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Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference

April 28: Organizers for the 2023 Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference (MassURC) announced that Christina Royal, president of Holyoke Community College (HCC), will be the keynote speaker at the conference. The keynote is titled “Hacking Ourselves: Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning” and will examine the concept of unlearning, discuss its relevance to learning through a research-based lens, and challenge students to think differently about their approach to life and educational journey. The 2023 conference will be entirely virtual. Royal’s keynote will be presented virtually from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. on the conference day, with options for the public to view it through the MassURC website. The MassURC is a one-day conference at which undergraduate students from the 28 public colleges and universities within the Commonwealth present research, share knowledge, and learn from fellow students. The conference serves to broaden attendees’ understanding of research, showcasing investigations in more than 60 subject areas, including biochemistry, history, architecture, marketing, fine art, and sociology. Visit www.umass.edu/honors/massurc for more information and to register.

 

Pioneer Valley Conference for Women

May 4: The Pioneer Valley Conference for Women will host its first in-person event at the Marriott in downtown Springfield. The theme of the conference is “Let Go.” Leading the speaker lineup are Paulette Piñero, social entrepreneur, writer, and leadership coach, and Yvonne Williams, author of Tested Faith and It’s All About the Shoes. Each will provide a keynote address to an expected audience of more than 300 attendees. The conference highlights topics that were chosen by the women of Western Mass., based on current trends and interests. Alison Maloni, owner of Alison May Public Relations, news anchor for a national network, and bestselling author of Breaking in the News: Build Buzz for Your Brand, will emcee the conference. Local comedian Jess Miller will entertain attendees during a VIP Comedy Kick-off the evening before the conference; tickets cost $35. The cost to attend the Pioneer Valley Conference is $52, which includes breakfast, lunch, a swag bag, and an afternoon celebration with a female DJ and complementary wine and hors d’oeuvres following the full-day conference. The lunch sponsor is M&T Bank. The panel sponsor is Westfield Bank. The network sponsors are Smith Executive Education and USI Insurance. The small-business sponsors are Lovelace Design and Rooted Flowers. Keeping with the goal of accessibility, the conference will also be available virtually for those who are more comfortable watching through a screen. Sessions will be taped for future viewing. For more information on keynote speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and panelists, visit sheslocal.org/pioneer-valley-conference-for-women.

 

Sundae Funday 5K and Family Fun Fest

May 6: Marianna Litovich, founder and executive director of All Our Kids Inc., announced the organization’s third annual Sundae Funday 5K and Family Fun Fest will take place on from 9 a.m. to noon at Stanley Park in Westfield. The event will kick off with a 5K run/walk and simultaneous family festival that is open to the public. Families can enjoy games, crafts, prizes, food, community information, and lots of entertainment. “This event helps All Our Kids raise awareness, celebrate foster and adoptive families, bring our community together, and have fun,” Litovich said. Anyone interested in registering to run or walk the 5K or sponsor this nonprofit fundraiser can visit fosteringaok.org/aok5k.

 

Whip City Animal Sanctuary Golf Tournament Fundraiser

May 13: Whip City Animal Sanctuary will host its third annual golf tournament fundraiser at St Anne Country Club, 781 Shoemaker Lane, Feeding Hills. The tournament starts at 12:30 p.m., with dinner following at 5:30 p.m. There will be contests, raffle prizes, a free T-shirt for the first 52 players, and a cash bar. The registration fee is $125 per player and includes a cart and dinner following the tournament. Additional details and forms can be found at whipcityanimalsanctuary.com or the sanctuary’s Facebook page, or by emailing Sonia Henderson at [email protected]. Whip City Animal Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a caring, safe, long-term home for abandoned, rescued, and surrendered farm animals.

 

Mother’s Day Brunch, Concert

May 14: Judd’s Restaurant at Gateway City Arts has a full schedule of events planned for Mother’s Day, beginning with its Sunday brunch, served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Following brunch at 2 p.m. will be a benefit concert for Safe Passage, featuring “Fantasie for Flute and Piano,” performed by Mosaic, the flute/piano duo of Sue Kurian and Meg Kelsey Wright. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will feature a kaleidoscope of unusual pieces: two fantasies by Gabriel Fauré and Albert Franz Doppler; two tangos by Astor Piazzolla and Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth; a folk-like, jazzy theme and variation by New Hampshire composer Gwyneth Walker; a haunting nocturne for alto flute and piano by Norwegian composer Johan Kvandal; and flute and piano solos by Arthur Honegger and Clara Schumann. The concert is part of the classical-music series at Gateway City Arts sponsored by GLC, the venue’s nonprofit arm. Donations for Safe Passage will be accepted at the door. Safe Passage provides survivors with the support and information to keep themselves and their children safe and to rebuild their lives in the wake of domestic violence. Learn more at safepass.org. Visit tableagent.com/springfield/judds-restaurant to make Mother’s Day brunch reservations.

 

40 Under Forty

June 15: BusinessWest will host the annual 40 Under Forty Gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. One of the most anticipated events of the year, the gala will celebrate the class of 2023, which is announced and profiled in this issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. The gala will feature a VIP hour for the honorees and sponsors, networking, the presentation of the Alumni Achievement Award, and introduction of members of the class of 2023. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit businesswest.com. This year’s 40 Under Forty presenting sponsor is PeoplesBank, and the 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award presenting sponsor is Health New England. Partner sponsors include Comcast Business, Live Nation, the Markens Group, MGM Springfield, Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, the UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management, and Webber & Grinnell Insurance.

 

Hooplandia

June 23-25: Registration for Hooplandia, a 3×3 basketball tournament and festival, is now open at www.hooplandia.com and includes levels of play for all ages and divisions. The tournament, presented by the Eastern States Exposition (ESE) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will take place on the grounds of ESE in West Springfield June 23-25, with special games at the Hall of Fame in Springfield. The event is expected to attract thousands of fans and players as hundreds of games take place across more than 70 courts. Divisions of play have been created to provide an all-inclusive environment for players of all ages and playing abilities. With brackets that include veterans, first responders, youth, wheelchair athletes, college elites, and many more, there’s a spot on the court for everyone. Players are invited to build teams of four, create their own unique team name and uniforms, and register at www.hooplandia.com. Team fees range from $75 to $190, with children under 8 and participants in the Special Olympics category being free of charge. Hooplandia has teamed up with Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the region as its designated philanthropic partner, providing $10 from every team registration to support the mission and programs of the clubs. Partnership opportunities for Hooplandia are available at a variety of levels to help underwrite all areas of play, including Boys & Girls Club youth, active military, veterans divisions, and more. Anyone interested should email [email protected]. Hooplandia welcomes participation from youth team referees, scorekeepers, Fan Village contest facilitators, and volunteers for myriad duties to help make this inaugural year a success. Those interested in participating in this groundbreaking event can fill out the volunteer form at www.hooplandia.com.

 

MOSSO Concert

July 23: MOSSO (Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra) will make its Sevenars Concerts debut in Worthington at 4 p.m. MOSSO and Friends, which opened the Westfield Athenaeum series, features violinist Beth Welty, horn player Sarah Sutherland, and pianist Elizabeth Skavish. They will perform Frédéric Duvernoy’s Trio No. 1 for Violin, Horn, and Piano; Trygve Madsen’s Trio, Op. 110 for Violin, Horn, and Piano; and Johannes Brahms’ Trio in E-flat Major for Violin, Horn, and Piano. Sevenars performances are held at the Academy, South Ireland Street and Route 112, South Worthington. There is no charge for admission to the performance, and no tickets are needed, although donations at the door are welcome ($20 or more per person is suggested to help defray expenses). For program details and information on Sevenars, visit www.sevenars.org.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Steven Musso

Steven Musso

Country Bank President and CEO Paul Scully announced the appointment of Steven Musso to the bank’s board of trustees at its annual meeting. Musso joins the board with more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry. He previously served as the chief operating officer for FinPro Inc., leading consulting engagements, running the consulting operation, and building the technology division. He has extensive experience working with banks on strategic planning, interest-rate risk analysis, and other consulting and advisory services. In addition, he has worked with various bank boards and management teams in financial institutions across the country. He holds Series 63 and 79 financial-securities licenses. Country Bank also appointed new corporators: Mary McGovern, executive vice president, chief financial and operating officer; G. Thomas Wolcott, first senior vice president, commercial banking; Dawn Fleury, first senior vice president, chief risk officer; Miriam Siegel, first senior vice president, chief culture and development officer; and Musso.

•••••

Emily Tower

Emily Tower

Florence Bank promoted Emily Tower to the position of vice president and branch manager of the bank’s main office in Florence. Prior to her promotion, she was the assistant vice president and branch manager in the Florence branch. A graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies, Tower brings more than 15 years of banking experience to her role. She has been with Florence Bank since 2006 and has worked in the Belchertown and West Springfield offices as well.

•••••

Eric Lesser

Eric Lesser

Bay Path University announced that Eric Lesser — attorney, educator, and former four-term state senator — has been elected to its board of trustees. Lesser was one of the original members of President Obama’s White House team. From January 2009 to July 2011, he served as special assistant to the president’s senior advisor, David Axelrod. Later, he served as the Council of Economic Advisers’ director of Strategic Planning. In 2014, Lesser was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate, representing the First Hampden and Hampshire district. As a state senator, Lesser led and served on numerous committees and commissions. He chaired the Joint Committee on Economic Development & Emerging Technologies; the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development, and the Senate Committee on Ethics. He also was vice chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation and co-chaired the Massachusetts Commission on the Future of Work. Among his many priorities, he was a key proponent of east-west rail, a leading advocate for civics education, a champion for alleviating student debt, and a national leader on the future of work. Lesser is currently a senior counsel at WilmerHale, a Boston-based law firm, where he is a member of the Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs Group. He earned his juris doctorate from Harvard Law School in 2015 and his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College in 2007.

•••••

Dr. Sarah Haessler

Dr. Sarah Haessler

Dr. Sarah Haessler, whose expertise in infectious diseases has been recognized at the local, state, national, and international levels, has been named chair of the Department of Medicine for Baystate Health. Haessler, who has served as interim chair of the Department of Medicine at Baystate since 2022, was appointed chair after a highly competitive national search. She is the inaugural female chair of Baystate Health’s largest clinical/academic department. Her tenure begins immediately. She received her medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine and completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in infectious diseases at Dartmouth Hitchcock in New Hampshire. She is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine and infectious diseases. Haessler joined Baystate Health in 2005 and since that time has held progressive leadership roles, including as the hospital epidemiologist for the health system, vice chair of the Department of Medicine, interim chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, and most recently interim chair of the Department of Medicine. Active in the field of academics and research, Haessler has trained and served as advisor and mentor for dozens of residents and fellows in the specialty of infectious diseases. She is currently an associate professor of Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School – Baystate. Since 2002, as either principal or co-investigator, she has completed numerous research projects and is currently co-investigator in Reducing Antimicrobial Overuse Through Targeted Therapy for Patients with Community-acquired Pneumonia.

•••••

City of Greenfield Community and Economic Development Director MJ Adams announced her intention to retire from city service, effective May 6. Adams played pivotal roles in advancing downtown revitalization efforts, coordinating stakeholder and state assistance in creating an expansion of the I-91 Greenfield Industrial Park, helping local businesses navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, and brokering the agreement to redevelop the former Wilson’s Department Store building. Adams joined city government in December 2015 as Community Development administrator and was promoted to Community and Economic Development director in September 2018. Her prior experience includes positions with the Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and as executive director of Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity. The city will launch a search in the coming weeks for a new Community and Economic Development director. Adams has agreed to remain available during the transition process.

•••••

Daniel Coyne

Daniel Coyne

Barbara Fontaine

Barbara Fontaine

River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC) recently welcomed Daniel Coyne and Barbara Fontaine to its board of directors. Coyne is a certified addictions registered nurse with more than 10 years of experience in behavioral-health treatment. He served as director of Nursing at Swift River addiction campuses, and more recently as the director of Utilization Review on the quality team of Vertava Health. He holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from UMass, a bachelor of arts degree from Middlebury College, and a master of fine arts degree from the University of Florida. Fontaine is a certified alcohol/drug-abuse counselor with more than 15 years of counseling experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing from San Francisco State University and completed the Alcohol and Chemical Dependency Treatment Services Program at Boston University in 2007. She started her career in substance-abuse treatment at Gosnold on Cape Cod and also worked at Habit OpCo in South Yarmouth. She has worked at Swift River in Cummington since 2016.

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

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

AGAWAM

Big Rig Truck & Trailer Repairs Inc., 87 Ramah Circle South, Agawam, MA 01001. Emil Lachinov, same. Truck and trailer repair.

Regional Practice Expansion Consultants Inc., 70 Royal St., Agawam, MA 01001. Jacqueline Montanez, same. Medical practice growth consulting.

BLANDFORD

Air Plus Inc., 146 Otis Stage Road, Blandford, MA 01008. Julian Mecher, same. HVAC Services.

CHICOPEE

Exclusive Painters Group Inc., 35 Kimball St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Luis Carrion Rodriguez, 1060 Liberty St., Springfield, MA 01104. Painting and construction related services.

J&S Smile Pros Inc., 874 Prospect St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Sara Jambard, 5 Halon Ter., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Portable dental practice.

EAST LONGMEADOW

GSD Cards & Collectibles Inc., 45 Saint Joseph Dr., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Abel Lee, same. Sale of sports trading cards and memorabilia.

The Stoke Collective, LCA, 26 Williston Ave., Easthampton, MA 01027. Jen Sandler, same. Organizational consulting services.

INDIAN ORCHARD

JT Realty Associates Inc., 31 Kopernick St., Indian Orchard, MA 01151. Thaddeus Tokarz, same. Real estate services.

PALMER

Paws 4 Blue K9 Inc., 29 French Dr., Palmer, MA 01069. Janice M. Garabedian, same. K9 support services.

PITTSFIELD

Colbert Artists Management Inc., 180 Elm St., Suite 221, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Lee Prinz, same. Manager and agent of classical musicians.

SPRINGFIELD

Leena’s Place Inc., 660 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01119. Jessica Morehouse, same. Restaurant with alcohol service.

Newer a Little League A Baseball Corp., 38 Bryant St., Springfield, MA 01108. Edwin Ferrer, same. Organization established to bring the sport of baseball to the community.

TURNERS FALLS

Sisson Accounting Services, PC, 55 Dell St., Turners Falls, MA 01376. Kathryn A. Sisson, same. Professional Certified Public Accountant.

WESTFIELD

Vendking Corp., 1257 East Mountain Road, Westfield, MA 01085. Alexsander Bloom, same. Vending machine and ATM servicing.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the months of March and April 2023. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

EAST LONGMEADOW

Pioneer Athletic Center
21 Baldwin St.
Danielle McKinnon

Pioneer Valley Arms
50-58 Shaker Road
Kendall Knapik

TigerPress
50 Industrial Dr.
Jennifer Shafii

GREAT BARRINGTON

Awaken with Susan Inc.
140 West Ave., Suite B
Susan Quam

Bernal Woodworks Inc.
131 Monument Valley Road
Andrew Bernal

Connect First Consulting
389 Main St.
Lais Howard

Fairground Real Estate
631 Main St.
Eric Streuernagle

LaundryLand
11 School St.
Paula Kohler

The Little Store
88-90 Main St.
Victor Cella

Macony Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
100 Maple St.
Berkshire Faculty Services Inc.

Marshalls #1362
354 Stockbridge Road
Marshalls of Massachusetts Inc.

MotherhoodWorks
50 Castle St., Suite 2
Ilana Siegal

Refill GB
152 Main St.
Jamie McCormack

Shire Glass Co.
87 Railroad St.
Matthew Meandro

TW McClelland LLC
597 Main St.
Thomas McClelland

Whimsy Media
211 Oak St.
Jordyn Cormier

HOLYOKE

FTF
475 Beech St.
Ronny Authier

Gold & Diamonds
50 Holyoke St.
Lavinia Oprea

The Hair Place
103 Chapin St.
Ronald Holland

Lovely Affairs
193 High St.
Jacqueline Bones

Maranatha Cleaning
183 Sargeant St.
Marcos Colon, Felicita Colon

QA Maintenance
98 Lower Westfield Road
Frances Russell

Rodriguez’s Holyoke Kenpo Karate
233 Maple St.
Lizabeth Rodriguez

Springfield Grocery
845 Main St.
Muhammad Khawaja

Through the Trees Photo
10 Cook St.
Kevin Fitzell

LENOX

Berkshire Roll Off
18 Crystal St.
Daniel Hunter

Catwalk Boutique
51 Church St.
Sherry Betit

Doctor Sax House
35 Walker St.
Bryan Binder

Holistic Balance and Bodywork
55 Pittsfield Road, Building 5, Unit B
Jermaine Gomes

LAM
194 Main St.
Leonard Miller

Sohn Fine Art
69 Church St.
Cassandra Sohn

Sports School Day Camp
194 Main St.
Leonard Miller

PALMER

D&M Auto Repair
1422 Park St.
Nathan Jensen

Dean P. Browne Home Improvement
203 State St.
Dean Browne

Wen Ming House
1427 North Main St.
Tian Hau Yang

SOUTH HADLEY

Cote Entertainment & Lighting
23 Grandview St.
Cote Entertainment & Lighting

SOUTHWICK

Aerogreen Urban Farm LLC
23 Bonnie View Road
Renee McGee

Crawl Mat
21 Babb Road
Denis Zinchenko

Echo Home Remodeling
10 Cedar St., Apt. 12
Philip Billington

Illuminated Girl Art
287 College Highway
Julie Seibert

Munm Brook Valley Camp
353 North Loomis St.
Stephanie Price

Southwick Services
1 Eden Hill Lane
Diana King

Total Home Services Inc.
445 College Highway
Anthony Whitehead

Tractor Supply Co.
673 College Highway
Jeff Stiles

Twin Pines Holistic Health
152 Berkshire Ave.
Chelsea Pratt

STOCKBRIDGE

Pecorino Provisions
36 Main St.
Claire Raposo

Wander and Whimsy Travels
36 East St.
Chelsea Bordonaro

WESTFIELD

The Crafty Chics
48 Stephanie Lane
Melissa Connors

Designed by Depino
57 Patriots Dr.
Laurie Depino

East Mountain Country Store
349 East Mountain Road
Clifford Laraway

Eastern Vehicle Recycling Inc.
88 Neck Road
Eastern Vehicle Recycling Inc.

Estelle Leeds Artists Management
26 Lady Slipper Circle
Estelle Leeds

Oksana’s Art
3 Sherman St.
Oksana Chepurenko

Pioneer Valley on the Move
94 North Elm St.
Rachel Burke

Rolling Hills Lawn Care LLC
23 Bates St.
Daniel Fontaine

Roof Maxx of Enfield
53 Murray Ave.
AG Home Infusion LLC

Sophy Nails and Spa
84 Main St.
Chansophy Lim

Thunder in the Valley Festival
99 Northridge Road
Unbroken Wings Inc.

Tribeca Gastro Bar & Grille
89 Elm St.
Connecticut Valley Restaurant Group

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

B’Shara, Michael D.
1C Castle Hill Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/30/2023

Blanchard, William F.
Blanchard, Suzanne T.
135 Edgewood Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/28/2023

Connolly, John James
Connolly, Diane Irene
21 Ferry Hill Road
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/23/2023

Cook, Bryan Joseph
18 Willard Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/22/2023

Daviau, Peter T.
PO Box 5460
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/24/2023

Devoe-Marsh, Lorie A.
a/k/a Marsh, Lorie A.
695 Mill St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/22/2023

Douglas, Haley A.
1384 Barre Road
Gilbertville, MA 01031
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/25/2023

Enman, Douglas J.
Enman, Tammy J.
23 Wenonah Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/24/2023

Frazer-Malone, Dawn L.
18 Drew Court
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/31/2023

Frisbie, Robert
85 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/23/2023

Grande, Deborah
21 Meadow St.
North Adams, MA 01247-4215
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/29/2023

Guadeloupe, June Felicity
103 Leitch St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/24/2023

Karpoff, Marlena
97 Russellville Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/30/2023

Litwin, Jeffrey
21 Craig Dr., Apt 6F
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/24/2023

Menard, Robert A.
Menard, Angela J.
PO Box 88
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/23/2023

Nadeau, Mary Elizabeth
713 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/29/2023

Pereira, Amadeu P.
a/k/a Pereira, Amadeu Peneda
1256 Worcester St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/24/2023

Perez Santiago, Jose Antonio
901 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/22/2023

Serrano, Nelson
17 Bushwick Place
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/24/2023

Smith, Thomas B.
305 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/27/2023

Solano, Feafeld D.
32 Manilla Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/30/2023

Tobin, John H.
c/o Cathy Tobin
140 Boutin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/24/2023

Together Physcial Therapy, LLC
Hurley, Robert F.
Hurley, Lisa Ann
152 Cheney St., Apt. 2
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/21/2023

Ward, Kathleen Mary
19 Mountain Road, Apt 10
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/30/2023

Williamson, Henry G.
138 Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/29/2023

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the months of March and April 2023. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

CHICOPEE

Community Care Resources
41 Woodlawn St.
$4,800 — Install fire-alarm system

Emma Jopson
46 St. James Ave.
$18,000 — Air sealing and weatherization

Brian Lapointe
219 School St.
$26,000 — Demolish and dispose of existing two-story front porch, replace second-floor door with window, build one-story porch with roof, replace first-floor entry door, fix existing fascia and soffit at roof, replace shingles on half the roof

O’Leary-Vincunas No Two LLC
102 First Ave.
$15,000 — Create staff break room in existing warehouse facility

Drew Petrolati
269 Chicopee St.
$11,250 — Install tub replacement and wall surround system

Society Faith Methodist Church
191 Montcalm St.
$12,270 — Replace 10 windows

Lee Suhyun
116 School St.
$72,833 — Roofing

HADLEY

Home Depot USA Inc.
358 Russell St.
N/A — Install non-illuminated wall signs

LEE

200 Laurel LLC
200 Laurel St.
$12,200 — Convert existing motel to 16 apartments

Philip Levy, Rita Levy
880 East St.
$1,200 — Install four windows

Ericedis Olaverria
26 Railroad St.
$13,000 — Install 20 windows

Martin Robertson
1290 Cape St.
$16,000 ­— Add addition on back of existing studio space

PITTSFIELD

David Kahn
38 North St.
$34,000 — Roofing

Lori McHugh
307 Elm St.
$12,000 — Roofing

Ranchodji Inc.
16 Cheshire Road
$65,685 — Flooring

William Rhodes
161 Seymour St.
$74,150 — Install new wet and dry sprinkler system

NORTHAMPTON

Fitzgerald Realty Corp.
224 Prospect St.
$27,930 — Siding on second floor

Gleason Bros. Inc.
7 Pearl St.
$4,000 — Add partition wall

Livett Lovett & Crumberg
184 Main St.
$5,000 — Build half-wall to support new counter

Meadowbrook Preservation Associates LP
491 Bridge Road
$159,420 — Replace pool

Northampton Community Arts Trust Inc.
33 Hawley St.
$1,017,837 — New drainage for existing downspouts, new seating area, interior renovation to parts of building

Northwood Development LLC
15 Atwood Dr.
$9,000 — Create emergency egress

Nova Realty Holdings Inc.
9½ Market St.
$37,752 — Install roof-mount solar system

ServiceNet Inc.
48 Pleasant St.
$15,480 — Awning sign

SPRINGFIELD

1277 Liberty St. LLC
1355 Liberty St.
$120,000 — Alter space at previous Kmart building into new Fun City trampoline amusement park

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$94,206 — Alter space for a new ships ladder and vestibule for elevator machine room access in Springfield Building

David Duncan Sr., Walter Patterson, Robert Sullivan
115 Progress Ave.
$37,000 — Add insulation to attic of Teamsters Local 404

The Republican Co.
1860 Main St.
$53,691 — Remove and replace fire-alarm system

Restoration Worship Center
1492 Boston Road
$190,307.50 — Roofing

Salvation Army of Massachusetts Inc. Adult Rehabilitation Center
840 Boston Road
$23,000 — Add insulation to roof and walls

Springfield Hobby Club Housing Inc.
307 Chestnut St.
$98,900 — Remove and replace Seniority House

Springfield Museums Corp.
74 Fairfield St.
$23,164 — Install accessible modular aluminum ramp to rear of building

Editorial

By
Opinion

Some Big Shoes to Fill

 

Javier Reyes, the incoming chancellor of UMass Amherst, was introduced to the local media — and took a few questions — at a session on the campus earlier this month.

On subjects ranging from the Blarney Blowout to his management style; from why he pursued this particular job to his thoughts on the relative worth of college rankings today, he said … well, mostly what you would expect.

That was especially true when he was asked by BusinessWest what it would be like to follow in the very large footsteps of Kumble Subbaswamy, who has served as chancellor for the past 11 years and is credited with taking the university to a higher plane when it comes to everything from prestige (and those rankings; the school is now 26th among American public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report) to research dollars.

So much so that UMass President Marty Meehan opined at the same media session that the UMass chancellor’s job is now far more attractive than it was years ago, one able to draw the top candidates.

That includes Reyes, who has most recently served as interim chancellor at the University of Illinois Chicago. He told those assembled that, when it comes to following Subbaswamy, he understands there is perhaps more pressure than if this was a turnaround assignment, as many schools are providing these days, but he welcomes that pressure.

“You’re not coming in to repair something, but to build on the shoulders of giants — and that is a very attractive opportunity,” he said of his decision to come to UMass Amherst and work to keep the school on its current pace and angle of ascent. “You’re not trying to catch up; you’re really trying to move and set the direction and be a forward leader … It comes with more pressure, but it’s more exciting.”

‘Exciting’ would be just one of the words we could use to describe this assignment. ‘Daunting’ also comes to mind. That’s because, while it isn’t easy to put a major university on a higher trajectory, it is certainly more difficult to maintain such a course.

To do that requires real leadership and both a desire to continually set the bar higher and the will to clear that higher bar.

We hope that Reyes, the university’s first Hispanic chancellor, can meet this stern challenge because, as we’ve said on many, many occasions, UMass Amherst is an extremely important economic engine for this region and a source of innovation and entrepreneurial energy. Meanwhile, its graduates — at least those that we can keep in this market — are a key ingredient in the success formula of businesses all across the 413, and across the state as well.

