noon event, contact Ann-Marie Marcil at (413) 586-2288 or visit www.humanserviceforum.org.

Not Just Business as Usual
April 5: Former NBA player and businessman Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman will be the guest speaker at the Springfield Technical Community College Foundation’s third annual Not Just Business as Usual event at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. A cocktail and networking reception is planned from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by the dinner program from 7 to 9 p.m. Bridgeman spent most of his 12-year NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks, but also played for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is the current franchise owner of more than 160 Wendy’s and 120 Chili’s restaurants. The event encourages local businesses to come together for an evening to network, learn from one another, and support student success. Funds from the event will provide students access to opportunities through scholarships, technology, and career direction to be successful future employees and citizens. “It’s a time to celebrate innovations, change, and our region’s success,” said STCC Foundation Interim Director Robert LePage. A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available, and individual tickets are $175 each. For more information, contact LePage at (413) 755-4477 or [email protected].

Constitution Café
April 10: Author and philosopher Christopher Phillips’ latest book, Constitution Café, draws on the nation’s rebellious past to incite meaningful change today. He proposes that Americans revise the Constitution every so often, not just to reflect the changing times, but to revive and perpetuate the original revolutionary spirit. He will present a free lecture at 8 p.m. in the dining hall at Blake Student Commons, on the Bay Path College campus, 588 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow. The lecture is part of the annual Kaleidoscope series. For more information, call (413) 565-1000 or visit www.baypath.edu.

Marketing Basics Seminar
April 11: The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network will host a lecture titled “Marketing Basics” from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Dianne Doherty of the MSBDC Network will present the workshop that will focus on the basic disciplines of marketing, beginning with research (primary, secondary, qualitative, and quantitative). For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass. The cost is $40.

Slam Poet Lecture
April 13: Taylor Mali, a former high-school teacher who has emerged from the slam-poetry movement as one of its leaders, will discuss his performances at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Comedy Night to
Benefit Charities
April 21: Smith & Wesson Corp. will host a benefit comedy show to support two local children’s charities, the Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Ronald McDonald House, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Cedars Banquet Hall, 419 Island Pond Road, Springfield. Tickets are $30 per person, and include the show, hot and cold hors d’oeuvres prior to the show, a cash bar, raffles, fund-raising, games, and music. Teddie Barrett of Teddie B. Comedy will emcee the event, featuring professional comedians Bill Campbell, Dan Crohn, and Stacy Yannetty Pema. For tickets or more information, contact Phyllis Settembro, Smith & Wesson, (413) 747-3597; Karen Motyka, Shriners Hospital, (413) 787-2032; or Jennifer Putnam, Ronald McDonald House, (413) 794-5683.

Walk of Champions
May 6: The Goodnough Dike area of the Quabbin Reservoir will be the setting for the seventh annual Walk of Champions in Ware. Participants walk in honor or in memory of loved ones affected by cancer, with the determination to make a difference in those affected by the disease. The event offers a five-mile or two-mile walk, with entertainment and refreshments along the route. For more information, visit www.baystatehealth.org/woc or e-mail Michelle Graci, manager of fund-raising events at Baystate Health at [email protected].

Small-business Seminar
May 16: Local business owners will talk about what they have done to keep ahead of the many demands on their time, and at the same time adjust for the economic environment, during a workshop titled “Adapt, Diversify, Reinvent & Grow” at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. Presenters include Paul DiGrigoli of Digrigoli Salon & School of Cosmetology; Tara Tetreault of Jackson & Connor; Kate Vishnyakov of Kate Gray Inc.; and Rick Ricard of Larien Products. The 9 to 11 a.m. session is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Management Fundamentals Workshop
May 24: Lyne Kendall of the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network will present “Business Plan Basics” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Amherst Town Hall, first floor meeting room, 4 Boltwood Walk. The workshop will focus on management fundamentals from startup considerations through business-plan development. Topics will include financing, marketing, and business planning. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Nominations are currently being scored by a panel of five judges. The 40 highest scorers will be feted at the June 21 gala, which will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

‘Music for the Eyes’ Exhibition, Reception
Through April 7: The artwork of Preston Trombly, host of Sirius/XM Satellite Radio’s nationally broadcast Symphony Hall channel, titled “Music for the Eyes,” will be exhibited through April 7 at the Arno Maris Gallery in Ely Hall on the Westfield State University campus. An artist reception at the gallery is planned for Feb. 29 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. On March 7 at 9:30 a.m., Trombly will present a lecture on his work at the gallery titled “Confluence of Creativity: Similarities Between Composing Music and Making Visual Art.” Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m., Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call (413) 572-4400 or visit www.westfield.ma.edu/galleries.

Manufacturing Seminar
Feb. 29: Presentations by the Economic Development Council of Western Mass., MassDevelopment, Massachusetts Offices of International Trade and Investment, and Associated Industries of Massachusetts will highlight a seminar titled “Promoting Manufacturing in Massachusetts,” from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield. A networking reception is also planned. For more information or to register, contact Gloria Fischer at [email protected].

Zonta Club to Fete Gobi
March 12: State Rep. Anne M. Gobi has been chosen by the Zonta Club of Quaboag Valley to receive its Founders Day Award. Gobi will be honored at the club’s dinner meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Ludlow Country Club, 1 Tony Lema Dr., Ludlow. Gobi was first elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2001, and represents the 11 towns of the 5th Worcester District. She previously taught in the public school system, and opened her own law practice in 1996. She has worked with Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Mass. to provide free legal services to victims of domestic violence. She is currently a member of the Women’s Caucus, and has co-sponsored bills to update 209A restraining orders to give victims greater protections and enhance the ability of law enforcement to act on the orders. The Founders Day Award is given annually to a woman in the greater Quaboag area who exemplifies the ideals of Zonta International, a service organization of business and professional women. The event is open to the public and tickets must be reserved by March 1. Tickets are $18 payable by March 1, or $20 payable at the door. For more information, contact Marge Cavanaugh at (413) 283-6448 or via e-mail to [email protected], or visit www.zontaqv.org.

Women in Philanthropy Conference
March 13: Women in Philanthropy of Western Mass. will host a conference titled “Growing Philanthropy, New Visions, New Voices,” from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., Springfield. The event features nationally known leaders in the field of fund development, and is appropriate for women and men who are seasoned professionals or newcomers to the field. Workshops will be led by Penelope Burk, author of Donor-Centered Fundraising; Phil Cubeta, chair in Philanthropy of the American College; and Karen Osborne, president of the Osborne Group. The keynote address, titled “New Leadership for a New Nonprofit Sector,” will be presented by Rosetta Thurman. In addition, sessions will be led by Diana McLain Smith, chief transformation officer of New Profit Inc.; Kristin Leutz and Katie Allan Zobel of the Community Foundation of Western Mass.; Phyllis Williams-Thompson of the Prematurity Campaign of the March of Dimes; Deborah Koch, director of grants at Springfield Technical Community College; Dennis Bidwell of Bidwell Advisors; and Joe Waters and Joanna MacDonald, co-authors of Cause Marketing for Dummies. For more conference details, visit www.wipwm.com. The cost of the conference, with an early discount, is $140. For more information, contact Carol Constant at (413) 222-1761 or [email protected].

Financing Your Business
March 16: The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network will host a lecture titled “Financing Your Business” from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. Speakers will include Ray Milano of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Gary Besser of First Niagara Bank, and Christopher Sikes, director of Common Capital Inc. Topics include what lenders are looking for, SBA loan programs, new SBA programs, and venture capital and grants. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass. The cost is $40.

Pioneer Valley USO Gala
March 16: The Log Cabin on Easthampton Road in Holyoke will be the setting for the second annual dinner-dance gala of the Pioneer Valley USO. The featured speaker will be American Captain Richard Phillips, who offered himself as a hostage to save his crew from Somali pirates and was freed in a high-seas rescue by U.S. Navy SEALS. The gala theme will be “Proud to be an American.” A cocktail hour at 6 p.m. will be followed by the dinner program at 7. Heroes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and top Pioneer Valley USO supporters will be honored. The Western Massachusetts All Stars Band, led by Joe Pereira, will provide the evening’s entertainment. Tickets are $45 per person and are available online at www.pioneervalleyuso.org or by calling (413) 557-3290. Tickets are limited. The mission of the Pioneer Valley USO is to “lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families.”

Difference Makers
March 22: BusinessWest will stage its Fourth Annual Difference Makers Celebration at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The program recognizes area individuals and organizations that are truly making a difference in this region. This year’s honorees are:
• Donald and Charlie D’Amour, chairman/CEO and president/COO, respectively, of Big Y Foods;
• William Messner, president of Holyoke Community College;
• Majors Tom and Linda-Jo Perks, officers with the Springfield Corps of the Salvation Army;
• Bob Schwarz, executive vice president of Peter Pan Bus Lines; and
• The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts.
The awards ceremony will feature entertainment, butlered hors d’ oeuvres, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $55 per person, with tables of 10 available. For more information or to order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.businesswest.com.

Women’s Leadership Conference
March 23: Keynote speakers Sister Helen Prejean, Marjora Carter, and Ashley Judd will share personal stories, as well as insightful advice and perspectives, during Bay Path College’s annual event at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. The theme for the 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. event is “Lead with Compassion.” Prejean is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille and an anti-death penalty activist, while Carter, an eco-entrepreneur, is president of the Majora Carter Group, and Judd is a film and stage actor and human-rights activist. For more information on the conference or to register, visit www.baypathconference.com or call Briana Sitler, director of special programs, at (413) 565-1066.

Author Lecture
March 28: Internationally acclaimed author Tom Perrotta will read from his upcoming novel, The Leftovers, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. Two of Perrotta’s books, Election and Little Children, have been made into movies, and five novels have been national bestsellers. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Not Just Business as Usual
April 5: Former NBA player and businessman Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman will be the guest speaker at the Springfield Technical Community College Foundation’s third annual Not Just Business as Usual event at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. A cocktail and networking reception is planned from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by the dinner program from 7 to 9 p.m. Bridgeman spent most of his 12-year NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks, but also played for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is the current franchise owner of more than 160 Wendy’s and 120 Chili’s restaurants. The event encourages local businesses to come together for an evening to network, learn from one another, and support student success. Funds from the event will provide students access to opportunities through scholarships, technology, and career direction to be successful future employees and citizens. “It’s a time to celebrate innovations, change, and our region’s success,” said STCC Foundation Interim Director Robert LePage. A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available, and individual tickets are $175 each. For more information, contact LePage at (413) 755-4477 or [email protected].

Constitution Café
April 10: Author and philosopher Christopher Phillips’ latest book, Constitution Café, draws on the nation’s rebellious past to incite meaningful change today. He proposes that Americans revise the Constitution every so often, not just to reflect the changing times, but to revive and perpetuate the original revolutionary spirit. He will present a free lecture at 8 p.m. in the dining hall at Blake Student Commons, on the Bay Path College campus, 588 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow. The lecture is part of the annual Kaleidoscope series. For more information, call (413) 565-1000 or visit www.baypath.edu.

Marketing Basics Seminar
April 11: The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network will host a lecture titled “Marketing Basics” from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Dianne Doherty of the MSBDC Network will present the workshop that will focus on the basic disciplines of marketing, beginning with research (primary, secondary, qualitative, and quantitative). For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass. The cost is $40.

Slam Poet Lecture
April 13: Taylor Mali, a former high-school teacher who has emerged from the slam-poetry movement as one of its leaders, will discuss his performances at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Comedy Night to
Benefit Charities
April 21: Smith & Wesson Corp. will host a benefit comedy show to support two local children’s charities, the Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Ronald McDonald House, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Cedars Banquet Hall, 419 Island Pond Road, Springfield. Tickets are $30 per person, and include the show, hot and cold hors d’oeuvres prior to the show, a cash bar, raffles, fund-raising, games, and music. Teddie Barrett of Teddie B. Comedy will emcee the event, featuring professional comedians Bill Campbell, Dan Crohn, and Stacy Yannetty Pema. For tickets or more information, contact Phyllis Settembro, Smith & Wesson, (413) 747-3597; Karen Motyka, Shriners Hospital, (413) 787-2032; or Jennifer Putnam, Ronald McDonald House, (413) 794-5683.

Walk of Champions
May 6: The Goodnough Dike area of the Quabbin Reservoir will be the setting for the seventh annual Walk of Champions in Ware. Participants walk in honor or in memory of loved ones affected by cancer, with the determination to make a difference in those affected by the disease. The event offers a five-mile or two-mile walk, with entertainment and refreshments along the route. For more information, visit www.baystatehealth.org/woc or e-mail Michelle Graci, manager of fund-raising events at Baystate Health at [email protected].

40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Nominations are currently being scored by a panel of five judges. The 40 highest scorers will be feted at the June 21 gala, which will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
Oct. 11: BusinessWest will again present the Western Mass. Business Expo. The event, which made its debut last fall at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, will feature more than 180 exhibitors, seminars, special presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and the year’s most extensive networking opportunity. Comcast Business Class will again be the presenting sponsor of the event. Details, including breakfast and lunch agendas, seminar topics, and featured speakers, will be printed in the pages of BusinessWest over the coming months. For more information or to purchase a booth, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected], or visit www.wmbexpo.com.

