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Construction Course

July 16: The Home Builders Assoc. of Western Mass. will sponsor a six-session course starting July 16 to help individuals prepare for the Mass. Construction Supervisor’s Licensing Exam. Sessions will be conducted at the Home Builders Assoc. headquarters, 240 Cadwell Dr., Springfield, for six Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Course instructors are Bob Ashburn and Michael Carter, tenured professors at Wentworth Institute of Technology. Registration forms to enroll for the state exam will be distributed at the first session of the program. The fee is $250 for a member of the Home Builders Assoc. of Western Mass. and $350 for a non-member. For more information or to register, call Sandra Doucette at (413) 733-3126. Enrollment is limited.

Business Resource & Services Fair

July 17: The Regional Employment Board of Hampden County will host a Hampden County Business Resource & Services Fair from 8:30 to 10:45 a.m. at the Banknorth Conference Center, 1st Floor, 1441 Main St., Springfield. One of the goals of the morning event is to inform businesses in Hampden County about state and regional services that are available to them to assist in addressing business needs and strategies. A business card is required for admission. Organizations scheduled to provide services include the state Office for Minority and Women Business Assistance, Commonwealth Corp., New England Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms, Mass. Office of Business Development, MassDevelopment, Associated Industries of Mass., Small Business Administration, and the state Office of Business and Entrepreneurship. People planning to attend the event should E-mail Larry Martin at [email protected] by July 8. For more information, call (413) 755-1361.

Cambridge College Extravaganza

August 5: The Basketball Hall of Fame will be the setting for Cambridge College’s 2nd annual Enrollment Extravaganza, beginning at 6 p.m. An information session on undergraduate, master of Education, master of Management, and master of Education–Counseling Psychology programs is planned, featuring a student panel with faculty members. In addition, workshops are planned, as well as a keynote address by Michael Lundquist, a Cambridge College alum and CEO of the Polus Center for Social and Economic Development Inc. Lundquist will speak on “Giving Back in a Global Economy.” For details, visit www.cambridgecollege.edu/ Springfield, or call (800) 829-4723, ext. 6623.

By
Departments

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

Air-Flow USA
Body Mind Spirit
Kearney Group
Re-grout Magic
Kearney, James Patrick
a/k/a Kearney, Wendy R.
1682 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Alicea, Irisneri
Ramos, Victor
20 Easthampton Road, Apt. D-9
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Allen, Portia Doretha
51 Ardmore St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Antunes, Carl J.
43 John St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Aucella, Robert P.
291 Regency Park Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/08

Banville, Donald Richard
Banville, Maricatheryn Lucille
a/k/a Conlin, Maricatheryn Lucille
2200 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/08

Bencivenni, Joan P.
138 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Biathrow, George O.
Biathrow, Michele M.
126 Letendre Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Birudavol, Raj N.
5E Mansion Woods Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/08

Bonyeau, David N.
9 King Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/08

Brown, Anthony
121 Hastings St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Bryant, Timothy J.
25 Lincoln St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/08

Budington, Ralph V.
307 Dorset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/08

Burgos, Dennis
25 Vinton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Cardano, Alicia M.
175 Bumstead Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/08

Chmielewski, Dariusz Z.
Chmielewski, Krystyna
20-22 State St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Clark, Colleen Ann
86 Williams St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Cohen, Sandra E.
77 Hall St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Coleman, Winifred M.
a/k/a Daley, Winifred M.
248 Amherst Road #F9
Sunderland, MA 01375
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Copeland, Clifford E.
Copeland, Dina M.
Pinsonneault, Dina M.
122 Gallup St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/26/08

Cummings, Marjorie T.
Post Office Box 712
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/26/08

Curves For Women, Longmeadow
Merchant, Kevin Scott
Merchant, Dinah Ann
a/k/a Atamansky, Dinah Ann
52 Euclid Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/08

Custom Touch
Platt, Peter G.
51 Broad St., Apt. A-1
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Dodd, Dana A.
Dodd, Laura A.
31 Memorial Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/08

Dominguez, Raysa J.
168 Euclid Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Evans, Paul W.
95 Granada Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/08

Evon, Elizabeth A.
a/k/a Moriarty, Elizabeth
4 Country Club Heights
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/08

Fleming, Isaac
Fleming, Izetta J.
29 Beech St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/08

Fletcher, Gary F.
Fletcher, Lisa M.
a/k/a Ziter, Lisa
35 Temple St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/08

Frankhauser, Hans A.
18 Truman Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

French, Perry Ray
French, Sharon Dawn
193 Cayenne St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/08

Gargan, Cheryl L.
5 Holland Ave., Apt. C
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/08

Gibson, Michelle A.
19 Elm Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/08

Goosby, Sheldon Scott
P.O.Box 324
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Govine, Vincent E.
42 Holland Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/19/08

Haas, Sandra Beatrice
24 High St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/08

Harrington, Robert A.
137 Lincoln St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/08

Hartman, Heather M.
141 Brimfield Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/16/08

Hogan, Sheila E.
24 Wildermere St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Hosford, Darleen
134 College Highway
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Hume, Jason K.
Hume, Danielle N.
a/k/a Lyman, Danielle N.
18 Meadow Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/08

Hurtado, Mariella
20 Hamlin St., Apt #1
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/08

Jackson, Cynthia Y.
23 Ferris St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Jacques, Laura K.
17 Forestdale Av.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/24/08

Jaim Lombana Music
Lombana, Jaim
Lombana, Karyn Wasilauski
a/k/a Wasilauski, Karyn Leigh
271 West Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Kilham, Charles Robert
Kilham, Alisha Ann
30 John Haley Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/08

Kum, Roger O.
128 Benton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/21/08

LaRue, Donna M.
a/k/a Block, Donna M.
555 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Lawrence, Shannon T.
28 Campechi St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/30/08

  

Lizak, Jason Joseph
2013 Overlook Dr.
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/08

Lonczak, Gary J.
29 Brooks Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/16/08

Lovern, Jesse J.
Lovern, Candyce I.
22 Railroad St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/08

Lyons, Robert A.
88 Saint Lawrence Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/08

Markowski, Bertha F.
36 Thayer St.
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

McCormick, Contina M.
91 College St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/16/08

McElhone, Martin
15 Paper St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

McGaughey, Mark A.
62 Center St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/27/08

McLaughlin, Cecile A.
PO Box 6583
Holyoke, MA 01041
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Medina, Betsy
a/k/a Santini, Betsy
267 Ellendale Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/08

Medina, Edwin
267 Ellendale Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/08

Montanez, Joseph W.
6 Taylor St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Monte, Lee D.
Monte, Erin M.
173 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/08

Moriarty, Thomas S.
77 Dickinson Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/08

Newton, Robert M.
33 Center Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/29/08

Perez, Reinaldo
195 Lucerne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Porter, Emmagene S.
34 Scott St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Possibilities, LLC
144 Riverbank Road
P.O. Box 343
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/16/08

Raccis, David A.
17 Blacksmith Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Raccis, Michelle
17 Blacksmith Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Rattell, Michael D.
Rattell, Amy E.
a/k/a Defilippo, Amy E.
185 High St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Reyes, Wilberto
82 Harvey St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Ring, Richard D.
Ring, Vanessa
a/k/a Garrant, Vanessa
123 Palmer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Rivas, Carmen
76 Byers St., Apt. 201
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/16/08

Rizzo, Dennis M.
P.O. Box 616
Wales, MA 01081
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/16/08

Robar, Robert W.
Robar, Joan A.
52 Crystal Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/08

Robert, Steven D.
41 Maple St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/16/08

Ross, James J.
Ross, Julie A.
a/k/a Whitehead, Julie A.
173 Aldrich St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/08

Sanocki, Paul T.
6 Metzger Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/19/08

Sayers, Walter A.
Sayers, Janice M.
176 Columbus, 607
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/08

Scharmann, Jeffrey A.
153 South Longyard Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Schultze, Stacie
17 Ferry St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/08

Simmons, Loria A.
253 Ramblewood Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Sissman, Michael G.
134 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Siteman, Linda J.
381 Montague City Road
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Somer, Jareena Meya
23 Olive St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/08

Sondrini, Todd J.
103 Williamsburg Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/08

St. Pierre, Kimberly Ann
33 Bryant St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/26/08

Sullivan, Daniel G.
Sullivan, Leeann M.
95 Deer Run Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/21/08

Tapia, Mary M.
a/k/a Caraballo, Mary M.
a/k/a Lozada, Mary M.
87 Wilbraham Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/08

Thomasian, John D.
Thomasian, Belinda F.
8 Smith Hanson Road
North Brookfield, MA 01535
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/20/08

Tomaino, Thea M.
38 Glenham St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/08

Tuominen, Waino William
519 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/08

Valenti, Miranda F.
a/k/a Sanchez, Isaura
108 Peer St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/08

Wegiel, Eric J.
Wegiel, Lisa M.
a/k/a Ferreira, Lisa M.
55 Biddle St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/16/08

Whitlock, Steven Paul
44 Holland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/08

Wloch, Slawomir S.
Wloch, Wieslawa J.
389 S. Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/08

Wright, Christine
Post Office Box 456
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/08

Zytkiewicz, David A.
100 Bonnie Brae Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/08

By
Departments

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

AGAWAM

Joseph A. Walz
302 Suffield St.
$400,000 — Remodel and addition for general dental office

AMHERST

Amherst Housing Authority
33 Kellogg Ave.
$7,400 — Upgrade at Jean Elder House

ServiceNet Inc.
129 King St.
$10,000 — Exterior renovation

CHICOPEE

Hawthorne Services
93 Main St.
$7,000 – Install new door in existing building

Tri-City Management
92-94 Rivers Ave.
$12,000 — Interior renovations

EASTHAMPTON

ZLS, LLC
3 Chapman Ave.
$21,000 — Alterations

EAST LONGMEADOW

Dollar Tree Store
414 N. Main St.
$119,000 — Build out

GREENFIELD

Friendly’s Realty LLC
368 Federal St.
$9,000 – Replace existing fire alarm system

GCC Foundation Inc.
270 Main St.
$5,000 — Interior repairs

Mark A. Wightman
Walnut St.
$4,700 — Exterior renovations

Thomas & Mary Dillon
54 Main St.
$12,000 — Install new roof

HOLYOKE

Holyoke Mall Company, L.P.
50 Holyoke St.
$9,000 — Install five Williams Sonoma awnings

LUDLOW

Esko Graphics
40 Westover Road
$24,500 — Renovations

NORTHAMPTON

Asab Abid
78 Masonic St.
$8,800 — Install commercial kitchen hood exhaust system

Blue Sky Real Estate LLC
269 Main St.
$3,000 — Enclose stairwell to separate apartments

Coca-Cola Company
45 Industrial Dr.
$180,000 — Install new EPDM roof system

Edwards Church of Northampton
297 Main St.
$40,000 — Install 39 replacement windows

Finn, Jack V. & Priscilla R.
57 King St.
$130,447 — Install Photovoltaic panels on roof

Florence Savings Bank
176 King Street
$5,200 — Install concrete pad for ATM

Joice Gare
114 Main St.
$15,000 — Repair masonry, glass storefront, and entrance doors

Lathrop Community
680 Bridge Road
$209,327 — Replace siding multiple buildings

  

Meadow Brook Preservation Associates LP
491 Bridge Road – Bldg. 4
$40,000 — Unit 5 reconstruct interior walls and mechanicals

Meadow Brook Preservation Associates LP
491 Bridge Road, Bldg. 4
$40,000 — Unit 3 reconstruct interior walls and mechanicals

Meadow Brook Preservation Associates LP
491 Bridge Road – Bldg. 4
$40,000 — Unit 1 reconstruct interior walls and mechanicals

Smith College
8 College Lane
$323,250 — Renovations to presentation room

The College Church Inc
48 Pomeroy Terrace
$25,000 — Relocate kitchen area

Theresa Ruggerio
86 Masonic St.
$52,209 — Interior renovation

Trident Realty Corp.
109 Main St.
$180,000 — Interior renovations

SOUTH HADLEY

Mt. Holyoke College
50 College St.
$4,738,000 — Renovations to Kendall Hall

SOUTHWICK

Bay Communications, LLC
22 Industrial Road
$47,000 — 12 antennae panels

SPRINGFIELD

Springfield Housing Authority
13-15 Manilla Ave.
16-18 Manilla St.
17-19 Manilla St.
22-24 Manilla St.
23-25 Manilla St.
76-78 Manilla St.
26-28 Manilla St.
27-29 Manilla St.
32-34 Manilla St.
33-35 Manilla St.
36-38 Manilla St.
37-39 Manilla St.
42-44 Manilla St.
43-45 Manilla St.
47-49 Manilla St.
53-55 Manilla St.
$8,257 for each unit — Exterior renovations

WESTFIELD

Jordan Phillip
485 East Main St.
$23,000 — Renovation

Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament
127 Holyoke Road
$4,123,000 — Church addition

Richard & Cassandra Adams
519 Southampton Road
$6,500 — Renovation

Ronald Schortman
61 Union St.
$991,000 — New office building

Sage Engineering
217 Root Road
$1,300,000 — New office facility

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Big E
1305 Memorial Ave.
$50,000 — Install new fire main system

Century Investments Co.
73 State St.
$250,000 — Renovate 34,908 square feet of retail space

Creating a Higher State of Competitiveness

By
Opinion

It was with significant fanfare — and some lofty rhetoric — that Gov. Deval Patrick signed into law a 10-year, $1 billion life-sciences bill that he first put on the table more than a year ago in an effort to boost the state’s already-strong national and global position in that industry.

The measure calls for a $95 million research center at UMass Amherst, and the university’s president, Jack Wilson, called the life-sciences initiative “a game changer for the Commonwealth.” Elaborating, he said the bill would create “new breakthroughs, new jobs, and new companies.”

It will do so, according to its proponents, through $250 million in tax credits for companies, $250 million in research grants, and $500 million in bonds for capital projects. Locally, in addition to the new research center at UMass, the bill calls for $5.5 million to be earmarked for a business incubator at the Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute in Springfield, a joint venture between UMass and Baystate Health.

Dr. Paul Friedmann, director of the PVLSI, said the bill will enable the state to more effectively compete with other states and other countries at a time when said competition is considerable — and mounting. Indeed, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Mally this week unveiled his own $1.1 billion plan to buoy that state’s life-sciences industry, while California, Texas, and other states have also made sizeable investments.

But if the BIO bill, as it’s called in some quarters, represents a step forward, perhaps a giant step, in terms of competitiveness in that all-important sector, the state is in danger of taking two steps back with regard to its overall economic health and prospects for future job growth.

Several measures small and large, ranging from $500 million in corporate tax hikes that are soon to be enacted, to soaring health insurance costs, to a bill mandating triple damages in cases involving violation of state wage-and-hour laws, threaten to seriously impact the state’s level of competitiveness and possibly bring the term ‘Taxachusetts’ back into vogue.

The governor didn’t sign the amendment to the Commonwealth’s wage-and-hour laws — in fact, he wrote legislators a letter warning them of its possible consequences to businesses large and small. But only a few of the representatives heeded the message.

And this was not a conservative Republican governor sending out that letter and challenging the largely Democratic Legislature to take a step back and consider the ramifications of its actions — but a fellow Democrat, one who took office with hopes that he and members of the House and Senate could work together to bolster the state’s economic future.

The disconnect between Patrick and the Legislature on the triple-damages provision underscores the need for a government-wide focus on making this state more competitive across all sectors of business.

What’s needed overall is a change in attitude, and this is nothing new. For too long now, business in Massachusetts has been viewed as something to tax more heavily when times are tough. When jobs are lost and businesses close or move out, there is significant mourning and finger-pointing about what could have been done differently. But there has never really been a broad focus on efforts to truly make Massachusetts more business-friendly.

Elected leaders can do it for a little while, as they did in the late ’90s, and they can make some big headlines, as they did with the BIO bill. But they need to be more consistent and, overall, change the general attitude about business in this state. And they need to do it soon, because the competition is mounting, and not just in the life-sciences sector.

The BIO bill may indeed prove to be a game-changing step for Massachusetts. It holds enormous promise for the state and especially for UMass Amherst, which can, and needs to be, a more powerful economic engine for the Commonwealth.

But while putting in place these tax credits, bonds, and research grants for selected players in this emerging sector, elected officials have to consider businesses of all shapes and sizes and what it will take to bring them here or keep them here.

And this will take real leadership — something we need to see much more of.

By
Departments

Party with a Purpose

June 26: The Springfield Boys & Girls Club has been selected as this year’s recipient of funds raised during Merrill Lynch’s 2nd annual “Party with a Purpose” at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. The fun-filled, tropical-island-themed party promises fun for all, and proceeds raised will benefit the club’s after-school and summer-education programs. Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased at the Springfield Boys & Girls Club. For more information, call Gary or Barbara at (413) 785-5266.

Berkshire Young Professional’s ‘Speed Networking Palooza’

June 26: Berkshire Young Professionals, a program of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, will host its second ‘Speed Networking Palooza’ from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Top of the Crowne at the Crowne Plaza in Pittsfield. Attendees will be able to compress hours of networking into a few minutes; those planning to attend should bring plenty of business cards. Cost is $10; complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, call (413) 499-4000, or E-mail [email protected]. You may also register on the Web at berkshirechamber.com.

Business Resource and Services Fair

July 17: The Regional Employment Board of Hampden County will present the Hampden County Business Resource and Services Fair, designed to inform businesses in Hampden County about state and regional services that are available to them to assist in addressing business needs and strategies. Some of the organizations scheduled to appear include the State Office for Minority and Women Business Assistance (SOMWBA), Commonwealth Corp., MassDevelopment, New England Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms, and many others. For more information, call the Regional Employment Board at (413) 787-1547; [email protected].

By
Departments

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

Acevedo, Ramonita
131 Glenmore St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Ang, Sunnser
2 Culdaff St. Apt. L
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Barlow, Keith M.
305 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Barre Auto Supply
Thibeault, Shawn H.
Thibeault, Jennifer L.
a/k/a Archibald, Jennifer L.
270 North Brookfield Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Bermudez, Martina
144 Abbe Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Bernal, Suiny G.
45 Bartlett St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Bessette, Roger A.
Bessette, Kristin M.
P.O. Box 2013
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/19/08

Betterton, Richard M.
61 St. Jacques Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Bobilin, Howard A.
Bobilin, Peggy A.
183 Holtshire Road
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Bolton, Daniel L.
456 Main St., Apt. 3
Athol, MA 01331-1856
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/20/08

Bonilla, Joel
Bonilla, Priscilla
65 Kulig St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Bradley, Michael J.
Bradley, Patricia M.
73 Jean Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Bressette, Linda L.
239 Wahconah St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Brunelle, Maritza
492 Maple St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Burgess, Robert C.
Burgess, Jessica L.
250 Beacon St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Caron, Jason A.
a/k/a Caron, Carisa A.
15 Massachusetts Ave., Apt. 2
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/27/08

Carreiro, Nancy-Lee
190 Senator St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Clayton, Margaret A.
17 South Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/21/08

Coleman, Allen D.
Coleman, Theresa A.
a/k/a Nicoletti, Theresa A.
53 Congress St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Demarey, Richard M.
Demarey, Alyson M.
11B Catherine Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Dembroski, Lillian C.
15 Verge St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/21/08

Dixe, Michael A.
Dixe, Jillian L.
17 Hartford St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Egan, Shaun P.
82 Olea St., 3rd Fl.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Ellis, David N.
Ellis, Regina B.
807 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/20/08

Fanciose, Wayne A.
1299 Wauwinet Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/08

Figueroa, Ismael
59 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/27/08

Flanders, Arlene L.
14 Mattawa Circle
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Forgette, Gerald A.
Forgette, Barbara
PO Box 507
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Garcia, Yolanda
54 Hollywood St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/17/08

George, Christine Yvonne
1760 Westover Road, Trailer 3
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Golemo, Christopher J.
Golemo, Pamela A.
a/k/a Lander, Pamela A.
12 Cabot Court
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Goodrich, Erin E.
104 Highview Dr.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/08

Granger, Arthur L.
Granger, Danielle J.
a/k/a Richardson, Danielle J.
P.O. Box 781
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Greenman, Stephen W.
Greenman, Diane M.
343 Apple Valley Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Harris, Jason P.
508 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Hart, David C.
Hart, Marcine
228 Arcadia Blvd.

Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/21/08

Herman, Jeffrey H.
P.O. Box 1522
Stockbridge, MA 01262
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/17/08

Hernandez, Claribel
55 West Bay Path Ter.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

ICD Purchasing Services
Cross, Robert D.
56 Riviera Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Jankowski, Paul J.
Jankowski, Lucille A.
36 Cheney St., Apt. 1
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Janssen, Alice
138 Newell St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Jen’s Keepsake Korner
Whitman, Jennifer A.
484 Conant Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Kelly, Carmel Gazel
39 Hinckley St., Apt. 2
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Klerowski, Lynn M.
a/k/a Ezyk, Lynn M.
12 Oakdale Place
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

LaFleche, Joanne W.
37 Martel Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Lincoln, Lee S.
211 Houghton St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

  

Liquori, Joseph Francis
873 Springfield St. #20
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/25/08

Macks, Robin L.
PO Box 1624
Northampton, MA 01061
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Mercauto, Vito P.
430 Exchange St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Miller, Jr., Paul W.
PO Box 1091
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Mirisis, Ioannis S.
Mirisis, John
a/k/a Mirisis, Yainni
a/k/a Mirisis, Gwendolyn M.
a/k/a Voci, Gwendolyn M.
548 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Montalban, Jesus
111 Massasoit St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Morales Cruz, Myriam
372 Maple St., Apt. 2R
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Morey, Karen A.
72 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/17/08

Murphy, Sara L.
a/k/a Nelson, Sara L.
33 Woodland Ave
Chciopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/25/08

Narreau, Ann
462 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Narvaez, Esther M.
145 Oak St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/17/08

Naumov, Alexander
Naumov, Valentina
28 Woodcock Court
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Nieves, Minerva
a/k/a Luna, Minerva Nieves
16 Lexington St., 2nd
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Noyes, Gary R.
700 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

O’Connor, Mildred A.
80 Quarry Hill
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

O’Donnell, William D.
PO Box 258
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Ortolaza, Angelica M.
27A Central St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Pedersen, Christopher R.
Pedersen, Jaime S.
39 Middle St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Pena, Ramon Isaias
62 Sorrento St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Ragno, Joseph S.
2010 High St.
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Reese, Donna M.
184 Windsor St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/17/08

Reynolds, Michael T.
255 New Leonx Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Richter, Jennifer G.
18 Randall St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Rodriguez, Lissette M.
75 Central St., Apt. A
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Romeo, Stephen A.
Romeo, Nancy J.
126 Lathrop St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Rossi, Marilyn D.
62 Lathrop St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Santiago, Benito R.
P.O. Box 70033
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Schaaf, Thomas H.
6 Corey Colonial
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Shea, Michael R.
4 Sherwood Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/21/08

Soto, Cassyopia
461 Ryan Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Starzyk, Margaret R.
100 Pine St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Steiner, John M.
Steiner, Laurie A.
157 Lumae St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Sullivan, Daniel P.
23 Drexel St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Swiatek, John J.
78 Price St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/08

Templet, Gabriele Kat
177 Marion St., Ext 2
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Torres, Mary L.
19 Charbonneau Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Tosado, Eileen
a/k/a Hubbard, Eileen
a/k/a Tosado-Hubbard, Eileen
202 Wrentham Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/08

Urhiafe, Obukohwo A.
a/k/a Urhiafe, Olusola O.
91 Ramblewood Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Vazquez, Aileen
73 Farnsworth St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Whalen, Mary F.
167 Poplar St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/23/08

White, Theresa L.
a/k/a Larouche, Theresa L.
52 Froman St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Williams, David L.
77 Colton Place
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Wilson, Lynn A.
56 Armstrong St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Woodard, Judith J.
621 Station Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Zurawski, Kathy Anne
185 Pleasant St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

By
Departments

The following building permits were issued during the months of May and June 2008.

AGAWAM

Rick & JoAnne Locke
141 Main St.
$225,000 — Repair existing structure to include retail deli space

Six Flags New England
1623 Main St.
$40,000 — Erect membrane structure for parade vehicle storage

AMHERST

Charles Wang
481-485 West St.
$19,000 — Re-roof

Mill Valley Estates, LTD
420 Riverglade Dr.
$13,000 — Re-roof

CHICOPEE

200 Tillary LLC
165 Front St.
$12,000 — Alterations to second floor

Donald Giguere
1040 Sheridan St.
$150,000 — Install new walls and ceiling in clean room

Wendy’s International
786 Memorial Dr.
$400,000 — Renovate interior and exterior of building

EASTHAMPTON

Richard Boyle
422 Main St.
$220,000 — Construct 2,200-square-foot bank

Immaculate Conception Parish
33 Adams St.
$31,000 — Exterior renovations

EAST LONGMEADOW

99 Restaurant
390 North Main St.
$91,000 — Remodel

GREENFIELD

Clinical and Support Options
37 Franklin St.
$9,600 — Interior renovations

Edward Wierzbowski
285-291 Main St.
$17,500 — Minor repair and renovations to first floor

Greenfield Church of Christ
341 Conway St.
$2,000 — Re-roof to be erected by volunteers

Robar Inc.
225-245 Mohawk Trail
$20,000 — Repair damage from truck accident

HOLYOKE

Holyoke Mall Company, L.P.
50 Holyoke St.
$5,200 — Install two Pottery Barn awnings

LUDLOW

271 East LLC
271 East St.
$5,000 — Alterations

NORTHAMPTON

Bally Bunion Realty LLC
100 Main St.
$99,500 – Renovate second floor for office tenant

City of Northampton
170 Glendale Road
$320,000 — Pour concrete pads for new flare stack

David S. Turner
42 Maple St.
$6,295 — Install Carlisle roof system

Florence Savings Bank
176 King St.
$25,000 — Replace siding

Linda Corley
525 Pleasant St.
$75,000 — Install HVAC upgrade

Meadow Brook Preservation Associates LP
491 Bridge Road, Bldg 4
$40,000 — Unit 4 reconstruct interior walls and mechanicals

Meadow Brook Preservation Associates LP
491 Bridge Road – Bldg 4
$40,000 — Unit 2 reconstruct interior walls and mechanicals

Peoples Institute
38 Gothic St.
$22,000 — Demolish and repair two chimneys

Power Ten in Two LLC
15 Conz Street
$8,000 — Interior renovations to stairs and basement

Smith College
Albright House Bedford Terrace
$227,316 — Renovate three floors of baths

  

Smith College
116 Elm St., Park Annex
$711,738 — Interior renovations

Steven Siclari
157 Main St.
$31,153 – Install new doors and build out

Trident Realty Corp.
78 Main St.
$8,000 — Replace entrance doors

Trident Realty Corp.
109 Main St.
$600,000 — Store renovation

SOUTH HADLEY

Chicopee Savings Bank
32 Willimansett St.
$930,000 — New bank construction

Village Commons
27 College St.
$6,000 — Renovations

SOUTHWICK

Werman Enterprises
797 College Highway
$35,000 — Commercial building

SPRINGFIELD

Baystate Health Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$37,000 — New roof

Baystate Medical Center
50 Maple St.
$6,500 — Interior renovations

City of Springfield
Old First Church Court Square
$9,700 — New roof

Joe Bonavita
1504A Allen St.
$100,000 — Alteration of warehouse to daycare facility

Smith & Wesson
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
$47,000 — Pre-engineered metal building

Springfield College
263 Alden St.
$8,000 — Relocate existing mail cabinets

Springfield College
263 Alden St.
$345,000 — Provide two new gas fired rooftop units on structural steel platform

Springfield College
263 Alden St.
$580,000 — Renovate existing dorms & bathrooms

Springfield Housing Authority
76-78 Ralph St.
$8,257 — Exterior renovations

Springfield Housing Authority
72-74 Ralph St.
$8,257 — Exterior renovations

Western New England College
1215 Wilbraham Road
$395,000 — New roof

WESTFIELD

Engineers Realty Corp.
53 Southampton Road
$75,000 — Office renovation

Eric Meyers
65 Franklin St.
$62,000 — Laundromat

Granville Rd. LLC
78 Granville Road
$45,000 — Renovations

L & B Truck Service
910 Southampton Road
$260,000 — Addition

Rinker Materials
69 Neck Road
$23,700 – Re-roof

William Childs
6 Old Stage Road
$12,500 — Office renovation

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Morse Hospitality Concepts
1501 Elm St.
$2,000 — Interior renovations

Sam Patel
1080 Riverdale Road
$44,000 — New roof

By
Departments

MassMutual Completes Acquisition of First Mercantile Trust Company

SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. announced recently that it has completed its previously announced purchase of First Mercantile Trust Company from SunTrust Banks Inc. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., First Mercantile provides retirement-plan record-keeping and investment-management services throughout the U.S. With nearly $5 billion in assets under management as of Dec. 31, 2007, First Mercantile’s operations add complementary products and further scale to MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division.

STCC Selected for Collaborative Program with Johnson Controls

MILWAUKEE — In the midst of a national shortage of skilled building technicians, Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has been selected by Johnson Controls Inc. (NYSE: JCI), a leader in providing smart environments, to participate in a collaborative program dedicated to attracting and recruiting the next generation of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) technicians. Through the CareerConnect program, Johnson Controls donates resources and equipment to partnering schools to simulate the work environment and enhance the program curriculum. The company’s contributions to STCC will include learning materials, instruction from industry experts, and faculty-development opportunities. The market value of the CareerConnect program to STCC is more than $10,000 over three years. In addition, Johnson Controls will team with the school through various community initiatives to increase awareness of local career opportunities available to skilled technicians. In Massachusetts alone, the total number of HVACR-related skilled trade positions will increase more than 7% by the year 2014, with 560 new job openings. Students enrolled in STCC’s HVACR Technology program are also eligible for the Johnson Controls Future Hires Program. This opportunity provides exceptional students with tuition aid and a guaranteed job with Johnson Controls upon graduation. Up to five students from STCC can be selected annually for participation. “Both current and future students will benefit from this program,” said Adrienne Smith, dean of the School of Engineering Technologies at STCC. “Current students have the opportunity to receive an employment offer with a Fortune 500 company upon graduation, and the cutting-edge learning tools will no doubt attract new students to the HVACR Technology program.” To date, STCC is one of 11 CareerConnect partnerships that Johnson Controls has established throughout North America. Colleges are evaluated based on school and program demographics including diversity statistics, curriculum and ability to modify it, geographic areas served, enrollments, placement statistics, strategies, and relationship with Johnson Controls.

Westfield State College Campaign Spurs 25% Enrollment Increase

WESTFIELD — Stevens Design Studio’s contribution to the Westfield State College awareness campaign was recently highlighted in the April 2008 issue of Admissions Marketing Report. A 25% increase in enrollment occurred at WSC following the launch of this campaign. The goal of the Westfield State College Awareness Campaign was to raise the profile of the college in the community at large. Stevens Design Studio strategized and conceived an awareness campaign celebrating Westfield State College alumni and the contributions they make to their local communities by highlighting the services they provide in areas of business, government, and education. The campaign’s implementation included an extensive billboard schedule, print advertising, and direct-mail brochures. Stevens Design Studio is an experienced, multi-channel marketing firm. Its services include strategic marketing, print communication, and Web development.

Hampden Bancorp Inc. Reports Authorization of Stock-repurchase Program

SPRINGFIELD – Hampden Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Hampden Bank, announced recently that its board of directors has authorized a stock-repurchase program for the purchase of up to 397,493 shares of the company’s common stock, or approximately 5% of its outstanding common stock. Hampden Bancorp is seeking approval under Massachusetts laws and regulations to initiate such repurchases. Any repurchases will be made through open-market purchase transactions from time to time. The amount and exact timing of any repurchases will depend on market conditions and other factors, at the discretion of management of the company, and it is intended that the stock repurchase program will complete all repurchases within 12 months after commencement. There is no assurance that Hampden Bancorp will repurchase shares during any period.

TechCast at UMass Explores Web-based Learning Systems in Several Fields

AMHERST — UMass Amherst’s podcast series on breakthrough discoveries by campus researchers focuses this month on OWL, an online, Web-based learning system that is helping students across the country understand chemistry and a variety of other subjects. TechCast at UMass includes interviews with the program’s developers, Peter Lillya, professor emeritus of Organic Chemistry; and David Hart, director of the Center for Educational Software Development (CESD). In addition, Lisa Lockwood from the educational publisher Cangage Learning discusses how OWL is being used in many schools thanks to a licensing agreement with the UMass Amherst Office of Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Property (CVIP). TechCast episodes are created and posted at www.umasstechcast.org, where they can be downloaded to a computer or portable audio player. Visitors to the site can also subscribe to automatically receive new episodes. OWL, short for Online Web-based Learning, was first created by computer scientists at UMass Amherst working with Chemistry faculty about 12 years ago when it became apparent that the existing online homework system used for introductory courses was out of date. The goal was to create a system that motivated students to do the homework, learn the material, and enjoy it at the same time. OWL serves more than 20 departments at UMAss Amherst, and about 20% of fall semester coursework for freshmen and sophomores is supported by OWL-based homework. The university licensed the software with Cengage, and now offers instruction to more than 100,000 college students. TechCast at UMass is produced under the direction of the Office of News and Information at UMass Amherst in conjunction with CVIP. The program host is Francesca Rheannon, an award-winning producer whose work has been heard on National Public Radio. The program is supported by a gift from UMass Amherst alumnus Lewis J Geffen. To learn more, visit umass.edu/research/cvip.

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

Gilbert & Sons Insulation Inc. v. Maple Ridge Construction Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of insulation services rendered: $3,269.07
Filed: 5-15-08

GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Bunker Hill Insurance Company v. Cooke Construction
Allegation: Contractor failed to protect the interior of property from water damage: $14,198.08
Filed: 5-15-08

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Consolidated Health Plans Inc. v. Regis College
Allegation: Breach of contract and failure to pay for services rendered: $224,264
Filed: 4-23-08

Doralbo Velasquez and Julio Abrew v. Baystate Health Inc.
Allegation: Medical malpractice: $2,000,000
Filed: 4-25-08

Little River Plaza LLC v. Manny’s TV & Appliance Inc.
Allegation: Defendant has failed to pay sums due under a written lease agreement: $90,000+
Filed: 4-28-08

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Presstek Inc. & SDK Realty Corp.
Allegation: Gas cloud and chemical release at facility operated by Presstek and owned by SDK Realty. Monies owed for cost of emergency mitigation response action: $192,125.32
Filed: 6-04-08

Rugg Building Solutions v. Souza Building and Design, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of merchandise sold & delivered: $48,396.60
Filed: 5-28-08

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT

Verizon New England Inc. v. City of Holyoke
Allegation: Negligent performance of excavation work causing damage: $16,781.04
Filed: 5-15-08

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

E. Osterman Gas Services Inc. v. MaMa Maria
Allegation: Non-payment of goods and services purchased on account: $4,011.33
Filed: 5-28-08:

E. Osterman Gas Services Inc. v. the O’Leary Company Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods and services purchased on account: $5,401.60
Filed: 5-28-08

Rugg Building Solutions v. W. Kulig Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of merchandise sold and delivered: $9,634.52
Filed: 6-02-08

PALMER DISTRICT COURT

Capital One Bank USA v. Custom Computers Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment on credit account for goods sold and delivered: $6,959.30
Filed: 5-21-08

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Broadcast Music Inc. v. Ares Inc.
Allegation: Claim on defaulted contract: $3,015.84
Filed: 2-20-08

Steven Bilodeau v. Pioneer Valley Concrete Services
Allegation: Non-payment of wages: $5,216.60
Filed: 2-29-08

Clarification:

An item in the Court Dockets from the June 9 issue of BusinessWest is in need of clarification. The suit, Carol L. and James S. Glanville v. Hu Ke Lau Restaurant, involves the establishment in Longmeadow, which is under different ownership than the facility on Memorial Drive in Chicopee.

By
Departments

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

AMHERST

CampusLive Inc., 9 East Pleasant St., second floor, South Amherst 01002. Jared R. Stenquist, same. (Foreign corp; DE) Online communities for college students.

Latinos Unidos Inc., 460 West St., Rear, Amherst 01002. Norma Maritza Lopez Strectwilk, 79 Colonial Village, Amherst 01002. Food and beverage service.

CHICOPEE

Change Happens Inc., 71 Mary St., Chicopee 01020. Renee Simone, same. Behavioral health and substance abuse therapy, etc.

Sneaker Emporium Inc., 113 Wheatland Ave., Chicopee 01020. Natasha C. Perez, 142 Mill St., Apt. 19, Springfield 01108. (Nonprofit) To provide low-cost footwear to communities and individuals who cannot afford reliable footwear.

Western Mass Shipping Inc., 282 Narragansett Blvd., Chicopee 01013. Frank C. Brooks, same. Going postal shipping store.

EAST LONGMEADOW

The Hindes Group, 5 Revere St., East Longmeadow 01028. Carl R. Hindes, same. Consulting, entertaining, catering, R.E.

GREENFIELD

Valley Mart Inc., 4 Mill St., Greenfield 01301. Muhammed Eyasin, 162 Davis St., Greenfield 01301. Convenience grocery store and lottery sales.

HOLLAND

AMA Construction Services Corp., 29 Lakeshore Dr., Holland 01521. Albert Gene Lavalley, III, same. Energy efficiency and construction services.

LONGMEADOW

Creation World Inc., 226 Franklin Road, Longmeadow 01106. Tatyana Zak, same. Apparel custom design, alterations, retail, wholesale.

Hung Fa Inc., 795 Maple Road, Longmeadow 01106. Yungfong Yeung, 551 Washington St., Enfield, CT 06082. Xiao Ni, 809 Maple Road, Longmeadow 01106, registered agent. Food business.

Longmeadow Youth Sports Council Inc., Community House, 735 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow 01106. John Dowd, 139 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow 01106. (Nonprofit) To create and promote an organized and structured athletic program focused on girls and boys youth sports in Longmeadow, etc.

LUDLOW

Gowen, Trombly & Goldsmith Insurance Group Inc., 34 Chestnut St., Ludlow 01056. Gordon L. Goldsmith, 223 Chicopee St., Granby 01033. Property and casualty insurance agency.

NORTHAMPTON

Greenstone Partners Inc., 5 Cedar St., Unit B, Northampton 01060. Timothy Thompson, same. Importation of precious stones from Columbia into the US.

Herrell’s Development Corp., 8 Old South St., Northampton 01060. Judith U. Herrell, 13 Ranch Ave., Easthampton 01027. To operate ice cream franchises.

Summit Woodworks Inc., 340 Riverside Dr., Northampton 01060. Nelson Shifflett, 1114 Shelburne Falls Road, Conway 01341. Carpentry and woodworking.

ORANGE

Dean’s Beans Foundation Inc., 50 R.W. Moore Ave., Orange 01364. Dean Cycon, 9 Cemetery Road, Leverett 01054. (Nonprofit) To design and fund people-centered development throughout the coffee growing countries of the world, etc.

SOUTH HADLEY

Airmeith Bodyworks Inc., 10 Waite Ave., South Hadley 01075. Antony T. Kelly-Niziolek, same. Massage and sale of bath and body works.

  

FOH Inc., 769 Worthington St., Springfield 01105. Robert S. Carroll, 211 Concord Road, Longmeadow 01106. Ownership and operation of homeless shelter.

Halsho Pizza & Grill Inc., 7 Audubon St., Springfield 01108. Halsho Amin, 47 Hutchinson St., Revere 01251, Restaurant.

IT Advisors Inc., 57 Florence St., Springfield 01105. Darnel Ali, same. St. (Nonprofit) To provide free and low cost technical consulting services for implementation of voice over IP (VOIP).

J&S Express Inc., 501 Berkshire Ave., Springfield 01109. Svetlana Barrios, same. General contracting.

Labor One Enterprises Inc., 44 Maynard St., Springfield 01109. Stewart Wilkerson, same. (Nonprofit) To assist individuals in obtaining and securing gainful employment.

Mak G Entertainment Inc., 327 Saint James Ave., Springfield 01109. Anibal Olivieri, same. (Nonprofit) Development of youth and artists in music production and design.

Sun Roofing Construction Inc., 71 Walnut St., Springfield 01105. Richard Rousakis, 201 Monrovia St., Springfield 01104. Residential roofing.

Two-Step Dance Studio Inc., 42 Albemarle St., Springfield 01109. Latoya Withrow, same. (Nonprofit) To help children learn how to dance for little or no cost.

SUNDERLAND

Emerald Island Realty Corp., 87 South Silver Lane, Sunderland 01475. Ross B. Finch, same. Real property purchase and sale and leasing.

WESTFIELD

A & J Grocery Inc., 40 Franklin St., Westfield 01085. Amjad Hussain Malik, same. Grocery store with gas station.

GG’S Auto Repair Inc., 988 D Southampton Road, Westfield 01085. John R. Gagnon, 36 Old Holyoke Road, Westfield 01085. Auto repair and service.

The Hockey Project Inc., 19 Mallard Lane, Westfield 01085. Donald L. Moorhouse Jr., same. (Nonprofit) To provide opportunity for hockey competition, in local, state, national or international events at the amateur level for underprivilleged children.

Trala Diversified Enterprises Inc., 1 West Parker Ave., Westfield 01085. Lawrence Siok, same. E-commerce, general merchandise.

WCJ Inc., 15 Brimfield Way, Westfield 01085. Christopher Viale, same. Wholesale and retail sale of consumer products.

WILBRAHAM

Aljera Inc., 2589 Boston Road, Wilbraham 01095. Alexander A. Berezkin, 38 Souie Road, Wilbraham 01095. Hold real estate.

Belas Inc., 2589 Boston Road, Wilbraham 01095. Alexander A. Berezkin, 29 Soule Road, Wilbraham 01095. Bar/restaurant.

Western Massachusetts House of Hope Inc., 7 Bellows Road, Wilbraham 01095. George Charles Collins, same. (Nonprofit) To provide substance free housing and life skills training for individuals seeking recovery from substance abuse.

Wings of Love Inc., 348 Stony Hill Road, Wilbraham 01095. Rev. Brian Glen Tracy, 41 West Colonial Road, Wilbraham 01095. (Nonprofit) To provide charitable and educational services to those in need in Springfield and area communities.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Gengras Motors Inc., 1712 Riverdale St., West Springfield 01089. E. Clayton Gengras, Jr., 30 Braeburnie Ln., Bloomfield, CT 05002. Corporation Service Co., 84 State St., fifth floor, Boston, registered agent. Acquisition, ownership, and operation of automobile dealerships.

By
Departments

Bradley J. Lucido was recently named Chief Compliance Officer of the MassMutual Financial Group in Springfield, succeeding Margaret Sperry, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, upon her retirement on July 1 after 27 years with the company. Lucido is currently a vice president and associate general counsel responsible for all regulatory matters at MassMutual’s investment management affiliate, Babson Capital Management. He now joins MassMutual as a senior vice president with responsibility for oversight of ethics, compliance and government programs, policies, and procedures across the MassMutual Financial Group companies.

•••••

Adam Raczkowski of W.F. Young Inc. in East Longmeadow has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Consumer Healthcare Products Assoc. He also holds the positions of Executive Vice President, COO, CFO, and General Manager.