Using every measuring stick but the football team (a sore subject to be sure), UMass took critical steps forward during Subbaswamy’s tenure in terms of new building and expansion of the campus; enrollment; research dollars; diversity, equity, and inclusion; rankings for the university and specific schools, such as the Isenberg School of Business; and the institution’s ability to attract top talent, meaning students, faculty, and staff.

Swamy, as most everyone called him, has taken the university to a place it hadn’t been before. It will be Reyes’ assignment to not merely maintain the status quo, but take it further still.

He sounds like he’s up for a challenge, and that’s good, because this will be one.

Implement a Total Rewards Strategy

By Contributor
Opinion

Opinion

By Pam Thornton

 

The way that we work has changed over the past several years, and as a result of that shift, our mindset around rewards and recognition for employees also needs to change. We are facing a major rebalancing resulting from the severe economic and social shifts that have emerged.

Gartner reports that one of the top five priorities for 2023 is prioritizing the ‘employee experience, with almost 50% of HR leaders making this a major focus. A well-thought-out ‘total rewards’ strategy can have a big impact on attracting and retaining talent and overall employee experience.

Being a human-resources professional is a harder job than it ever has been before. Developing and using skills to influence how organizations shape their employee experience and human-capital strategies is a critical leadership role and one that cannot be done in the HR department alone. The answer is a holistic approach to total rewards that truly engages employees and includes every member of the organization.

There are five critical components in a total rewards strategy to consider when creating better employee engagement: compensation, benefits, recognition, well-being, and development.

It’s important to evaluate the compensation system you have in place. Do you have a system that is linked to organizational goals and individual competencies? Is your incentive and rewards system doing what it is designed to do? Do the benefits you offer resonate with your employees? Are they using them? An evaluation of the effectiveness of the overall strategy is critical, and the only way to really get the answers to these questions is to ask your employees and include them in the assessment and development of a truly effective total rewards program.

Well-being is all-encompassing and means something different to every individual, which makes this one of the hardest things for us to wrap our arms around. Flexible work practices, mental-health resources, financial-wellness solutions, and expanded caregiver-support options are just some of the building blocks that should be explored when creating your strategy. Offer solutions that give employees what they need and balance the business priorities of the organization. Thinking creatively to achieve the right mix is the ultimate goal.

The final and probably the most important component of a total rewards strategy is development. Developing your own skills and the skills of your workforce should be an ongoing journey that everyone participates in.

If we don’t put our life mask on first, we may not be able to help others. “Average leaders raise the bar on themselves; good leaders raise the bar for others; great leaders inspire others to raise their own bar,” author and leadership expert Orrin Woodward said. Leaders, please be students and use what you’ve learned to inspire, model, and teach.

We have an opportunity to re-engineer the traditional employment experience. Not all organizations are created equal, and we don’t have an endless fountain of resources, but we all collectively need to put the effort in to assess and adjust our total rewards strategy to leverage what we’ve got.

 

Pam Thornton is director of Strategic HR Services at the Employers Assoc. of the Northeast. This article first appeared on the EANE blog; eane.org

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of March 2023.

CHICOPEE

Curry Realty LLC
765 Memorial Dr.
$412,230 — Exterior renovations to showroom and service building, including removal and replacement of existing metal siding and aluminum composite panels and updates to interior finishes

Hare Krishna Springfield Hotel LLC
36 Johnny Cake Hollow
$48,234 — Repair drywall and closets in 45 rooms, paint

Lot 2A Chicopee LLC
729 Fuller Road
$75,000 — Roofing, exterior painting, install fiber cement siding on small section of wall over porch roof, minor framing for new signage

McKinley Chicopee LLC
38 Asinof Ave.
$405,820 — Roofing

Pioneer Valley Refrigerated
149 Plainfield St.
$69,969 — Roofing

HADLEY

333 Russell Street LLC
333 Russell St.
N/A — Frame wood walls in front of block exterior walls

Pyramid Mall of Hadley Newco LLC
367 Russell St.
N/A — Rework sales-floor display features, miscellaneous painting

LEE

AJT Realty Trust
335 Forest St.
$50,000 — AT&T to swap existing antennas and remote radio units with new ones

Community Health Programs Inc.
11 Quarry Hill Road
$11,122 — Revise existing sprinkler-system coverage to accommodate new tenant layout

Lee Outlets LLC
17 Premium Outlet Blvd.
$196,400 — Roofing

Onyx Specialty Papers Inc.
40 Willow St.
$45,995 — Roofing

PITTSFIELD

Berkshire Hospitality Group LLC
1 West St.
$35,000 — Dish to place three antennas, six remote radio units, three junction boxes, and six cables

Berkshire Hospitality Group LLC
1 West St.
$1,000 — Take down drywall, hang new drywall

Jean Yves Dejax
236 First St.
$12,664 — Roofing

Pitex LP
635 Merrill Road
$85,000 — Build playground equipment in existing space

Pittsfield Management Systems Inc.
1000 North St.
$129,890 — Replace 82 windows

Scarafoni Associates Nominee Trust
100 North St.
$30,000 — Replace four HVAC units

Tower 21C LLC
123 North St.
$25,000 — New tenant fit-out at basement level, including new service vestibule, bathroom, and two wash sinks

SPRINGFIELD

125 Paridon Street LLC
125 Paridon St.
$35,000 — AT&T to remove and replace 12 antennas

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$98,144 — Repair existing employee entrance vestibule

City of Springfield
70 Tapley St.
$6,800 — Replace stairs and railing to front loading dock at DPW building

FPS Inc.
1259 East Columbus Ave.
N/A — Repair Burger King restaurant damaged by car impact; remove and replace damaged brick, storefront glazing, and header beam

New North Citizens Council Inc.
2455 Main St.
$59,500 — Frame, insulate, and install drywall to one wall at New North Citizens Council

Yasmin Siddiqui
17 Locust St.
$15,000 — Roofing

Picture This

By
We the Women
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

We the Women

On March 8, International Women’s Day, Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) put a spotlight on the work of the many women leaders within the campus and community. As part of its “We the Women” series, the event featured a panel discussion with female leaders who shared their journey to success.

We the Women

Panelists included, from left, Cindy Breunig, SAFE project director at STCC; Jennifer Wallace-Johnson, assistant professor of Social Work at STCC; Annamarie Golden, director of Community Relations at Baystate Health; and Cindy Gaynor-Harper, real-estate entrepreneur and STCC alumna.

 

Booking a Visit

Dr. Michael Krupa, CEO emeritus of MiraVista Behavioral Health Center and a licensed psychologist of more than three decades, recently read to preschool children at Square One’s Tommie Johnson Child & Family Center in honor of International Read to Me Day, which is celebrated each March 19. Krupa read the Margaret Wise Brown classic Goodnight Moon. Research shows that such early interaction supports brain development around language and thinking as children hear words connected to a story and pictures in a book.

MiraVista Behavioral Health Center

Dr. Michael Krupa, CEO emeritus of MiraVista Behavioral Health Center and a licensed psychologist of more than three decades, recently read to preschool children at Square One’s Tommie Johnson Child & Family Center in honor of International Read to Me Day, which is celebrated each March 19. Krupa read the Margaret Wise Brown classic Goodnight Moon

 

 

Raising Spirits

Monson Savings Bank recently donated $2,500 to Girls Inc. of the Valley in support of its fundraising event, Spirit of Girls, which aims to raise money to provide students living in Holyoke, Springfield, Chicopee, and surrounding areas with essential summer programming at no cost to their families.

Raising Spirits

Pictured, from left: Jessica Colson, Girls Inc. of the Valley director of Development & Communications; Dan Moriarty, Monson Savings Bank president and CEO; and Ruth Roy, Girls Inc. of the Valley campaign director.

 

 

Welcome to UMass

Javier Reyes (right), the next chancellor of UMass Amherst, sat down for a press conference on April 3 with his wife, Maritza Reyes (left) and UMass President Marty Meehan. In February, the UMass board of trustees named Reyes the successor to current UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy, who will step down this spring after 11 years leading the university. Reyes currently serves as interim chancellor at the University of Illinois Chicago, and has also held administrative posts at West Virginia University and the University of Arkansas.

Javier Reyes (right), the next chancellor of UMass Amherst

Javier Reyes (right), the next chancellor of UMass Amherst

 

 

 

Legal Lunch Room

On March 30, Bacon Wilson, P.C. hosted students and faculty from Bay Path University in its first-ever Legal Lunch Room, to give an inside look at the opportunities that can come from working in a law firm. The women of Bacon Wilson who graduated from Bay Path shared how their individual journeys led each of them down a different path to the firm.

The women of Bacon Wilson who graduated from Bay Path shared how their individual journeys led each of them down a different path to the firm.

The women of Bacon Wilson who graduated from Bay Path shared how their individual journeys led each of them down a different path to the firm.

 

Ready to Protect and Serve

The 65th recruit officer candidate class of the Western Massachusetts Police Academy was saluted in a graduation ceremony held at American International College (AIC) on March 17. They marched to the music of a bagpipe into the Griswold Theater, where they were welcomed by family, friends, and fellow members of law enforcement. Among the newly minted officers was AIC Police Officer Curtis McGuire, AIC’s first-ever graduate of the academy. (Photo by Zachary Cunningham)

The 65th recruit officer candidate class of the Western Massachusetts Police Academy was saluted in a graduation ceremony held at American International College (AIC) on March 17.

The 65th recruit officer candidate class of the Western Massachusetts Police Academy was saluted in a graduation ceremony held at American International College (AIC) on March 17.

 

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets

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.

 

 

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

 

Adnan Yildirim v. Wentworth Estates Condominium Trust

Allegation: Negligence, breach of contract: $58,952

Filed: 3/10/23

 

Jassen LaPlant, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. the Yankee Candle Co. Inc.

Allegation: Non-payment of wages, non-payment of overtime wages: $750,000

Filed: 3/13/23

 

Yelena Litvinov, personal representative of the estate of Eugene Litvinov v. Leonard Shaker, MD; Carla Sterling, MD; Tina Chin, PA; Patricia Orme Shea, NP; Laura Progulske, LPN; and Pioneer Valley Urology

Allegation: Medical malpractice, wrongful death: $50,000+

Filed: 3/13/23

 

Brenda Serrano v. Walmart Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $100,000

Filed: 3/16/23

 

Troy Laundry Building LLC v. Roger Sitterly and Son Inc.

Allegation: Breach of contract, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing: $107,983.42

Filed: 3/17/23

 

Ewa Costa v. LUSO Federal Credit Union

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $233,978.19

Filed: 3/23/23

Agenda

By
Agenda

Free Shred Days

April 15, May 13: bankESB invites customers and members of the community to two free shred days at local offices. The events will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on the following dates and locations: April 15, bankESB, 241 Northampton St., Easthampton; and May 13, Home Depot parking lot, 350 Russell St., Hadley. No appointment is necessary. Local residents can reduce their risk of identity theft by bringing old mail, receipts, statements or bills, canceled checks, pay stubs, medical records, or any other unwanted paper documents containing personal or confidential information and shredding them safely and securely for free. Valley Green Shredding, a professional document-destruction company, will be on site and can accept up to two boxes of documents per person.

 

En-ROADS Presentation

April 20: Westfield State University and its partners will host a free presentation of En-ROADS at 6:30 p.m. on campus in Wilson Hall, Room 130. The program is designed for the general public, secondary teachers, and students of all ages. En-ROADS is an evidence-based global climate simulator that allows users to explore the impact of specific policies — such as electrifying transport, pricing carbon, and improving agricultural practices — on hundreds of factors, including energy prices, temperature, air quality, and sea-level rise. Developed by Climate Interactive, the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative, and Ventana Systems, En-ROADS helps people make connections between things they care about and the possibilities available to help ensure a resilient future. Users can quickly see the long-term effects of the global climate policies and actions they imagine. Anyone interested in learning which climate solutions are most impactful, teachers wondering how to enhance students’ learning about climate issues, and others will benefit from the En-ROADS presentation, which will explore the benefits, challenges, and equity implications of a wide range of climate policies, while stakeholders work together to build a scenario for a better climate future. The presentation will include information on using En-ROADS in classrooms and other community settings, and will help attendees understand actions they can take to address climate change. Light refreshments will be provided.

 

Harmonia V Concert

April 20: The Westfield Athenaeum and MOSSO (Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra) will present the third of a three-concert chamber music series, with Harmonia V performing at 7 p.m. This is the second year of MOSSO’s partnership with the Westfield Athenaeum. Guy McLain, executive director of the Westfield Athenaeum, will offer a pre-performance talk at 6 p.m., which is free to ticket holders. The Connecticut-based Harmonia V, an innovative woodwind quintet, performs standard literature, seldom-heard treasures, and dynamic contemporary music. Members of the quintet include Springfield Symphony Orchestra and MOSSO horn player Robert Hoyle; Jennifer Berman, flute; Janet Rosen, oboe; Jim Forgey, clarinet; and Jackie Sifford Joyner, bassoon. The Harmonia V program, “April in Paris,” includes music by Fauré, Ravel, and Debussy. For information on Harmonia V, visit www.harmoniav.com. Tickets for the concert cost $25 and must be purchased in advance at the Westfield Athenaeum during business hours, or online at www.westath.org.

 

Technology Recycling Drive

April 21: For individuals and companies looking to get rid of their old computer equipment and do some good, Paragus IT will host a technology recycling drive to promote sustainability and benefit Dakin Humane Society. Paragus will take old, unwanted computers, laptops, printers, and other equipment and prepare them for reuse or make sure they’re properly disposed of. In exchange, Paragus will collect $5 per piece of equipment, all of which will benefit Dakin Humane Society. Between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., those looking to recycle equipment have two choices of drop-off sites: Paragus IT at 122 Russell St. in Hadley or Dakin Humane Society at 171 Union St. in Springfield. Paragus has also partnered with the Lexington Group, which has offered its vehicles and services for pick-up from local businesses. A minimum of five pieces of equipment and a minimum $50 donation are required for pick-up. Interested businesses can contact Jackie Deiana at [email protected] or (413) 343-1104 to reserve a spot.

 

5K Dash and Dine

April 22: UMass Dining Services will host its 12th annual UMass 5K Dash and Dine on campus. The goal of the event is to promote health and wellness at the university while raising funds for the Amherst Survival Center. In total, UMass Dining has been able to raise more than $57,000 for the Amherst Survival Center. The 5K features a USA Track and Field (USATF) certified course to runners, walkers, and wheelchair participants. When race participants are finished, all are welcome to have lunch at an award-winning Dining Commons on campus. The race fee is $10 for all UMass and Five College students, $20 for UMass Amherst faculty and staff, and $25 for the general public. Children 8 years and under may participate for free at the annual fun run at 10 a.m. The fee includes registration, T-shirt, and the complimentary meal at the Hampshire or Berkshire Dining Commons. Online registration ends on Wednesday, April 19, but walk-up registration is available on race day. The schedule includes check-in at the Southwest Horseshoe at 9 a.m., the fun run at 10 a.m., the start of the race at 11 a.m., an award ceremony at 11:30 a.m., and lunch at noon. To register for the event or make a donation, visit runumass.com.

 

Difference Makers Gala

April 27: The 15th annual Difference Makers Gala will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through this recognition program. The 2023 Difference Makers was announced, and their stories told, in the Feb. 20 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. Tickets cost $85 each, and tables of 10-12 are available. To purchase tickets, visit businesswest.com/difference-makers. Partner sponsors for this year’s program include Burkhart Pizzanelli P.C., the Royal Law Firm, TommyCar Auto Group, and Westfield Bank.

 

Pioneer Valley Conference for Women

May 4: The Pioneer Valley Conference for Women will host its first in-person event at the Marriott in downtown Springfield. The theme of the conference is “Let Go.” Leading the speaker lineup are Paulette Piñero, social entrepreneur, writer, and leadership coach, and Yvonne Williams, author of Tested Faith and It’s All About the Shoes. Each will provide a keynote address to an expected audience of more than 300 attendees. The conference highlights topics that were chosen by the women of Western Mass., based on current trends and interests. Alison Maloni, owner of Alison May Public Relations, news anchor for a national network, and bestselling author of Breaking in the News: Build Buzz for Your Brand, will emcee the conference. Local comedian Jess Miller will entertain attendees during a VIP Comedy Kick-off the evening before the conference; tickets cost $35. The cost to attend the Pioneer Valley Conference is $52, which includes breakfast, lunch, a swag bag, and an afternoon celebration with a female DJ and complementary wine and hors d’oeuvres following the full-day conference. The lunch sponsor is M&T Bank. The panel sponsor is Westfield Bank. The network sponsors are Smith Executive Education and USI Insurance. The small-business sponsors are Lovelace Design and Rooted Flowers. Keeping with the goal of accessibility, the conference will also be available virtually for those who are more comfortable watching through a screen. Sessions will be taped for future viewing. For more information on keynote speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and panelists, visit sheslocal.org/pioneer-valley-conference-for-women.

 

Sundae Funday 5K and Family Fun Fest

May 6: Marianna Litovich, founder and executive director of All Our Kids Inc., announced the organization’s third annual Sundae Funday 5K and Family Fun Fest will take place on from 9 a.m. to noon at Stanley Park in Westfield. The event will kick off with a 5K run/walk and simultaneous family festival that is open to the public. Families can enjoy games, crafts, prizes, food, community information, and lots of entertainment. “This event helps All Our Kids raise awareness, celebrate foster and adoptive families, bring our community together, and have fun,” Litovich said. Anyone interested in registering to run or walk the 5K or sponsor this nonprofit fundraiser can visit fosteringaok.org/aok5k.

 

Hooplandia

June 23-25: Registration for Hooplandia, a 3×3 basketball tournament and festival, is now open at www.hooplandia.com and includes levels of play for all ages and divisions. The tournament, presented by the Eastern States Exposition (ESE) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will take place on the grounds of ESE in West Springfield June 23-25, with special games at the Hall of Fame in Springfield. The event is expected to attract thousands of fans and players as hundreds of games take place across more than 70 courts. Divisions of play have been created to provide an all-inclusive environment for players of all ages and playing abilities. With brackets that include veterans, first responders, youth, wheelchair athletes, college elites, and many more, there’s a spot on the court for everyone. Players are invited to build teams of four, create their own unique team name and uniforms, and register at www.hooplandia.com. Team fees range from $75 to $190, with children under 8 and participants in the Special Olympics category being free of charge. Hooplandia has teamed up with Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the region as its designated philanthropic partner, providing $10 from every team registration to support the mission and programs of the clubs. Partnership opportunities for Hooplandia are available at a variety of levels to help underwrite all areas of play, including Boys & Girls Club youth, active military, veterans divisions, and more. Anyone interested should email [email protected]. Hooplandia welcomes participation from youth team referees, scorekeepers, Fan Village contest facilitators, and volunteers for myriad duties to help make this inaugural year a success. Those interested in participating in this groundbreaking event can fill out the volunteer form at www.hooplandia.com.

 

MOSSO Concert

July 23: MOSSO (Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra) will make its Sevenars Concerts debut in Worthington at 4 p.m. MOSSO and Friends, which opened the Westfield Athenaeum series, features violinist Beth Welty, horn player Sarah Sutherland, and pianist Elizabeth Skavish. They will perform Frédéric Duvernoy’s Trio No. 1 for Violin, Horn, and Piano; Trygve Madsen’s Trio, Op. 110 for Violin, Horn, and Piano; and Johannes Brahms’ Trio in E-flat Major for Violin, Horn, and Piano. Sevenars performances are held at the Academy, South Ireland Street and Route 112, South Worthington. There is no charge for admission to the performance, and no tickets are needed, although donations at the door are welcome ($20 or more per person is suggested to help defray expenses). For program details and information on Sevenars, visit www.sevenars.org.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Roy Sasenaraine

Roy Sasenaraine

Baystate Health and Lifepoint Behavioral Health, a business unit of Lifepoint Health, announced that Roy Sasenaraine has been named CEO of the new joint-venture behavioral-health hospital currently under construction in Holyoke. The 150-bed hospital, to be called Valley Springs Behavioral Health Hospital, is slated to open to patients in August. Most recently, Sasenaraine served as vice president of Operations for the central region of Spire Orthopedic Partners, where he led new construction, patient-access initiatives, and acquisition and integration work for Spire’s nine locations in Connecticut. Prior to his role at Spire, Sasenaraine served as vice president of Operations for Hartford Healthcare System’s East Region behavioral-health network. In this role, he oversaw 18 locations, including six school-based programs, two emergency departments, one inpatient psychiatric hospital, eight ambulatory locations, and one inpatient juvenile program. His leadership led to the implementation of a new care model for adolescent, pediatric, and adult patients in inpatient care along with the implementation of a new electronic medical record across all sites of care. Sasenaraine earned a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and a master’s degree in business administration, with a focus in healthcare administration, from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. He is a member of the board of directors for Health Assistance Intervention Education Network and previously served on boards for Advance Behavioral Health and Blue Ocean Healthcare LLC.

•••••

Audrey Chechile

Audrey Chechile

Audrey Chechile has joined the bankESB Marketing department as its Marketing Communications manager. In this role, she will be responsible for managing internal and external communications content to drive brand awareness, engagement, and business development; managing the company’s marketing and sales-material development, inventory, and distribution; and managing bank-sponsored events and donations across the member banks of its parent company, Hometown Financial Group. She will be integral in supporting the Marketing department in providing the highest level of service and responsiveness to customers, communities, and business partners. Prior to joining bankESB, Chechile was the Marketing manager at an automotive dealership group in Northampton, and before that was Marketing manager at Canna Provisions in Lee. She has more than 10 years of marketing experience in complex, regulated environments with emphasis in design, public relations, project management, event planning, and more. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from SUNY Fredonia.

•••••

Amherst College named Angie Tissi-Gassoway its new chief Student Affairs officer (CSAO) and dean of students. She will be responsible for all functions of the Office of Student Affairs, including residential engagement and well-being, housing and operations, identity and cultural resources, counseling and mental health, student activities and leadership, health and community safety services, accessibility, case management, community standards, new student programs and orientation, and immigration and visa services. Tissi-Gassoway has served as the interim CSAO since February, before which they served as the interim chief Equity and Inclusion officer for 14 months. They joined Amherst in July 2012 as an area coordinator in Residential Life and, since then, has held various roles in the offices of both Student Affairs and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), including director of the Queer Resource Center, assistant dean of students and director of Identity and Cultural Resources; and associate dean of students for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. During that time, Tissi-Gassoway co-led new-student orientation and co-developed the social-justice leadership LEAP program, founded and served as the inaugural director of the Queer Resource Center, and helped to establish a structure and expansion of the college’s cultural and identity resource centers, including the creation of the inaugural affinity-based graduation ceremonies. To reinforce the college’s commitment to inclusion and community, Tissi-Gassoway spearheaded the “I Belong” campaign, the Day of Dialogue on Race and Racism, the Amherst Reflects series, and the Cultural Heritage Committee. In the past year, they co-created and launched the Civil Rights and Title IX Office in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and worked with the provost’s office to recruit and retain a diverse faculty. They also currently chair the recently formed Campus Safety Advisory Committee. Prior to their tenure at Amherst College, they served in Mount Holyoke College’s Health Education office. Before that, Tissi-Gassoway worked at Oregon State University, where she first found her passion for community building, equity, and student engagement. She earned a master’s degree in education in social-justice education from UMass Amherst and a master’s degree in public health and bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University.

•••••

Noemí Custodia-Lora

Noemí Custodia-Lora

Tony Hawkins

Tony Hawkins

Arlene Rodríguez

Arlene Rodríguez

George Timmons

George Timmons

The search committee evaluating candidates to succeed Holyoke Community College (HCC) President Christina Royal has whittled a field of 50 down to four. All four finalists have many years of experience in higher education and now hold top-level administration positions at community colleges in the Northeast, and all four are persons of color — two Latinas and two African-American men. They include Noemí Custodia-Lora, vice president of the Lawrence campus and Community Relations at Northern Essex Community College in Massachusetts; Tony Hawkins, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, Continuing Education, and Workforce Development at Frederick Community College in Maryland; Arlene Rodríguez, provost and vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts; and George Timmons, provost and senior vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at Columbia-Greene Community College in New York. Custodia-Lora, a former Biology professor, holds a PhD in physiology and endocrinology from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the Universidad de Puerto Rico. Timmons holds a PhD in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University, a master’s degree in higher education from Old Dominion University, and a bachelor’s degree in financial management from Norfolk State University. Hawkins, a former professor of Speech, Communication, and Theater, holds a PhD in higher education, leadership, and technology from New York University, a certificate of advanced study in administration, planning, and social policy from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, a master’s degree in speech communication from the University of Georgia, and a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Towson State University. Rodríguez, a former English professor, holds a PhD in English from UMass Amherst, a master’s degree in English from Lehigh University, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Fordham University. The HCC board of trustees is expected to vote to approve a new president at its next meeting on Tuesday, April 25.

•••••

Megan Wehbe

Megan Wehbe

Kevin Jack

Kevin Jack

Market Mentors, the region’s largest marketing, advertising, and public-relations agency, announced the promotions of two of its employees. Megan Wehbe was promoted from account executive to senior account executive/strategic planner, and Kevin Jack was promoted from digital marketing specialist to senior digital specialist. Wehbe, a graduate of Grand Valley State University in Michigan, has more than a decade of experience in new-business development and account management, including long-range planning, strategizing, and executing client projects and campaigns. With previous experience working on accounts for USAA and Audi, she now lends her expertise to a wide variety of clients at Market Mentors. A graduate of Temple University in Pennsylvania and holding Google Ads and Analytics certifications, Jack plans, executes, optimizes, and reports on digital marketing campaigns for clients across a gamut of industries, including healthcare, banking and finance, retail, manufacturing, and more.

•••••

Western Mass.-based author J.D. O’Brien’s debut crime novel, Zig Zag, was recently released in hardcover by Schaffner Press, an independent publisher in Tucson, Ariz., with a paperback edition coming later this year. In Zig Zag, a botched marijuana-dispensary heist in the San Fernando Valley sends burned-out bail bondsman Harry Robatore deep into the Mojave Desert trailing two lovers on the run. What follows is a stoned journey across the dive bars, neon-lit motels, and lost highways of the American West, building to an explosive showdown at a ghost-town tourist trap. Since its release in February, Zig Zag has been named a Southwest Book of the Year by the Pima County Library and was a pick of the week by popular publishing-industry resource Shelf Awareness. Before returning to the Pioneer Valley, the author lived in Los Angeles for a number of years, including a stint in Van Nuys, the gritty neighborhood where much of Zig Zag is set. The book was also informed by several road trips through the Mojave Desert. O’Brien currently works as a copywriter at Darby O’Brien Advertising in South Hadley. He is working on a sequel to Zig Zag.