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Headache Relief Lecture
Feb. 15: Dr. Karin Johnson from Baystate Medical Center’s Neurodiagnostic & Sleep Center will present a free lecture titled “Headache Relief,” as part of Bay Path College’s Kaleidoscope series. Johnson will discuss the causes and theories about the physiology of migraines, as well as headache-treatment options, including trigger prevention, myofascial release, and abortive and preventative medications, at the Springfield JCC, 1160 Dickinson St., Springfield. Pre-registration is recommended by calling (413) 739-4715 or sending an e-mail to [email protected].

Human Service Forum Breakfast
Feb. 16: The Human Service Forum, which recently released a report showing the impact of human, social, and health service organizations on the region’s economy, will share the data at its monthly gathering from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Delaney House, 1 Country Club Road, Holyoke. Victor Woolridge, vice president at Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, will give the keynote address. The program cost is $25 for HSF members and $35 for non-members. To register or for more information, visit www.humanserviceforum.org.

Holyoke Chamber Legislative Luncheon
Feb. 17: State Sen. Therese Murray, president of the Massachusetts Senate, will be the keynote speaker at Issues 2012, the annual legislative luncheon of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. The 11:45 a.m. event is planned at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke. State Sen. Michael Knapik will also present remarks, as well as Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse and state Rep. Michael Kane. Tickets are $36 per person and may be obtained at www.holyokechamber.com or by calling (413) 534-3376. Tables may be reserved for groups of eight or 10.

Historical Lecture at Wistariahurst Museum
Feb. 20: Alan Swedlund, professor emeritus of Anthropology at UMass Amherst, will lecture on his 30-year research into the history of mortality in the Connecticut Valley as part of the Wistariahurst Museum’s Historical Lecture Series. Swedlund’s program is planned at 6 p.m., and a $5 donation is suggested. Swedlund’s approach incorporates medical history with social history, and he uses documents from valley towns to identify epidemics and causes of death. Diaries, letters, newspapers, and other sources combine to tell the story from any given town. The lecture will be accompanied by historical images from the area. Swedlund’s most recent book is titled Shadows in the Valley: A Cultural History of Illness, Death and Loss in New England, 1840-1916. The Wistariahurst Museum is located at 238 Cabot St., Holyoke. For more information on the event, call (413) 322-5660 or visit www.wistariahurst.org.

Anthropologist Lecture
Feb. 22: Susan Darlington, a professor at Hampshire College, will discuss her latest book, The Ordination of a Tree: The Thai Buddhist Environmental Movement, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. Darlington has studied the work of Buddhist monks in Thailand who are engaged in rural development and environmental conservation. The science-based talks, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, will also include insights into religion and social activism. The presentations are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

ACCGS Outlook Luncheon
Feb. 27: Congressman Richard Neal and Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, are featured speakers at the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield’s annual Outlook Luncheon. The event is planned from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. In addition to remarks by Neal and Widmer, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno will outline the recently unveiled Rebuild Springfield Plan. For more information or to register, contact Cecile Larose at [email protected] or visit www.myonlinechamber.com.

Manufacturing Seminar
Feb. 29: Presentations by the Economic Development Council of Western Mass., MassDevelopment, Massachusetts Offices of International Trade and Investment, and Associated Industries of Massachusetts will highlight a seminar titled “Promoting Manufacturing in Massachusetts,” from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield. A networking reception is also planned. For more information or to register by Feb. 4, contact Gloria Fischer at [email protected].

Difference Makers
March 22: BusinessWest will stage its Fourth Annual Difference Makers Celebration at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The program recognizes area individuals and organizations that are truly making a difference in this region. The winners will be announced in the Feb. 13 edition of BusinessWest. The awards ceremony will feature entertainment, butlered hors d’oeuvres, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $55 per person, with tables of 10 available. For more information or to order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.businesswest.com.

Women’s Leadership Conference
March 23: Keynote speakers Sister Helen Prejean, Marjora Carter, and Ashley Judd will share personal stories, as well as insightful advice and perspectives, during Bay Path College’s annual Women’s Leadership Conference at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. The theme for the 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. event is “Lead with Compassion.” Prejean is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille and an anti-death-penalty activist; Carter, an eco-entrepreneur, is president of the Majora Carter Group; and Judd is a film and stage actor and human-rights activist. For more information on the conference or to register, log onto www.baypathconference.com or call Briana Sitler, director of special programs, at (413) 565-1066.

Bestselling Author Lecture
March 28: Internationally acclaimed author Tom Perrotta will read from his upcoming novel, The Leftovers, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. Two of Perrotta’s books, Election and Little Children, have been made into movies, and five novels have been national bestsellers. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Not Just Business as Usual
April 5: Former NBA player and businessman Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman will be the guest speaker at the Springfield Technical Community College Foundation’s third annual Not Just Business as Usual event at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. A cocktail and networking reception is planned from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by the dinner program from 7 to 9. Bridgeman spent most of his 12-year NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks, but also played for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is the current franchise owner of more than 160 Wendy’s and 120 Chili’s restaurants. The event encourages local businesses to come together for an evening to network, learn from one another, and support student success. Funds from the event will provide students access to opportunities — through scholarships, technology, and career direction — to be successful future employees and citizens. “It’s a time to celebrate innovations, change, and our region’s success,” said STCC Foundation Interim Director Robert LePage. A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available, and individual tickets cost $175 each. For more information, contact LePage at (413) 755-4477 or e-mail [email protected].

Lecture by Author of Constitution Café
April 10: Author and philosopher Christopher Phillips’ latest book, Constitution Café, draws on the nation’s rebellious past to incite meaningful change today. He proposes that Americans revise the Constitution every so often, not just to reflect the changing times, but to revive and perpetuate the original revolutionary spirit. He will present a free lecture at 8 p.m. in the dining hall at Blake Student Commons on the Bay Path College campus, 588 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow. The lecture is part of the annual Kaleidoscope series. For more information, call (413) 565-1000 or visit www.baypath.edu.

Slam Poet Lecture
April 13: Taylor Mali, a former high-school teacher who has emerged from the slam-poetry movement as one of its leaders, will discuss his performances at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Nominations are currently being sought for the popular program, which recognizes young people in realms including business, education, health care, nonprofit management, and government service. Nominations, which are due Feb. 17, will be scored by a team of five judges. The 40 highest scorers will be feted at the June 21 gala, which will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets cost $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com.

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Wine Tasting
Feb. 10: The Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke will host its annual “I Love Wine Event” from 6 to 8 p.m., sponsored by Liquors 44 and Historic Holyoke at Wistariahurst. Wines will be available from distributors including Bay State Wines, MS Walker, Commonwealth, and United. Light refreshments will be provided. Advance tickets are $25 each or $40 per couple; door admission is $30 each or $50 per couple. Reservations are necessary. For more information, call the museum at (413) 322-5660. The museum is located at 238 Cabot St.

Historical Lecture
Feb. 20: Professor emeritus Alan Swedlund will lecture on his 30-year research on the history of mortality in the Connecticut Valley as part of the Wistariahurst Museum’s Historical Lecture Series. Swedlund’s program is planned at 6 p.m., and there is a $5 suggested donation. Swedlund’s approach incorporates medical history with social history, and he uses documents from valley towns to identify epidemics and causes of death. Diaries, letters, newspapers, and other sources combine to tell the story from any given town. The lecture will be accompanied by historical images from the area. Swedlund is professor emeritus of Anthropology at UMass Amherst. His most recent book is titled Shadows in the Valley: A Cultural History of Illness, Death and Loss in New England, 1840-1916. The Wistariahurst Museum is located at 238 Cabot St., Holyoke. For more information, call the museum at (413) 322-5660 or visit www.wistariahurst.org.

Anthropologist Lecture
Feb. 22: Susan Darlington, a professor at Hampshire College, will discuss her latest book, The Ordination of a Tree: The Thai Buddhist Environmental Movement, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. Darlington has studied the work of Buddhist monks in Thailand who are engaged in rural development and environmental conservation. The science-based talks, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, will also include insights into religion and social activism. The presentations are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Author Lecture
March 28: Internationally acclaimed author Tom Perrotta will read from his upcoming novel, The Leftovers, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. Two of Perrotta’s books, Election and Little Children, have been made into movies, and five novels have been national bestsellers. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Slam Poet Lecture
April 13: Taylor Mali, a former high-school teacher who has emerged from the slam-poetry movement as one of its leaders, will discuss his performances at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Difference Makers
March 22: BusinessWest will stage its fourth annual Difference Makers Celebration at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The program recognizes area individuals and organizations that are truly making a difference in this region. The winners will be announced in the Feb. 13 edition of BusinessWest. The awards ceremony will feature entertainment, butlered hors d’oeuvres, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $55 per person, with tables of 10 available. For more information or to order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.businesswest.com.

Outlook 2012
Feb. 22: The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield will stage its annual Outlook program at a new venue, the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. The event will feature co-keynote speakers: U.S. Rep. Richard Neal will provide the federal outlook, and Michael Widmer, president of the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation, will provide a state perspective. Tickets are $50 person, with tables of 10 available for $475. For more information, call (413) 755-1313, or visit www.myonlinechamber.com.

40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Nominations are currently being sought for the popular program, which recognizes young people in realms including business, education, health care, nonprofits, government, law, and many others. Nominations, due Feb. 17, will be scored by a team of five judges. The 40 highest scorers will be feted at the June 21 gala, which will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

Anthropologist Lecture
Feb. 22: Susan Darlington, a professor at Hampshire College, will discuss her latest book, The Ordination of a Tree: The Thai Buddhist Environmental Movement, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. Darlington has studied the work of Buddhist monks in Thailand who are engaged in rural development and environmental conservation. The science-based talks, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, will also include insights into religion and social activism. The presentations are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Author Lecture
March 28: Internationally acclaimed author Tom Perrotta will read from his upcoming novel, The Leftovers, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. Two of Perrotta’s books, Election, and Little Children, have been made into movies, and five novels have been national bestsellers. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Slam Poet Lecture
April 13: Taylor Mali, a former high-school teacher who has emerged from the slam-poetry movement as one of its leaders, will discuss his performances at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Difference Makers
March 22: BusinessWest will stage its fourth annual Difference Makers Celebration at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The program recognizes area individuals and organizations that are truly making a difference in this region. The winners will be announced in February. The awards ceremony will feature entertainment, butlered hors d’ oeuvres, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $55 per person, with tables of 10 available. For more information or to order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail to [email protected], or visit www.businesswest.com.

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

Anthropologist Lecture
Feb. 22: Susan Darlington, a professor at Hampshire College, will discuss her latest book, The Ordination of a Tree: the Thai Buddhist Environmental Movement, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. Darlington has studied the work of Buddhist monks in Thailand who are engaged in rural development and environmental conservation. The science-based talks, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, will also include insights into religion and social activism. The presentations are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.
Author Lecture
March 28: Internationally acclaimed author Tom Perrotta will read from his upcoming novel, The Leftovers, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. Two of Perrotta’s books, Election and Little Children, have been made into movies, and five novels have been national bestsellers. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Slam Poet Lecture
April 13: Taylor Mali, a former high-school teacher who has emerged from the slam poetry movement as one of its leaders, will discuss his performances at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Difference Makers
March 22: BusinessWest will stage its fourth annual Difference Makers celebration at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The program recognizes area individuals and organizations that are truly making a difference in this region. Nominations are currently accepted for the prestigious honor, and will be taken until Dec. 30. (See form, page 19). The winners will be announced in February. The awards ceremony will feature entertainment, butlered hors d’oeuvres, and introductions of the winners. For more information or to order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.businesswest.com.

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MassEcon Awards
Nov. 22: Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick will be the featured speaker at the eighth annual Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards Luncheon at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. Registration begins at 11 a.m., followed by networking at noon and a lunch with master of ceremonies Anthony Everett, co-anchor and reporter of WCVB-TV’s Chronicle. Honorees are: ‘Gold,’ A123 Systems, Central; Airxchange, Southeast; Communispace, Greater Boston; Kiva Systems, Northeast; and Smith & Wesson, West; ‘Silver,’ Acacia Communications, Central; Coca-Cola, West; Dassault Systemes, Greater Boston; Horizon Beverage, Southeast; and Jessica’s Brick Oven, Northeast; ‘Bronze,’ General Dynamics AIS, West; GT Advanced Technologies, Northeast; HubSpot, Greater Boston; Reinhart Food Service, Southeast; and Simonds International, Central. Those named Gateway City Champions are Biomedical Research Models, Worcester; and Solectria Renewables, Lawrence. Jerry Sargent, president of Citizens Bank, will receive the Chairman’s Award. For information on tickets and sponsorships, contact Sean Getchell at (781) 489-6262, ext. 13.

Forum Welcomes Chris Matthews
Dec. 1: The Springfield Public Forum series will host Hardball host Chris Matthews at 7:30 p.m. at Springfield Symphony Hall. Matthews will present “JFK and the Presidency, Past and Present.” The lecture is free to the public; no reservations are required. For more information, visit www.springfieldpublicforum.org.