•••••

PeoplesBank has named Paul E. Hillsburg as Assistant Vice President for PeoplesFinancial and Insurance Services at the bank’s South Hadley office. Hillsburg has served as a financial consultant for Infinex Financial Group and as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch. He holds Series 7 and 66 registrations and holds an insurance license with life, health, and variable products.

•••••

Nadia M. Baral has been promoted to the position of Compliance Officer at Springfield-based Hampden Bank. In her new position, she will be primarily responsible for the day-to-day regulatory compliance functions.

•••••

The Springfield-based law firm Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced the following:
• Ann I. Weber, an attorney and shareholder with the firm, was the guest speaker at the May Estate Planning Council luncheon staged at the Colony Club in Springfield. Weber presented on the topic “Safeguarding the Castle: Can a Trust Keep the Dragon from the Gate?” Weber explored with the audience ways of protecting homes and investment properties from taxes and the cost of long-term care; and
• Carol Cioe Klyman, attorney and shareholder with the firm who specializes in elder law, estate planning, guardianships, and probate litigation, is among the contributors to The CPA’s Guide to Long-term Care Planning, recently published by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and ElderLawAnswers. Klyman contributed to the book’s section on Massachusetts.

•••••

Stanley D. Komack, an attorney operating Record Title & Law Offices in West Springfield, has been chosen as the 2008 Affiliate Member of the Year by the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley. Komack, a member since 1972, has played an active role on a number of committees, including service as the 2008 chairman of the Affiliate-Realtor Work Group, and as a member of the Realtor of the Year Committee and the President’s Advisory Group.

•••••

The Associated Industries of Mass. announced that the following Western Mass. business leaders have been elected to three-year terms on AIM’s board of directors:
• Jens Bauer, Managing Director of Interprint Inc. in Pittsfield;
• Charles Hatch, General Manager of Packaging Corp. of America in Northampton; and
• Jay Nesbitt, Plant Manager at Solutia Inc. in Springfield.

•••••

Environmental Compliance Services Inc. has named Al Les as a Senior Project Manager. His primary responsibilities include providing functional expertise in the areas of safety and health, industrial hygiene, homeland security, and environmental management. Les is a Massachusetts board-certified wastewater treatment operator.

•••••

Shane Bajnoci, Chief Forester and Saw Mill Manager at Cowls Land and Lumber Company in North Amherst, has received the Oustanding Management of Resources Award from the Northeastern Loggers Assoc.

•••••

Julia Kincade has been named Manager of Ticket Operations for the Springfield Falcons.

•••••

Notch Mechanical Constructors of Chicopee announced that Sharon Orr has taken over as President, and Steven Neveu, previous President, will assume the position of Vice President of Business Development. Neveu will also lead new ventures in Eastern Mass., including a new subsidiary, Energy Recovery Systems LLC.

•••••

The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities announced that Dr. Anthony Caprio, President of Western New England College, has been elected to serve on its executive committee of college and university presidents.

•••••

The Hampden District Medical Society announced the following:
• Dr. Philip Stoddard was awarded the 2008 Senior Volunteer Physician of the Year Award. Stoddard, a past President (1981-82), was nominated for this award based on his substantial contributions performing cleft lip and palate surgery at Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield;
• Dr. Cyril Shea Jr., retired Orthopedic Surgeon; Dr. Alonzo Sheffield Jr., retired Gastroenterologist; Dr. John Sullivan, retired Pathologist; Dr. William Walthall Jr., retired Radiologist; and Dr. Alan Ziskind, retired Pediatrician, were awarded the 50-year Member Award;
• Dr. Stephen A. Metz was recently named President;
• Dr. James K. Wang, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Ob/Gyn, Baystate Medical Center, was named President-elect;
• Dr. Claudia T. Martorell, an Infectious Disease physician in private practice in Springfield, was named Vice President;
• Dr. Teresa Klich-Nowak, an internist who specializes in Rheumatology in Holyoke, was named Secretary;
• Dr. Mark Mullan, an Internist with Cardiology & Internal Medicine in Springfield, was named Treasurer;
• Serving as Trustee to the Mass. Medical Society Board of Trustees is Dr. Mark Sherman, a cardiothoracic, vascular surgeon in private practice in Springfield; and
• Dr. Stephen Metz was named Alternate Trustee.

•••••

UMass Amherst’s School of Education announced its first-annual Awards of Distinction, given this year to nine educators from across the country who are UMass alumni, including:
• Westfield State College President Evan S. Dobelle;
• Mary Cowhey, recipient of the Milken National Educator Award and a Teacher at the Jackson Street School in Northampton;
• Patricia Crosson, Professor Emeritus and Trustee of Greenfield Community College; and
• James Mullen Jr. President of Elms College in Chicopee and soon-to-be President of Allegheny College in Pennsylvania.

•••••

David Hayes has joined Sports Travel & Tours as a Travel Coordinator.

•••••

Ken LeGendre has joined Unemployment Tax Control Associates of Springfield as Vice President of Business Development. He will be responsible for developing strategic marketing and sales plans to accommodate corporate goals for the company, which assists clients with reducing the cost and complexities of managing their unemployment compensation programs. LeGendre was previously a national sales manager for a Manhattan-based company at which he developed sales and marketing plans for executive conferences staged on cruise ships and luxury resorts.

•••••

Wanda Mooney, a Real Estate Sales Associate with Coldwell Banker Upton-Massamont Realtors, has been recognized as the No. 1 sales associate in Massachusetts for the highest number of closed transactions for Coldwell Banker Affiliates in 2007.

•••••

The Center for Human Development in Springfield announced the following awards and accomplishments of staff members:
• Deviegene Reid has received the Mass. State Assoc. of Developmental Disabilities Providers Direct Support Professional Award for 2008 in recognition of superior performance in her work. Reid has been a House Manager for the Meadows Homes Program in West Springfield for six years.
• Ja’Net Smith, Clinical Director for the Center for Human Development, has been recognized as one of BusinessWest’s Forty Under 40 recipients; and
• Program Director Jim Williams will be honored as the recipient of the Robert J. Van Wart Award, which is given to an individual who has worked as a leader in a nonprofit or public human-service organization for at least five years and demonstrates leadership skills.

By
Departments

It Does Grow on Trees

Greenfield Savings Bank’s new ATM — an unusual drive-up kiosk that is meant to transform a ho-hum banking transaction into an ‘a-ha’ experience — made its debut recently. Dubbed the GSB Money Tree, the unique ATM is housed within a 25-foot-high, Keebler-elf-styled tree trunk whose gnarly roots encase the machine. The whimsical design — something akin to a Disney attraction — is dotted with playful critters and features a large, overhanging mushroom to shelter cars beneath it. Located in Greenfield right off I-91 in the Big Y shopping plaza, the tree trunk has been in the making for two years and officially opened on June 14.

Little Faces of Heart

The American Heart Association’s Little Faces of Heart traveling exhibit made its way to Balise Auto Group for the month of May. Balise Toyota-Scion placed on display in its showroom the 11 poster-sized color photographs of children in Western Mass. The posters tell the story of children who have overcome heart defects and those who are ‘Heart Healthy Heroes’ in their communities. Balise Vice President Mike Balise, pictured here, enthusiastically welcomed the campaign to the West Springfield dealership.

Rise and SHINE

The Ludlow Area Adult Learning Center, operated by Holyoke Community College, recently awarded certificates to students from Chicopee, Ludlow, Springfield, and Wilbraham to become bilingual health care counselors for senior citizens. Through the program, called Serving the Health Care Needs of Elders (SHINE), seniors in the region with native languages other than English are gaining access to information and becoming informed and engaged health care consumers. Shown here are six graduates, with their country of origin listed first followed by the city in which they reside: from left, Sengnaly Soumphalphakdy (Laos, Springfield); Zofia Orzol (Poland, Chicopee); Serpil Durdu (Turkey, Ludlow); Amy Chan (China, Wilbraham); Seungwon Kwon (South Korea, Wilbraham); and Sandra Pereira (Dominican Republic, Springfield). Not pictured is Aldina Lavaredes (Portugal, Springfield).

By
Departments

United Bank announced the following:
• Michael Whitman has joined the bank as Vice President of Commercial Lending;
• Terry Bennett has joined United as Administrative Officer;
• Deborah Gebo has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Retail Banking;
• Joan Klinakis has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Operations; and
• Miriam Siegel has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Human Resources.

•••••

Berkshire Bank of Pittsfield announced the following:
• Amy E. Fyden has been appointed Branch Manager for the Westfield branch at Little River Road. She is responsible for branch sales and operations, new-business development, and educating customers on products and services offered by Berkshire Bank, and
• Brandon J. Kot has been appointed Branch Manager for the Clifton Park, N.Y. branch. He is also responsible for branch sales and operations, new business development, and educating customers on the bank’s products and services.

•••••

Donald Fletcher, Executive Director of the Association for Community Living in Springfield, has announced his retirement for February 2009. An executive transition plan has been implemented to find a successor that will ensure a smooth transition in leadership next spring.

•••••

Michael D. Ravosa of the Burke Ravosa Group, a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor, has obtained the Certified Financial Planner designation from the Certified Financial Planning Board of Standards Inc.

•••••

Visael “Bobby” Rodriguez has been named Baystate Health’s first Chief Diversity Officer, a position created to help the health system attract, develop, and retain a diverse workforce and ensure that Baystate’s work environment reflects the organization’s values, its commitment to its employees, and the cultures of the communities it serves.

•••••

Andrew R. Beaudry has been recognized by John Hancock Financial Network at a recent gathering of the top-performing sales representatives in Puerto Rico. Beaudry is the Senior Financial Advisor at Private Financial Design and is also President of the South Hadley Chamber of Commerce.

•••••

Janet D. Allen has joined Banknorth Investment Group Inc. as an Investment Representative based in the TD Banknorth Branch in Westfield. She provides retirement and financial reviews for individuals as well as small businesses.

•••••

Dana C. Huff has been named a leader in the civil engineering technical practice group of Tighe & Bond in Westfield. Huff is a professional engineer with nearly 30 years of experience in his field. He is an active member of the Solid Waste Assoc. of North America.

•••••

Tina J. Null, RN, BSN, has been appointed Director of Patient Safety in the Department of Quality Improvement and Innovation at Holyoke Medical Center.

•••••

Hasbro Inc. has appointed Bennett Schneir to Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Motion Pictures. Based in Los Angeles, Schneir will serve as Hasbro’s lead creative executive for feature films, focused on the company’s new six-year strategic partnership with Universal Pictures.

•••••

Lillian George has announced her affiliation with Carlson GMAC Real Estate. She will work out of the Wilbraham office.

•••••

Deborah A. Pace, Director of Employer Relations at Western New England College in Springfield, has been selected to the National Advisory Committee of the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity. Pace will serve a two-year term on the National Advisory Committee, helping set the vision for the annual conference.

•••••

Holyoke Community College announced the following:
• Doreen Larson, Vice President for Student Affairs, received the 2008 Professional Development Award given by the Mass. Women in Higher Public Education;
• Maureen Conroy, Director of the Office for Students with Disabilities and Deaf Services, received an award from the Federation for Children with Special Needs that recognizes her efforts and advocacy to make the college accessible to people with disabilities, and
• Isolda Ortega Bustamante, Director of Engaging Latino Communities for Education, was recognized by the Five Colleges Committee for Community-based Learning for her leadership of Holyoke Bound Orientations.

•••••

Barbara Grynkiewicz has joined the John M. Glover Agency of Holyoke.

•••••

Sarah Torres recently joined Unemployment Tax Control Associates of Springfield as a Staff Attorney. She will manage and oversee regional hearing representatives serving the firm’s clients.

•••••

James B. Dunbar has been promoted to Vice President within the government-relations practice of O’Neill and Associates.

•••••

Nick Morganelli and Donna Hawk have joined the American Lung Association of Massachusetts Leadership Board. Morganelli is a business owner, meteorologist, and science teacher, and Hawk is a respiratory therapist at the Weldon Rehab Hospital at Mercy Medical Center.

•••••

Partners in Prosperity, a Chicopee chapter of Business Network International, has named the following new members:
• Marco Dermith is a home inspector, teacher, and radio-show volunteer. He is the owner of Home Inspections by Marco Inc.;
• Paul Stallman is owner and creative director of Alias Solutions;
• Rachel White is a Web-site designer and creator, and
• Alex Lak is a financial advisor at Edward Jones.

•••••

The Mass. Municipal Wholesale Electric Co. announced the following directors and corporate officers for 2008-09:
• Ashburnham Municipal Light Department Manager Stanley W. Herriott, serving his second three-year term as a Director, was elected Chairman of the MMWEC Board of Directors;
• H. Bradford White, Manager of the West Boylston Municipal Light Department, was re-elected to his third one-year term as President of the MMWEC organization;
• James M. Lavelle, Manager of the Holyoke Gas & Electric Department, was re-elected to a three-year term as a Director;
• Robert V. Jolly Jr., General Manager of the Marblehead Municipal Light Department, was re-elected to a three-year term as a Director;
• Jonathan V. Fitch, Manager of the Princeton Municipal Light Department, was re-elected to a three-year term as a Director;
• Thomas R. Josie, General Manager of Shrewsbury’s Electric & Cable Operations, was elected to complete the one year remaining on the unexpired term of an MMWEC director who retired earlier this year;
• Other MMWEC officers for the coming year, as elected by the board, are: Ronald C. DeCurzio, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary-Treasurer; Kelly R. Joyce, Assistant Treasurer; Nancy A. Brown, Assistant Secretary; and Nicholas J. Scobbo Jr., General Counsel;
• The newly elected directors join MMWEC’s other board members, which in addition to Herriott include William F. Waters, General Manager of the Peabody Municipal Light Plant, and Sean Hamilton, General Manager of the Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant.
• Michael J. Flynn and Paul Robbins serve on the board as Gubernatorial Appointees. Flynn also represents the Town of Wilbraham on the board, with Luis Vitorino and John M. Flynn representing the towns of Ludlow and Hampden, respectively.

•••••

Beth Callery has joined MetLife Financial Group of Mass. as a Financial Services Representative. Callery is licensed to sell life and health insurance, as well as fixed and variable annuities, in Massachusetts.

•••••

Holyoke Medical Center announced the following:
• Priscilla Mandrachia has been named a member of the Board of Directors. Mandrachia is Second Vice President in the Corporate Audit Department of MassMutual Financial Group of Springfield;
• Dr. David Tupponce has been named a member of the Board of Directors. Tupponce is Vice President of the Medical Staff at Holyoke Medical Center, and serves as the Medical Information Officer and Chair of the Medical Quality Assurance Committee, and
• Sean Mitchell has been named Director of Development.

•••••

Convergent Solutions Inc. in Wilbraham announced the following:
• Ronald Duquette Jr. has been appointed IT Delivery Services Manager. He will serve on the medical billing and practice management systems team and will participate in client-related electronic-medical-record installations and maintenance.
• Christina Dever has been named Client Relations Manager. Dever will specialize in the development of charge-capture processes focused on compliant coding and customized design.

•••••

Ellen Desmarais has been named General Manager of the Colony Club in Springfield. The Colony Club is a private dining club located in Tower Square.

•••••

P. Edgardo Tarrats has been named Branch Manager of the Springfield office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. In his role, Tarrats is responsible for the SBA’s financial-assistance and entrepreneurial-development programs in the four counties of Western Mass.

By
Departments

1. Michelle Sade, president of the Young Professionals Society of Greater Springfield.

2. Forty Under 40 Class of 2008 member William Collins, director of operations with Spoleto Restaurant Group, shares a laugh with colleagues.

3. Class of 2008 member Rob Anthony, left, program manager for 94.7 WMAS, shares a moment with class of 2007 winner Ed Zemba, co-owner of Robert Charles Photography.

4. BMW of West Springfield showcased a number of new models at the event.

5. Class of 2008 winner Brendan Ciecko, owner of Ten Minute Media in Granby, jokes around near the Forty Under 40 ice sculpture.

6. Class of 2008 members Paul Yacavone, left, CFO of Brain Powered Concepts in Agawam, and Steve Bandarra, co-owner of Atlas TC in Holyoke

7. Guests take a look at the schedule for the evening’s events.

8. Cidade, a jazz and tango ensemble, provided live music for guests.

9. Merrilee Aurora Hale, left, art education director for Gallery 137 in Indian Orchard, shares a moment with Rick DeBonis, vice president of Marketing and Communications for Hampden Bank, which sponsored the event.

10. BusinessWest editor George O’Brien speaks during the Forty Under 40 VIP hour, held for winners and their guests at Chez Josef.

11. Winners were given complimentary bags, provided by sponsor Comcast, which were filled with additional prizes from the evening’s other sponsors.

12. Guests check in at the welcome desk as the event gets underway.

Fostering an Entrepreneurial Spirit

By
Opinion

For years, a quiet debate has been waged about whether entrepreneurship can be taught, or coaxed, or whether the trait is simply something that people are born with.

While that discussion continues on some levels, colleges across the region and around the world are creating and expanding programs of study in entrepreneurship — and we’re very glad that they are.

That’s because Western Mass., and the world in general, need to be more entrepreneurial. By this, we mean that individuals, and entire companies, need to be more enterprising. And the proliferation of programs at area colleges — some of which involve people in high school and even middle school — bodes well for the future of this region.

When most people think of the words ‘entrepreneur’ and ‘entrepreneurship,’ they think of business owners and the act of starting new ventures. But that’s only part of it. That terminology also applies to people who think in an entrepreneurial manner, meaning they’re focused on new ideas, new ventures, and different, better ways of doing things.

By creating and expanding programs in entrepreneurship education, area schools are helping to foster economic development in the region by creating new businesses and strengthening existing ones.

Area programs come in different sizes and shapes, but they have the same basic goals — to promote entrepreneurship as a viable career option, and to provide individuals with the skills needed to succeed in business, or at least have a better chance of doing so.

Most programs in this region have developed over the past decade or so. Schools such as UMass, Springfield Technical Community College, Bay Path College, American International College, Western New England College, and Holyoke Community College have created degree programs or courses of study that encourage people to be entrepreneurial — and then show them how to do it.

Some programs compel or individuals or groups or individuals to create their own businesses, while others offer case studies involving local or national companies, and still others place students with area business owners for a semester or a year to watch, learn, and sometimes help plot a strategic course.

In each case, students are learning by doing, which will provide invaluable experience for the day when they are running their own business or trying to help an employer expand or diversify his or her venture.

It’s hard to quantify just what the various entrepreneurship programs mean in terms of the short- and long-term health of the region’s economy, but it’s fair to say that the proliferation of study programs should create jobs and also help existing companies compete effectively in an increasingly global economy.

As recent editions of BusinessWest have revealed, there are some very exciting entrepreneurial ventures taking shape across Western Mass. These involve everything from ethanol production to wind power, from developing a better wind turbine to devising new ways to remove costs from medical billing. These initiatives and others bode well for the region, and they exist because people with drive and imagination are taking risks and converting ideas into new businesses.

It’s no coincidence that we’re seeing so many exciting new ventures. This region has a deep tradition of entrepreneurial spirit stretching back to the early days of the Springfield Armory, and the current generation is simply carrying on that tradition.

But through the many programs in entrepreneurship education now in place in the Pioneer Valley, this region can expect even more enterprising people to step forward with new concepts and new businesses.

And as we said, this bodes well for the Greater Springfield area and its future economic health and well-being.

OPINION

By
Opinion
The Battle to Curb Public Pensions

It’s one step forward, two steps back in the battle to bring pensions and other public-employee retirement benefits under control in Massachusetts. Beginning in January, MBTA retirees under 65 will contribute 15% toward the cost of their health insurance. Most T employees can retire with generous benefits after 23 years. Until now, those benefits included free health care for life. Not a bad deal, especially when you can retire in your 40s.

Phasing in a plan that would have provided incentives for recent and soon-to-be retirees to choose less expensive health insurance, as proposed by a panel charged with assessing state transportation finances, would have been fairer to those nearing the 23-year mark, saved more money, and avoided a potential spate of retirements at the T. Still, treating younger MBTA retirees the same as retired state employees is a step in the right direction.

But while most state workers pay around 10% of their salaries toward retirement, T employees still pay just 4%. Unlike state employee contributions — which are set by law — MBTA pension contributions are subject to collective bargaining.

At least the MBTA pension situation isn’t getting any worse. An amendment adopted during the state House of Representatives budget debate and included in the Senate’s recent budget proposal increases from $12,000 to $16,000 the amount upon which cost-of-living increases are calculated for teacher and other state retiree pensions. Earlier this month, busloads of retired teachers descended on the State House to lobby for pending legislation that would guarantee future escalation by linking the base amount to the consumer price index.

The change would raise the average pension just $120 for the coming year. But compounded annually, the move could end up costing taxpayers more than $8 billion.

Next year, taxpayers will pay almost $1.5 billion out of a likely $28 billion budget to retire the Commonwealth’s more than $13 billion unfunded pension liability. Hiking retirement benefits would extend the time at which state pension obligations will be fully funded from 2023 to 2026.

State Treasurer Tim Cahill warns against extending the date, saying it could hurt the Commonwealth’s bond rating. The higher interest costs that would result are no small matter, given that $16 billion in new borrowing has either recently been approved or appears headed toward approval.

Payments to retire the liability are set to increase each year, reaching more than $2.8 billion in 2023. That means three additional years would cost taxpayers more than $8 billion. Keeping to the current schedule would result in the annual sum rising even higher than $2.8 billion by 2023.

Part of the problem with the Commonwealth’s pension system is that it’s just too easy to push the burden out to future generations. Three early-retirement programs earlier this decade saved money in the short term, but added nearly $2 billion to overall liability.