•••••

John Jones Jr.

John Jones Jr.

Keith Allen

Keith Allen

The Springfield Thunderbirds announced the promotion of John Jones Jr. to Manager of Ticket Sales & Strategy. Jones joined the Thunderbirds as an account executive in ticket sales during the 2018-19 season. A former Division I letter winner in football at Florida State University, he will oversee the Thunderbirds’ award-winning Ticket Sales department in the areas of season tickets, group tickets, and individual ticket sales. He has annually been among the top ticket-sales representatives leaguewide over his four seasons with the organization. Additionally, the Thunderbirds welcomed Keith Allen as coordinator of Community Relations. Allen joined the Thunderbirds as an intern in Game Operations and Community Relations during the 2021-22 season following the completion of his degree from Southern New Hampshire University. He will assist the Thunderbirds and the T-Birds Foundation in charitable ventures throughout the Pioneer Valley, including appearances by team mascot Boomer and Thunderbirds players.

•••••

Richard Segool, a pediatrician practicing at Pioneer Valley Pediatrics and co-founder of Health New England, is retiring from the Health New England board and from his practice, mostly. He will still see patients one day a week but is largely pulling away from his practice of 47 years. To honor his contribution to the local healthcare ecosystem, Health New England has made a $100,000 grant to the Baystate Division of Midwifery and Community Health’s Community Connections Program, to help with maternal and infant care. The focus could not be more personal for Segool, as he and his wife, Hélène, experienced the loss of a twin daughter at birth. In 1986, Baystate Medical Center, two other hospitals, and a group of physicians formed an innovative, co-owned health plan with a mission to improve the health and lives of the people in the communities they served. As one of the first to join the plan and a member of the charter corporation, Segool has helped guide Health New England as it evolved into the only local not-for-profit, hospital-owned health plan in the region. He has served on its board of directors since then.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

Business Editor George O’Brien to Retire

After nearly 30 years as editor of the region’s premier business publication, BusinessWest editor George O’Brien will retire from that position later this spring. A search for a successor is ongoing. O’Brien, who started his career in journalism at the Westfield Evening News in 1980, said that he will always covet his years at BusinessWest and the relationships forged during his time here. “I’ve always told people that behind every business there are people, and these people have stories,” he noted. “I’ve always loved telling those stories.” O’Brien joined BusinessWest in 1995 after serving a lengthy stint as editor of the Westfield Evening News. He has been at the forefront of expansion at BusinessWest that has come in many forms — from making the formerly monthly publication twice monthly, to the introduction of several events, including Difference Makers and 40 Under Forty, to the introduction of the healthcare publication Healthcare News. He said he has enjoyed all aspects of his work at BusinessWest, but especially emceeing events and meeting business owners, telling their stories, and keeping readers informed. A frequent public speaker who has addressed chambers of commerce, Rotary Clubs, and other groups about the publication and the business scene in the 413, O’Brien said he told them that the region’s best assets are its resiliency and strong entrepreneurial spirit.“I’ve always been impressed with the entrepreneurial energy in Western Mass.,” he said. “There have always been people willing to take risks, innovate, and convert ideas into businesses.”O’Brien said he intends to find opportunities to write a little and stay active in Western Mass., working with area nonprofits such as Link to Libraries, which he has served as a board member and reader in the classroom, most recently at Springfield’s DeBerry Elementary School, for more than a decade. “The best thing about being in Western Mass. is that around every corner, and on every street, there’s a business I’ve profiled,” he noted. “This hasn’t been a job, really, it’s been a privilege.”

 

Square One Announces Plans for Expanded Access to Services

SPRINGFIELD — On March 24, Square One leaders were joined by state and local officials to formally announce plans to expand access to high-quality early learning and care for the region’s children and families. The announcement was held at 947 Main St., Springfield, the site where Square One once stood prior to the 2011 tornado. There, Square One plans to build a new facility, which will include four preschool classrooms, a full-service family-support center, and administrative offices. Early support for the estimated $10 million project is coming from both the city of Springfield and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno has committed nearly $1 million in funding, while state Sen. Adam Gomez and state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez sponsored and secured a $2 million earmark in the state budget to support Square One’s expansion of services. The 26,000-square-foot facility is being developed by well-known developers Fran Cataldo, Juan Prieto, Paul Picknelly, and Charles Irving, who formed a partnership in 2016 for the purpose of developing the property that was once occupied by Square One. Known as Davenport Square 1, the partners represent a legacy of investment, development, and redevelopment in Springfield and Western Mass., including retail, housing, office, and hospitality projects. Together, they are committed to projects that support the revitalization of downtown Springfield.

 

Veritas Prep Charter School Approved as Early College Program

SPRINGFIELD — Following a rigorous, nine-month application process, Springfield’s Veritas Preparatory Charter School, in partnership with Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and Worcester State University (WSU), has been approved for designation as a Massachusetts Early College program by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, starting this fall. The unique local program allows Veritas Prep High School students to take college courses through STCC and WSU and earn 30 to 60 credits, even working towards obtaining an associate degree upon high-school graduation, for free. This designation will add more than 100 students to early-college enrollment this fall and 334 students by 2026, with pathways concentrated in health sciences and healthcare, education, business and finance, computer science, engineering, and liberal arts. Starting last fall, Veritas High School opened with 100 students in grade 9, working with STCC and WSU to begin implementing early-college activities for the inaugural ninth-grade class. Veritas Prep’s freshmen were offered two college courses this semester with professors from STCC and WSU, each course earning them credit toward high-school graduation and transferable college credits. With the average cost of college in Massachusetts around $20,000 per year, the intensive early-college program can save students $40,000 to $75,000 or more. The general studies associate degree that students can earn from STCC while still in high school means they can start as juniors at other Massachusetts public colleges or universities.

 

Eversource Recognized Among 100 Most Sustainable Companies

BOSTON — For the fourth consecutive year, Eversource Energy has been recognized by Barron’s on its list of America’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies, appearing as the top utility in the annual ranking for the second time in the last three years. Eversource’s rank also improved significantly to 17th overall on this year’s list from 40th last year, reflecting the strides the company has made in executing its strategic commitment to sustainability throughout its operations. The Barron’s list of 100 Most Sustainable Companies is based on more than 230 environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) metrics. To create the ranking, the top 1,000 publicly traded companies by market value were evaluated by how they performed for five key constituencies — customers, communities, employees, the planet, and shareholders — looking at ESG performance indicators such as workplace diversity, data security, and greenhouse-gas emissions. To qualify for the list, a company must be rated above the bottom quarter in each of the five stakeholder categories.

 

Westfield State Nets $1 Million for Nursing, Health Science Programs

WESTFIELD — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal recently joined Westfield State University President Linda Thompson to announce a $1 million earmark to enhance the university’s training capacity for nursing and health science students. The allocation was made possible through congressionally directed spending from the Department of Education. Neal included funding for this project in the FY 2023 spending bill that was signed into law on Dec. 29, 2022. Westfield State’s plans for this funding are threefold: to double the university’s simulation space that is utilized to develop students’ skills and confidence in applying healthcare practices, provide a new Easy Street simulation space that will allow healthcare students to apply concepts of home-based and community care in their learning, and provide new spaces for the practice of healthcare innovation.

 

Bay Path University Launches MS in Nursing Degree

LONGMEADOW — In response to the growing demand for nurse practioners, educators, and administrators, Bay Path University has announced its fully online, new master of science in nursing (MSN) program, which will begin accepting nursing candidates for the fall 2023 semester. The fully asynchronous MS in nursing is ideal for working adults, allowing students to learn on their time and on their schedule, and enrolled nursing candidates can earn their degree within two years. The online master of science in nursing is also a pathway to Bay Path’s online doctor of nurse practice – family nurse practitioner program, which is a terminal nursing credential preparing nurses with the critical skills needed to translate evidence-based care into practice, improve systems of care, and measure outcomes for patients and communities. Nurses who wish to pursue a terminal nursing credential and who have graduated from Bay Path’s MS in nursing program may also be able to apply courses to the doctoral program.

 

Aer Lingus Resumes Service from Bradley to Dublin

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority announced that Aer Lingus has resumed non-stop service from Bradley International Airport to Dublin, Ireland. The first flight departed Bradley International Airport on March 26. The resumed service operates daily through the end of October via Aer Lingus’ Airbus A321neo LR aircraft and offers connectivity to 28 key U.K. and European airports, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome and Prague, and more. The service is expected to operate annually on a seasonal basis until year-round demand is realized from the return of business travel. Aer Lingus, the Irish flag carrier, first started operating out of Bradley International Airport in 2016. After nearly four successful years and thousands of passengers served, the non-stop service was interrupted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Elms, HCC Sign Transfer Agreement

CHICOPEE — Elms College and Holyoke Community College (HCC) signed an articulation transfer agreement that will make it easier for HCC students to complete their bachelor’s degree at Elms College in either biology or biotechnology. HCC students who earn an associate degree in biology or biotechnology with a minimum GPA of 2.0 will be able to transfer at least 60 credits and enroll into Elms College’s bachelor-degree programs in either biology or biotechnology. The agreement is effective immediately so that HCC biology and biotechnology students who graduate this spring and meet the requirements of the agreement can matriculate into Elms this fall as third-year students. For information about the program, email [email protected] or [email protected].

 

Beauty Batlles Lounge Announces New Location

CHICOPEE — Beauty Batlles Lounge announced it will be relocating to a larger, more expansive space at 46 Cabot St. in downtown Chicopee. The advanced beauty and wellness spa will offer a larger scale of wellness services, including cryotherapy, to its clientele, as well as new job opportunities within the community. The new lounge will consist of new equipment allowing Beauty Batlles to offer cryo facial, cryo body sculpt, cryo skin, and cryo hair rejuvenation. Cryotherapy, also known as cold therapy, exposes the body to cold temperatures to heal and treat various medical ailments. Beauty Batlles Lounge uses cutting-edge technology and medical-grade products to customize treatment to clients’ specific needs and deliver self-confidence to individuals who have been struggling with insecurities.

 

Data Center Planned for Thorndike Mill

PALMER — Thorndike Energy Group announced a partnership with Worldwide Environmental Services in the development of a state-of-the-art data center at Thorndike Mill in Palmer. The repurposed mill currently houses multiple DC hydroelectric generation units and offers a unique application of clean, renewable power that inherently has a significant amount of storage in the upstream water reservoir. This power source will serve as the initial energy component for a campus-wide microgrid that will allow for the addition of wind, solar, and hydrogen-fueled energy sources along with connection to the local grid.

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

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

AGAWAM

EML Transportation Inc., 81 Regency Park Dr., Agawam, MA 01001. Emil Ibadov, same. Transportation services.

BELCHERTOWN

Owen W. Sedlacek Memorial Foundation Inc., 35 Meadow Pond Road, Belchertown, MA 01007. Carissa P. Sedlacek, same. A nonprofit organization established for the purpose of mentoring young people during their transition from secondary school into higher education environments.

EASTHAMPTON

The Manny Rodriguez Scholarship Fund Inc., 226 Pleasant St., Suite 241, Easthampton, MA 01027. Elizabeth Rodriguez, 49 Parsons St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Scholarship program whose mission is to provide an opportunity for bipoc, trans/gnc/nb identity, or disability low-income members of the Western Mass. community to join our ceramics family.

LONGMEADOW

Inclusion Space Inc., 89 Bliss Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Nechama Katan, same. Nonprofit organization established to teach skills to individuals with disabilities, document and share success stories, and teaching methodologies. Provide grants for lessons and focus on trades and other skills leading to future employment.

PALMER

Sinigur Heating and Cooling Inc., 3 Pioneer Dr., Palmer, MA 01069. Eduard Sinigur, same. Heating and cooling services.

PITTSFIELD

Agn Rainier Inc., 82 Wendell Avenue, Ste. 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Kevin Sypniewski, 1685 Los Carneros Ave., Napa, CA 94556. Insurance brokerage.

SPRINGFIELD

Beyond Emergence Inc., 415 State St., Springfield, MA 01105. Amanda Gauthier, same. A nonprofit organization established to fundraise for student and family needs that we are unable to support with current school funding, such as support with rent, medical bills, or other student needs.

La Espada Afilada De Jehova Inc., 84 Tyler St., Springfield, MA 01109. Osvaldo Almodovar, 148 Leary Dr., Holyoke, MA 01040. A spiritual organization designed to help the community without housing, orphans, widows, alcoholics, and drug addicts. We instill the words of faith, hope and love without condemning nor judging.

VBS Foundation, Inc., 100 Congress Street, Springfield, MA 01104. Matthew Drury, same. Funding and operation of a nonprofit summer collegiate baseball team in the NECBL league.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

CJL Painting and Cleaning Inc., 74 Russel St Unit 2, West Springfield, MA 01089. Cristiano J Lopes, same. Commercial and residential painting and cleaning services.

Nano Inks USA Inc., 150 Front St., Suite 2, West Springfield, MA 01089. Paul Giusto, 11 Sawgrass Lane, Southwick, MA 01077. Manufacturing and sales of inks, coatings, adhesive.

WESTFIELD

Gold Vine Moving and Storage Inc., 43 Broad St., Westfield, MA 01085. Jason Lee Levine, same. In-state eviction moving and storage.

JP Garages Inc., 247 Elm St., Westfield, MA 01085. Jorge Luis Perez Sr, 12 Lewis St., Westfield, MA 01085.Holding company.

Refinedmen Inc., 120 Franklin St., Westfield, MA 01085. Roger Oprecht, same. Re-sell products on Amazon and Walmart.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of March 2023.

BELCHERTOWN

AVS
424 Springfield Road
Matthew Fillmore

Cold Spring Self Storage
159 Bay Road
Trista Fedor

Equine K9 Chiropractic
22 South Main St.
Bethany Boehle

Lanzi, Elisa M.
47 Two Ponds Road
Elisa Lanzi

LM Dreams Publishing and Designs
5 Eastview Dr.
Lynn Yovina

Marie Foley, LMHC
36 Dana Hill Road
Marie-Claire Foley

Roger McGinnis Trucking
7 Brandywine Dr.
Roger McGinnis, Grete McGinnis

The Vintage Barn
365 Bardwell St.
Lisa Allen

DEERFIELD

Elevate Salon Studio Inc.
15 Sunrise Ave.
Marcia Hawkins

Kapoor Mobil Mart Inc.
242 Conway Road
Sawkat Wally

HOLYOKE

Appleton Market
435 Appleton St.
Victor Ramos

CC Home Improvement
525 South St., Apt. 2R
Carlos Colon

De la Sole Sneakers
98 Lower Westfield Road, Suite 101
Carlos Colondres

F&M Motor Sales
414A South St.
Michael Gruszka

Garage
50 Holyoke St., Unit E272
GRG USA LLC

ILA Film Lab and Store
287 High St., Suite 212
Jonathan Davila

Lea & Lea LLC
207½ Sargeant St.
Hamze Al Jammal

Lux Properties
1155 Hampden St.
Alexa Vargas, Zaiell Vargas

McKenney Hearth & Home
100 Northampton St.
David McKenney, Nora Wine

Messier Funeral Home
1944 Northampton St.
Michael Martel

PARPE
55 Laura Lane
Patti Cutler

Red Leaf Investigations
34 Joanne Dr.
James Albert

Round 1 Bowling Amusement
50 Holyoke St., #J210
Shintaro Kaji, Toshiro Sasayama, Hirotoshi Takahashi

SPJ
1002 Hampden St.
Allan Nolan

The Spot Shop
50 Holyoke St.
Michael Guzman

Sunglass Hut
50 Holyoke St., #C324
Sarag Andersen

Xfinity
50 Holyoke St.
Tom Donnelly

LONGMEADOW

Aislinn Paige Art
47 Braclay St.
Aislynn Calabrese

AK Paint
123 Arlington Road
Andrew Kessler

BOC Construction
85 Mill Road
Barry O’Connor

Counting the Cost Bookkeeping
38 Chiswick St.
Nicole Blasa Loud

Destination Health
175 Dwight Road
Jeri Beales

JBC Go LLC
18 South Park Ave.
Jennifer Baggette Cosgrove

Maggi Marriage Ceremonies
58 Robin Road
Robert Salvatore Maggi

PITTSFIELD

BalloonBliss
1749 East St.
Amanda Brooks

The Berkshire Eagle
75 South Church St.
Fredric Rutberg

Big Y Express #83
202 West St.
Big Y Foods Inc.

Coggins of the Berkshires
746 East St.
Occopa LLC

Eversource Energy
333 West St.
NSTAR Electric Co.

Four One Three Salon Inc.
54 Wendell Ave., Unit B
Alicia Powers

Frontline Financial Partners
700 South St.
Dylan Bencivenga

Harvest Power Solar
82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100
Harvest Power LLC

JNE Home Improvement
74 Broad St.
John Ireland

Johnson Ford
694 East St.
The Johnson Dealerships Inc.

KLE Project Services
82 Wendell Ave.
KLE Inc.

Lenox Hair Styles
136 Elm St.
275 Highland Ave.

New Village Transport
61 Stoddard Ave.
Jonathan Villanuera

Old Soul Sounds
77 Seymour St.
Craig Spencer Hopkins

Tina Brazie Creative Family Crafts
59 Bartlett Ave.
Tina Brazie

TriMountain Insurance
82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100
TriMountain Corp.

SOUTH HADLEY

Kovacs & Co.
97 Pearl St.
Gabriel Kovacs

Notre Dame Monuments
65 Lyman St.
David Montovani

Renegade Souls
57 School St.
Renegade Souls

Summit Mechanical
48 Summit St.
Robert Forest

SPRINGFIELD

Mutual Enterprises Inc.
255 Berkshire Ave.
Christopher Cantalini

NailsCon Amor
874 State St.
Analiz Rivera

New York Sound & Motion Productions Inc.
1350 Main St.
Edward Brown III

Our Family & Friends LLC
932 Worthington St.
Arlene Hassan

Pafumi Auto Care Center
389 Main St.
BWK Inc.

Parker Pizzeria
1190 Parker St.
Feber 1907 Inc.

Primo’s Auto Center
125 Main St.
Armando Tereso

Raw Beauty Brand LLC
34 Hobson St.
Crystal Valdez

Shamrock Market
1116 St. James Ave.
Samia Azeem

Sharp Lines Remodeling & Painting
55 State St.
Jeffrey Horsman

Shyguns
129 Florence St.
Jailyne

Stylez Barber Studio
186 State St.
Rosa Lee Rivera

Supreme Mart
1295 Worcester St.
OA Supreme LLC

Tacos Shapines
668 Liberty St.
Blanca Sanchez

Tiara’s Child Care
83 Ingersoll Grove
Tiara Mitchell

Tienda Guatemala
78 Mooreland St.
Elvia Morales Lopez

Tribe 46ers
5 Rogers Ave.
Wilson Maloni

Trucks R Us Group LLC
53 Stephanie Circle
Jean Joseph

Valet Park of America
185 Spring St.
Theodore Chagnon

We Belong
20 Fort St.
Tyreed Olivo

Wilson Enterprise
18 Montcalm St.
Kenneth Wilson

XMD Xtreme Mobile Detail
129 Darling St.
Joel Carrero

Yuyi’s Family Child Care
43 Horace St.
Yuliana Abreu German

Zaza Green
311 Page Blvd.
311 Page Blvd Holding Group LLC

WESTFIELD

Daniel Harvester, Attorney at Law
4 Fritz Ave.
Daniel Harvester

Everything Remodeling
76 Southwick Road
Jose Rivera

Gietek Landscaping
3 Atwater St.
Nicholas Gietek

JB Home Inspections
330 Buck Pond Road
John Borges

Kimberly Hatch Photography
77 Mill St., Suite 011
Kimberly Hatch

Marissa’s Golf Movement
396 East Mountain Road
Marissa Crow

Preferred Domestics
9 Myrtle Ave.
Lamont Carroll

Responsible Driving of Westfield LLC
132 Elm St.
Responsible Driving of Westfield LLC

Westfield Mass Handyman
402 Papermill Road
Michael Clegg

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

34 Sumner Realty LLC
785 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 11
Date: 03/02/2023

Belliveau, Mark A.
96 Cubles Dr.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/07/2023

Braman, Robert B.
144 North Blandford Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/28/2023

Brown, Richard W.
101 Dunham Road
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/09/2023

Daniel, Lonell
162 Jasper St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/14/2023

Dufresne, Raymond E.
36D St. Kolbe Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/15/2023

Durand, Jay P.
73 Union Road
Wales, MA 01081
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/13/2023

Famiglietti, Bernard
a/k/a FamigliettiBernardo
a/k/a FamigliettiBenny
48 East Drumlin Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/06/2023

Hibberd, Milagros
a/k/a Ruiz, Milagros
1185 Westfield St., Apt. 18
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/28/2023

Houck, Robert B.
PO Box 425
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/15/2023

Johanna Hall Consulting
Hall, Johanna Elizabeth
244 Montague Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/08/2023

Krafchuk, Thomas J.
78 Pease Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/03/2023

Lafond, Henri D.
129 Edgewood Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/13/2023

Monteiro, Anthony J.
6 Silver St.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/08/2023

Moore, Christopher L.
14 Donovan St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/08/2023

Moore, Michael D.
11 Broad St.
Gilbertville, MA 01031
Chapter: 13
Date: 03/01/2023

Mountain, Christa
491 Main St., Apt. 6
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/01/2023

Palatino, Laurie A.
268 Palmer Road, Unit #10
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/15/2023

Prats, Mayra P.
70 Nassau Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/13/2023

Provencal, Richard Albert
Provencal, Nancy
194 South Longyard Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/10/2023

Ramos, Frank R.
19 State St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/08/202

Robare, Jeannette M.
17 Frink St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/13/2023

Vadivel, Chandra Prakash
115 Northampton St., Apt. 3B
Boston, MA 02118
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/13/2023

White, Darnelle
58 Albemarle St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 03/10/2023

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

127 Ludwig Branch Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $155,500
Buyer: A-O-K RT
Seller: Steven R. Rossi
Date: 03/17/23

BERNARDSTON

27-A Eden Trail
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: Shawn E. Stockwell
Seller: Mtglq Investors LP
Date: 03/16/23

Mount Hermon Station Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $154,500
Buyer: Michael Budrewicz
Seller: Arthur Cohen 1995 RET
Date: 03/15/23

BUCKLAND

100 Bray Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Michael T. O’Brien
Seller: Jason Cusimano
Date: 03/13/23

55 State St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $345,500
Buyer: BB&H Holdings LLC
Seller: Jessfx LLC
Date: 03/15/23

CONWAY

106 Upper Baptist Hill Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $382,500
Buyer: Daniel Wright
Seller: Edward A. Zajac
Date: 03/09/23

DEERFIELD

4 Greenfield Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Greenfield Road LLC
Seller: Angel Properties LLC
Date: 03/15/23

190 Lower Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: John R. Detweiler
Seller: James D. Marciano
Date: 03/08/23

71 Mathews Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Douglas R. Kremm
Seller: Joseph J. Morsman
Date: 03/10/23

GILL

9 Mount Hermon Station Road
Gill, MA 01360
Amount: $154,500
Buyer: Michael Budrewicz
Seller: Arthur Cohen 1995 RET
Date: 03/15/23

GREENFIELD

42 Kenwood St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Edward Zajac
Seller: Christal L. Cutler
Date: 03/09/23

35 Lincoln St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $353,500
Buyer: Michael Lentz
Seller: Madeleine A. Cohen
Date: 03/07/23

39 Plantation Circle
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: James M. Burke
Seller: Leboeuf Jr., Paul D., (Estate)
Date: 03/09/23

7 Prospect Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $670,000
Buyer: Colin J. Hoyt
Seller: Monahan Int.
Date: 03/07/23

249 Shelburne Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Bridger Felton
Seller: Carpenter, Willard H., (Estate)
Date: 03/08/23

LEVERETT

118 Long Plain Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Jason Goodhind
Seller: Lloyd, Susan Brierley, (Estate)
Date: 03/16/23

LEYDEN

234 West Leyden Road
Leyden, MA 01337
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Pedro J. Borgos
Seller: Joan A. Smith
Date: 03/07/23

MONTAGUE

15 X St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Aaron G. Milewski
Seller: Eugene M. Milewski
Date: 03/15/23

ORANGE

437 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Casa Amigos Restaurant
Seller: Yiantsidis NT
Date: 03/07/23

190 North Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Andre Depaula
Seller: Reinol E. Suarez
Date: 03/14/23

320 South Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Michael D. Squire
Seller: AGT Homes LLC
Date: 03/17/23

SHELBURNE

80 Wilson Graves Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $246,700
Buyer: Jonathan C. Graves
Seller: James W. Graves
Date: 03/07/23

SHUTESBURY

70 Cooleyville Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Ross Kiely
Seller: Rehorka, Frank G., (Estate)
Date: 03/10/23

WHATELY

73 State Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $862,700
Buyer: DKS Management LLC
Seller: Andrew F. Gianino
Date: 03/08/23

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

31 Alfred Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Bryon D. Turcotte
Seller: MAA Property LLC
Date: 03/13/23

85 Broz Ter.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Craig Sedelow
Seller: Dominik A. Dasilva
Date: 03/16/23

116 Edward St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Tifany M. Inacio
Seller: Aaron F. Starke
Date: 03/16/23

31 Fruwirth Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Paul Jarrett
Seller: David C. Fazio
Date: 03/13/23

61 Hemlock Ridge
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: Michael J. Pellerin
Seller: Daniel P. Kozikowski
Date: 03/07/23

92 James St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Ryan Henrichon
Seller: Malia Homebuyers LLC
Date: 03/07/23

84 Line St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Seller: Laverdure, Scott D., (Estate)
Date: 03/16/23

15 Marla Place
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $412,000
Buyer: Charles J. Lavimodiere
Seller: Richard W. Heer
Date: 03/06/23

34 Mooreland St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Chenevert Properties LLC
Seller: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Date: 03/15/23

71 Norman Ter.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Andri Zhyhaniuk
Seller: Beane, Helen T., (Estate)
Date: 03/16/23

4 Spring St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Samantha Paradis
Seller: Tonya L. Bigus
Date: 03/06/23

633-635 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Erika Matos
Seller: Janet F. Maynard
Date: 03/17/23

662 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Haskell Holdings LLC
Seller: West Co. Investments LLC
Date: 03/10/23