Anthropologist Lecture
Feb. 22: Susan Darlington, a professor at Hampshire College, will discuss her latest book, The Ordination of a Tree: the Thai Buddhist Environmental Movement, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. Darlington has studied the work of Buddhist monks in Thailand who are engaged in rural development and environmental conservation. The science-based talks, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, will also include insights into religion and social activism. The presentations are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Author Lecture
March 28: Internationally acclaimed author Tom Perrotta will read from his upcoming novel, The Leftovers, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. Two of Perrotta’s books, Election and Little Children, have been made into movies, and five novels have been national bestsellers. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Slam Poet Lecture
April 13: Taylor Mali, a former high-school teacher who has emerged from the slam poetry movement as one of its leaders, will discuss his performances at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

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Forum Welcomes
Robin Wright
Nov. 9: The Springfield Public Forum series will host foreign affairs analyst Robin Wright at 7:30 p.m. at Springfield Symphony Hall. Wright will present “Rage and Rebellion in the Middle East.” The lecture is free to the public with no reservations required. For more information, visit www.springfieldpublicforum.org.

Serious Fun Event
Nov. 10: MassINC and CommonWealth magazine will host a seriously funny look back at the year in politics and media with pols, pundits, and the press. All proceeds will support MassINC’s CommonWealth Campaign for Civic Journalism as well as a scholarship program for those entering the field. The event is planned at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, with cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner and the program starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.seriousfun2011.org or contact Lauren Louison at (617) 224-1613 or [email protected].

Author Lecture
Nov. 11: Christina Asquith, author and journalist, will account her years in hiding in Iraq that resulted in her book, Sisters in War, as part of the Ovations special events series at Springfield Technical Community College. Her presentations are at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater. For more information or to bring a group, contact Phil O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

Willie Ross School Partners with Baystate
Nov. 15: The Willie Ross School for the Deaf is partnering with Baystate Health Continuing Education in sponsoring a conference titled “Educating Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children: From Research to Practice.” The conference is geared toward physicians, nurses, audiologists, speech/language therapists, and educators of the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Families of deaf or hard-of-hearing children are also encouraged to attend. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the program concludes at 3 p.m. Tuition through Nov. 1 is $50 online and $60 by mail (after Nov. 1, the cost is $60 online and $70 by mail), which includes continental breakfast and lunch. Tuition is waived for parents of deaf or hard-of-hearing children, who can register on the Willie Ross Web site. The seminar will offer perspectives on the development and education of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and provide information and guidance in educational placement decisions, amplification choices and early intervention. For more information on the event, visit www.baystatehealth.org/learn.

Forum Welcomes
Siddhartha Mukherjee
Nov. 15: The Springfield Public Forum series will host Pulitzer Prize winner Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee at 7:30 p.m. at Springfield Symphony Hall. Mukherjee will present “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies.” The lecture is free to the public, and no reservations are required. For more information on the event, visit www.springfieldpublicforum.org.

HAPHousing Symposium
Nov. 16: “Envisioning a Resurgent Springfield Metro” will be the theme of HAPHousing’s annual symposium at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. A keynote address is planned by Winston-Salem, N.C. Mayor Allen Joines. The event begins with an afternoon symposium and panel at 3 p.m. about the importance of community-wide collaboration in envisioning a revitalized and resurgent Springfield and metro area. HAP Executive Director Peter Gagliardi will moderate a panel that will include information from other resurgent cities, with participation by Joines; Gerald Hayes, co-chairman of Rebuilding Springfield, the entity coordinating tornado recovery in the city; as well as other panelists. Joines will address attendees during dinner, which begins at 6 p.m. In addition, awards will be presented to community leaders, including Ronald and Brenna Sadowsky, for their community involvement and leadership in collecting and distributing household resources for homeless families and those displaced by the tornado. Ron Ancrum, president of the Community Foundation, will also be recognized for spearheading the City-to-City initiative in Springfield that linked city metro leaders with those in Winston-Salem. For more information, call HAP at (413) 233-1500.

All-Schubert Program
Nov. 20: Members of the Chamber Music Society will perform “Piano Quintet in A Major,” known as the ‘Trout Quintet,’ at 3 p.m. at Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St., Holyoke. The score captures the air of the Austrian mountains, the rushing streams, the slippery grace of fish eluding the fisherman’s net, and the wit of friends in a tavern after a day’s hike. The all-Schubert program is in the style of the lively musical gatherings of the composer and his friends in 1820s Vienna. The musicians will perform in period costume. The program includes songs, a duet, and a rarely heard vocal quartet performed by Junko Watanabe, soprano; Eileen Ruby, mezzo-soprano; Peter Shea, tenor; and David Perkins, baritone. For more information and reservations, call (413) 322-5660 or visit www.chambermusicwistariahurst.com.

MassEcon Awards
Nov. 22: Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick will be the featured speaker at the eighth annual Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards Luncheon at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. Registration begins at 11 a.m., followed by networking at noon and a lunch with master of ceremonies Anthony Everett, co-anchor and reporter of WCVB-TV’s Chronicle. Honorees are: ‘Gold,’ A123 Systems, Central; Airxchange, Southeast; Communispace, Greater Boston; Kiva Systems, Northeast; Smith & Wesson, West; ‘Silver,’ Acacia Communications, Central; Coca-Cola, West; Dassault Systems, Greater Boston; Horizon Beverage, Southeast; Jessica’s Brick Oven, Northeast; ‘Bronze,’ General Dynamics AIS, West; GT Advanced Technologies, Northeast; HubSpot, Greater Boston; Reinhart Food Service, Southeast; and Simonds International, Central. ‘Gateway City Champions’ are Biomedical Research Models, Worcester; and Solectria Renewables, Lawrence. Jerry Sargent, president of Citizens Bank, will receive the Chairman’s Award. For information on tickets and sponsorships, contact Sean Getchell, (781) 489-6262, ext. 13.

Forum Welcomes
Chris Matthews
Dec. 1: The Springfield Public Forum series will host Hardball host Chris Matthews at 7:30 p.m. at Springfield Symphony Hall. Matthews will present “JFK and the Presidency, Past and Present.” The lecture is free to the public; no reservations are required. For more information on the event, visit www.springfieldpublicforum.org.

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Museums10 Focuses on Photography
Ongoing: Museums10, a collaboration of 10 college-affiliated museums in the Pioneer Valley, features seven photography exhibitions this fall, related lectures and discussions, and a symposium on Trans-Asia photography, all presenting a world that is at once far away and close at hand. With works of art from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, the exhibitions and events collectively reveal a globalized world and distinct styles of photography. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum (www.mtholyoke.edu/artmuseum) will present “World Documents,” works by international photographers, through Dec. 18, while the Smith College Museum (www.scma.smith.edu/artmuseum) will showcase the El Muro photography series by Cuban artist Eduardo Hernández Santos. “Cuba Seen Through Photographic Collages and Lithographs” will be on display through Oct. 6 at the Hampshire College Liebling Center Mann Gallery (www.hampshire.edu), while “Bagels & Grits: Exploring Jewish Life in the Deep South” will be featured at the Yiddish Book Center (www.yiddishbookcenter.org) through Sept. 30. Rounding out the exhibitions are “The Instant of Combustion: Barbara Morgan Dance Photography” at the University Museum of Contemporary Art (www.umass.edu/fac/umca) through Oct. 16, and “A Memorial Display in Honor of Jerome ‘Jerry’ Liebling, Photographer, Filmmaker, Educator,” at the Mead Art Museum (www.amherst.edu/museums/mead) through Oct. 23. Historic Deerfield will also host the Hallmark Institute of Photography exhibition through December (www.historic-deerfield.org). For more information on lectures and related events, visit www.museums10.org.

Retirement Planning Roundtable
September 29: The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield will present a roundtable discussion titled “Focus: Your Corporate Retirement Plan” from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Springfield Sheraton. A continental breakfast will be served from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Department of Labor representative Mary Rosen, associate regional director of the Boston office, will discuss the key provisions of recent legislation affecting defined contribution plans. Participants will gain insights from research on more than 1,000 U.S. plan sponsors to determine how one plan stacks up against another. A presentation by Alliance Bernstein, facilitated by the New England Wealth Management Group of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, is also planned. Pre-registration is required for the free event. To register, e-mail Lynn Johnson at [email protected].

Patents Webinar
Oct. 4: Donald Holland, Esq. will present a webinar titled “The Basics of Patents” beginning at 11 a.m. for approximately 40 minutes. He is the senior partner at Holland & Bonzagni, P.C., based in Longmeadow. Webinar attendees will have the opportunity to ask specific questions at the end of the presentation. For more information or to register, visit www.hblaw.org/webinars or call (413) 567-2076.

Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo, produced by BusinessWest, and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The show will feature breakfast and lunch programs arranged by the Affilaited Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, nearly two dozen seminars on the business issues of the day, several presentations in the Show Floor Floor Theater on timely topics, and the sophisticated networking program known as Mine Your Business. The day will conclude with a networking social from 2 to 4 p.m. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers, and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $800 for all chamber members and $850 for non-members, and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com or www.wmbexpo.com, or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Trade Secrecy Protection Webinar
Oct. 20: Donald Holland, Esq. will present a webinar titled “Trade Secrecy Protection” beginning at 11 a.m. for approximately 40 minutes. He is the senior partner at Holland & Bonzagni, P.C., based in Longmeadow. Webinar attendees will have the opportunity to ask specific questions at the end of the presentation. For more information or to register, visit www.hblaw.org/webinars or call (413) 567-2076.

Cartoonist Lecture
Oct. 21: Cartoonist Leigh Rubin, renowned for the comic strip Rubes, will be the featured speaker as the Ovations special-events series continues this fall at Springfield Technical Community College. Rubes is syndicated in more than 400 newspapers and publications worldwide. His presentations, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, will cover art, satire, and communication. For more information or to bring a group, contact Ovations coordinator Phil O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

We’ve Got Your Back
Run/Walk
October 22: New England Neurosurgical Associates will sponsor its first We’ve Got Your Back 5K Run/Walk at Forest Park in Springfield, beginning at 9 a.m. The event, which will benefit the Spinal Research Foundation, will also include a spinal health fair beginning at 8 a.m. The certified 5K race begins at 9, followed by a one-mile run/walk. Winners of the race will receive cash prizes ranging from $50 to $300. All children who finish the one-mile run/walk will be given a commemorative medal. For more information, call (413) 781-2211.

Entrepreneurship Lecture
October 27: Sue Morelli, chief executive officer and president of ABP Corp., will be the guest speaker at Bay Path College’s Innovative Thinking & Entrepreneurship Lecture Series in Longmeadow. Since joining Au Bon Pain in 1988, Morelli has worked her way up the ranks of the Boston-based, fast-casual bakery and café to become president and CEO in 2006. Under her leadership, the company now has more than 300 store locations, with almost 200 in the U.S. and the remainder in Thailand, India, South Korea, and the Middle East. She is currently leading a redesign of store interiors, a major menu transformation, and the opening of more than 30 new cafés per year. The lecture begins at 8:15 a.m.; a networking continental breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. For more information, visit www.baypath.edu.

Licensing Intellectual Property Webinar
November 1: Donald S. Holland, Esq. will present a webinar titled “Licensing Intellectual Property” beginning at 11 a.m. for approximately 40 minutes. He is the senior partner at Holland & Bonzagni, P.C., based in Longmeadow. Webinar attendees will have the opportunity to ask specific questions at the end of the presentation. For more information or to register, visit www.hblaw.org/webinars or call (413) 567-2076.

Serious Fun Event
Nov. 10: MassINC and CommonWealth magazine will host a seriously funny look back at the year in politics and media with pols, pundits, and the press. All proceeds will support MassINC’s CommonWealth Campaign for Civic Journalism as well as a scholarship program for those who are entering the field. The event is planned at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, with cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner and the program starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.
seriousfun2011.org or contact Lauren Louison at (617) 224-1613 or [email protected].

Author Lecture
November 11: Christina Asquith, author and journalist, will account her years in hiding in Iraq that resulted in her book, Sisters in War, as part of the Ovations special events series at Springfield Technical Community College. Her presentations are at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater. For more information or to bring a group, contact Ovations coordinator Phil O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

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AIM Executive Forum
Sept. 16: Ralph de la Torre, chairman and CEO of Steward Health Care Systems, will be the guest speaker at the Associated Industries of Massachusetts Executive Forum at the Waltham Westin Hotel. He will discuss how his organization has grown into the largest integrated community health care organization in New England and its plans to reshape the health delivery landscape. Registration, which includes breakfast, is $55 per person, $90 for non-members, for the 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. program. To register, visit www.aimnet.org or call Julie Fazio at (617) 262-1180.

