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

Abelin, Michael Anthony
33 Norman Ter. Apt. 60
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Alvarado, Greychi
a/k/a Perez, Greychi
28 Allison Lane
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Armitage, Charles R.
Armitage, Marilyn E.
416 Main St., Apt. 401
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Armstrong, Michael J.
26 Hamlin St. Apt. 4
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/21/08

Babbin, Walter F.
Babbin, Eleanor R.
78 Superior Ave.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Baker, Nina M.
334 School St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/19/08

Barton, Robin D.
30 Fairview St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Blow, Bart D.
Blow, Nancy A.
14 Mayfair St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/19/08

Blue Moon Grocery Inc.
Mascaro, Lisa M.
41 Edwards Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Brennan, Mary Ellen
17 Mapleview Dr.
West Stockbridge, MA 01266
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Brito, Jose R.
Cotto, Sheila M.
233 Seymour Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Burns, Daniel A.
Burns, Patricia M.
22 Highland Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Chartier, Joseph P.
Chartier, Shari D.
1808 North Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/19/08

Chicaderis, Judith Star
159 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/28/08

Colon, Angel L.
1279 Dwight St., 2nd Floor
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Corporan, Inocencia S.
663 Summer Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/17/08

Cote’s Family Restaurant
Cote, Michael Maurice
Cote, Joanne Marie
44 Spring St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/28/08

Cox, Bernard
PO Box 91211
Springfield, MA 01139
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Crigger, Terresa K.
a/k/a Sherman, Terresa K.
321 Dorset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/19/08

Cromack, Brian D.
111 Hollow Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/17/08

Czypryna, April A.
Czypryna, Christopher S.
60 South Liberty St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Daneault, Nancy Ann
519 East River St. Lot 8
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Demarey, Dawn Marie
280 Rock Valley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/28/08

Depianta, Darren John
Sendek, Cheryl M.
37 Woodcrest Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Desanctis, Tina M.
28 Grassy Meadow Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Dias, Armind G.
Dias, Julie A.
27 Shirley St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Dosreis, David S.
371 Main St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Dowd-Ramos, Kerry Ann
9 Cherryvale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Drawec, Patricia A.
35 Paula Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Driscoll Photography
Driscoll, John T.
Driscoll, Andrea J.
11 Bethel St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Drumm, Michelle A.
742 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/19/08

Erskine, Thomas H.
Erskine, Dianne E.
156 Beekman Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Felix, Amaryllis
Denizard, Amaryllis
392 Allen Park Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Finch, Jason R.
Finch, Amanda M.
a/k/a Holden, Amanda M.
16 Carpenter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/20/08

Fleury, Jeannine R.
a/k/a McBride, Jeannine R.
16 Pearl Lena Court
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Flores, Johanny
Rosario, Jesus
1143 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Flowers by Sandra
Polcaro, Sandra M.
a/k/a Schlesinger, Sandra M.
a/k/a Bucchio, Sandra M.
18 Adah St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Gaudette, Lawrence Edward
P.O. Box 565
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/28/08

Gebeau, Carlyle B.
Minor, Susan A.
79 Yorktown Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Gerald, Karen C.
12 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Germain, Alice M.
133 Jabish St. Apt. E5
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/28/08

Giard, Steven E.
2092 Palmer Road
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Ginman, Ronald E.
18 Lotus Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Gleason, Christine A.
44 Lake Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/28/08

Gorecki, Michelle M.
14 Ashmont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Hodgson, Chester George
19-B Brodeur St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/28/08

Hotte, Randy D.
PO Box 695
Chicopee, MA 01021
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Houle, James H.
Houle, Patricia J.
266 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/20/08

Howland, Roger G.
146 Temby St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Jones, John P.
Jones, Bonnie L.
750 East St.
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Kupperman, Mitchell J.
115 Quinnehtuk Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

  

Lasorsa, Ronald Scott
PO Box 1363
Stockbridge, MA 01262
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

LeBlanc, Danielle Cecile
24 Kaveney St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Lezinski, Michael A.
54 Athol St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Magnani, John P.
Magnani, Debra B.
69 Kenmore Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Marigliano, Mark J.
Marigliano, Maria R.
a/k/a Butler, Maria R.
294 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/28/08

Martinez, Jacqueline
82 Harvey St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Martinez, Juan B.
Martinez, Nancy A.
67 State St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Martins, Neil V.
Martins, Marti-Ann E.
826 East St., Apt. 12
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

McKinney, Awilda
a/k/a Colon, Awilda
477 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/17/08

Menard, Danielle D.
61 Brookline Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Mercado, Lourdes J.
33 Salem St., Apt. 3A
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Molleur, Wayne G.
Molleur, Dorene A.
a/k/a Mongue-Molleur, Dorene A.
22 Jordan St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Morin, Jeffrey L
25 1/2 East Bartlett St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Morrison, Mary C.
1477 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Murray, David M.
17 Neptune Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Niles, Steven A.
21 Yarmouth St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Palucci, Mary Ann
42 Clinton Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Pelaez, Yenny C.
201 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/17/08

Pelletier, Wayne John
16 Ridge Hill Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/20/08

Phillips, Garrett Ryan
35 Shattuck St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/19/08

Pinard, Beth Jaye
4 Princeton Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/26/08

Platenik, Jeffrey E.
235 State St., Unit #2
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Popko, Susan K.
49 Stewart Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Provost, Jerome V.
122 Bellwood Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Raposa-Gonet, Margaret
37 Francis Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/19/08

Reynolds, Brian W.
Reynolds, Diane L.
15 Temple St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/17/08

Reynoso, Leocadio M.
526 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Rodriguez, Enid
80 Parkside Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Rodriguez, Nereida L.
56 Terrence St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/20/08

Rosario-Diaz, Luis A.
P.O. Box 2602
Holyoke, MA 01041
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Safford, Steven J.
Safford, Barbara A.
221 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/16/08

Santiago, Leonor
20 Tracy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/17/08

Santos, Ivor R.
Santos, Aletta P.
118 Pasco Road
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Santos, Joseph A.
Santos, Natalie P.
230 Jeffrey Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/25/08

Sevene, Rebecca L.
368 Country Club Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Seward, Wallace L.
Seward, Sylvia A.
43 Froman St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Siano, Patricia I.
17 Young Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Streeter, Sandra
PO Box 761
Bernardston, MA 01337
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/17/08

Sweet, Norman Mark
Sweet, Judi Behan
194 Redfern Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/28/08

Taveras-Rodriguez, Victoria M.
124 Kirkland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/20/08

Towne, Patrick J.
Towne, Annalisa
15 Walnut St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/21/08

Turgeon, Joseph R.
Turgeon, Dorothy G.
31 Keddy Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/20/08

Velazquez, Maribel
11 Raymond Place, Apt. 1
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Velez, Blanca I.
310 Nottingham St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/24/08

Vincent, Mary E.
182 Butternut Hollow Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/17/08

Wallace, Anthony
Wallace, Leslie
21 Laurel Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/19/08

Washburne, Samuel R.
Washburne, Kelly
25 West Glen St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/16/08

West, Benjamin C.
West, Nadine M.
a/k/a Rogers, Nadine M.
46 Bissell Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Wiseman & Son Transportation
Wiseman, James T.
38 High St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/18/08

Y-Knot Trucking
Y-Knot Equine Center,
Y-Knot Stable
Petell, Oliver Edgar
Petell, Carol Patricia
a/k/a Cronin, Carol Patricia
53 Center St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/19/08

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Departments

Chicopee Bancorp Opens South Hadley Branch

CHICOPEE — The newest Chicopee Savings Bank opened its doors on Dec. 15 at 32 Willimansett St., South Hadley. The full-service branch offers two drive-through teller windows, a 24-hour drive-up ATM, and night depository service. This is the bank’s seventh branch location, and as part of expansion plans, Chicopee Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Chicopee Savings Bank, is preparing to open its eighth branch in Ware later this month. Visit www.chicopeesavings.com for more information.

Atlantic Fasteners Receives Lockheed Martin Contracts

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Lockheed Martin recently awarded Atlantic Fasteners two-year contracts totaling $940,000. The aerospace division of Atlantic Fasteners won the contract bids in December, the largest to date in the division’s history. The contracts’ combined value is nearly five times higher than the division’s previous two-year contract with Lockheed Martin, according to Marc Dionne, director of the aerospace division. An authorized Lockheed Martin supplier since 2000, Atlantic’s aerospace division has earned exceptional quality and delivery ratings in the high 90s and often 100% from Lockheed Martin, according to Dionne. Dionne added that recent steps to increase the aerospace division’s national visibility by investing in technology have paid off, pointing to the recent introduction of online pricing as one example. Atlantic Fasteners now uses a bar-code inventory-management system and offers online ordering, RFID, and electronic invoicing. Through December 2010, Atlantic Fasteners will supply hundreds of fastener varieties to Lockheed Martin’s business units across the country. Atlantic Fasteners is an employee-owned company that stocks thousands of varieties of military, aerospace, and commercial fasteners.

Lenox Softworks Launches Microscope Software Program

LENOX — Lenox Softworks (LSW) recently debuted a Mac-compatible version of LX-ProScope HR, a customized version of the LUXUS software used with handheld USB microscopes. Patrick Consolati, product manager, noted that these capabilities make the LX-ProScope HR applicable to several industries, but its uses in health care are particularly diverse. Consolati added that its use in health care fields includes dermatology to evaluate skin changes. The technology creates a digital record of any fluctuations in a skin spot’s color or size and evaluates the overall health of skin and hair. Using the enhanced software, LX-ProScope HR provides for images to be captured at various screen resolutions, using an array of interchangeable, fixed lenses that magnify up to 400 times. The Windows version of the software was released by LSW last year. In addition to the recent Mac launch, Consolati said a host of new features have also been added to enhance both versions. LUXUS LX-ProScope HR was conceived in 2003 through a collaboration between LSW and Bodelin Technologies, based in Lake Oswego, Ore. Visit www.luxussoftware.com for more information.

Baystate Medical Earns Fifth Beacon Award

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Medical Center’s Daly 6-2 Surgical Intermediate Care Unit has joined the ranks of the top health care teams in the nation, becoming one of only two such units to win the American Assoc. of Critical Care Nurses’ Beacon Award. Baystate has won five Beacon Awards altogether. The hospital’s Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) earlier this year won a critical care Beacon Award for the fourth consecutive time. Intermediate care units meet an important need for care for patients who are too sick for a standard medical-surgical unit but do not require the level of care provided in an ICU, according to Deborah Morsi, vice president of Patient Care Services for Baystate, and chief nursing officer for Baystate Health. Morsi commended the Daly 6-2 nursing and patient care team for their dedication and commitment to providing the best care to patients. As recipient of a Beacon, Daly 6-2 met rigid criteria for excellence, adhering to high standards of quality in leadership, recruiting, and training nurses, and caring for patients and their families.

Loomis Communities Supports Nonprofits

Throughout 2008, employees and residents of the Loomis Communities worked collaboratively to raise more than $19,000 in support of other nonprofit organizations across the region. Outreach efforts included conducting blood drives for Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Mercy Medical Center, and the American Red Cross, and selling Valentine’s Day cookies to benefit the American Heart Assoc. In addition, residents and staff participated in the daffodil sale and Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society, and partnered with the Sodexo Foundation with the Power of Change campaign to benefit the Food Bank of Western Mass. Organizations also benefiting from the Loomis Communities’ efforts included the Alzheimer’s Assoc., Brightside for Families and Children, and the Holyoke Visiting Nurse Assoc. Loomis Communities is a nonprofit continuing care retirement community that provides lifestyle and health care options to enrich the lives of older adults. The communities include Applewood at Amherst, Loomis House in Holyoke, and Loomis Village in South Hadley.

Rockridge Residents Raise Money for Food Bank

NORTHAMPTON — Once a month, Rockridge Retirement Community residents give up dessert for a day and instead donate that money to the Food Bank of Western Mass. During the holiday season, Rockridge residents presented their first $150 check to the Food Bank. Rockridge spends approximately $50 per day on making homemade desserts for residents, according to Diana Hitchcock, director of dining services. No-Dessert Day at Rockridge has allowed the community to donate $50 per month to the Food Bank. Beth Vettori, executive director at Rockridge, added that what the residents agreed to do reflects on the overall mission of the community. She noted that No-Dessert Day is a “powerful example” of the way residents inspire on a daily basis to give of themselves to help others in need.

Insurance Center Answers the Call

WEST SPRINGFIELD — After the recent ice storm that affected several hilltown counties, hundreds of calls regarding damage claims flooded into the Heritage Insurance Agency — which was also hit hard with electrical and communication outages. Its sister agency, the Insurance Center of New England, came to the rescue by deploying resources to answer customers’ calls and concerns about the damages to their property. The Insurance Center was able to redirect calls to its West Springfield location from customers calling to report claims on their cell phones. The Insurance Center of New England is a division of ICNE Group, a regional insurance agency for commercial products, group employee benefits, and personal insurance lines based in West Springfield. ICNE Group also operates offices in Chicopee, Gardner, Athol, Danvers, Fitchburg, Lowell, and Winchendon.

MBA Foundation Donates to WestMass ElderCare

HOLYOKE — An early holiday present was delivered recently by the Mass. Bankers Assoc. Foundation to the offices of WestMass ElderCare Inc., for its ongoing charitable purposes. Celebrating its 12th anniversary, the foundation awarded $5,000 to WestMass ElderCare through the nomination of PeoplesBank. WestMass ElderCare programs include elder home care, congregate and home-delivered meals, personal care management, adult foster care, nursing home ombudsmen, money management, and supportive housing programs. More than 3,000 individuals are served through its programs and services, according to Priscilla Chalmers, executive director of WestMass ElderCare. Chalmers noted that the organization was “extremely humbled” by the acknowledgement. The MBA Foundation has contributed more than $1 million to community organizations since it was created in 1996.

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Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of December 2008.

AGAWAM

Edward T. Mish Silversmith
214 Springfield St.
Edward T. Mish

G.D Business Ventures
37 Elizabeth St.
Gary Dionne

AMHERST

Emily’s Vision Co.
381 Flat Hills Road
Emily O. Sweet

KF Web Development
340 Riverglade Dr.
Fabrice Ketchaken

CHICOPEE

A-Certive Removal Services
72 Arcade St.
Justin Dansereau

Dance For Joy
222 Langevin St.
Dawn Jarrell

J & G Repair Services
32 Granville Ave.
John F. Thomas

RS Computer Solutions
232 Exchange St.
Rolando Santos

Sisters C
234 Langevin St.
Phyllis L. McComaha

EAST LONGMEADOW

Avalanche Landscape Design
40 Crane Ave.
Eric Weichselbaumer

A.W. Brown TBW Inc.
144 Shaker Road
Thomas B. Wheeler

Foy Miller Associates
14 Overbrook Road
Foy M. Miller

Learning Styles, LLC
34 Shaker Road
Susan T. Fino

Mec’s Landscaping Inc.
32 Hampden Road
Alessandro F. Meccia

Omega Cleaners of East Longmeadow Inc.
14 Harkness Ave.
Joo B. Lee

GREENFIELD

Gingi Enterprises
278 Main St.
Eugene T. Vanasse

HADLEY

Valley Bookkeeping
100 Venture Way
Janet Jefflon

HOLYOKE

Downtown Delight
285 High St.
Carol Ann Stewart

Go Games
50 Holyoke St.
Neil Aubuchon

Greasecar Vegetable Fuel Systems
933 Main St.
Justin J. Carven

Holyoke Tire & Auto Services Inc.
1274 Dwight St.
Peter Kearning

Manny’s Market
157 Sargeant St.
Nelson Azcona

LONGMEADOW

Berkshire Facial Surgery Inc.
171 Dwight St.
P. Anthony Perry

Brian Sullivan Photography
79 Allen Road
Brian Sullivan

Comprehensive Consulting Associates
144 Cooley Dr.
Michelle Aube

Paine in the Glass
18 Maplewood St.
Richard Miner

NORTHAMPTON

DPI Communications
32 Gregory Lane
E. Katerina Missry

Power Dog
123 Hawley St.
Elizabeth E. Powers

The Benefit Partnership
7 Main St.
Michael Ippolito

The Zen Den Massage Therapy
45 Main St.
Adrian S. Richmond


  

PALMER

Muscles in Motion
4023 Main St.
Adelei Bernard

SOUTH HADLEY

Crack of Dawn
20 Bridge St.
Frederick Wohlers

Griffin Online Solutions
333 Granby Road
Rita M. Griffin

Houles Family Catering
50 Lamb St.
Michael Houle

R & L Home and Business Inventory
9 Woodcrest Lane
Robert Lewko

Stoney’s Pub
1-3 Bridge St.
Jay Hebert

SOUTHWICK

Silver Threads
63 Hastings Road
Jean Lamaureaux

SNO Software
8 Pine Knoll
Austin Snow

SPRINGFIELD

Laksom Gallery of Fine Art
28 Parker St.
Gary J. Moskal

Liberty Jean Co.
260 Worthington St.
Shamika Santos

Lil This And That Boutique
240 Walnut St.
Suzette M. Cotton

Litchfield Plumbing
493 Forest Hills Road

Pay Less Oil
2 Amboy Court
Robert Paquette

Perez Landscaping & Snow
1157 Sumner Ave.
Edwin Perez Sr.

R.M. Sullivan Transportation
649 Cottage St.
Therese S. Walch

RHJ Productions
28 West Laramee Green
Tina Griffin-Clark

Sky-Com
1179 State St.
Kenny Nguyen

Springfield City Church
34 Goodwin St.
Glenroy Bristol

The School Store
43 Northampton Ave.
Henry George Cockett

Vance Advertising
76 Palo Alto Road
David Behnk

Wholesale Auto Outlet
480 Central St.
Attilio Cardaropoli

Young Oh Lucky Cleaners
1003 St. James Ave.
Young J. Oh

WESTFIELD

A Time To Grow
6 Mainline Dr.
Cheryl Ouelette

Affordable Technologies
24 Green Pine Lane
Sharon Menard

Billy C’s Jerky, LLC
236 Elm St.
William Chaoush

Second Company
92 Little River Road
Patricia A. Castro

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Adults Only
2025 Riverdale St.
Daniel Andrew Crespo

Bertelli’s Skate Shop
726 Main St.
Jay Passerini

Duquette Electric Co.
395 Morgan Road
James A. Duquette

E-Zee Mart
662 Kings Hwy
Fawad A. Khawaja

Lynn Roofing
216 Day St.
Brian Perdue

Michael Vincent Photography
97 Lancaster Ave.
Michael V. Epaul

By
Departments

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Full Moon International Inc., 15 Benton Dr. East Longmeadow 01028. Oytun Troy, c/o Benza Erden, 136 Silver Birch, Longmeadow 01106. Import and export of various consumer goods.

Grade A Floors Inc., 15 Benton Dr., East Longmeadow 01028. Laurie A. Oyler, same. Sales/flooring.

FEEDING HILLS

MACD Enterprises Inc., 525 Springfield St. Feeding Hills 01030. Mark Danalis, 96 Edmund St. East Longmeadow 01028. Full-service restaurant.

GRANBY

CCLI Corporation 4 Jerry Lane, Granby 01033. Crescenzo Calabrese, same. To operate a restaurant.

GREENFIELD

Greenfield Bancorp MHC, 63 Federal St., Greenfield 01301. E. Tucker, 26 Lawler Dr., Easthampton 01027. Accumulating, loaning, and investing the savings of its members.

Jesse Leasing Company Inc., 52 River St., Greenfield 01301-3117. Cynthia Stasny, Same. Equipment leasing.

HOLYOKE

Carlos Torres Productions Inc., 2 Ivy Ave, Holyoke 01040. Alex Torres, Same. Artist management and representation.

