Nonprofits Work Together to Beautify Zoo Grounds

SPRINGFIELD — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) and the Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center joined together recently to improve the public grounds at the zoo during a volunteer event titled “Habitat Goes to the Zoo!” “Our primary mission is to provide decent, affordable housing to families, usually human families,” said Jennifer Schimmel, executive director of GSHFH. “Although this project falls outside of our typical mission, we are Springfield neighbors with the zoo, and the animals that live there need a little help with their housing as well. GSHFH is very adept at mobilizing and managing volunteers, and we are glad to be leveraging that talent on behalf of the zoo.” John Lewis, executive director of the Zoo in Forest Park, added, “we have spent much of this season recovering from big property damage from the storms of last year. We are so grateful that we were able to connect with Greater Springfield Habitat to put the finishing touches on many of our exhibits.” Habitat volunteers focused on painting 14 wooden buildings and animal sheds, he noted.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Awards $75,000 in Grants

BOSTON — To recognize Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ (BCBSMA) 75th anniversary, four not-for-profits each received a $75,000 grant to promote nutrition education and access to healthy foods. The BCBSMA 75th Anniversary Grants were awarded to the Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council, the Urban Food Initiative, Project Bread in partnership with Lynn Economic Opportunity Inc., and Boston Natural Areas Network. “For 75 years, Blue Cross has maintained a deep commitment to improving health outcomes and the quality of life for residents of the Commonwealth,” said Andrew Dreyfus, president and CEO of BCBSMA. “Many families continue to face financial hardship as a result of the economic downturn. With growing demand and shrinking resources, the safety-net services they turn to are severely strained. The BCBSMA 75th Anniversary Grants will help advance critical programs in the communities at greatest risk.” The four not-for-profit organizations were selected after a competitive process challenging them to develop programs to improve the lives of struggling families with children school-aged or younger in Massachusetts. Each organization takes a unique approach to advancing the health and nutrition of families facing economic hardship throughout the state. Locally, the Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council will implement a comprehensive nutrition education program geared towards influencing the eating habits of nearly 200 kindergarten students and their families located in three critical need elementary schools in Holyoke. The program provides education about eating and growing fresh produce, and includes field trips to local area farms. “Blue Cross’ support makes the Holyoke Kindergarten Initiative possible,” said Anne Cody, Kindergarten Initiative coordinator for the Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council. “Here in Holyoke, there is a large Latino population with strong preferences for culturally familiar produce. Thanks to Blue Cross, we can tie the students’ cultural backgrounds to local farming and healthy eating, which is an excellent approach to real and meaningful dietary preferences. We can’t thank Blue Cross enough for making the Holyoke Kindergarten Initiative a full, delicious adventure in local food and farming. Kids learn better when they eat better.”

Berkshire Money Management Named

Lead Sponsor of Artswalk

PITTSFIELD — First Fridays Artswalk, which began as the idea of local businesswoman Mary McGinnis and local artist Leo Mazzeo earlier this year, will become the first year-round monthly collaborative arts event in the Berkshires, thanks to a new lead sponsor. The local investment firm Berkshire Money Management has stepped up to the plate to support First Fridays Artswalk, enabling the initiative to continue into the winter and 2013. Berkshire Money Management President and Chief Investment Officer Allen Harris was impressed with the success of First Fridays Artswalk and saw an opportunity to help. “As a business owner, I see the incredible value of the arts and culture for the local economy and for our quality of life,” he said. “When I looked at the early success of the Artswalk and its positive impact for downtown businesses, it was clear to me that this needs to continue throughout the year.” He encouraged other local companies to also step up to the plate and support the event. Ferrin Gallery, who hosted the press conference announcing the new sponsor, was inspired by Harris to donate 15% of any sales made that day to First Fridays Artswalk. The events are held the first Friday of every month from 5 to 8 p.m. in downtown Pittsfield, featuring art shows in more than two dozen galleries, shops, and restaurants, often featuring artist receptions, artist talks, and other special events. McGinnis, owner of Gallery 25 and Mary’s Carrot Cake, has been measuring the direct economic impact in just the first four months of Artswalks. So far, she has documented more than $40,000 in sales of artwork and other items, and she’s not finished contacting businesses. Berkshire Money Management joins other major sponsors of First Fridays Artswalk, including Gallery 25, the Massachusetts Cultural Council/Cultural Pittsfield, and the Berkshire Art Assoc., along with the Berkshire Bank Foundation, Berkshire Heath Systems, Berkshire Theatre Group, and Downtown Pittsfield Inc. Downtown Artswalk partners include Empty Set Projects, Miller Supply, Berkshire Museum, Crowne Plaza, Brix Wine Bar, Marketplace Café, Downtown Pittsfield Inc., the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, Pateez Boutique, Brenda & Co., Bagels Too, Berkshire Carousel Gallery, Steven Valenti Clothing for Men, Berkshire Community College Intermodal Gallery, Paul Rich  Sons, Spice Dragon, Alchemy Initiative, Art.On.No, Treehouse, Gallery 25, Mad Macs, BINGO!, Wild Sage, Aerus Electrolux, Y Bar, Ferrin Gallery, Circa, the Lantern, West Side Clock Shop, and Berkshire Medical Center. For more information, visit www.firstfridaysartwalk.com.