Reining in pensions is not about shortchanging public employees. For years, the argument was that government workers got rich benefits to make up for lower pay. But according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, public employees in Eastern Mass. now earn 15% more than their private-sector counterparts who perform comparable work, and that number is exclusive of more generous government benefit packages.

The new health care reform law is just one of the priorities Massachusetts is struggling to fund. If not for the nearly $1.5 billion taxpayers will have to put toward retiring unfunded pension liability next year, the Commonwealth could pay costs related to the law; eliminate the need to pull $400 million from the rainy day fund, as the state Senate did to balance its budget proposal; and still have money left over. That’s why we have to resist the pressure to add to already-staggering liabilities.-

Charles Chieppo is a senior fellow at the Pioneer Institute. This article first appeared in the Boston Globe.

By
Departments

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

Acevedo, Ramonita
131 Glenmore St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Ang, Sunnser
2 Culdaff St. Apt. L
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Barlow, Keith M.
305 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Barre Auto Supply
Thibeault, Shawn H.
Thibeault, Jennifer L.
a/k/a Archibald, Jennifer L.
270 North Brookfield Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Bermudez, Martina
144 Abbe Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Bernal, Suiny G.
45 Bartlett St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Bessette, Roger A.
Bessette, Kristin M.
P.O. Box 2013
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/19/08

Betterton, Richard M.
61 St. Jacques Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Bobilin, Howard A.
Bobilin, Peggy A.
183 Holtshire Road
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Bolton, Daniel L.
456 Main St., Apt. 3
Athol, MA 01331-1856
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/20/08

Bonilla, Joel
Bonilla, Priscilla
65 Kulig St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Bradley, Michael J.
Bradley, Patricia M.
73 Jean Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Bressette, Linda L.
239 Wahconah St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Brunelle, Maritza
492 Maple St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Burgess, Robert C.
Burgess, Jessica L.
250 Beacon St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Caron, Jason A.
a/k/a Caron, Carisa A.
15 Massachusetts Ave., Apt. 2
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/27/08

Carreiro, Nancy-Lee
190 Senator St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Clayton, Margaret A.
17 South Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/21/08

Coleman, Allen D.
Coleman, Theresa A.
a/k/a Nicoletti, Theresa A.
53 Congress St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Demarey, Richard M.
Demarey, Alyson M.
11B Catherine Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Dembroski, Lillian C.
15 Verge St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/21/08

Dixe, Michael A.
Dixe, Jillian L.
17 Hartford St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Egan, Shaun P.
82 Olea St., 3rd Fl.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Ellis, David N.
Ellis, Regina B.
807 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/20/08

Fanciose, Wayne A.
1299 Wauwinet Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/08

Figueroa, Ismael
59 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/27/08

Flanders, Arlene L.
14 Mattawa Circle
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Forgette, Gerald A.
Forgette, Barbara
PO Box 507
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Garcia, Yolanda
54 Hollywood St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/17/08

George, Christine Yvonne
1760 Westover Road, Trailer 3
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Golemo, Christopher J.
Golemo, Pamela A.
a/k/a Lander, Pamela A.
12 Cabot Court
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Goodrich, Erin E.
104 Highview Dr.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/08

Granger, Arthur L.
Granger, Danielle J.
a/k/a Richardson, Danielle J.
P.O. Box 781
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Greenman, Stephen W.
Greenman, Diane M.
343 Apple Valley Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Harris, Jason P.
508 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Hart, David C.
Hart, Marcine
228 Arcadia Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/21/08

Herman, Jeffrey H.
P.O. Box 1522
Stockbridge, MA 01262
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/17/08

Hernandez, Claribel
55 West Bay Path Ter.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

ICD Purchasing Services
Cross, Robert D.
56 Riviera Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Jankowski, Paul J.
Jankowski, Lucille A.
36 Cheney St., Apt. 1
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Janssen, Alice
138 Newell St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Jen’s Keepsake Korner
Whitman, Jennifer A.
484 Conant Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Kelly, Carmel Gazel
39 Hinckley St., Apt. 2
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Klerowski, Lynn M.
a/k/a Ezyk, Lynn M.
12 Oakdale Place
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

LaFleche, Joanne W.
37 Martel Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/29/08

  

Lincoln, Lee S.
211 Houghton St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Liquori, Joseph Francis
873 Springfield St. #20
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/25/08

Macks, Robin L.
PO Box 1624
Northampton, MA 01061
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Mercauto, Vito P.
430 Exchange St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Miller, Jr., Paul W.
PO Box 1091
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Mirisis, Ioannis S.
Mirisis, John
a/k/a Mirisis, Yainni
a/k/a Mirisis, Gwendolyn M.
a/k/a Voci, Gwendolyn M.
548 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Montalban, Jesus
111 Massasoit St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Morales Cruz, Myriam
372 Maple St., Apt. 2R
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Morey, Karen A.
72 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/17/08

Murphy, Sara L.
a/k/a Nelson, Sara L.
33 Woodland Ave
Chciopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/25/08

Narreau, Ann
462 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Narvaez, Esther M.
145 Oak St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/17/08

Naumov, Alexander
Naumov, Valentina
28 Woodcock Court
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Nieves, Minerva
a/k/a Luna, Minerva Nieves
16 Lexington St., 2nd
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Noyes, Gary R.
700 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

O’Connor, Mildred A.
80 Quarry Hill
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

O’Donnell, William D.
PO Box 258
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Ortolaza, Angelica M.
27A Central St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Pedersen, Christopher R.
Pedersen, Jaime S.
39 Middle St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Pena, Ramon Isaias
62 Sorrento St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Ragno, Joseph S.
2010 High St.
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Reese, Donna M.
184 Windsor St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/17/08

Reynolds, Michael T.
255 New Leonx Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Richter, Jennifer G.
18 Randall St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Rodriguez, Lissette M.
75 Central St., Apt. A
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Romeo, Stephen A.
Romeo, Nancy J.
126 Lathrop St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Rossi, Marilyn D.
62 Lathrop St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Santiago, Benito R.
P.O. Box 70033
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Schaaf, Thomas H.
6 Corey Colonial
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Shea, Michael R.
4 Sherwood Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/21/08

Soto, Cassyopia
461 Ryan Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Starzyk, Margaret R.
100 Pine St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Steiner, John M.
Steiner, Laurie A.
157 Lumae St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/08

Sullivan, Daniel P.
23 Drexel St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/28/08

Swiatek, John J.
78 Price St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/08

Templet, Gabriele Kat
177 Marion St., Ext 2
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Torres, Mary L.
19 Charbonneau Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Tosado, Eileen
a/k/a Hubbard, Eileen
a/k/a Tosado-Hubbard, Eileen
202 Wrentham Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/08

Urhiafe, Obukohwo A.
a/k/a Urhiafe, Olusola O.
91 Ramblewood Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/18/08

Vazquez, Aileen
73 Farnsworth St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Whalen, Mary F.
167 Poplar St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/23/08

White, Theresa L.
a/k/a Larouche, Theresa L.
52 Froman St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/08

Williams, David L.
77 Colton Place
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/08

Wilson, Lynn A.
56 Armstrong St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/08

Woodard, Judith J.
621 Station Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/22/08

Zurawski, Kathy Anne
185 Pleasant St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/08

By
Departments

WMECO Issues Price-increase Alert

SPRINGFIELD — Western Mass. Electric Company (WMECO) recently made a filing with the Mass. Department of Public Utilities (DPU) regarding procurement of energy supply for the period starting July 1. WMECO is sharing the results of the procurement to help customers prepare in advance for increased energy-supply costs for WMECO customers taking default service, also known as basic service. The energy supply was solicited in the open energy marketplace for those customers who have not chosen to purchase their energy supply from a competitive supplier. Pending approval by the DPU, pricing for the solicited energy supply will be in effect for residential and small commercial and industrial (C&I) customers taking default service for the six-month period ending Dec. 31, 2008, and for medium and large commercial and industrial customers for the three-month period ending Sept. 30, 2008. Medium and large C&I customers who have not secured their own competitive energy supplier would see the largest increase, while the increase for residential and small C&I customers would be moderated because prices were averaged with those obtained in a previous procurement. Upon DPU approval, effective July 1, residential customers will see a new energy supply rate of 12.114 cents per kilowatt hour, an increase of 1.3 cents per kilowatt hour over the current energy supply rate of 10.814 cents per kilowatt hour. For the average residential customer using 700 kilowatt hours of electricity per month, this is anticipated to be an increase of $9.10 per month or 7.6% on their total bill. Also effective July 1, medium and large C&I customers will see a new energy-supply rate of 14.572 cents per kilowatt hour, an increase of 4.086 cents per kilowatt hour over the current energy supply rate of 10.486 cents per kilowatt hour. These customers can expect to see about a 29% increase in their monthly bill due to this increase. WMECO officials note that customers are directly feeling the impact of escalating energy prices, and encourage the use of energy-saving opportunities, ranging from home-energy audits to the installation of energy-efficient lighting and air conditioning. For more information, visit www.wmeco.com.

BBB Announces Torch Awards

CHICOPEE — The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Central New England Inc., recently honored American Pest Solutions Inc. of Springfield with its Torch Award. Torch Award recipients must maintain high standards of behavior toward customers, suppliers, and employees; have a history of ethical business practices; participate in community affairs; and be a for-profit business for a minimum of three years. The BBB extended its honorable mention distinction to Moving/ Odd Jobs Unlimited of Chicopee. In addition, the BBB honored Evan Coleman from Amherst Regional High School with its first annual Western Mass. Student Ethics Award and Scholarship.

New Regional Bicycling Map Available

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission has completed an update to its popular regional bicycling map for area cyclists. In addition to popular on-road cycling routes and bike paths in the region, the map shows popular destinations and local landmarks, along with safety and commuting information. Printed on weather-resistant material using fade-resistant inks, it can be marked with favorite routes to specific destinations. Funding for the map was provided by the Federal Highway Administration and the Mass. Executive Office of Transportation through a donation by Family Bike of East Longmeadow and Agawam. Maps are available free at bike shops throughout the Pioneer Valley. Maps are also available for a $5 prepaid shipping and handling fee by sending a check to the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, 26 Central St., Suite 34, West Springfield, MA 01089-2787. For more information and a list of locations carrying the bike map, visit www.pvpc.org.

Group Opposes Efforts to Eliminate State Income Tax

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Trustees of the Plan for Progress, the Pioneer Valley’s adopted economic-development plan, recently issued a position statement in opposition to a fall 2008 ballot initiative calling for elimination of the state income tax. The group stands in opposition to the initiative since the state income tax accounts for 60% of total tax revenues and is a principal source of funds needed to cover mandatory financial obligations of the state. If the ballot initiative was eliminated, the group notes a fourfold increase in the sales tax, from 5% to 20%, or a doubling of total property taxes, would be necessary to cover the overall impact of state-supported services and key capital improvements.

Howdy Award Recipients Recognized

SPRINGFIELD — The Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (GSCVB) recently honored nine individuals from throughout the region during the 13th annual Howdy Awards for Hospitality Excellence. The awards, produced by the GSCVB, recognize front-line employees in the hospitality industry who go above and beyond in the performance of their duties and provide outstanding service to their guests and customers. By doing so, these hospitality professionals contribute to the economic vitality of the businesses they serve and the region overall. Howdy winners were: Laura Payer, concierge, Holiday Inn, Holyoke, in the category of “accommodations”; Mark Gervais, event manager, MassMutual Center, Springfield, “attractions”; Todd Hannigan, bartender, J.T.’s Sports Pub, Springfield, “beverage”; Bernie Pietruskiewicz, breakfast server, Country Inn & Suites, Holyoke, “food,” and James Watts, lead concierge, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, “public service.” Also, Kathy Crouse, sales associate, Mrs. Claus’ Bakery/Chandler’s Restaurant, South Deerfield, “retail”; Guy Racine, motorcoach operator, Peter Pan Bus Lines, Springfield, “transportation,” and Bernardo Santiago, engineer, Hilton Garden Inn, Springfield, “unseen hero.” In addition, the Howdy Awards Committee selected Bruce Landon, president of the Springfield Falcons hockey club, to receive the Spotlight Award, which recognizes individuals or organizations for their dedication and outstanding contribution to the region’s hospitality industry.

By
Departments

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

AGAWAM

KDS Partnership
79 General Creighton Abrams Dr.
$20,000 — Flooring renovations

AMHERST

Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield
132 North Pleasant St.
$25,000 — Replace wireless antennae at bell tower of St. Brigid’s Church

Shumway Limited Partnership
15 Cowles Lane
$9,720 — New roof

CHICOPEE

City of Chicopee
617 Montgomery St.
$600,000 — Demolition of Chicopee Comp. High School

First Congregational Church
302 Chicopee St.
$19,200 — Hoist way for vertical lift

EAST LONGMEADOW

Jennifer Nguyen
30 Shaker Road
$14,700 — Interior build-out

MRI of New England
265 Benton Dr.
$490,000 — Commercial addition

Pearson Systems
98 Shaker Road
$32,000 — Interior build-out

GREENFIELD

Baystate Franklin Medical Center
164 High St.
$8,000 — Emergency repair to damaged elevator shaft wall

Kangel LLC
99 Elm St.
$9,700 — Re-roof

Richard Regan
94 Main St.
$49,000 — Renovation of building to change use from restaurant to hair salon

  

Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield
133 Main St.
$87,000 — Replace exterior front stairs, sidewalk, and curbing

William & Natalie Koncal
154 Hope St.
$4,000 — Roof repairs

HADLEY

National Evaluation Systems Inc.
300 Venture Way
$17,000 — Build three offices in common area

SOUTH HADLEY

Mt. Holyoke College-Safford
50 College St.
$2,475,000 — Renovations

SOUTHWICK

W.R. Newman
681 College Highway
$1,641,000 — New commercial construction

SPRINGFIELD

Clifford Laraway
1000 West Columbus Ave.
$10,000 – General build out of Subway restaurant

Michael Wiggins
427 State St.
$9,500 – Interior renovations

Sei Aarons
414 Boston Rd.
$49,750 – New roof

Valley Real Estate
412 Albany St.
$50,000 – New roof

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Ashley Avenue Associates
95 Ashley Ave.
$23,000 – Renovate 2,907 SF of office space

Robert Goodman
66 Morgan Rd.
$4,800 – Strip & re-roof

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

Gilbert & Son Insulation v. Creative Design Custom Homes
Allegation: Non-payment of insulation services provided: $4,069.79

GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Weslee Sicard v. Favorites Staffing Agency
Allegation: Emotional distress caused by actions of employee: $5,000
Filed: 4/29/08

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

C & S Distributors Inc. v. Carlson Siding Company
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $87,700.84
Filed: 4/17/08

Carol L. and James S. Glanville v. Hu Ke Lau Restaurant
Allegation: Failure to provide alternate transportation to intoxicated patron resulting in motor vehicle injuries: $186,685.46
Filed: 4/18/08

Country Bank for Savings v. Munson Heating
Allegation: Failure to make payments: $49,699.92
Filed: 4/22/08

Peabody Family Investments, LLC v. Turfgrass Environmental Consulting
Allegation: Breach of Contract: $200,000+
Filed: 4/22/08

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Doris Montgomery v. City of Northampton
Allegation: Failure to provide access to health insurance benefits: $10,000
Filed: 5/05/08

Laura Singleton v. Sinclair Broadcast Group & Patrick Berry
Allegation: Employment discrimination and wrongful termination: $633,197+
Filed: 5/13/08
Miller Development Enterprise Inc. v. World War II Veteran’s Association of Hampshire County Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract for services, labor, and materials: $52,034.00
Filed: 5/12/08

Murphy Construction v. Mike’s Landscaping and Excavating
Allegation: Breach of contract for services, fraud, and intentional misrepresentation: $41,775.52
Filed: 5/08/08

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

Michael & Diane Ventrice v. Diamond RV Center & Bridgestone/Firestone Inc.
Allegation: Plaintiff was sold a recreational vehicle with defective tires, and seller did not remedy: $15,000
Filed: 4/16/08

Rugg Building Solutions v. TNT General Contractors Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $16,215.36
Filed: 5/08/08

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Carter-McLeod Paper & Packaging Company v. Iris Media Group Industrial, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $7,027.21
Filed: 2/06/08

Reliable Temps Inc. v. C & C Salvage LTD
Allegation: Failure to pay for temporary employees provided by plaintiff: $4,154
Filed: 2/14/08

The Marlin Company v. 135 Benton Drive Operating Company, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $10,535.52
Filed: 2/16/08

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Capital One Bank (USA) v. Gary’s All Nite Towing
Allegation: Non-payment of credit account: $17,563.81
Filed: 4/18/08

By
Departments

A Colorful Lunch Learning about Giclee

May 28: Nancy Bryant of Giclee of New England will present the history and visual examples of the high quality technology of Giclee printing and its emergence from the photography and fine-art realm to the commercial-printing industry. The 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. luncheon event is sponsored by the Ad Club of Western Mass., and will be conducted at the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College. The cost is $25 for Ad Club members, $35 for nonmembers, and $15 for students. To make reservations, visit www.adclubwm.org.

401(k) Fiduciary Compliance

May 28, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; May 29, 7-9 a.m.: Representatives from the Massachusetts Regional Office of the Department of Labor will present workshops on what businesses need to know about 401(k) fiduciary compliance. Topics include: “401(k) Litigation,” “401(k) Fees in the Spotlight,” “Update from the DOL,” “The Next 401(k) Fee Initiative,” and “Revenue Sharing.” Sessions will be conducted at the Hilton Garden Inn on West Columbus Avenue in Springfield. To make reservations, call Rose Talbot-Babey at (413) 734-6418 or E-mail : [email protected]

Gus & Paul’s Marks 50th

May 29: Gus & Paul’s Bakery and Deli of Springfield will be celebrating a milestone — 50 years of community service — by hosting a Taste of Gus and Paul’s from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Proceeds raised from the festive affair will benefit Clinical and Support Options, a local, private, non-profit organization that protects and promotes the rights and well-being of children and families. Designer food and dessert stations will feature the selections that have made Gus and Paul’s successful over the years. The Ted Levine Jazz Quartet will provide the entertainment for the evening. A cash bar will be available. Other highlights of the affair will include the Gus and Paul’s Challenge, a cupcake-eating contest, a raffle, and a live auction. Tickets cost $40. For more information, call (413) 737-9544, ext. 319, or (413) 782-5710.

Business Ethics Seminar

June 3: The CPE Forum, a community business-education group, is offering a four-hour seminar in business ethics at Courniotes Hall at American International College in Springfield. The course will meet the continuing professional-education requirements in ethics for CPAs, enrolled agents, and other business professionals. The general public is also invited to participate in the seminar. For more information, visit www.cpeforum.org. To register or for more information, call (413) 746-9067 or E-mail [email protected].

Focus on Venezuela

June 4: The World Affairs Council of Western Mass. will present Dr. Javier Corrales, associate professor of Political Science at Amherst College, at an Instant Issues brown-bag lunchtime discussion on “Venezuela’s Foreign Policy: Hard Power, Soft Power, and Social Power” in the Sovereign Bank Community Room, 1350 Main St., 3rd floor, in downtown Springfield. The cost is $6 per person without lunch and $12 per person with a meal provided. To make reservations, call (413) 733-0110.

‘The New Philanthropy’

June 6: Bay Path College’s Graduate School will host a free breakfast program titled “The New Philanthropy: What Donors Want, What Donors Need” from 8 to 10 a.m. in the Blake Student Commons on the Longmeadow campus. A continental breakfast begins at 7:30. The program is open to individuals working and volunteering at nonprofit organizations. Keynote speaker Claire Costello, national executive for philanthropic management for the Bank of America, will review the most important trends in this new philanthropic era. As part of a panel, local nonprofit and corporate leaders will respond to the presentation with their own personal insights about what the new philanthropy means for the region. For more information and to register, call (800) 782-7284, ext. 1056, or visit www.baypath.edu.

Children’s Miracle Network Telethon

June 7: Now in its third decade of fundraising to benefit young patients and their families throughout Western Mass., the 22nd edition of the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon at Baystate Children’s Hospital will be broadcast over WWLP-TV22 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Baystate’s Chestnut Conference Center. Viewers will have an opportunity during the telethon to join the special “Miracle Maker Club” for a pledge of $20 a month. In addition, an above-ground swimming pool, valued at $5,000 and donated by Teddy Bear Pools and Spas, will also be auctioned off during the broadcast.