Classic Car Show
Sept. 18: The Chicopee Rotary Club will sponsor its 10th annual Classic Car Show in the Big Y parking lot on Memorial Drive in Chicopee. The event, staged from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., recognizes over 30 different classes of cars with awards. The committee is soliciting for sponsorships as well as car registrations. Preregistration is $10, while registration that morning is $15. Trophies will be given in all categories, and all presenters will receive a dash plaque. Admission to the car show is free to the community and includes an airbag-deployment demonstration at noon. Refreshments will be available throughout the day. As a fund-raising event, the show raises money for the club’s many projects, including its Helping Hands Program, which provides holiday meals to economically disadvantaged families, and also supports the Polio Plus Project, which fights to eliminate polio throughout the world. Proceeds from this event will also directly benefit the Chicopee Elks Club’s annual Veteran’s Day Dinner. For more information or to obtain a registration, call Don Roy’s Auto Body at (413) 593-5010.

Trademarks Webinar
Sept. 20: Donald Holland, Esq. will present a webinar titled “Protect Your Trademarks” beginning at 11 a.m. for approximately 40 minutes. He is the senior partner at Holland & Bonzagni, P.C., based in Longmeadow. Webinar attendees will have the opportunity to ask specific questions at the end of the presentation. For more information or to register, visit www.hblaw.org/webinars or call (413) 567-2076.

STCC Ovations Series
Sept. 21: Mime Robert Rivest will lead off the Ovations special-events series at Springfield Technical Community College with performances scheduled at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater. For more information or to bring a group, contact Ovations coordinator Phil O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

Instant Issues Lunch Series
Sept. 21: The Hon. Patrick Binns, Canadian consul general to New England, will be the guest speaker at the Instant Issues Brown Bag Lunch Series, sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Western Mass. His noon lecture is titled “Beyond the Border: Canada-New England Relations.” Before coming to Boston in 2010, he served as Ambassador of Canada to Ireland. The event is planned at One Financial Plaza, community room, third floor, at 1350 Main St. (corner of Main and Court), Springfield. The cost is $5 for members, $15 with lunch; or $10 for nonmembers, $20 with lunch. For reservations prior to Sept. 19, call (413) 733-0110.

Filmmaker at STCC
Sept. 23: Lawrence Hott, documentary filmmaker, will talk about his upcoming work, The War of 1812, as part of the Ovations special events series at Springfield Technical Community College. His presentations are scheduled at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater. In describing this war, Hott will also bring attendees into the world of the documentary film and its process. For more information or to bring a group, contact Ovations coordinator Phil O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

Patents Webinar
Oct. 4: Donald Holland, Esq. will present a webinar titled “The Basics of Patents” beginning at 11 a.m. for approximately 40 minutes. He is the senior partner at Holland & Bonzagni, P.C., based in Longmeadow. Webinar attendees will have the opportunity to ask specific questions at the end of the presentation. For more information or to register, visit www.hblaw.org/webinars or call (413) 567-2076.

Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo, produced by BusinessWest, and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The show will feature breakfast and lunch programs arranged by the Affilaited Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, nearly two dozen seminars on the business issues of the day, several presentations in the Show Floor Floor Theater on timely topics, and the sophisticated networking program known as Mine Your Business. The day will conclude with a networking social from 2 to 4 p.m. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers, and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $800 for all chamber members and $850 for non-members, and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com or www.WMBExpo.com, or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Trade Secrecy Protection Webinar
Oct. 20: Donald Holland, Esq. will present a webinar titled “Trade Secrecy Protection” beginning at 11 a.m. for approximately 40 minutes. He is the senior partner at Holland & Bonzagni, P.C., based in Longmeadow. Webinar attendees will have the opportunity to ask specific questions at the end of the presentation. For more information or to register, visit www.hblaw.org/webinars or call (413) 567-2076.

Cartoonist Lecture
Oct. 21: Cartoonist Leigh Rubin, renowned for the comic strip Rubes, will be the featured speaker as the Ovations special-events series continues this fall at Springfield Technical Community College. Rubes is syndicated in more than 400 newspapers and publications worldwide. His presentations, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, will cover art, satire, and communication. For more information or to bring a group, contact Ovations coordinator Phil O’Donoghue at (413) 755-4233 or [email protected].

Entrepreneurship Lecture
October 27: Sue Morelli, chief executive officer and president of ABP Corp., will be the guest speaker at Bay Path College’s Innovative Thinking & Entrepreneurship Lecture Series in Longmeadow. Since joining Au Bon Pain in 1988, Morelli has worked her way up the ranks of the Boston-based, fast-casual bakery and café to become president and CEO in 2006. Under her leadership, the company now has more than 300 store locations, with almost 200 in the U.S. and the remainder in Thailand, India, South Korea, and the Middle East. She is currently leading a redesign of store interiors, a major menu transformation, and the opening of more than 30 new cafés per year. The lecture begins at 8:15 a.m.; a networking continental breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. For more information, visit www.baypath.edu.

Serious Fun Event
Nov. 10: MassINC and CommonWealth magazine will host a seriously funny look back at the year in politics and media with pols, pundits, and the press. All proceeds will support MassINC’s CommonWealth Campaign for Civic Journalism as well as a scholarship program for those who are entering the field. The event is planned at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, with cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner and the program starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.seriousfun2011.org or contact Lauren Louison at (617) 224-1613 or [email protected].

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Jazz & Art Festival
July 8-10: A Mardi Gras theme will kick off the 5th annual Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival on July 8, featuring Glenn David Andrews with the Soul Rebels, and hosted by Wendell Pierce, star of the HBO series Treme. The celebration, planned at Springfield’s Court Square on the Esplanade, continues throughout the weekend with a lineup of world-class entertainment. On July 9, performances are slated by Marcus Anderson, the UK Kings of Jazz Groove, Down to the Bone, 17-year-old jazz newcomer Vincent Ingala, and Gerald Albright. On July 10, performances begin with the Eric Bascom Quintet, followed by Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils. Kendrick Oliver and the New Life Orchestra will also perform, and Latin jazz performer Poncho Sanchez will close out the festival. Organizers will also be increasing the number of merchandise vendors, artisans, and crafters, as well as food vendors. For more information, visit www.hoopcityjazz.org.

Big Band Celebration
July 9: The Springfield Armory National Historic Site will be the setting for an evening of music and dance to salute Benny Goodman’s 1943 concert in the city. The Memories Big Band Sound will kick off the celebration from 6 to 8 p.m., performing the music of Glenn Miller, the Dorsey Brothers, the Andrew Sisters, and Benny Goodman. The USO Retro Show will be performed by two dance troupes as Jitterbug Dancer, of Chicopee, and Small Planet Dancers, of Springfield, take the stage at 8 p.m. with a look back at the 70th anniversary of the USO. The dancers will be dressed in World War II-era uniforms. Jitterbug will also offer free swing dance lessons to the audience from 5 to 6 p.m. The evening culminates with a performance by the U.S. Northeast Navy Pops Band from 8:30 to 10 p.m., playing top-10 music hits from the past three decades. Picnicking is encouraged. There will be ample parking, including handicap parking, and indoor restroom facilities. The rain site is Scibelli Hall at Springfield Technical Community College. The museum will also be open during all event hours. For more information, call (413) 734-8551 or visit www.nps.gov/spar.

Autism Conference
July 9: The Elms College Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders, along with the River Street Autism Program, will host “The New Face of Autism” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the college’s Alumnae Library Theater. This first annual conference is designed for parents and professionals, and topics will include critical communication skills in autism, the future of autism treatment, teaching children with autism to ask for what they want, making psychoactive medication decisions, and quality-of-life issues for individuals with Asperger’s. Educators and professionals in the field of speech and language pathology and board-certified behavior analysts will conduct the conference sessions. The $95 cost to attend includes all presentations and lunch. Registration is required. For more information, contact Dee Ward at (413) 265-2253 or [email protected].

Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show, the event, produced by BusinessWest and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers and $750 for non-members, corner booths are $800 for all chamber members and $850 for non-members, and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

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A Skinner Family Tour
June 25: The curators of Wistariahurst and the Joseph Allen Skinner Museum will host a jaunt around Holyoke and South Hadley to learn more about the lives of the Skinner family from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. William Skinner and his descendants are famed as much for their philanthropic gifts to social and educational institutions in this region as they are for business innovation and expertise in producing the highest-quality silk thread and satin fabrics. As manufacturer of Skinner’s Satins, William Skinner came to be widely known, and his own success was generously extended to Holyoke and the working people who lived there. The Skinner family supported the construction of a chapel, a hospital, a city library, a gymnasium, a coffeehouse, and a state park. The program includes transportation and tours of various Skinner venues, including Wistariahurst, the Skinner Chapel of the United Congregational Church, the Orchards (former home of Joseph Skinner and his family), and will conclude with a tour of the Joseph Allen Skinner Museum. Tickets are $25 per person, $20 for students and seniors. To make a reservation, call (413) 322-5660.

Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Massachusetts Chamber of Business and Industry of Boston. Nominations are being accepted for the Massachusetts Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions, and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Jazz & Art Festival
July 8-10: A Mardi Gras theme will kick off the 5th annual Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival on July 8, featuring Glenn David Andrews with the Soul Rebels, and hosted by Wendell Pierce, star of the HBO series Treme. The celebration, planned at Springfield’s Court Square on the Esplanade, continues throughout the weekend with a lineup of world-class entertainment. On July 9, performances are slated by Marcus Anderson, the UK Kings of Jazz Groove, Down to the Bone, 17-year-old jazz newcomer Vincent Ingala, and Gerald Albright. On July 10, performances begin with the Eric Bascom Quintet, followed by Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils. Kendrick Oliver and the New Life Orchestra will also perform, and Latin jazz performer Poncho Sanchez will close out the festival. Organizers will also be increasing the number of merchandise vendors, artisans, and crafters as well as food vendors. For more information, visit www.hoopcityjazz.org.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its 40 Under Forty Class of 2011 at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early-summer tradition in the region. For more information call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show, the event, produced by BusinessWest and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $750 for all chamber members and $800 for non-members, and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

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Classic Cars and Classic Music
June 10: The Holyoke Parks & Recreation Department and Wistariahurst Museum on Cabot Street invite area residents to enjoy a night of live entertainment and fun on the grounds of Wistariahurst, beginning at 6 p.m., with classic cars and music by Patrick Tobin, known for his international touring Tribute to Frank Sinatra. While attendees stroll the grounds and gardens, antique autos will be out for viewing. The family event is free and open to the public. Seating is not provided, however, so attendees are asked to bring a lawn chair or blanket, since the program is outdoors. For more information, call the museum at (413) 322-5660 or visit www.wistariahurst.org.

HR and Social Media Workshop
June 16: Representatives from Royal LLP and the Vann Group will present a free seminar titled “Social Networking Media and the Workplace: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in the NUVO Bank community room, 1500 Main St., Springfield. Discussion will include the benefits and the drawbacks of using social media during the recruiting and hiring process as well as within the workplace. Registration begins at 8:15 a.m., and seating is limited. To register, contact Ann-Marie Marcil at [email protected] or call (413) 586-2288.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its 40 Under Forty Class of 2011, at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early-summer tradition in the region. For more information call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.BusinessWest.com.

Skinner Family Tour
June 25: The curators of Wistariahurst and the Joseph Allen Skinner Museum will host a jaunt around Holyoke and South Hadley to learn more about the lives of the Skinner family from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. William Skinner and his descendants are famed as much for their philanthropic gifts to social and educational institutions in this region as they are for business innovation and expertise in producing the highest-quality silk thread and satin fabrics. As manufacturer of Skinner’s Satins, William Skinner came to be widely known, and his own success was generously extended to Holyoke and the working people who lived there. The Skinner family supported the construction of a chapel, a hospital, a city library, a gymnasium, a coffeehouse, and a state park. The program includes transportation and tours of various Skinner venues including Wistariahurst, the Skinner Chapel of the United Congregational Church, and the Orchards (former home of Joseph Skinner and his family), and will conclude with a tour of the Joseph Allen Skinner Museum. Tickets are $25 per person, $20 for students and seniors. To make a reservation, call (413) 322-5660.

Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Massachusetts Chamber of Business and Industry of Boston. Nominations are being accepted for the Massachusetts Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions, and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Jazz & Art Festival
July 8-10: A Mardi Gras theme will kick off the 5th annual Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival on July 8, featuring Glenn David Andrews with the Soul Rebels, and hosted by Wendell Pierce, star of the HBO series Treme. The celebration, planned at Springfield’s Court Square on the Esplanade, continues throughout the weekend with a lineup of world-class entertainment. On July 9, performances are slated by Marcus Anderson, the UK Kings of Jazz Groove, Down to the Bone, 17-year-old jazz newcomer Vincent Ingala, and Gerald Albright. On July 10, performances begin with the Eric Bascom Quintet, followed by Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils. Kendrick Oliver and the New Life Orchestra will also perform, and Latin jazz performer Poncho Sanchez will close out the festival. Organizers will also be increasing the number of merchandise vendors, artisans, and crafters, as well as food vendors. For more information, visit www.hoopcityjazz.org.

Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show, the event, produced by BusinessWest and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $750 for all chamber members and $800 for non-members; and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.BusinessWest.com or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

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Fundraising for Nonprofits Workshop
May 25: The Association of Fundraising Professionals will present a workshop titled “Strategic Planning for the Development Office” from 8 to 11:30 a.m. at the Delaney House, Route 5, Holyoke. Nat Follansbee, associate head for external relations at the Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor, Conn., will lead the hands-on training. Follansbee will demonstrate how to maximize fundraising success through effective strategic planning. The cost is $50 for members, $65 for non-members in advance. Breakfast is included. For more information or to register, visit www.afpwma.org.

Paradise City Arts Festival
May 28-30: The Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton will once again come alive with one of America’s most spectacular fairs of fine crafts, paintings, and sculpture during the Memorial Day weekend. The Paradise City Arts Festival is also a great way to spend a holiday weekend at the height of spring, with live music, food, and an outdoor sculpture garden. Festival organizers note that there’s new work by all 260 artists, and performers scheduled include Ameranouche, Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils, Roger Salloom, and Jessica Freeman. Additionally, Salloom will present an award-winning documentary about his career that is airing nationally this spring. Restaurants participating in the festival include the Eastside Grill, India House, Spoleto, Mama Iguana’s, Great Wall, Amber Waves, Pizzeria Paradiso, and Bart’s Homemade Ice Cream. Food offerings will include strawberry tartlets, pomegranate chicken kabobs, fish tacos, and Thai green curry, as well as the standards, blackened short ribs, blackened scallops, and bananas foster bread pudding with spicy chocolate sauce. In addition, Paradise City’s silent art auction will benefit the Breast Form Fund, which offers financial assistance to uninsured and under-insured women to purchase breast prostheses and post-mastectomy bras after breast-cancer surgery. A special themed exhibit titled “The Nature of Beauty” is also planned in the arena. Hours are Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets: $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for students, and free for ages 12 and under. For more information, visit www.paradisecityarts.com.

HR and Social Media Workshop
June 16: Representatives from Royal LLP and the Vann Group will present a free seminar titled “Social Networking Media and the Workplace: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” from 8:30 to 10 a.m. in the NUVO Bank community room, 1500 Main St., Springfield. Registration begins at 8:15 a.m. Seating is limited. To register, contact Ann-Marie Marcil at
[email protected] or (413) 586-2288.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its 40 Under Forty Class of 2011 at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early-summer tradition in the region. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($60 per person, with tables of 10 available), call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10, or visit
www.businesswest.com.

Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Mass. Chamber of Business and Industry of Boston. Nominations are being accepted for the Mass. Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions, and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Jazz & Art Festival
July 8-10: A Mardi Gras theme will kick off the 5th annual Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival on July 8, featuring Glenn David Andrews with the Soul Rebels, and hosted by Wendell Pierce, star of the HBO series TREME. The celebration, planned at Springfield’s Court Square on the Esplanade, continues throughout the weekend with a lineup of world-class entertainment. On July 9, performances are slated by Marcus Anderson, the UK Kings of Jazz Groove, Down to the Bone, 17-year-old jazz newcomer Vincent Ingala, and Gerald Albright. On July 10, performances begin with the Eric Bascom Quintet, followed by Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils. Kendrick Oliver and The New Life Orchestra will also perform, and Latin jazz performer Poncho Sanchez will close out the festival. Organizers will also be increasing the number of merchandise vendors, artisans, and crafters, as well as food vendors. For more information, visit www.hoopcityjazz.org.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show, the event, produced by BusinessWest and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $750 for all chamber members and $800 for non-members, and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

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Online Tools Seminar
May 11: From FourSquare to YouTube, Yelp, Groupon, Facebook, Google Places, Twitter, MagCloud, and Issuu, there is an array of low-cost, easy-to-use online tools that allow small-business owners to attract new customers and enhance relationships with existing ones. Larri Cochran of Fresh Table, LLC will present a talk from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, on who is using which tools so you can identify where your customers are online and which tools fit your business. The seminar goal is to create an integrated marketing strategy that maximizes returns for manageable efforts. The cost is $40. The program is sponsored by the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network. For more information, call the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Chamber Auction, Wine & Beer Tasting
May 13: The Castle of Knights on Memorial Drive, Chicopee, will be the setting for the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce’s annual Auction & Wine & Beer Tasting, from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring the Battle of the Chefs competition and the Antiques Road Show. David Sarrasin, executive chef for the Castle of Knights, and Mick Corduff, executive chef/owner of the Log Cabin/Delaney House, will do battle as attendees sample and vote for their favorites. Additionally, Dan Farrell, David McCarron, and Chris Kennedy, representatives of the Antiques Road Show, will be on hand to appraise valuables. For more details, call (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.

Springfield’s 375th Anniversary Celebration
May 14: The World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast will kick off Springfield’s 375th Anniversary Celebration from 8 to 11 a.m. on Main Street. Additionally, a parade will step off at 11 a.m. from Springfield Technical Community College, proceeding down State Street, past the reviewing stand at the Federal Court House, to Main Street to Mill Street. From 1 to 5 p.m., the Springfield Armory will host Armory Day. Festivities will include re-enactments, demonstrations, and firings. Blessings for Springfield, an interfaith service hosted by St. Michael’s Cathedral which is celebrating its 150th anniversary on State Street, will be conducted at 5 p.m. The day’s festivities will come to a crescendo in Blunt Park as more than 100 members of the Sci-Tech Jazz Band – The Pride of Springfield perform a concert from 7:30 to 9 p.m. At 9 p.m., the skies over Blunt Park will burst with an array of colors including the numbers 3-7-5 for Springfield’s anniversary. For details, visit www.springfield375.org or call the Spirit of Springfield at (413) 733-3800.

Using New Media
May 18: Gretchen Siegchrist of Media Shower Productions and Robert Malin of Malin Productions will lead a presentation from 9 to 11 a.m. that will teach participants how they can use new media to grow their social-media reach and influence. After an overview of different types of online videos for businesses, they will look at various platforms for sharing videos online, including YouTube. The cost is $40 for the presentation at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network is sponsoring the event. For more information, call the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its 40 Under Forty Class of 2011 at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early-summer tradition in the region. This year’s winners will be announced in April. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($60 per person, with tables of 10 available) call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Mass. Chamber of Business and Industry of Boston. Nominations are being accepted for the Mass. Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions, and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival
July 8-10: A Mardi Gras theme will kick off the 5th annual Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival on July 8, featuring Glenn David Andrews with the Soul Rebels, and hosted by Wendell Pierce, star of the HBO series TREME. The celebration, planned at Springfield’s Court Square on the Esplanade, continues throughout the weekend with a lineup of world-class entertainment. On July 9, performances are slated by Marcus Anderson, the UK Kings of Jazz Groove, Down to the Bone, 17-year-old jazz newcomer Vincent Ingala, and Gerald Albright. On July 10, performances begin with the Eric Bascom Quintet, followed by Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils. Kendrick Oliver and the New Life Orchestra will also perform, and Latin jazz performer Poncho Sanchez will close out the festival. Organizers will also be increasing the number of merchandise vendors, artisans, and crafters as well as food vendors. For more information, visit www.hoopcityjazz.org.

Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show, the event, produced by BusinessWest and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $750 for all chamber members and $800 for non-members, and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

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CPA Workshop
April 26: Timothy F. Murphy, partner at Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., of Springfield, will present a workshop titled “Continuing Legal Education” to certified public accountants from 3 to 5:40 p.m. at the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College, Homestead Avenue, Holyoke. For more details, visit www.skoler-abbott.com.

Not Just Business As Usual
April 26: Al Verrecchia, retired CEO and chairman of the board of Hasbro Inc., will be the keynote speaker for a program titled Not Just Business As Usual, presented by the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation. The foundation will capture the energy and excitement of the college’s past, present, and future at the unique affair that will be staged at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke. In addition, two past Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame inductees, Balise Motor Sales and Smith & Wesson, will be honored for their continued success and contributions to the local community. A cocktail and networking reception is planned from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by a dinner program from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $175 each or $1500 for a table of 10. Proceeds raised from the event will benefit STCC. For more information, visit www.notjustbusinessasusual.net.

Understanding Financial Reports
April 27: Robb Morton of Boisselle, Morton & Associates will lead a workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on how to read financial statements. Following the presentation at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, a lunch is planned as well as a question-and-answer session. The program is sponsored by the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). The cost is $40. For more information, call the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Elevator Pitch Competition
April 27: Six community banks will sponsor an elevator pitch competition at the awards banquet for the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Initiative. Representatives from each bank will also serve as judges at the annual event, which features an overview of an idea for a new business. An elevator pitch can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride. The event will feature a student representative from American International College, Bay Path College, Elms College, Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College, Smith College, Springfield College, Springfield Technical Community College, UMass Amherst, Western New England College, and Westfield State University. The judges will pick the top three students, who will receive cash awards. All students will receive a stipend for participating. Program highlights also include keynote speaker Johnny Earle, founder of Johnny Cupcakes, an Entrepreneurs & Awardees Exhibit featuring 35 student entrepreneurs from area colleges, and the Grinspoon, Garvey & Young Alumni Spirit Award. For more information, visit www.hgf.org.

Destination Dine
April 28: The Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau will host a moveable feast that begins at 4:30 p.m. at the Museum of Springfield History. Attendees will be treated to appetizers from Adolfo’s Ristorante, and will listen to music by the Eric Bascom Trio while they tour the museum. Participants will then board Peter Pan motor coaches at 6 p.m. for their next stop, Holyoke’s Wistariahurst Museum. In Holyoke, attendees will be entertained by members of The Enchanted Circle Theatre and the Ted Wirt Jazz Quintet while indulging in dinner stations provided by the Delaney House. Northampton’s historic Calvin Theatre is next on the agenda, with desserts from local restaurants capping the night, along with live music and a disc jockey. Buses will depart the Calvin, returning to Springfield at approximately 10:30 p.m. The cost is $65 per person, and non-refundable reservations can only be made online at www.valleyvisitor.com. The fee includes all food and transportation costs (including driver’s tip), two complimentary beer or wine tickets, entertainment, and a hospitality bag. There is limited seating and no tickets will be sold at the door. Participants must be 21 or older.

Cash Flow Workshop
May 4: Robb Morton of Boisselle, Morton & Associates will present a workshop on the basics of cash flow, how to improve cash flow, the timing of cash inflows and outflows, how cash flow is different from profit, and how to determine your company’s cash flow. The cost is $40. The 9-to-11 a.m. program will take place at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, and is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). For more information, call the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Online Tools Seminar
May 11: From FourSquare to YouTube, Yelp, Groupon, Facebook, Google Places, Twitter, MagCloud, and Issuu, there is an array of low-cost, easy-to-use online tools that allow small business owners to attract new customers and enhance relationships with existing ones. Larri Cochran of Fresh Table, LLC will present a talk from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, on who is using which tools so you can identify where your customers are online and which tools fit your business. The seminar goal is to create an integrated marketing strategy that maximizes returns for manageable efforts. The cost is $40. The program is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). For more information, call the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Using New Media
May 18: Gretchen Siegchrist of Media Shower Productions and Robert Malin of Malin Productions will lead a presentation from 9 to 11 a.m. that will teach participants how they can use the new media to grow their social media reach and influence. After an overview of different types of online videos for businesses, they will look at various platforms for sharing videos online including YouTube. The cost is $40 for the presentation at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network is sponsoring the event. For more information, call the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its Forty Under 40, Class of 2011, at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early summer tradition in the region. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($60 per person, with tables of 10 available) call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10; or visit www.businesswest.com.

Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Mass. Chamber of Business and Industry of Boston. Nominations are being accepted for the Mass. Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions, and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Jazz & Art Festival
July 8-10: A Mardi Gras theme will kick off the 5th annual Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival on July 8, featuring Glenn David Andrews with The Soul Rebels, and hosted by Wendell Pierce, star of the HBO series, TREME. The celebration, planned at Springfield’s Court Square on the Esplanade, continues throughout the weekend with a line up of world-class entertainment. On July 9, performances are slated by Marcus Anderson, the UK Kings of Jazz Groove, Down to the Bone, 17-year-old jazz newcomer Vincent Ingala, and Gerald Albright. On July 10, performances begin with The Eric Bascom Quintet, followed by Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils. Kendrick Oliver and The New Life Orchestra will also perform, and Latin jazz performer Poncho Sanchez will close out the festival. Organizers will also be increasing the number of merchandise vendors, artisans and crafters as well as food vendors. For more information, visit www.hoopcityjazz.org.

Western Mass. Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show, the event, produced by BusinessWest, and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers, and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $800 for all chamber members and $850 for non-members, and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com, or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Agenda

By
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Mobile Marketing
April 12: Stevens 470 at 470 Southampton Road, Westfield, will host a coffee hour from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on mobile communication. During the coffee hour, the pros and cons of creating a mobile Web site will be featured, as well as discussion on the technology behind mobile Web sites and different ways to generate a mobile Web site. Stevens 470 Coffee Hours are informal discussions on current marketing-communications and Web-development topics. For more information on the event or to register, contact Tina Stevens at (413) 568-2660 or [email protected]. Seating is limited.