Construction Unemployment Falls

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The nation’s construction industry added 1,000 jobs in August, lowering the unemployment rate in the sector from 12.3% in July to 11.3% last month, according to the Sept. 7 employment report by the U.S. Labor Department. Year over year, the construction industry added 17,000 jobs, or 0.3%, rendering it among America’s slowest-expanding industries. The non-residential building-construction sector lost 2,400 jobs for the month and 4,900 jobs, or 0.7%, compared to one year ago. August employment in the sector stood at 653,200 jobs. Employment in the residential building-construction sector slipped by 1,100 jobs in August, but increased by 5,200 jobs, or 0.9%, during the past 12 months. Residential building-construction employment in August stood at 564,000 jobs. Non-residential specialty-trade contractor employment declined by 6,400 jobs in August and is down by 18,900 jobs, or 0.9%, from same time last year. In contrast, residential specialty-trade contractors added 8,200 jobs for the month and gained 18,700 jobs, or 1.3%, from one year ago. The heavy and civil-engineering construction sector gained 2,800 jobs in August and added 17,400 jobs, or 2.1%, since August 2011. Across all industries, the nation added 96,000 jobs as the private sector expanded by 103,000 jobs and the public sector shrank by 7,000 jobs. Year over year, the nation added 1,808,000 jobs, or 1.4%. The nation’s unemployment rate in August fell to 8.1%, down from 8.3% in July. “The fact that the construction-industry unemployment rate in August declined to 11.3% — the lowest level since October 2008 — seemed to be a pleasant surprise,” said Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “But under further examination, this is largely due to former construction workers moving to other industries or leaving the workforce altogether. On a national level, the Labor Department reports a record-high 88,921,000 Americans are not in the civilian workforce. What is more discouraging, 368,000 people simply dropped out of the labor force last month and did not even look for a job. In the non-residential construction category, the news is similar. The sector lost additional employment in August, is down on a year-over-year basis, and posted negative job growth in six of the past seven months.” Basu noted that investors remain concerned by rising energy prices, America’s ‘fiscal cliff’ regarding year-end tax-cut expirations, the November elections, and impending policy decisions regarding interest rates and money supply. “Until at least some of this uncertainty is resolved, the non-residential construction labor market will continue to underperform.”

Business Confidence Index Continues to Rebound

BOSTON — The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index added three points in August to 55.2, continuing its recuperation from an 8.5-point plunge in June to 48.3. “What we have seen in the past few months encapsulates the overall course of this economic recovery,” said Raymond Torto, global chief economist at CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. and chair of AIM’s Board of Economic Advisors. “We are beset by persistent uncertainties — the June survey took place at a time of disturbing news from Europe, and of course there are domestic concerns as well — while, at the same time, the recovery is consolidating and prevailing business conditions are generally positive.” Torto noted that midyear drops in both 2010 and 2011 lasted longer than this year’s single month of decline. “We’re already most of the way back to May’s level. The Index is up six points from last August and 7.5 over two years. For the AIM Index as for the economy, progress since mid-2010 has been slow and bumpy, but the overall trend is upward.” The AIM Index, which has appeared since July 1991, is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. The Index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009.

Springfield Official
Named to Casino Panel
BOSTON — Bruce Stebbins, business development director for the city of Springfield since September 2010 and a former member of the Springfield City Council, has been named to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The five-member panel is now complete. The other members are Chairman Steve Crosby; Judge James McHugh, who served on both the Superior Court and the Massachusetts Appeals Court; Gayle Cameron, a former New Jersey State Police lieutenant colonel; and Enrique Zuniga. Prior to his work with the city, Stebbins worked for the National Assoc. of Manufacturers and the Mass. Office of Business Development.