75 Valentine St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Gino Serra
Seller: Joseph T. Janick RET
Date: 03/07/23

BRIMFIELD

140 Paige Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Chad B. Hayes
Seller: Samuel Edvalson
Date: 03/10/23

381 Sturbridge Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Gavin Racicot
Seller: Joyce E. Stocks
Date: 03/16/23

CHICOPEE

3 Allen St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $401,000
Buyer: Kamaraj Pandurangan
Seller: DGL Properties LLC
Date: 03/09/23

21 Alvord Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Erick C. Weber
Seller: 21 Alvord Ave LLC
Date: 03/17/23

49 Anson St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Cristina G. Gonzalez
Seller: Walter J. Rose
Date: 03/10/23

30 Bardon St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $358,500
Buyer: Yashira Rodriguez
Seller: Melendez FT
Date: 03/14/23

175 Beauregard Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Anderson Builders & Son LLC
Seller: Residential Rental LLC
Date: 03/16/23

496 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $348,000
Buyer: Samuel Mubiru
Seller: Equity Trust Co.
Date: 03/10/23

11 Call St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Chicopee St. Realty LLC
Seller: Fairview Fence Inc.
Date: 03/08/23

604 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Chicopee St. Realty LLC
Seller: Fairview Fence Inc.
Date: 03/08/23

268 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Tatyana Gingeruha
Seller: Welch FT
Date: 03/06/23

60 Falmouth Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $262,500
Buyer: Diane J. Pirnie
Seller: Diane S. Denby
Date: 03/10/23

24 Hartford St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $261,500
Buyer: Matthew Ogrodowicz
Seller: Rehab Home Buyers LLC
Date: 03/16/23

367 Irene St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: T. & Bettye Thomas IRT
Seller: Steven Huard
Date: 03/10/23

17 Lachine St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $311,500
Buyer: Colleen Wolfe
Seller: Czelusniak, Jeannine R., (Estate)
Date: 03/10/23

77 Lapa Farm Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Marek Strojvus
Seller: Jared Lavallee
Date: 03/14/23

684 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Rachel M. Pinney
Seller: Hollie A. Smith
Date: 03/10/23

4 Mount Vernon Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Michael R. Moore
Seller: Kristina M. Vieira
Date: 03/15/23

85 Murphy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Dylan J. Brochu
Seller: Gregory S. Gwozdz
Date: 03/16/23

108 Oakridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Dawn M. Gibson
Seller: Kyle G. Beaudreault
Date: 03/15/23

114 Quartus St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: Ian G. MacDonald
Seller: Ross E. Domingos
Date: 03/06/23

9 Randall St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Erik Taylor
Seller: Patricia J. Bousquet
Date: 03/14/23

116 School St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $604,000
Buyer: LSH Investment LLC
Seller: Harty, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 03/10/23

250 School St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Ahmed Aljashaam
Seller: Jones, Dean, (Estate)
Date: 03/17/23

106 Tolpa Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Kay L. Loudon
Seller: Pablo Colon
Date: 03/10/23

151 Trilby Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Emilio P. Gaudette
Seller: Christine L. Lopes
Date: 03/16/23

EAST LONGMEADOW

3 Fairway Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $645,000
Buyer: Issra Jamal
Seller: Suparna Sarkar
Date: 03/14/23

126 Meadowbrook Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $482,000
Buyer: Ingo Koomoa-Lange
Seller: Ralph C. Zepke
Date: 03/07/23

190 Pleasant St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $217,500
Buyer: 190 Pleasant St. LLC
Seller: Piper Lowe Real Estate Group LLC
Date: 03/16/23

341 Shaker Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: Soflo Tower Realty LLC
Seller: KRM Real Estate LLC
Date: 03/16/23

HAMPDEN

35 Fernwood Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: David Soto
Seller: Judith A. Perusse
Date: 03/13/23

13 Martin Farms Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Susan Lucia
Seller: Piper Lowe Real Estate Group LLC
Date: 03/15/23

47 Woodland Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $236,678
Buyer: Newrez LLC
Seller: Timothy Cairney
Date: 03/08/23

HOLYOKE

72 Belvidere Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Maya J. Grindrod
Seller: Peltier FT
Date: 03/14/23

55 Dupuis Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $183,300
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Edward Mims
Date: 03/17/23

201 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $134,900
Buyer: Valley Opportunity Council
Seller: New England Farm Workers Council
Date: 03/10/23

51 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Bobbie S. Small
Seller: Raul Bermudez
Date: 03/17/23

71 Lynch Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Victor P. Lorenzi
Seller: Sandra J. Mimoso
Date: 03/08/23

470 Maple St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Phantom Holdings LLC
Seller: Standard Properties Inc.
Date: 03/16/23

30 Mowry Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Justin Mandeville
Seller: Elsie M. Bouchard
Date: 03/09/23

74-76 Newton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: 117 All Gas No Breakz LLC
Seller: Asj Properties LLC
Date: 03/10/23

78 Nonotuck St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $322,500
Buyer: Alexppark LLC
Seller: New Line Realty LLC
Date: 03/17/23

131 Ontario Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Anna Robinson
Seller: Kenneth L. Atchison
Date: 03/17/23

LUDLOW

276 Colonial Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Aydin Oflu
Seller: Mee H. Lam
Date: 03/07/23

56 Colton Place
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $565,160
Buyer: Dwain E. Reeder
Seller: Richard D. Plaut
Date: 03/17/23

78 Leetewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Kathleen M. O’Connell
Seller: SRV Properties LLC
Date: 03/15/23

6 Marias Way
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Altan Ibas
Seller: Alicinio Martins
Date: 03/10/23

Swan Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $142,500
Buyer: Dias Properties LLC
Seller: Lopata, Casimir S., (Estate)
Date: 03/08/23

75 Wolf Swamp Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Robert Fisher
Seller: Daniel W. Counts
Date: 03/17/23

143 Yarmouth St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $519,900
Buyer: Marisa Alwon
Seller: Andrew Jablow
Date: 03/13/23

MONSON

1 Green St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $300,500
Buyer: Lord Boucher LLC
Seller: First Church Of Monson
Date: 03/16/23

13 Silva St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Rebecca Belcher
Seller: Nicholas Markopoulos
Date: 03/09/23

83 Thayer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Benjamin M. Murphy
Seller: Andrew L. Strong
Date: 03/09/23

PALMER

7 Jim Ash Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $155,167
Buyer: Shaw Development Inc.
Seller: Jeffrey B. Wilson
Date: 03/06/23

2275 Palmer Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Linda Brennan
Seller: Diane M. Rosa
Date: 03/15/23

1038 Pine St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: GJL RNL NT
Seller: Richard T. Tenczar
Date: 03/17/23

3018 Pleasant St.
Palmer, MA 01009
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Joseph M. Violette
Seller: Elizabeth M. Wall
Date: 03/10/23

45 Ruggles St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Olivia M. Comeau
Seller: Heather R. Sedelow
Date: 03/16/23

SPRINGFIELD

Alden St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Springfield College
Seller: Stutts, Lavinia E., (Estate)
Date: 03/17/23

550 Alden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Family & Developments LLC
Seller: Robert C. Maurice
Date: 03/10/23

588-590 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: A-O-K RT
Seller: Joanna Olivieri
Date: 03/09/23

877-879 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $314,000
Buyer: Benedicto M. Rodriguez
Seller: Mint Realty Group LLC
Date: 03/17/23

72 Audubon St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Evan O. Dias
Seller: Joseph M. Santaniello
Date: 03/13/23

41 Biltmore St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Edward L. Labonte
Seller: Violet A. Moses
Date: 03/07/23

795 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Juliette A. Cardona
Seller: Lucas R. Manzi
Date: 03/16/23

803 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Joshua J. Mcnally
Seller: Diaz, Efain D., (Estate)
Date: 03/07/23

34 Brandon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: A. Reyes Homes LLC
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 03/09/23

32 Brentwood St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: James McCarthy
Seller: Trang H. Lam
Date: 03/16/23

109 Bretton Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Jose M. Lopez
Seller: Andrew J. Campbell
Date: 03/17/23

89 Cliftwood St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $372,304
Buyer: Spring Forth Properties LLC
Seller: Cliftwood Realty LLC
Date: 03/16/23

82 Davenport St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jacob Root
Seller: Officium LLC
Date: 03/17/23

114 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: 3n Property LLC
Seller: Edward L. Labonte
Date: 03/07/23

33 Eckington St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Hamlet Hernandez
Seller: Posiadlosc LLC
Date: 03/10/23

116 Edgemere Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: M. & F. Vazquez Home Improvement
Seller: Harned, Michael M., (Estate)
Date: 03/10/23

25 Fairhaven Dr.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Yamil A. Grau-Hani
Seller: James W. Fiore RET
Date: 03/09/23

57 Florence St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Keishla M. Gonzalez
Seller: Darryl C. Foye
Date: 03/17/23

102 Florida St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $257,500
Buyer: Dorice V. Meyitang
Seller: John S. Marrero
Date: 03/06/23

382 Forest Hills Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Jamil Y. Asad-Ubinas
Seller: Thorpe Ft
Date: 03/17/23

191 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Genevieve Construction Development Group
Seller: Genevieve Construction Development Group I
Date: 03/16/23

153 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Czelusniak, Gary, (Estate)
Date: 03/17/23

61 Greene St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Chamber Investment Group LLC
Seller: Ezra C. Walker
Date: 03/06/23

57-59 Groveland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Emma P. Parra
Seller: Rodriguez, Jose A., (Estate)
Date: 03/13/23

54 Hood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Wilson & Family Re LLC
Seller: Elinor L. Kolbier
Date: 03/10/23

194 Island Pond Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Creton Spencer
Seller: Rachael A. Rhodes
Date: 03/10/23

74 Jasper St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Amanda De Leon
Seller: Maria Vanegas
Date: 03/10/23

30-32 Joseph St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Grisela C. Romero
Seller: Linda J. Clain
Date: 03/06/23

18-20 Kendall St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Natacha J. Clerger
Seller: Elzbieta Kosinski
Date: 03/13/23

115 Kimberly Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Logan Kelley
Seller: Dorota Glosowitz
Date: 03/10/23

33 Kittrell St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Sarah K. Swanberry
Seller: Justin K. Barroso
Date: 03/10/23

198 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Chaching Co.
Seller: Phyllis H. Prendergast
Date: 03/13/23

41-43 Lansing Place
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Shannoya Beezer
Seller: Vince LLC
Date: 03/15/23

14 Leroy Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Joelia N. Lopez
Seller: Maven Investments Co. LLC
Date: 03/13/23

334-336 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $294,900
Buyer: Santos A. Gomez
Seller: JV Properties Inc.
Date: 03/07/23

72 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Brandon Paz
Seller: Springfield Portfolio Holdings
Date: 03/10/23

132 Marion St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Johemy Vilchez
Seller: Elvis D. Rodriquez
Date: 03/06/23

163-165 Maynard St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Juan Mercado
Seller: Springfield Holdings Of NJ LLC
Date: 03/07/23

6 Michigan St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Chris Austin
Seller: Nancy W. Crowell
Date: 03/10/23

100-102 Middlesex St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: VMC Investments LLC
Seller: Junior R. McKenzie
Date: 03/17/23

175 Mill St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $627,000
Buyer: Conrad Blake
Seller: Paul Murphy
Date: 03/08/23

94 Milton St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Alexander J. MacDonald
Seller: Edwin O. Garcia
Date: 03/10/23

90 Narragansett St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Fergie M. Perez
Seller: Milly G. Caraballo
Date: 03/10/23

28-30 Nelson Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: 2830 Nelson LLC
Seller: Brvsa Associates LLC
Date: 03/09/23

94 Northway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Sylvia Abad
Seller: Henry Chhim
Date: 03/15/23

254 Nottingham St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Aida Rivera
Seller: Maria Felix
Date: 03/17/23

602 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Nicholas T. Wilkes
Seller: Lisa L. Wolfe
Date: 03/07/23

40 Pembroke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $241,000
Buyer: Emma Glowania
Seller: NRES LLC
Date: 03/13/23

25 Plum St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Veronica E. Ortiz
Seller: Jessca L. Scott
Date: 03/09/23

52 Portulaca Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Samantha M. Krupczak
Seller: Stephanie L. Godek
Date: 03/13/23

127-129 Ranney St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $218,781
Buyer: Spring Forth Properties LLC
Seller: Cliftwood Realty LLC
Date: 03/16/23

27 Rockland St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Clifford Holensworth
Seller: My Hometown Mass. West TR
Date: 03/10/23

56 Rosedale Ave.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Hildah R. Kangethe
Seller: Jonathan M. Westbrooks
Date: 03/14/23

147 Rosemary Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Wilfred B. Rosario
Seller: 613 LLC
Date: 03/07/23

266 Rosewell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Nashalie L. Delgado
Seller: Antonio Rivera
Date: 03/15/23

24-26 Sachem St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $243,100
Buyer: Spring Forth Prop LLC
Seller: Jeffrey D. Marget
Date: 03/16/23

80 Saint James Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: 80 Saint James Blvd. LLC
Seller: Speedway LLC
Date: 03/15/23

159 Stapleton Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Jason R. Burchell
Seller: Andy Ocasio
Date: 03/08/23

663 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $218,883
Buyer: Spring Forth Properties LLC
Seller: Cliftwood Realty LLC
Date: 03/16/23

51-59 Taylor St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $950,000
Buyer: Snapland 59 LLC
Seller: City Church
Date: 03/10/23

66 Warrenton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Jemisa Douglas
Seller: City Of Homes Real Estate Ventures LLC
Date: 03/17/23

83-85 Wilmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $255,333
Buyer: Spring Forth Properties LLC
Seller: Cliftwood Realty LLC
Date: 03/16/23

46-48 Windsor St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $223,983
Buyer: Spring Forth Properties LLC
Seller: Cliftwood Realty LLC
Date: 03/16/23

50-52 Windsor St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $217,616
Buyer: Spring Forth Properties LLC
Seller: Cliftwood Realty LLC
Date: 03/16/23

878 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Residences At The Vault
Seller: 878 Worthington St. LLC
Date: 03/07/23

SOUTHWICK

11 Pineywood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: RM Blerman LLC
Seller: Gary R. Allen
Date: 03/16/23

TOLLAND

231 Thicket Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Peter Scrivener
Seller: Jacobs, George, (Estate)
Date: 03/09/23

WALES

16 Main St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $492,500
Buyer: Phet Singvongsa
Seller: Howe, Janice M., (Estate)
Date: 03/13/23

18 Main St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $492,500
Buyer: Phet Singvongsa
Seller: Howe, Janice M., (Estate)
Date: 03/13/23

WEST SPRINGFIELD

10 Birch St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Alison P. Perreault
Seller: Sergey Savonin
Date: 03/10/23

341 Memorial Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: 341 Memorial Ave LLC
Seller: Speedway LLC
Date: 03/09/23

45 Oakland St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Robert D. Spano
Seller: William C. O’Neill
Date: 03/10/23

374 Prospect Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Morgan R. Vickers
Seller: William M. Swain
Date: 03/10/23

44 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Hashim Adwan
Seller: Tara Rai
Date: 03/15/23

36 Southworth St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Emily L. Beebe
Seller: Dylan Brochu
Date: 03/16/23

WESTFIELD

33 Adams St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Michael D. Jones
Seller: David W. Ostrander TR
Date: 03/17/23

17 Charles St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Brianna M. Decker
Seller: Jonathan P. Camp
Date: 03/13/23

97 Devon Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $589,900
Buyer: Paul P. Levesque
Seller: David D. Healey
Date: 03/17/23

5 Forest Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Jilliane Smith
Seller: Madhu Siwa
Date: 03/15/23

308 Hillside Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $202,500
Buyer: Jose Quinones
Seller: Keybank
Date: 03/09/23

131 Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Eric Gove
Seller: Tyler R. Grono
Date: 03/10/23

8 Morgan Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Daniel P. Hill
Seller: Kyle E. Beroth
Date: 03/16/23

3 Old Farm Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Birdie Properties LLC
Seller: HUD
Date: 03/13/23

231 Paper Mill Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $326,000
Buyer: Angela Buri
Seller: Denardo Lt
Date: 03/17/23

20 Tiffany Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Umesh Khadka
Seller: Saba Shahid
Date: 03/07/23

1080 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Eladio Lopez
Seller: David N. Franklin
Date: 03/13/23

WILBRAHAM

4 Woodsley Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $426,000
Buyer: Hannah Liggett
Seller: Suzanne R. Zeckhausen
Date: 03/15/23

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

171 State St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Mark Bucciarelli
Seller: Steven F. Linberg
Date: 03/06/23

214 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Kate C. Woodmansee
Seller: Margaret M. Stratton
Date: 03/10/23

BELCHERTOWN

43 Main St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Bear Runner Properties LLC
Seller: Alden Pond Properties LLC
Date: 03/09/23

North Liberty St., Lot 5
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Evergreen Design Build
Seller: Thomas R. Roberts
Date: 03/17/23

North Liberty St., Lot 6
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Evergreen Design Build
Seller: Thomas R. Roberts
Date: 03/17/23

CHESTERFIELD

1 Curtis Road
Chesterfield, MA 01096
Amount: $142,500
Buyer: Timothy M. Berniche
Seller: John K. Childs
Date: 03/16/23

78 Smith Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: David A. Pruzynski
Seller: Deborah A. Clapp
Date: 03/07/23

CUMMINGTON

442 West Cummington Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Erik O. Cubi
Seller: Meyers, Gerald D., (Estate)
Date: 03/15/23

EASTHAMPTON

65 Briggs St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Bryan C. Pascoe
Seller: Kozera Jr., Joseph E., (Estate)
Date: 03/17/23

39 Clapp St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $905,000
Buyer: Ann C. Kenworthy
Seller: Richard P. Bangham
Date: 03/16/23

9 Elliot St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $402,000
Buyer: Jared S. Hirsch
Seller: N. E. Morales-Diaz
Date: 03/16/23

33 Pomeroy St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $311,000
Buyer: Timothy C. Relihan
Seller: Ricky L. Benoit
Date: 03/16/23

16 West Lake St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Jennifer Maybar
Seller: Erica Williams
Date: 03/09/23

GRANBY

276 Amherst St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $299,995
Buyer: Choquette Capital Investments LLC
Seller: JJJ & Jay Inc.
Date: 03/10/23

49 Barton St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Terrence F. Szczygiel
Seller: Bruce L. Tetrault
Date: 03/09/23

61 Pleasant St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Five Corners LLC
Seller: Patricia A. Kasulinous
Date: 03/07/23

HADLEY

15 Cold Spring Lane
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Debra Longo
Seller: Choquette Capital Investments LLC
Date: 03/07/23

5 Colony Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $165,700
Buyer: Bercume Construction LLC
Seller: Valley Construction Co. Inc.
Date: 03/16/23

56 Comins Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Cassidy Fyden TR
Seller: Fydenkevez, E. A., (Estate)
Date: 03/17/23

NORTHAMPTON

4 Overlook Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Billie Tedesco
Seller: Paula C. Czarniecki
Date: 03/16/23

SOUTH HADLEY

25-29 Canal St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $875,000
Buyer: Tkjm LLC
Seller: Wayne A. Patnode
Date: 03/16/23

83 College St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Richard Reed
Seller: Trustees of Mount Holyoke College
Date: 03/13/23

61 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Lucien A. Dalton
Seller: Ethan L. Bagg
Date: 03/16/23

9 Lexington Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Anna J. Rayno-Quirk
Seller: Gallagher Capital Group LLC
Date: 03/16/23

36 Lorraine Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Noah A. Nunes
Seller: Kevin A. Quesnel
Date: 03/09/23

58 Lyman Ter.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Katherine L. Sveinson
Seller: Carrie A. Laudone
Date: 03/10/23

6 Maple St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $875,000
Buyer: Tkjm LLC
Seller: Wayne A. Patnode
Date: 03/16/23

38 Ridge Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Doucette
Seller: Bogart, Elaine V., (Estate)
Date: 03/08/23

SOUTHAMPTON

129 Brickyard Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $935,000
Buyer: RET Of Brian J. Ingledue
Seller: Lewinski, Alexander, (Estate)
Date: 03/10/23

124 White Loaf Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $127,388
Buyer: Deena L. Vandeberghe
Seller: Terrie M. Jarosz
Date: 03/06/23

WARE

130 Gilbertville Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Carl Crevier
Seller: Brian Kellaher
Date: 03/13/23

50 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jared Romero
Seller: Castillo, Josefa, (Estate)
Date: 03/17/23

53 Maple St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Bartholomew Chenevert
Seller: Bousquet, Joyce A., (Estate)
Date: 03/10/23

95 Maple St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $347,000
Buyer: Rafaat A. Geres
Seller: T. & Son Property LLC
Date: 03/17/23

95-97 North St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Citadel Projects LLC
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 03/15/23

214 Old Belchertown Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $517,000
Buyer: Michael Wilson
Seller: Adam Cornelius
Date: 03/17/23

WESTHAMPTON

342 Main Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Raul A. Bermudez
Seller: Erica Trudell
Date: 03/17/23

WORTHINGTON

245 Williamsburg Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $299,750
Buyer: Alysha M. Wozniak
Seller: Caitlin N. Donzell
Date: 03/06/23

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets

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.

 

 

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

 

Linda Santos v. Moran Foods LLC d/b/a Save-A-Lot Ltd.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $35,215.61

Filed: 2/22/23

 

LM Insurance Corp. v. Golden Nails Construction Corp.

Allegation: Money owed for insurance premiums: $258,857.14

Filed: 2/23/23

 

Douglas DeLeo v. Stafford Pools LLC

Allegation: Breach of contract, intentional misrepresentation, negligent property damage: $75,000

Filed: 2/24/23

 

Waterman Excavating Inc. v. Wingwell LLC and Thorndike LLC

Allegation: Breach of contract: $937,048.77

Filed: 3/1/23

 

Maya McIntyre v. Brockway Transport Inc., DRT Transportation LLC, and John Doe

Allegation: Motor-vehicle negligence causing personal injury: $75,000

Filed: 3/1/23

 

Ronald Michonski and Nancy Michonski v. Northeastern Exteriors LLC d/b/a Rhino Shield of New England

Allegation: Breach of contract to paint house: $250,000

Filed: 3/3/23

 

Ralph Peppers v. Plastipak Packaging Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $3,107

Filed: 3/6/23

 

Wanda Rivera v. Family Dollar Stores of Massachusetts Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $157,513.20

Filed: 3/6/23

 

Paul Ross v. Blake Thermal Sales & Service Inc.

Allegation: Breach of contract: $100,000+

Filed: 3/8/23

 

Editorial

By
Opinion

East-west Rail a Worthwhile Goal

 

“This is an easy fix. Please fix it. Make it easy for us. Make it easy for me to get to work.”

Those were the words of Gina Nortonsmith, who lives in Northampton but works in Boston, as reported by the Berkshire Eagle.

The occasion was a pair of hearings on east-west passenger rail service in Massachusetts, the latest in a series of meetings being held by the Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission.

Nortonsmith’s sentiments are no doubt shared by many in Western Mass. who work in the eastern part of the state, or travel there often for other reasons, from medical appointments to ballgames and concerts.

What many state officials and lawmakers no doubt take issue with is the word ‘easy,’ at least when it comes to bringing such rail service into existence. Because it certainly won’t be easy — or inexpensive.

But our feeling has long been that the price tag — an initial outlay of $2.4 billion to $4.6 billion, according to MassDOT, plus ongoing maintenance costs — is worth it.

The reasons are myriad. In an age of remote and hybrid work models — which don’t seem to be going away — rail service could be a boon for those who need to work in or near Boston but want the lower cost of living and what they see as a higher quality of life in the Valley or the Berkshires. Conversely, it would open up job opportunities out east for those already living here.

“Key passenger rail stops along the east-west passenger line would provide a catalyst for economic growth throughout the area,” Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said in written testimony at the Springfield hearing. “The iron is hot, and now is the time to strike. This project would open up myriad positive possibilities, including opportunities for economic development, jobs, and housing.”

Enhanced rail could also bring more tourism dollars to Western Mass. — which is rich in cultural and recreational destinations — by making it easier for Eastern Mass. denizens to spend some time here.

The service would likely connect Pittsfield to Boston via a high-speed train with proposed stops in Chester, Springfield, Palmer, and Worcester. From an environmental perspective, fewer cars on the Mass Pike and other roads means fewer emissions, and that’s a plus for the health of the entire corridor.

While talk of east-west service had been frustratingly fruitless for rail advocates in recent years, their dream got some concrete encouragement last summer when an $11.4 billion infrastructure bond bill backed by former Gov. Charlie Baker authorized $275 million toward expansion of passenger rail and created the Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission to gather information about the feasibility of such a project.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and many influential local lawmakers have been stalwart supporters of such a plan. And in her FY 2024 state budget, Gov. Maura Healey proposed directing $12.5 toward the project, including the hiring of a project director, design of a station in Palmer, and track improvements in Pittsfield — all of which points to continued support from the governor’s office to make east-west rail a reality.

The plan still has many hurdles to clear; it’s far from a done deal, and may never happen — because, as we noted, it’s not easy.

But the payoff would go far beyond making commuters’ lives a little easier. From the perspectives of economic growth, tourism dollars, and even climate and health, we hope this theoretical train keeps chugging toward an actual, feasible plan.

Mental-health Needs Continue

By Contributor
Opinion

Opinion

By Negar Beheshti, MD

 

The emergency declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic may end on May 11, depending on the specific policies and guidelines of each country or region. However, the mental-health needs of individuals affected by the pandemic are likely to continue long after the official declaration ends.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant stress and uncertainty for many people, including social isolation, financial difficulties, and concerns about health and safety. These stressors can take a toll on mental health, leading to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental-health issues.

While the end of the pandemic may bring some relief, it is important to recognize that the mental-health impacts of the pandemic may be long-lasting. Therefore, it is essential to continue to prioritize mental healthcare and support, both for those who have been directly affected by the pandemic and for the general population.

This can include accessing mental-health services, practicing self-care strategies such as mindfulness and exercise, and seeking support from friends, family, or mental-health professionals as needed. By taking steps to address their mental health, individuals can promote their overall well-being and resilience in the face of ongoing challenges.

Mental Health America’s 2023 ranking of states in terms of higher access to mental healthcare shows Massachusetts continues in a top position. The Commonwealth, which has made access a priority through its recent creation of Community Behavioral Health Centers, ranks second, as it did in 2022, in terms of such markers as access to insurance, treatment, and quality and cost of insurance.