By
Departments

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

Alicea, Nelson
a/k/a Alicea, Maxine
16 A Maple Crest Circle
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/09/2008

Almodovar, Rosemary
74 Tokeneke Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/15/2008

Bailey, Kathleen A.
92 Vienna Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Date: 04/08/2008

Bell, Holly M.
7 Oak Bluff Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/31/2008

Biando, Joshua A.
29 Aspen St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/07/2008

Bickel, Floyd Norman
45 Lake Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/14/2008

Bilodeau, David C.
224 West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/08/2008

Birks, Dennis W.
Birks, Rebecca A.
a/k/a Rydzak, Rebecca A.
18 West Glen St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/15/2008

Bliss, Marylou
a/k/a Czerwinski, Marylou
10 Wood Ave.
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/11/2008

Borek, Paul B.
Borek, Linda G.
246 Beauchamp Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/14/2008

Burchard, Gary A.
128 Oak Hill Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/04/2008

Caraballo, Jose E.
Caraballo, Milly G.
128 Carver St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/31/2008

Carroll John T.
55 Holly St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 13
Date: 04/11/2008

Cayo, David W.
91 Steiger Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter:
Date: 04/15/2008

Chartier, Arthur E.
65 Bernard St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/14/2008

Cote, Lorraine A.
104 Johnson Road, Unit 704
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/08/2008

Couture, Raymond W.
67 Littleton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/02/2008

Dame, Christinna L.
39 Maple St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/31/2008

Daubney, Fleurette T.
21C Miles Morgan Court
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/01/2008

Davies, Deborah J.
36 Deep Field Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/10/2008

Desrosiers, Jocelyn L.
27 Woodcrest Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/07/2008

Desrosiers, Helen T.
37 Flint St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/10/2008

Deyo, Jerry T.
17 Mason St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/15/2008

Digilio, Susan F.
19 Jonathan St.
Gardner, MA 01440
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/15/2008

Dill, Holly E.
41-42 Converse St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 13
Date: 04/05/2008

Diotalevi, Brian T.
Diotalevi, Michelle A.
19 Grant Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Date: 04/08/2008

Dodge, John Paul
Dodge, Patricia Ann
259 Millers Falls Road
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/07/2008

Donovan, Lorraine
a/k/a Beauchemin, Lorraine
306 Tremont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/31/2008

DuBois, Leo Zachary
5 Fruit St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/31/2008

Durocher, Robert B.
63 South Westfield St.
P.O. Box 6
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/01/2008

Gallo, Susan M.
72 Berkshire Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/14/2008

Goodrich, Corey A.
87 Raymond Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 13
Date: 04/04/2008

Henriquez, Nelson D.
Aguirres, Beatriz C.
6 Franklin Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Date: 04/07/2008

Heroux, Ronald E.
637B Pendleton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/10/2008

Hogan, Paul F.
PO Box 6572
Holyoke, MA 01041
Chapter: 13
Date: 04/10/2008

  

Kent, Jeffrey D.
Kent, Morgan J.
611 South Main St.
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/31/2008

Kituyi, Joseph S.
619 Springfield St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/10/2008

Koehler, Thomas A.
Koehler, Doris J.
10 Marsh Lane
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/02/2008

Kowal, Lorie A.
143 Edgewood Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/09/2008

Mardirossian, Papak Y.
64 Tiffany St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/12/2008

Martin, Paula Louise
Just All About You
383 Chesnut Hill Ave.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/14/2008

Martinelli, Gabriele
Martinelli, Sandra M.
50 Sandra St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/01/2008

Miller, Gretchen J.
91 Hulst Road
Amherst, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/12/2008

Miranda, Donna J.
a/k/a Conway, Donna J.
a/k/a Kelso, Donna J.
24 Sunrise Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Date: 04/08/2008

Moreira, Vincent
23 Dartmouth St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/01/2008

Morris, Donna
490 C East Seventh St.
South Boston, MA 02127
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/05/2008

Nicholson, Beth Ann
174 Center St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/10/2008

Nguyen, Loi V.
P.O. Box 80401
Springfield, MA 01138
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/15/2008

Ostrander, Laura J.
Ostrander, Laura Jean
76 Charles Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/02/2008

Pagan, Eddie A.
58 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/01/2008

Panagos, George
63 Orlando St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/02/2008

Piquette, Mark Edward
Piquette, Deborah Lin
17 Holly St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/10/2008

Riccitelli, Martin G.
68 Hazardville Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/10/2008

Riley, Paul T.
123 Maynard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/11/2008

Rivera, Jose A.
65 Chestnut St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Date: 04/05/2008

Ruiz, Jose A.
Cruz, Amarilys
107 Marion St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/31/2008

Scagliarini, Gary J.
733 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/09/2008

Scribner, Laura L.
33 Maple St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/03/2008

Sidway, Thomas N.
10 Danforth Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/31/2008

Silvano, Peter M.
99 Meadow Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/10/2008

Smith, Kevin M.
636 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/15/2008

Speth, Thomas Joseph
Speth, Theresa
12 Tabar Ave.
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/10/2008

Touponce, Inc.
335 Forest St.
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/03/2008

Trask, Regina A.
418 Meadow St., Unit C6
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/14/2008

Vigneault Remodeling
Merk’s Carpentry
Kitchco
Kitchen Magik
Vigneault, Brian K.
85 Maxwell Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/15/2008

Wheeler, Carole D.
139 North Washington St.
Ridgecrest Private Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/07/2008

Wireless 4 Less
Stovall, Eugenia
38 Willow Brook Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/02/2008

Woodbury, Wanda Lou
12 Wheeler Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Date: 04/14/2008

Zurlino, Peter Jude
PO Box 3387
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/31/2008

By
Departments

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

AGAWAM

Baystate Health Rehabilitation Services
200 Silver St.
$276,500 — 2,606 square feet tenant fit-up

CH Corporation
23 Suffield St.
$3,000 — Shorten length of roof on driveway canopy

AMHERST

Amherst LLP
188 East Hadley Road
$27,000 — New roof

Claudette Boudreau
534 Main St.
$6,800 — Interior alterations for “Fitness Together”

Royal Monument Inc.
707 Main St.
$14,900 — Exterior renovations

CHICOPEE

Big Y Foods
2189 Westover Road
$407,000 — Install warehouse racking

200 Tillary LLC
165 Front St.
$12,000 — Alterations to 2nd floor

EAST LONGMEADOW

ABC Develop Consulting
24-26 School St.
$70,000 — New roof, windows, and siding

Curry Architecture
One Apple Blossom Lane
$9,327,000 — New commercial construction

Chester & Lorraine Czupryna
135 Denslow Road
$59,000 — New commercial building

GREENFIELD

Argotec, Inc.
53 Silvio O. Conte Dr.
$1,570,000 — New commercial pre-engineered metal building

Greenfield Farmers Cooperative Exchange
275 High St.
$23,000 — Build a storage platform

Robar, Inc.
225-245 Mohawk Trail
$20,000 — Repair damage from truck accident

  

Clinical & Support Options
43 Franklin St.
$9,600 — Interior repairs

HADLEY

Benjamin Paul
4 Bay Road
$3,200 — Install shower and laundry

Richard Hollrock
294 Russell St.
$9,000 — Interior renovations

HOLYOKE

Holyoke Mall Company, L.P.
50 Holyoke St.
$104,000 — Remodel Pretzel Maker store

SOUTH HADLEY

Maraline Development
21 Industrial Dr.
$1,708,000 — Construct addition

SPRINGFIELD

Baystate Health Systems
759 Chestnut St.
$206,000 — Renovate existing labs

Baystate Health Systems
759 Chestnut St.
$81,800 — Alterations to fourth floor pediatric center

Baystate Medical Center
253-255 Marvin St.
$115,000 — Cosmetic remodel of offices

Baystate Medical Center
55 Pratt St.
$70,000 — Cosmetic remodel of offices/sleep rooms

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Fred Aaron
1680 Riverdale St.
$2,000 — Interior renovations

George Christy
166 South Boulevard
6,300 — Renovate existing commercial space as personal training center

SRC West Springfield Inc.
One Charles River Place
$231,000 — New roof

By
Departments

Jackson & Connor Opens

NORTHAMPTON — Jackson & Connor, a new men’s apparel store, recently opened on the second floor of Thornes Marketplace. Set in a retail atmosphere that recalls a men’s club with rich, dark, painted walls and wood furniture, Jackson & Connor features several lines including Jhane Barnes, Donald Pliner, John Varvatos, and Edun. The 1,100-square-foot store also features casual and up-tailored men’s clothing and a large selection of accessories.

Paul Robbins Associates Wins Award

WILBRAHAM — Paul Robbins Associates Inc. is a “Silver” winner in the 2008 Summit Creative Awards competition for its creative work for HAP Inc., the region’s housing partnership. The award is for a video, titled “Home,” which was produced by Paul Robbins and shown during HAP’s annual dinner and is used for development purposes by the organization. “Home” highlights HAP’s groundbreaking collaboration of new-home construction and community reinvestment in the Old Hill neighborhood of Springfield. The Summit Creative Awards recognizes and celebrates the creative accomplishments of small and medium-sized advertising agencies and other creative groups with annual billings of $30 million or less. Paul Robbins Associates at Post Office Park is a consultancy providing a wide range of communications services related to public-affairs and marketing strategy and execution.

Big Y Participates in ‘Be Food Safe’ Campaign

SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Foods Inc. has joined food retailers from across the country in a cooperative government, industry, and consumer-group effort to reach millions of consumers with important food safety information on the basic food handling practices of “clean, separate, cook, and chill.” Be Food Safe, originally launched by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Partnership for Food Safety Education, encourages retailers to display food-safety messages and visual reminders in front of customers through in-store promotions, brochures, flyers, packaging, circular ads, Web sites, and other forms of customer outreach. Nearly 40 retailers, representing approximately 6,000 supermarkets and an estimated 81 million consumers, have volunteered to implement Be Food Safe through their in-store and external customer-communications programs. While the overall rate of foodborne illness has been declining, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that an estimated one in four Americans suffers from food borne illness each year. Consumers can download and print their own Be Food Safe brochure at www. befoodsafe.org.

Caring Health Center Opens Third WIC Office

SPRINGFIELD — Caring Health Center recently opened its third WIC office at 860 Boston Road to provide health education and nutrition services to area women, infants, and children. WIC programs are funded by federal grants that are administered through the Mass. Department of Health. Caring Health Center provides WIC services at its other city locations — Springfield South, 1139 Main St.; and Forest Park, 523 Sumner Ave. Caring Health Center’s WIC programs served more than 3,900 participants in Springfield, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, and Hampden before the expansion to Pine Point, according to Anne S. Awad, president and CEO of Caring Health Center. For more information on services, visit www.caringhealth.org.

STCC Foundation Closes Major Gifts Campaign

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Technical Community College Foundation concluded its first major gifts campaign, “The Best Return On Your Investment,” on May 13 with a victory celebration. The year-long campaign raised more $4.5 million, which will support technology-based educational programs and allied-health programs, in addition to providing need-based scholarships for students. The initiative was established to maintain STCC’s role as a leader in technology and innovation, according to Ira Rubenzahl, president of STCC.

Hampden Bank Awards Grant to Library in Indian Orchard

SPRINGFIELD — The Hampden Bank Charitable Foundation recently donated a $15,000 grant to create after-school art programs for young people in the neighborhood of Indian Orchard. The funds will pay for a series of art programs in collaboration with the Artists’ Mill at Indian Orchard for children ages 8 to 17 in the Indian Orchard branch of the Springfield Library. The project begins this summer and continues into the school year with Saturday and evening classes.

A Battle Plan is Needed for Springfield’s Downtown

By
Opinion

Some of the casualties have been chalked up as ‘coincidences.’ That’s the term that many people used when three restaurants on or near Main Street closed within a few days of each other recently.

Meanwhile, others have been called ‘inevitable signs of the times,’ or something to that effect, and the recent closing of Edwards Book Store fits nicely into that category — the small independent book store is certainly a dying breed in these days of Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com.

But while some of the business closings in downtown Springfield can be neatly explained away, to one degree or another, the sum of these failures is certainly cause for concern and food for deep thought about just what the future can and should hold for the central business district.

The latest blow came several days ago, when the owners of Hannoush Jewelers, long a mainstay in Tower Square, announced that they would be shuttering their storefront amid declining sales. “We tried to hang on,” company Vice President Nabil Hannoush told the local press. “With the traffic flow, it was getting a little tough.”

This was a reference to the foot traffic in Tower Square, which in recent years has been confined mostly to people who work in that tower or within a few blocks of it. It is becoming increasingly clear that this constituency is simply not enough to support many businesses downtown, and that something must be done to bring more people into the downtown — somehow.

Before elaborating, we must note that there are some positive things happening downtown. There is a FedEx Kinko’s opening in the Johnson’s Bookstore building downtown. Meanwhile, a new financial institution, Nuvo Bank, is drawing closer to its planned opening in long-vacant space within Tower Square.

And while some businesses are choosing to leave downtown Springfield for the suburbs (the Novak Agency among them), there are some who are choosing to stay, like Court Square Group, which recently moved into the half-vacant One Financial Plaza (see story, page 48).

But most everyone who doesn’t work for the Chamber of Commerce would likely admit to being concerned about downtown and the general state of vibrancy, or lack thereof. The retail component of Tower Square is fast becoming a ghost town, save for Dunkin Donuts (there are always long lines there) and the banks — and we’re not really sure how well they’re doing with those branches.

It’s clear that the old argument that people will do business where they work holds only so much water, as Hannoush Jewelers and some of those banks would attest. The key, again, is to get people from outside the downtown, outside the city, even outside the region, to want to come downtown.

Anyone old enough to remember the ’70s knows that this is doable. Long-time area residents remember when downtown Springfield was the place to be. Of course, that’s when Johnson’s, Forbes & Wallace, Steiger’s, Herman’s World of Sporting Goods, and other retail establishments were open — and the Holyoke Mall wasn’t. In those days, people had a reason to come to Main Street — actually, many of them.

There are still some reasons, like the MassMutual Center and some surviving restaurants and clubs, but simply not enough of them.

Creating more reasons is clearly the top priority for city planning officials and the administrators of Tower Square. Perhaps the tower can re-invent itself by moving away from traditional retail and into something different, such as outlet stores (not like the one that was there!) or offerings that cater to the creative community.

Meanwhile, there are opportunities with the soon-to-be vacant federal building to create opportunities to stimulate some vibrancy, perhaps even through market-rate housing.

Beyond the coincidences and those signs of the times, evidence is mounting that the downtown needs a battle plan — and a spark. And above all else, it needs to create more of those reasons for people to come.

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

Hebert W. Bacon v. Everett G. Bacon Jr. & H & E Associates
Allegation: Breach of contract: $31,194
Filed: 4/24/08

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT

Mackin Construction Company Inc. v. Berkshire Material Corporation
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $48,023.60
Filed: 4/28/08

GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Dorchester Industries Inc. v. RPM Technologies Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $11,558.62
Filed: 4/15/08

Solid Waste Solutions Inc. v. Town of Franklin
Allegation: Amount due under contract for removal of yard waste: $25,000
Filed: 4/11/08

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Dauphinais & Son Inc. v. GFI Longbrook, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $45,411.96
Filed: 4/22/08

International Bulb Company Inc. v. Grandview Farms Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $66,491.40
Filed: 4/22/08

J.D. Contracting Inc. v. Whiteway Construction Corporation, Town of Cummington, and Hanover Insurance Group Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of sub-contracting services provided for construction project: $73,000+
Filed: 4/08/08

JPS Elastomerics Corporation v. Liberty Roofing Center, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $73,399.27
Filed: 4/11/08

Leaf Funding Inc. v. Medequip Inc.
Allegation: Damages resulting from breach of equipment lease contract: $44,285.45
Filed: 3/31/08

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

United Natural Foods Inc. v. Blue Moon Grocery Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered and breach of contract: $106,156.94
Filed: 4/22/08

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Hampden Housing Associate, LP v. Whiting Oil Corp.
Allegation: Claims for release of environmental contamination: $100,000
Filed: 4/25/08

Newstress Inc. v. Barr & Barr Inc. and Mount Holyoke College
Allegation: Balance due for services and materials provided and breach of contract: $217,820.79
Filed: 4/17/08

Loring Michael Caney Jr. v. the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and University of Massachusetts
Allegation: Personnel action involving wrongful termination: $52,000
Filed: 4/24/08

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Mercy Medical Center v. Five Star Transportation Inc.
Allegation: Unfair and deceptive business practices and non-payment of debt: $7,490
Filed: 2/04/08

MVA Center for Rehabilitation v. Encompass Insurance Co.
Allegation: Non-payment of medical bills: $8,299.45
Filed: 2/05/08

TD Banknorth v. Berkshire Frameworks
Allegation: Non-payment of promissory note: $8,644.86

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Royal Plaza Textiles Inc. v. Canadian Cozies
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $8,537.98
Filed: 4/16/08

OPINION

By
Opinion
Averting an Energy Crisis

Gas prices are skyrocketing; the average price of a gallon of regular hit $4 last week. Venezuela has threatened to cut off oil exports to the United States. The dollar has fallen by 30% against the euro over the past two years. Could things possibly get worse?

Yes. Real-world events underscore our nation’s acute energy-security vulnerabilities. Over the past year, oil prices have surged in a short period of time without any single precipitating event. The effects are stark. Every $10 increase in the annual price of a barrel of oil costs the economy $75 billion.

The average American household spends $5,750 a year on energy, up more than $2,000 from just four years ago. The increase in the cost of gasoline alone amounts to a more than $1,500 tax on the typical American family. Over much of the past decade, Americans have been able to compensate for rising energy costs by drawing on the also-rising equity of their homes. But that did not solve the problem; it camouflaged it. And now that the mortgage crisis and the resulting collapse in property values have taken that crutch away, Americans are more conscious of the impact of the rising cost of oil on their livelihoods.

The United States consumes 25% of the world’s oil: 21 million barrels every single day. The transportation sector — not just cars, but the trucks and airplanes that are crucial to delivering goods and services — use petroleum products for 97% of its energy needs. And the picture is not getting any better: demand in the United States is expected to grow by 30% — to 27 million barrels per day by 2030.

Add to this continued instability — and in some cases, hostility — in some of the world’s most prolific oil-producing nations, and the conclusion is clear: America’s dependence on oil, particularly oil from unstable and undemocratic parts of the world, threatens national security and economic stability.

Recently, in the Forum of the Harvard Kennedy School, a group of former high-level government officials gathered to take part in Oil ShockWave, a high-tech, realistic simulation exercise based on an all-too-possible scenario: a series of geopolitical events leading to a sudden and sustained jump in the price of oil.

The simulation illustrates how one small event in one corner of the world can cascade through the entire global supply system. Courses of action, at that point, would be limited. Would Americans accept an emergency restriction on driving, rationing, or forced carpools? Would we have to deplete our strategic stores, which are held in reserve largely for extreme contingencies, including military shortages? Would we be willing to send troops to secure oil facilities abroad? Would we have to bow to the demands of nations like Iran and Venezuela?

This is not just the stuff of Tom Clancy; these are scenarios we may have to one day face if we continue down our current path. None of them is palatable, and none is even guaranteed to work. Once the crisis occurs, it is already too late.

The objective is to keep the crisis from occurring. Since we cannot control the entire global oil market, we need to do the next best thing: reduce our dependence on oil and increase our resilience and capacity to cope with interruptions. There are meaningful steps we can take, from reducing demand through fuel economy and other standards to increasing the production and deployment of alternatives, to looking at other methods of powering our transportation sector (like electricity), to expanding domestic production of energy in an environmentally responsible way, to working in concert with other major consumers to increase strategic reserves.

The alternative — waiting until the real crisis occurs — is unacceptable.-

Graham Allison is director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School. Robbie Diamond is founder and president of Securing America’s Future Energy.

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

The Liberty Preservation Association of Massachusetts Inc., 111 High St., Agawam 01001. Laura A. Jackson, same. (Nonprofit) Non-connected or ideological political action committee to affect legislation.

AMHERST

Association for Environmental Health & Sciences Foundation Inc., 150 Fearing St., Suite 17, Amherst 01002. Paul T. Kostecki, Stillwater Road, South Deerfield 01373. (Nonprofit) To promote the education, training, research and dissemination of information regarding the environment, etc.

Voter Action Inc., 48 North Pleasant St., Suite 304, Amherst 01002. Holly Jacobson, 2520 34th Ave., South, Seattle WA 98144. John Bonifaz, 30 Harris St., Amherst 01002, treasurer. (Nonprofit) To protect the right to vote, ensuring election integrity, transparent election procedures, etc.

BELCHERTOWN

Belchertown Band Boosters Inc., 12 Wilson Road, Belchertown 01007. Susan Clark, same. (Nonprofit) To educate and promote the music program in the Belchertown Public Schools, etc.

CHICOPEE

Amvets Riders Chapter 12 Inc., 754 Montgomery St., Chicopee 01020. Maurice V. Marcil, 234 Dale St., Chicopee 01020. (Nonprofit) To provide community service and fellowship, support the goals of the Amvets national organization.

EASTHAMPTON

Easthampton Quality Machine Inc., 16 Arthur St., Easthampton 01027. Raymond A. Witherell, same. Tool and machine making.

EAST LONGMEADOW

KAYANT Inc., 17 Overbrook Road, East Longmeadows 01028. Ralph A. Giuggio, 3 Mayfair St., East Longmeadow 01028. To own and operate a restaurant business.

MEC’s Landscaping Inc., 32 Hampden Road, East Longmeadow 01028. Alessandro Meccia, same. Landscaping.

Pinnacle Performance Inc., 171 Shaker Road, East Longmeadow 01028. Paul W. Koetsch, 43 Treetop Ave., Springfield 01118. Automotive restyling and paint protection.

GOSHEN

Good Time Stove Company Inc., 188B Cape St., Goshen 01032. Richard Richardson, same. The renovation and sale of wood stoves and related items.

GRANBY

Laduke Electric Inc., 92 Ferry Hill Road, Granby 01033. James E. Laduke, II, same. Electrical service, repair and installation.

GREENFIELD

George’s Rocks Inc., 246 Silver St., Greenfield 01301. George P. Marchacos, same. Retail amusements.

VLS Auto Trade Ltd., 16 Ferrante Ave., Greenfield 01301. Lucia Ivantchev, same. Automobile import and export.

HAMPDEN

AMP Consulting Inc., 23 South Ridge Road, Hampden 01036. Andrew H. Persaud, same. Finance and accounting consulting.

HOLYOKE

Friends of Holyoke Public Schools Inc., 225 High St., Suite 601, Holyoke 01040. Michael J. Moriarty, 1 Lexington Ave., Holyoke 01040. (Nonprofit) To facilitate the funding of programs to support and celebrate academic achievement and creativity in the Holyoke public schools.

Merchant Service Center Inc., 15 Main St., Holyoke 01040. Jeffrey P. King, same. (Foreign corp; DE) Merchant service credit card processing.

Ministerio Evangelistico De Cristo Es La Uncion Y Poder Inc., 10 Center St., Holyoke 01040. Ramon Antonio Crespo, same. (Nonprofit) To help restore the lives of people through outreach work in different communities.