WMECo Grant Seeks to Boost Industry Competitiveness
SPRINGFIELD — The precision-manufacturing industry in Western Mass. received a major boost recently with the announcement of a $10,000 private initiative to increase the skills competencies of employees. The Regional Employment Board of Hampden County Inc. (REB) received the grant from Western Massachusetts Electric Co. (WMECo) to provide skills-enhancement courses and college-credit courses to 65 incumbent employees of the region’s precision-manufacturing companies. The award will be used as a match to a $150,000 grant received by the REB and its partners represented by the Western Mass. Chapter of the National Tooling Machining Assoc. (WMNTMA), which was announced in October by Secretary Gregory Bialecki of the Mass. Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. The $150,000 grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s John Adams Innovation Institute supports the work of the REB’s Precision Manufacturing Regional Alliance Project (PMRAP), which is focused on generating innovative and creative ideas that will raise the industry’s and region’s economic profile. “We are pleased to make a contribution to education that will stimulate growth for small and medium-sized precision-manufacturing companies,” said Peter Clarke, WMECo president and COO. “The region will benefit from sustained job creation and continued economic development.” In addition to the REB and the WMNTMA, partners in PMRAP include Holyoke Community College, Springfield Technical Community College, the Economic Development Council of Western Mass., and the region’s seven vocational-technical-comprehensive high schools. “The Patrick-Murray administration has made strong investments in growing the Commonwealth’s advanced manufacturing industry,” noted Bialecki. “This grant, in addition to the $150,000 grant from last year, will go a long way to helping give employees the vital training they need to help support their companies’ and industry’s continued growth.”

Forgay Shares Professional Leadership Secrets
LONGMEADOW — Bushido Business: The Fine Art of Professional Leadership is a new anthology featuring Richard Forgay II, president and CEO of Business Leadership Mastery. Forgay joins forces with internationally recognized business icons to share their secrets of success in ways one can immediately apply to business and life for sustainable success. Bushido is the traditional ethical code, or ‘way of the warrior,’ of the Japanese samurai. It is founded on the seven values by which they conducted their life and business of warfare — honesty and justice, heroic courage, compassion, polite courtesy, complete sincerity, loyalty, and duty and honor. Forgay, along with authors and professional speakers Tom Hopkins, Brian Tracy, and Stephen Covey, apply this historical code to the challenges faced by today’s leaders in business, government, education, and other diverse arenas. Forgay noted that the book shares time-proven methods of achieving sustainable success through leadership, team building, sales, marketing, business operations, interpersonal relationships, and customer-service excellence. Forgay’s contribution to the anthology is titled “Mastering the Bushido Code.” “Bushido Business is a moral compass, an authentic expression of individual and organizational values that defines their influence and culture,” he said. With straightforward language and supporting diagrams, Forgay applies the Bushido Code to modern-day professional leaders and actual events. Then he facilitates a structure for readers to apply their own virtues and values to be prepared to do the same in their chosen fields of expertise through a series of self-assessment Bushido Challenges that, if accepted, promise to produce immediate and transformational results. Forgay challenges leaders to embrace their traditional principles and values as the blueprint for major transformation. “Adherence to empowering values is always in vogue,” he said. “Identifying and activating value-based cultural standards of excellence is a way for leaders and teams to embody dignity, trust, and professionalism in their realms of responsibility among those they lead and serve in the business, government, educational, and spiritual communities.” Forgay educates and empowers top executive and entrepreneurial leaders to excel at growing companies where people, productivity, customer satisfaction, and profits thrive in any economy. For more than two decades, he has led and served thousands of people to achieve all-time-high sales and multi-million-dollar revenues, and he has earned international recognition as an effective executive leader in high-pressure, intensely competitive environments in the highest levels of corporate America. For more information on Bushido Business, visit www.businessleadershipmastery.com. Insight Publishing of Sevierville, Tenn. released the book on March 7. It retails for $19.95.

Project Provides Free Interview Clothes
ENFIELD, CT — For many soon-to-be college graduates at Asnuntuck Community College, Stacy’s Closet is a way to relieve some of the stress students with limited resources face, according to Stacy Lanigan, associate director of career services. Stacy’s Closet, now in its sixth year, solicits donations year-round of gently used business clothes from the college’s faculty and staff, as well as the surrounding community. In keeping with the community college’s mission, Lanigan noted that the clothes are also available free to members of the community. She said the college is committed to serving all residents in its service area, which includes Enfield, East Granby, East Windsor, Ellington, Granby, Somers, Stafford Springs, Suffield, and Windsor Locks. Stacy’s Closet accommodates students graduating in June and December. Offerings include shirts and blouses, business suits, shoes, belts, and ties. “We aim to prepare the whole student,” said Katie Kelley, dean of Student Services. “Not just academically, but also for the expectations in the workplace and the interview process.” Donations of clean, professional attire on hangers are being accepted through April.