PITTSFIELD

Ice River Springs USA Inc., 66 West St., Pittsfield 01201. James Fallis Gott, Grey Road 31, Feversham, Ontario NOC ICO. To engage in the ownership, improvement, development, maintenance, and management of real estate.

 

SPRINGFIELD

DevelopSpringfield Corporation, 1441 Main St., Suite 111, Springfield 01103
Gary Fialky, 70 Yorktown Dr. Springfield 01108. To aid in the speedy and orderly development or redevelopmentn of property in the city of Springfield.

MEME Air Inc., 35 Fern St., Springfield 01108. Mymie Pham, same. Aircraft rental.

Patriot Fence and railing designs Inc., 50 Trumbull St., Springfield, MA 01104. Jason Simmons, 72 Church St. West Springfield 01089. To engage in the sale, construction, and installation of commercial and residential fences.

Roger L. Putnam Technical Fund Inc., 1380 Main St., Springfield 01103. Franklin York Mayo, 73 High Pine Circle, Wilbraham 01095. To support current and future training courses and programs at Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical High School and to solicit public and private contributions, including machinery and equipment.

Royal Beauty Supply Corp. 1104 State St., Springfield 01009. Elizabeth Kro, 11 Fisher St., Springfield, MA 01009. Beauty supplies.

WESTFIELD

Real Irish Inc., 37 Broad St., Westfield 01085 William P. Farrell, 90 Bigwood Dr., Westfield 01085. To engage in the production and publication of commemorative items for sale to the general public.

William Farrell, Counselor at law, P.C. 37 Broad St., Westfield 01085. William P. Farrell, same. To practice law and provide legal services to individuals and corporate entities.

WILBRAHAM

US Tae Kwon Do Education Foundation Inc., 28 Stoney Hill Road, Wilbraham 01095. Chun Ja Kim, 215 Chislak Dr., Ludlow 01056.To promote sportsmanship in young people.

By
Departments

Northampton Cooperative Bank has promoted Tracey E. Egloff to Vice President. Egloff, the bank’s loan officer, oversees the residential-loan department, supervising underwriting compliance, approving loans and facilitating closings.

•••••

Dr. Carolyn J. Brown has joined the Jewish Geriatric Services Family Medical Care practice. Brown is board-certified in internal medicine and has practiced medicine in the Pioneer Valley for more than 25 years.

•••••

Florence Savings Bank announced the following:
• Edward J. Garbacik has been elected Vice President, Investment Executive, of Financial Services;
• Robert S. Allen has been elected Assistant Officer of the Compliance Department;
• Linda M. Bates has been elected Vice President, Project Director, of the Operations Department, and
• Ian T. Vukovich has been elected Project Officer of the Human Resources Department.

•••••

Janel Beaulieu has been named the Business Development and Sales Manager at TD Banknorth in Hadley.

•••••

Baystate Dental has added Dr. Nadia Church to the general dentistry practice. Church is welcoming new patients at all six Baystate Dental locations.

•••••

PeoplesBank in Holyoke announced the following:
• Sheila F. King-Goodwin has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Retail Banking;
• Stacy A. Sutton has been promoted to First Vice President, Retail Banking;
• Joseph R. Zazzaro has been promoted to First Vice President, Information Technology, and
• Duane H. Camp has been promoted to First Vice President, Consumer Lending.

•••••

Family Wealth Management Inc. announced that Doug Wheat has joined the company as a Financial Planner.

•••••

Kira Dunn has been named Executive Director of the Mass. Commission on the Status of Women in Boston. The organization conducts public hearings across the state to assess the issues of most importance to women in the Commonwealth, and also conducts the annual Unsung Heroines of Massachusetts Awards at the State House each spring.

•••••

Deborah A. Geisler has been named Branch Manager of the ninth full-service branch office of Hampden Bank in Longmeadow.

•••••

MassMutual Retirement Services in Springfield announced the following:
• Ian Sheridan has been named President of First Mercantile Trust;
• Stan Label has been appointed Vice President and National Sales Manager for First Mercantile, and
• Four members of First Mercantile’s existing management have been named to Sheridan’s senior leadership team. Alan Dunaway, Vice President, Business Development, will oversee First Mercantile’s key accounts, TPA channel, and the distributor development unit headed by Susan Conrad. James Pratt will continue to lead First Mercantile’s finance operation, including oversight of the company’s operations team led by Pamela Greenwood, Director of Operations.

•••••

Cary Szafranski has been hired as an Associate Attorney at Gelinas & Lefebvre, P.C. in Chicopee.

•••••

Holly J. Fuller has been elected by the Easthampton Savings Bank Board of Directors to serve as Branch Officer at the Locust Street office in Northampton.

•••••

Holyoke Medical Center announced the following:
• Dr. David Tupponce has been elected President of the Medical Staff;
• Dr. Vijay Gandevia has been elected Vice President of the Medical Staff, and
• Dr. Brigid Glackin has been elected Secretary/Treasurer.

•••••

Peter Pan Bus Lines in Springfield announced the following:
• Bruce Westcott has been named Vice President of Business Development. He is responsible for sales and marketing strategies for Peter Pan Bus Lines and the Peter Pan-owned companies Camfour-Hill Country and Belt Technologies.
• Joanne Berwald has been named Director of Human Resources.

•••••

Kerry A. Haberlin has joined Rankin & Sultan, based in Boston, as an Associate. Haberlin previously served as a judicial intern for The Honorable Bruce M. Selya of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She also interned for the Joint Committee on Public Service, Massachusetts General Court.

By
Departments

Soup Kitchen Donation

Chicopee Savings Bank participated in a check presentation from the Mass. Bankers Assoc. (MBA) Charitable Foundation to Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen on Center Street in Chicopee. From left are William Wagner, Chicopee Savings Bank president and CEO; Lorraine Houle, director of Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen; Michael Williams, a member of the Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen board of directors, chairman of its fund-raising committee, and vice president of the Chicopee Savings Financial Services Center; Berdie Thompson, charitable gifts coordinator for Chicopee Savings; Dan Forte, president and CEO of the MBA; and Jerry Roy, president of the Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen board of directors.

Scholarship Winner

Springfield Technical Community College Energy Systems Technology student Jamie Tomas receives a $2,000 scholarship from W.W. Grainger, a supplier of facilities-maintenance products serving business and institutions in Canada, China, Mexico, and the U.S. Tomas, of Indian Orchard, is one of only 35 students in the U.S. to receive the award this year. From left are Michael Siciliano, Energy Systems Technology professor at STCC; John Duffy, branch manager, Industrial Supply Division at Grainger; Tomas; Robert Bujak, department chair, Energy Systems Technology at STCC; and Bill Piccolo, district branch service manager for Grainger.

By
Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of December 2008.

AGAWAM

APEX Energy Efficiency Consultants
157 Cambridge St.
Jonathan Wollmershauser

BMT Trucking
357 North Westfield St.
Robert Gosselin

Canterbury Safe
369 Walnut St.
Carmen Ortiz

Gary Dionne Business Ventures
37 Elizabeth St.
Garry Dionne

Interstate Properties LLC
88 Katherine Dr.
Robert O’Neil

Lime Light Entrepreneurial Group
262 Meadow St.
Thaddeus Krutka

Pananas Restaurant
916 Suffield St.
Vasilios Pananas

Paris Nails
336 North Westfield St.
Myly Yv

Prima Commercial Products
32 Century St.
FleetPride Inc.

Precise Machine Co.
1708 Main St.
David G. Hershon

The Dream Team
580 Main St.
Gregg Kretsch

WEBTXDIRECT
417 Springfield St.
Timothy Tlusty

AMHERST

All Aspects Research
24 Saco Dr.
Keri Hertner

Amherst Tire Center
292 College St.
Peter Greenberg

Lyra Cleaning Services
170 East Hadley St.
Romulo Lyra

CHICOPEE

Dawn Marie’s Visage
357 Front St.
Khushal Gogri

Harvest Valley
2009 Memorial Dr.
Jo Ann Wrona

T & H Truck Sales Inc.
235 Meadow St.
Hemantkumar Patel

The Health & Nutrition King
35 Baltic Ave.
Steven James King

Tylunas Funeral Home
159 Broadway St.
CSI Funeral Services of Mass. Inc.

EASTHAMPTON

K & M Cycle
97 Glendale St.
Michael Link

La Casita Azteca
58 Cottage St.
Alberto Lopez

PGL Management
41 South St.
William Pacto

Strange Child Productions
283 East St.
Jennifer Iannaconi

GREENFIELD

New England Speech Therapy Group
976 Bernardston Road
Staci Grant

HADLEY

Center for Hollistic Health
8 River Dr.
Richard Martin

Home Depot
350 Russell St.
Duane Portwood

HOLYOKE

El Cuatrito Inc.
325 Main St.
Pablo Diaz

Green Property Management
285 Hamden St.
Rebecca Rivera

Holyoke Auto Sales LLC
69 Jackson St.
Miguel A. Rivera

  

Marmesenia Cakes
92 Suffolk St.
Rosa Burgos

NORTHAMPTON

B & G Accessories
43 Fox Farm Road
Bernyce Grant

Chiropractic And Wellness Center
24 Center St.
Dr. M. McTanney

Communicate Health
4 Linden St.
Stacy Robison

Strides & Brides
9 Market St.
Elizabeth Karney

PALMER

Haley Trucking
60 Randall St.
Eric C. Haley

The Tranny Shop
1207 South Main St.
Samuel L. Wilson

SOUTH HADLEY

Arborarts.com
18 Priestly Farms Road
Carl Geitz

El Guanaco
61 Bridge St.
Juan Carlos Cornejo

Faye’s Home Improvement
24 Main St.
Ryan L. Faye

SOUTHWICK

La Petite Jolie Designs
102 Post Grove Road
Laura Sardella

SPRINGFIELD

Abiding Truth Ministries
455 State St.
Scott Lively

D.B. Failey and Associates
274 Christopher Dr.
David B. Failey

Double Jays Home Improvement
480 Grayson Dr.
Joshua Montanez

Economy Landscaping
88 Better Way
Frank J. Silva

Father & Sons Delivery
30 Second St.
Jose R. Portorreal

Joseph Mini Mart
135 Dwight St.
Hamidah Imran

Porfirio’s Property Service
182 Main St.
Mercedes Porfirio

Stop & Go Market
91-93 Chestnut St.
Farman Elahi

Wild Vine Hosting
83 Grandview St.
Nathan Andrew DeLong

WESTFIELD

Beth Brett Massage Therapy
41 Court St.
Elizabeth C. Brett

Game City
82 Elm St.
Truong Nguyen

J & A Overhead Door
16 Wilson Ave.
Brian Harvey

LBI Truck & Bus Repair
14 Delmont Ave.
Dana Lecrenski

Reliable Preventative Maintenance
150 Tannery Road
Steven Amlaw

Ricky’s Porta-Pottys
336 Paper Mill Road
Richard Guyott

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Angelo Bertelli’s Liquor Mart
726 Main St.
Harold Passerini

Bertera Lincoln Mercury Inc.
499 Riverdale St.
Aldo M. Bertera

Bertera Suzuki
499 Riverdale St.
Bertera Lincoln Corp.

By
Departments

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties, and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGAWAM

LRG Financial Inc., 430 Main St., Agawam 01001. David I. Arriagas, 610 Dickinson St., Springfield 01108. Financial services and counsel.

Reliance Laser Inc., 630 Silver St., unit 4A, Agawam 01001. Joseph L. Lovetti, 35 Speer Farm Road, Feeding Hills 01030 To engage in welding and cutting of small medical components for the medical industry.

AMHERST

Amherst Mission Church, 23 Woodlot Road, Amherst, MA 01002. Byung H. Kim, same. To reach out and spread the gospel to people who do not believe Jesus is Christ.

Electromaterials Inc., 23 Wildwood Lane, Amherst 01002. Jing Wang, same.
Research, development, and commercialization of novel energy storage structures and related materials.

BELCHERTOWN

Breakaway Retail Enterprises Inc., 315 Springfield Road, Belchertown 01007.
Eric Kosciusko, same. To carry on all or any of the businesses of merchants, importers, exporters, wholesale and retail dealers, of and in goods of all kind.

CHICOPEE

Atmy Corp., 810 Meadow St., Chicopee 01013 Muhammad Yasin, 1 Colonial Ave., Barrington, R.I. 02806. To conduct retail convenience store.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Artistic Dance Conservatory Corp., 357 Shaker Road East Longmeadow 01028.
Jennifer Dubilo, 7 East Circle Dr., East Longmeadow 01028. Charitable educational or scientific purposes.

FLORENCE

Omniwatt Energy Inc., 33 High Meadow Road, Florence 01062. Paul Vesel, same. To develop, acquire, manage, restructure, own, sell, broker, and otherwise commercially deal in and with power supply stations and facilities.

GRANBY

Manav Petroleum Inc., 30 West State St., Granby 01033. Ketki Vakil, 93 East Bay Ave., Manhawkin, N.J. 08050. To operate and manage a gas station and convenience store.

HOLYOKE

John D. Dinapoli Charitable Organization Inc., 138 Appleton St., Holyoke 01040 Gary Wagner, 17 Holly Meadow Road, Holyoke 01040. To provide scholarships to individuals and grants to other not-for-profit organizations in Holyoke and the surrounding communities.

  

LUDLOW

AJE Financial Corporation, 364 East St., Ludlow 01056. Robin Lee Wdowiak, 72 Norwich Road, Ludlow 01056. To own, operate, and carry on a financial service office.

PALMER

Neeco Inc., 15 Third St., Palmer 01069. Gary Como, 34 Bragg Dr., Warren 01083. Equipment sales and repairs.

SOUTHWICK

Guo’s New King Yen Too Restaurant Inc., 648 College Highway, Southwick 01077.
Joyce Guo, same. To operate a restaurant.

SPRINGFIELD

Big T’S Towing and Recovery Inc., 45 Claremont St., Springfield, MA 01108. Traleck Dickson, 132 Fort Pleasant Ave. Springfield, MA 01108. To teach students how to handle hook ups and towing and the safety that needs to be involved with towing
and recovery of vehicles.

CBA Charlton Housing Inc., 322 Main Street, C/O Hap Inc., Springfield 01105.
Thomas B. Zatko, 4 Meadowlark Dr. East Longmeadow 01028. Development or re-development, ownership, and operation of affordable rental housing.

Dartmouth Street Marketing Inc., 95 Dartmouth St. Springfield 01109. Marilyn B. Feldman, same. Engage in E-commerce.

Devine Trucking Inc., 20 Oakdale St., Springfield 01104. Michael D. Devine, 23 Valley Road, Sturbridge 01566. Trucking and warehousing service.

Hickson Law Group P.C., 51 Taylor St., Springfield 01103. Joseph M. Hickson, III, same. Law practice.

WESTFIELD

Momentum Properties Inc., 1817 East Mountain Road, Westfield 01085. Heather Grincavitch, same. To acquire equity thru property and rehab, rent manage, and other processing.

By
Departments

Acts of Kindness

Major Thomas Perks of the Salvation Army of Springfield helps kick off the 24th annual Hasbro Children’s Giving Tree program at the Eastfield Mall. Members of the East Longmeadow High School chorale group are in the background. Through the program, which ran through Dec. 12, Hasbro partners with the Salvation Army, the United Way of Pioneer Valley, Rachel’s Table, and the community to get toys, games and non-perishable food items to underprivileged children and families in the Springfield area. Hasbro donates the toys and games, while community members donate non-perishable food items and perform ‘Acts of Kindness.’

Link to Libraries

Meyers Bros. Kalicka, CPA, in Holyoke; and Link to Libraries, a not-for-profit organization based in Western Mass. whose mission is to collect and distribute to public elementary schools and non-profit organizations throughout Western Mass. new books to enhance reading, literacy, and language skills to children of all cultures, are pictured at the December holiday donation of new books to Sullivan Elementary School in Holyoke. Meyers Bros. Kalicka Managing Partner David Kalicka (middle, left) represented the firm as corporate sponsor for the Sullivan Elementary School holiday book drive. More than 300 books were donated by the firm for the Sullivan School and other area schools in the region. Also pictured are: Susan Jaye-Kaplan, co-founder of Link to Libraries (next to David Kalicka); Janet Kalicka, Sullivan School staff representative; and Sullivan School Principal John Breish.

Rosa Parks Day

The fourth annual Rosa Parks Day commemoration was held on Dec. 5 at Springfield Technical Community College. The event at STCC, which marks the anniversary of Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala. bus, featured Springfield-area guest speakers who were active in the civil rights movement. Here, speakers pose with a group of students and a teacher from William DeBerry School. Left to right, from the middle back: Frederick Hurst, publisher of Afro-American Point of View; E. Henry Twiggs, Chair of the Springfield Democratic City Committee and a member of the Rosa Parks Day Organizing Committee; Dr. Ruth B. Loving; and state Rep. Benjamin Swan.

By the Numbers

Pollster John Zogby, president and CEO of Zogby International, addressed a gathering of more than 100 members and friends of the World Affairs Council of Western Mass. on his new book, “The Way We’ll Be,” at the Springfield Sheraton Hotel on Dec. 3. The event was sponsored by FieldEddy, A. L. Cignoli Co., and BusinessWest. Here, Zogby talks with some attendees prior to his address.

Open for Business

Ribbon-cutting ceremonies were staged recently at Agawam Crossing, a new medical and office building on Route 75. At left, Ken Vincunas, president of Development Associates and developer of the project, chats with Agawam Mayor Susan Dawson, who was on hand to help cut the ceremonial ribbon. Above, Stacy Magiera, practice administrator, and Christopher Magiera, DMD, PC, stand at the booth of the new general dentistry offices of Christopher J. Magiera, one of many tenants now doing business in Agawam Crossing, including Individual & Family Counseling Center, Baystate Rehabilitation Care, and Anytime Fitness.

OPINION

By
Opinion
A Head-on Approach to Green-based Prosperity

As our nation struggles with the global economic crisis, President-elect Obama and Congress must find the right measures to stimulate the economy today and invest wisely to create sustained prosperity. Obama recognizes an extraordinary opportunity exists to restart the economy and combat the threat of global warming by launching a green New Deal, but our long-term success greatly depends on educating skilled workers for new technical fields.

Obama has outlined an immediate plan to create 2.5 million jobs through green-based initiatives, such as building wind farms and solar panels. This first step must be complemented with a long-term strategy that improves the environmental and economic sustainability of our nation.

Through a national green initiative, centered at our public research universities, we can meet this challenge and emerge with a more sustainable environment and economy in the short and longer term.

This national green initiative, which would be launched in coordination with the flagship research universities across the country, would have three parts but one simple goal — building the human and capital infrastructure necessary to compete in the decades ahead, while simultaneously infusing millions of dollars into the private sector right away in building the facilities needed to create tomorrow’s green technology breakthroughs.

The federal government would create a loan-forgiveness program that would allow students in science, technology, engineering, and math to have their student loans partially or completely forgiven in return for a multi-year commitment to teaching in these fields in K-12 schools. Every state is facing shortages in qualified teachers, and at a time when the job market is increasingly difficult, there’s never been a better time to encourage bright, young people to become teachers.

To educate these students, each state’s public research university would develop a proposal to build or renovate the laboratories and classrooms necessary to train both workers and educators in math and sciences as well as environmental sciences and related fields. These facilities would drive innovation and research breakthroughs as well as provide valuable learning space. To support this, the federal government would establish a $50 billion fund for such construction across the nation, and encourage universities to match these federal funds with state and private support. At the same time, the universities would be required to plan to work with the educational systems in their state to increase the numbers of students in these fields, and to offer current teachers access to these facilities for improved training.