Performance Appraisals Workshop
April 12: Attorney Susan Fentin of Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. of Springfield will present a workshop titled “Performance Appraisals: Rewards and (Yes) the Risks” at the Human Service Forum Nonprofit Risk Management Conference at the Clarion Hotel in Northampton. The daylong event includes breakfast and a keynote address, followed by workshops in which Fentin and participants will analyze the top risks facing human-services and nonprofit organizations. Other workshop topics include “For EDs/CEOs Only: Let’s Talk About Risk,” “Financial Risk Management,” and “Facilities/Property Management.” For more information on the program, visit www.skoler-abbott.com.

Mobile Technology Workshop
April 13: Chris Amato of Knectar Design and Jeff Hobbs of Advanced Internet will lead a workshop on the various critical aspects of the shift to a mobile technology landscape from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The workshop is sponsored by the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). Amato and Hobbs will discuss how mobile and smart-phone technology has surpassed expectations to become the leading communications and application-technology platform for users in many market sectors. The cost is $40. For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Public Health Lecture Series
April 13: Dr. Leonard Morse will be the keynote speaker as the Desmond Tutu Public Health Lecture Series continues at American International College, 1000
State St., Springfield. The 10 a.m. talk in Griswold Theatre will focus on education to address patterns of behavior that promote and preserve one’s health. The event is free and open to the public. A reception for Morse will follow in the west wing of the Sprague Cultural Arts Center. For more information, call (413) 205-3231.

Royal LLP Open House
April 14: Royal LLP will conduct an open house for the public from 5 to 8 p.m. to celebrate its new offices at 270 Pleasant St., Northampton. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be provided by Side Street Café. For persons planning to attend, RSVP by April 4 at [email protected] or call (413) 586-2288.

Marketing Basics Workshop
April 20: A workshop led by Dianne Doherty of the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC) will focus on the basic disciplines of marketing, beginning with research — primary, secondary, qualitative, and quantitative. Topics will include advertising, public relations, and the importance of developing a marketing plan. Doherty’s presentation is planned from 3 to 5 p.m. at the TD Bank community room, 175 Main St., Northampton. For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

CPA Workshop
April 26: Timothy Murphy, partner at Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., of Springfield, will present a workshop titled “Continuing Legal Education” to certified public accountants from 3 to 5:40 p.m. at the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College. For more details, visit www.skoler-abbott.com.

Not Just Business as Usual
April 26: Al Verrecchia, retired CEO and chairman of the board of Hasbro Inc., will be the keynote speaker for a program titled Not Just Business as Usual, presented by the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation. The STCC Foundation will capture the energy and excitement of the college’s past, present, and future at the unique affair that will be staged at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke. In addition, two past Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame inductees, Balise Motor Sales and Smith & Wesson, will be honored for their continued success and contributions to the local community. A cocktail and networking reception is planned from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by a dinner program from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $175 each or $1,500 for a table of 10. Proceeds raised from the event will benefit STCC. For more information on the event, visit www.notjustbusinessasusual.net.

Understanding Financial Reports
April 27: Robb Morton of Boisselle, Morton & Associates will lead a workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on how to read financial statements. Following the presentation at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, a lunch is planned as well as a question-and-answer session. The program is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). The cost is $40. For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Cash-flow Workshop
May 4: Robb Morton of Boisselle, Morton & Associates will present a workshop on the basics of cash flow, how to improve cash flow, the timing of cash inflows and outflows, how cash flow is different from profit, and how to determine your company’s cash flow. The cost is $40. The 9 to 11 a.m. program is planned at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, and is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

ACS Gala
May 7: “The Legends of Hope” is the theme for the American Cancer Society’s 2011 Evening of Hope Gala at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel. This year’s gala will pay special tribute to members of the Sarat family of Agawam, who will receive the annual Omar T. Pace, M.D. Award, a prestigious honor awarded to community leaders who have made a significant difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families throughout Western Mass. The evening will include dinner, a silent auction, celebrity impersonators, and music by the Prime Time Players. For more information about tickets or sponsorship opportunities, contact Regina Pattison at [email protected], or call (802) 257-8908. Details about the Evening of Hope are also available at gala.acsevents.org/eveningofhopegala.
Online Tools Seminar
May 11: From FourSquare to YouTube, Yelp, Groupon, Facebook, Google Places, Twitter, MagCloud, and Issuu, there is an array of low-cost, easy-to-use online tools that allow small-business owners to attract new customers and enhance relationships with existing ones. Larri Cochran of Fresh Table, LLC will present a talk from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, on who is using which tools so you can identify where your customers are online and which tools fit your business. The seminar goal is to create an integrated marketing strategy that maximizes returns for manageable efforts. The cost is $40. The program is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

AIM Annual Meeting
May 13: Gov. Deval Patrick will be the keynote speaker for the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Associated Industries of Mass. (AIM) at the Westin Hotel in Waltham. Highlights of the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. event also include a panel discussion titled “Health Care Cost Control Solutions.” AIM’s 96th annual meeting will seek solutions to the health-cost crisis that is threatening employers, citizens, and municipalities across the state. For registration information, visit www.aimnet.org.

Springfield 375th Parade
May 14: The Spirit of Springfield is seeking community involvement for the city’s 375th birthday celebration, which will include a parade that represents all that Springfield has to offer, its roots, and its future. If you have a business or group that would like to get involved in the festivities, call (413) 733-3800 or e-mail [email protected].

EASTEC 2011
May 17-19: EASTEC, the East Coast’s largest annual manufacturing event, will once again be staged at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. For exhibition and registration information, call (866) 635-4692 or visit www.easteconline.com.

Using New Media
May 18: Gretchen Siegchrist of Media Shower Productions and Robert Malin of Malin Productions will lead a presentation from 9 to 11 a.m. that will teach participants how they can use new media to grow their social-media reach and influence. After an overview of different types of online videos for businesses, they will look at various platforms for sharing videos online, including YouTube. The cost is $40 for the presentation at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC) is sponsoring the event. For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Taste of the Valley
June 9-12: Restaurants and sponsors are needed for West Side’s Taste of the Valley, which is planned on the West Springfield Town Common. The Rotary Club and the Town of West Springfield are once again presenting the event, along with Chicopee Savings Bank, the title sponsor. The Taste event features local restaurants, as well as two stages for entertainment, rides, games, a petting zoo, a BMX exhibition, a 5K road race, and a “Saturday Cruise” showcase of antique, classic, and special-interest cars. For more information, visit www.westsidetaste.com.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its 40 Under Forty Class of 2011 at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early-summer tradition in the region. This year’s winners will be announced in the next issue of BusinessWest. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($60 per person, with tables of 10 available), call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10, or visit www.businesswest.com.
Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Massachusetts Chamber of Business and Industry of Boston. Nominations are being accepted for the Massachusetts Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions, and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show. The event, produced by BusinessWest and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $750 for all chamber members and $800 for non-members; and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10.

Agenda

By
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‘Web Advertising’ Workshop
March 30: Derek Allard of Gravity Switch will present a workshop titled “Web Advertising” from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The morning program is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). Allard will discuss organic search-engine strategies, paid options to help attract visitors to your Web site, defining relevant keywords to target, the importance of Web-site content, building inbound links to your Web site, and paid advertising with Google AdWords and Facebook. The cost is $40. For more information, call the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Financial Forum
March 31: Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. and the Council of Churches of Greater Springfield will host the “Hope, Faith, and Healing Financial Forum” beginning at 6 p.m. at Cambridge’s office at 67 Hunt St., Agawam. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served. The educational summit will bring together financial experts, public officials, and clergy to discuss the financial challenges facing the region and opportunities to empower area residents. State legislators, lenders, and other community leaders will also be in attendance. For more information or to register, contact Thomas Fox, Cambridge’s community outreach director, at (413) 241-2362 or [email protected]. For more details on Cambridge Credit, visit
www.cambridgecredit.org.

Healthy Back Class
April 2, 9, 16, and 30: The YMCA of Greater Westfield Inc. on Court Street will sponsor a Healthy Back Class on Saturdays during April from 10 to 11 a.m. in the board room. Instructor Paul Warner, owner of Body Wise Physical Therapy, will teach the basics of back care that can make the difference between a healthy back and an aching one. The cost is $35 for YMCA members, $55 for non-members. For more information or to register, contact Charlene Call, member retention/wellness director, at (413) 568-8631, ext. 305.

USO Dinner Dance
April 2: U.S. Senator Scott Brown will be the keynote speaker for a 1940s-themed dinner dance titled “As Time Goes By” as the Pioneer Valley United Service Organization (USO) hosts its first formal event to mark its 70 years of service to local families of the Armed Forces. The event is planned from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Delaney House in Holyoke. Brown will speak at 8:30 p.m. The event for the local USO chapter, which operates out of the Westover Air Force Reserve Base in Chicopee, will also honor Checkwriters Payroll, Clear Channel/KIX 97.9, Big Y World Class Markets, and local heroes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to the Pioneer Valley USO Volunteer of the Year. The evening will begin with a welcome reception, followed by the dinner and program with Brown and the awards presentation. The evening will end with dancing to 1940s swing, R & B, and music from the era of Motown performed by the O-Tones. For tickets or more information, call Al Tracy at the USO Office, (413) 557-3290, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.pioneervalleyuso.org.

Workshop on Web Sites
April 6: Derek Allard of Gravity Switch will present a workshop titled “Making the Most of Your Web Site” from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. Allard will discuss defining goals for a Web site, elements of a good home page, writing content to pull people in, measuring success and failure, and common Web site mistakes to avoid. The cost is $40. The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC) is sponsoring the workshop. For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Science Hoaxes Lecture
April 6: Richard Sanderson, curator of physical science for the Springfield Science Museum, will present a lecture titled “Believe It or Not: Science in the Age of Misinformation, Hoaxes, Bad Science, and Bad Astronomy” at 10:10 a.m. and again at 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall at Springfield Technical Community College, Armory Square, Springfield. Sanderson’s appearance is presented by the Ovations Series, and the public is welcome to attend.

Chief Scott Roast
April 7: Dr. Bill Cosby will be among the dozen or so ‘inquisitors’ during Holyoke Police Chief Anthony Scott’s Retirement Roast at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and the dinner begins at 6, with a cash bar. Tickets are $40 per person or $375 for a table of 10. The menu includes salad, chicken breast with sweet sausage apple stuffing, red bliss potatoes, vegetable, dessert, coffee, and tea. For tickets, call Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn at (413) 736-4538, or the Holyoke Police Department, chief’s office, at (413) 322-6901.

Chamber’s ‘Shining Stars’
April 8: The Castle of Knights on Memorial Drive in Chicopee will be the setting for the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce’s annual “Shining Stars” event, which includes recognition of the Business of the Year, Citizen of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year. For more information, call the chamber office at (413) 594-2101.

‘Performance Appraisals’ Workshop
April 12: Attorney Susan Fentin of Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., of Springfield, will present a workshop titled “Performance Appraisals: Rewards and (Yes) the Risks” at the Human Service Forum Nonprofit Risk Management Conference at the Clarion Hotel in Northampton. The daylong event includes breakfast and a keynote address, followed by workshops in which Fentin and participants will analyze the top risks facing human-service and nonprofit organizations. Other workshop topics include “For EDs/CEOs Only: Let’s Talk About Risk,” “Financial Risk Management,” and “Facilities/Property Management.” For more information on the program, visit www.skoler-abbott.com.

Mobile Tech Workshop
April 13: Chris Amato of Knectar Design and Jeff Hobbs of Advanced Internet will lead a workshop on the various critical aspects of the shift to a mobile-technology landscape from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The workshop is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). Amato and Hobbs will discuss how mobile and smart-phone technology has surpassed expectations to become the leading communications and application technology platform for users in many market sectors. The cost is $40. For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Public Health Series
April 13: Dr. Leonard Morse will be the keynote speaker as the Desmond Tutu Public Health Lecture Series continues at American International College, 1000
State St., Springfield. The 10 a.m. talk in Griswold Theatre will focus on education to address patterns of behavior that promote and preserve one’s health. The event is free and open to the public. A reception for Morse will follow in the west wing of the Sprague Cultural Arts Center. For more information, call (413) 205-3231.

Royal LLP Open House
April 14: Royal LLP will conduct an open house for the public from 5 to 8 p.m. to celebrate its new offices at 270 Pleasant St., Northampton. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be provided by Side Street Café. Anyone planning to attend should RSVP by April 4 to [email protected] or call (413) 586-2288.

Marketing Basics Workshop
April 20: A workshop led by Dianne Doherty of the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC) will focus on the basic disciplines of marketing, beginning with research — primary, secondary, qualitative, and quantitative. Topics will include advertising, public relations, and the importance of developing a marketing plan. Doherty’s presentation is planned from 3 to 5 p.m. at the TD Bank community room, 175 Main St., Northampton. For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Not Just Business as Usual
April 26: Al Verrecchia, retired CEO and chairman of the board of Hasbro Inc., will be the keynote speaker for a program titled Not Just Business as Usual, presented by the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation. The STCC Foundation will capture the energy and excitement of the college’s past, present, and future at the unique affair to will be staged at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke. In addition, two past Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame inductees, Balise Motor Sales and Smith & Wesson, will be honored for their continued success and contributions to the local community. A cocktail and networking reception is planned from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by a dinner program from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $175 each or $1,500 for a table of 10. Proceeds raised from the event will benefit STCC. For more information, visit www.notjustbusinessasusual.net.