Construction-industry Employment ‘Sluggish’
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the week ending March 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims in the construction industry was 351,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 365,000, according to the U.S. Labor Department. The four-week moving average was 355,750, unchanged from the previous week’s revised average of 355,750. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.6% for the week ending March 3, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week’s unrevised rate of 2.7%. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 3 was 3,343,000, a decrease of 81,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 3,424,000. The four-week moving average was 3,394,250, a decrease of 25,250 from the preceding week’s revised average of 3,419,500. In related news, Associated Builders and Contractors noted that, despite a loss of 13,000 construction jobs in February, the industry’s unemployment rate dipped to 17.1%, down from 17.7% in January. The nation’s construction industry has added 65,000 jobs, up 1.2%, since February 2011, when the unemployment rate stood at 21.8%. The non-residential building construction sector added 2,000 jobs in February and has added 15,000 jobs, or 2.3% year over year, with employment now standing at 663,200. The residential building construction sector added 2,000 jobs for the month and has added 7,000 jobs, up 1.3%, compared to one year ago, with employment at 573,000. “Predictions for monthly job growth have been on the rise, and February’s performance exceeded those expectations,” said ABC chief economist Anirban Basu. “However, that is only true for the broader economy, not for the construction industry.” Basu added that ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator, which declined during the fourth quarter of last year, foreshadowed this jobs report and indicates that construction-industry employment is likely to be sluggish in the months ahead. “The good news is that the overall economy continues to mend, implying ongoing recovery in construction spending,” said Basu. “This should eventually translate into more-stable non-residential construction employment growth later this year.” The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 3 were in New York (+16,478), California (+4,320), Pennsylvania (+2,859), Texas (+2,116), and Virginia (+1,554), while the largest decreases were in Massachusetts (-2,974), Rhode Island (-1,071), New Jersey (-1,034), Puerto Rico (-562), and Kentucky (-284). Overall, the nation added 227,000 jobs as the private sector expanded by 233,000 jobs and the public sector shrank by 6,000 jobs, according to the Labor Department. Year over year, the nation added 2,021,000 jobs, up 1.5%. The unemployment rate stood at 8.3% in February, unchanged from January.

‘Western Mass. Economic Review 2012’ Available
SPRINGFIELD — Western Massachusetts Electric Co. (WMECo) recently published “Pioneering Futures: Western Massachusetts Economic Review 2012,” reviewing the lifestyle, educational, and business aspects that make the area an attractive region. “Western Mass. offers a prosperous future for businesses looking to move to the region,” said Peter Clarke, president and chief operating officer of WMECo. “WMECo proudly produces this publication in order to expose the many appealing attributes of this unique location.” Clarke noted that some areas covered in the review include the region’s industry mix, business innovation, education and productivity, international trade, and quality of life. The review also compares the region’s ranking in these and other areas to nearby regions and other states. The review can be found at www.wmeco.com/business/growyourbusiness/publications.aspx?sec=nr. Printed copies may be requested by calling (413) 787-9333.

State Adds 3,200 Jobs
in March
BOSTON — The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development recently reported the total unemployment rate in March was 8%, down two tenths of a percentage point from the February rate. The rate remains below the national rate of 8.8% and is seven tenths of a percentage point less than the rate in March 2010. The preliminary March job estimates show 3.213 million jobs in Massachusetts, an increase of 3,200 jobs. The private sector added 4,400 jobs. The largest gain in employment occurred in leisure and hospitality, while construction had the largest growth rate. Job gains were also posted in professional, scientific and business services, information, manufacturing, and education and health services. Trade, transportation, and utilities; government; financial activities; and ‘other services’ lost jobs. The March job gain follows a revised 14,400-jobs gain in February, previously reported as a 15,400-job gain. Over-the-year, jobs are up 34,100 (+1.1%) with private-sector jobs up 38,600 (+1.4%). Jobs have now been added in each of the past six months. The three-month average seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate was 8.2% and the six-month average was 8.3%. Over-the-year, 31,100 more residents were employed, and 21,500 fewer residents unemployed. Trends for the labor force, unemployed residents, employed residents, the unemployment rate, and jobs continue to indicate improvement for the Commonwealth’s economy. The March estimates show 3,221,700 Massachusetts residents were employed and 281,800 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,503,500.  The labor force increased by 2,100 from 3,501,400 in February, as 8,400 more residents were employed and 6,300 fewer residents were unemployed over the month.