For this plan to work, these efforts must be aimed at improving the learning environment across the state, and our public research universities are uniquely positioned to drive this effort.

Each of these construction projects must meet the latest green-building standards, and the bid process should require that local workers in each of the states be employed on these projects — thereby training a whole new cadre of workers in the latest sustainable technologies. In addition, faculty at these universities should be directly involved in the project development to ensure that not only are these facilities as green as possible, but that they meet the teaching and research needs of our next generation of students and teachers, as well as for training our workforce of the future.

While this idea is, in many ways, very simple, it will require our government and universities to work closely together, to eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy and to move right away on these projects. It will also require our universities to fully engage the community colleges and other higher-educational institutions in a partnership.

We must, as a nation, address head-on the issue of energy self-sufficiency while combating global climate change. We must create jobs and financial security now, even as we attempt to prepare for an uncertain future.-

Robert C. Holub is chancellor of UMass Amherst.

A Time of Challenge and Opportunity

By
Opinion

A few months ago, a contributing columnist to BusinessWest suggested retiring the phrase ‘hunkering down.’ He said that, overall, the term doesn’t really mean anything anymore (if it ever did), but that if there is a connotation, it is generally a sense of ducking and dodging.

Webster’s Collegiate states only that ‘hunker’ means to squat or crouch, and that the word is, in fact, generally used with ‘down,’ although that sounds somewhat redundant.

And if people are going to continue to use that phrase with regard to the recession and their efforts to withstand or survive it, then it should be retired. That’s because this region doesn’t need a lot of hunkering, or even hunkering down, right now.

Instead, as business-management experts state in an informal guide to getting to the other side of this recession in this issue, it needs some imaginative thinking and determination to grow, and not merely survive. What the experts say, and they’re right, is that, while this may be a time of challenge — or extreme challenge for those in some sectors — it is also a time of opportunity, if people choose to view it as such and have the daring not to merely hunker down.

Such daring remains a foreign concept to many, including most of those who remember what 1990 and 1982 were like. The phones in their offices stopped ringing — unless they were in the bill-collection business — and didn’t start ringing again for years.

In response, many did some real hunkering, and in the process they probably missed out on some excellent business opportunities, while helping to deepen those recessions in the process.

We know that’s it’s very easy to preach such action, and much harder to do it. The ‘experts’ (yes, that word needs quotation marks around it) pull out some well-worn rhetorical phrases like ‘be active, not reactive,’ and ‘thrive, not simply survive,’ which are overused and can sound as trite as ‘hunkering down.’

But they’re right.

While it goes against some of their most basic of instincts, now is a time when business owners should be thinking imaginatively and perhaps taking some steps they normally take only when those handling both accounts receivable and accounts payable sound much more upbeat.

This might be the time to find new ways to collaborate with other businesses and organizations to create new revenue streams that will yield dividends long after the recession is declared over. Likewise, this could — and should — be the time to make sure your company is providing relevant products and services and that customers are receiving what they demand most — value.

This is also a time, as one expert stated, when business owners and managers should be exploring what would be considered missed opportunities — such as the huge and still-growing Hispanic market and other ethnic populations — to turn such misses into hits.

Meanwhile, this is definitely the time to look at operations, procedures, and personnel to make sure one’s company is being as efficient as it can be. This sounds like a no-brainer, but businesses don’t do enough of this whether the economy is bad or good.

In summation, those ‘I Refuse to Participate in a Recession’ buttons are good, clever, and practical. But the wearers need to back up the words with actions.

If they don’t, those words are hollow and somewhat meaningless — just like ‘hunkering down.’

By
Departments

Boston Wine Festival

January 10-April 3: Hosted by the Boston Harbor Hotel on Rowes Wharf, the Boston Wine Festival offers more than 50 wine and food pairing events. The schedule of events includes a variety of evening receptions, wine seminars, dinners, and themed Sunday brunches. For details on the festival, visit www.bostonwinefesival.net.

Long-term Planning Seminar

January 13: As part of a joint effort to educate the public about the importance of long-term care planning and insurance and the role it can play in helping to finance assisted living, Rockridge Retirement Community on Coles Meadow Road in Northampton will host an informational seminar to increase long-term care insurance awareness. Richard A. Eisenberg of Eisenberg Associates Insurance Agency Inc. will present the 4 p.m. seminar, which will discuss the long-term care planning process, long-term care insurance, and assisted living. The seminar is free and open to the public; however, reservations are required by calling (413) 586-2902, ext. 23.

New Year’s Gala

Dec. 31: The inaugural Young Professional Society (YPS) of Greater Springfield New Year’s Eve Gala on Dec. 31 at the Sheraton Springfield is nearly sold out. Interested parties, of any age, are invited to grab the last spots as YPS celebrates New Year — New Time: Springfield Shines In ’09. The theme of the YPS New Year’s Eve event is a celebration of not only the new year, but pride in the city of Springfield. Presented by NUVO Bank and supported by Williams Distributing and BusinessWest, the event is offering only 300 tickets; prices are $59 for one ticket, $109 for two tickets, and $209 per couple with overnight accommodations (plus additional room tax and fees) at the Sheraton Springfield. Final tickets are on sale at www.springfieldyps.com. The evening includes three different party rooms with a live band, Decades by Dezyne, and a DJ, with all guests receiving a ‘goodie bag’ with a number of offerings from sponsors. The night will also offer gourmet dinner stations, a dessert station, and a champagne toast after the ball has dropped at midnight. In addition, a continental breakfast will be served after midnight. Interested parties may go directly to www.springfieldyps.com to purchase tickets. Guests do not have to be YPS members to attend. Opportunities to sponsor this event are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Any company interested in reaching young professionals, call Jill Monson at (413) 219-9692 or E-mail [email protected].

By
Departments

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

Albert, Catherine Ann
a/k/a Borah, Catherine A.
547 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/03/08

Allen, Krishel Pearl
2275 Westfield St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/08

Altis, Jean
150 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/31/08

Anne Belue Design
Wright, Anne B.
Anne, Wilson
AB Sales
773 Moore Hill Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/04/08

Blankenship, Alan C.
37 Basil Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/12/08

Brodeur, Donald J.
158 California Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/10/08

Brown, Larry E.
29 Pine Hill Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/30/08

Brown, Molly-Beth
1 Autumn Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/05/08

Campbell, Carrie C.
169 Kendall St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/04/08

Cape, Antony Robert
39 Paige St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/05/08

Converse, Scott A.
59 New Ludlow Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/05/08

Cosme, Mercedes
85-87 Mooreland St.
Springfield, MA 01104-1826
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/10/08

Cyr, Roland Joseph
Cyr, Martha Ouellette
7 Warner St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/30/08

De La Rosa, Ismael
a/k/a Soto, Ismael
1004 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/06/08

Deluck, Frederick C.
Deluck, Diana M.
44 Vadnais St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/10/08

Discovery Corner Childcare
Western Mass RV Rentals
LaPointe, Shawn E.
51 Oak Brook Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/04/08

Dixe, Michael A.
Dixe, Jillian L.
17 Hartford St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/06/08

Garcia, Annie
Torres, Annie
70 Patton St., Apt. 1B
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/14/08

Girouard, Carl L.
20 East Bartlett St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/31/08

Goldthwaite, Scott A.
Casella-Goldthwaite, Darlene E.
48 High Knob Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/31/08

Handy, Bradley C.
10 Leemond St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/10/08

Hastie, Cheryl A.
330 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/08

Jorge, Angel
23 Brandon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/08

Kroll, Christopher
Kroll, Kimberly Jean
66 Fair St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/31/08

Lacombe, Lynn C. R.
62 Thyme Lane
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/03/08

Littlefield, Michelle M.
Littlefield, Wayne S.
PO Box 374
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/05/08

Lopes, Saville Shirley, D.
3 Bradlind Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/05/08

Maldonado, Francisco G.
61 Arthur St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/31/08

McAuliffe, Edward F.
McAuliffe, Carol A.
86 Enfield Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/31/08

McCorquodale, Jeffrey M.
McCorquodale, Carol .
31 Mattawa Circle
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/01/08

Merchant, Elissa Ann
71 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/08

Mercier, James Herbert
539 Sanders St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/31/08

Nguyen, Tung T.
192 Dickenson 1st Fl.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/10/08

  

Ostrander, I. C.
a/k/a Ostrander, Irving C.
PO Box 1082
West Springfield, MA 01090
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/07/08

Pasterczyk, Timothy Francis
38 Brookline Ave.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/12/08

Perez, Arnaldo L.
a/k/a Harrison, Sara E.
a/k/a Perez-Diaz, Arnaldo L.
a/k/a Perez, Sara E.
3 Elm St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/31/08

Pham, Thuy Thi
104 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/10/08

Piascik, Gary J.
Piascik, Kyle A.
70 Beeler Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/06/08

Pitoniak, Kelly J.
117 Yeoman Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/31/08

Racine, Kimberley J.
38 High St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/31/08

Reopel, Katarzyna
41 Orleander St.
W. Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/08

Reyes, Dennis R.
Reyes, Aida L.
37 Higgins Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/07/08

RMN Real Estate
Sanschagrin, David D.
Sanschagrin, Meredith E.
a/k/a Santy, Meredith
70 Elm St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/04/08

Romano, Carmelina
33 Humbert St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/11/08

Rossell, Bernard Daves
2 Cornwall Dr.
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/08

Rust, Steven R.
PO Box 277
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/30/08

Sainsbury, Gary I.
Sainsbury, Karin E.
a/k/a Brown, Karin
39 Kingman Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/12/08

Santos, Lisa Marie
a/k/a Salvador, Lisa Marie
PO Box 41
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/04/08

Santos, Miriam
70 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/04/08

Small, Ingrid E.
5 Temple St., Apt. 502
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/06/08

Smith, Kathryne E.
10 Kirkland St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/04/08

Starkweather, Emily Ridout
26 Chestnut Court
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/08

Stasiowski, Catherine Irene
470 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/30/08

Taupier, Alan T.
Taupier, Dorothy H.
96 Pinehurst Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/07/08

Tillotson, Matthew W.
34 Harvey St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/08

Torff, Allene B.
832 Converse St., Apt.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/08

Torres, Juan A.
1104 Dwight St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/14/08

Tryon, Herbert L.
Tryon, Jeanne M.
57 Lenox Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/04/08

Urena, Mario R.
Urena, Patricia I.
5 Baird Trace
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/30/08

Vallecillo, Patricia
170 Cambria St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/08

Vasquez, Fernando T.
a/k/a Vasquez, Tony
11 Littleton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/12/08

Vescovi, Jessie L.
1149 Pleasant St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/10/08

Ward, Janice L.
47 Bradford Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/07/08

Weissman, Gordon R.
174 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/06/08

Zlogar, Kay
502 Belchertown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/04/08

By
Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of December 2008.

AGAWAM

Paul Chevalier
111 Industrial Lane
$65,000 — Construct office addition to existing metal building

David R. Northup
73 Bowles Road
$6,000 — Install pre-engineered steel mezzanine

AMHERST

Amherst College Trustees
Heating Plant
$13,000 — Installation of slab for gas compressor

CHICOPEE

Deslauriers Fleming LLC
30 Florence St.
$9,500 — Renovate interior of apartment

Service Net
66 Fifth St.
$12,000 — New roof

Tunstall Association
964 Sheridan St.
$33,000 — New roof

US Tsubaki, Inc.
106 Lonczak Dr.
$39,500 — Insulate and install new shingles

EASTHAMPTON

Autumn Properties
422 Machine St.
$3,100 — Erect fence along property line

City of Easthampton
200 Park St.
$247,000 — Renovation and repair of pool area at school

Joanne O’Leary
1 Campus Lane
$5,000 — Install vinyl siding

Stawarz Realty Trust
55-63 Union St.
$36,000 — New roof

Williston Northampton School
11 Payson Ave.
$6,000 — Install vinyl siding

GREENFIELD

Troy Renaud
8 North Circle
$2,300 — Re-roof
HOLYOKE

Holyoke Mall Co., LP
50 Holyoke St.
$172,000 — Remodel existing Champs store

Holyoke Medical Center
575 Beech St.
$47,000 — Repair existing exterior block wall

O’C Ingleside LLC
361 Whitney Ave.
$1,871,000 — Develop 10,000 square feet of space into laboratory

Open Square Properties LLC
110 Lyman St.
$20,000 — Build tenant space

Varick Pelton
5 Canal St.
$4,700 — Re-roof

  

LUDLOW

Pioneer Investment Group
126 Nash Hill Road
$5,000 – Siding

Pioneer Investment Group
126 Nash Hill Road
$5,000 — Window replacement

NORTHAMPTON

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$65,000 — Renovate business office

Coolidge Center LLC
225 King St.
$1,839,500 — Construct 11,640-square-foot retail pharmacy building

Florence Savings Bank
85 Main St.
$16,000 — Install Carlisle Roofing system

Nonotuck Mill LLC
296 Nonotuck St.
$18,000 — Interior partitions and handicap ramp

Rocky Hill Co-Housing LLC
100 Black Birch Trail
$19,000 — Install solar electric array at the Common House

SOUTHWICK

Shepard Corporation
56 Sam West Road
$330,000 — Construction of steel building for automobile recycling facility

SPRINGFIELD

Baystate Health Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$12,000 — Permanent and temporary retaining walls and excavation for foundation

James E. Mastowski
1954 Wilbraham Road
$9,000 — Install footings, foundation, and slab

Marwan Awkal
262 St. James Blvd.
$4,000 — Interior renovations

Picknelly Family Partners
1414 Main St.
$16,000 — Erect two new non-structural partitions

SIS Center
1441 Main St.
$20,000 — Install rollup fire doors

WESTFIELD

Boisjolie Realty LLC
336 Lockhouse Road
$10,000 — Interior remodel

Frank Demairinis
Apremont Way and Southampton Road
$750,000 – New Riverbend Medical Facility

Westfield Women’s Club
28 Court St.
$9,000 — Re-roof

By
Departments

‘The Creative Economy’

Dec. 9: The Studio Arts Building at UMass Amherst will be the setting for an informative program on how the ‘creative economy’ plays an increasingly important role in Western Mass., in job creation, revenue growth, and quality of life. Speakers will be artists Josh Simpson and Scott Prior, who will speak about their work and their marketing efforts, beginning at 6 p.m. The cost is $25. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org.

Boston Wine Festival

Jan. 10-April 3: Hosted by the Boston Harbor Hotel on Rowes Wharf, the Boston Wine Festival offers more than 50 wine and food pairing events. The schedule of events includes a variety of evening receptions, wine seminars, dinners, and themed Sunday brunches. For details on the festival, visit www.bostonwinefestival.net.

Long-term Planning Seminar

Jan. 13: As part of a joint effort to educate the public about the importance of long-term care planning and insurance, and the role it can play in helping to finance assisted living, Rockridge Retirement Community on Coles Meadow Road in Northampton will host an informational seminar to increase long-term care insurance awareness. Richard Eisenberg of Eisenberg Associates Insurance Agency Inc. will present the 4 p.m. seminar, which will discuss the long-term care planning process, long-term care insurance, and assisted living. The seminar is free and open to the public; however, reservations are required by calling (413) 586-2902, ext. 23.

By
Departments

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

Alves, Alexander D.
45 Bristol St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/21/08

Bernardi, Christopher A.
Bernardi, Michelle L.
21 Lyman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/08

Bowyer, Paula A.
533 Nassau Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/16/08

Broadhurst, Thomas R.
476 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/08

Brooks, Carlton Rene
Brooks, Lucy Barbara
39 Sampson St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/29/08

Bunnell, William E.
2 Gary Place
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/27/08

Campofredano, Donald Scott
Campofredano, Kimberly Viola
a/k/a Stratton, Kimberly V.
147 Riviera Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/24/08

Chabot, John L.
Chabot, Sandra N.
23 Fairview Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/17/08

Clemons, Wavie
138 Pendleton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/24/08

Craven, Walter E.
Craven, Cheryl L.
292 West St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/08

Crochier, Leslie C.
123 Montague St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/22/08

Davis, Willie G.
88 Melrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/20/08

DeJordy, Brian J.
132 Chestnut St.
West Hatfield, MA 01088
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/28/08

Desmond, Shirley Louise
21 Matthews Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/28/08

Donovan, Richard Joseph
23 Granger St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/24/08

Dresser, Clinton J.
201 Athol Road
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/22/08

Duvernay, Adrienne W.
108 Cedar St.
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/26/08

East Longmeadow Drywall
Zamboni, Daniel Dino
Zamboni, Daniel B.
167 University St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/28/08

Farrell, Jeannine L.
66 Cronin Hill Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/28/08

Finney, Ann Marie
129 Carver St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/24/08

Flores, Hector Frank
8 Derby Dingle
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/22/08

Fonseca, Bienvenida
720 Harrison Ave., Apt. 3
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/08

Gomez, Ruben
Bartolucci, Debra Lynn
136 Elizabeth Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/24/08

Hallowell, Kathleen M.
a/k/a Russell, Kathleen M.
a/k/a Hallowell, Kathleen
393 Federal St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/22/08

Harnden, Brian S.
263 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/21/08

Harnden, Jennifer L.
263 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/21/08

Hernandez, Margarita
42 Whiting St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/28/08

Johnson, Terri M.
343 Unity Ave.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/20/08

Kiratsoulis, Holly L.
a/k/a Scott, Holly L.
53 Scott St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/21/08

Lamoureux, Lucien F.
Lamoureux, Jeanne
61 Biltmore St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/08

Lapa, Jessica
140 Joy St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/28/08

Laurin, Marieann
30 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/27/08

Le, Tri H.
38 Weston St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/27/08

Lesik, Allen S.
72 Circle Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/19/08

Lesik, Lisa A.
18 Edward St., Apt. 2
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/19/08

Levesque, Rosemary
350 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/22/08

Ly, Winnie
a/k/a Ly, Thu Le
50 Holy Family Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/29/08

  

MacDonald, Robert Michael
55 Frank Williams Road
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/28/08

Marigliano, Robert S.
Marigliano, Laurie A.
19 Hamlet St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/08

Masloski, Alexander Peter
104 Everett St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/24/08

Masloski, Meridith Vonda
104 Everett St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/24/08

Musselwhite, David W.
Tombley-Musselwhite, Anne Mary
30 Cherry St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/23/08

O’Brien, Michael J.
O’Brien, Leslie C.
5 1/2 George St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/21/08

Page, Julie A.
3 Allen Road
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/30/08

Parent, Kathleen D.
116 Westwood Dr., Apt.
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/27/08

Penna, Richard A.
17 Rose Ter.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/29/08

Perez, Armando
62 Breckinridge Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/29/08

Provost, Arlene M.
34 Aldo Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/30/08

Rettie, James E.
7 Ruth Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/08

Riedel, Peter John
14 Henshaw Ave., #2
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/24/08

Roberts, Margaret J.
404 Mountain Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/29/08

Rosado, Antonio
PO Box 90071
Springfield, MA 01139
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/27/08

Russello, Robert R.
Russello, Cynthia M.
419 East River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/21/08

Sandy’s Auto World
Salloom, Isaiah Abraham
564 Chicopee St., 2nd
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/28/08

Shaw, Theresa M.
462 Adams Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/22/08

Sheehy, Carol
41 Whittaker St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/22/08

Simard, Hannelore R.
313 Fountain St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/23/08

Simonoff, Toby K.
36 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/29/08

Smith, Gregory M.
Smith, Cheryl B.
163 North Main St.
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/29/08

Son, Hien Thi
105 Pasadena St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/20/08

Soundara, Vilaingeun
43 Fisher St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/20/08

Stice, Lacy L.
140 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/08

Swinton, Patricia A.
50 Parkerview St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/27/08

Thompson, Dolores M.
84 Fuller St., Apt. #5
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/08

Torres, Luis M.
Torres, Gloria M.
28 David St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/29/08

Tosado, Adelaida I.
139 Walnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/26/08

Walbridge, Jason Allen
311 Wilbraham Road
Hampden, MA 01036-9761
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/30/08

Wallace, Leslie Anne
858 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/22/08

Watson, Lynda Gail
478 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/28/08

Watson, William M.
Watson, Amy M.
a/k/a Rippy, Amy M.
26 Hunters Hill Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/21/08

White Dove Cleaning
Rising, Gerald F.
503 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/08

Worrell, Trevor H.
Worrell, Anne E.
a/k/a Libiszewski, Anne E.
3096 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/23/08

By
Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of November 2008.