Lack of affordability and lack of access are consistently among the barriers cited in seeking mental healthcare, so it is good to see the state maintain its ranking on access in comparison to other states. Massachusetts, through its Roadmap for Behavioral Health Reform, is working to reduce these barriers, and we here at MiraVista are proud that our opening nearly two years ago in the middle of the pandemic created additional inpatient psychiatric beds in the state for both adults and youth, as well as expanded inpatient treatment for substance use.

Still, the need for increased mental-health services — and the funding to support them — to meet demand continues both in the state and nationally.

The pandemic brought attention to the existing gaps in mental-health services and has spurred efforts to address them. It is crucial to recognize that the need for mental-health support and resources continues to exist post-pandemic, and individuals should be encouraged to seek help and support whenever necessary.

Our experienced clinicians deliver patient-centered and evidence-based care, helping those with mental-health and substance-use conditions to find their road to recovery in order to live a fulfilling life.

 

Dr. Negar Beheshti is the chief medical officer for MiraVista Behavioral Health Center in Holyoke and its sister hospital, TaraVista Behavioral Health Center, in Devens. For more information on MiraVista’s psychiatric services, visit www.miravistabhc.care.

Picture This

By
Gift of Gratitude
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

Gift of Gratitude

Mercy Medical Center announced that Liberty Bank Foundation has pledged a gift of $25,000 to the fundraising effort to create the Andy Yee Palliative Care Unit. Following his cancer diagnosis, well-known restaurateur Andy Yee sought treatment at the Sister Caritas Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center. Grateful for the care Yee received until his passing in 2021, his wife, Sarah, approached hospital leaders about creating a space dedicated to palliative care.

Gift of Gratitude

Pictured, from left: Mercy’s Geoffrey Hoyt; Liberty President and CEO David Glidden; Mercy and Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group President Deborah Bitsoli; Sister Caritas Cancer Center Director Dr. Philip Glynn; Sarah Yee and son Jamie Yee; and Liberty’s Tony Liberopoulos and Jeffrey Sattler.

 

 

Shining Stars

The Greater Chicopee Chamber opf Commerce’s signature Shining Stars Awards Gala, held March 3 at the Castle of Knights, recognized McKinstry Market Garden Inc. as Business of the Year, Holyoke Community College (HCC) as Nonprofit of the Year, Judith Corridan Danek as Citizen of the Year, and Mim Zayas as Volunteer of the Year.

Shining Stars

Pictured, back row, from left: Mike Knapik of Baystate Health; HCC President Christina Royal; Chicopee Mayor John Vieau; Bill McKinstry, Will McKinstry, and Warren McKi nstry of McKinstry Market Garden; Chicopee City Treasurer Marie Laflamme; Michelle Wirth of Mercedes-Benz of Springfield; and state Sen. Jake Oliveira. Front row, from left: Mim Zayas of Masis Staffing and Judith Corridan Danek of Health New England.

 

 

Celebrating Opportunities

 

ServiceNet recently hosted Massachusetts Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh, acting Undersecretary of Human Services Dana Sullivan, and Commissioner of Disability Services Jane Ryder to its Rooster Café in Northampton. They were joined by state Sen. Jo Comerford and state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, among other guests. Participants in ServiceNet’s Rooster Café culinary program prepare meals and serve customers, using many ingredients from ServiceNet’s Prospect Meadow Farm in Hatfield.

Celebrating Opportunities

Pictured, from left: ServiceNet President and CEO Sue Stubbs, culinary program participant Dani Rizzo, ServiceNet Director of Vocational Services Shawn Robinson, Comerford, and Ryder.

 

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By
Chamber Corners

1BERKSHIRE

(413) 499-1600; www.1berkshire.com

 

March 29: Go Fund U Session #3: “The Bandwagon Effect and VIPs,” 5-7 p.m., hybrid event, hosted online or at Berkshire Innovation Center, 45 Woodlawn Ave., Pittsfield. Create a bandwagon that other folks want to jump onto. Understand how to identify and communicate with your VIPs before launch to increase your chances of reaching your funding goal. In this session, we’ll also discuss setting your funding target, determining reward levels, and strategies for during and after your campaign. This is your opportunity to learn the secret recipe for crowdfunding success. Register at www.1berkshire.com.

 

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 253-0700; www.amherstarea.com

 

March 30: Margarita Madness, 5:30-7:30 p.m., hosted by Interskate 91 at the Hampshire Mall, 367 Russell St., Hadley. TommyCar Auto Group returns as presenting sponsor. Mix, mingle, and network at our largest signature event of the year. Enjoy an evening of tasty margaritas and vote for your favorite. Local restaurants showcase their fare, and there are dozens of raffles prizes donated by Amherst Area Chamber members. Cost: $35 pre-registered at www.amherstarea.com, $45 at the door.

 

 

EAST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 575-7230; www.erc5.com

April 4: Coffee Hour Connections with ERC5, 8:30-9:30 a.m., hosted by Hillary Lynn Photography, 200 Center St., Suite 5, Ludlow. Join us as we gather to build relationships and Hillary shares more about the work she is doing with brand imagery that tells a story and connects with your dream clients. Register online at www.erc5.com.

 

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 534-3376; www.holyokechamber.com

 

March 29: After Hours and Ribbon Cutting at Fame, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Fame, 386 Dwight St., Holyoke. Join as we celebrate the grand opening of Fame with small, homemade bites; craft beer and cocktails; and connections. To register, visit www.business.holyokechamber.com/events.

 

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 584-1900; www.northamptonchamber.com

 

April 4: Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Danco Modern, 10 West St., Hatfield. Our monthly networking get-together is the perfect place to expand your circle of connections in the business community. New to (or nervous about) networking? Join us at 4 p.m. for a Warm Welcome pre-party and get tips from our experts. Sponsored by Reider Media, Delap Real Estate, and Applied Mortgage. First Impressions sponsored by Finck & Perras. This is a free event. Register online at www.explorenorthampton.com.

 

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 568-1618; www.westfieldbiz.org

 

April 5: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Armbrook Village, 551 North Road, Westfield. Mayor Michael McCabe will update the attendees on City Hall activities, and there will be an opportunity to ask the mayor questions. This event is free to attend. To register, visit www.westfieldbiz.org.

 

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 426-3880; www.ourwrc.com

 

April 4: April Lunch & Learn with ERC5, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Villa Rose, 1428 Center St., Ludlow. Learn from our panelists how to maintain and grow in 2023 and beyond. Hear valuable tips for making every penny count in your business and how to effectively use your dollars to your advantage. Cost: $25 for members, $35 for non-members. To register, visit www.ourwrc.com.

Agenda

By
Agenda

Empty Bowls Fundraiser

April 1: The Amherst Survival Center will host its 15th annual Empty Bowls fundraiser from noon to 4 p.m. at the center’s site at 138 Sunderland Road, North Amherst. Empty Bowls will offer in-person dining at the center, with service from state legislators, town leaders, and other special guests. Attendees may also take their soup to go. Guests select a unique, handcrafted bowl made by a local artist and choose between a dozen soups donated by local restaurants and freshly baked bread. Meat, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free soup options will be available. The keepsake bowl is theirs to keep as a reminder of all the other bowls they have helped to fill. Soft drinks are included, and wine and hard cider are available for purchase (cash only). Tickets cost $50 and are available online at www.amherstsurvival.org/emptybowls or by calling the Amherst Survival Center at (413) 549-3968, ext. 108. Guests who don’t want a handmade bowl may also choose soup-only tickets for adults ($30) or for children ($10). Children 2 and under are free. Tickets can also be purchased in person on the day of at the event.

 

SSO Chamber Concert

April 2: The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) will host its second chamber concert of the season at 3 p.m. at First Church of Christ, 763 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow. The concert will feature the Casey String Quartet, which is made up of Springfield Symphony Orchestra musicians. Four Springfield Symphony Orchestra string musicians that make up the Casey String Quartet will perform, including cellist Patricia (Tish) Edens, violinist Miho Matsuno, violinist Robert Lawrence, and violist Martha McAdams. The chamber concert will feature works by Edward Elgar, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Benjamin Britten, three composers whose works the Springfield Symphony Orchestra will be performing at its next concert at Symphony Hall on Saturday, April 15. The quartet will also perform a piece by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Tickets can be purchased by calling the SSO box office at (413) 733-2291. Tickets cost $30 for adults and $10 for youth ages 4-18.

 

Best of Valley Voices Story Slam

April 8: The Best of Valley Voices Story Slam collaboration between the Academy of Music Theatre and New England Public Media will stage its eighth competition at the Academy of Music at 7:30 p.m. Audience members selected the top three storytellers from four slams performed at a variety of venues in the Valley between December and March, and now they will compete for the best of the best. Both novice and experienced storytellers will be sharing their five-minute, first-person narratives live on stage, and the audience will select the winner. Co-producers Lyrical Faith and Vanessa Cerillo, along with singer and songwriter Adam McElreath, will lead the audience along with the rules and voting tips. For further information or to purchase tickets, visit www.aomtheatre.com or call (413) 584-9032, ext. 105, Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.

 

Free Shred Days

April 15, May 13: bankESB invites customers and members of the community to two free shred days at local offices. The events will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on the following dates and locations: April 15, bankESB, 241 Northampton St., Easthampton; and May 13, Home Depot parking lot, 350 Russell St., Hadley. No appointment is necessary. Local residents can reduce their risk of identity theft by bringing old mail, receipts, statements or bills, canceled checks, pay stubs, medical records, or any other unwanted paper documents containing personal or confidential information and shredding them safely and securely for free. Valley Green Shredding, a professional document-destruction company, will be on site and can accept up to two boxes of documents per person.

 

Harmonia V Concert

April 20: The Westfield Athenaeum and MOSSO (Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra) will present the third of a three-concert chamber music series, with Harmonia V performing at 7 p.m. Guy McLain, executive director of the Westfield Athenaeum, will offer a pre-performance talk at 6 p.m., which is free to ticket holders. The Connecticut-based Harmonia V, an innovative woodwind quintet, performs standard literature, seldom-heard treasures, and dynamic contemporary music. Members of the quintet include Springfield Symphony Orchestra and MOSSO horn player Robert Hoyle; Jennifer Berman, flute; Janet Rosen, oboe; Jim Forgey, clarinet; and Jackie Sifford Joyner, bassoon. The Harmonia V program, “April in Paris,” includes music by Fauré, Ravel, and Debussy. For information on Harmonia V, visit www.harmoniav.com. Tickets for the concert cost $25 and must be purchased in advance at the Westfield Athenaeum during business hours, or online at www.westath.org.

 

Difference Makers Gala

April 27: The 15th annual Difference Makers Gala will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through this recognition program. The 2023 Difference Makers was announced, and their stories told, in the Feb. 20 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. Tickets cost $85 each, and tables of 10-12 are available. To purchase tickets, visit businesswest.com/difference-makers. Partner sponsors for this year’s program include Burkhart Pizzanelli P.C., the Royal Law Firm, TommyCar Auto Group, and Westfield Bank.

 

Pioneer Valley Conference for Women

May 4: The Pioneer Valley Conference for Women will host its first in-person event at the Marriott in downtown Springfield. The theme of the conference is “Let Go.” Leading the speaker lineup are Paulette Piñero, social entrepreneur, writer, and leadership coach, and Yvonne Williams, author of Tested Faith and It’s All About the Shoes. Each will provide a keynote address to an expected audience of more than 300 attendees. The conference highlights topics that were chosen by the women of Western Mass., based on current trends and interests. Alison Maloni, owner of Alison May Public Relations, news anchor for a national network, and bestselling author of Breaking in the News: Build Buzz for Your Brand, will emcee the conference. Local comedian Jess Miller will entertain attendees during a VIP Comedy Kick-off the evening before the conference; tickets cost $35. The cost to attend the Pioneer Valley Conference is $52, which includes breakfast, lunch, a swag bag, and an afternoon celebration with a female DJ and complementary wine and hors d’oeuvres following the full-day conference. The lunch sponsor is M&T Bank. The panel sponsor is Westfield Bank. The network sponsors are Smith Executive Education and USI Insurance. The small-business sponsors are Lovelace Design and Rooted Flowers. Keeping with the goal of accessibility, the conference will also be available virtually for those who are more comfortable watching through a screen. Sessions will be taped for future viewing. For more information on keynote speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and panelists, visit sheslocal.org/pioneer-valley-conference-for-women.

 

Hooplandia

June 23-25: Registration for Hooplandia, a 3×3 basketball tournament and festival, is now open at www.hooplandia.com and includes levels of play for all ages and divisions. The tournament, presented by the Eastern States Exposition (ESE) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will take place on the grounds of ESE in West Springfield June 23-25, with special games at the Hall of Fame in Springfield. The event is expected to attract thousands of fans and players as hundreds of games take place across more than 70 courts. Divisions of play have been created to provide an all-inclusive environment for players of all ages and playing abilities. With brackets that include veterans, first responders, youth, wheelchair athletes, college elites, and many more, there’s a spot on the court for everyone. Players are invited to build teams of four, create their own unique team name and uniforms, and register at www.hooplandia.com. Team fees range from $75 to $190, with children under 8 and participants in the Special Olympics category being free of charge. Hooplandia has teamed up with Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the region as its designated philanthropic partner, providing $10 from every team registration to support the mission and programs of the clubs. Partnership opportunities for Hooplandia are available at a variety of levels to help underwrite all areas of play, including Boys & Girls Club youth, active military, veterans divisions, and more. Anyone interested should email [email protected]. Hooplandia welcomes participation from youth team referees, scorekeepers, Fan Village contest facilitators, and volunteers for myriad duties to help make this inaugural year a success. Those interested in participating in this groundbreaking event can fill out the volunteer form at www.hooplandia.com.

 

MOSSO Concert

July 23: MOSSO (Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra) will make its Sevenars Concerts debut in Worthington at 4 p.m. MOSSO and Friends, which opened the Westfield Athenaeum series, features violinist Beth Welty, horn player Sarah Sutherland, and pianist Elizabeth Skavish. They will perform Frédéric Duvernoy’s Trio No. 1 for Violin, Horn, and Piano; Trygve Madsen’s Trio, Op. 110 for Violin, Horn, and Piano; and Johannes Brahms’ Trio in E-flat Major for Violin, Horn, and Piano. Sevenars performances are held at the Academy, South Ireland Street and Route 112, South Worthington. There is no charge for admission to the performance, and no tickets are needed, although donations at the door are welcome ($20 or more per person is suggested to help defray expenses). For program details and information on Sevenars, visit www.sevenars.org.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move

O’Reilly, Talbot & Okun (OTO) recently announced nine staff additions and promotions: Jonathan Hermanson, Lori McCarthy, Caren Irgang, Lily Elkhay, Kaitlyn Sistare, Pierre Carriere, Elise Zalenski, Toby Simmons, and Christine Arruda.

Jonathan Hermanson

Jonathan Hermanson

Lori McCarthy

Lori McCarthy

Caren Irgang

Caren Irgang

Lily Elkhay

Lily Elkhay

Kaitlyn Sistare

Kaitlyn Sistare

Pierre Carriere

Pierre Carriere

Elise Zalenski

Elise Zalenski

Toby Simmons

Toby Simmons

Christine Arruda

Christine Arruda

• Hermanson earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and environmental science. Before moving to Massachusetts, he worked in environmental consulting for five years in Kansas City. As an environmental scientist at OTO, he helps the team with Massachusetts Contingency Plan work and risk characterization, as well as environmental compliance. He also assists the asbestos and industrial hygiene team. Some of his latest achievements while at OTO are becoming a radon measurement professional and a certified hazardous materials manager.

• McCarthy earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. This degree taught her how releases of hazardous chemicals to the environment can have negative health effects to humans and animals nearby. She then went on to study a second degree in environmental sciences. With more than 20 years of experience in her field, she has worked on sites across New England, finding solutions to remediate the releases of oil and hazardous materials. At OTO, McCarthy was most recently promoted to associate and is the team leader for the environmental sector.

• Irgang earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and then went on to earn her master’s degree in civil engineering at Manhattan College. Irgang has experience in structural engineering from building and bridge engineering in New York City and performing construction inspections. Joining OTO as a Level II engineer, Irgang is performing geotechnical investigations and design and field oversight. She continues to utilize her structural engineering skills and provides an added perspective to our geotechnical projects.

• Elkhay is earning her bachelor’s degree in marketing at UMass Amherst and brings her experience from her previous internship. As the marketing intern, Elkhay has posted on OTO’s social-media pages, created ads, and performed any other as needed marketing tasks.

• Sistare is a 2022 graduate from Western New England University (WNE), earning her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with an environmental engineering concentration. At WNE, she and her team’s senior project placed first in the civil engineering department. She primarily works with the geotechnical group at OTO as a Level I engineer, but also assists the environment group.

• Carriere graduated from WNE in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. During his studies, he gained experience in many areas, including surveying, technical writing, CAD, soil and materials testing, and collaboration skills. Joining OTO as a Level I engineer, he has become heavily involved in field work and working on site, as well as working on proposals, reports, and site plans in the office.

• Zalenski earned her MBA in 2010 and has spent the last nine years developing her skills in office management, HR, IT, and bookkeeping. She has worked in residential and light commercial water treatment, which provided experience in site evaluations, water testing, treatment design, and reviewing EPA, DEP, and local board of health regulations and practices. As OTO’s office manager and executive assistant, she will be managing the day-to-day needs of the staff that may arise in the areas of IT, telephones, general building or parking issues, and scheduling events and vacations, along with providing support for OTO’s president, Ashley Sullivan.

• Simmons has brought her 20 years of field-technician experience to OTO. As an environmental technician, she has taken on many field duties to make sure the job is done safely and efficiently.

• Arruda has been with OTO for more than 25 years and has been part of the internal leadership transition taking place since 2020. As a result, she was promoted to associate this past year and serves on the company’s operations committee. With more than 20 years of experience as a both a certified indoor environmental consultant and Environmental Protection Agency-accredited and Massachusetts-licensed asbestos inspector, she manages and works on numerous types of indoor environmental issues, including asbestos, radon, HVAC, chemicals, and microbial contamination. She also is an National Radon Proficiency Program-certified radon-measurement professional who can perform single, multi-family, large-building, school-building, and water-radon-measurement services.

•••••

Country Bank announced that Erin Pope has joined its Innovation & Technology division in Ware. Before joining Country Bank, Pope worked at Digital Credit Union and American Tower. Pope holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and received certification in Professional Scrum Master 1. “At American Tower, I managed a network-operations team responsible for the global office and data-center infrastructure,” she said. “It was through working with this team that I learned the importance of strength and a diverse team. I am excited to join Country Bank’s storied history and contribute to its continued success. I hope to support the team by increasing engagement and innovation to support the business and its customers better.”

•••••

Nick DePalma

Nick DePalma

Nick Bernasconi

Nick Bernasconi

Notch Mechanical Constructors announced the promotion of two employees to newly created executive positions. Nick DePalma has been promoted to executive vice president. In this role, he will have overall responsibility for operations, quality, safety, and customer-base growth in alignment with the company core values. This promotion will allow Steven Neveu, president of the company, to focus more on the long-term strategic growth and vision for the company. In addition, Nick Bernasconi has been promoted to vice president of estimating and project management. He will oversee all activities and initiatives related to the company’s accounts management, estimating, and project management. Previously a family-owned business for 48 years, Notch transitioned to an employee-owned ESOP company in 2020. These new roles will be critical to breaking through to the next level as an organization and ensuring a strong leadership team into the future.

•••••

Riverside Industries Inc. (RSI) announced that four new members have joined its board of directors to help support its mission to empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live rich and full lives. All four of the new board members began their three-year term with RSI effective March 2023. They include Tara Brewster, vice president of Business Development and director of Philanthropy at Greenfield Savings Bank; Jeff Palm, partner and chief operating officer at Global Educators Inc.; Melissa Peters; Human Resource generalist for Fiducient Advisors; and Teremar Rodriguez-Vazquez, assistant general counsel at Health New England.

•••••

Aieshya Jackson

Aieshya Jackson

Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services (MLKFS) has wrapped up an almost-year-long search for a new leader. After an extensive search campaign and interview process, Aieshya Jackson, chair of the board of directors of MLKFS, announced that Shannon Rudder will be the next president and CEO of the organization. Rudder, who will join MLKFS on March 13, most recently served as deputy director of Teach Western Mass, a nonprofit organization working toward educational equity in partnership with area schools. She also served as executive director of Providence Ministries Inc., an organization supporting the needs of marginalized populations by addressing food insecurity, addiction recovery, housing, clothing, and workforce development. She earned her MBA and her BBA, the latter magna cum laude, from Medaille College.

•••••

Tech Foundry, a regional leader in IT workforce development and training, announced the hiring of three new staff members as well as four promotions, which will allow the organization to double the number of participants served annually.

• Henry Alston was hired as Tech Foundry’s Service-Learning coordinator. In this role, he will be responsible for implementing the organization’s new service-learning pilot program in collaboration with Mass Humanities’ Clemente Course in the Humanities. He is a tech and wellness enthusiast with career experience in sales, marketing, and project coordination. After attaining his bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University in Oxford, Pa. in 2015, he went on to graduate from the University of Louisville with his MBA in 2020. He is a Tech Foundry alum.

• Phillip Borras is Tech Foundry’s Career Readiness and Recruitment coordinator, a new role created to provide focused support and mentoring to student members. His diverse experience as a professional speaker, comedian, and life coach allows him to successfully teach and support Tech Foundry participants as a career coach during and after the program.

• Jessica Cogoli has been promoted to assistant instructor. She is a Tech Foundry alum and has been working closely with the organization since she graduated, both as a volunteer and a TA for its IT-support training program. She is currently enrolled at Holyoke Community College and will graduate with an associate degree in computer science in the spring.

• Marie-Ange Delimon, a Tech Foundry alum, has been promoted to manager of Community Impact for the organization. In this role, she oversees external partnerships and community engagement, including managing internship and job-placement programs as well as partnerships with a variety of nonprofit organizations throughout Western Mass. Previously, she served as Tech Foundry’s manager of Workforce Development. She is a graduate of a variety of medical-training programs and holds an MD degree from Université Notre Dame d’Haïti.

• Johannes Romatka has been promoted to manager of Instruction and Curriculum. Previously an instructor at Tech Foundry, he has a diverse background in information technology, including training and network support. Prior to joining Tech Foundry, he worked in a training role for internal IT-support staff at U.S. Bank.

• Linh Tran joined Tech Foundry in February as the organization’s new Administrative and Marketing coordinator, where she will support development, program, and communication initiatives. Originally from Vietnam, she has been studying and working in Massachusetts for almost 10 years. She is an experienced management professional with a diverse background in nonprofit, retail, legal, and insurance organizations, and is a graduate of Tech Foundry’s IT-support training program.

• Michelle Wilson was hired as Tech Foundry’s manager of Administration and Operations in September and was recently promoted to deputy director, a position that encompasses a variety of duties, including overall operations management, fundraising, and marketing. Her background includes more than 17 years in nonprofit management, with roles at a national membership organization in San Francisco, a globally recognized mentoring program, an independent school in Seattle, and a state humanities council. She is a graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. and holds a master’s degree in public administration from San Francisco State University.

•••••

The Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural Society, the nonprofit organization that manages Northampton’s Three County Fair and fairgrounds, recently elected its newest president, Thomas Smiarowski, who has been a member of the society for more than 20 years and was elected to its board of directors in 2016. Smiarowski is expected to serve two years as president, leading the society’s board of directors, which consists of 21 other appointees who make up the fair’s agricultural leadership. Smiarowski grew up on his family’s vegetable and dairy farm in Montague, where he continues to help his brother Dan, who currently owns and operates the family farm. Following his graduation from UMass Amherst, Smiarowski worked 34 years for the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, holding a number of management positions. Following his retirement from USDA in 2012, he worked 10 years as an agricultural risk-management educator for UMass Extension. He is currently a director of the Massachusetts Agricultural Club, the longest-standing agricultural club in the country; serves as a Massachusetts trustee of the Eastern States Exposition; and is a member of the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Assoc. He also serves on the capital campaign to fund the new construction of the Newman Catholic Center on the UMass campus.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

American International College Announces Three New Programs

SPRINGFIELD — The School of Business, Arts, and Sciences at American International College (AIC) has begun recruiting students for three new academic degree programs designed to prepare students for fields in high demand. Launching in the fall of 2023, these new offerings expand AIC’s academic portfolio of more than 40 interdisciplinary programs grounded in the liberal arts. AIC’s new cybersecurity program will equip students with the technical and business knowledge needed to secure high-paying and growing jobs in this field. Students will assess modern cybersecurity challenges threatening privacy, security, and safety and gain the knowledge and hands-on technical skills to protect digital assets from cybercriminals. Cybersecurity is an ideal degree for people who want to work in a future-focused field with a high earning potential. And with 33% job growth by 2030, opportunities continue to grow. The new bachelor’s degree in public administration program at AIC was developed to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in public-sector roles. This program emphasizes experiential learning, with projects in government administration, public health, social science, history, and more. Public administration is a field for those who want to enact change in their communities and beyond. With more than half of all federal workers nearing retirement age, demand for fresh talent is set to skyrocket in the coming years. The esports and gaming administration program at AIC offers a business degree with a gaming-industry specialization, providing business fundamentals that will last a lifetime. This program addresses the greatest needs in the esports and gaming industry, identified through interviews with major companies, including Capcom and Riot. AIC’s coursework will provide students with the necessary context for understanding the games industry and a basic understanding of how technology-based companies get things done. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of jobs in esports nearly doubled, growing a staggering 85%.

 

Cooley Dickinson Receives $250,000 Gift from Smith College

NORTHAMPTON — Cooley Dickinson Hospital announced it has received a $250,000 gift from Smith College to support the expansion and renovation of Cooley Dickinson’s Emergency Department. The gift will support the $19.76 million expansion, reconfiguration, and renovation effort to allow Cooley Dickinson to meet the evolving emergency-medicine needs of the community it serves. To accomplish this goal, the hospital has embarked on an ambitious and comprehensive fundraising campaign. Approximately $6.4 million has been raised to date. The project is expected to break ground this spring. Smith College has been a long-time supporter of Cooley Dickinson. Significant donations to the hospital have included helping to fund the hospital’s North Building and Kittredge Surgery Center, as well as its Nurse Development program and comprehensive Breast Center. Cooley Dickinson is expected to serve approximately 40,000 Emergency Department patients this year. That care will be provided in a 1970s-era building that was designed for 17,000 patients annually and is currently 40% undersized. A shortage of space means some patients are treated in hallways. The Emergency Department also needs to expand its services to care for an aging population (three times the population from 10 years ago). In addition, the expansion will provide additional beds for people experiencing mental-health emergencies. The two-year project calls for adding 7,500 square feet of space, including nine new patient rooms; two behavioral-health beds and two ‘flex’ beds to use as patient needs arise; and a family waiting area. When the project is completed, the Emergency Department will occupy more than 23,000 square feet. In addition, a computerized tomography (CT scan) machine, which provides timely access to diagnostic imaging, will be added to the Emergency Department.