$1.5M Gift Establishes Research Center at PVLSI
SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute, a scientific partnership involving UMass Amherst and Baystate Medical Center, has received $1.5 million from the Rays of Hope Walk Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer to establish a new center devoted to breast cancer research. The donation to create the Rays of Hope Center for Breast Cancer Research will be delivered over five years beginning this year, and is intended to broaden and expand the breast cancer research already taking place at PVLSI. With new technology now in use at the institute, researchers can generate, capture, and analyze data on a much larger scale, making it possible to integrate and coordinate the work of multiple investigators for greater and more rapid progress in answering research questions. “The naming of this center is yet another indication of the enduring legacy that Rays of Hope and all its participants have created in our community,” said Carol Baribeau, director of annual fund and events for the Baystate Health Foundation, in a statement. “On the basis of their own experience, our Rays of Hope walkers are creating hope for future generations by supporting research that could take us much closer to a cure for the disease.” Breast cancer affects one in eight women. A major research goal of the new center is examining links between obesity and breast cancer. It is believed that obesity and metabolic syndrome, a complex illness whose symptoms include obesity, hypertension, and early indications of diabetes, can increase breast cancer risk; given increasing obesity rates in the U.S., there is concern about an accompanying increase in breast cancer diagnoses. “We are just beginning to unlock clues as to whether obesity and breast cancer may be linked, and what those links could mean for prevention, diagnosis, and management of the disease,” added UMass Amherst faculty member Joseph Jerry, science director for PVLSI and co-director of the new center. “With this more robust support to our continuing research, we are provided significantly improved tools for answering important questions about the cellular and metabolic processes that cause lesions and tumors to develop.” One of the strengths of the new center will be its multidisciplinary approach, combining Baystate Medical Center’s resources and expertise in medical specialties such as oncology, endocrinology, and pathology with UMass Amherst’s strengths in polymer and other sciences and bio-epidemiology. Bringing these strengths under one roof allows researchers to approach the complex and intertwined biological processes behind diseases like obesity, diabetes and breast cancer in an integrated and disease-focused fashion, rather than breaking out individual pieces and causative factors and looking at them one by one.

Constellation Energy Partnering with Holyoke G&E
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Gas & Electric Department (HG&E) and Constellation Energy of Maryland recently announced the development of a new 4.5-megawatt solar installation that will generate electricity for the municipally owned utility’s 18,000 customers in Holyoke. The system, which is scheduled for commercial operation this summer, will be among the largest solar installations in New England and the largest in Western Mass. Constellation Energy will build, own, and maintain the system, and HG&E will purchase all of the electricity generated from the solar panels under a 20-year power purchase agreement at a fixed cost that is less than projected market rates. “HG&E is committed to continuing to provide our customers with cost-competitive and clean electricity,” said James M. Lavelle, manager, HG&E, in a statement. “HG&E currently offers its customers some of the lowest retail electric rates available in the Commonwealth and has a carbon footprint that is 25% of the average New England utility. Through this solar-power-purchase agreement with Constellation Energy, we are able to ensure affordability and price stability for our customers, and promote Holyoke as a more attractive location for new and existing industry, with no upfront capital expenditure.” HG&E’s solar power system will be comprised of 18,400 SolarWorld photovoltaic ground-mounted panels at two locations, and is expected to produce nearly 5.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. Generating the same amount of electricity using non-renewable sources would result in the release of 3,950 metric tons of carbon dioxide or the equivalent emissions from 755 passenger vehicles annually. “Large-scale solar generation is an attractive option for municipal utilities to manage volatile energy costs for their customers and meet renewable energy goals,” added Michael D. Smith, senior vice president of green initiatives for Constellation Energy’s retail business. “In states like Massachusetts with strong market-based incentive programs, Constellation can provide solar power to municipal utilities at a rate that is significantly less than electricity from other generation sources, which benefits both the environment and power customers’ bottom lines.” Constellation Energy, a Fortune 500 company, currently owns and operates approximately 60 megawatts of solar installations that have been completed or are under construction throughout the country. For more information, visit www.constellation.com.