AGAWAM

John Kieffer
69 Garden St.
$2,000 — Build small office inside warehouse

AMHERST

BMA Realty, LLC
11 Ramah Circle
$45,000 — Interior renovations

Sixty-nine ninety-one Main St.
73 Main St.
$2,000 — Repair second egress

CHICOPEE

Chicopee Credit Union
923 Front St.
$21,000 — Re-roof

Stan’s Auto Body
101 Carew St.
$9,000 — Repair roof

Sullivan Associates Inc
346 Prospect St.
$228,000 — Convert single-family dwelling into a two-family dwelling

The Arbors Associate LLC
999 Memorial Dr.
$35,000 — Covered pavilion

EASTHAMPTON

City of Easthampton
Pleasant St. RR
$140,000 — Build new restrooms

McDonald’s Corp.
121 Northampton St.
$30,000 — Interior remodel to install new beverage machine

Michael R. Banas
99 Main St.
$25,000 — Remove existing rear porch and construct second egress

Ronmar LLC
150 Pleasant St.
$207,000 — Remove and replace windows

GREENFIELD

Erin M. Miner
469 Bernardston Road
$1,800 — Construction of an outside closet for oven

Main Street Realty Trust
74 Main St.
$85,000 — Installation of elevator shaft and machine room

HOLYOKE

Church of Jesus Christ
124-126 Maple St.
$10,000 — Repair existing roof

David Torres
273-275 Main St.
$4,200 — Replace floor & ceiling

Holyoke Department of Parks & Rec.
8 Oscar St.
$1,129,085 — Construct new boat storage facility and offices

Loomis House Inc.
298 Jarvis Ave.
$41,000 — Enclose existing porch and make new laundry room

  

Sunoco Products Co.
200 South Water St.
$97,000 — Install new roof

LUDLOW

New England Equities, LLC
4 Goddu St.
$36,000 — Alterations

Town of Ludlow DPW
167 Howard St.
$3,500 — Dugouts

NORTHAMPTON

Central Chambers Realty
16 Center St.
$7,500 — Rebuild entrance at Iron Horse

Femsted Inc.
23 Main St.
$2,000 — Non-structural interior renovations at Fitzwilly’s

Hutchins Family Partnership
44 Bridge Road
$14,200 — Strip and shingle roof

Old School Commons Limited
25 & 35 New South St.
$220,000 — New roof

SOUTHWICK

Vision Builders Company
214 College Highway
$60,000 — Alterations

Westfield Gas & Electric
Route 57
$101,500 — Construction of a concrete building

SPRINGFIELD

405 Armory St. LLC
405 Armory St.
$50,000 — Convert dry cleaners to subway sandwich shop

Baystate Medical Center
759 Chestnut St.
$54,500 — Paint and decorate 14 offices

Baystate Medical Center
759 Chestnut St.
$100,000 — Walk-through from temporary trailers to building

Big Y Foods, Inc.
1070 St. James Ave.
$16,000 — Create an electrical panel room for owner’s access

Dask Partnership
90 Carando Dr.
$32,000 — Cosmetic renovation for new tenant

Western New England College
1215 Wilbraham Road
$100,000 — New student dormitory

WESTFIELD

Palmer Dedicated Logistics
39 South Broad St.
$28,000 — Siding

Transcom Tech
53 Mainline Dr.
$23,000 — New windows

By
Departments

MassMutual Promotes Two in Succession Plan

SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual promoted its two co-chief operating officers to new roles recently as part of a succession plan for the $500 billion company. Roger Crandall took over as president on Dec. 1, taking the role formerly held by Stuart Reese, who will remain as chairman and chief executive officer. Meanwhile, William Galvin Jr. will take over on Jan. 1 as CEO of Oppenheimer Funds Inc. in New York City. He will replace John Mirphy, who will continue as chairman of Oppenheimer Funds until his retirement at the end of 2009. Galvin is currently the executive vice president of MassMutual’s U.S. Insurance Group.

Big Y, HNE Produce Video on Healthy Food Shopping

SPRINGFIELD — Knowing that good health begins with solid choices of food, Health New England (HNE) and Big Y World Class Markets have come together to produce a new DVD titled Healthy Directions/Living Well Eating Smart — A Grocery Store Tour. In the video, Carrie Taylor, Big Y’s registered dietitian, leads viewers through each section of the market, discussing smart meal choices and providing tips on becoming a savvy shopper. “We hope people see that eating healthy is easy, affordable, and delicious,” she said. The idea for the DVD began with live grocery store tours that HNE conducts at Big Y stores for its members who have diabetes. “During our tours, shoppers would see us and ask if they could tag along,” said Lynn Ostrowski, director of Brand and Corporate Relations at HNE. “We realized that everyone wants to learn how to make better food choices.” The DVD is free, and can be obtained by calling HNE at (413) 233-3032, E-mailing [email protected], or E-mailing Big Y at [email protected].

WNEC Receives Distinction

SPRINGFIELD — Western New England College (WNEC) is featured in the first edition of the Colleges of Distinction guidebook, a new publication that provides a fresh look at some of America’s higher education institutions. Based on the opinions of guidance counselors, educators, and admissions professionals, the guidebook honors colleges that excel in key areas of educational quality and appeal to students’ unique and varied interests. To qualify for inclusion in the guidebook, WNEC was evaluated for its performance in the “Four Distinctions” — Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Communities, and Successful Outcomes. Guidance counselors and admissions professionals around the country recommended WNEC in all four categories. WNEC was also noted for its active student body, devoted faculty, and academic programs based on developing collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills.

BMC Unit Earns Beacon Award

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Medical Center’s Daly 6-2 surgical intermediate care unit has joined the ranks of the top health care teams in the nation, becoming one of only two such units ever to win the American Assoc. of Critical Care Nurses’ Beacon Award. The honor is a first for an intermediate-care unit at Baystate, and the first such award for an intermediate-care unit in all of New England. Intermediate-care units are reserved for patients who are too sick for a standard medical-surgical unit but do not require the level of care provided in an ICU. As recipient of a Beacon, Daly 6-2 met rigid criteria for excellence, adhering to high standards of quality in leadership, recruiting, and training nurses, and caring for patients and their families.

Springfield College Raises $44.5 Million

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College recently wrapped up its largest fundraising campaign in its 123-year history with a record $44.5 million pledged, exceeding its goal by more than 10%. The college entered the public phase of the campaign in 2005 with $20 million raised. Last year, The Kresge Foundation announced a $1 million challenge grant if the college were to raise $39 million by June 30, 2008. The challenge was met. Altogether, the college received nine gifts of $1 million or more, 67 gifts of $100,000 or more, and 376 contributions of $10,000 or greater. There were over 15,000 donors from all U.S. states and 15 foreign countries. Supported by campaign funds, the college constructed its Wellness Center and Field House, expanded and renovated Schoo-Bemis Science Center to create a modern, interdisciplinary science teaching facility, and broke ground for the Campus Union complex. College officials also established 50 endowed scholarships and 16 named funds supporting the college.

Giving Tree Nearing Milestone

SPRINGFIELD — Hasbro Games recently launched the 24th annual Hasbro Children’s Giving Tree at the Eastfield Mall on Boston Road to make the holidays a bit brighter for underprivileged children in the area. Leaders from Hasbro Games, the United Way of Pioneer Valley, the Salvation Army of the Greater Springfield Area, and Rachel’s Table were all on hand for the festivities, which included 60 children singing holiday songs and bringing donated food items. The Children’s Giving Tree campaign, which runs through Dec. 12, provides food, games, and toys to children in need who reside in the Greater Springfield area. Hasbro officials also encourage area residents to drop off nonperishable food items to the mall during the campaign, which will be distributed to Rachel’s Table.

Captain Charles Leonard House Unveils Improvements

AGAWAM — Agawam’s historic Captain Charles Leonard House opened its doors to the public on Dec. 7 to celebrate the holiday season and the near-completion of an extensive capital-improvement project. The improvements include extensive mechanical and structural work, as well as the new historically accurate exterior color scheme and foundation plantings. Inside, the Old Kitchen has been redecorated to better represent its original use as a tap room. Plans for an extensive landscape-restoration project featuring native species, historically appropriate plantings, and an outdoor reception area was also on display. That project has been put on hold, as state funding was recently cut by Gov. Deval Patrick due to the current financial crisis.

By
Departments

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

Leonor D. Leandro v. American Honda Motor Co. Inc. and Curry Automotive, LLC
Allegation: Lemon Law, breach of contract and implied warranty: $20,000
Filed: 11/20/08

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT

John C. Osowski v. Monoko Inc.
Allegation: Defendant negligently maintained and inspected scaffolding and did not provide proper safety harness. Scaffolding failed and plaintiff fell, sustaining injuries: $38,713
Filed: 11/06/08

Roger Flanders v. Golden Leaf Restaurant
Allegation: Plaintiff tripped and fell on rolled up carpet, causing injury: $101,824
Filed: 10/30/08

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Adelaida Gonzalez v. Federal Express Ground Package Systems Inc.
Allegation: Employment discrimination: $25,000+
Filed: 10/13/08

Cynthia Davis v. Cumberland Farms
Allegation: Negligence causing slip and fall: $4,948.01
Filed: 11/07/08

Fred Pearson v. Allied Heating & Air Conditioning
Allegation: Employment discrimination: $25,000+
Filed: 10/15/08

CNA Corporation v. Stony Hill Sand & Gravel Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of back rent owed: $148,017.07
Filed: 11/10/08

Jose Rosario v. Joseph M. Decenzo, M.D.
Allegation: Medical malpractice: $91,000
Filed: 10/17/08

New England Book Service Inc. v. Higher Learning Supply Co., LLC & Prissm Management Group Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $62,393.84
Filed: 10/20/08

Michael R. Solin v. Samir A. Mujalli, M.D.
Allegation: Medical malpractice:
$1.1 million
Filed: 11/04/08

Paul Bradas Jr. v. Carrabba’s
Allegation: Negligence/personal injury: $13,642.70
Filed: 10/30/08

New England Granite v. Spartan Brake & Muffler Shops
Allegation: Negligence of defendant’s employees, causing explosion and fire: $219,254
Filed: 11/03/08

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Wayne F. Farr et al v. Behavioral Health Network Inc.
Allegation: Medical malpractice: $25,000+
Filed: 11/10/08

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT

The Darcy Company v. Fresh Supreme Supermarket
Allegation: Non-payment of goods and services: $4,771.58
Filed: 10/02/08

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

Aarco Products Inc. v. Action Display Services
Allegation: Breach of contract: $4,786
Filed: 11/10/08

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Francis E. Owczarski v. Good Deal Auto
Allegation: Breach of contract and failure to repay loan: $4,000
Filed: 10/07/08

Mary Lou Sanborn v. H.L. Padden Electrical Contractors Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $12,057.26
Filed: 10/20/08

Statewide Mechanical Contractors Inc. v. Pioneer Valley Winnelson Co. Inc.
Allegation: Breach of implied warranty and merchantability. Plaintiff incurred additional costs due to defective pipe supplied by defendant: $49,875
Filed: 10/16/08

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Jorge and Nancy Santiago v. Hillcrest Construction & Ben Hallmark
Allegation: Breach of contract and damages to property during construction: $2,000+
Filed: 11/12/08

By
Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of November 2008.

AGAWAM

Affordable Drywall & Painting
985 North Westfield St.
Roman Kagimiercgak

Albano’s Barber Shop
667 Springfield St.
Nancy Gentile

All Star Landscaping
454 Corey St.
Joseph Blais

Coastline Automotive
981 River Road
Beris F. Gouldborune

Control Alt Delete LLC
324 Springfield St.
Tom Banerjee

Frawley Engineering
140 Christopher Lane
Christine Frawley

Jason A. Rocca Electrical Co.
6 Althea Circle
Jason A. Rocca

Nicholas DePalma Construction
53 Highland Ave.
Nicholas DePalma

Northeast Tree & Landscape Construction
171 Tobacco Farm Road
Eric Satkowski

The Law Offices of Brandon A. Parrelli
8 Marla Place
Brandon A. Parrelli

Sigma Mattress Manufacturing
69 Garden St.
Alex Pawlenko

AMHERST

Kind Groove Productions
38 Lenks St.
Jessica Zambias

Sandy’s Barber Shop
96 North Pleasant St.
Sandra Renaud

The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Assoc.
29 South Pleasant St.
E. Craig Asche

CHICOPEE

Car Credit 1st
536 East St.
Alex Friedman

Courthouse Laundry
90 Main St.
Teresa Do

Creative Change Interior Decorating
32 Montauk Road
Beth Montemagni

Games & Stuff
824 Chicopee St.
Daniel B Wojciak

Kenny G’s Performance Tuning
643 Prospect St.
Frank A. Germain Jr.

EASTHAMPTON

Heron Automation
36 Groveland St.
Christopher Lukomski

Sanderson Designs
88 Clark St.
Ruth Sanderson

Tranquil Domain Yoga
75 Parsons St.
Allison Gero

Western Nail
72 Cottage St.
Andy Tran

GREENFIELD

Atlas Entertainment
497 Main St.
Corey L. Ricketts

HADLEY

Aaron’s Transport
215 Russell St.
Norman Laborte

Valley Bookkeeping
100 Venture Way
Janet Jefflon

HOLYOKE

Mahboob Inc.
333 High St.
Yasser Hussain

Melo Deli Grocery
512 South St.
Luis S. Melo

Readings by Margurite
1548 Northampton St.
Margurite Miller

Track ‘N Trail
50 Holyoke St.
Bobbi Lindeman

LUDLOW

Poppi’s Pizzeria
341 West St.
Kevin Fonseca

  

NORTHAMPTON

Jupiter Girl
21 Vernon St.
Caitlin Bosco

Leather & Lace Hairstyle
9 North Main St.
Heather Wright

M.A.B Energy
50 North St.
Michael A. Belhumeur

Thermal Brothers
107 Island Road
Pierre Belhumeur

PALMER

Hot Shot Billiards
1440-1446 North Main St.
Linda Lambert

Palmer Auto Mall
1219 Thorndike St.
George R. Menard

SOUTH HADLEY

Brenda Lee Courier
8 Berwyn St. Ext.
Brenda L. Sudyka

Caas Maintenance
431 East St.
Daniel Mackenzie

C&R Doors
75 Hadley Village Road
Christopher Keegan

Home Facelifters
244 Brainerd St.
Philip E. Stefanelli

SOUTHWICK

Seniors Helping Seniors
3 White St.
Phillip Yocum

Southwick Forastiere Funeral Home
624 College Highway
Frank Forastiere

SPRINGFIELD

All Nations Auto Repair
149 Rocus St.
Julio C. Soto

Aura’s Beauty Salon
519 Main St.
Anna S. Matos

Being Well Therapeutic
80 Congress St.
Alina Zawadzka

Certified Auto Glass
1142 State St.
Miguel A. Perez

Hosttree
83 Grandview St.
Nathan Andrew DeLong

JK Subway, LLC
560 Sumner Ave.
Kimberly McCarthy

Liberty Jean Co.
260 Worthington St.
Kenneth James Rogers

Quality Sales & Services
318 Wilbraham Road
London W. Hall

S.N.J. Plumbing & Heating
94 Somerset St.
Jeremiah Wellington

The Whole Armour of God
248 King St.
Prince Golphin, Jr.

WESTFIELD

Blissful Brooke Family Day Care
731 Westfield Road
Krystal R. Young-LaFountain

Great Floors
66 Montgomery St.
David V. Minchuk

Lecrenski Bros. Inc.
14 Delmont Ave.
Dana Lecrenski

Lisa Nails
78 Elm St.
Gai Thi Vo

Renee Collier
45 Meadow St.
Renee Collier

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Hathorn Associates
42 Old Barn Road
Joyce A. Bannick

Victory International Store Inc.
573 Union St.
Andrey Kolesnichenko

Lamenting One That Got Away

By
Opinion

The saga of the so-called Q microbe, the micro-organism that could dramatically alter the course of ethanol production, remains one of the most compelling research and development stories in business today.

The problem is, it will soon be some other region’s story.

Specifically, Worcester’s. Those developing the Q microbe announced just over a week ago that, while they would love to stay in the area, where the microbe was discovered (near the Quabbin Reservoir, hence the name) and where many researchers live and work, the facilities and workforce are apparently lacking, thus forcing them to go elsewhere for the next phases of this ambitious project.

This isn’t the first time the region has lost a biotech firm on the rise to the Worcester area, and this announcement made by the principals of Qteros, formerly SunEthanol, could not have been considered a real surprise. But it still hurts.

Actually, this loss is especially painful.

Why? First, there was the promise of new jobs as the concept worked its way through the R&D stage. There would also have been exposure for this region, which is much-needed as it attempts to develop new clusters in the broad technology sector and create new sources of jobs to replace those being lost in traditional manufacturing and other sectors.

But there was also the pride factor, for lack of a better phrase. This is a potentially game-changing development, as they say in research, and it was unfolding right here in the Pioneer Valley. This was going to be a great story for the company, its leaders, UMass (where much of the research is taking place), and the region as a whole.

It will still be a great story — it just won’t be ours.

And this has many people saying that economic-development leaders could have — and should have — done more to keep the company in this area code. This is easy to say (one can always do more), but we’re not sure anyone here could have done enough to change this outcome.

“We needed to move fast, and there really wasn’t a facility here,” Susan Leschine, chief scientist for Qteros, told the local press while explaining the move to Worcester County, juxtaposed against news that the company had received $25 million in next-stage funding.

Reading between the lines of the statements made by those involved, it seems clear that those at Qteros simply got a better offer — probably a much better offer — to move east, where there are large research facilities and, according to many in the industry, a deeper pool of labor to tap.

While being disappointed with this news — as economic development leaders say they are — they should also be determined not to let something like this happen again.

The Worcester area already has an infrastructure in place, as well as a critical mass of companies in this field and talented workers. The Valley? Well, it’s working on all that.

And the lesson to be learned from all this is to keep working on it, so that the next time a company is in the position Qteros is in now, the region stands a fighting chance of keeping it here.

New UMass Chancellor Robert Holub told BusinessWest recently that he is committed to taking the university to the “top tier” among the nation’s research universities. To do that, he and others at the school will have to work with area ecomomic-development leaders, area businesses, and other colleges to create that infrastructure and workforce that Western Mass. currently lacks.

By doing all this, the Valley can not only retain future companies like Qteros, it can possibly attract some from other regions, like Worcester.

The loss of Qteros will sting for some time, but this setback will be even more profound if area leaders don’t answer the wake-up call and ultimately make the Pioneer Valley better able to compete for such companies.-

By
Departments

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

CHICOPEE

Door Tek Installation Services Inc., 19 East Street Ave., Chicopee 01020. Mario Couture, same. Door installation.