 

MCLA Launches BSN Program

NORTH ADAMS — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will launch a four-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program for the fall 2023 semester. This will be the first BSN program in Berkshire County and the only BSN program within an hour’s drive of the rural tri-state corner of Massachusetts, Vermont, and New York. This nursing-education initiative will help address the current and future rural nursing workforce shortages. MCLA received final approval from the Board of Higher Education this month and received initial approval to launch a BSN in January from the Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN). The next phase of BORN approval is anticipated after MCLA graduates the first nursing cohort in 2027. MCLA’s BSN degree can be completed over a four-year period. After accepting pre-nursing students this fall, the college will formally accept up to 25 students into the nursing major at the conclusion of their first year of study. Students must complete required pre-nursing courses in math and sciences during that first year for admission into the program. Transfer students may also apply to the nursing program during their first year of study at MCLA and transfer in non-nursing courses for consideration toward graduation. MCLA expects that the first BSN class will graduate in May 2027. At the conclusion of the program, students will be awarded a bachelor of science in nursing degree and be prepared and eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

 

The MH Group Marks 10 Years, Launches Nonprofit Foundation

SPRINGFIELD — The MH Group (formerly ManeHire Talent Solutions), a Springfield-based staffing and recruiting agency, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Founder and CEO Nicole Polite’s roots run deep in Springfield, as her great-great-granduncle was Primus Parsons Mason, a Black entrepreneur and real-estate investor who is most well-known as the namesake of the city’s Mason Square neighborhood. To continue his legacy, Polite is launching the nonprofit Polite Foundation, focusing on providing career resources to underserved populations. In addition, she has served on multiple nonprofit boards, such as the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County (now operating as MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board, the United Way of Pioneer Valley’s Dora D. Robinson Women’s Leadership Council, and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission council. She also served as a business advisor at the Entrepreneurial & Women’s Business Center at the University of Hartford.

 

 

HCC, Arizona State University Announce Transfer Pact

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) announced a new alliance with Arizona State University (ASU) to provide students a seamless transfer experience through the MyPath2ASU program, which allows students to take the steps needed at the start of their college experience to successfully plan their transfer from HCC to ASU, where they can complete their bachelor’s degree online. MyPath2ASU provides a set of customized transfer tools for students from accredited institutions, end-to-end learner navigation through course-by-course guided pathways; advising to assist students in course selection to ensure their credits fulfill requirements at both HCC and ASU; guaranteed general admission to ASU and admission into their choice of MyPath2ASU major, if all requirements are satisfied (some majors have additional or higher admission requirements); more than 400 course-by-course guided pathways into immersion and online ASU degree programs; self-service degree-progress tracking through the ASU My Transfer Guide to minimize loss of credits; and connected experience through personalized ASU communications to prepare students academically and build an early connection to ASU.

 

Monson Savings Bank Receives 5-Star Rating from BauerFinancial

MONSON — BauerFinancial Inc., a leading, national bank-rating firm, announced that Monson Savings Bank has once again earned its top (5-Star) rating for financial strength and stability. Having earned Bauer’s 5-Star rating for 40 or more consecutive quarters, Monson Savings Bank has earned an even higher designation as an Exceptional Performance Bank. This marks the bank’s 53rd consecutive 5-Star rating. Bauer rates every federally insured U.S. chartered bank with the same strict standards, and reported that Monson Savings Bank continues to outperform its peers.

 

White Lion Brewing Co. Recognizes Holyoke’s 150th with Special Release

SPRINGFIELD — The city of Holyoke, known as Paper City, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. White Lion Brewing Co. collaborated with the city of Holyoke, Explore Holyoke, regional design firm TSM, and Holyoke Craft Beer to create a commemorative label and beer release to celebrate the rich history of the city during its sesquicentennial. Holyoke 150, an American lager, was released during the annual Holyoke Road Race on March 18. Holyoke 150 will be also available at special events and local accounts throughout 2023.

 

BetMGM Launches Mobile Sports Betting in Massachusetts

SPRINGFIELD — BetMGM, a leading sports-betting and iGaming operator, launched its mobile app in Massachusetts, giving customers access to a variety of online betting options and benefits tied to MGM Resorts’ ddestinations nationwide, including MGM Springfield. The BetMGM app gives Massachusetts sports fans the ability to customize pre-game, live in-play, futures, and parlay wagers. Integration with MGM Rewards allows Massachusetts’s BetMGM users to redeem their gameplay for experiences at MGM Resorts properties nationwide. The mobile app complements MGM Springfield’s BetMGM Sportsbook & Lounge that opened in January. The space features a 45-foot LED viewing wall and four betting windows, making it easy for guests to access a variety of sports-wagering options. The resort is home to 18 sports-betting kiosks located throughout the gaming area.

 

Square One Creates Alumni Association

SPRINGFIELD — It’s time to go back to Square One, where thousands of young children had their first early-learning experience. Formerly Springfield Day Nursery, Square One has been nurturing and educating infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children since 1883. The agency, now in its 140th year, is looking to gather its program graduates to formalize an alumni group. Alumni are asked to contact to complete a brief questionnaire, which can be found at startatsquareone.org, or email Matt deloria at [email protected] to learn more.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of March 2023.

AMHERST

Alice Buckner Consulting
85 Crossbrook Ave.
Alice Buckner

Amherst Extensions & Beauty Salon
460 West St.
Yasmin Brandford

Bouvier Grant Group
30 Autumn Lane
Margaret Bouvier

Doctorbird LLC
26 South Prospect St., #7
Khama Ennis

Intentional Health LLC
26 South Prospect St., #7
Khama Ennis

Rivershed Farm
132 Pelham Road
Mark Rutkowski

BELCHERTOWN

Northeast Green
21 Plaza Ave.
George Hassenfratz

Rustic Logging & Tree Service Co.
230 Old Enfield Road
Russell Scott Jr.

CHICOPEE

7th Ave. Designs
91 7th Ave.
Thomas LaFleur

Abundant Wellness
665 Prospect St., Suite 1
Deborah Boulanger

Ashley Homestore
1441 Memorial Dr.
Susan Halvarson

Caron Construction
11 Freedom St.
Scott Caron

Cruz Notary Service
1316 Memorial Dr.
Edgardo Cruz Ortiz

D2 Cleaning Services
627 Chicopee St.
Prossy Drinkwine, Thomas Drinkwine

Live Love Hair
129 Church St.
Betsy Cotto, Lilliana Rosario Santana

Partyka Resource Management Cos. Inc.
495 Springfield St.
Joan Partyka, John Krzeminski Jr.

Resident Apartments
690 Chicopee St.
Wayzaro Mills

Sweet Moments Ultrasound Studio Inc.
246 Montcalm St., Suite 2C
Cenea Velasquez

Two Hands Construction LLC
24 Baril Lane
Edwin Morales

EASTHAMPTON

Artisan Builders and Craftsmen
19 Plain St.
Aaron Scott

The Giving Tree of Massage & Reiki
247 Northampton St., Suite 8
Janna Mangini

Joyful Valley Coaching
11 Water St.
Sarah Schmidt

Mark Nomad
9 Reservation Road
Mark Maulucci

Salon Avanti
186 Northampton St.
Michelle Finnessey

Tip Top Wine Shop
150 Pleasant St., #155
Miranda Brown, Lauren Clark

EAST LONGMEADOW

A.W. Brown
144 Shaker Road
TBW Inc.

Connecticut Valley Construction
12 Town View Circle
Felix Tranghese

John R. Sweeney Insurance Agency
264 North Main St., #6
John Sweeney

Landmark Realtors
60 North Main St.
Susan Rheaume

Meadows Driving School Inc.
16-20 Baldwin St.
Maria Spear

Picano Landscaping
30 Maynard St.
John Picano

VA Motors
57 Tufts St.
Andrii Fedosh

HADLEY

BodyMind Bodywork & Movement
245 Russell St.
Michele Feldmein

Eversource Energy
55 Russell St.
NSTAR Electric Co.

Generative Leadership Consult
200 Venture Way
Institute for Generative LS LLC

Harbor Freight Tools
303 Russell St.
Harbor Freight Tools USA Inc.

Northwest Auto Sales II
117 Russell St.
Jim Boyle

Steve Lewis Subaru
315 Russell St.
Balise SLS LLC

ZG Motors
249 Russell St.
Armani George

LEE

Berkshire Gal Friday
17 Greylock St.
LivDeAndrea

Berkshire Pet Pals LLC
45 Hartwood Road
Kathy Kergaravat

Berk St. James
80 St. James Ave.
Rebecca Leger

Collins & Sons General Store
100 Meadow St.
Alice Collins

Eddie Bauer LLC
270 Premium Outlets Blvd.
Ron Byers

First Response Outdoor Services
90 Pine St.
Joseph Gardino

Kate Spade
490 Premium Outlets Blvd.
Tapestry Inc.

The Lakehouse Inn
615 Laurel St.
Kurt Inderbitzin

Mind Over Motion
214 West Park St.
Tiffany Wilding-White

MJ Kelly Inc.
3 Main St.
Michael Kelly

Papa Gino’s
370 Stockbridge Road
New England Authentic Eats LLC

S.J. Michael’s Construction
35-2 Housatonic St.
Steven Michaels

Stone Improvements
19 Union St.
Micah Stone

Valley Veterinary Services
920 Pleasant St.
CareVet Massachusetts LLC

Wickham & Daughters
45 David St.
Thomas Wickham

PALMER

A&J Mowing
89 Shearer St.
James Taylor

Amy’s All Natural Soaps
21 Wilbraham St.
Amy Mitchell

Cute Kids Preschool
17 Highland St.
Ghada Ghrear

Demore’s Automotive LLC
1307 Park St.
Michelle Demore

Doc’s Duffle Bag LLC
1085 Park St.
Michael McKenney

Kitchen Table Taxes
65 Jim Ash St.
David Whitney, Melissa Whitney

Palmer Antiques Co-op
1239 South Main St.
Louise Krassler

Repair Services Inc.
145 Boston Road
Robert McNabb

RJ Foskit Building & Remodeling
42 Barker St.
Ronald Foskit

Rondeau’s Dairy Bar
1300 Ware St.
Michael Rondeau

Sensory Solutions Today
3 Carriage Dr.
Kristopher Theriault

TJ’s Pop
1418 North Main St.
Troy Atherton Sr.

The Victorian
1500 North Main St.
Julia Dias

Yankee Flea Market
1311 Park St.
Michael Walker

Ziemba Home Improvments
42 Mechanic St.
Mike Ziemba

PITTSFIELD

Assured Home Renovations
99 Wendell Ave.
Christopher Temkin

AST Scuba
19 Arch St.
AST Scuba Inc.

Berile Environmental Inc.
P.O. Box 607
Mark Barile

Berkshire Custom Apparel
98 Brown St.
Brendan Remillard

Berkshire Mountain Faerie Festival
35 Atwood Ave.
Blackington Artisans Inc.

Berkshire Real Estate Title Examinations
31 Whittier Ave.
Romana Messer

Cove Street Service Inc.
9 Cove St.
Cove Street Service Inc.

Dairy Cone
359 Crane Ave.
Richard Herbert

digitalcarbon
34 James St.
Michael White

The Dungeon’s Edge
15 Atwood Ave.
Ashley Davis

Faateh
253 South St.
Saleem Ahmed

Fresh Start Painters
17 Noble Ave.
Joshua Salas

Gate Management Systems
28 Fairfield St.
Russell Marcus

JEL Construction
31 Wendell Ave.
Estefania Arias Batista

JS Works LLC
91 Elberon Ave.
Jack Salatino

K&M Bowling
555 Dalton Ave.
Kari Mathes

Maggie Sadoway Immigrant Cooperative
97 Edward Ave.
Maria Arias

Marie’s Eatery
146 North St.
Marie’s Eatery Pittsfield LLC

Shelley’s Kitchen
453 South Main St.
Shelley Strizzi

SOUTHAMPTON

Bolduc Farm
48 Russellville Road
Gregoire Bolduc

Renex Construction
133 Middle Road
Valentin Katalnikov

SOUTH HADLEY

Love Leaf Farm
169 Granby Road
Love Leaf Farm LLC

Pioneer Valley Health and Rehabilitation
573 Granby Road
Blupoint Boston Healthcare

WESTFIELD

AG Home Infusion LLC
53 Murray Ave.
Alexander Govor

Buscalabras
18 Margerie St.
Jaime Riano

Citrine Circus Design & Supply
5 Woronoco Ave.
Brianne Zulkiewicz

FL Productions
102 Elm St.
Fong Lee

Greg Mastroianni Electrician
265 Montgomery Road
Greg Mastroianni

Guidance for Inner Peace
5 Noble Ave.
Janice Pagano

Hot Oven Cookies LLC
40 Elm St.
Sheila Coon

Le Buddies Helping Hands
110 Main St.
Althea Carter

Precision Kitchen & Bath
467 Loomis St.
Siarhei Sharbatsevich

Western Mass Demolition Corp.
64 Medeiros Way
Western Mass Demolition Corp.

William H. Fenton Co. Inc.
174 Main St.
William H. Fenton Co. Inc.

VNG Home Improvement
46 Western Ave.
Valeriy Gavrilyuk

WEST SPRINGFIELD

A&A Furniture Repair
32 Partridge Lane
Alan Archambault

Advanced Aesthetics Medi Spa LLC
166 South Blvd.
Yelena Ivanov

Avis Budget Group
2161 Riverdale St.
Matt Rettura

Clarion Motel
1080 Riverdale St.
Shailesh Patel

Exude Relaxation Spa Essentials
107 Lancaster Ave.
Cassandra Price

Jakes JS
481 Brush Hill Ave.
Jake Janis

Parus
766 Main St.
Javat Azizov

Pavel Water Filtration
70 Windsor St.
John Crean

Santana’s Kung-Fu Studio
452 Main St.
Maria Santana

SMD & Associates
343 Birnie Ave.
Suzanne Demers

Soaps Scents & Blessings
73 Peachstone Glen
Alexandra Mason

Super Washing Well Laundry
1126 Union St.
David Cortis

The Venetian Bakery
90 Baldwin St.
Adam Oliveri

WILBRAHAM

Blue Elephant Restaurant LLC
2000 Boston Road
Dan O’Connell, Nuchjaree O’Connell

DIY Productions
4 Chestnut Hill Road
Ryan Visneau

Essential Canine
777 Stony Hill Road
Heather Hitchcock

Fieldcrest Brewing Co. LLC
2343 Boston Road
Adam Field

Filomena’s Gifts
10 Brentwood Dr.
Donna Gregoire

The Flower Shed
95 Post Office Park, #10-11
Jennifer Wands

Home Medics
4 Tall Timber Road
Oussama Awkal

Jessica Hurley
2 Three Rivers Road
Jessica Hurley

Life Care Center of Wilbraham
2399 Boston Road
Dennis Lopata

The Massage Clinic
2341 Boston Road, Unit 301
Anne Ambrose

Mountainbrook Landscaping
27 Mountainbrook Road
Brett Jones

Owen Comeau Farrier
7 Ripley St.
Owen Comeau

Platinum Beverage Services
1070 Glendale Road
Darren Vickery

Te Marie’s Hair Design
40 Dumaine St.
Esther Martinez Munoz

Wilbraham Commons Assoc.
269 Stony Hill Road
Chris Bowden

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

Allard, Marcella
4 Mechanic St.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/24/2023

Boileau, Donna
38 Inward Commons
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/14/2023

Casimiro, Maria
13 Weston St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/28/2023

Chernick, Robert A.
53 White Birch Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/15/2023
Damkoehler, Eric G.
67 Park St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/21/2023

Drost, James A.
38 Pine St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/27/2023

Gemme, Richard Bruce
97 New State Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/15/2023

Haddad-Garner, Donna Marie
a/k/a Garner, Donna M.
19 Seminole Dr.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/27/2023

Hartnett, Debra A.
199 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/15/2023

Heming, Brittany L.
a/k/a Morrissette, Brittany
12 Doane Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/28/2023

Hendricks, Georgia E.
128 Kensington Ave., Apt. 1A
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/17/2023

Henrys Real Estate LLC
Henry, Keino O.
32 Beaumont Ter., Apt. 2
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/14/2023

Jean Ebian, Quetty Catherine
153 Westminster St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/21/2023

McKinley, Daren G.
1 Belden Court, Unit A4
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/22/2023

Murphy, William F.
60 Saint Lawrence Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/14/2023

Riedle, Aline G.
c/o 3 Aspen Court
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/22/2023

Robbins, Michelle J.
42 Quarry Hill
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/15/2023

Tardy, Sandra L.
305 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/27/2023

Real Estate Transactions

By Contributor
Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BUCKLAND

120 Bray Road
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Sarah Davenport
Seller: Shirley H. Demers
Date: 02/22/23

9 Norman Road
Buckland, MA 01330
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Colleen M. Clark
Seller: Marcel International
Date: 02/23/23

ERVING

16 Moore St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Benegan2 LLC
Seller: S. M. Phillips Supplemental
Date: 02/22/23

191 North St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Terrance L. Dunn
Seller: Joseph C. Reed
Date: 03/01/23

GREENFIELD

65 Conway St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: Clinical & Support Option
Seller: 60 Wells Street LLC
Date: 03/02/23

186 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Joshua L. Westbrook
Seller: Nils P. Ahbel
Date: 02/21/23

42 Homestead Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Andrews
Seller: Debra S. Andrews
Date: 03/01/23

10 Sanderson St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $201,000
Buyer: Jennifer Farley
Seller: Miller, Peter S., (Estate)
Date: 03/03/23

46 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $188,425
Buyer: Clinical & Support Option
Seller: Zenun LLC
Date: 03/02/23

60 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: Clinical & Support Option
Seller: 60 Wells Street LLC
Date: 03/02/23

HEATH

172 Route 8A
Heath, MA 01339
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Robert J. Brennan
Seller: Janet R. Giard
Date: 02/28/23

MONTAGUE

140 7th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Daniel Lederer
Seller: Pinette, Brian Edmund, (Estate)
Date: 02/22/23

87 K St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: J. M. Dinsmore-Lafrance
Seller: Eugene Milewski
Date: 03/01/23

465 Millers Falls Road
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Joseph Reed
Seller: Jane E. Dion
Date: 03/01/23

NORTHFIELD

21 Meadow St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: MW & MW Realty LLC
Seller: Frank B. Podlenski
Date: 03/03/23

16 South Mountain Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Todd Lescarbeau
Seller: 16 South Mountain RT
Date: 02/27/23

ORANGE

232 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Tyler Q. Grossman
Seller: My Jireh Properties LLC
Date: 02/24/23

308 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: L5 Development LLC
Seller: Cascade Funding Mtg. TR HB4
Date: 03/01/23

232 East River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Lawrence Matchem
Seller: Forrest A. Calder
Date: 02/28/23

124 Mechanic St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $287,500
Buyer: David L. Lincoln
Seller: Jacob R. Paul
Date: 02/28/23

SHELBURNE

30 Bridge St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Hanna Inv Group LLC
Seller: Kenneth H. Chaffee
Date: 02/28/23

SHUTESBURY

29 Ladyslipper Lane
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $222,208
Buyer: Stanwich Mortgage Loan TF
Seller: Christopher G. Burnett
Date: 03/02/23

WARWICK

Northfield Road, Lot 11
Warwick, MA 01364
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Joseph Giarusso
Seller: Gary A. Salamone
Date: 02/24/23

WHATELY

Christian Lane (off)
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $6,628,005
Buyer: Full Bloom Market Garden LLC
Seller: Mustang Whately Investments LLC
Date: 03/02/23

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

30 Alhambra Circle North
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Racette
Seller: Barbara J. Souliere
Date: 02/28/23

87 Anthony St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $314,000
Buyer: Ryan C. Dustin
Seller: Ivan Carrasquillo
Date: 02/21/23

2 Belmont Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Jeremy Mutti
Seller: Gail M. Almquist
Date: 02/27/23

60 Maynard St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Thomas E. Gilroy
Seller: Carey, Helen J., (Estate)
Date: 02/28/23

47 Howard St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $227,500
Buyer: Melissa Surprise
Seller: Debra A. Ceccarini
Date: 02/21/23

19 Meadowbrook Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Michelle M. Macklin
Seller: Christopher Nascembeni
Date: 02/21/23

33 Perry Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Ryan Hayward
Seller: Andrey Kaletin
Date: 02/23/23

62 Ramah Circle North
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: 62 Ramah Circle LLC
Seller: Joseph F. Dempsey
Date: 02/24/23

47-49 Royal St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Seller: Westerly TR
Date: 03/03/23

42 South Brooke Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Kelly S. Nouwen
Seller: Kelly, Nancy Comery, (Estate)
Date: 02/21/23

268 South Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Amanda J. Robare
Seller: Bethany A. Tangredi
Date: 03/01/23

192 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Asila LLC
Seller: Joseph S. Schlaffer
Date: 02/24/23

CHICOPEE

94 9th Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $154,000
Buyer: Milton J. Theriault
Seller: Glenn A. Tunis
Date: 02/28/23

59 Artisan St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: BD Geffin LLC
Seller: Round Two LLC
Date: 03/03/23

144 Ashgrove St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Shannon M. O’Connell
Seller: Edward A. Leblanc
Date: 02/22/23

175 Beauregard Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $385,792
Buyer: RMS Series T2020-1
Seller: David Hall
Date: 02/24/23

65 Bonneville Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Hassan Saleh
Seller: Lisa B. Marques
Date: 02/24/23

250 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Kevin C. Dimitropolis
Seller: Richard A. Funk
Date: 03/02/23

35 Center St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $1,250,000
Buyer: 35 Center St. Chicopee LLC
Seller: 35 Center Street RT
Date: 03/01/23

27 Charbonneau Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $369,000
Buyer: Graciano Ortiz
Seller: LP Properties LLC
Date: 02/21/23

954 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Juan C. Cornejo
Seller: Luciano Santos
Date: 02/27/23

36 Fuller St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Serdar Turkmen
Seller: Sergeo V. Arbuzov
Date: 02/28/23

28 Glendale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Janet L. Stadnicki
Seller: Gallagher Cap Group LLC
Date: 02/23/23

33 Guyotte Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Cheyenne Rose
Seller: Gary P. Biela
Date: 02/24/23

27 Hearthstone Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Marek Dazblaz
Seller: PHH Mortgage Corp.
Date: 03/01/23

55 McCarthy Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Revampit LLC
Seller: Marilyn E. Mars
Date: 03/03/23

36 Montvue St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $166,500
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Susan Smith
Date: 02/28/23

56 Mount Vernon Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Christopher Nascembeni
Seller: Paul W. Gajda
Date: 02/22/23

15 Nora St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Daniel T. Maciolek
Seller: Daniel D. Maciolek
Date: 03/01/23

1 Saint James Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $2,291,333
Buyer: WG 2023 LLC
Seller: Walgreen Eastern Co. Inc.
Date: 03/03/23

73 Searles St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jarvis Irt
Seller: Susan M. Gustafson
Date: 02/23/23

64-66 Shepherd St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Masshousing LLC
Seller: Volodymyr Boyko
Date: 02/27/23

78 Skeele St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Richard Dunn
Seller: Gouin, Lauria A., (Estate)
Date: 02/21/23

61 Van Horn St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Jesus F. Trinidad
Seller: Congamond Management LLC
Date: 02/21/23

43 West St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Blackrock Bng Group LLC
Seller: Anglejoy Co. LLC
Date: 03/02/23

EAST LONGMEADOW

153 Chestnut St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jaime L. Hernandez
Seller: Douglas Dichard
Date: 02/22/23

143 Kibbe Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Bryan Kaselouskas
Seller: Joseph T. Pastreck
Date: 03/03/23

198 Maple St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: John J. Ryan
Seller: Louis A. Calabrese
Date: 02/21/23

566 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $446,000
Buyer: Ryan Conn
Seller: Cig3 LLC
Date: 03/02/23

257 Pease Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $378,000
Buyer: Steven Valentino
Seller: Bank Of America
Date: 02/28/23

397 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Stacy C. Elms
Seller: Jennifer M. Darcy
Date: 02/28/23

20 Sherwood Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: Keith Polci
Seller: Cheryl T. Turgeon
Date: 02/28/23

14 Theresa St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $301,000
Buyer: Valerie Keller
Seller: RL&LL Pasquale IRT
Date: 03/01/23

14 Van Dyke Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Andre Harper
Seller: Erica Harp
Date: 02/27/23

35 Westernview Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Famiglietti
Seller: April S. Mills
Date: 03/02/23

GRANVILLE

1442 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Flavia Robotti
Seller: Secretary Of Housing & Urban
Date: 03/01/23

388 South Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Kokoleka RT
Seller: Joseph Walsh
Date: 03/02/23

HAMPDEN

37 Allen St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: David Chapdelaine
Seller: Chapdelaine Realty Inc.
Date: 02/23/23

83 Allen St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Guy Libiszewski
Seller: Gary A. Baribeau IRT
Date: 02/23/23

119 East Longmeadow Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Samuel Loretta
Seller: Robert Gossman
Date: 02/24/23

44 Hollow Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $652,000
Buyer: Maxwell R. Fisk
Seller: David A. Proulx
Date: 03/02/23

601 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Aaron C. Pitrat
Seller: Jeanne A. McKenna
Date: 02/28/23

33 North Monson Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Gerald J. Tessier
Seller: Pamela B. Courtney
Date: 02/21/23

HOLLAND

5 Inlet Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: James Votzakis
Seller: Daniel Burns
Date: 02/24/23

HOLYOKE

5 Adams St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,319,930
Buyer: High Apartments LLC
Seller: 33 34 Van Cort LLC
Date: 03/03/23

323 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Victoria Delia
Seller: Amelia Serrano
Date: 02/21/23

54 Gates St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $189,987
Buyer: Francis Yarra
Seller: Varakas RT
Date: 02/23/23

688 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,092,570
Buyer: High Apartments LLC
Seller: 688 High LLC
Date: 03/03/23