State Workers’ Compensation Rate Saves Businesses $65M
BOSTON — The Patrick-Murray Administration’s vommissioner of Insurance Joseph G. Murphy has signed an agreement that holds workers’ compensation rates at current levels, saving businesses $65 million in proposed increases. The agreement between the Workers’ Compensation Rating and Inspecting Bureau (WCRIB), the Division of Insurance’s State Rating Bureau, and the attorney general’s Office holds rates at current levels until at least September 2012. The WCRIB had originally asked for an overall 6.6% increase. “Our goal at the Division of Insurance is to make sure that these rates are fair, they protect workers, and that they do not overly burden employers,” said Commissioner Murphy in a statement. “This agreement does all of those things.” Last year, an agreement with WCRIB cut overall rates 2.4%, instead of increasing them 4.5% as originally requested. That agreement also saved approximately $65 million in annual workers’ compensation insurance premiums. Traditionally, WCRIB files rate proposals every two years, but last year’s agreement included a required filing in the next year. Holding down workers’ compensation rates complements other efforts by the Patrick-Murray Administration to bring down insurance costs. The administration’s work to contain health insurance costs saved small businesses and working families $106 million in the last year. The three-year-old reform of auto insurance has delivered hundreds of millions of dollars in savings to drivers across the Commonwealth.

MMWEC: Connecticut Energy Tax “Unfair Burden”
LUDLOW — A proposed Connecticut tax on electric generation is “at the very least unfair” because it would cost Massachusetts consumers more than $9 million a year while Connecticut consumers pay nothing, according to the Mass. Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC), which owns 4.8% of Millstone Unit 3, a nuclear power plant in Connecticut. Proponents of the tax, which is being proposed to address a Connecticut budget shortfall, say that the tax will not be passed on to Connecticut consumers by the electricity generators required to pay it. The proposed tax, which is working its way through the Connecticut General Assembly, would tax nuclear generation from Millstone at 2 cents/kilowatt hour, raising about $330 million a year in tax revenue for Connecticut from Millstone. Other proposed taxes on power plants that use oil and coal would raise about $10 million a year.  MMWEC resells its share of electricity from Millstone Unit 3 at cost to 27 Massachusetts municipal utilities. Those 27 utilities provide electricity to approximately 265,000 customers in Massachusetts. Based on the electric output of Millstone Unit 3 and MMWEC’s ownership share of that output, the proposed tax on Millstone generation would cost MMWEC, its Millstone project participants and their consumers approximately $9.3 million a year, according to David Tuohey, director of communications and external affairs at MMWEC. Because MMWEC and its municipal utilities are nonprofit, public entities with no profits to absorb the tax, the Connecticut tax would be a direct pass-through to consumers, Tuohey said.

Howdy Award Finalists Named
SPRINGFIELD — More than 40 individuals from across the Pioneer Valley are finalists for the 2011 Howdy Awards for Hospitality Excellence, sponsored by the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (GSCVB). The finalists were recently honored at a reception to recognize front-line employees in the hospitality industry for providing outstanding service to their guests and customers. The finalists, who represent a variety of businesses, organizations and activities from throughout Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties, now move up to the next level of competition — judging by a group of recognized industry professionals from outside the region. The winners will then be announced and honored at a gala dinner and awards presentation on May 10 at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. A Spotlight Award, which recognizes individuals or organizations that have made a significant contribution to the tourism industry in the Pioneer Valley, will also be presented that evening. Tickets to the gala are $65 per person, and $625 for a table of 10. For more information, call the GSCVB at (413) 755-1345. The GSCVB, an affiliate of the Economic Development Council of Western MA, is a private, nonprofit destination marketing organization dedicated to promoting the Pioneer Valley for meetings and conventions, group tours and leisure travel. For more information, visit www.valleyvisitor.com.