CPA Workshop
April 26: Timothy Murphy, partner at Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., of Springfield, will present a workshop titled “Continuing Legal Education” to certified public accountants from 3 to 5:40 p.m. at the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College, Homestead Avenue, Holyoke. For more details, visit www.skoler-abbott.com.

Understanding Financial Reports
April 27: Robb Morton of Boisselle, Morton & Associates will lead a workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on how to read financial statements. Following the presentation at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, a lunch is planned as well as a question session. The program is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). The cost is $40. For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Cash-flow Workshop
May 4: Robb Morton of Boisselle, Morton & Associates will present a workshop on the basics of cash flow, how to improve cash flow, the timing of cash inflows and outflows, how cash flow is different from profit, and how to determine your company’s cash flow. The cost is $40. The 9 to 11 a.m. program is planned at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, and is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Online Tools Seminar
May 11: From FourSquare to YouTube, Yelp, Groupon, Facebook, Google Places, Twitter, MagCloud, and Issuu, there is an array of low-cost, easy-to-use online tools that allow small-business owners to attract new customers and enhance relationships with existing ones. Larri Cochran of Fresh Table, LLC will present a talk from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, on who is using which tools so you can identify where your customers are online and which tools fit your business. The seminar goal is to create an integrated marketing strategy that maximizes returns for manageable efforts. The cost is $40. The program is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC). For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Springfield 375th Parade
May 14: The Spirit of Springfield is seeking community involvement for the city’s 375th birthday celebration, which will include a parade that represents all that Springfield has to offer, its roots, and its future. If you have a business or group that would like to get involved in the festivities, call (413) 733-3800 or e-mail [email protected].

EASTEC 2011
May 17-19: EASTEC, the East Coast’s largest annual manufacturing event, will once again be staged at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. For exhibition or registration information, call (866) 635-4692 or visit www.easteconline.com.

Using New Media
May 18: Gretchen Siegchrist of Media Shower Productions and Robert Malin of Malin Productions will lead a presentation from 9 to 11 a.m. that will teach participants how they can use the new media to grow their social-media reach and influence. After an overview of different types of online videos for businesses, they will look at various platforms for sharing videos online, including YouTube. The cost is $40 for the presentation at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The Mass. Small Business Development Center Network is sponsoring the event. For more information, contact the MSBDC at (413) 737-6712 or www.msbdc.org/wmass.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its 40 Under Forty, Class of 2011, at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early-summer tradition in the region. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($60 per person, with tables of 10 available) call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10; or visit www.businesswest.com.

Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Mass. Chamber of Business and Industry of Boston. Nominations are being accepted for the Massachusetts Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions, and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Western Mass
Business Expo
Oct. 18: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show, the event, produced by BusinessWest and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $750 for all chamber members and $800 for non-members; and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10.

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

‘Be the Authority’
March 16: Claudia Gere of Claudia Gere & Co. will present a lecture titled “Be the Authority & Attract More Customers” from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The lecture is hosted by the Mass. Small Business Development Center. Gere will explain how to create written content to demonstrate your expertise, establish yourself as an authority, and create trust. Templates, formulas, and how-tos will be provided. The fee is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

The Price of Presenteeism
March 22: Presenteeism is the lost productivity that occurs when employees come to work but perform below expectations due to illness, low morale, or life-issue distractions. A 1999 study sponsored by the Employers Health Coalition calculated that lost productivity from presenteeism is 7.5 times greater that that from absenteeism. Learn how much presenteeism is costing your company and what you can do to improve employee productivity at a seminar, slated for 8 to 10:30 a.m., sponsored by the Associated Industries of Mass. (AIM) and the Economic Development Council of Western Mass. Panelists will include Patricia Guenette, vice president of Human Resources for Square One; Susan Moore, director of Sales and Marketing for the Loomis Communities; Bob Oldenburg, director of the Baystate Employee Assistance Program; Sandy Reynolds, executive vice president of the Employer’s Resource Group at AIM; and Dawn Creighton, regional membership director for AIM. Registration and a continental breakfast at 8 will be followed by the discussion. For more information or to register for this free event, call (413) 233-9850 e-mail [email protected].

‘High Performance Business Owner
March 23: Westfield Bank on Elm Street, Westfield, will host a lecture, “The High Performance Business Owner,” presented by Gerald Sherman of NorthStar Management Partners. The lecture, sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network, is planned from 9 a.m. to noon. The fee is $25. For more information, call (413) 737-6712, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Naturally 7 at STCC
March 23: Naturally 7 will bring its unique a capella style to Springfield Technical Community College for two free performances in the gymnasium, in Scibelli Hall, at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Their voices are not only the melody, but also the ‘instruments.’ The group refers to this style as ‘vocal play,’ which goes well beyond beatboxing to create flute, horns, drums, and more. Naturally 7’s music has been called faith-infused, although it encompasses secular as well as religious melodies, and includes soul music, rap, rock, R&B, jazz, and folk, as well as their own compositions. Free parking for the performances is available in off-campus lots. Parking passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis in the STCC Human Resources office in Garvey Hall, room 249. For more information or to bring a group, contact Myra Smith at (413) 755-4414.

Cloud Computing
March 24: Kostin, Ruffkess & Co., LLC will host a workshop titled “No More Fluff: The Reality of Cloud Computing” from 9 to 11 a.m. in Farmington, Conn. ADNET Technologies, LLC will lead the workshop on cloud computing and will discuss how cloud services can help a firm plan for growth. The workshop is designed for business leaders, IT executives, and IT professionals. A complimentary continental breakfast will be served. Pre-registration is required by March 22. For more information, visit www.goadnet.com.

Difference Makers Gala
March 24: BusinessWest will salute its Difference Makers Class of 2011 at a gala slated to begin at 5 p.m. at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Initiated in 2009, the Difference Makers program recognizes individuals and groups making outstanding contributions to the Western Mass. community. You can read more about this event on page 14. For further information on the event or to order tickets ($50 per person, with tables of 10 available), call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Independent Contractor Statute
March 25: Attorney Susan Fentin of Skoler, Abbott & Presser will discuss the amendment to the Mass. Independent Contractor statute in 2004, and how misclassification has caught the attention of the Department of Labor. Fentin will cover the amendment, how it applies to individuals in the workforce, and the steps an employer needs to ensure compliance. The fee is $10. For more information, call (413) 737-6712, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

‘Web Advertising’ Workshop
March 30: Derek Allard of Gravity Switch will present a workshop titled “Web Advertising” from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The morning program is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network. Allard will discuss organic search-engine strategies, paid options to help attract visitors to your Web site, defining relevant keywords to target, the importance of Web-site content, building inbound links to your Web site, and paid advertising with Google AdWords and Facebook. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

USO Dinner Dance
April 2: U.S. Sen. Scott Brown will be the keynote speaker for a 1940s-themed dinner dance titled “As Time Goes By” as the Pioneer Valley United Service Organization (USO) hosts its first formal event to mark its 70 years of service to local families of the Armed Forces. The event is planned from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Delaney House in Holyoke. Brown will speak at 8:30 p.m. The event for the local USO chapter, which operates out of the Westover Air Force Reserve Base in Chicopee, will also honor Checkwriters Payroll, Clear Channel/KIX 97.9, Big Y World Class Markets, and local heroes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to the Pioneer Valley USO Volunteer of the Year. The evening will begin with a welcome reception, followed by the dinner and program with Brown and the awards presentation. The evening will end with dancing to 1940s swing, R&B, and music from the era of Motown performed by the O-Tones. For tickets or more information, call Al Tracy at the USO Office, (413) 557-3290, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.pioneervalleyuso.org.

Workshop on Mobile Technology
April 13: Chris Amato of Knectar Design and Jeff Hobbs of Advanced Internet will lead a workshop on the various critical aspects of the shift to a mobile-technology landscape from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The workshop is sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network. Amato and Hobbs will discuss how mobile and smart-phone technology has surpassed expectations to become the leading communications and application technology platform for users in many market sectors. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Marketing Basics Workshop
April 20: A workshop led by Dianne Doherty of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network will focus on the basic disciplines of marketing, beginning with research – primary, secondary, qualitative and quantitative. Topics will include advertising, public relations, and the importance of developing a marketing plan. Doherty’s presentation is planned from 3 to 5 p.m. at the TD Bank community room, 175 Main St., Northampton. For more information, call (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

‘Not Just Business as
Usual’
April 26: Al Verrecchia, retired CEO and chairman of the board of Hasbro Inc., will be the keynote speaker for a program titled “Not Just Business As Usual,” presented by the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation. The STCC Foundation will capture the energy and excitement of the college’s past, present, and future at the unique affair that will be staged at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke. In addition, two past Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame inductees, Balise Motor Sales and Smith & Wesson, will be honored for their continued success and contributions to the local community. A cocktail and networking reception is planned from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by a dinner program from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $175 each or $1500 for a table of 10. Proceeds raised from the event will benefit STCC. For more information, visit www.notjustbusinessasusual.net.
Understanding Financial Reports
April 27: Robb Morton of Boisselle, Morton & Associates will lead a workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on how to read financial statements. Following the presentation at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, a lunch is planned as well as a question session. The program is sponsored by the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network. The cost is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
May 4: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show, the event, produced by BusinessWest, and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $750 for all chamber members and $800 for non-members, and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members.
For more information, log onto www.wmbexpo.com or www.businesswest.com, or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10.

Springfield 375th Parade
May 14: The Spirit of Springfield is seeking community involvement for the city’s 375th birthday celebration, which will include a parade that represents all that Springfield has to offer, its roots, and its future. If you have a business or group that would like to get involved in the festivities, call (413) 733-3800 or e-mail [email protected].

EASTEC 2011
May 17-19: EASTEC, the East Coast’s largest annual manufacturing event, will once again be staged at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. For exhibition or registration details, call (866) 635-4692 or visit www.easteconline.com.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its Forty Under 40 class of 2011 at a gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early-summer tradition in the region. This year’s winners will be announced in April. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($60 per person, with tables of 10 available), call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Using New Media
May 18: Gretchen Siegchrist of Media Shower Productions and Robert Malin of Malin Productions will lead a presentation from 9 to 11 a.m. that will teach participants how they can use the new media to grow their social media reach and influence. After an overview of different types of online videos for businesses, they will look at various platforms for sharing videos online including YouTube. The cost is $40 for the presentation at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network is sponsoring the event. For more information, call (413) 737-6712, or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Massachusetts Chamber of Business and Industry. Nominations are being accepted for the Massachusetts Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions, and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

Business Plan Basics
March 3: The Mass. Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) Network will host a training session titled “Business Plan Basics” from 10 a.m. to noon at the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, 395 Main St., Greenfield. Allen Kronick, MSBDC, will present the workshop that focuses on management fundamentals from start-up considerations through business-plan development. Topics include financing, marketing, and business planning. The fee is $35. For more information, call (413) 737-6712, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Dance Your Way to Wellness
March 4: The Chicopee and Greater Holyoke chambers of commerce will stage a fun night out called “Dance Your Way to Wellness” at the Castle of Knights on Memorial Drive in Chicopee, beginning at 6 p.m. The event will feature open dancing — as well as a dance production featuring award-winning dancers and student chamber members — all to the music of After All. Tickets are $40 per person for dinner and the dance production, and $20 for the production and open dancing (after 8 p.m.). For more information or to purchase tickets, call (413) 594-2101.

Transformational Leadership Forum
March 4: Randy Dobbs, author and protégé of General Electric’s legendary CEO Jack Welch, will be the keynote speaker for a forum titled “Transformational Leadership: a Blueprint for Organizational and Individual Success,” at the Western New England College (WNEC) Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship in Springfield. Hosted by WNEC and Springfield-based UnityFirst.com, the 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. event will offer insights on how individuals, organizations, and businesses can drive significant business improvement by adapting to change. Dobbs will share many tested concepts from his book, Transformational Leadership. Also, a panel of thought leaders will offer perspectives on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, marketplace, and community. Registration is required to attend the forum, which includes a copy of Dobbs’ book and lunch. To register, call (413) 221-7931 or e-mail [email protected].

National College Fair
March 6-7: The Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield is the setting for the Springfield National College Fair, slated from 1 to 4 p.m. on March 6 and from 9 a.m. to noon on March 7. Sponsored by the National Assoc. for College Admission Counseling, and hosted by the New England Assoc. for College Admission Counseling, the event is free and open to the public. The fair allows students and parents to meet one-on-one with admissions representatives from a wide range of national and international, public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities. Participants will learn about admission requirements, financial aid, course offerings, and campus environment, as well as other information pertinent to the college-selection process. Students can register at www.gotomyncf.com prior to attending the event to receive a printed, bar-coded confirmation to use on-site at the fair as an electronic ID.