20 Highland Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Leslie Decristofaro
Seller: Daniel P. McCavick
Date: 02/24/23

24-26 Sydney Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Michael Dion
Seller: Moore, Sarah Mary, (Estate)
Date: 02/22/23

LONGMEADOW

29 Crescent Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $357,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Avissato
Seller: John M. Kirkpatrick
Date: 02/24/23

901 Frank Smith Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Antonio M. Fonseca
Seller: Torff, Sora K., (Estate)
Date: 03/02/23

58 Hazardville Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Buffalo LLC
Seller: Robert D. Spaulding LT
Date: 03/02/23

83 Longfellow Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $412,295
Buyer: Lakeview Loan Servicing
Seller: Christina A. Knybel
Date: 02/27/23

33 Williston Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $506,000
Buyer: Adam A. Berg
Seller: John M. Riordan
Date: 02/28/23

LUDLOW

39 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Dequan R. Thompson
Seller: James R. Carvalho
Date: 03/01/23

441 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Vincent Serrazina
Seller: Martins, Maria C., (Estate)
Date: 03/01/23

26 Grant St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Converse
Seller: Christopher Dynak
Date: 02/23/23

434 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $349,000
Buyer: Alyssa L. Santucci
Seller: Todd M. Nareau
Date: 02/22/23

73 Napoleon Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $284,900
Buyer: Samuel Pettinger
Seller: Edward L. Lafromboise
Date: 02/28/23

97 Turning Leaf Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Robert Sullivan
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 02/28/23

96 Yale St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $228,900
Buyer: Katie E. Czarniecki
Seller: Arturo Aguillon
Date: 03/03/23

MONSON

36 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Carol J. Damico
Seller: Real Estate Investment Northeast
Date: 03/03/23

20 Thayer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Rehab Home Buyers LLC
Seller: Eric R. Meffen
Date: 03/03/23

114 Upper Palmer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $301,000
Buyer: Mark W. Anderton
Seller: Alexus Bolanos
Date: 03/02/23

4 Zuell Hill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Eugene H. Stroh
Seller: Brandi M. Kane
Date: 03/01/23

PALMER

364-368 Boston Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Justin T. Benoit
Seller: Joshua R. Benoit
Date: 02/23/23

Bridge St., Lot A1
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Demon Deacon Realty LLC
Seller: Mortgage Realty LLP
Date: 02/24/23

Bridge St., Lot A2
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Demon Deacon Realty LLC
Seller: Mortgage Realty LLP
Date: 02/24/23

5 Deborah St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Kendrick S. McKee
Seller: Mary R. Laviolette
Date: 03/02/23

 

17 Lathrop St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Michael R. Larzazs
Seller: Gary M. Larzazs
Date: 03/03/23

1382-1388 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Demon Deacon Realty LLC
Seller: Mortgage Realty LLP
Date: 02/24/23

116 Nipmuck St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $557,000
Buyer: Theodore A. Mora
Seller: Terence A. Blair
Date: 02/28/23

45-47 South St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $302,000
Buyer: Manuel S. Puyen-Roche
Seller: Kendrick S. McKee
Date: 03/02/23

1140 Thorndike St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $925,000
Buyer: Admass 4 LLC
Seller: Gary Wolf
Date: 03/01/23

53 Vicardav Ave.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $391,000
Buyer: Jemima Boating
Seller: Marisol Aponte
Date: 03/03/23

21 Wilbraham St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Ham Ivestment Realty LLC
Seller: Edward R. Greenbaum
Date: 02/24/23

SPRINGFIELD

49 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Jesse D. Freeman
Seller: Samantha E. Hahn-Clark
Date: 02/24/23

1060 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $1,875,000
Buyer: National Retail Properties LP
Seller: Oliver Auto Body Realco
Date: 02/24/23

47 Beauregard St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Yuranis Hernandez
Seller: Rebecca Stratos
Date: 03/02/23

28 Birch Glen Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jesus Vazquez
Seller: Sean M. Geaghan
Date: 02/21/23

141 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: William A. MacKinnon
Seller: Adam M. Provost
Date: 02/24/23

70 Canterbury Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: David R. Kern
Seller: Melro Associates Inc.
Date: 02/28/23

16 Carlisle St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $212,900
Buyer: Chris D. Feliz
Seller: Waiwai RT
Date: 02/24/23

80 Carnavon Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Marcus A. Starks
Seller: Thomas J. Garvey
Date: 02/23/23

145 Chapin Ter.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Sheyla Acosta-Rosario
Seller: Ana Andino
Date: 02/22/23

16-18 Cherry St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Hector L. Vazquez-Mejia
Seller: Jmx Ii TR
Date: 03/01/23

657 Cooley St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Pamela Bryant
Seller: BHR Properties LLC
Date: 03/01/23

5 County St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Ernest Rental LLC
Seller: Fallah Razzak
Date: 02/28/23

597-615 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: MSH Properties LLC
Seller: Rizvan A. Merza
Date: 03/02/23

256 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Meghan L. Tolley
Seller: Lamoureux, Mirjam, (Estate)
Date: 02/24/23

20 Drexel St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $191,500
Buyer: Dnepro Properties LLC
Seller: Patrick R. Meade
Date: 02/22/23

135 Dubois St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Joshua Romer
Seller: Bay Flow LLC
Date: 03/03/23

23-25 Edgewood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Wilfredo Gonzalez
Seller: Alexander L. Freire
Date: 02/24/23

35 Eton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Narya N. Waring
Seller: Platinum Homes LLC
Date: 02/22/23

47 Fenwick St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Jacqueline A. Ferguson
Seller: Philip Panidis
Date: 03/02/23

25 Ferncliff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Smails LLC
Seller: Funai, Pauline Agnes, (Estate)
Date: 03/03/23

131 Florida St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: SRK Realty LLC
Seller: BTS Realty LLC
Date: 03/01/23

37 Forest St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Rehab Home Buyers LLC
Seller: Joseph M. Santaniello
Date: 02/22/23

242 Fort Pleasant Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Daviau & Robert Properties LLC
Seller: Opus Durum LLC
Date: 02/27/23

98 Gatewood Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Bhavinibahen R. Patel
Seller: Eduardo Quinteros
Date: 03/01/23

259 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Sarah A. Sypek
Seller: Andrea J. Dangelo
Date: 03/03/23

35 Helberg Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Alexandra Hamilton
Seller: Alexis W. Bradley
Date: 02/24/23

62 Homestead Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Robert Bearce
Seller: David W. Bearce
Date: 02/28/23

43 Hudson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Mariel D. Toeo
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 02/28/23

150 Jamaica St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: James E. Menard
Seller: W. P. Lemieux
Date: 03/03/23

77 Johnson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Michael A. Raiford
Seller: Round Two LLC
Date: 02/23/23

282-286 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Elona Capital LLC
Seller: Wamhkm LLC
Date: 02/21/23

76 Marble St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Real Estate Investments Northeast
Seller: Real Estate Investments Northeast LLC
Date: 03/02/23

36 McBride St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Julio Rodriguez
Seller: Charles Elfman
Date: 02/28/23

94 Monmouth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Jose Nunez
Seller: Uziel Q. Martinez-Barrios
Date: 02/27/23

181 Newton Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Justin L. Deconti
Seller: Keith O. Davies
Date: 02/24/23

200 Newton Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Keith O. Davies
Seller: Natalie A. Jurgen TR
Date: 02/24/23

30 Norman St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Martha Victorio
Seller: Carmen Pabon
Date: 02/22/23

121-123 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: Gabriel Rodriguez
Seller: Panther Development LLC
Date: 03/03/23

36 Orleans St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Ali H. Abdraba
Seller: Natixis Real Estate Capital TR 2007-He2
Date: 02/23/23

1698 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Scott J. Heim
Seller: Michael Stewart
Date: 02/28/23

173 Pendleton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Isidoro R. Sanchez
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 02/23/23

296 Quincy St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Ileana C. Rodriguez
Seller: London Realty LLC
Date: 02/21/23

75 Rowland St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jennifer M. Reyes
Seller: Julian Navarro
Date: 02/22/23

75 Saffron Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Zachary Yacteen
Seller: Lazetta McCoy
Date: 02/24/23

160 Shady Brook Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Dustin Marchinkoski
Seller: Heather M. Leone
Date: 02/24/23

 

128 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $282,000
Buyer: Arista M. Parillo
Seller: Andrew Famiglietti
Date: 03/02/23

1017-1019 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Abdi Adan
Seller: Lil As Property Mgmt. LLC
Date: 02/24/23

151 Switzer Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Patricia D. McKenzie
Seller: Silversnake Properties LLC
Date: 03/03/23

135 Tavistock St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Belinda L. Wilson
Seller: Zachary D. Vollinger
Date: 02/24/23

85 Upland St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Altagracia F. Torres
Seller: Krzysztof Letowski
Date: 03/01/23

113 Vermont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Sunflower Property Inc.
Seller: STV Realty LLC
Date: 03/03/23

188 Wachusett St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Amelia Serrano
Seller: Z. I. Sanabria-Rodriguez
Date: 02/21/23

64-66 Wallace St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Erick C. Weber
Seller: Ramon Rivera
Date: 03/01/23

64-66 Wallace St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Ramon Rivera
Seller: Thomas L. Bretta
Date: 03/01/23

31 Washburn St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jovanny Cartagena
Seller: JJJ17 LLC
Date: 02/28/23

211 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Luis J. Cabreja-Hidalgo
Seller: Janet Davidson
Date: 02/24/23

48 Wilmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Jason Stallone
Seller: Cindy Guzman
Date: 02/21/23

1403 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $178,970
Buyer: Truman 2016 SC6 Title TR
Seller: Darryl Leclair
Date: 03/01/23

SOUTHWICK

94 Foster Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: Baker Commodities Inc.
Seller: Plakias Real Estate Holdings LLC
Date: 02/28/23

61 Hastings Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: PHH Mortgage Corp.
Date: 02/28/23

2 Tall Pines Trail
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $620,000
Buyer: Anthony Kruge
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 03/01/23

WESTFIELD

630 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Michael Pelc
Seller: Mary A. Fravesi
Date: 02/28/23

1214 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Janelle Aieta
Seller: Matthew Pittenger
Date: 02/23/23

74 East Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Cariel Lewis
Seller: Johnathan Spear
Date: 02/28/23

33 Fowler Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Kevin Suffriti
Seller: Cody Livingston
Date: 02/28/23

12 Grand St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $235,750
Buyer: JLR Brothers Properties LLC
Seller: Marvon Construction & Development Inc.
Date: 03/02/23

46 Grandview Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Keith M. Evans
Seller: Mary-Louise Dazelle
Date: 02/24/23

27 Hampden St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Rene Gauthier
Seller: Nimchick Jr., Paul W., (Estate)
Date: 03/01/23

17 Lincoln St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Meyer Attias
Seller: Hing-Lun Chong
Date: 02/24/23

32 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Tatyana Mokan
Seller: Patricia Mahoney
Date: 02/24/23

114 Otis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: JLR Brothers Properties LLC
Seller: Marvon Construction & Development Inc.
Date: 03/02/23

155 Yeoman Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Damien Roberts
Seller: Jaret E. Bednaz
Date: 02/24/23

WILBRAHAM

22 Brainard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $313,000
Buyer: Frank Kulig
Seller: Jennifer L. Gay
Date: 02/24/23

227 Burleigh Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jennifer Danielson
Seller: Kathleen A. Farrell
Date: 02/27/23

7 Ladd Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $427,000
Buyer: Nabil Tavarez
Seller: Bart Soar
Date: 02/27/23

1 Lee Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Kathaleen Provost
Seller: Thomas S. Manzi
Date: 02/24/23

9 Red Bridge Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: CRK Estates LLC
Seller: Gleason Realty Co. Under TR
Date: 02/24/23

444 Ridge Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Nathan D. Riddle
Seller: Alexandra Riddle
Date: 03/01/23

359 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Kyle G. Beaudreault
Seller: John F. Tenczar
Date: 03/01/23

5 Squire Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $810,000
Buyer: Eamon Kearney
Seller: Grahams Construction Inc.
Date: 03/01/23

945 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $338,000
Buyer: Peter W. Chiumiento
Seller: Michael Pope
Date: 02/24/23

WEST SPRINGFIELD

29 Clara St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Margaret F. Desmarais
Seller: Jerome D. McCarthy
Date: 02/28/23

49-51 Prospect Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Sandy E. Romero-Leones
Seller: Barbara D. Theroux
Date: 02/28/23

80 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $158,500
Buyer: Fatima Apartments LLC
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 03/02/23

40 Riverview Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Jacob Hannoush
Seller: Danielle R. Deangelo
Date: 02/28/23

64 Roanoke Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,110,800
Buyer: 64 Roanoke LLC
Seller: Horsesandhouses LLC
Date: 03/03/23

Sand Hill Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Amanda R. Putnam
Seller: B9 Industries Inc.
Date: 02/24/23

2383 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $147,900
Buyer: Grey Horse Holdings Inc.
Seller: Heidi TR
Date: 03/01/23

21 Worcester St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Jonathan Pignataro
Seller: Katelyn M. Crogan
Date: 03/01/23

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

32 Aubinwood Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $668,000
Buyer: McColpin & Archer FT
Seller: Terry, Linda L., (Estate)
Date: 03/02/23

429 Henry St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $735,000
Buyer: Scott C. Fleener
Seller: Victoria Risk
Date: 03/03/23

8 Hillcrest Place
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Justin C. Ching
Seller: Wolnik, Walter Joseph, (Estate)
Date: 02/24/23

100 Larkspur Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Danielle Orchard
Seller: Magdalena Olive
Date: 03/01/23

1611 South East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $960,000
Buyer: John & Deborah May FT
Seller: David R. Buchanan RET
Date: 03/03/23

179 Wildflower Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $810,500
Buyer: C. E. Kindervatter-Clark
Seller: Christina Weston-Smith
Date: 03/01/23

BELCHERTOWN

170 Metacomet St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Benjamin L. Wilder
Seller: Gary Stones Remodeling LL
Date: 03/01/23

212 Rockrimmon St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Garrett R. Demers
Seller: Carol A. Griffeth
Date: 02/22/23

13 Sargent St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Kristopher J. Ventura
Seller: Thomas W. McRae
Date: 03/03/23

5 Woodland Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: George Harp
Seller: Andrey Korchevskiy
Date: 02/28/23

CHESTERFIELD

1 River Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $429,000
Buyer: Matthew C. Pittenger
Seller: Charlotte Summers
Date: 02/24/23

EASTHAMPTON

6 Doody Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Yesenia L. Hostetter
Seller: Gerard McCook
Date: 02/23/23

233 Loudville Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $529,900
Buyer: Margaret Kaiser
Seller: New England Remodeling
Date: 03/03/23

16 Lyman St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Elizabeth R. Lebling
Seller: Cheryl A. Thomas-Camp
Date: 03/02/23

GOSHEN

5-B Wildwood Lane
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Julia Shippee
Seller: Jared D. Mallet
Date: 03/02/23

GRANBY

213 Amherst St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $125,525
Buyer: Walter Frederics
Seller: Ievgenii Gusiev
Date: 02/24/23

26 Baggs Hill Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Josh E. Dufresne
Seller: Easton, Ronald W., (Estate)
Date: 02/28/23

3 Sherwood Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: David Scott
Seller: Marc A. Cormier
Date: 02/24/23

14 Sherwood Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $254,750
Buyer: Bridger R. Neveu
Seller: Ervin G. Meimerstorf
Date: 02/22/23

HADLEY

7 Hadley Place
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Tuan Nguyen
Seller: Marilyn R. Murphy
Date: 03/03/23

303 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $837,500
Buyer: Bar Hadley LLC
Seller: 303 Russell Street LLC
Date: 03/02/23

305 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Bar Hadley LLC
Seller: Frontage Inc.
Date: 03/02/23

315 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: Bar Hadley LLC
Seller: 315 Russell Street LLC
Date: 03/02/23

HATFIELD

1 Elm St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: 1 Elm Street Property LLC
Seller: John M. Holhut
Date: 02/28/23

HUNTINGTON

210 Worthington Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $374,125
Buyer: Sharon French
Seller: Noel W. Kenney
Date: 02/24/23

NORTHAMPTON

12 Drewsen Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $323,500
Buyer: Heather M. Goodenough
Seller: Amanda B. Ashton
Date: 02/22/23

30 Powell St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $341,500
Buyer: Patricia L. Sipe
Seller: Jeffrey R. Vanasse
Date: 02/23/23

92 Sandy Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $168,750
Buyer: Michael W. O’Brien
Seller: Christine M. O’Brien
Date: 02/27/23

12 Vernon St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Michele L. Ruschhaupt
Seller: Thomas E. Borawski
Date: 02/27/23

PLAINFIELD

426 West Main St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Amount: $143,151
Buyer: Stanwich Mortgage Loan TR
Seller: Michele L. Bagdonas
Date: 02/21/23

615 West Main St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Mystie Ford
Seller: Michael J. Slocum
Date: 03/03/23

SOUTH HADLEY

26 Alvord St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Jane K. Weakley
Seller: David R. Adams
Date: 03/03/23

15 Chileab Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Steven Segore
Seller: Lowell W. Gudmundson
Date: 02/24/23

29 Fairlawn St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Joseph E. Tavares
Seller: Robert E. Grammo
Date: 03/02/23

24-28 Gaylord St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $7,150,000
Buyer: Hadley Gaylord LLC
Seller: Wbcmt 2007-C33 Gaylord St.
Date: 03/01/23

24-28 Gaylord St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $7,150,000
Buyer: Hadley Gaylord LLC
Seller: Wbcmt 2007-C33 Gaylord St.
Date: 03/01/23

28 Lawn St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Phillip A. Brecher
Seller: Lee R. Savage
Date: 02/27/23

1 Lesperance Court
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Michael Cowan
Seller: Robert J. Schroeter
Date: 02/24/23

126 Main St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: South Hadley Falls LLC
Seller: Barbara J. Knightly
Date: 02/28/23

7 Prospect St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $7,150,000
Buyer: Hadley Gaylord LLC
Seller: Wbcmt 2007-C33 Gaylord St.
Date: 03/01/23

41 South St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Jose M. Buscan
Seller: Lsrmf MH Master Part TR
Date: 02/27/23

SOUTHAMPTON

11 Cold Spring Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Thomas S. Avila
Seller: Joseph T. Moynahan LT
Date: 02/28/23

373 College Hwy.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Vitaly Divnich
Seller: Mathieu J. Tebo
Date: 02/28/23

82 Crooked Ledge Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $548,000
Buyer: Eugene R. Labrie
Seller: Robin B. Buckingham
Date: 03/02/23

10 Susan Dr.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Daniel Phillips
Seller: K. J. & Jill M. Malo
Date: 02/24/23

WARE

107 Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Claire C. Purgus
Seller: Stephen M. Burns
Date: 02/28/23

39 Homecrest Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Katherine M. Sarrasin
Seller: Karl A. Beaumier
Date: 03/01/23

WILLIAMSBURG

52 Briar Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $171,500
Buyer: Jameson Conz
Seller: Gloria I. Cross
Date: 03/03/23

WORTHINGTON

567 Huntington Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Albert G. Nugent
Seller: Albert G. Nugent
Date: 02/21/23

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of March 2023.

CHICOPEE

Fleet Bank of Massachusetts
638 Memorial Dr.
$48,987.29 — Exterior renovation: replace exterior ceiling tile at both entrances and drive-up overhangs, install two new bollards on sidewalk in front of entrance, powerwash entire building exterior, touch painting on curbs where needed, refresh current landscaping and add two new shrubs, remove existing decorative metal lattice trim from two sign locations, remove or reroute exposed conduit at various locations on sides of building

Main Street Property
340 McKinstry Ave., Unit 400
$73,335 — Add exterior loading-dock structure to existing loading-dock area

James McNeill
269 Chicopee St., Unit 16
$5,212 — Remove and replace four windows

Joaquin Rodriguez
1098 Chicopee St.
$5,000 — Install sheetrock in remodeled garage, install fire door

EASTHAMPTON

Michael Banas
63-65 Main St.
N/A — Attic insulation

Willison Northampton School
90 Park St.
N/A — Locker-room renovations

HADLEY

Floranine LLC
285 Russell St.
N/A — Install wet chemical fire-suppression system

Home Depot USA Inc.
358 Russell St.
N/A — Abate and replace rotting exterior framing members

LEE

723 School Street LLC
232 Main St.
$20,000 — Insulate attic and walls

Holiday Inn Club Vacations Inc.
190 Meadow St.
$1,500 — Add four walls to make three storage areas in sales-center basement

LENOX

CR Resorts LLC
165 Kemble St.
$975,000 — Re-roof tennis courts at Canyon Ranch

Lenox Collection LLC
16 Church St.
$79,000 — Install sprinkler system on floors without fire protection

NORTHAMPTON

25 Williams LLC
25 Williams St.
$8,000 — Insulation and weatherization

1924 LLC
49 Round Hill Road
$80,000 — Selective interior demolition at Coolidge Hall to prepare for future remodel

Aster Associates LLC
80 Barrett St.
$21,000 — Build structure for basement egress

Blue Mountain Properties LLC
76 Maple St.
$15,000 — Add bathroom to yoga studio and ADA bathroom to coffee shop

City of Northampton
80 Locust St.
$99,671 — Repairs to storage building at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School

ES 21 Center Street LLC
21 Center St.
$5,000 — Repairs to walls

Massachusetts Audubon Society LLC
36 Hampden St.
N/A — Install sprinkler system

Northampton Community Music Center Inc.
139 South St.
$248,227 — Window replacement and addition of vestibule

Pioneer Valley Ventures LLC
52 Maple St.
$40,000 — Install roof-mounted solar system

Trident Realty Corp.
15 Hawley St., Unit G
$21,500 — Replace drywall, repair stairs

W&N Summer LLC
55 South Park Terrace
$2,000 — Insulation and weatherization

Workroom Design Studio
14 Green St.
$19,800 — Fit-out for design studio showroom

PITTSFIELD

Lee Bank
180 South St.
$6,500 — Install maintenance shed on existing dumpster pad

Thimot Marifant
251 Second St.
$17,049 — Roofing

One Twenty Onota Street LLC
53 West Union St.
$6,428 — Install fire-alarm system to monitor sprinkler system

SPRINGFIELD

125 Paridon Street LLC
125 Paridon St.
$35,000 — Remove and replace 12 AT&T antennas

Tina Chandler
1206 Boston Road
$75,500 — Interior renovation of dentist office, remove and replace 14 windows, repair chimney

Shiv Shiv Corp.
1356 Boston Road
$6,000 — Install new framing and joist hangers for exterior overhang ceiling on Howard Johnson detached building

Shiv Shiv Corp.
1356 Boston Road
$6,000 — Install new framing and joist hangers for exterior overhang ceiling on Howard Johnson main building

Tim Smith
1755 Boston Road
$126,392 — Roofing at Falcetti Music

The Pandemic: Three Years Later

By
Opinion

Editorial

 

Three years.

It seems like much longer than that, obviously. That’s because the pandemic years, at least the first two, seemed like dog years, each of them four or five years rolled into one.

That’s why so many people who were on the fence decided to retire, including a large percentage of the region’s college presidents and a good number of its nurses. Who could blame them? It was a difficult and, in many ways, exhausting time.

But as we’re set to mark the three-year anniversary of the day when everyone packed up their computer and went home (March 24 seems to be the consensus day), we have to say there is certainly some credence to that old saying — the one about how what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

We’ve said that before in regard to the pandemic and its aftermath, but it bears repeating.

First, though, we need to note that this pandemic did kill a lot of businesses in this region, many, if not most of them, in the retail and hospitality fields — businesses that saw people stop coming to their door and simply couldn’t adjust to that changing landscape.

Which brings us back to those that could adopt and did survive. They are better are off for it, and they are now even better able to withstand change, even rapid, profound change that alters how business is done forever. These businesses have learned to communicate better, to find new and often better ways of doing things, to work together to solve real problems.

Over the past three years, we’ve told countless stories about companies and nonprofits and how they battled through COVID. They are all different, but there are many similarities. Mostly, they involve people looking at a very difficult situation and simply getting creative.

They couldn’t do things the way they always did them, so they had to find other ways. They had to dig deep, overcome adversity, and create solutions. That’s what being in crisis mode — which is what colleges, hospitals, and, yes, many other kinds of businesses were in for at least two full years — is all about.

The challenge, and the opportunity, for businesses now is to continue to apply those lessons and maintain that spirit of problem solving and finding new ways of doing things even when the pandemic is essentially over. And from what we’ve observed, there seems to be a good bit of this going on.

Companies are not going back to the way they did things, because that doesn’t make sense anymore — be it with regard to technology, remote work, hours of doing business, recruiting talent from outside the 413 … all of these things and more. Instead, they are shedding that ‘this is how we’ve done it, so this is how we’ll continue to do it’ mentality.

And they are certainly the better for it.

Looking back, this is what the most successful businesses came away with from the pandemic — an understanding of not just how imaginative and resourceful they can be, but of how imaginative and resourceful they must continue to be moving forward.

 

A Step in the Right Direction

By
Opinion

Editorial

 

Gov. Maura Healey presented her first budget a few weeks back, and it contains some proposals that could help the state navigate its way out of an ongoing workforce crisis.

Chief among them is something called MassReconnect, which would fund free community-college certificates and degrees to Commonwealth residents who are 25 years and older and have not yet earned a college degree.

Based on initiatives in Michigan and Tennessee, MassReconnect actually goes further than those programs by covering more than just tuition; it also covers mandatory fees, books, and various support services. It is designed to remove barriers to getting the college degree that is needed to succeed in most jobs today, and it holds significant promise to do just that.

So do some of Healey’s other proposed investments in higher education, including a 3% increase in public college and university base spending, as well as $59 million to stabilize tuition and fees at the University of Massachusetts and other public institutions.

But it is free community college that is getting the most attention, and rightfully so. In fact, Senate President Karen Spilka has been working on legislation to achieve just that, saying that reducing the cost of getting a degree will help close equity gaps and build a more educated workforce to meet the needs of important industries in Massachusetts..

Indeed, while the bottom-line cost of a community-college education is much lower than at four-year schools, it is still a burden to many and a roadblock when it comes to attaining not just a job, but a career. In that sense, this proposal could open doors to individuals who have seen them closed for one reason or another, while holding considerable potential to bolster the state’s 15 community colleges and the state’s economy as a whole.

Indeed, the Commonwealth’s community colleges, long considered a key component in any region’s economic-development strategy, and especially here in Western Mass., have been struggling of late, and for many reasons.