Taehon Corporation Take on Life Inc., 680 Meadow St., Chicopee 01013-1824. Mark D. Lewis, 191 North Street, Hingham, 02043. Martial arts instruction.

EASTHAMPTON

Hinglag Corp., 46 Townhouse Dr., Easthampton 01027. Bhupendra N. Patel, same. Package store.

GREENFIELD

Jim’s Tree Service Inc., 115 homestead Ave., Greenfield 01301. James Michael Elwell. Same. Tree service.

HOLYOKE

Friends of Holyoke Council on Aging Inc., 310 Appleton St., Holyoke 01040. Frances Wilhelmi, 31 Mayer Dr., Holyoke 01040. Charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes.

LONGMEADOW

Scientific Social Solutions Inc., 49 Memory Lane, Longmeadow 01106. Alton King Jr., same. Education

Western Massachusetts Learning Centers for Children Inc., 281 Deepwoods Dr., Longmeadow 01106. Robert W. Clark, same. To train qualified trainees to become certified tutors.

LUDLOW

Sal’s Pizzeria Inc., 206 Holyoke St., Ludlow 01056. Marie Berardi, 88 Ashland Ave., Springfield 01119-2702. Dispenser of food and drink.

PALMER

Western Massachusetts Fly Fishermen Inc., 1212 Thorndike St., Palmer 01069. William Rose, 39 Sunset Terrace, Feeding Hills 01030.To provide education on fly fishing.

RUSSELL

Scapin Sand & Gravel Inc., 260 Blandford Road, Russell 01071. Anthony J. Scapin Sr., same. To supply sand and gravel.

SOUTH HADLEY

International Medieval Society, Paris Inc., 50 College St., South Hadley 01075. Meredith Cohen, same. Non-profit.

  

SPRINGFIELD

Admark Transportation Inc., 786 Newbury St., Springfield 01104. Rene Romero, same. Public transportation.

Agape Kingdom Community Development International (AKCDI) Inc., 336 Springfield St., Springfield 01107. Kofi Atta Ben Bani Rev., 136 Melha Ave., Springfield 01104. Community service.

BDH Enterprises Inc., 46 Louis Road, Springfield 01118. Brenda D Harvey, same. On-line customer service.

Chase Management Service Inc., 85 Mill St., Springfield 01108. Sheryl A.Chase, 29 River St., Thorndike 01079. Real Estate management.

Faith in Action Community Empowerment (FACE) Inc., 336 Springfield St., Springfield 01107. Kofi Atta Beb Bani Rev., 136 Melha Ave., Springfield 01104. Community service.

Innovative Communications Inc., 132 Fort Pleasant Ave., Springfield 01108. Kevin McCaskill Jr., Same. Retail.

New England Farm Workers’ Council Realty Inc., 11-13 Hampden St., Springfield 01103. Heriberto Flores, same. Non-profit.

Springfield International Animal Hospital Realty Inc., 357 East Columbus Ave., Springfield 01105-2555. Socrates Tello, 356 Orange St., Springfield 01105. Real Estate investor.

Springfield International Animal Hospital, P.C. 357 East Columbus Ave., Springfield 01105. Socrates Tello, same. Veterinary medicine.

Tenants & Landlords Inc., 115 Bellevue Ave., Springfield 01108. Hassan R. Ali, same. Home services.

Yogi Brothers Inc., 220 Worthington St., Springfield 01029. Arvind Trehan, 155 River St., West Springfield 01089. Fast food service/restaurant

WESTFIELD

John P. Liptak, CPA Inc., 30 Court St., Westfield 01085. John P. Liptak, 20 Court St., Westfield 01085. The practice of public accountancy.

WILBRAHAM

Wurszt Inc., 2460 Boston Road, Wilbraham 01095. Greg S. Wurszt, 18 Frontenac St., Indian Orchard 01151. The purchase, sales, distribution, and repair of lawn mowers, snow blowers, and other power equipment.

OPINION

By
Opinion
Don’t Limit Access to Higher Education

By most accounts, we are now entering the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Nationally, the signs abound: the loss of home value, the meltdown in the stock market, the rise in unemployment, collapse of the credit markets, and a record $1 trillion federal deficit.

As these dramatic changes reverberate through the economy, a college education becomes ever-more important to secure a decent paying job and enter a stable career; studies show the link between higher levels of educational attainment and higher average salaries. Furthermore, certain associate degrees such as those in nursing, allied health, computer science, and manufacturing, pay much greater dividends becaue jobs in these fields are in high demand.

In this environment, individuals are facing hard choices about where to commit to spend their money. Where to go to college and how to pay for higher education ranks among a family’s most important decisions.

One may choose between public and private colleges, with elite private colleges now costing — without room and board — upwards of $40,000 per year. Within the public sector, there are three options: university campuses, state colleges, and community colleges. In Massachusetts, average student charges per year without room and board for these three segments are:

  • $9,585 for the four UMass campuses;
  • $6,400 for the nine state colleges; and
  • $3,862 for the state’s 15 community colleges.

Since community colleges are the least expensive, they are becoming more and more popular as a way to stretch a family’s and student’s limited resources. And people are flocking to these local colleges. Fall 2008 figures show community colleges now dominate enrollment in the state with 89,000 students, compared with 46,928 at the four university campuses, and a total of 37,509 at the nine state college campuses.

This fall, community colleges statewide had an enrollment increase that averaged 5.3%, the largest jump of any segment. Although the Commonwealth’s community colleges offer only the first two years of a baccalaureate degree and a number of two-year career programs, the quality of instruction is superb. Consider that community colleges are teaching institutions with a focus on undergraduate students. Faculty are hired because of their knowledge and their ability to teach, not for research skills.

Springfield Technical Community College, for example, offers 60-plus career programs in business, health professions, computer science, and engineering technology. In addition, the college has a robust liberal arts curriculum leading to transfer to baccalaureate colleges throughout New England. Local private colleges — AIC, Elms, Bay Path, Western New England, and Springfield College — court STCC graduates through agreements that provide guaranteed scholarships for students with good grades.

Many STCC students also transfer to the public institutions, most notably UMass Amherst and Westfield State College.

So, for those worried about the economy and the future, community colleges continue to be the best deal in the state.

However, the current state budget deficit now threatens the accessibility and affordability of public higher education just when Massachusetts residents most need it.

Community colleges are the most lean and efficient segment of higher education, educating more students with less funding. They enroll more than half of public higher-education students, yet receive approximately one-quarter of state funding. Consequently, it will be more difficult for these institutions to absorb major funding cuts without affecting the quality of the education and resources so important to students and to our economic future.

Education is the economic driver for our state, producing the skilled and knowledgeable employees needed by business, schools, and industry — particularly the health care industry.

While cutting funding for education will save money in the very short term, it will represent a far greater loss for our citizens and our state.

Ira Rubenzahl is president of Springfield Technical Community College.

By
Departments

Janice Ward, Esq. has been named Vice President and Trust Officer at Greenfield Savings Bank.

•••••

Kevin R. Day has been elected Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer for Florence Savings Bank.

•••••

Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America in Pittsfield announced the following:
• Donna K. Owens has been named Director of Multi-Life Segment Marketing. In her role, Owens will identify strategic product, program, and service opportunities for expanding penetration into the worksite customer market by Guardian agencies and other distribution channels through Berkshire Life’s DI@Work offering;
• Stephen J. Prunier has been named Second Vice President and Counsel. He will oversee Berkshire Life’s litigation practice, and
• Laura B. Rosenthal, FSA, MAAA, has been named Actuary. As Actuary, Rosenthal is responsible for modeling field compensation for Berkshire’s products, as well as overseeing the integrity of experience analysis for pricing, valuation, and regulatory financial analysis.

•••••

Bacon Wilson, P.C. of Springfield announced that eight of its attorneys have been distinguished as New England “SuperLawyers” and another six have been distinguished as “Rising Stars” in the November issue of Boston magazine:
• Attorney Paul R. Salvage has been named a “SuperLawyer.” He is the co-chairman of the Insolvency Department. His practice deals with bankruptcy matters, representing both creditors and individuals or companies facing financial difficulties;
• Attorney Gary L. Fialky has been named a “SuperLawyer.” He is chairman of the Corporate Department. His practice is concentrated in business and banking law, with an emphasis on business formations, mergers and acquisitions;
• Attorney Michael B. Katz has been named a “SuperLawyer.” He is co-chairman of the Bankruptcy Department. His practice is concentrated in business and insolvency law;
• Attorney Paul R. Rothschild has been named a “SuperLawyer.” He is chairman of the Litigation Department. His practice is concentrated in general litigation, as well as personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and employer/employee disputes;
• Attorney Stephen N. Krevalin has been named a “SuperLawyer.” He is the firm’s Managing Partner. His areas of expertise include general business matters, real estate, and domestic relations. He also has extensive experience in the area of shopping center/mall representation;
• Attorney Hyman G. Darling has been named a “SuperLawyer.” He is chairman of the Estate Planning and Elder Law Departments. His areas of expertise include all areas of estate planning, probate and elder law;
• Attorney Francis R. Mirkin has been named a “SuperLawyer.” Mirkin’s areas of practice include commercial and residential real estate and general business matters, as well as consistent involvement in commercial loan documentation, representing numerous area financial lending institutions and businesses;
• Attorney Stephen B. Monsein has been named a “SuperLawyer.” He is a member of the Domestic Relations and Litigation Departments. His work is primarily concentrated on divorce cases, but he also handles personal injury cases and does OUI defense work;
• Attorney Gina B. Barry has been named a “Rising Star.” She is a member of the Estate Planning/Elder Law Department whose practice includes estate-planning issues. Additional areas of expertise include guardianship, conservatorship, planning for long-term care, and residential real estate;
• Attorney Justin H. Dion has been named a “Rising Star.” He specializes in insolvency, business, and financial matters. In addition to handling Chapter 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcies, he also does financial planning, conducts foreclosures, and handles collection matters for lenders;
• Attorney Adam J. Basch has been named a “Rising Star.” He is a member of the Litigation Department whose areas of expertise include construction litigation, personal injury, general litigation, and commercial litigation;
• Attorney Todd C. Ratner has been named a “Rising Star.” He is a member of the Estate Planning/Elder Law Department whose practice includes estate planning issues. Additional areas of expertise include commercial and residential real estate together with general business and corporate law;
• Attorney Benjamin M. Coyle has been named a “Rising Star.” He is a member of the firm’s business and corporate, estate planning and elder, litigation, and municipal departments, and
• Attorney Mark A. Tanner has been named a “Rising Star.” He concentrates his practice in plaintiff’s personal injury, civil litigation, and land use and zoning.

•••••

Lia sophia recently announced top honors for its Excellent Beginnings Program Achievers for their outstanding accomplishments. They are:
• Michelle Gower of Chicopee, and
• Rebecca Lafleur of South Hadley.

•••••

Allen J. Miles has been promoted to Executive Vice President at Westfield Bank. In addition to his responsibilities of managing the commercial department and the consumer loan area, Miles will be an active participant in helping to formulate the strategic direction of the bank.

•••••

The Springfield Rotary Club recently awarded seven Paul Harris Awards at its 94th Paul Harris Awards Banquet. Paul Harris recipients are:
• Gary P. Fishlock of Westfield;
• Susan A. Mastroianni of Agawam;
• Brian P. Sears of Springfield;
• Edward P. Sunter Jr. of East Longmeadow;
• Julianne L. Dulude of Southwick;
• Trevor J. Gay of Northampton, and
• Springfield School Volunteers.
A Paul Harris recognition is the highest honor a Rotary Club can bestow on an individual or group, who may or may not be a Rotarian.

•••••

The UMass Amherst Alumni Assoc. recently named Anna Symington its Executive Director. Symington has been serving as vice president of the alumni association’s board of directors, has served on numerous association committees, and is a life member of the association.

•••••

Glenmeadow Retirement recently announced its Board of Directors and Corporators as follows:
• George C. Keady of Longmeadow, re-elected President;
• Randall Locklin of West Springfield, re-elected Vice President;
• Peter Landon of Longmeadow, re-elected Treasurer;
• Mary Downey Costello of Springfield, re-elected Clerk, and
• Mary Meehan of Longmeadow, elected board member.
All are also corporators. Newly elected Corporators are:
• Lisa Doherty of Longmeadow;
• Christopher and Patty Gill of Longmeadow;
• Howard Hausman of Longmeadow;
• John McCarthy Jr. of Ware;
• Kasha Novak of Longmeadow;
• Alice Parker of Springfield;
• Todd Ratner of Longmeadow, and
• Ann Marie Rome of Longmeadow.

•••••

The Safety Council of Western New England announced the following:
• Thomas Bonavita, safety and training manager for the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, was elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors;
• Maurice Lavoie, safety manager at Farmland Foods, was selected as the Vice Chairman, and
• Alan Stratton of Solutia was chosen as Treasurer.
Also, Dave Pasquini, Russell Fleury, and Robert Dionne were voted in as new board members. Sandi Gagner is the immediate Past Chair.

By
Departments

ACCGS Government Reception

The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield recently staged its annual Government Reception at Storrowton Tavern in West Springfield. Attendees had the opportunity to meet with dozens of elected and appointed officials and discuss issues critical to the business community. Clockwise, from bottom left: Denise Vogel, Peter Clark, and Edgar Alejandro pose for a picture with state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin (third from left); Janis Santos, director of Head Start, and Thomas Burton, president of Hampden Bank, talk legislative issues with Springfield City Councilor Bud Williams (left); Ellen Cumming and Joe Zakowski of Gold Sponsor Verizon with state Rep. Michael Kane (center).

By
Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

Ford Motor Credit Company, LLC v. Hospitality Group Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of money loaned: $10,703.83
Filed: 10/24/08

Monica Dusseault & Stephanie Boryczka, as parents and guardian of minor Kyle Boryczka v. Bob’s Discount Furniture, LLC
Allegation: Negligence and breach of implied warranty: $21,040.03
Filed: 10/21/08

GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Creative Office Interiors, Inc. v. PDV Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered, and breach of purchase and sales agreement: $10,7032.90
Filed: 10/06/08

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Daniel O’Connor & Sons Inc. v. Six Flags New England
Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered and merchandise delivered: $38,208.36
Filed: 9/28/08

Harleysville Insurance v. Brake King Automotive Inc.
Allegation: Insurance premium due: $32,441.32
Filed: 9/29/08

KLC Inc. v. Nita Inc.
Allegation: Breach of lease agreement: $53,091.95
Filed: 10/06/08

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Cheryl Jolana Talbot v. Michael E. Coby, DPM
Allegation: Medical malpractice: wrong site surgery: $30,809.42
Filed: 10/22/08

James L. Parks, et al v. Savvas Papazoglou, M.D., et al
Allegation: Medical malpractice:
$1.1 million
Filed: 10/22/08

Kenneth Smith v. Tubed Products Inc.
Allegation: Employment discrimination: $25,000
Filed: 10/15/08

R. Lavoie Trucking Company Inc. v. Barr Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of materials, labor, and services rendered: $220,000
Filed: 10/16/08

South Hadley Electric Light Dept. v.
Berkshire Design Group Inc.
Allegation: Negligence and breach of implied and express warranties in preparation of engineering and utility plans: $110,000
Filed: 10/28/08

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT

Francis Heating & Air Conditioning v. Stony Hill Realty, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered: $12,000
Filed: 9/25/08

PALMER DISTRICT COURT

Electrical Wholesalers Inc. v. R.F.L. Electric Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract and non-payment: $13,000.00
Filed: 10/21/08

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

84 Lumber v. Belco Construction Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $2,845
Filed: 10/03/08

ABC Refrigeration & Air Conditioning v. Miller Development Enterprise Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $24,238.70
Filed: 9/20/08

Jorge Yahdiel Lebron p/p/a Yanitza Lebron v. Bertera Chrysler Inc.
Allegation: Minor plaintiff sustained burns from coffee on a table in defendant’s showroom: $2,671.41
Filed: 9/16/08

Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. v. Accessory Group of New England Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $18,805.07
Filed: 10/03/08

Mary Lou Sanborn v. Greg’s Electrical Service
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $6,057.95
Filed: 9/18/08

Palazzesi Realty v. Pet Resorts International LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of rent: $6,600
Filed: 9/19/08

By
Departments

Greta LaMountain has joined the law firm of Bacon Wilson, P.C. of Springfield. LaMountain, a general practitioner with a focus on financial and real estate matters, will work out of the Amherst office.

•••••

Peter Knapp recently became the new owner of Danco/Danish Inspirations in West Hatfield.

•••••

Pamela Mackenzie, Vice President of Comcast’s Hartford-Springfield area, was recently recognized with the Career Achievement Award by Women in Cable Telecommunications New England at its fourth annual awards ceremony in Boston. The award recognizes an individual who has had a milestone decade, has significantly impacted the cable industry, and is a visionary leader who is highly regarded by her employees and peers. Mackenzie oversees a 500-person team comprising technical operations, finance, human resources, and commercial and residential sales.

•••••

Scott Palmer has joined MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division as Vice President, Retirement Systems.

•••••

Sunshine Village in Chicopee announced the following:
• Sandy Duprat has joined the agency as a Marketing Representative, and
• Nancy Bailey has joined the agency as a Marketing Representative.

•••••

Fuss & O’Neill of Manchester, Conn. announced the following:
• Ted DeSantos, Vice President and Leader of the Transportation and Structures Business Unit, has been promoted to Partner;
• Chris Ecsedy, Project Director, Facilities and Environmental Services Business Unit, has been promoted to Partner;
• John Chambers, Project Director, Development Services Business Unit, has been promoted to Partner, and
• Rob Levandoski, Project Director, Manufacturing Solutions, LLC, has been promoted to Partner.

•••••

Dawn Mulvey of Home & Garden Party was recently promoted to Gold Designer with the company. To reach this goal, Mulvey had to have sponsored three team members and have monthly sales of $300 or more.

•••••

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. in Holyoke announced the following:
• Linda Raimondi has joined the firm as Director of Human Resources. In this role, Raimondi will oversee the recruitment, retention, and professional development of staff, as well as oversee the firm’s daily administrative operations.
• Brenda Olesuk has been named Director of Marketing. She will provide leadership in the development and execution of the firm’s strategic marketing, advertising, and public-relations plans.

•••••

The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission in West Springfield announced the following:
• Janet E. Cassesse has been named Financial Coordinator in the Community Development section, and
• Danielle J. Kahn has been named a Land Use and Environmental Planner.

•••••

PeoplesBank has appointed Melissa E. Richter Branch Manager at the Sumner Avenue office in Springfield.

•••••

Steven A. Davis was the recent recipient of a Nichols College Alumni Achievement Award. Davis is the President of Ventry Industries, a private firm in Springfield that invests in New England businesses.

•••••

Dawn Mulvey and Lisa Jarrett recently attended “Back to Basics,” Home & Garden Party’s annual conference rally in Las Vegas.

•••••

Northeast Utilities announced the following:
• James A. Muntz has been promoted to President, Transmission, and
• Patricia McCullough has been elected President and Executive Director of the Northeast Utilities Foundation. McCullough will continue to serve as a Director in NU’s enterprise planning group, working with NU’s operating companies on energy efficiency and resource management.

•••••

The Zonta Club of Quaboag recently honored Nancy Fletcher with its Founder’s Day Award, given annually to a woman who exemplifies the ideals of Zonta. Fletcher is Founder and Executive Director of ACT NOW! Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to building character and confidence in youth, particularly girls, through improvisation and movie making.

•••••

Robert N. Authier recently received the National Association of Realtors’ top executive award, the William R. Magel Award of Excellence, during its annual conference in Orlando. Authier is Chief Executive Officer of the 21,000-member Mass. Assoc. of Realtors.