West of the River Chambers Leaves ACCGS; Affiliates with MassCBI
EAST LONGMEADOW — The West of the River Chamber of Commerce (WRC) recently announced its newly developed management relationship with the Mass. Chamber of Business & Industry Inc. (MassCBI), of East Longmeadow, severing its ties with the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) that go back 40 years. The WRC, which serves the cities of Agawam and West Springfield, will be managed by MassCBI under the leadership of Debra Boronski, whose organization will oversee all of its management needs. “The WRC is the primary advocate and resource for business in Agawam and West Springfield; we felt it was time to take a new direction in the management of our chamber in a way that best suits the needs of our members,” said Remo Pizzichemi, vice chair of the West of the River Chamber. “We will remain a local, independent chamber of commerce representing Agawam and West Springfield businesses and will continue to offer our members the local benefits they have always enjoyed as well as the lobbying and legislative expertise of Ms. Boronski.” The new management relationship with the Massachusetts chamber will extend current benefits by offering WRC members access to the MassCBI monthly Legislative Newsletter which provides up-to-date information on laws and regulations that impact their business. “I am pleased to welcome the West of the River Chamber and its 250 member businesses to MassCBI,” said Boronski, “and look forward to working with the WRC board, committees, and leaders of its member companies, many of whom I have a long history with.” In 2008, the West Springfield and Agawam chambers of commerce were combined to form the WRC. The chamber hosts a number of meetings and events each year, including FoodFest West, a golf tournament, educational seminars, networking events, and debates for candidates in Agawam and West Springfield, and has recently launched a manufacturing committee. ACCGS President Jeffrey Ciuffreda said member businesses that are part of the WRC will continue to be represented through ACCGS until their current membership expires, which is different for each member. “We welcome these businesses to renew their memberships with ACCGS to continue the high level of service they have come to expect from the chamber,” he noted. “ACCGS continues to believe in its original mission and philosophy — the business community is best served by a regional approach, speaking in one voice to government representatives, policy makers, other businesses, and business-related organizations. The ACCGS will continue to speak out with a singular voice on issues facing businesses throughout Greater Springfield. The action taken by the WRC Board of Directors will have no impact on the services, member benefits, educational programs, legislative advocacy, or networking opportunities provided by ACCGS to its member base. Despite the WRC board’s decision, it is business as usual for the ACCGS.”

Caret Named to Lead UMass System
BOSTON — The Board of Trustees of the University of Massachusetts recently unanimously elected Robert Caret president of the five-campus university system. Caret, the president of Towson University in Maryland, will succeed retiring UMass President Jack Wilson, who steps down on June 30. “After conducting an exhaustive search, we selected a president with the qualifications, the character, and the vision to lead our university system forward and to build upon the strengths of our world-class university system,” said James Karam, head of the search committee and acting chair of the UMass Board of Trustees, in a statement. “It is an honor to have been asked to lead this world-class and world-renowned university system,” said Caret in a statement. “The University of Massachusetts is one of the nation’s premier public research universities and provides a beacon of hope and opportunity for so many.  I look forward to building upon its tradition of excellence in academics, research, and public service.” Caret, 63, has been the president of Towson University since 2003. He served as a faculty member, dean, executive vice president, and provost of Towson University for 21 years before leaving to assume the presidency of San Jose State University in 1995. Caret is credited with helping to reinvigorate the San Jose State University campus, and he championed a joint city/university effort to build the Martin Luther King Jr. Library there. As president of Towson University, Caret has created partnerships with regional business, nonprofit, and civic organizations in Maryland.  He became a founding member of the Maryland Business Council in 2004 and serves as the honorary chairman of the Maryland Council on Education. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the CollegeBound Foundation, the Board of Governors for the Center Club, the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board, and the P-20 Leadership Council.  He also serves on the Board of Directors for 1st Mariner Bancorp and on the Board of Advisors for Evergreen Capital LLC.  He was inducted into the Baltimore County Chamber Business Hall of Fame in 2006 and was awarded the Towson University Hillel Gesher Award in 2010. Caret is a member of the University of Maryland Foundation Board of Directors. He recently served on the NCAA Presidential Task Force on the Future of Intercollegiate Athletics and is a member of its Presidential Advisory Group and Football Academic Working Group. He also has served on the American Flag Foundation Board of Directors, the Board of Directors of the American Council of Education (ACE), and the Board of Directors for the American Assoc. of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).  He currently serves on the executive steering committee of the AASCU Millennium Leadership Initiative (MLI). Caret has authored many articles on chemistry, chemical education, and higher education for business and professional publications. He is the co-author of four textbooks in the fields of organic chemistry and allied health chemistry. The Maryland Chapter of the American Chemical Society recognized Caret’s achievements by honoring him with the George L. Braude Award in 2005. He is a native of Maine who received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of New Hampshire in 1974 and his bachelor of science degree in chemistry and mathematics from Suffolk University in 1969.  Caret’s honorary degrees include a doctor of humane letters degree from San Jose State University (2004) and National Hispanic University (1997) and a doctor of science degree from Suffolk University (1996). Current UMass President Wilson is retiring from the presidency after eight years to return to teaching.  He will become the distinguished professor of Higher Education, Emerging Technologies and Innovation at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