PH Recordings Inc., 10 Gatehouse Road, Holyoke 01040. Stephen C. Porter, same. To operate a music recording business.

Source of New York 8 Inc., 354 High St., Holyoke 01040. David Woo M. Park, same. Retail clothing and accessory company.		  

LONGMEADOW

Faith In Action of Hampden County Inc., 76 Longfellow St., Longmeadow 01106. Nancy A. Marshall, same. (Nonprofit) To enhance the quality of life for adults of 60+ years who lack an adequate support system, offering the friendship and support of a volunteer, etc.

MONSON

Munn Inc., 141 Munn Road, Monson 01057. Ralf Trzeciak, same. Laundromat and ownership of other businesses.

NORTHAMPTON

Northampton Community Acupuncture Inc., 160 Main St., Northampton 01060. Melissa Beth Stein, same. Acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Nolta Inc., 27 Olive St., Northampton 01060. Felix Bonn, same. Manufacturing of motor/pump protection devices.

SHELBURNE

Committtee for Responsible Wildlife Management Inc., 2 Reynolds Road, Shelburne 0370. Herbert Bergquist, same. (Nonprofit) To promote science based wildlife management decisions based on fact, not emotion or personal ideology.

SOUTH DEERFIELD

The Learning Circle-Deerfield Inc., 150 North Main St., South Deerfield 01373. Jay L. Whitney, 178 Old Vernon Road, Northfield 01360. (Nonprofit) Child care center for ages 6 weeks to 6 years old.

SOUTH HADLEY

For The Health of It in Western MA Inc., 17 Spring Meadows, South Hadley 01075. Maureen A. Jagodowski, same. (Nonprofit) To provide information and education relative to suicide prevention.

River Road Billiards Inc., 320 River Road, South Hadley 01075. Steven Daniel Blaney, same. Billiards and pool leagues.

SOUTHWICK

25 Point Grove Realty Inc., 205 Feeding Hills Road, Southwick 01077. Patrick J. Lynch, same. To hold real estate.

Ranpat Inc., 13 Lauren Lane, Southwick 01077. Randy Rindels, same. Bar/restaurant.

SPRINGFIELD

Chico’s Towing Service Inc., 61 Chandler St., Springfield 01104. Cecilio V. Rivera, 25 Bancroft St., Springfield 01107. Towing of commercial and residential vehicles.

Concilio Pentecostes Ya Es Tiempo De Que Te Levantes Talita Cumi Inc., 246 Walnut St., Springfield 01105. Felix Torres, 56 Montrose St., Springfield 01109. (Nonprofit) To perform Christian services and food services to the needs of our community.

Harrell Funeral Home Inc., 355 St. James Ave., Springfield 01103. Ronald E. Harrell, same. To operate a funeral home.

IT & T Systems Inc., 1655 Main St., #501, Springfield 01013. Jeffrey Rm Filamonte, 26 Dayton St., Chicopee 01013. IT systems maintenance and installations.

R & D Towing & Transport Inc., 36 Jardine St., Springfield 01107. Robert M. Bernier, same. Towing and transport.

Toby Transportation Inc., 137 Cedar St., Springfield 01105. Tony Ayoade, same. To provide transportation of a wide variety of individuals needing mobility (i.e., medical transportation, wheelchair, etc.)

WESTFIELD

Unified Sports Program Inc., 267 Falley Dr., Westfield 01085. Mary Lou Niedzielski, 24 Harlow Clark Road, Huntington 01050. (Nonprofit) To provide recreational and sport activities to children in the Greater Westfield area who have mental and/or physical disabilities, etc.

WILBRAHAM

QE Global U.S. Inc., 5 Wandering Meadows Lane, Wilbraham 01095. James Killoren, same. Importing, sales and distribution of energy .

Spartan Investigations Inc., 408 Springfield St., Wilbraham 01095. Scott Alan Richard, same. Private investigation.

OPINION

By
Opinion
Budgeting Should Be Based on Results

Elections are exciting; budget debates are not. Millions are enthralled by the neck-and-neck Democratic primaries, but I don’t know anyone who spent the recent state budget week glued to Google News for the latest from Beacon Hill. If public participation in government is good, then it is surely bad that most of us happily ignore the Great and General Court as it makes some of the most important decisions in government, allocating billions to public safety, schools, and health care.

Arguing over a few billion dollars of school spending is never going to be as thrilling as debating tales of 10-year-old sniper fire or an awkward, acrid adjective like ‘bitter,’ but perhaps more people would pay attention to the state budget if we knew what our tax dollars were doing. Since few of us understand the impact of an extra dollar on schools or safety or hospitals, public budget discussions turn into empty, dull displays of fidelity to abstract ideals. Supporting state aid to schools becomes a means of showing love for children. Supporting infrastructure signals foresight about the state’s economic future.

I care about bridges and tunnels, public safety, and hospitals. As the father of three small children, I certainly care about schools. But I can care about these things without having any idea about whether the state should increase spending in any of these areas. Without a better idea of what an extra dollar on schools or hospitals or safety accomplishes, I can’t possibly know where our extra dollars should go.

When a corporation invests in a division or product line, the firm will evaluate the impact new investment will have on profits. The government’s investment decisions are more important than those made by any firm, and the need for transparent and compelling public investment criteria is just as strong. Just because governments have more holistic objectives doesn’t mean that governments shouldn’t weigh costs and benefits. Yet the Commonwealth is a long way from having a budget process that clearly allocates spending to high-return activities.

Here are five steps that could help:

First, lawmakers should drop any presumption that this year’s budget allocations should look like last year’s budget allocations. A better rule of thumb would be that, unless a budget item shows success, spending should be cut by 10% each year. A norm of reducing budgetary allocations should help avoid spending sclerosis and provide plenty of incentive to document results.

Second, the Commonwealth needs to frankly discuss how to weigh different goals. A faltering economy will probably keep revenues low over the next few years. Hard tradeoffs are inevitable, but few leaders have honestly debated how much value to place on a better-educated child versus a healthier adult.

Third, budgetary proposals should reflect the current scientific knowledge about the impact of different forms of spending. Dozens of studies suggest that routine increases in school spending have little impact on children’s outcomes; there is more of a consensus supporting the benefits of pre-kindergarten programs. Budget boosters have an obligation to present peer-reviewed evidence supporting claims that their spending proposal will result in some desirable outcome.

Fourth, state aid to localities should be tied to ongoing improvements in local government outcomes. School aid can be tied to improved student performance; police aid can be based on victimization surveys. Connecting aid to outcomes creates incentives for local governments to make measurable progress.

Fifth, budgetary increases should always be designed to make future evaluation more transparent. New programs can be phased in across localities to make evaluation easier and structured so that before-and-after comparisons are more revealing. We desperately need knowledge about the impact of government spending, so any new spending category should help provide that data.

State and local governments enrich our lives in countless ways, and state budgets are important. I’d like to see the public bring the same excitement to budget week as it does to a three-game Red Sox series against the Yankees. The budget process would get more interesting if the debate was filled with meaningful facts and if spending was based on results.-

Edward L. Glaeser, a professor of Econom-ics at Harvard University, is director of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston.

By
Departments

Financial, Estate- planning Workshops

May 14, May 21: Applewood at Amherst, a part of the Loomis Communities, will host a free public series of financial and estate-planning talks, all beginning at 7:30 p.m. On May 14, Eva Thomson of Thomson Financial Management will share methods of maximizing one’s assets for a fulfilling retirement and beyond. On May 21, Hyman Darling, J.D., of Bacon Wilson, P.C., will review ways to personalize one’s legacy through ethical wills, pet trusts, charitable bequests, gift annuities, or specific burial instructions. Talks will be conducted in the meeting room at Applewood at Amherst, One Spencer Dr., Amherst. Reservations are encouraged and may be made by calling Kelley Murphy at (413) 253-9833.

Pancake Breakfast

May 17: The World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast returns to Main Street in Springfield from 8 to 11 a.m., with tables stretching from Tower Square to Court Square. Three cooking tents will be serving buttermilk pancakes made by the International House of Pancakes. Carando Classic Italian bacon will also be offered, as well as H. P. Hood milk, orange juice, and cream for the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters coffee. Tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for children. For more information, visit www.spiritofspringfield.org or call the Spirit of Springfield office at (413) 733-3800.

Chamber Music at Wistariahurst

May 18: An afternoon of Schumann and Brahms will close out the final installment of the “Chamber Music at Wistariahurst” series at the Wistariahurst Museum, Cabot Street, Holyoke, beginning at 3 p.m. The concert will take place in the intimate setting of the Belle Skinner Music Room. The program includes Ziegeunerlieder by Brahms, arranged for chorus, and Spanishes Liederspiel by Schumann, for four solo voices. The soloists will be Mary Beth Taylor, soprano; Jane Hanson, mezzo-soprano; Peter W. Shea, tenor; and Terry Ward, bass. Tickets are $15. For more information, call (413) 322-5660 or visit www.wistariahurst.org.

Grant-writing Workshop

May 20: Grant writers for area nonprofit agencies are invited to a free workshop at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the theater of Scibelli Hall. Deborah S. Koch, director of grants at STCC, will conduct the workshop, which will offer an overview of foundations, what factors make a project appealing to foundations, writing letters of inquiry and proposals, and packaging the proposal. To register or for more information, contact Linda Padykula at (413) 755-4523 or via E-mail at [email protected]. The deadline to register for the workshop is May 15.

Woman of the Year Banquet

May 21: The Women’s Partnership of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield will honor Kristina Drzal Houghton as its Woman of the Year at its annual banquet planned at Chez Josef in Agawam. The award recognizes extraordinary achievement by a woman in the greater Springfield community whose efforts exemplify the leadership, community involvement, and professional goals of the Women’s Partnership. A reception begins at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:15.

Tickets are $35 per person. For more information, visit www.myonlinechamber.com.

Gus & Paul’s Marks 50th

May 29: Gus & Paul’s Bakery and Deli of Springfield will be celebrating a milestone — 50 years of community service — by hosting a “Taste of Gus and Paul’s” from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Proceeds raised from the festive affair will benefit Clinical and Support Options, a local, private, nonprofit organization that protects and promotes the rights and well-being of children and families. Designer food and dessert stations will feature the selections that have made Gus and Paul’s successful over the years. The Ted Levine Jazz Quartet will provide the entertainment for the evening. A cash bar will be available. Other highlights of the affair will include the Gus and Paul’s Challenge, a cupcake-eating contest, a raffle, and a live auction. Tickets cost $40. For more information, call (413) 737-9544, ext. 319, or (413) 782-5710.

‘The New Philanthropy’

June 6: Bay Path College’s Graduate School will host a free breakfast program titled “The New Philanthropy: What Donors Want. What Donors Need” from 8 to 10 a.m. in the Blake Student Commons on the Longmeadow campus. A continental breakfast begins at 7:30. The program is open to individuals working and volunteering at nonprofit organizations. Keynote speaker Claire Costello, national executive for philanthropic management for the Bank of America, will review the most important trends in this new philanthropic era. As part of a panel, local nonprofit and corporate leaders will respond to the presentation with their own personal insights about what the new philanthropy means for the region. For more information and to register, call (800) 782-7284, ext. 1056, or visit www.baypath.edu.

By
Departments

wing bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. BanThe follokruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

All American Family Life
Diamond Jim Group
Carlson, James Claude
Carlson, Annette Doris
a/k/a Taillon, Annette Doris
James C. Carlson, Ph.D.
1093 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/08

Beardsley, Nancy Jean
383 East River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/08

Beaudry, Steven G.
96 Aldrich St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/27/08

Begin, Guy R.
52 Chapin St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/08

Bergeron, Adam D.
106 Samuel St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/08

Bernier, Paul F.
65 Alger St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Bigos, Paul M.
PO Box 691
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/08

Blair, Dale M.
Blair, Donna M.
17 Lawson Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Blair, Michelle E.
a/k/a Nadeau, Michelle E.
115 Russellville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/27/08

Botto, Lawrence W.
249 Robbins Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/08

Boucher, Shane William
PO Box 7000
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/19/08

Boucher, Suzanne M.
174 Barnard Road
Granville, MA 01034
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/08

Brandon, Robert J.
Brandon, Cindy Ann
30 Clifton Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Breor, Mark R.
14 Riddlell St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/08

Buffum, Philip Ainsworth
Buffum, Trina Marie
a/k/a Weathersbee, Trina
6 Mountain St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/08

Casella, Patricia A.
138 Fisher Hill Road
Cheshire, MA 01225
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/08

Casey, Elaine A.
80 Brush Hill Ave. #73
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Casey, Ethel E.
345 Warren Wright Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/19/08

Chaves, John S.
a/k/a Chaves, Joao
113 Skyridge St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/19/08

Chilicki, Elizabeth Anne
222 Prospect St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/08

Clark, Deborah Lynn
56 Fuller Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Collins, Lynne M.
1129 St. James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/08

Cooley, Angela A.
10 Franklin Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/17/08

Corriveau, Suzanne E.
156 Norman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/19/08

Country Computers LLC
Zalneraitis, Raymond
249 Hunt Road
Oakham, MA 01068
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/08

Cox, Kevin R.
Eden-Cox, PamRose
a/k/a Eden, PamRose
66 Willow St.
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Croft, Brian S.
520 Southbridge Road
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Culloo, Heather
45 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Cusimano, Nancy
45 Orlando St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/08

D’Amato, John R.
D’Amato, Mary A.
7 Treehouse Circle, Apt 2
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/27/08

Daniels, Priscilla Elizabeth
15 Devens St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/19/08

Davila, Pilar
91 Newton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Day, Eunice M.
14 Roger St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/27/08

Delaney, Michael W.
1163 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/08

Domingos, Joseph Charles
27 South St.
Blandford, MA 01008
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/19/08

Farnsworth, III, Thornton
P.O. Box 771
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Fitzgibbon, John J.
Unit E30, Riverbend Condo
555 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Folino, Patricia A.
212 Columbia St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/08

Galvagni, Adam J.
Galvagni, Jody L.
a/k/a Josephson, Jody L.
a/k/a Walbridge, Jody L.
100 Lockhouse Road #E-4
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/27/08

Garcia, Ileana
1657 Dwight St., 2nd F
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/08

Garvey, Kevin
131 Rosewell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Goldstein, Melvin
1163 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/08

Gonzalez, Yvette
22 Dunmoreland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/08

Gregory, Seth H.
Gregory, Angela J.
a/k/a Ransford, Angela J.
119 Pfersick Road
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/08

Guzman, Edwin
Guzman, Anaceliz
14 Cleveland St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/08

Haddad, Heidi Lee
2167 Mohawk Trail
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/08

Hayslett, Gregory Vernon
Hayslett, Sandra Ann
28 Highland St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/18/08

Hewitt, Mary E.
45 Porter St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Horn, Chad D.
Horn, Rebecca J.
73 East Hoosac St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Jannine, Richard P.
Jannine, Sarah A.
74 Elm St. North
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/27/08

Johnson, Michael A.
P.O. Box 2721
Amherst, MA 01004
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

  

Kenney, James F.
72 Oakridge Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/19/08

Knowlton, Stacey A.
889 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Laflamme-Gagnon, Sandra L.
40 Dale Court
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/08

Lee, Tammie J.
166 West Housatonic St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/19/08

Legrand, Maranda M.
265 New Ludlow Road, Apt. H2
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/08

Lemay, Arthur A.
Lemay, Katharine A.
59 Glenwood St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Lewenczuk, Michael A.
Lewenczuk, Debra J.
116 Colonial Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/08

Lobik, Robert P.
Lobik, Sandra P.
357 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/08

Lovett, Christopher M.
Lovett, Diana C.
72 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Maki, Carol E.
P.O. Box 593
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Marsh, David F.
768 Burts Pit Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Mathers, Sean W.
Packard-Mathers, Amber M.
12 Laurie Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Montanari, William A.
11 Lakevilla Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Odvar, John R.
19 Upton St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/08

Peckham, Marie A.
59 Memorial Dr.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/19/08

Pedraza, Shelly A.
Pedraza, Jorge
82 Wallace Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Peirce, Jeffrey
Peirce, Barbara
12 Vinton Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/17/08

Perrin-Newman, Jennifer M.
120 Regency Park Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/08

Pikul, Kristen L.
1080 Central St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Pride, Timothy A.
Pride, Wendy L.
14 Dawn St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/16/08

Ramos, Maria R.
47 Greenlawn St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/08

Reyes, Claudina
30 Alfred St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/08

Robertson, Sheran
34 Steuben St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/25/08

Rossetti, Louis Anthony
1491 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/17/08

Ruiz, Ana
22 Northern Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/08

Salone, Christopher
Salone, Cornelia
86 Smith St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/16/08

Sanchez, Betzalis
a/k/a Rivera, Betzalis
3 Hill Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Sanoki, Paul T.
5 Metzger Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/19/08

Serrano, Georgina
34 Merrimac Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/20/08

Sheil, Marie R.
106 Pinney St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/08

Sherman, Robert W.
18 Sherbrooke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Signorelli, Peter M.
Signorelli, Rosa J.
34 Sumner Ave., Unit 21
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Smith, Amber L.
11 Lakevilla Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Spinella, Marie A.
350 Valley View Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/08

Stanfield, Raymond A.
Stanfield, Amy S.
1087 East Mountain Rd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Sullivan, Virginia W.
16 Peabody Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/27/08

Sypek, Joseph F.
Quagliaroli-Sypek, Betty Jean
a/k/a Sypek, Betty Jean
365 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/08

Thomas, Lawrence E.
Thomas, Lorraine A.
28 Pidgeon Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Torres, Demaris R.
12 Lamb St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/08

Trudell, Robert J.
Trudell, Cheryl A.
45 Hadley St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/08

Van Nortwick, Joan C.
1588 North Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Volff, Brent J.
Volff, Kelley J.
166 Columbia St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/08

Wellspeak, Terri M.
40 Laro Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/21/08

Whitcomb, Cheryl A.
37 Brookfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Wickizer, Jeffrey M.
385 Chapel St., B
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/28/08

Wilkerson, Garland T.
Wilkerson, Deborah J.
71 Bryant St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/18/08

Williams, Kathy L.
222 Redfern Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/20/08

Wilson, Wayne A.
Wilson, Sheila M.
26 Smith Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

Wright, Aretha M.
25 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/25/08

Zguro, Katherine
756 St. James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/08

Ziter, Francis H.
Ziter, Janet E.
33 Temple St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/08

By
Departments

Comfort Inn Opens in Hadley

HADLEY — The Comfort Inn at 237 Russell St., franchised by Choice Hotels International Inc., is now open. Formerly a Quality Inn, the hotel underwent renovations to convert to a Comfort Inn hotel, including updating bed linens, a deluxe continental breakfast, and the lobby area. Owned and operated by Parmar & Sons of Hadley, the Comfort Inn features 86 guest rooms and one meeting room that can accommodate up to 40 people. The hotel also offers free high-speed Internet access, free in-room Comfort Sunshine Roast coffee, complimentary USA Today, and an indoor heated pool.

Yiddish Book Center Caps $32M Campaign with Groundbreaking

AMHERST — The National Yiddish Book Center has completed a six-year fund-raising campaign that brought in $32 million, and, to mark the occasion, conducted a groundbreaking ceremony on May 4 on a $7 million construction and renovation project that will double the size of its facility. The campaign has allowed the center to eliminate organizational debt, increase its endowment from $600,000 to $5.8 million, proceed with expansion plans, and significantly strengthen its donor base. Funds raised will also benefit educational and public programs. Built in 1997, the center’s current, architecturally distinctive headquarters offers exhibitions, galleries, open stacks of Yiddish books, a reading library, a bookstore, and public gardens. With the 21,000-square-foot expansion, the structure will include a state-of-the-art book repository for 500,000 of the center’s most important Yiddish volumes; a Yiddish Education Center with classrooms, a distance-learning center, and a student center; a 4,000-square-foot multipurpose space with a stage, professional lighting and projection equipment, and flexible seating for 275; a large kosher kitchen for conferences and other events; expansive galleries for traveling exhibitions and permanent installations; and offices for faculty and program staff. For more information about the center, visit www.yiddishbookcenter.org.

J. Polep Acquires Lesco Distributors

CHICOPEE — J. Polep Distribution Services recently announced the acquisition of Lesco Distributors in Mattapoisette. The sale adds $40 to $50 million to J. Polep’s annual sales, according to Jeff Polep, president and treasurer. Polep noted he will be employing 10 of Lesco’s sales representatives. J. Polep is a wholesale candy, tobacco, cigarette, grocery, and food-service distributor.

AIC Formalizes International Student Agreement

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) took a step toward becoming an international college recently by formalizing an agreement to bring undergraduate and graduate international students to campus. The college entered a partnership with Global Systems Management of Australia that could result in up to 100 new undergraduate students and even more graduate students. Global Campus Management Pty Ltd., headquartered in Australia, develops programs for students who may or may not speak English as their first language and who desire to study in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, or New Zealand. As part of the agreement, Global Campus Management will recruit, process admission files, and manage student services for international students. AIC is the only college partner on the East Coast working with Global Campus Management. AIC President Vince Maniaci noted that the new agreement is an “excellent opportunity” for AIC to exercise its historic sensibilities. Maniaci said AIC was founded as a school for immigrants in the 1800s, and this is one way to get back to its roots.

MassMutual Participates in Pro-bono Housing Court Project

SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual Financial Group recently announced its participation in a local pro bono program in which attorneys in its Law Division offer free legal services to income-eligible tenants and landlords in Hampden County Housing Court. The program was founded by local members of the Mass. Women’s Bar Foundation, which provides free legal services for litigants who are facing either eviction or loss of their home and who do not have the financial means to retain the services of an attorney. In addition to this project, MassMutual attorneys are also doing pro-bono work for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program in the Springfield area, which offers free tax-preparation help to low- and moderate-income individuals. If area attorneys are interested in participating in the Housing Court program, contact Suzanne Garrow at (413) 739-7094.