•••••

Northwestern Mutual announced the following:
• Dana R. Barrows will receive the company’s Forum Award, and
• John H. Joyce will receive the company’s Forum Award.
Barrows and Joyce are with The Zuzolo Financial Group, based in Springfield.

•••••

Paul Peter Nicolai, Principal of Nicolai Law Group P.C., has been elected a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Nicolai has been named to the Strategic Development Committee of the association’s Center for Professional Responsibility.

•••••

Jim Vinick has been named Senior Vice President, Investments, for Moors & Cabot Inc., based in Boston, and will oversee its new office in Springfield at One Financial Plaza, 1350 Main St.

By
Departments

NUVOFest

On Nov. 13, NUVO Bank, the region’s newest financial institution, staged a day-long party — NUVOFest — to celebrate its arrival in Western Mass. A host of events were held in and around the bank’s headquarters in Tower Square, including a ‘money drop,’ below, featuring ‘NUVO dollars’ exchanged for prizes up to $1,000 for one lucky winner. There was a traditional ribbon-cutting featuring the bank’s principals, at right, Jeff Sadler (left) and Jim Gardner. Below right, Gardner addresses those gathered for a reception and champagne toast in the evening, while two of the ‘Silver Women’ strike a pose — in this case the NUVO logo.

Entrepreneurship Summit

On Nov. 12, Bay Path College held its annual Innovative Thinking & Entrepreneurship Summit. The event featured a number of speakers and breakout sessions. At left, Paul DiGrigoli, founder and president of DiGrigoli Salons, leads the breakout session called “Conquer Today’s Challenges.” At right, Susan Soloman, assistant professor of Business at Pay Path, addresses the audience.

How Not to Make the Recession, or Depression, Worse

By
Opinion

Here are some signs of the times as a dreary 2008 comes to a close and a 2009 cloaked in anxiety and uncertainty sets to begin:

  • Safe sales are up. Many retail outlets reported a run on the metal vaults this fall as people sought ways to feel secure about what to do with their money; people must be putting such acquisitions to use, because by the end of June, domestic bank deposits had slipped by nearly $40 billion;
  • The Boston Globe prints an “Economic Survival Guide.” Headlines on the various pieces range from “Deal with getting laid off” to “Get by working part-time” to “Share bad news with your kids.”
  • Increasing use of the word depression — not the medical term, but the economic term. (Well, both, actually.) Usually put to use in clauses such as ‘worst since the Great Depression,’ the term has been employed more often lately to describe what may come to pass in 2009. FYI: Webster’s Collegiate defines depression as “a period of low general economic activity marked especially by rising levels of unemployment.”

    • All this points to what could be some very difficult times ahead even in a market (here comes that line again, sorry) that doesn’t see the serious swings, up or down, that other markets experience. We suggest that elected leaders in Congress, already under a great deal of stress with regard to the economy, piece together some kind of strategy for minimizing the damage from this severe downturn.

    As we’ve said many times before, this means a focus not on gimmicks or quick fixes or knee-jerk responses, but on well-thought-out strategic initiatives that will put resources, bailout funds, or whatever we might call them to the best use.

    And one of the best places to start is not with the auto industry — although we concede that a well-orchestrated plan of support designed to change the way the Big 3 does business and not promote business as usual is needed — but rather with direct infusions to states and communities.

    Unlike businesses, these entities cannot run deficits, and when revenues decline, as they have across the board, then painful cuts have to made, reductions that could potentially make the recession, or depression, of 2009 that much worse.

    As a point of reference, recall the budget cuts announced recently by Gov. Deval Patrick. They totaled $1 billion or so, and included cuts across the board — to colleges and universities, public-safety agencies, health care providers, parks, libraries, museums, day centers, nonprofit agencies that serve the poor, the blind, and those with HIV … you name it.

    These cuts add up. Community colleges will have to lay off staff, cut programs, raise fees, or all of the above, possibly, if not probably, reducing access to education. Meanwhile, health care providers will be forced to reduce staffs (several already have in fact), and some programs, such as those provided at Providence Behavioral Hospital in Holyoke, are imperiled. (In recent years, due to falling reimbursements, Providence has become almost dependent on emergency allocations from the Commonwealth.)

    And the Bay State is not unique in these actions, not by a long shot. New York’s Gov. David Paterson recently announced more than $5 billion in cuts, and California faces a $17 billion shortfall.

    There are movements being considered to send aid directly to cities, towns, states, and households that are all in a state of crisis on par with the Big 3, and we hope these calls are heeded. While a bailout of the automakers is needed to prevent a collapse of one or more of those companies, thus facilitating full-scale depression, support to cities, towns, and states is also needed.

    If it’s not forthcoming, we’ll all probably get more practice saying ‘depression,’ and we’ll certainly need that economic survival guide.

    By
    Departments

    ‘Race and Entrepreneurial Success’

    Nov. 25: Dr. Robert W. Fairlie will discuss “Race and Entrepreneurial Success” at noon as Western New England College’s Law & Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship as part of its ongoing lecture series. The gathering is planned in the S. Prestley Blake Law Center on Wilbraham Road in Springfield. Fairlie’s main research interests include ethnic and racial patterns of business ownership and performance, entrepreneurship, access to technology and the ‘Digital Divide,’ immigration, and education. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from Northwestern University and a B.A. from Stanford University. The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 796-2030 or visit www.law.wnec.edu/ lawandbusiness.

    Moonlight Magic in Shelburne Falls

    Nov. 28: A family event titled “Moonlight Magic” takes over Shelburne Falls to start the holiday shopping season from 4:30 to 10 p.m. The event coincides with the annual “Holiday Lighting of the Village.” Highlights include sidewalk carolers, sidewalk sales, arts events, and craft demonstrations. There will also be vendor tables along the sidewalks with local nonprofit groups selling holiday wreaths, baked goods, and crafts, and the Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum will be open. Live music and roving performers will round out the evening’s festivities, as well as a visit from Santa who will set up shop in the Shelburne Senior Center. For more information, visit www.sftm.org.

    ‘Internet for the Other 5 Billion’

    Dec. 2: Andrew McLaughlin, head of Global Public Policy and Government Affairs for Google Inc., and Ethan Zuckerman, researcher at Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, will present a lecture titled “Internet for the Other 5 Billion” at 7:30 p.m. in Hooker Auditorium at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley. For more information, call (413) 538-2209. The event is free and open to the public.

    ‘Nutcracker and Sweets’

    Dec. 5: Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke will host the Mass. Academy of Ballet and members of the Ballet Educational Training Association in its production of “Nutcracker and Sweets” at 6 p.m. Through narration and dance, the story of the Nutcracker will come alive in the historic setting of Wistariahurst on Cabot Street. The production will be staged as it may have taken place in Holyoke in the 1890s. A dessert reception of sweets will follow the performance. Tickets are $10; children 12 and younger will be admitted free. Space is limited, and early registration is advised. For more information, call (413) 322-5660 or visit www.wistariahurst.org.

    Holiday Pops

    Dec. 6 and 7: The Springfield Symphony Orchestra will take audiences back to a traditional Christmas season in New England at 8 p.m. on Dec. 6 and 3 p.m. on Dec. 7 in Symphony Hall. Guest conductor Matthew Savery will lead the orchestra and chorus, and Morton Shames, cantor emeritus of Temple Beth El, will bring greetings of Chanukah. Concert highlights also include a singalong. For ticket information, call (413) 733-2291 or visit www.springfieldsymphony.org.

    The Creative Economy

    Dec. 9: The Studio Arts Building at UMass Amherst will be the setting for an informative program on how the ‘creative economy’ plays an increasingly important role in Western Mass., in job creation, revenue growth, and quality of life. Speakers will be artists Josh Simpson and Scott Prior, who will speak about their work and their marketing efforts, beginning at 6 p.m. The cost is $25. For more information, call (413) 737-6712 or visit www.msbdc.org.

    RTC Meeting

    Dec. 11: The Regional Technology Corp. (RTC) will stage is 1st Annual “All Networks” Convergent Meeting at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House starting at 7:30 a.m. The event with feature a keynote address and follow-up Q&A called “A Conversation with Scott Kirsner, The Innovative Economy.” Kirsner is the nationally known Boston Globe columnist who will discuss the challenges to be faced by the innovative economy in 2009. The half-day event will also feature a panel discussion with venture investors and entrepreneurs. The program is free to RTC members, and $75 for non-members. For more information, call (413) 755-1301; [email protected].

    By
    Departments

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

    Amartey, Kojo
    26 Shelby St.
    Springfield, MA 01109
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/01/08

    Amendola, Melissa
    42 Westwood Dr.
    Sturbridge, MA 01566
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Andersen, Ole B.
    Andersen, Melinda S.
    103 Cottage St.
    Great Barrington, MA 01230
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/07/08

    Ascioti, Christopher A.
    Ascioti, Suasan E.
    579 Laurel St.
    Longmeadow, MA 01106
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/06/08

    Baillargeon, Karri L.
    66 Yorktown Court
    Chicopee, MA 01020
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/01/08

    Barnes, Evelma J.
    65 Spikenard Circle
    Springfield, MA 01129
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Barry, Doris A.
    15 Ballard St.
    Easthampton, MA 01027
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/05/08

    Bennett, Amanda Allen
    a/k/a Allen, Amanda Emaline
    127 Pineywoods Ave.
    Springfield, MA 01108
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/02/08

    Boczon, Marybeth A.
    24 Myrtle Ave.
    Holyoke, MA 01040
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/06/08

    Bridgers, Cynthia F.
    73 Cambridge St.
    Springfield, MA 01109
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 10/08/08

    Burns, Scott A.
    11 Sylvia Lane
    Holyoke, MA 01040
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/01/08

    Caliri, Carolyn H.
    89 Fairfield Ave.
    Westfield, MA 01085
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/02/08

    Carbone, Suzanne M.
    a/k/a Brennan, Suzanne M.
    P.O. Box 572
    West Springfield, MA 01090
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Coles, Robert Reed
    27 Ely Road
    Monson, MA 01057
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/09/08

    Crawford, Marcie
    80 Damon Road, #6102
    Northampton, MA 01060
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Cruz, Doraldina
    24 Central St.
    Springfield, MA 01105
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/10/08

    Dagenais, Patricia Gail
    1111 Westfield St.
    West Springfield, MA 01089
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/30/08

    Dahlstrom, Andrew W.
    Dahlstrom, Kristin L.
    a/k/a Ebert, Kristin L.
    24 Grove St.
    Westborough, MA 01581
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/05/08

    Deich, Jonathon M.
    231 Franklin St.
    Belchertown, MA 01007
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/30/08

    Diaz, Carmen
    126 Lowell St.
    Springfield, MA 01107
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/08/08

    Diaz, Edwin
    19 Granville Road
    Springfield, MA 01109
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/08/08

    Do, Hoang T.
    461 Belmont Ave., Apt.
    Springfield, MA 01108
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/14/08

    Donatelli, Alice Mae
    3C Highland Village
    Ware, MA 01082
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/30/08

    Eames, Richard R.
    1674 North Main St.
    Palmer, MA 01069
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/08/08

    Estrada, Maynor E.
    Estrada, Juana C.
    a/k/a Avila, Juana C.
    4 Inwood Place
    Springfield, MA 01119
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/06/08

    Fahey, Eric J.
    228 Shays St.
    Amherst, MA 01002
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Fortier, Robert L.
    Fortier, Darlene A.
    41 James Lane
    Orange, MA 01364
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/30/08

    Frankel, Aaron C.
    PO Box 325
    West Warren, MA 01092
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Haugabook-Jordan, Lisa Marie
    4 Priscilla St.
    Springfield, MA 01108
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Hoang, Tung Tho
    23 Prospect Ave., Apt. F
    West Springfield, MA 01089
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/01/08

    Iglesias, Jeanene D.
    183 Berkshire Ave.
    Southwick, MA 01077
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/06/08

    Kennedy, Kevin J.
    18 Cypress Dr.
    South Hadley, MA 01075
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/07/08

    Knaggs, Wilkenson
    PO Box 90313
    Springfield, MA 01139
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 10/07/08

    Knowles, Gregory Allen
    Knowles, Pamela M.
    70 Ottawa St
    Agawam, MA 01001
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/01/08

    Lawson, Keri A.
    43 Hilltop Road
    Longmeadow, MA 01106
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/06/08

    		  

    Lisboa, Dorierrza
    14 Gerard Way, Apt. F
    Holyoke, MA 01040
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/06/08

    Lussier, Richard L.
    Lussier, Carla S.
    78 Main Road
    Westhampton, MA 01027
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/30/08

    Lynch’s 9-11,
    Lynch, William E.
    Lynch, Monica J.
    233 Main St.
    Easthampton, MA 01027
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/07/08

    McLeod, Margo G.
    a/k/a Strout, Margo G.
    45 Bacon Road
    Springfield, MA 01119
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Melanson, Kenneth A.
    Melanson, Bethany L
    82 Higher Brook Dr.
    Ludlow, MA 01056
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/01/08

    Minto, John J.
    534 Southwest St.
    Feeding Hills, MA 01030
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 10/02/08

    Morales, Carmen Maria
    P.O. Box 90704
    Springfield, MA 01109
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/10/08

    O’Keefe, Dennis Michael
    c/o 103 Bridle Path Road
    Chicopee, MA 01013
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/03/08

    Palermo, Angela M.
    14 Willow Circle
    Easthampton, MA 01027
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Petell, Laurie B.
    80 Merriam St.
    Pittsfield, MA 01201
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Popek, Jennifer J.
    1251 West Housatonic St.
    Pittsfield, MA 01201
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/09/08

    Rinard, Michael C.
    26 Lyman St.
    Granby, MA 01033
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Rivera, Diego
    Rivera, Olga
    26 North River Road
    Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/09/08

    Robinson, Johnny H.
    Robinson, Dorothy M.
    Fickling, Dorothy M.
    139 South Blvd.
    West Springfield, MA 01089
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/09/08

    Robles, Zulma
    247 Fernbank Road, Apt. 1
    Springfield, MA 01129
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/01/08

    Rodriguez, Beatriz
    87 Eliot St., Apt. 2B
    Springfield, MA 01105
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Rodriguez, Elizabeth
    45 Leitch St.
    Springfield, MA 01109
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/01/08

    Romansky, Robert W.
    Romansky, Lynne A.
    429 North Westfield St.
    Feeding Hills, MA 01030
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/09/08

    Santos, Miriam
    70 Riverdale St.
    West Springfield, MA 01089
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/30/08

    Smalley, Nicholas W.
    23 Taylor St., Apt. 2
    Holyoke, MA 01040
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/08/08

    St. Amand, Jonathan P.
    PO Box 707
    Chicopee, MA 01020
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/30/08

    Still, Michael A.
    Still, Diana M.
    13 Lovefield St.
    Easthampton, MA 01027
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/07/08

    Sulek, Wesley Adam
    PO Box 4157
    Springfield, MA 01101
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Tassinari, Robert
    56 Warren St.
    West Springfield, MA 01089
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/30/08

    Teeple, David S.
    310 Elm St., Apt. 3R
    Northampton, MA 01060
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/07/08

    Track Masters
    Innovative Polivers
    Federico, Francis T.
    105 Riverview Ave.
    Longmeadow, MA 01106
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/01/08

    Twomey, Paul R.
    215 Middle Rd
    North Adams, MA 01247
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 10/15/08

    Vega, Fernando E.
    Vega, Ivette
    45 Watling St.
    Springfield, MA 01104
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/30/08

    Vega, Thomas
    33 Spring St., Apt. G
    South Hadley, MA 01075
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/07/08

    Walczak, Stanley John
    685 Elm St., 2nd Fl.
    West Springfield, MA 01089
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/07/08

    Warfield, Patrick B.
    16 Regency Park Dr.
    Agawam, MA 01101-2243
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/08/08

    Wheeler, Charles S.
    Wheeler, Tanya L.
    a/k/a Cyr, Tanya
    151 Pontoosic Road
    Westfield, MA 01085
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 10/03/08

    Zacks, Matthew D.
    Zacks, Lisa M.
    73 Barrett St.
    Apt. 3101
    Northampton, MA 01060
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 10/08/08

    By
    Departments

    The following building permits were issued during the month of November 2008.

    AGAWAM

    V & F Realty
    443 Springfield St.
    $75,000 – Construct an addition to rear of building

    AMHERST

    Bank of America
    390 College St.
    $27,000 – Alterations to bank facility

    CHICOPEE

    Con-way Transportation Services
    106 New Lombard Road
    $3,500,000 – Construct new building that will function as service center for tractors and trailers

    GREENFIELD

    PDV Inc.
    278 Main St.
    $33,000 – Installation of fire protective signaling system

    Peter C. Mackin
    405 Deerfield St.
    $4,000 – Erection of a carport garage/display

    Summit Distributing, LLC
    109 Mohwak TL
    $30,000 – Remove and replace existing roof system

    HOLYOKE

    Bayview Financial
    345-363 Dwight St.
    $200,000 – Emergency exterior repairs

    Pasel Bimal
    54 Canal St.
    $80,000 – New 1200-square-foot addition

    LUDLOW

    Millerwood Properties Inc.
    40 Miller St.
    $6,200 – Alterations

    NORTHAMPTON

    Bennet & Lilly Gaev
    19 Center St.
    $289,000 – Repair fire damage first and second floor

    Cooley Dickinson Hospital
    30 Locust St.
    $65,000 – Renovations to business office

    Coolidge Center LLC
    225 King St.
    $1,839,500 – Construct 11,640-square-foot retail pharmacy building

    Donald & Lisa Muccino
    220 King St.
    $10,450 – Install new roof

    McDonald’s Corporation
    221 King St.
    $30,000 – Remodel interior to install beverage machine

    Nonotuck Mill LLC
    29 Nonotuck St.
    $18,000 – Construct interior partitions and handicap ramp

    		  

    Raymond Rice
    45 Maple St.
    $4,400 – Install second-floor door and egress

    SOUTHWICK

    T.A.D.Z. Realty LLC
    65 Hudson Dr.
    $259,000 – Erect wood framed pre-engineered structure

    Westfield Gas & Electric
    Route 57
    $101,500 – Construct new concrete and pre-fab building for meter and regulations equipment

    SPRINGFIELD

    A.I.C.
    963 State St.
    $10,000 – Replace dining services ramp

    Bank of America
    1724 Boston Road
    $38,000 – Improvements at entry, safe deposit, and teller area

    City of Springfield
    367 Hancock St.
    $4,000 – Renovate old nurse’s offices to art gallery

    Fan Cheng Li
    906 Boston Road
    $41,000 – Modify into a Chinese take-out restaurant

    Filler Bridge, LLC
    1551 Main St.
    $20,000 – New tenant fit up on second floor

    Infusion Plus Inc.
    1 Stafford St.
    $10,000 – Renovations

    WESTFIELD

    Easthampton Savings Bank
    85 Broad St.
    $19,000 – Install a handicap ramp

    Transcom Tech
    53 Mainline Dr.
    $22,750 – New windows

    WEST SPRINGFIELD

    Bank of America
    225 Memorial Ave.
    $22,000 – Install handicap ramp

    Fred L. Aaron
    1680 Riverdale St.
    $15,000 – Install two new bathrooms on second floor

    Slavic Pentacostal Church Inc.
    2611 Westfield St.
    $27,500 – Interior remodel

    Town of West Springfield
    76 Central St.
    $30,000 – Erect a drop-ceiling

    By
    Departments

    Hampden Bank Opens Second Longmeadow Branch

    SPRINGFIELD — Hampden Bank will soon open its ninth full-service branch office at 916 Shaker Road, and officials are planning a grand-opening celebration in early 2009. The branch office is the bank’s second office in Longmeadow. The 2,400-square-foot facility will have a modern look and will offer customers several state-of-the-art conveniences, including drive-thru banking services, a drive-up ATM, and two teller stations with cash recyclers for speed, accuracy, and security. In addition, the facility will have an after-hours conference room available for local community organizations to use for meetings and events. For information, visit www.hampdenbank.com. Hampden Bank has office locations in Springfield, Agawam, Longmeadow, West Springfield, Wilbraham, Indian Orchard, and Tower Square in downtown Springfield.