More State Residents
Lost Homes to
Foreclosure in 2010
BOSTON — The number of completed foreclosures in Massachusetts jumped almost 32% in 2010 to 12,233, up from 9,269 in 2009, but did not surpass the record 12,430 foreclosures recorded in 2008, according to the latest report from the Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman. The number of foreclosure petitions, meanwhile, declined 14.3% to 23,933 last year from 27,928 in 2009. “It’s a big concern that more homeowners lost their homes to foreclosure in 2010 than in the prior year,” said Timothy Warren Jr., CEO of the Warren Group, in a statement. “One bright spot is that fewer people entered the foreclosure process compared to a year ago. This is despite a slumping economy and high unemployment. These statistics for petitions to foreclose are skewed by lenders who slowed their foreclosure processing in the last four months of the year. It’s important to remain cautious heading into 2011, and not assume we are out of the woods yet.” Foreclosure petitions — the first step in the foreclosure process in Massachusetts — dropped dramatically in December. A total of 733 starts were recorded, a 64.4% drop from 2,060 in December 2009. Petitions also dropped from November 2010, when there were 1,109 starts recorded. The number of foreclosure petitions exceeded 2,000 for eight months in 2010, falling below that level for the past three consecutive months. In December, there were 481 foreclosure deeds, a nearly 44% drop from 857 deeds recorded in December 2009. Foreclosure deeds represent completed foreclosures. Deeds bumped up in December from a month earlier; there were 418 recorded in November. Foreclosure deeds reached their highest point earlier in the year, peaking at 1,391 in March. Both foreclosure petitions and deeds dropped in the fourth quarter. A total of 2,969 foreclosure petitions were recorded in the fourth quarter of 2010, down almost 53% from the 6,293 petitions during the same period in 2009. Foreclosure deeds dropped to 1,456 in the fourth quarter, a 41.1% decline from 2,473 deeds in the fourth quarter of 2009. The fourth quarter marked the slowest activity for both petitions and deeds this year. Year-to date petitions were down in every county except Nantucket County. A total of 88 foreclosure petitions were recorded in 2010, up almost 9% from 81 in 2009. On the contrary, deeds also increased in every county in 2010, except Nantucket and Dukes counties. There were 12 completed foreclosures in Nantucket County in all of 2010, down from 25 in 2009. Dukes County saw no change in its foreclosure deeds in 2010 — there were 38 completed foreclosures in both 2009 and 2010. The Warren Group also tracked a large increase in auction announcements in 2010. A total of 29,227 auction announcements were tracked in 2010, a 50.6% increase from 19,441 in 2009. Auction announcements in December totaled 1,076, a 50% drop from 2,152 in November, and also declined 44.3% from 1,931 during the same month in 2009.

Director Sought for Leadership Pioneer Valley
SPRINGFIELD — Leadership Pioneer Valley (LPV), a new regional leadership initiative for the 69 communities and three counties (Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin) that comprise the Pioneer Valley, has launched its search for a program director. The director, who will be the first to hold this position, will oversee an array of LPV program activities, most importantly the recruitment of emerging, diverse leaders to strengthen the region by fostering a sense of community pride, responsibility, and dedication. Leadership Pioneer Valley is an advanced leadership-development program housed within the Pioneer Valley Regional Ventures Center Inc., the companion nonprofit of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. LPV was established last year to recruit, develop, and support succeeding generations of the region’s leaders through dynamic education and civic-engagement programs that foster the skills, collaboration, and commitment needed to build a healthy, vibrant, and culturally competent Pioneer Valley. The new program director will begin work with the aim of recruiting LPV’s first class for fall 2011 and continuing to direct its efforts. The job description for LPV program director is available at www.pvpc.org. Interested candidates must submit a cover letter, résumé, and three references via email by Feb. 1 to Search Committee Chair Ron Ancrum at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; the address is [email protected].

Housing Market Remains ‘Very Volatile’
WASHINGTON — Permits for new homes jumped 16.7% in December compared with private-sector expectations of a 2.9% increase, according to the latest data on new residential construction in December from the Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau. Scheduled changes in building codes in January in California, New York, and Pennsylvania may have been responsible for much of the December increase, as builders sought to obtain permits ahead of the code change. Housing starts declined 4.3% compared with private-sector expectations that they would remain virtually unchanged. “Today’s data show that the housing market is still very volatile from month to month,” said U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke in a statement. “This administration is keenly focused on expanding employment and economic growth, and as job creation progresses, the incomes of the American people will strengthen and help put the housing market back on track.”