NewAlliance Sees 18.3% Increase In Earnings

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — NewAlliance Bancshares Inc., the holding company for NewAlliance Bank, recently announced net income of $12.9 million for the first quarter of 2008, compared to $10.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2007 and $9.3 million for the first quarter of 2007. The company also voted to increase the quarterly dividend to $.07 per share from $0.65 per share, payable on May 16 to shareholders of record on May 6. The dividend is up 8% from the prior quarter. First-quarter highlights included average loan balances increasing by $376.5 million, or 8.6%, and the net interest margin increasing six basis points to 2.56%, compared to 2.50% for the first quarter of 2007. On March 31, NewAlliance Bancshares had $8.18 billion in assets with 89 banking offices in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Chicopee Bancorp Reports Income Drop

CHICOPEE — Chicopee Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Chicopee Savings Bank, recently announced net income for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2007 was $107,000 compared to $369,000 for the same period in 2006. The decrease in net income for the quarter is primarily due to an increase in salaries and employee benefits expense relating to expenses associated with the 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, according to bank officials. The company’s assets increased by $13.4 million or 3.0%, from $450.0 million at Dec. 31, 2006 to $463.4 million at Dec. 31, 2007, primarily as a result of an increase in loans of $10.9 million, short-term investments of $8.1 million, as well as federal funds sold of $7.5 million. The loan growth was offset by maturities of securities held-to-maturity of $10.1 million. In other news, the company reported a net income for the first three months of 2008 of $188,000, compared with $555,000 in income for the first quarter of 2007.

Big Y Plans Mother’s Day Promotion

SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Foods Inc. is donating 5 cents for every package of Big Y-branded products purchased during the Mother’s Day week sale through May 14 to the fight against breast cancer. Funds raised will benefit the Massachusetts and Connecticut affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

O & P Labs Acquired

SPRINGFIELD — James Haas, CO, and Blaine Drysdale, CP, recently purchased Orthotics & Prosthetics Laboratories Inc., with offices in Springfield, Northampton, and Pittsfield. Haas, of Easthampton, is a certified orthotist at the facility with more than 16 years of experience, and Drysdale, of Northampton, is a below-knee amputee who has been a certified prosthetist at the company for more than seven years. Drysdale is also a licensed physical therapist specializing in amputee gait analysis. Both Haas and Drysdale look forward to a continued relationship with Salvatore LaBella, who founded the O & P Labs in 1984.

Whalley Computer Adds Course for Teachers

SOUTHWICK — Whalley Computer Associates recently announced “Integrating Technology in the Classroom” courseware to its eLearning Training Program for Educators. The program focuses on using the knowledge gained from learning computer programs such as Microsoft Office and incorporating it into daily lessons to enhance the students’ learning environment. The courseware consists of more than 28 chapters and will earn the educator 24 Professional Development Points. For more details, visit www.wca.com.

Easthampton Savings Sees Assets Rise

EASTHAMPTON — Easthampton Savings Bank President William S. Hogan Jr. recently announced that bank assets were more than $764 million at the end of the first quarter. The bank’s total assets were up $48 million from a year ago, an increase of 7%. In other news, the loan department reported loans now at more than $575 million, with a total loan portfolio that has increased by more than $39 million, and the bank’s deposit growth was $47 million, or up 9% from this time last year. Total deposits now exceed $544 million. During its annual meeting, the following elections took place: Richard A. Perras, clerk of the corporation, for one year; Thomas W. Brown, corporator, re-elected for a 10-year term; David K. Bridgman, William S. Hogan Jr., and Carol A. Perman, trustees, re-elected for three-year terms; and Thomas V. Giles, Carol A. Perman, and Stanley Paulauskas, elected to the Audit Committee for one-year terms.

River Valley Market Opens

NORTHAMPTON — The 15,000-square-foot River Valley Market recently opened its doors featuring large fresh produce, meat, and seafood sections; a deli seating area; beer and wine, bulk foods; cheese; dairy; grocery; and more. The community food store — specializing in fresh, organic, and locally grown foods — is unique in its concept as a member-owner investment. Membership at $150 is still available, and the co-op currently consists of more than 2,500 founding member-owners. Benefits to membership include savings on hundreds of specials and discounts on case purchases, and rebates on purchases when the co-op becomes profitable.

pton Inn Voted No. 1

HADLEY — The Hampton Inn Hadley-Amherst was recently named the number one Hampton Inn among the more than 1,400 Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn Suites hotels in the United States, Canada and Latin America for the first quarter of 2008. The Hampton Inn Hadley-Amherst was recognized for quality, guest satisfaction and business performance.

Goff Media Receives Addy Award

NORTHAMPTON — Goff Media recently received a Gold Addy Award for its ad campaign for Providence Auto Body to distinguish themselves from insurance affiliated auto body shops. The campaign features an insurance executive whom undergoes a lie detector test for installing cheap and inexpensive repair items in a vehicle in an effort to save money. Goff Media entered the 60-second radio ad, titled “Lie Detector,” in the radio category for the 2008 Addy Awards. Gold is the highest achievement in the regional competition, and the entry will now move onto the finals. The Addy Awards are the advertising industries version of the Grammies. For more information, visit www.goffmedia.com.

Chicopee Bancorp Reports Income Drop

CHICOPEE — Chicopee Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Chicopee Savings Bank, recently announced net income for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2007 was $107,000 compared to $369,000 for the same period in 2006. The decrease in net income for the quarter is primarily due to an increase in salaries and employee benefits expense relating to expenses associated with the 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, according to bank officials. The company’s assets increased by $13.4 million or 3.0%, from $450.0 million at Dec. 31, 2006 to $463.4 million at Dec. 31, 2007, primarily as a result of an increase in loans of $10.9 million, short-term investments of $8.1 million, as well as federal funds sold of $7.5 million. The loan growth was offset by maturities of securities held-to-maturity of $10.1 million. In other news, the company reported a net income for the first three months of 2008 of $188,000, compared with $555,000 in income for the first quarter of 2007.

MassMutual Graduates Special Care Planners

SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual recently graduated more than 110 Special Care Planners, strengthening the company’s ability to provide help to families with special needs. The agents received advanced training in estate and tax-planning concepts, special-needs trusts, government programs, and the emotional dynamics of working with people with disabilities and other special needs and their families, among other topics. The Special Care Planner certificate program is offered by the American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa., exclusively for MassMutual financial professionals. All agents also take an Emotional Intelligence Assessment to help them determine if they have the kind of emotional resiliency and personality that make them well-suited for this type of work. For more information, visit www.massmutual.com/specialcare.

Noble Hospital Earns High Grades for Patient Care

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recently posted new survey information at the Hospital Compare consumer web site offering consumers more insight about the hospitals in their communities. In addition to adding the new information about Medicare patients about their hospital stays, CMS has added information about the number of certain elective hospital procedures provided to those patients and what Medicare pays for those services. For the first time, consumers have the three critical elements – quality information, patient satisfaction survey information and pricing information for specific procedures – they need to make effective decisions about the quality and value of the health care available to them through local hospitals. The updated information is part of the public health effort to strengthen consumer choice and create incentives to motivate providers to provide better care for all Americans. Five hospitals across Western Massachusetts were among the more than 2,500 hospitals in the country that participated in the patient satisfaction survey from October 2006 through June 2007. Local hospitals participating in the survey which was optional were Noble Hospital, Mercy Medical Center, Holyoke Medical Center, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, and Wing Memorial Hospital and Medical Centers. Noble Hospital in Westfield ranked tops among the regional hospitals in nine of the 10 categories in the patient satisfaction survey. Patient survey questions ranged from “nurses communicated well,” “doctors communicated well,” “received help as soon as wanted,” and “pain was well controlled,” to “staff explained medicines before giving,” “room and bathroom clean,” “room was quite at night,” “received home recovery information,” “hospital ranks 9 or 10 on scale from 0 to 10,” and “definitely recommend the hospital.” For more information, visit www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov.

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

Capital One Bank v. Past Perfect Antiques
Allegation: Default on contract: $7,111.98
Filed: 3/17/08

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT

Ronnie & Robin Chamberlain v. Nova Star Mortgage Inc. & Saxon Mortgage Services Inc.
Allegation: Wrongful foreclosure of property: $25,000
Filed: 3/25/08

GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Fleetpride Inc. v. Eastern Weatherization Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $3,886.50
Filed: 4/8/08

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Deaton Industries Inc. v. Trident Alloys Inc. and Galaska Partners, LLP
Allegation: Non-payment of services, labor, and materials: $31,376
Filed: 2/7/08

Innovative Roofing v. Northeast Interiors Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered: $119,626.93
Filed: 3/18/08

John C. Otto Company Inc. v. Hartford Stamp & Office Works
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $100,000
Filed: 3/3/08

Joseph and Rita Selah v. Dixon Inc. and Northeast Stucco Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract and negligence and personal injury: $1,011,289
Filed: 3/17/08

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Wendy Dixon v. 1st Advantage Dental
Allegation: Breach of contract for dental services and non-payment of wages: $75,000
Filed: 4/3/08

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

E. O. Ross Electric Contractors Inc. v. Southern New England Spice Company
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $5,241.09
Filed: 4/7/08

PALMER DISTRICT COURT

Debbie’s Cookin’-Caterin’ v. TDWF Inc.
Allegation: Breach of agreement to reimburse for restaurant kitchen hood and fire suppression system: $8,826.34
Filed: 3/27/08

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

A. Boilard & Sons v. BSF Construction Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $39,845.17
Filed: 1/29/08

Complete Disposal Company Inc. v. Al Leger Home Improvement
Allegation: Non-payment of trash removal and disposal services: $19,439.70
Filed: 2/25/08

Czar Distributing Inc. v. Regal Homes & Development Corporation
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $9,619.62
Filed: 1/18/08

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Wells Fargo Bank v. The Dragon Lair
Allegation: Non-payment on a business line of credit: $22,462.06
Filed: 3/7/08

By
Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the months of April and May 2008.

AGAWAM

Odds N’ Ends
23 Editha Ave.
Jason Broussard

Sabrina’s Pizzaria
4 Southwick St.
Daniel Loftus

AMHERST

Hospice of Hampshire County
1165 North Pleasant St.
Friends of Hospice House Inc.

CHICOPEE

Aerys Electrolux
104 Edbert St.
Eugene Looney

Agnew Quality Painting & Staining
33 Oliver St.
Val Shvetson

Anything Goes
29 Mt. Royal St.
Steven E. Humel

Dunkin Doggies
205 Chicopee St.
Laurie A. Holland

Iona Holdings, LLC
248 Springfield St.
Scott D. Crosson

Wilson Market & Sales
95 Washington St.
Grant H. Wilson

EASTHAMPTON

In & Out Cleaning Service
29 Mt. Tom Ave.
Brandon R. Learned

Reasonable Lawn Care
39 Sterling Dr.
Brian Ross

Sisyphus Woodworking Inc.
One Cottage St.
Greg Larson

Valley Vascular
2 Mechanic St.
Zubin Irani

EAST LONGMEADOW

Casa Café
520 North Main St.
Antonio & Amerinda Coelho

N2 Construction
15 Benton Dr.
Nathan Nadeau

Set In Concrete
89 Pine Grove Circle
Timothy Sirard

HOLYOKE

Artsee
233 Maple St.
Sylvia Robello

H.M. Spencer Company
78 North Canal St.
Daniel Johnston

Oasis Dance Fitness
187A High St.
Darlene M. Sattler

Personal Touch Caterer
2 Country Club Dr.
Susan Peloquin

Renaissance Manor
279 Cabot St.
Stuart Dindeman

Tony’s Tech Auto Repair
580 South St.
Anthony Elias

V&J’s Mini Market
149 Suffolk St.
Samuel Aviles

LONGMEADOW

Baby Joia
3 Herbert St.
Heidi Kelly

Keller Williams Realty
66 Dwight Road
Laura Stevens

Lynn Katz Photography
407 Bliss St.
Barbara Katz

LUDLOW

Jesko Machine
State St.
Zdzislaw Kowalski

The Tailored Touch Massage Therapy
314 Sewall St.
Lori E. Jones

NORTHAMPTON

Antiques Corner
5 Market St.
Louis Farrick

Communications Angle
26 Center St.
Michael Kusek

Every Pet’s Dream
94 Pleasant St.
Jessie Byrnes

Healthy Lifestyles
43 Center St.
Victoria Ahrensdorf

HomeWorks
18 Ridgewood Terrace
Lori Steiner

The Celadon Studio
2 Conz St.
Malea Rhodes

Whole Child & Parent
25 Main St.
Julie B. Rosenshein

PALMER

2 Guys With Tools Handyman Service
2114 Baptist Hill Road
Robert Anthony Nenzel

Three Rivers Tavern
2052 Main St.
Belchertown Pheasant Run Inc.

  

Penny’s E. Picks
51 Squier St.
Jay W. Heinicke

SOUTH HADLEY

D&R Home Services
5 Harlow Place
Arthur R. Hogan Jr.

Liberty Installations
240 Brainard St.
Richard Liberty

SOUTHWICK

Amici Salon
515 College Hwy.
Susan Shlosser

Anson Flower Farm & Nursery
591 College Highway
Warren Baker

Design Presentations
1 Logie Lane
Michael Pietruska

Jimmy’s Landscaping
98 Vining Hill Road
James Stellato

Oak N’ Keg
1 Chapman St.
Vimal Patel

SPRINGFIELD

Art in Action Fine Art
229 Connecticut Ave.
Toni Marie Stabilo

Auric Services Inc.
15 Dorset St.
Lance D. LeTourneau

Chili Dogs
50 Sanderson St.
Eugene Pretlow

D & J Lock & Key
244 St. James Blvd.
James Michael Lage

Daviau Business Services
11 Dorset St.
Christine Elaine Daviau

Elegant Prints
45 Valley Road
Lakisha Marie

Envy Nails
1777 Boston Road
Dien Nguyen

Europa Cleaning Service
1350 Main St.
Luisa Cardaropoli

First Fruit Online Marketing
40 Sylvan St.
Suzette

Gee Barber Shop
21 Rutland St.
Johaim Santiago

Golden Bar & Restaurant
1127 Main St.
Rudy Renoso

Jenn Jemm Photography
54 Vincent St.
Rosa M. Torres

Lee’s Sports
47 Pearl St.
Winston Lee

Mi Isla Music
35 Indian Leap St.
Jose Antonio Amaro

WESTFIELD

Law Office of John F. Kavanagh, Jr. PC
10 School St.
John F. Kavanagh, Jr.

PPM
57 Pleasant St.
Craig Purdy

Pyramid Nutrition Service
144 Elm St.
Nicole K. Frank-Masler

Tatro’s Mobile Mechanic Services Inc.
16 George St.
Gregg Tatro

Y&G Handyman Services
216 Sackett Road
Yuriy Rudenko

WEST SPRINGFIELD

All Trash Connection
389 Park St.
Ty Geas

Cori’s K9 Clip
242 Elm St.
Cori Napolitan

Healthy America Marketing Solution
49 Fairview Ave.
Joel Gauthier

JF Investigative Service
48 George St.
Juan Fernandez

Lattitude
1338 Memorial Ave.
Jeffrey Daignzau

Mayers Home Repair
42 Baldwin St.
Simeon Mayers

Nescor
148 Doty Circle
Sharon Tariff

New Season
1098 Memorial Ave.
Orsana Mozolevskaya

North Garden Chinese Restaurant
42 Myron St.
Raymond Kan

Ron’s Income Tax Service
454 Main St.
Roland M. Navone

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

Majestic Tile & Grout Restoration Inc., 59 Sunnyslope Ave., Agawam 01001. Darren A. Jacobs, 62 Home St., Springfield 01104. Tile & grout restoration.

AMHERST

Community Funding Partners Inc., 6 University Dr., Suite 206-239, Amherst 01002. Irvin Rhodes, same. (Foreign corp; DE) Marketing and sales.

MW Photonics Inc., 433 West St., Amherst 01002. Jeannie E. Williams, 152 Boston Road, Groton 01450. Scientific research in optical technologies.

BELCHERTOWN

Bruce Goodrich Cancer Survivor’s Fund Inc., 450 North Washington St., Belchertown 01007. Ken Goodrich, same. (Nonprofit) To promote awareness and raise money to help cancer victims, etc.

BERNARDSTON

Z-M Performance Systems Inc., 203 South St., Bernardston 01337. Allan P. Zitta, same. To develop, own, license and otherwise exploit intellectual properties of all kinds.

CHICOPEE

Mass Terror Inc., 57 Davenport St., Chicopee 01013. Shaun Foley, same. Retail and wholesale merchandising including manufacturing.

Westfield Ready Mix Inc., 652 Prospect St., Chicopee 01020. Leo Ouellette, Jr., 15 Easton St., Granby 01033. Sale and processing of concrete, sand, gravel.

EASTHAMPTON

Creative Autism Services Inc., 53 Holyoke St., #1, Easthampton 01927. Rebecca C. Belopsky, same. Relationship-based consulting.

Suzi’s Way Inc., 300 Reservation Road, Easthampton 01027. Suzi Buzzee, 22 Reservation Road, Easthampton 01027. Real estate sales and purchases.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Western Massachusetts Institute For Social Research Inc., 4 Oakwood Circle, East Longmeadow 01028. Raymond J. Zucco, same. (Nonprofit) To promote the advancement of social research, help raise public awareness of the contributions and use of sociology to society, etc.

FEEDING HILLS

Alycat Inc., 63 Poplar St., Feeding Hills 01030. Robert F. Johnson, III, same. To operate a restaurant.

D.J. Concessions Inc., 15 Belmont Ave., Feeding Hills 1030. David Jalbert, same. Retail sales.

FLORENCE

Freedom Post 28 Inc., 63 Riverside Dr., Florence 01062. Thomas P. Ouimet, same. (Nonprofit) A veterans organization for social and recreational activities.

HOLYOKE

Danny’s Electric Inc., 11 Hendel Dr., Holyoke 01040. Luis D. Arroyo, same. Any and all electrical work.

LONGMEADOW

V & S Management Co. Inc., 66 Dwight Road, Suite #1, Longmeadow 02206. Raymond G. Stevens, 36 Elm St., East Longmeadow 01028. Real estate development and related activities.

  

LUDLOW

Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative Corp., Moddy St., Ludlow 01056. H. Bradford White, 289 Spring St., Shrewsbury 01545. To acquire property for wind turbines, etc., to produce wind energy in Hancock and known as the “Berkshire Wind Facilities”, etc.

NEW SALEM

Stages of Life Inc., 283 Wendell Road, New Salem 01355. Dylan W. Flye, same. (Nonprofit) A performing arts after school and summer program to offer disadvantaged and at risk youth, etc.

NORTHAMPTON

Evolve-IBB Inc., 167 South St., #2, Northampton 01060. Elena Tunitsky-Bitton, same. Marketing, sales and business development, advertising.

SHELBURNE FALLS

Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club Inc., 75 Bridge St., Shelburne Falls 01370. Meta Nisbet, 146 Smead Hill Road, Colrain 01340. (Nonprofit) To increase the beauty of the Village of Shelburne Falls, award college scholarships to local area youth, etc.

SPRINGFIELD

Alian Consultants Inc., 57 Florence St., Springfield 01105. Darnel Ali, same. (Nonprofit) New business consultation and development.

Billups World Entertainment Inc., 113 Lyman St., Springfield 01103. Stefan Billups, 3 Silver St., Springfield 01107. Multimedia and print production and distribution.

Bridgers Property Inc., 73 Cambridge St., Springfield 011089. Cynthia A. Bridgers, same. Real estate ownership.

Concilio Pentecostes Ya Es Tiempo De Que Te Levantes Talita Cumi Inc., 246 Walnut St., Springfield 01105. Felix Torres, 56 Montrose St., Springfield 01109. (Nonprofit) To perform Christian services and food services to the needs of our community.

Denise’s Designs Inc., 132 Fort Pleasant Ave., Springfield 01108. Asiala Dickson, same. (Nonprofit) Promote awareness in art and design in fashion ware and culture.

DJAV Corp., 105 Woodlawn St., Springfield 01108. David J. Virella, Jr., same. Carpentry and construction.

Elite Consulting Services Inc., 293 Bridge St., Ste. 328, Springfield 01103. Eliezer Serrano, 20 Windermere Dr., Feeding Hills 01030. Consulting services.

Nuvo Bank & Trust Co., 1500 Main St., Springfield 01115. Jeffrey Sattler, 21 Magnolia Terr., South Hadley 01075. Transacting the business of a trust company.

Podjockey Inc., 650 Belmont Ave., Springfield 01108. Michael Harrison, 212 Deepwoods Dr., Longmeadow 01106. Media production and delivery services.

Springfield City Youth Organization Inc., 1350 Main St., 10th Fl., c/o Hare, Stamm & Harris, Springfield 01103. Richard F. Williams, 43 Pearson Dr., Springfield 01119. (Nonprofit) To provide a non-profit community-based athletic program for youth in the City of Springfield.

VK Transport Inc., 534 Union St., Springfield 01089. Vadim V. Kot, same. Trucking company.

WESTFIELD

Pioneer Valley Propane Inc., 389 Southampton Road, Westfield 01085. Jeffrey S. Hunter, 16 Kylene Cirle, Southampton 01073. Distribution and sale of propane fuel and related products.

By
Departments

Pamela Monaco has been named Director of the University Without Walls program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

•••••

Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Berkshire Bank, has named Gary M. LeBlanc as its Branch Manager for the Ludlow location at 431 Center St.

•••••

Brenda Cuoco of Wilbraham Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has achieved the International Diamond Society award for 2007. Cuoco is ranked the No. 1 agent in Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage throughout Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties, according to the Greater Springfield Board of Realtors.