    MassMutual Pledges Fuel-assistance Grants to Salvation Army

    SPRINGFIELD — Local families will be getting some much-needed help in paying their heating bills this winter since the Salvation Army of Greater Springfield and Enfield, Conn. will each be receiving a $15,000 fuel-assistance grant from MassMutual Financial Group of Springfield. MassMutual’s contribution will enable the Salvation Army to help nearly 400 area residents keep the heat on in their homes. The Good Neighbor Energy Fund provides energy assistance to residents in temporary crisis who are struggling to pay their energy bills and do not qualify for federal or state energy funds. Trish Robinson, senior vice president of strategic communications and community responsibility, and deputy head of government relations for MassMutual, noted during a press conference that MassMutual was pleased to assist the Salvation Army to help families who are in need. She added that, since some area residents have never had to ask for assistance before, MassMutual was honored that it could help with this cause.

    Silvana.Net Designs Web Site for Holyoke

    HOLYOKE — The City of Holyoke recently unveiled a comprehensive municipal Web site that makes it easy for residents, visitors, and businesses to access information about the city and its services. The new site was designed by Silvana.Net, a Northampton Web-design firm. Located at www.holyoke.org, the site has been completely revamped to keep pace with Holyoke’s expected growth, according to Mayor Michael Sullivan. The new site is part of a three-year commitment by Sullivan and the City Council to significantly upgrade the city’s information-technology infrastructure. Additionally, a customized content-management system allows city departments to easily update pages. Silvana.Net trained approximately 60 city employees on how to update information about their departments on the Web site. The site also features sections on every municipal department, along with information about tourism attractions for visitors. Among other useful features is one that allows snow days, changes in trash collection, and parking bans to be easily and quickly posted on the home page.

    Bank Gives Hospital $40,000

    WARE — A $40,000 gift from Country Bank for Savings has enabled Baystate Mary Lane Hospital to purchase a sterilizer for the Surgical Services Department, allowing staff to use the sterile processing area more efficiently. The Steris washer/disinfector has made the cleaning and processing of surgical instruments more cost-efficient by allowing staff to process larger amounts of instruments at one time, which in turn decreases one’s exposure to contaminants, according to Norma Berthiaume, manager of Surgical Services. Donations from Country Bank for Savings over the years have assisted the hospital in purchasing state-of-the-art mammography and X-ray technology and orthopedic equipment, as well as renovating the hospital’s Surgical Services Suite.

    Sovereign Consulting Opens Office in Open Square

    HOLYOKE — Sovereign Consulting Inc., a growing environmental consulting and remediation company, announced recently that it has relocated its Amherst office to space in Holyoke’s Open Square. Sovereign will lease 3,500 square feet of space at suite 307 in the redeveloped former mill complex. Sovereign, which was recently ranked by ZweigWhite as No. 35 among the top 200 fastest-growing environmental businesses, provides environmental assessment, investigation, design, and construction services throughout the Northeast.

    By
    Departments

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

    Abare, Margaret E.
    28 Miles Morgan Court
    Wilbraham, MA 01095
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/23/08

    Andrews, Raymond L.
    69 Dalton Ave.
    Pittsfield, MA 01201
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Aquarius Pools & Spas
    Motta, Daniel
    Motta, AnneLee
    19 Winsor St.
    PO Box 329
    Ludlow, MA 01056
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Beaudoin, Bernadette
    a/k/a Bator, Bernadette
    29 Hampden St. 2nd Fl.
    Westfield, MA 01085
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/27/08

    Berube-Dearness, Karen A.
    P.O. Box 26
    Belchertown, MA 01007
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/17/08

    Bourque, David A.
    Bourque, Kathleen S.
    15 Granger Place
    West Springfield, MA 01089
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Bowen, Jerry P.
    164 Elizabeth Ave.
    Westfield, MA 01085
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/26/08

    Chicopee Computer & Networking
    Lostaglia, Patrick
    15 Erline St.
    Chicopee, MA 01013
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/26/08

    Creek, Gerald A.
    Creek, Pamela S.
    105 Reservoir Road
    Westhampton, MA 01027
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/23/08

    Crouch, Margaret Othelle
    PO Box 1035
    Easthampton, MA 01027
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Cunningham, William A.
    3 Wenonah Place
    Longmeadow, MA 01106
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Daniels, Edward C.
    28 Woodbine Ave.
    Pittsfield, MA 01201
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/20/08

    DeGray, Michelle A.
    209 Hanson Dr.
    Springfield, MA 01128
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/25/08

    Delgado, Olga I.
    191 Lamont St.
    Springfield, MA 01119
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Dellea, Barbara A.
    290 State Road, Apt. #3
    North Adams, MA 01247
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Demarey, Dawn Marie
    280 Rock Valley Road
    Holyoke, MA 01040
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/22/08

    Devine Design
    Devine, Stephen
    Devine, Linda M.
    49 Coleman Road
    Southampton, MA 01073
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/25/08

    Dew, Kim M.
    a/k/a Dew, Kimberly M.
    14 Little Ave.
    Greenfield, MA 01301
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Eddy, Arthur L.
    Eddy, Maryanne
    649 Prospect St., Apt. 1E
    Chicopee, MA 01020
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Estremera, Sonia
    a/k/a Estremera Crespo, Sonia
    1386 Dwight St.
    Springfield, MA 01107
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Falcone, Christine M.
    20 Elizabeth St., Apt. A
    Pittsfield, MA 01201
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Forestier, Josefina
    1823 Roosevelt Ave.
    Springfield, MA 01109
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Gagliardi, Carol A.
    440 North St., Apt. #23
    Pittsfield, MA 01201
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Gagnon, Deborah Ann
    35 Kings Ter.
    West Springfield, MA 01089
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Gaida, Thomas A.
    699 Millers Falls Road
    Northfield, MA 01360
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/25/08

    Garcia, Deiby
    Garcia, Shirley A.
    24 Northwood St.
    Chicopee, MA 01013
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Gilpatric, Alysha A.
    47 North St.
    Great Barrington, MA 01230
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Gosselin, Rhonda Lynn
    16 Rolf Ave.
    Chicopee, MA 01020
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Grandy, Alan T.
    272 Meadow Dr.
    Tolland, MA 01034
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/25/08

    Grandy, Ashley H.
    a/k/a Donnellan, Ashley H.
    272 Meadow Dr.
    Granville, MA 01034
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/25/08

    Gutierrez, Daniel D.
    a/k/a Gutierrez, Daniela A.
    a/k/a Cardoso, Daniela A.
    57 Myrtle St.
    Pittsfield, MA 01201
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Habib, Hamid
    32A Everett Ave.
    Belchertown, MA 01007
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/16/08

    Hall, Steven C.
    395 Porter Lake Dr.
    Longmeadow, MA 01106
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Hammond, Mary M.
    a/k/a Payne, Mary M.
    511 Vernon Ave.
    P.O. Box 159
    South Barre, MA 01074
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Han, Keun S.
    33 Somers Road
    East Longmeadow, MA 01028
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/23/08

    Hannula, Robert Andrew
    85 Pequoig Ave., Apt. #2
    Athol, MA 01331
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Harris, Shawn M.
    P.O. Box 824
    Belchertown, MA 01007
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Heap, Joanne Mary
    a/k/a Heap-Coughlin, Joanne M.
    1066 Frank Smith Road
    Longmeadow, MA 01106
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/22/08

    Hobert, Cynthia L.
    129 Sheehan Dr.
    Holyoke, MA 01040
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Horne, Leonard J.
    Horne, Pauline M.
    198 College St.
    Chicopee, MA 01020
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Housand, Sarah L.
    P.O. Box 683
    West Warren, MA 01092
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/25/08

    Jewett, Dana A.
    25 Richard Eger Dr.
    Holyoke, MA 01040
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/26/08

    Kelly, Geoffrey M.
    92 Johnson St.
    Springfield, MA 01108
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Kendall, Harvey A.
    Kendall, Susan J.
    21 Arnold St.
    Feeding Hills, MA 01030
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/23/08

    Kimberley, Victoria A.
    25 Leonard Ave.
    Westfield, MA 01085
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/23/08

    King, Peter D.
    171 Colonial Dr.
    Athol, MA 01331
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/16/08

    Kum, Roger Olston
    128 Benton St.
    Springfield, MA 01109
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/16/08

    Lacascia, Matthew David
    PO Box 53
    Bondsville, MA 01009
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    		  

    Leclair, John David
    35 Kings Ter.
    West Springfield, MA 01089
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Lococo, Todd Michael
    430 Acrebrook Dr.
    Florence, MA 01062
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Lyon, Janet E.
    a/k/a Ladner, Janet E.
    1 Corey Colonial
    Agawam, MA 01001
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/26/08

    MacNeil, Cheryl L.
    Kron, Michael P.
    15 Cooper St.
    Springfield, MA 01108
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Marshuk, Dawn
    8 Villone Dr., Apt. 8
    Leeds, MA 01053
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Mayock, Frederick O.
    123 Academy Dr.
    Longmeadow, MA 01106
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    McCarthy, Linda M.
    120 Ashgrove St.
    Chicopee, MA 01020
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/26/08

    McFaul, Mary Katherine
    49 Moriarty Road
    Ware, MA 01082
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Medina, Emily
    56 Springfield St.
    Chicopee, MA 01013
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/26/08

    Montanez, Michelle M.
    66 Palmer Road
    Monson, MA 01057
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Morrissette, Thomas J.
    Morrissette, Joyce M.
    84 Cooley Ave.
    East Longmeadow, MA 01028
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Murphy, Suzanne C.
    206 New Ludlow Road
    Chicopee, MA 01020
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Neithercott, Peter H.R.
    356 B Hatfield St.
    Northampton, MA 01060
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Nguyen, Lien T.
    15 Glendell Ter.
    Springfield, MA 01108
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Ortiz, Carlos
    Ortiz, Jeannette
    a/k/a Cortes, Jeanette
    13 Treetop Ave.
    Springfield, MA 01118
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Ovchinnikova, Liliya
    269 Chicopee St., Apt. 3
    Chicopee, MA 01020
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Payne, Amanda M.
    213 Prentice St.
    Springfield, MA 01104
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/25/08

    Plouffe, Elizabeth
    13B Washburn Ave.
    Warren, MA 01083
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/22/08

    Privett, David W.
    Privett, Joanne M.
    102 Ludlow St.
    Belchertown, MA 01007
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/26/08

    Proulx, Maureen Ann
    PO Box 693
    Chicopee, MA 01021
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/16/08

    Ratte, Michael Joseph
    133 Highland Ave.
    West Springfield, MA 01089
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/22/08

    Registry Plaza Inc.
    Sundance Realty
    P.O. Box 290
    Hadley, MA 01035
    Chapter: 11
    Filing Date: 09/21/08

    Rivera, Milton Luis
    33 Parkin St.
    Springfield, MA 01104
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Robbins, Kelly L.
    61 East Palmer Park Dr.
    Palmer, MA 01069
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/16/08

    Rossmiller, Jennifer Klock
    a/k/a Klock, Jennifer Anne
    a/k/a Williams, Jennifer Anne
    94 Waldorf St.
    Springfield, MA 01109
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Ruiz, Heliodora
    18 Whitmore Dr.
    Springfield, MA 01104
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Sandifer, Regina M.
    463-B Crane Ave.
    Pittsfield, MA 01201
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Savoy, Cynthia T.
    68 Ogden St.
    Indian Orchard, MA 01151
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/27/08

    Smith, Eric J.
    Smith, Tammy L.
    25 White St.
    Westfield, MA 01085
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/26/08

    St. Pierre, Eric S.
    164 Allen St.
    Athol, MA 01331
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    St. Pierre, Sharon M.
    24 St. Pierres Lane
    Westfield, MA 01085
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    Stevens, Nancy L.
    a/k/a Cormier, Nancy L.
    160 Second St.
    Pittsfield, MA 01201
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Therrien, Katherine M.
    a/k/a Lanoue, Katherine M.
    14 Sycamore St., Apt.
    Westfield, MA 01085
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/22/08

    Tocci, Jamie
    Tocci, Tammi L.
    520 Chauncey Walker Road
    Belchertown, MA 01007
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/23/08

    Tophill Farm
    Shiny Pretty Things
    O’Gorman, Rochelle M.
    555 Devon Road
    Lee, MA 01238
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/23/08

    Turcotte, Ralph M.
    Turcotte, Patricia M.
    5 Newton St.
    Belchertown, MA 01007
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/25/08

    Valentine-Luszcz, Tawnya A.
    a/k/a Luszcz, Tawnya A.
    400 Maple St.
    Springfield, MA 01105
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Velastegui, Robert Leonel
    a/k/a Carrasco, Bob L.
    a/k/a Velastegui-Carrasco, Bob
    93 Highland Ave.
    Ludlow, MA 01056
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/29/08

    Walker, Nicholas P.
    Walker, Katie M.
    640 Britton St.
    Chicopee, MA 01020
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/25/08

    Watkins, Gloria Jean
    59 Park St.
    Turners Falls, MA 01376
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    Weckstrom, Karl Bernhard
    Weckstrom, Mary Ann
    a/k/a Uhrmacher, Mary Ann
    256 College Highway
    Southampton, MA 01073
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/16/08

    Wells, Thomas M.
    52 Parkside Ave.
    Pittsfield, MA 01201
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/24/08

    White, James G.
    97 Parallel St.
    Springfield, MA 01104
    Chapter: 13
    Filing Date: 09/23/08

    Whitney, Frederick M.
    2283 Baptist Hill Road
    Palmer, MA 01069
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/16/08

    Woods, William E.
    223 Park Circle
    Sturbridge, MA 01566
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/19/08

    Zeigen, Coleman Palmer
    45 Holyoke St., Apt. G
    Easthampton, MA 01027
    Chapter: 7
    Filing Date: 09/18/08

    By
    Departments

    Bay Path Receives NSF Awards

    LONGMEADOW — The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded a grant of $505,920 to Bay Path College to support scholarships and activities to attract and retain undergraduate women, in particular minority students, in biology, biotechnology, and forensic science. A primary goal of the grant will be to ensure that academically talented but financially challenged students who wish to pursue a career in the sciences will receive a scholarship and other financial assistance. Scholarship grants of up to $10,000 per year for four years will be available to academically qualified students. Additionally, work-study and research internships in a student’s given field of interest will be funded, allowing her to develop valuable career experience while earning money. Also, a book fund will be established to aid students in purchasing increasingly expensive science textbooks. The college will make its first awards for spring 2009. Bay Path President Carol A. Leary noted that, as part of the college’s five-year plan, focusing on significant investments in science education also coincides with Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick taking steps to secure the state a global position in the life sciences and biotechnology industry with a $1 billion, 10-year Life Sciences Bill that has been signed by the state Senate and House. With this grant, Bay Path students will be well-positioned to take advantage of job opportunities as a result of this important initiative for Massachusetts, added Leary.

    Hampden Bancorp Declares Dividend

    SPRINGFIELD — Officials at Hampden Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Hampden Bank, recently announced that net income for the three months ended Sept. 30 was $47,000, as compared to $521,000 for the same period in 2007. The decrease in net income was primarily the result of an increase in the provision for loan losses of $422,000 for the three months ended Sept. 30, compared to the same period in 2007. The increase in the provision for loan losses is due to increases in loan delinquencies, growth in the loan portfolio, and general economic conditions, according to bank officials. The company’s total assets increased by $7.7 million, or 1.4%, from $543.8 million at June 30 to $551.5 million at Sept. 30. Deposits increased $12.1 million, or 3.6%, to $343.5 million at Sept. 30, from $331.4 million at June 30. In other news, the board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.03 per common share, payable on Nov. 26 to shareholders of record at the close of business on Nov. 12.

    Seahorse Labware Expands

    CHICOPEE — Seahorse Labware recently leased 3,750 square feet of additional space at its 300 Griffith Road site to accommodate growth, according to company officials. Initially, the additional space will be for warehouse use; however, officials note that the space may be converted for lab or manufacturing processes over time. Seahorse now occupies 30,000 square feet in the multi-tenant facility in Westover Airpark North, managed by Development Associates of Agawam. Seahorse services the life-sciences industry with instruments and consumable labware products for biological research and drug discovery.

    MassMutual Approves $1.35B Dividend

    SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company recently approved the payment of approximately $1.35 billion in dividends to eligible participating policyholders in 2009. The payout reflects a dividend interest rate of 7.6% on new eligible participating life-insurance policies. MassMutual, as a mutual company, is owned by its policyholders, meaning they share in the ownership of the company. Customers who purchase participating products from MassMutual receive an equitable share of a portion of the company’s divisible surplus in the form of dividends as approved by MassMutual’s Board of Directors each year. Company officials note that MassMutual has consistently paid dividends since the 1860s.

    Peter Pan Celebrates 75th; Driver Saluted

    SPRINGFIELD — Peter Pan Bus Lines driver Everett Anderson, who recently completed his 38th year of accident-free driving, was honored Nov. 5 for his accomplishment at the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield breakfast. Peter Pan’s 75th anniversary was also saluted at the morning affair. As a surprise for Anderson, a new model Peter Pan coach was unveiled with a wrap reading “Three Million Miles of Accident-Free Driving — Everett Anderson.” Anderson is one of a handful of motorcoach or commercial truck drivers nationwide to become a 3 million-mile safe driver, according to the National Safety Council. He is the second Peter Pan motorcoach operator to reach this milestone. A city resident, Anderson began driving for Peter Pan in 1970. During his tenture, he has received its highest honor, the Peter C. Picknelly Founder’s Award for excellence and the Mrs. Picknelly Sr. Award – Driver of the Year. Peter Pan serves more than 100 communities throughout the northeast corridor with daily express scheduled service, including Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, and Washington, D.C.

    Business Assists Local Families

    HOLYOKE — Employees of Ace Fire and Water Restoration Inc. recently donated toys and books to the local Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program in the city. A wooden activity center, blocks, and Sesame Street books were among the donated items. Ace co-owner Gary Brunelle noted that his company was “very pleased” to present the toys and books to an important resource for local families. “Suffering property damage is especially stressful when young children are involved — this was a no-brainer,” he added.

    Pacesetter Award Winners Named

    HOLYOKE — Winners of the 2008 Pacesetter Awards were recently spotlighted at an awards breakfast, sponsored by the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. The honorees were CRA Inc. as Small Business of the Year; Conklin Office Furniture, Inc., Pacesetter Award; Square One, Non-Profit Operational Excellence Award; and Western Mass. Enterprise Fund Inc., Business Advocate of the Year. Pacesetter Committee Chair Kathleen Buckley of Holyoke Medical Center noted that Holyoke has an abundance of small companies and nonprofit organizations that are highly successful and meeting challenges daily through ingenuity and outstanding management practices.

    Sunshine Village Relocates

    WESTFIELD — Sunshine Village, a nonprofit organization that cares for individuals with developmental disabilities, recently relocated its day-habilitation program to 74 Franklin St. Donna Erickson, program manager for the satellite location, noted that the new space offers more room for training and activities and is a more convenient location for most of its participants. In addition to its headquarters and worksite in Chicopee as well as the Westfield site, the organization maintains day-hab programs in West Springfield, Holyoke and Three Rivers. As part of its program, participants learn fundamental life skills, participate in self-help activities, and work to build a greater sense of self-worth. An open house is planned during the holiday season to introduce the program to the public.