Forum on Sales
March 9: The Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield, will be the setting for a program titled “Prospecting, Cold Calls, and Sales, Oh My!” from 9 to 11 a.m. The program, sponsored by the Mass. Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) Network, will be presented by Sheldon Snodgrass of SteadySales.com. Snodgrass will discuss ways to approach, qualify, and close prospects, as well as how to keep one’s ego and integrity intact. Additionally, Snodgrass will explain how to distinguish between a high- and low-probability prospect, how to get appointments with decision makers, and how to present who you are and what you do. A complete workbook is included. Fee is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

The Vision Project
March 10: The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield will present “The Vision Project,” an event featuring Richard Freeland, Massachusetts commissioner of Higher Education, who will detail a new public higher-education agenda that has taken that name. The talk is slated for noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Springfield Sheraton. A box lunch will be provided. The master plan unites the work of the state’s community colleges, state universities, and the UMass system, while stressing accountability and aspirations for higher-education leadership. Freeland will detail why he believes Massachusetts needs “the best-educated citizenry and workforce in the nation,” and how the state can aspire to improve educational outcomes even in tough economic times. Tickets are $20 for ACCGS members and $30 for non-members. For more information or to order tickets, call (413) 755-1313 or visit www.myonlinechamber.com.

Be the Authority Lecture
March 16: Claudia Gere of Claudia Gere & Co. will present a lecture titled “Be the Authority and Attract More Customers” from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The lecture is hosted by the Mass. Small Business Development Center (MSBDC). Gere will explain how to create written content to demonstrate your expertise, establish yourself as an authority, and create trust. Templates, formulas, and how-tos will be provided. The fee is $40. For more information, call (413) 737-6712, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

U.S. Navy Band
Salutes City
March 18: The U.S. Navy Band will treat Springfield to an early birthday gift — a birthday concert — at 7 p.m. at Springfield Symphony Hall. The City of Springfield turns 375 years in May, and the band concert is just one of several events planned to mark the milestone. As the premier wind ensemble of the U.S. Navy, the band will perform a wide range of marches, patriotic selections, orchestral transcriptions, and modern wind ensemble repertoire. Tickets are free and can be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the Spirit of Springfield/U.S. Navy Band, 101 State St., Suite 220, Springfield, MA 01103.

Difference Makers
March 24: BusinessWest will salute its Difference Makers Class of 2011 at a gala slated to begin at 5 p.m. at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Initiated in 2009, the Difference Makers program recognizes individuals and groups making outstanding contributions to the Western Mass. community. The 2011 winners — Tim Brennan, Lucia Giuggio Carvalho, Don Kozera, Robert Perry, and Anthony Scott — were profiled in the magazine’s Feb. 14 issue. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($50 per person, with tables of 10 available), call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10; or visit www.businesswest.com.

Lecture on Independent Contractor Statute
March 25: Attorney Susan Fentin of Skoler, Abbott & Presser will discuss the amendment to the Mass. Independent Contractor statute in 2004, and how misclassification has caught the attention of the Department of Labor. Fentin will cover the amendment, how it applies to individuals in the workforce, and the steps an employer needs to ensure compliance. The fee is $10. For more information, call (413) 737-6712, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.msbdc.org/wmass.

Not Just Business as Usual
April 26: Al Verrecchia, retired CEO and chairman of the board of Hasbro Inc., will be the keynote speaker for a program titled “Not Just Business as Usual,” presented by the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation. The STCC Foundation will capture the energy and excitement of the college’s past, present, and future at the unique affair that will be staged at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke. In addition, two past Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame inductees, Balise Motor Sales and Smith & Wesson, will be honored for their continued success and contributions to the local community. A cocktail and networking reception is planned from 5:30 to 7 p.m., followed by a dinner program from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $175 each or $1,500 for a table of 10. Proceeds raised from the event will benefit STCC. For more information on the event, visit www.notjustbusinessasusual.net.

Western Mass.
Business Expo
May 4: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly known as the Market Show, the event, produced by BusinessWest, and staged at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to provide exposure and business opportunities for area companies. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for members of all area chambers and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $750 for all chamber members and $800 for non-members; and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for all chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com, or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10.

Springfield 375th Parade
May 14: The Spirit of Springfield is seeking community involvement for the city’s 375th birthday celebration, which will include a parade that represents all that Springfield has to offer, its roots, and its future. If you have a business or group that would like to get involved in the festivities, call (413) 733-3800 or e-mail a message to [email protected].

EASTEC 2011
May 17-19: EASTEC, the East Coast’s largest annual manufacturing event, will once again be staged at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. For exhibition or registration information, call (866) 635-4692 or visit www.easteconline.com.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its 40 Under Forty class of 2011 at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early-summer tradition in the region. A team of five judges is currently scoring more than 100 nominations, and the winners will be announced in April. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($60 per person, with tables of 10 available), call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10; or visit www.businesswest.com.

Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Mass. Chamber of Business and Industry of Boston. Nominations are being accepted for the Massachusetts Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions, and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

‘Transformational Leadership’ Forum
March 4: Randy Dobbs, author and protégé of General Electric’s legendary CEO Jack Welch, will be the keynote speaker for a forum titled “Transformational Leadership: a Blueprint for Organizational and Individual Success,” at the Western New England College Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship in Springfield. Hosted by the college and Springfield-based UnityFirst.com, the 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. event will offer insights on how individuals, organizations, and businesses can drive significant business improvement by adapting to change. Dobbs will share many tested concepts from his book on transformational leadership. Also, a panel of thought leaders will offer perspectives on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, marketplace, and community. Registration is required to attend the forum, which includes a copy of Dobbs’ book and lunch. To register, contact (413) 221-7931 or [email protected].

National College Fair
March 6-7: The Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield is the setting for the Springfield National College Fair, slated from 1 to 4 p.m. on March 6, and from 9 a.m. to noon on March 7. Sponsored by the National Assoc. for College Admission Counseling and hosted by the New England Assoc. for College Admission Counseling, the event is free and open to the public. The fair allows students and parents to meet one-on-one with admissions representatives from a wide range of national and international, public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities. Participants will learn about admission requirements, financial aid, course offerings, and campus environment, as well as other information pertinent to the college-selection process. Students can register at www.gotomyncf.com prior to attending the event to receive a printed, bar-coded confirmation to use on-site at the fair as an electronic ID.

U.S. Navy Band to Salute Springfield on Birthday
March 18: The U.S. Navy Band will treat Springfield to an early birthday gift — a birthday concert — at 7 p.m. at Springfield Symphony Hall. The city of Springfield turns 375 years old in May, and the band concert is just one of several events planned to mark the milestone. As the premier wind ensemble of the U.S. Navy, the band will perform a wide range of marches, patriotic selections, orchestral transcriptions, and modern wind-ensemble fare. Tickets are free and can be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the Spirit of Springfield/U.S. Navy Band, 101 State St., Suite 220, Springfield, MA 01103.

Difference Makers Gala
March 24: BusinessWest will salute its Difference Makers Class of 2011 at a gala slated to begin at 5 p.m. at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Initiated in 2009, the Difference Makers program recognizes individuals and groups making outstanding contributions to the Western Mass. community. The 2011 winners will be announced in the magazine’s Feb. 14 issue. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($50 per person, with tables of 10 available) call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10; or log on to www.businesswest.com.

Western Mass. Business Expo
May 4: Businesses from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties will come together for the premier trade show in the region, the Western Mass. Business Expo. Formerly called the Market show, the event, produced by BusinessWest and held at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, has been revamped and improved to better provide exposure and business opportunities to area companies. See the article on page 16 for more information. The cost for a 10-by-10 booth is $700 for chamber members and $750 for non-members; corner booths are $750 and $800, respectively, and a 10-by-20 booth is $1,200 for chamber members and $1,250 for non-members. For more information, log onto www.businesswest.com or www.accgs.com, or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10.

Springfield 375th Parade
May 14: The Spirit of Springfield is seeking community involvement for the city’s 375th birthday celebration, which will include a parade that represents all that Springfield has to offer, its roots, and its future. If you have a business or group that would like to get involved in the festivities, call (413) 733-3800 or e-mail a message to [email protected].

EASTEC 2011
May 17-19: EASTEC, the East Coast’s largest annual manufacturing event, will once again be staged at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. For exhibition or registration information, call (866) 635-4692 or visit www.easteconline.com.

Fifth Annual BusinessWest
40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its 40 Under Forty Class of 2011 at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early summer tradition in the region. Nominations are currently being accepted for this year’s class (see form, page 73), and a team of five judges will complete the scoring of those nominations in late February, with the winners being announced in April. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($60 per person, with tables of 10 available) call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10; or visit www.businesswest.com.

Summer Business Summit
June 27-28: The Massachusetts Chamber of Business & Industry will host its annual two-day business summit at the Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis with a host of educational speakers and presentations by lawmakers. In addition, panel discussions are planned on energy, health care, and taxes and finance. Meanwhile, recognition is planned for Business of the Year, Employer of Choice, and Friend of Business from the local legislature. For more information, call (617) 512-9667.

Agenda

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Agenda Departments

Rick’s Place Benefit
Feb. 5: The third annual Heart to Heart fund-raiser for Rick’s Place is planned from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at the Ludlow Country Club. Established in memory of Rick Thorpe, who died in Tower Two of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Rick’s Place was created to provide a supportive, secure environment where families can remember their loved ones and avoid the sense of isolation that a loss can produce. For ticket information, call Shelly Bathe Lenn at (413) 348-3120 or visit www.ricksplacema.org.

Business Open House
Feb. 9: The Scibelli Enterprise Center at the STCC Technology Park in Springfield will host an open house titled “Growing Successful Small Businesses” from noon to 1 p.m. The event is offered to explain how the Enterprise Center is the regional hub for entrepreneurship for Western Mass. Small-business owners and service providers are encouraged to attend the open house. For more information, call (413) 755-6109 or visit
www.springfieldincubator.com.

Outlook 2011
Feb. 11: The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) will host Outlook 2011 at Chez Josef in Agawam. The program begins at 11:45 a.m. and ends at 1:30 p.m. Outlook 2011 is ACCGS’s largest event of the year, where the annual legislative agenda is announced. The featured speaker will be Congressman Richard E. Neal, who will give the outlook on the federal level. As a senior member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee in the House, and a congressman long-recognized for his ability and willingness to reach across the aisle to work with his Republican colleagues, Neal will discuss the agenda for the 112th Congress, including his unique insights into areas such as health care, federal tax reform, job creation, and Social Security. ACCGS is also working with Gov. Deval Patrick’s office for him to be the keynote speaker on the state level. If for some reason the governor cannot attend, a high-ranking official from the state will be on hand to present the state outlook. Additionally, the chamber’s 2011 legislative agenda will once again be presented. This year, Mary Ellen Scott, president and owner of United Personnel, and a long-time member of the chamber’s legislative steering committee, will talk about how issues on the chamber’s agenda affect a typical business such as hers. Tickets to Outlook 2011 are $50 for chamber members and $70 for non-members. A table of 10 can be purchased for $475 for members and $700 for non-members. To make reservations or for more information, contact Diane Swanson at (413) 755-1313 or
[email protected]

National College Fair
March 6-7: The Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield is the setting for the Springfield National College Fair, slated from 1 to 4 p.m. on March 6 and from 9 a.m. to noon on March 7. Sponsored by the National Assoc. for College Admission Counseling, and hosted by the New England Assoc. for College Admission Counseling, the event is free and open to the public. The fair allows students and parents to meet one-on-one with admissions representatives from a wide range of national and international, public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities. Participants will learn about admission requirements, financial aid, course offerings, and campus environment, as well as other information pertinent to the college-selection process. Prior to attending the event, students can register at www.gotomyncf.com to receive a printed bar-coded confirmation to use on-site at the fair as an electronic ID.

Difference Makers Gala
March 24: BusinessWest will salute its Difference Makers Class of 2011 at a gala slated to begin at 5 p.m. at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Initiated in 2009, the Difference Makers program recognizes individuals and groups making outstanding contributions to the Western Mass. community. The 2011 winners will be announced in the magazine’s Feb. 14 issue. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($50 per person, with tables of 10 available) call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10, or visit www.businesswest.com.

40 Under Forty Gala
June 23: BusinessWest will present its 40 Under Forty Class of 2011 at a not-to-be-missed gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, beginning at 5 p.m. The 40 Under Forty program, initiated in 2007, has become an early-summer tradition in the region. Nominations are currently being accepted for this year’s class (see form, page 71), and a team of five judges will complete the scoring of those nominations in late February, with the winners being announced in April. For more information on the event or to order tickets ($60 per person, with tables of 10 available), call (413) 781-8600, ext. 10, or visit www.businesswest.com.

Summer Buit
June 27-28: The Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis will be the setting for the Summer Business Summit, hosted by the Mass. Chamber of Business and Industry of Boston. Nominations are being accepted for the Massachusetts Chamber, Business of the Year, and Employer of Choice awards. The two-day conference will feature educational speakers, presentations by lawmakers, VIP receptions and more. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.