•••••

Robert S. Wheten has been elected to Assistant Vice President, Commercial Credit, at Easthampton Savings Bank. He was hired by the bank in 2001 as a credit analyst. He was promoted to senior credit analyst in 2005 and to commercial credit officer in 2007. Wheten manages credit quality issues and supervises the underwriting of the bank’s larger commercial loans.

•••••

The Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau announced the following:
• Erin Tierney has been named a Convention Center Sales Manager, and
• Caitlin Casali has been named a Convention Center Sales Manager.
Both women will work with Todd Greenwood, Vice President of Convention Center Sales and Marketing, in selling and marketing the MassMutual Center for citywide convention groups.

•••••

Stephen L. Kuhn, Senior Vice President, Secretary, and Deputy General Counsel at Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company in Springfield, has been named to the 2008 In-House Leaders in the Law list published by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. This is the second consecutive year that Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly has published the list, which recognizes corporate attorneys throughout New England who serve as either general counsel or staff attorney. Kuhn was one of 15 attorneys throughout New England chosen by five panelists.

•••••

Elizabeth Solomon’s wallpaper titled “Lily with Buds” is featured in the April 2008 edition of Real Simple magazine. The article, “Wallpaper Made Easy,” appears in the “Home” section of the magazine. Solomon recently created Elizabeth Solomon Designs, a new and whimsical line of work which celebrates her love of color, pattern, and design. Given Campbell, owner and designer of Given Campbell Design Studio, has licensed many of Solomon’s designs, and is manufacturing and retailing her wallpapers. Samples of Solomon’s wallpaper will be on display in her studio at the spring Cottage Street Open Studios event on June 7-8 in Easthampton.

•••••

Lia Sophia recently announced top honors for its Excellent Beginnings Program Achievers for outstanding sales accomplishments and professionalism. Eileen Maunsell was honored for attaining certain sales levels in her first 15 weeks and by sharing Lia Sophia with other new advisors.

•••••

Health New England has announced the following:
• Patricia Scheer has been promoted to Director of Quality Operations;
• Michelle Sears has been promoted to Accounting Manager;
• Susan Keser has been promoted to Director of Provider Contracting;
• Renee Wroth has been promoted to Director of Service Operations, and
• Barbara Berthiaume has joined the firm as a Director of Health Services.

•••••

Ronald X. Johnson recently joined the staff of Springfield School Volunteers as the Program Manager for Employer Outreach.

•••••

Patrick J. Willcutts, Vice President-Investments CFP for UBS Financial Services Inc., has earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst license through the Investment Management Consultants Association. Willcutts, who works in the firm’s Springfield office, attained the license following coursework and an examination at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

•••••

PeoplesBank has announced that Paul E. Hillsburg will serve as Assistant Vice President for PeoplesFinancial and Insurance Services at the Bank’s South Hadley office located at 494 Newton St. As a representative of Infinex Investments Inc., Hillsburg will provide customers with financial planning and investment guidance, including retirement, estate, and college education planning. Hillsburg has served as a Financial Consultant for Infinex Financial Group and as a Financial Advisor for Merrill Lynch. He holds Series 7 and 66 registrations and holds an insurance license with life, health, and variable products.

•••••

The Howdy Awards Committee of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (GSCVB) has selected Bruce Landon, President of the Springfield Falcons Hockey Club, as the recipient of the 2008 Spotlight Award. The Spotlight Award is bestowed at the GSCVB’s annual Howdy Awards for Hospitality Excellence. Unlike the winners in eight Howdy Award categories who are selected by hospitality judges from outside the Pioneer Valley, the recipient of the Spotlight Award is chosen by the committee based on his or her dedication and outstanding contribution to the region’s hospitality industry and the long-term impact their efforts have had on tourism in the Pioneer Valley. Landon has served as general manager for 24 campaigns and as president for 14 seasons with the Springfield Falcons Hockey Club. Originally a player with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League, he was selected in the 1969 amateur draft, then relocated to Springfield in October of that year. After eight seasons of playing professional hockey in Springfield, Hartford, and Providence, he suffered a knee injury that ended his playing days, but not his involvement with the sport. He was soon appointed director of Marketing and Sales for the Springfield Indians and was the color commentator on the team’s radio broadcasts. In 1979, Landon received the Ken McKenzie Award, the American Hockey League’s (AHL) award honoring the individual that best promotes his or her team during the season.  Three years later, he was promoted to general manager, a title he holds to this day. He has overseen two consecutive Calder Cup-winning teams, and was the recipient of the James E. Hendy Award, which honors the league’s top executive, in 1981. In 1994, he made the firm commitment to keep hockey in Springfield. After the city lost its professional hockey team, Landon joined forces with Wayne LaChance to spearhead Pro Friends Inc., an investment group that was awarded an AHL expansion franchise: the Springfield Falcons. Prior to the 2002-03 season, Landon was involved in the creation of a new ownership group, Springfield Pro Hockey, LLC, which purchased the Falcons from Pro Friends Inc. Through the years, Landon has served as a key member of the AHL’s Board of Governors as well as several of its committees. Landon will receive his award on May 20 during the 13th annual Howdy Awards for Hospitality Excellence at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke.

By
Departments

Current Events

Rodney Powell, right, president and COO of Western Mass. Electric Co., presents a check for $50,000 to Springfield Technical Community College as part of the college’s major-gifts campaign. The donation will be used for student scholarships in the School of Math, Sciences, and Engineering Transfer at STCC. From left are RushikeshPatel (partially hidden), STCC President Ira H. Rubenzahl, Quynh Anh Tran, Paola Santiago (partially hidden), Alex Lukomskiy, Karla Santiago, Matthias Galvin, Christopher Childs (holding the check), and Powell.

Maximum Exposure

Robert Charles Zemba, who founded a photography studio that took his name, recently retired after 30 years in the broad business of photography. More than 250 friends, family, and colleagues turned out to salute his work and wish him well in retirement. In a bit of role reversal, he had to pose for the pictures and not take them. Here, he does so with his daughter, Christine Little.

Summit Meeting

More than 70 area business leaders participated with the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield in the annual Beacon Hill Summit in Boston on April 30. The participants heard from many legislators about issues that affect the cost of doing business in Massachusetts.

Business Market Show 2008

The MassMutual Center was buzzing May 7, as the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce staged Business market Show 2008. More than 150 exhibitors graced the floor of the exhibition hall. At right, representatives of Agawam-based Hastie Fence greet visitors to their booth.

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Departments

Care Center Annual Dinner

April 29: The Care Center on Cabot Street in Holyoke will celebrate its students and staff at its annual dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Log Cabin, also in Holyoke. The event features performances and presentations by Care Center students, including ballroom dancing. The Care Center provides services to pregnant and parenting teen mothers and their children. The celebration is being sponsored by Weiss Consulting, PeoplesBank, and the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. Dinner and dancing are free, and guests will be invited to make a meaningful gift at the event. For more information, call (413) 532-2900, ext. 128. For details on the Care Center, visit www.carecenterholyoke.org.

Marketing Program

April 30: Anne West, founder and president of the Atlanta-based consulting firm Strategic Communication Counsel, will present “Remarketing Marketing … Creatively” at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke. West offers a down-to-earth look at some common strategies and tactics that marketers overlook. The morning event is sponsored by the Ad Club of Western Mass. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with the seminar slated from 8 a.m. to noon. Registration includes a continental breakfast, seminar, and handouts. The cost is $75 for Ad Club members, $85 for non-members, and $50 for students. To register online, visit www.adclubwm.org.

Financial, Estate-planning Workshops

April 30, May 14, May 21: Applewood at Amherst, a part of the Loomis Communities, will host a free public series of financial and estate-planning talks, all beginning at 7:30 p.m. On April 30, Peter Ziomek, J.D., of Ziomek & Ziomek, will discuss wills, durable powers of attorney, health care proxies, and trusts. On May 14, Eva Thomson of Thomson Financial Management will share methods of maximizing one’s assets for a fulfilling retirement and beyond. The series concludes on May 21 with Hyman Darling, J.D., of Bacon and Wilson, P.C., reviewing ways to personalize one’s legacy through ethical wills, pet trusts, charitable bequests, gift annuities, or specific burial instructions. All talks will be conducted in the meeting room at Applewood at Amherst, One Spencer Dr., Amherst. Reservations are encouraged and may be made by calling Kelley Murphy at (413) 253-9833.

Women’s Professional Development Conference

May 1: Bay Path College in Longmeadow will host its 13th annual Women’s Professional Development Conference at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Actress Jane Fonda will be the keynote speaker for the affair, which is planned from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For a complete list of workshops and speakers, visit www.baypath.edu. Tickets are $250 for the general public and $225 for Bay Path alumni, with an early-bird registration deadline of April 17. A vendor fair is also planned throughout the day.

RTC Digital Marketing Series

May 2: “Using Social Networks as Marketing Tools” will be offered by the Regional Technology Corp. (RTC) from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the tele-classroom at the Springfield Technical Community College Technology Park in Springfield. This is the second seminar in RTC’s Digital Marketing Series, and will offer guidance on developing new relationships with clients, partners, and other key players in one’s industry. Presenters at the seminar will include Mark Firehammer, co-founder of Rumetagro Relationship Technologies, and Morriss Partee, the founder of EverythingCU.com. The class is free to RTC members and costs $50 for non-members. Advance registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Suzanne Parker at (413) 755-1301 or via E-mail at [email protected].

Business Market Show

May 7: The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield Inc. will host its 2008 Business Market Show from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The show will feature more than 225 booths offering products and services to help, enhance, and grow one’s business. Attendance is free with a business card, and no registration is required. For a complete schedule of workshops throughout the day, as well as exhibitor listings and parking locations, visit www.businessmarketshow.com.

Customer-service Seminar

May 8: Marty Clarke, president of Martin Productions and author of Communication Land Mines: 18 Communication Catastrophes and How to Avoid Them, will present a seminar titled “Customer Service Land Mines and How to Avoid Them” from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Clarion Hotel in West Springfield. Clarke’s program will lay out a road map of how one can avoid common and damaging customer-service land mines, and begin to set a company apart in the most powerful way possible. Clarke will offer an encore seminar titled “Leadership Land Mines: 8 Managerial Catastrophes and How to Avoid Them” from 1 to 4 p.m. The presentations are presented by the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE). The cost for either the morning or afternoon session is $179 for EANE members or $229 for non-members. The cost for the full day is $279 for both sessions for EANE members, and $329 for non-members. For registration information, visit www.eane.org.

Wine Tasting and Auction

May 9: The Chicopee Chamber of Commerce will host a wine tasting and silent auction at the Castle of Knights on Memorial Drive. Proceeds raised from the event will be used to fund chamber events. For more information on the event, visit www.chicopeechamber.org.

‘Defining the Goals’

May 20: Agawam High School is hosting a “Defining the Goals” expo from 8 to 10 a.m. Companies are invited to share products or services, as well as employment needs for the future. The event will be an opportunity to showcase a company and enlighten students regarding its operations and the educational requirements necessary to secure employment in various industries. The event is being sponsored by Engineering Projects in Community Service, Life Science Career Development grants, and MassLive. The event will include a coffee reception, scheduled presentations, and a question-and-answer session. For more information or to RSVP, E-mail [email protected].

Woman of the Year Banquet

May 21: The Women’s Partnership of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield will honor Kristina Drzal Houghton as its Woman of the Year at its annual banquet planned at Chez Josef in Agawam. The award represents the recognition of extraordinary achievement by a woman in the Greater Springfield community whose efforts exemplify the leadership, community involvement, and professional goals of the Women’s Partnership. A reception begins at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:15. Tickets are $35 each, and the deadline to register is May 9. For more information, visit www.myonlinechamber.com.

Torch Awards

May 12: The Better Business Bureau of Central New England Inc. (BBB) will stage its anual Torch Awards & Breakfast at the Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, starting at 7:30 a.m. At the event, the BBB will honor American Pest Solutions Inc. of Springfield with its prestigious “Torch Award. It will also extend its Honorable Mention distinction to another local company, Moving/Odd Job Unlimited of Chicopee. “The purpose of this award is to recognize businesses that operate with integrity, trust, and marketplace ethics in their approach to commerce,” said Ray Frias, president of the BBB. “The Better Business Bureau is aware that there are businesses that maintain good business ethics and work every day to assure the public of their commitment to fair and honest business practices, and this award was established to focus attention on those good companies.” Also, BBB Student Ethics Award winner Evan Coleman from Amherst Regional High School will be presented with a $500 scholarship. This prestigious award recognizes students who live up to and inspire others with their commitment to ethical living. Individual seats at the event cost $20. Those interested in registering for the event may do so by visiting www.central-westernma.bbb.org/torch  or calling (413) 594-2163, ext. 105

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Departments

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

Badillo, Robert
Hague-Badillo, Megan K.
169 Conway St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/12/08

Barrelet, Irene Louise
a/k/a Schleipman, Irene
33 Kellogg Ave., Apt. 4
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/08

Barry, Karon Marie
a/k/a Mullett, Karon M.
34 Putnam Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/08

Benoit, Michael P.
Lopez, Breanna E.
a/k/a Benoit, Breanna E.
262 Green Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/08

Bohl, Richard J.
Bohl, Sarah J.
450 Church St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/11/08

Bosworth, Robert L.
Bosworth, Doreen P.
167 Froman St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/08

Braica, Tammy Lin
122 Beauregard Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/08

Brunette, Tami L.
19 Anderson St.
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/08

Bunns, Tricia D.
Walter, Tricia D.
184 Hamburg St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/07/08

Bydlak, Mark
68 Plantation Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/03/08

Cameron, Lucretia D.
1259 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/05/08

Carmel, David P.
200 Hillside Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/03/08

Claytopia
Wiseman, Jennifer J.
34 Main St., Apt 2
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/08

Crouch, Ann Rose
13B Fort Hill Road
Haydenville, MA 01039
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/08

Daniels, Deborah H.
P.O. Box 1823
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/08

DeCarlo, Diane
110 Monson Turnpike Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/08

Farrier, Michael S.
174 Pineywoods Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/07/08

Gauthier, Eric Jon
Gauthier, Kelli Anne
16 Horsham Place
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/08

Gladowski, Liane J.
2126 Baptist Hill Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/10/08

Groth, Joseph W.
291 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/08

Hernandez, Luis A.
46 Moulton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/08

Hundley-Slater, Lisa D.
86 Norman St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/10/08

Hunsucker, Candice Kahrman
a/k/a Keddy, Candice
135 Raymond Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/08

Jessie’s Roofing & Siding
Vazquez, Efrain
PO Box 543
West Springfield, MA 01090
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/11/08

Kaniecki, Pamela Ann
30 E Street Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/08

Kiely, Sharon
35 Maple St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/08

Kozak, Adam
34 River Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/08

Lampron, Thomas D.
39 Circular Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/08

Lapa, Jessica
140 Joy St.
Chciopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/14/08

Latour, Nancy A.
131 South St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/08

Lefebvre, Richard J.
Lefebvre, Ann S.
51 Pine Lake Dr.
Westhampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/08

Lemaire, Faith A.
36 Merriam St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/07/08

Lester, Donna
23 Joanne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/08

Lubwama, Frederick M.
a/k/a Lubwama, Fred
52 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/08

Lussier, Danielle
58 Ward Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/07/08

Malone, Kelly Marie
7 Central Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/08

  

Marshall, Kellie R.
P. O. Box 1123
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/07/08

Martinez, Igor A.
37 Ainsworth St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/06/08

McCann, Gregory Michael
216 Pineview Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/08

McChesney, Patricia Ann
Law Office of Patricia A. McChesney
22 Lessey St. #320
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/07/08

McClelland, Michael J.
McClelland, Theresa A.
P. O. Box 1974
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/08

Miazga, Lidia B.
342 Southwick Road, Apt. C1
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/07/08

Moore, Karen A.
36 Cosgrove St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/08

Morton, Carrie L.
48 Burma Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/08

Newman, Peter L.
Newman, Judith L.
163 Franklin St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/08

Nunez, Juan
19 Van Horn Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/08

Olson, Michael Stafford
Olson, Jennifer M.
42 Wooodside Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/08/08

Panniello, Samantha M.
a/k/a Quinn, Samantha M.
149 Wheeler Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/07/08

Perkins, Daniel R.
Perkins, Mary J.
P.O. Box 307
Brookfield, MA 01506
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/08

Poirot, Kathleen
22 Crotteau St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/08

Reed, Mark Alan
23 Giffin Place
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/08

Renaud, Barbara Mary
790 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/14/08

Reome, Alice C.
129 Catherine St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/06/08

Riley, Carl F.
31 Sturbridge Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/12/08

Ryan, Nathan D.
Ryan, Beth G.
a/k/a Poulin, Beth G.
30 Grove Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/08

Scanlon, Patricia F.
225 El Paso St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/08

Schuerer, Pamela J.
19 Pennsylvania Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/08

Scibelli, James
Scibelli, Shelby D.
150 Nottingham Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/08

Seda, William
76 Byers St., Apt. 201
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/08

Shiraki, Clayton M.
Shiraki, Ann Mary
a/k/a Sinnamon, Ann M.
98 Shea Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/07/08

Skipton, Joanne M.
66 Manor Court
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/08

Sovinski, Ashley
7 Upper Church St.,
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/08

Stanley, Gail E.
243 Union St., Unit 201
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/08

Storm, Gary D.
495 Appleton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/08

Suzumu, Fredricko
34 Steephens St.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/08

Thompson, Amy Lynn
356 Granville Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/08

Tietze, Laurie Ann
a/k/a Bryden, Laurie Ann
56 Clover Hill Drive
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/08

Tripicco, Thomas G.
72 Cleveland St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/08

Walter, Alvin
101 Mulberry St. #220
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/08

Wynne, Christopher H.
40 Celestine St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/14/08

Zerbato, Frances Jo
62 New Hampshire Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/08

By
Departments

State Adds 2,900 New Jobs in March

BOSTON — The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development recently reported that monthly survey estimates show that 2,900 new jobs were added in Massachusetts in March, its largest monthly increase since November of last year and the sixth consecutive monthly increase in jobs. The state unemployment rate also held steady at 4.4%. Revisions to the February rate, published last month on a preliminary basis at 4.5%, show the rate edging down to 4.4% and an increase of 700 jobs instead of the loss of 700 as originally estimated. The Massachusetts rate continues to outperform the national rate, which increased from 4.8% in February to 5.1% in March. The state rate has been below the U.S. rate since June 2007. Over the year, the Bay State’s unemployment rate dropped two-tenths of a percentage point from 4.6%. The largest job gains in March were recorded in professional, scientific, and business services, as well as leisure and hospitality. New jobs were also added in the trade, transportation and utilities, information, construction, and manufacturing supersectors. Also, education and health-services employment, at 632,600, was off 400 in March. Over the year, this supersector continues to show the strongest job gains at 14,900 and, along with the information supersector, posted the highest annual rate of job increase at 2.4%. Professional, scientific, and business services added 1,000 jobs in March, following a gain of 3,100 the previous month. Most of the 9,700 jobs added over the past year were in professional, scientific, and technical services industries such as computer systems design and scientific research and development. At 488,300, overall employment is up 2.0% from one year ago.

Financial activities employment was off 200 over the month due to declines in the real-estate and rental and leasing component. At 224,100, financial-activities employment is down 1,600 from one year ago, with real estate and leasing contributing to much of the loss. Trade, transportation, and utilities employment increased by 500 in March, largely due to retail trade posting its first job gain since last November. At 569,100, employment in this supersector is off 1,200 from one year ago. Retail trade lost 2,900 jobs over the year, while wholesale trade and transportation, warehousing, and utilities added 1,400 and 300 jobs, respectively. The leisure and hospitality supersector added 1,200 new jobs, the most jobs added among supersectors in March. At 305,200, jobs in leisure and hospitality have increased by 2,600 over the year. With monthly gains in each of the most recent five-month periods, jobs are up by 4,200 since October 2007. Information employment increased by 200 in March to 89,900. This supersector has added 2,100 jobs over the year and, along with educational and health services, posted the strongest annual growth rate at 2.4%. Manufacturing recorded a 200-job gain in March, its second consecutive monthly increase. At 292,900, employment is still down 4,000 or 1.3% from one year ago. Construction gained 600 jobs in March after having lost jobs over each of the four previous months. At 135,400, employment is off 2,000 or 1.5% from one year ago. The job numbers are the result of a monthly survey that uses U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics methodology. More than 9,000 Massachusetts employers are surveyed to determine the number of jobs by industry. These estimates are the economic indicator used to gauge employment-growth patterns across the Bay State. The Commonwealth’s labor force increased by 2,300 over the month, as 3,700 more Massachusetts residents were employed and 1,500 less were unemployed. At 3,411,200, the labor force is slightly higher than at this time last year, as 7,500 more residents were employed and 7,000 fewer unemployed. Labor force estimates for Massachusetts, developed using the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics model, are based on information on Massachusetts residents’ employment and unemployment status, collected through a small, monthly sample survey of households.

Easthampton Awards Valley CDC Grant

EASTHAMPTON — Valley Community Development Corp. (Valley CDC) recently announced it has been awarded a $140,000 grant from the City of Easthampton for the provision of comprehensive business-development technical assistance (TA) to income-qualified Easthampton residents and businesses. Valley CDC is providing TA for a 15-month period that began April 1. The TA services that Valley CDC will provide include one-on-one counseling; business development, marketing, and technical computer workshops and seminars; credit counseling; referral to financial institutions; assistance with applications for financing; referral to professional and other resources for support and services not provided by Valley CDC; and continued outreach to artists and to former mills on Pleasant Street and Cottage Street. The grant also enables Valley CDC to retain its offices in the Eastworks building on Pleasant Street.