    Student Prince Is ‘Legendary Restaurant’

    SPRINGFIELD — Each fall for the past 13 years, Gourmet has published a special restaurant issue that explores the newest trends in restaurants. This fall, Gourmet editor-in-chief Ruth Reichl wanted the October edition to be “different.” She noted on the Gourmet Web site that her staff went looking for a few grand American restaurants that have stood the test of time. Of the 20 ‘legendary’ American restaurants that met that criteria — and still serve great food — was the Student Prince. For information on the restaurant, visit www.studentprince.com.

    New Owner at Danco/Danish Inspirations

    WEST HATFIELD — A wide selection of clearance and discontinued items at Danco/Danish Inspirations may be purchased at further reductions in price this holiday season when making a donation to the United Way of Hampshire County, according to new owner Peter Knapp. Knapp noted that, during the holidays, various suppliers of Danish Inspirations will participate with incentives on their items if donations are made. Knapp added that he feels this is a “wonderful opportunity” to make good on his commitment to offer new designs and events to benefit the community. Since 1983, Danish Inspirations at Danco Modern has specialized in contemporary furniture and accessories. For more information, visit www.dancomodern.com.

    ESB Sponsors Town Celebration

    EASTHAMPTON — Easthampton Savings Bank recently contributed $15,000 to the Town of Hadley 350th Committee to help celebrate the town’s 1659 founding. The celebration will kick off in January with a dinner dance and continue with events and programs throughout 2009, including a lecture series, workshops, a picnic, a parade, a block party, a town history day, a fair, and a road race. David Martula, co-chair of the Hadley 350th Committee, noted that without the generosity of businesses and donors, it would have been impossible to plan such a varied and comprehensive list of activities. “Thanks to our donors, our celebration will go down as one of the most memorable in our history,” he said.

    By
    Departments

    The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

    CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

    Mercier’s Carper Service Inc. v. Anderson Builders Inc.
    Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered: $16,940.60
    Filed: 10/02/08

    National Vinyl Products Inc. v. Rugg Lumber Company Inc.
    Allegation: Non-payment of goods: $17,524.54
    Filed: 10/02/08

    GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT

    Fairway Wholesale Corporation v. Rugg Lumber Company Inc.
    Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $10,769.15
    Filed: 10/06/08

    Northeast Treaters Inc. v. Rugg Lumber Company Inc.
    Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $9,103.48
    Filed: 10/06/08

    HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

    Mary Jean Picknelly v. R.E. LaPlante Construction Inc.
    Allegation: Negligence in erosion repair and stabilization services rendered causing property damage: $120,000+
    Filed: 10/08/08

    Paul Lopardo v. MassMutual Federal Credit Union
    Allegation: Employment discrimination: $210,000
    Filed: 10/01/08

    VFS Leasing Co. v. Ferris Transportation Inc.
    Allegation: Breach of lease agreement: $79,032.56
    Filed: 9/24/08

    HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

    Adam M. Fishman p/p/a Robert & Maryann Fishman v. City of Northampton
    Allegation: Negligence and inadequate staffing in fifth-grade gym class resulting in plaintiff’s injuries: $97,417
    Filed: 10/03/08

    Katherine S. Kerber v. Somatic Systems Institute
    Allegation: Balance pursuant to a judgment: $41,728.78
    Filed: 10/06/08
    Kim Baker, et al v. Western Mass Electric Company, et al
    Allegation: Negligence, breach of express and implied warranties, and breach of contract stemming from placement of a faulty transformer: $100,000
    Filed: 9/29/08

    Linda Hiesiger, et al v. City of Northampton
    Allegation: Plaintiffs seek monetary damage as well as injunctive relief. Tort action for nuisance and trespass against the Northampton Regional Sanitary Landfill: $750,000
    Filed: 10/14/08

    Town of South Hadley v. Berkshire Design Group Inc.
    Allegation: Breach of contract for engineering services leading to additional expense incurred by plaintiff; $641,324.71
    Filed: 10/08/08

    PALMER DISTRICT COURT

    Coler & Colantonio Inc. v. New England Construction Equipment, LLC
    Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered: $20,448.66
    Filed: 9/09/08

    SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

    Chicopee Concrete Services v. Custom Concrete
    Allegation: Breach of contract for concrete services: $5,060.62
    Filed: 9/30/08

    Daniel Medina v. Michael Moore Stanley & Sons
    Allegation: Breach of contract for concrete services: $6,895
    Filed: 10/03/08

    Grimaldi Inc. v. MTCS Realty Inc.
    Allegation: Non-payment of products and services: $17,419.95
    Filed: 10/03/08

    Lianne Azevedo v. Best Fitness and Life Fitness
    Allegation: Plaintiff received injury from equipment at defendant’s location: $10,000.00+
    Filed: 10/01/08

    Tomarc Machine Company Inc. v. Ace Precision Inc.
    Allegation: Non-payment on judgment: $6,606.65
    Filed: 9/29/08

    WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

    Heritage Surveys, Inc. v. Mountain Rd. Estates, LLC
    Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered: $10,014
    Filed: 9/25/08

    By
    Departments

    Joseph Wojnas of Hatch Mott MacDonald in Holyoke has obtained his Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation. Wojnas is a Physical Engineer and works as a project manager on municipal infrastructure and natural-gas pipeline projects.

    •••••

    Todd M. Crevier, a real-estate Sales Professional, recently joined Keller Williams Realty and will be working in the Longmeadow office.

    •••••

    Amy Egan has joined the Enfield, Conn. office of Prudential Connecticut Realty as a Sales Executive.

    •••••

    Dr. Pikeshkumar Patel has joined the practice of Baystate Medical Practices – Greenfield Gastroenterology. Patel, a Gastroenterologist, is on the medical staff at Baystate Franklin Medical Center.

    •••••

    Wendy M. Murakami has been appointed Wellness Coordinator at Ruth’s House, a program of Jewish Geriatric Services. Ruth’s House is an assisted-living residence.

    •••••

    Joe Moleski has been named by Penske Truck Leasing to the newly created position of Vice President/Sustainability.

    •••••

    Speech Therapist Natalie Powers has joined the Rehabilitation Department at Baystate Rehabilitation Care located at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware.

    •••••

    Chicopee Savings Bank announced the following:
    • Kerri Herzig has joined the bank as Assistant Vice President-Financial Reporting, and
    • Lloyd Hall has joined the bank as an Internal Auditor.

    •••••

    Don Rivard of Rivard’s Resources: IPM was recently recognized as a “Boston Hero at Home” by the Boston Public Health Commission. The award represents contributions to improving the health and quality of life for Boston residents, particularly those with asthma. Rivard is a former resident of Springfield.

    •••••

    Terry Ianello, owner and operator of Terry Etc. Hair & Nails Salon in Springfield, has recently returned from a five-day trip to France. Ianello was one of 12 hair designers across the United States invited as guests of Rene Furterer, the hair-care division of French pharmaceutical giant Pierre Fabre.

    •••••

    Environmental Compliance Services Inc. has named Michael Murdzia as a Senior Project Manager.

    •••••

    The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts announced the following:
    • Elizabeth D. Scheibel has been named the new Chair of the Board. Scheibel is the Massachusetts District Attorney for the Northwestern District;
    • Sandy Belden, retired President of the Community Bank of Syracuse, has been named to the Board;
    • Dianne Doherty, Regional Director of the Mass. Small Business Development Center, has been named to the Board;
    • Sue Lobello, former Chair of the Board of The Food Bank of Western Mass., has been named to the Board;
    • Steve Mitus, Executive Vice President of Balise Auto Sales, has been named to the Board, and
    • Jay Primack, Managing Partner of Moriarty and Primack, P.C., has been named to the Board.

    •••••

    William B. Meyer Inc. has named Mike Humen to serve as Director of Business Development.

    •••••

    Adam D. Raczkowski has been appointed President of W. F. Young Inc. of East Longmeadow. Raczkowski is only the third president in the company’s history who is a non-family member.

    •••••

    The Children’s Study Home announced the following:
    • Shawn M. deVillier, Senior Vice President of Investments at Raymond James in Springfield, has joined the Board of Directors, and
    • Dale Desmarais, General Sales Manager at Grynn and Barrett in Holyoke, has joined the Board of Directors.

    •••••

    Vascular and interventional radiologist Dr. George Hartnell has joined the medical staff of Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton.

    •••••

    Ronn Johnson, Director of Community Responsibility at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company in Springfield, will become a member of the Early Education for All (EEA) Campaign’s advisory committee. EEA is a coalition of leaders from business, early childhood, labor, religion, health care, education, and philanthropy, working in partnership with families, grass-roots leaders, and state policymakers to make high-quality early-education available to every Massachusetts child.

    •••••

    Todd Peetros has been named an Account Executive at Integrity Graphics Inc. of Windsor, Conn. He will be responsible for sales and the development of targeted markets.

    •••••

    John Mankowski has been appointed to Manager of Engineering for Convergent Lasers at PRIMA North America Inc, the North American subsidiary of PRIMA INDUSTRIE S.p.A., Torino, Italy.

    •••••

    The Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the following:
    • Greg Chiecko, Sales Director at the Eastern States Exposition, will serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors;
    • Peter Rosskothen, Owner of The Log Cabin & Delaney House, will serve as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors;
    • Joseph Carvalho, President and Executive Director of the Springfield Museums Assoc., will serve a two-year term on the Board of Directors;
    • John Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will serve a two-year term on the Board of Directors;
    • Carolyn Edwards, Senior Marketing Director of Prime Outlets, has been named to a two-year term on the Board of Directors;
    • Debra Flynn, Owner of Eastside Grill, has been named to a two-year term on the Board of Directors;
    • Robert Gilbert, President and CEO of Dowd Insurance, has been named to a two-year term on the Board of Directors;
    • Harlan Kent, President and COO of Yankee Candle Company, has been named to a two-year term on the Board of Directors;
    • Larry Litton, Park President, Six Flags New England, has been named to a two-year term on the Board of Directors;
    • Bruce Nable, President, SER Expo Services, has been named to a two-year term on the Board of Directors, and
    • Christina Pappas, President, Open the Door Communications, has been named to a two-year term on the Board of Directors.
    Members of the Board of Directors who have been nominated to serve an additional two-year term include:
    • Stu Hurwitz, Owner of the former Rein’s Deli;
    • William Rogalski, General Manager of the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside;
    • Robert Schwarz, Vice President of Peter Pan Bus Lines, and
    • Daniel Walsh, Vice President and Managing Director of Columbus Hotels.
    The following individuals, whose terms will expire in 2009, will remain on the Board of Directors:
    • John Hesslein, Station Manager of CBS-3 Springfield;
    • Matt Hollander, General Manager of the MassMutual Center;
    • Kevin Kennedy, Communications Director at Museums10/Five Colleges, Inc.;
    • Bruce Landon, President and General Manager of the Springfield Falcons Hockey Club;
    • Judith Matt, President of the Spirit of Springfield;
    • Tim O’Brien, President of Scorpio Communications;
    • Shardool Parmar, Co-owner of the Pioneer Valley Hotel Group;
    • Paul Picknelly, President of Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel;
    • Rod Warnick, Hospitality Tourism Management Department Head at the UMass Amherst, and
    • Lenny Weake, President of the Quaboag Valley Chamber of Commerce.

    •••••

    Winners of the 2008 Pacesetter Awards were recently announced by the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce as follows:
    • CRA Inc. was named Small Business of the Year;
    • Conklin Office Furniture Inc. received the Pacesetter Award;
    • Square One received the Non-Profit Operational Excellence Award, and
    • Western Mass. Enterprise Fund Inc. received the Business Advocate of the Year Award.

    By
    Departments

    Rays of Hope

    It was a 15th anniversary walk that will be long remembered. Record numbers of walkers and teams — 15,000 and 420, respectively — turned out Oct. 26 for Rays of Hope – A Walk Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer, fueled by a growing desire to find a cure for breast cancer and to support breast-cancer programs and services at Baystate Health. While donations will continue to come into the Baystate Health Foundation during the coming weeks, this year’s day-of-walk total was $725,000, bringing the total number of dollars raised since the event’s inception to more than $7 million. Through the Baystate Health Foundation, 100% of the proceeds from the walk remain in Western Mass. to fund programs for breast-cancer patients and survivors and breast-health programs at the Comprehensive Breast Center at Baystate Medical Center, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware, and Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, and for breast-cancer research at Baystate Medical Center and Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute. Funds also support community organizations including Cancer Connection and Cancer House of Hope. This year’s walk was made possible by Presenting Sponsor Health New England, as well as Silver Sponsors Chicopee Savings Charitable Foundation and Balise Motor Sales, and many other generous corporate sponsors throughout Western Mass.

    The Write Stuff

    Poet and activist Nikki Giovanni made a presentation at Springfield Technical Community College on Oct. 31, speaking to 1,500 students from area colleges as well as local high-school and middle-school students. The event was sponsored by the STCC Diversity Council, along with Baystate Health, MassMutual, American International College, the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, Black Men of Greater Springfield, PeoplesBank, Afro-American Point of View, Springfield College, UnityFirst News, WTCC radio, and Western New England College.

    Third Thursday

    Attendees gather for a group shot at the Young Professional Society (YPS) Third Thursday event at Hofbrahaus in West Springfield on Oct. 16. The group meets monthly at locations across Western Mass. to network, recruit new members, and, in general, advance the YPS mission to engage, involve, and educate area young professionals.

    It’s Time for America to Get Its Swagger Back

    By
    Opinion

    All presidential elections are drawn out, trying, divisive processes, but this one was even more so — on every score.

    It seems like it’s taken forever to reach this point, and the ugliness factor involved in choosing our next president has set a standard that will be hard to match. But through it all, we seem to have reached something approaching consensus — an electoral count of 349 to 163, at press time, allows us to use that word — that Americans want not simply change but better leadership, and they believe Barack Obama can provide it.

    Let’s hope he can.

    Because this country has lost something over the past several years. For lack of a better term, we’ll call it swagger.

    The United States had, until quite recently, been respected by most of the rest of the world. It led the way when it came to innovation and entrepreneurship and bringing about positive change. All that seems gone now. The respect is certainly gone, and so, to a large degree, is that sense of entrepreneurship.

    We’re no longer watching to see if other countries can catch up to us — instead, we’re hoping to catch up to the new standards being set by other countries, especially China.

    This is one of the matters to consider as this nation enters what is always a very intriguing period, a time when the rancorous election process is behind us and people start to focus on the future and what can and should happen. We have some thoughts along those lines as well.

    Obviously, the economy is first and foremost on everyone’s minds, and the turmoil of the past few months is no doubt one of the key reasons why Obama was elected. Now, it’s his job to fix things — but it’s not only his job; the task belongs to everyone who helped create this mess and then tried to fix it with stopgap, knee-jerk responses designed primarily to keep the Dow from sliding, and they didn’t even do that.

    No, the economy can’t be fixed through $600 stimulus checks, nor with bailouts of major, and quite irresponsible, financial institutions. It will take much more than that, and perhaps the best place to start is with infusions of capital and support in programs that will generate new, well-paying jobs.

    In the ’30s, the government did this by building roads, bridges, and dams. Today, it could do it by fostering development of new energy sources and technology that will rid this country of its dependence on foreign oil and help preserve the planet for future generations.

    While making such investments, our elected leaders (not Obama all by himself) must address the annoying habit this country has of privatizing gains and socializing losses. The government enabled financial institutions to make the foolhardy moves that led to the recent meltdown, and then it bailed out those companies, or most of them, anyway. This wasn’t the first time this happened, but we hope it’s the last.

    Elected leaders can help make sure it is by somehow changing attitudes in boardrooms across the country. We need to lose the ‘quick, easy buck’ mentality — like putting people in homes even if they don’t qualify, knowing that we can make billions if we do and the government will bail us out if it all blows up — and earn money the old-fashioned way.

    In other words, corporations have to stop looking at the next batch of quarterly results and how to make them look better. They need incentives to look at and plan for the long term.

    All this is difficult, because voters are aren’t focused on the long term, either. They want the economy fixed, and they want it fixed now. They don’t want to dread opening their next 401(k) statement.

    In many respects, that’s Obama’s job — to make everyone’s 401(k) healthier. But in reality, the task is much broader and more difficult.

    He’s got to get that swagger back.-

    OPINION

    By
    Opinion
    Union Station: It Does Make Sense

    I read with interest BusinessWest’s recent editorial, “Union Station: It Still Doesn’t Make Sense,” and must respectfully disagree with this conclusion. In my view, the new plan for the redevelopment of Union Station (‘Union Station II’) represents an exciting opportunity to revitalize this long-dormant landmark, and it makes great economic sense for Springfield.

    In a nutshell, the plan positions Union Station as the key regional interchange for Amtrak and commuter rail service, regional and local bus service, and taxi service. The existing run-down rail terminal would become a modern public facility. A new bus terminal with a parking garage would be built on the site of the baggage building. Office space would be provided for the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) as well as the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. A day-care center would serve employees throughout the downtown area. Finally, the ADA-accessible facility will include space for transit-related retail and more office uses in the future.

    Union Station II is the result of an intensive year-long planning effort undertaken by the PVTA, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, and the Springfield Business Development Corp. Working with HDR, an award-winning consulting firm, this team has produced a plan that resolves a number of thorny issues that plagued previous efforts.

    While it is true that Union Station II is less elaborate than earlier concepts, this new approach is both more realistic and within budget.

    Let’s take a closer look at why Union Station II makes sense:

    Enhanced transportation facilities. With the memory of $4-per-gallon gasoline fresh in our minds, the time has never been better to advance a project that will support mass transit as an alternative to over-reliance on the automobile.

    Transit-oriented development. Across the world, transit-oriented development (TOD) has emerged as a proven vehicle for achieving ‘smart growth’ by leveraging transit resources. Union Station will become a TOD anchor that will attract private investment to the area.

    Market-driven. Union Station II is well-grounded in Springfield’s real-estate market. This practical approach relies on fewer tenants that each have good reason to be located in a transit-themed facility.

    Downtown revitalization. The project will advance the cause of downtown, bringing new people to Springfield and improving the marketability of office space. It is an ongoing effort to move downtown forward, which includes a soon-to-be-announced plan for the federal building.

    Historic preservation. Union Station II will preserve one of Springfield’s most important landmarks, taking full advantage of Union Station’s architectural and historic character.

    ‘Green’ construction. The project will be undertaken on an environmentally sensitive basis. Sustainable design is expected to earn the project a ‘silver’ LEED rating.

    Financial viability. The redevelopment plan reflects strict financial discipline. It utilizes available federal financial resources and anticipates private investment as ancillary commercial space leases up.

    While it has taken longer than I would like to bring about revitalization of Union Station, the fact is that virtually every major economic development initiative involves a certain measure of uncertainty, frustration, and delay. In this case, the time spent is certainly reasonable given the complexities involved in assembling a viable project. In my view, the parties involved should be praised for their persistence in the face of multiple obstacles.

    Springfield wants and deserves a transportation center that is modern, clean, and efficient — a center that brings together various transportation options, including commuter rail and intercity bus service, in an attractive, welcoming, and customer-friendly setting. The economic and environmental benefits of a revitalized station support the promise of a brighter future for Springfield and the Pioneer Valley.

    Yes, Union Station II makes a whole lot of sense, and it deserves public support.-

    U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal represents the Second District of Massachusetts.