Smaller high-school graduating classes are just one of them. A strong job market has traditionally had the effect of impacting enrollment at community colleges — they thrived during the Great Recession, for example — and that pattern has held for roughly the past decade or so. Meanwhile, the pandemic certainly hasn’t helped.

This region needs its four community colleges — Berkshire Community College, Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College, and Springfield Technical Community College — and it needs them to be strong and vibrant if it is to create, and maintain, a strong pipeline of workers coming into fields ranging from healthcare to cannabis to hospitality.

Meanwhile, community college serves as a place to start one’s secondary education. Many graduates of these schools move on to four-year colleges and degrees that lead to a wider range of job, and career, possibilities. But first, students need to begin.

That’s why this proposal holds such potential. It is designed for non-traditional students, those who haven’t started in college, or who have started but haven’t completed, for one reason or another. These are the individuals who hold the most promise for bringing some real relief to the region’s ongoing workforce crisis, one that is impacting businesses in every sector of the economy.

The concept of free community college has its skeptics, and some will wonder where the money will come from and whether the state can afford to do this.

Looking at matters from an economic-development lens, however, one could argue that the state can’t afford not to do it.

 

Picture This

By
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

Reaching the Summit

Tonia Butler Perez

The Community College National Legislative Summit on Feb. 5-8 offered Springfield Technical Community College President John Cook and STCC trustees Jynai McDonald and Tonia Butler Perez (pictured at top left) an opportunity to speak with lawmakers about federal priorities, including reducing barriers to receive Pell Grants that help low-income students access higher education. Massachusetts featured a delegation of close to 40 people, including other community-college presidents and trustees as well as staff from the Massachusetts Assoc. of Community Colleges. Pictured at top right, from left: Cook, Butler Perez, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, and McDonald.

 

 

Brainstorming Visit

American International College (AIC) welcomed representatives from Holyoke Community College (HCC) to its Springfield campus on March 2 to celebrate a transfer agreement they signed last summer and brainstorm ideas for future partnerships. HCC President Christina Royal and AIC President Hubert Benitez (pictured at left) and a cadre of faculty and staff from both colleges toured the AIC campus and then sat down to talk over lunch. Last June, the two colleges signed an articulation agreement to make it easier and less expensive for HCC students to transfer to AIC through the latter’s Direct Connect program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Closer to the Goal

Last week, Girls Inc. of the Valley hosted a milestone event to provide campaign fundraising updates for its new location at 480 Hampden St. in Holyoke. Mayor Joshua Garcia, state Rep. Patricia Duffy, and (pictured, from left) campaign co-chairs Bernadette Harrigan and Cynthia Medina-Carson made remarks, and the fundraising thermometer sign was updated as the campaign has now reached 90% of its $5 million goal. PeoplesBank will be financing the project through a loan to Girls Inc. of the Valley, in addition to a tax-exempt bond from MassDevelopment. This campaign launched in 2018 with a mission to expand the physical footprint of Girls Inc. of the Valley and establish a permanent headquarters in Holyoke, allowing it to serve a larger community. 

 

 

 

 

Meeting Basic Needs

In partnership with Holyoke Community College (HCC), United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) recently opened a pantry providing shelf-stable food for Holyoke residents in the Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center (PAFEC) at 206 Maple St. The PAFEC Cupboard is open on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. by appointment. In a geographic area with significant need for food, this pantry opened just as extra COVID-19 SNAP benefits came to an end on March 2. UWPV also operates the Chicopee Cupboard at 226 Exchange St. in Chicopee, as well as the Springfield Cupboard at 1441 Main St. in Springfield.

 

Chamber Corners

By
Chamber Corners

1BERKSHIRE

(413) 499-1600; www.1berkshire.com

 

March 22: Go Fund U Session #2: “Communicating Your Story,” 5-7 p.m., hybrid event, hosted online or at Berkshire Innovation Center, 45 Woodlawn Ave., Pittsfield. It isn’t just about the money; it’s about building a community, establishing a following, projecting an identity, creating a buzz, and sparking a movement. Learn how to communicate your story effectively to the general public. Start building a community of folks who will come together to bring your project to life and who will be there with you for future endeavors as well. Register at www.1berkshire.com.

March 29: Go Fund U Session #3: “The Bandwagon Effect and VIPs,” 5-7 p.m., hybrid event, hosted online or at Berkshire Innovation Center, 45 Woodlawn Ave., Pittsfield. Create a bandwagon that other folks want to jump onto. Understand how to identify and communicate with your VIPs before launch to increase your chances of reaching your funding goal. In this session, we’ll also discuss setting your funding target, determining reward levels, and strategies for during and after your campaign. This is your opportunity to learn the secret recipe for crowdfunding success. Register at www.1berkshire.com.

 

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 253-0700;
www.amherstarea.com

 

March 30: Margarita Madness, 5:30-7:30 p.m., hosted by Interskate 91 at the Hampshire Mall, 367 Russell St., Hadley. TommyCar Auto Group returns as presenting sponsor. Mix, mingle, and network at our largest signature event of the year. Enjoy an evening of tasty margaritas and vote for your favorite. Local restaurants showcase their fare, and there are dozens of raffles prizes donated by Amherst Area Chamber members. Cost: $35 pre-registered at www.amherstarea.com, $45 at the door.

 

EAST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 575-7230; www.erc5.com

April 4: Coffee Hour Connections with ERC5, 8:30-9:30 a.m., hosted by Hillary Lynn Photography, 200 Center St., Suite 5, Ludlow. Join us as we gather to build relationships and Hillary shares more about the work she is doing with brand imagery that tells a story and connects with your dream clients. Register online at www.erc5.com.

 

FRANKLIN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 773-5463; www.franklincc.org

 

March 24: Chamber Breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m., hosted by Terrazza restaurant, 244 Country Club Road, Greenfield. Join us for breakfast at Terrazza as we hear from Ronald Bryant, president of Baystate Regional Hospitals, and learn how Baystate Franklin Medical Center, the sponsor of this event, is transforming the health of our community from the inside out. Cost: $20 for members, $22 for general admission. Visit www.franklincc.org to register.

 

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 594-2101;
www.chicopeechamber.org

 

March 23: Annual Meeting, 8-9:30 a.m., hosted by RiverMills Senior Center, 5 West Main St., Chicopee. This kickoff to our Salute Breakfast Series is presented by Florence Bank, which is celebrating 150 years. Meet our incoming board of directors and hear from Mayor John Vieau and chamber representatives about what’s new for the city and chamber this year. Cost: $23 for members, $28 for non-members. To register, visit www.chicopeechamber.org.

 

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 534-3376;
www.holyokechamber.com

 

March 29: After Hours and Ribbon Cutting at Fame, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Fame, 386 Dwight St., Holyoke. Join as we celebrate the grand opening of Fame with small, homemade bites; craft beer and cocktails; and connections. To register, visit www.business.holyokechamber.com/events.

 

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 584-1900;
www.northamptonchamber.com

 

April 4: Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Danco Modern, 10 West St., Hatfield. Our monthly networking get-together is the perfect place to expand your circle of connections in the business community. New to (or nervous about) networking? Join us at 4 p.m. for a Warm Welcome pre-party and get tips from our experts. Sponsored by Reider Media, Delap Real Estate, and Applied Mortgage. First Impressions sponsored by Finck & Perras. This is a free event. Register online at www.explorenorthampton.com.

 

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 568-1618; www.westfieldbiz.org

March 23: Morning Brew, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Shaker Farms Country Club, 866 Shaker Road, Westfield. Join us for a great networking opportunity. Introduce yourself and your business to the attendees. Everyone has a chance to discuss what their business does and what they are looking for to expand and improve.

April 5: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Armbrook Village, 551 North Road, Westfield. Mayor Michael McCabe will update the attendees on City Hall activities, and there will be an opportunity to ask the mayor questions. This event is free to attend. To register, visit www.westfieldbiz.org.

 

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 426-3880; www.ourwrc.com

 

April 4: April Lunch & Learn with ERC5, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Villa Rose, 1428 Center St., Ludlow. Learn from our panelists how to maintain and grow in 2023 and beyond. Hear valuable tips for making every penny count in your business and how to effectively use your dollars to your advantage. Cost: $25 for members, $35 for non-members. To register, visit www.ourwrc.com.

Agenda

By
Agenda

First-time Homebuyer Webinar Series

March 15, 16, 23: Greenfield Cooperative Bank is participating with Valley Community Development on a webinar series for first-time homebuyers. In this Zoom webinar, attendees will get the facts from real-estate professionals, including attorneys, loan officers, Realtors, home inspectors, and housing counselors; learn tips about how to improve their credit; and be able to ask questions to help them proceed and protect their own interests as they approach this life decision. Missy Tetreault, AVP and senior mortgage originator, and Kim Gates, mortgage originator, will be panelists at this event. The cost is $50 for two adults in the same household. Registration is non-refundable, and attendance is required at all three sessions. Each session will be hosted via a unique Zoom webinar link from 6 to 9 p.m. Participants will receive the Zoom links on the day of each session. Learn more at www.greenfieldcoopbank.com/events. Register online at www.valleycdc.org.

 

Free Line-cook Training

March 20 to April 21: Holyoke Community College (HCC) will run a new round of free line-cook training classes at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute. The five-week program runs Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The program is designed for those already in the restaurant industry who want to upgrade their skills as well as unemployed or underemployed individuals interested in starting new careers. The program, which is free to qualifiying applicants, is taught both online and in person at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute at 164 Race St., Holyoke. Participants will learn all the essential competencies they need to become successful line cooks: knife skills; how to prepare stocks, soups, sauces, desserts, poultry, fish, and meat; culinary math and measurements; moist- and dry-heat cooking methods; as well as workplace soft skills, such as building a résumé and searching for jobs. For more information, contact Laura Smith, HCC job-placement assistant and career-development counselor, at [email protected] or (413) 552-2833, or fill out the inquiry form at hcc.edu/job-ready.

 

World Affairs Council Talk on American Journalists in China

March 21: The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts will present former CNN Beijing Bureau Chief and Northampton native Mike Chinoy on his new book, Assignment China: An Oral History of American Journalists in the People’s Republic, at a luncheon at noon at the Student Prince in downtown Springfield. The event is open to the public, and the cost is $45, including a buffet lunch. To reserve a space, call (413) 733-0110. The book tells the story of how American journalists have covered China — from the civil war of the 1940s through the COVID-19 pandemic — in their own words. They share behind-the-scenes stories of reporting on historic moments such as Richard Nixon’s groundbreaking visit in 1972, China’s opening up to the outside world and its emergence as a global superpower, and the crackdowns in Tiananmen Square and Xinjiang. Chinoy is a non-resident senior fellow at the U.S.-China Institute at the University of Southern California. He spent 24 years as a foreign correspondent for CNN, serving as the network’s first Beijing bureau chief and senior Asia correspondent. Before joining CNN, he worked for CBS News and NBC News. He won Emmy, Dupont, and Peabody awards for his coverage of China.

 

EANE Leadership Summit

March 29: The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE) will host its annual Leadership Summit on Wednesday, March 29 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. With a focus on navigating the new workforce, the summit will showcase tangible ways leaders can adapt to workplace dynamics that have significantly shifted in the three years since the onset of COVID-19. Faced with myriad workforce challenges — hybrid work, shifting market dynamics, and new attitudes toward work in general, to name a few — leaders in the Northeast may be struggling to keep up with change. In fact, a 2023 Deloitte survey found that only 24% of C-suite executives and board members feel their organizations are ready to make the changes needed to navigate the new workforce. The program will feature an opening keynote from U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Famer Chris Waddell. A Western Mass. native, Waddell’s keynote will share his insights and experience as the first nearly unassisted paraplegic to summit Mr. Kilimanjaro. Waddell’s inspiring presentation will challenge attendees to bring integrity to their leadership responsibilities, even when times get tough. The closing keynote will be presented by Mohammad Anwar and Frank Danna, Wall Street Journal bestselling co-authors of Love as a Business Strategy. Through compelling storytelling, Anwar and Danna will provide attendees with a new, people-first framework for achieving any business outcome. They help leaders achieve better results by transforming behaviors and providing tactics to build high-performing, reliable teams that inspire a feeling of belonging that is led with love. Attendees will also have access to 10 breakout sessions with topics including coaching and development, unlocking one’s potential, mastering time management, engaging multiple generations, avoiding legal landmines, mitigating conflict, leading with empathy, and more. Organizations that register six or more participants get 10% off each registration, reserved seating, a personalized post-summit debrief with a member of EANE staff, and more. Grant funding is available to Massachusetts attendees through the Express Program and Rhode Island attendees through the Incumbent Worker Grant. The program will offer credits for HR Certification Institute and SHRM. Register and learn more at www.eane.org/event/2023-leadership-summit.

 

Difference Makers Gala

April 27: The 15th annual Difference Makers Gala will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through this recognition program. The 2023 Difference Makers was announced, and their stories told, in the Feb. 20 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. Tickets cost $85 each, and tables of 10-12 are available. To purchase tickets, visit businesswest.com/difference-makers. Partner sponsors for this year’s program include Burkhart Pizzanelli P.C., the Royal Law Firm, TommyCar Auto Group, and Westfield Bank.

 

Pioneer Valley Conference for Women

May 4: The Pioneer Valley Conference for Women will host its first in-person event at the Marriott in downtown Springfield. The theme of the conference is “Let Go.” Leading the speaker lineup are Paulette Piñero, social entrepreneur, writer, and leadership coach, and Yvonne Williams, author of Tested Faith and It’s All About the Shoes. Each will provide a keynote address to an expected audience of more than 300 attendees. The conference highlights topics that were chosen by the women of Western Mass., based on current trends and interests. Alison Maloni, owner of Alison May Public Relations, news anchor for a national network, and bestselling author of Breaking in the News: Build Buzz for Your Brand, will emcee the conference. Local comedian Jess Miller will entertain attendees during a VIP Comedy Kick-off the evening before the conference; tickets cost $35. The cost to attend the Pioneer Valley Conference is $52, which includes breakfast, lunch, a swag bag, and an afternoon celebration with a female DJ and complementary wine and hors d’oeuvres following the full-day conference. The lunch sponsor is M&T Bank. The panel sponsor is Westfield Bank. The network sponsors are Smith Executive Education and USI Insurance. The small-business sponsors are Lovelace Design and Rooted Flowers. Keeping with the goal of accessibility, the conference will also be available virtually for those who are more comfortable watching through a screen. Sessions will be taped for future viewing. For more information on keynote speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and panelists, visit sheslocal.org/pioneer-valley-conference-for-women.

 

Hooplandia

June 23-25: Registration for Hooplandia, a 3×3 basketball tournament and festival, is now open at www.hooplandia.com and includes levels of play for all ages and divisions. The tournament, presented by the Eastern States Exposition (ESE) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will take place on the grounds of ESE in West Springfield June 23-25, with special games at the Hall of Fame in Springfield. The event is expected to attract thousands of fans and players as hundreds of games take place across more than 70 courts. Divisions of play have been created to provide an all-inclusive environment for players of all ages and playing abilities. With brackets that include veterans, first responders, youth, wheelchair athletes, college elites, and many more, there’s a spot on the court for everyone. Players are invited to build teams of four, create their own unique team name and uniforms, and register at www.hooplandia.com. Team fees range from $75 to $190, with children under 8 and participants in the Special Olympics category being free of charge. Hooplandia has teamed up with Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the region as its designated philanthropic partner, providing $10 from every team registration to support the mission and programs of the clubs. Partnership opportunities for Hooplandia are available at a variety of levels to help underwrite all areas of play, including Boys & Girls Club youth, active military, veterans divisions, and more. Anyone interested should email [email protected]. Hooplandia welcomes participation from youth team referees, scorekeepers, Fan Village contest facilitators, and volunteers for myriad duties to help make this inaugural year a success. Those interested in participating in this groundbreaking event can fill out the volunteer form at www.hooplandia.com.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Melvin Olivo

Melvin Olivo

Theo Streeter

Theo Streeter

UMassFive College Federal Credit Union recently announced two management-team promotions: Assistant Vice President of Information Technology Melvin Olivo and Information Technology Manager Theo Streeter. Olivo’s career at UMassFive began in 2020 as the Information Technology manager. In his new position, he will be responsible for the strategic, day-to-day oversight of Information Technology, ensuring efficient, secure, and service-oriented performance of the department. Streeter’s career at UMassFive began in 2014 as a Member Service specialist in the King Street, Northampton branch before moving on to various levels of Enterprise Support technician. He was most recently promoted to senior Enterprise Support technician in 2018 before accepting the role of IT manager. In his new position, he will be overseeing the Enterprise Support technical team, administering network infrastructure and software platforms, as well as hardware procurement.

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Brandon Roper

Brandon Roper

Camfour Inc. — a growing national wholesaler of firearms, ammunition, and accessories for the shooting-sports industry, with distribution centers in Westfield and Pflugerville, Texas. — announced the promotion of Brandon Roper to the position of president. In this new capacity, Roper will report to CEO Malcolm Getz and the ownership group. He will be responsible for leading the continued growth of the Camfour brand and team. Roper has been effecting change since first joining Camfour as vice president of Sales and Marketing. During that time, he is credited with a variety of accomplishments, including the complete rebrand of Camfour, sales execution during the market slowdown of 2022, the growth of the company’s sales team, and preparation of a three-year strategic plan.

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Shreyas Ovalekar

Shreyas Ovalekar

Terri Lindsey

Terri Lindsey

Krista Benoit

Krista Benoit

D.A. Sullivan & Sons Inc. (DAS), a general-contracting and construction-management firm serving the public and private sectors since 1897, is proud to announce three recent hires to the organization: Shreyas Ovalekar as estimator, Terri Lindsey as office administrator/HR, and Krista Benoit as project manager/engineer. Ovalekar joins DAS from Vantage Builders, where he was also an estimator. With more than seven years of experience, he brings vast knowledge and unique perspective to the DAS team. He earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from Western New England University. Before joining DAS, Lindsey was an office manager at Burke Chevrolet. She comes to DAS with experience and enthusiasm to contribute to an efficient, inclusive, and developing workforce. Benoit comes to DAS from Dietz & Company Architects Inc. Her diverse experience includes a wide range of projects on the architectural side of project design and delivery, and her expertise will be an asset to the DAS team.

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Unemployment Tax Control Associates Inc. (UTCA), a national unemployment-insurance service provider based in West Springfield with an office in Boston, announced that Principal Evan Murphy has been appointed to Connecticut’s Employment Security Advisory Board. The eight-member board advises state administrators on matters pertaining to the policy and administration of the Employment Security Division. A UTCA employee for more than 10 years, Murphy oversees analysis, implementation, and client-success efforts to reduce the cost and complexity of employer unemployment-insurance programs. He facilitates educational seminars for customers, industry associations, and various employer groups across the country. He has been instrumental in helping businesses of all sizes and scopes effectively understand and control their unemployment cost and compliance. Murphy was appointed by Connecticut state Rep. Jason Rojas, the majority leader of the House of Representatives.

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Scott Little

Scott Little

Berkshire Money Management (BMM) announced that Scott Little, financial advisor and vice president at the firm, has earned the behavioral financial advisor (BFA) designation. Behavioral financial advisors combine financial knowledge with psychology and neuroscience to increase their ability to coach clients in making rational, values-based decisions. Behavioral finance acknowledges that, while numbers are rational, people are not, which can make carrying out financial plans challenging for client and advisor alike. The BFA program was developed by Think 2 Perform to teach advisors to recognize their clients’ emotions and help them stick with their plans, even when those emotions run high. To earn the certification, advisors must complete two multi-part courses on behavioral finance, pass an online proctored exam, and complete 20 hours of continuing education to renew their status every two years. Little has been helping BMM clients build secure retirements for more than 20 years. He is a licensed financial advisor, a certified elder planning specialist, and now a behavioral financial advisor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics from MCLA.

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Everette Anderson

Everette Anderson

At its annual S.T.A.R. Awards & Safety Banquet on Feb. 28 Peter Pan Bus Lines honored 11 of its 1 million-, 2 million-, 3 million-, and 4 million-mile motor-coach operators. The brightest star was Everette Anderson, who has been a Peter Pan motor-coach driver for 53 years, since May 1970. Anderson is the second motor-coach operator in the history of this country to be inducted into the National Safety Hall of Fame for driving 4 million miles without any accidents. The first inductee was Peter Pan motor-coach operator Ed Hope in 2017. Four million miles is the equivalent of 40 trips around the earth. Other Peter Pan motor-coach operators honored at the S.T.A.R. Awards included Thomas Reckner and Paul Boie for for 3 million miles; Phillandor Knight, Dave Kollisch, Wayne Soloman, and Anthony Wilson for 2 million miles; and Syed Bukhari, Edward Caouette, Frederick Perry, and Horace Wright for 1 million miles.

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The Massachusetts State Lottery and the Boston Celtics recently honored Kashawn Sanders of Springfield as a Hero Among Us. Sanders uses the power of mentoring to help shape the future of today’s youth. Along with co-founder Tyrone Williams, Sanders established the Follow My Steps Foundation Inc., a nonprofit that provides mentoring programs, financial resources, and career and skill development to youth living in under-resourced communities throughout the Commonwealth. Through community service and a growing number of local events, Sanders is helping empower his students to give back to their own communities. In less than three years, his organization has devoted countless mentorship hours to more than 1,000 students, inspiring each of them to see and reach their full potential. For his commitment to uplifting youth vulnerable communities through mentorship, and in honor of Bill Russell’s legacy in the mentoring movement, Sanders was honored as a Hero Among Us on Feb. 12, when the Boston Celtics played the Memphis Grizzlies.

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Henry Thomas

Henry Thomas

Henry Thomas, who presided over the Urban League of Springfield for almost a half-century, announced his retirement last week. “I have had the privilege to spend my entire career supporting the Springfield community and creating countless spaces where our community can thrive, grow, and achieve excellence,” he wrote in a letter announcing his decision. “My dream has always been to serve, and I am so honored to have spent my life’s work with a civil-rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice.” Thomas was named one of BusinessWest’s Difference Makers for 2023, and will be honored at a gala on April 27. He joined the Urban League in 1971 as youth coordinator. In 1974, at age 25, he became the nation’s youngest leader of a national Urban League affiliate. One of his key areas of focus throughout his career has been education, and not just through Urban League programs; he also served for 13 years on the UMass Amherst board of trustees — including two and a half years as board chair — and was a co-founder of New Leadership Charter School. Under his watch, Urban League initiatives have included include education and youth-development initiatives, as well as programs for economic and workforce development, health and wellness, and seniors. Also in the vein of education and workforce development, Thomas established Step Up Springfield, a teacher-development program in Springfield; is funding (along with his wife, Dee, a former teacher and principal herself) a $50,000 scholarship for Black youth from Springfield; and tackled a two-year assignment with the National Urban League as its vice president for Youth Development, with a primary focus of youth development within inner-city communities. Another one of Thomas’ successes was bringing Camp Atwater in North Brookfield — the oldest overnight camp for Black youth in the U.S. — back to life in 1980 after a period of dormancy. The camp celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

STCC Receives State Grants for Nursing, Tech Career Pathways

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) was recently awarded state grants to enhance a nursing partnership with Westfield State University and to start a STEM Tech Career Academy for high-school students at West Springfield High School and Veritas Prep Charter School. The Workforce Skills Cabinet — an alignment of state executive offices — awarded STCC a two-year, $600,000 Nursing Pathways Grant. The state funding will help STCC and Westfield State further develop synergies and clarify student pathways for their respective programs. Nursing students can obtain their associate degree in nursing from STCC and continue virtually, or on the STCC campus, as they pursue their bachelor’s degree from Westfield State. As a result of the grant, STCC students will see a reduction in time and cost to achieve their BSN from Westfield State. The Workforce Skills Cabinet also awarded a three-year, $1 million grant to start a STEM Tech Career Academy. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The $5 million announced in December for five new STEM Tech Career Academies across the state included one that partners STCC with West Springfield High School and Veritas Prep Charter School. The STEM Tech Career Academy focuses on healthcare, environmental and life sciences, and business and finance. The partnership will leverage existing innovation pathways and includes Baystate Eye Care Group, Each Moment We’re Alive, Walgreens, and Springfield Thunderbirds Hockey Club as industry partners. The STEM Tech Career Academy grant will help expand early college programs specifically for STEM courses and will help students explore STEM career pathways. STCC offers an innovation-pathway program for West Springfield High School students in their junior year. STCC’s work with Veritas includes students as early as ninth grade with the possibility of earning 60 college credits. The STEM Tech Career Academy will provide work-based learning opportunities with paid internships and capstone projects to students, said Pamela Westmoreland, director of Early College Initiatives at STCC. The goal is to increase the number of students who earn associate degrees or certificates.

 

Greenfield Company Rebrands, Expands as NE-XT Technologies

GREENFIELD — Valley Steel Stamp (VSS) was founded in 1971 by William Capshaw with two employees who made steel marking tools for local industries, particularly hand-tool companies. This week, the company, led by his son, Steve Capshaw, announced the launch of its new name, NE-XT Technologies, and a new website designed to define the contemporary capabilities of its team of more than 200 skilled engineers and machinists. Although the company has rebranded, it continues to focus on the precision machining of complex, close-tolerance components and assemblies for aerospace, defense, and other industrial applications. The rebrand goes much deeper than a new name, logo, and website. NE-XT was acquired by Jefferson River Capital in 2022, which allowed it to expand in terms of capabilities and its leadership team. That year, Richard Havighorst joined the team as chief financial officer and Katie Szelewicki as vice president of Human Resources.

 

 

Bay Path Nets $1 Million for Student Success Center

LONGMEADOW — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal joined Bay Path University President Sandra Doran to announce a $1 million earmark to launch a Student Success Center at the university. The allocation was made possible through Congressionally Direct Spending (CDS) from the Department of Education. Neal included funding for this project in the FY 2023 spending bill that was signed into law on Dec. 29, 2022. Funding will be used to complete the work to launch a new Student Success Center that will deliver holistic, coordinated, wraparound academic, financial, and career-development support services that are easily accessible 24/7, both online and on campus. The center will accommodate the needs of Bay Path’s diverse student populations, integrating its services into a student’s academic program through systematic communications and touchpoints throughout the undergraduate experience.

 

Big Y Donates Almost $44,000 to Local Breast-cancer Groups

SPRINGFIELD — (March 2, 2023) In order to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer, all Big Y supermarkets donated proceeds from their October initiative, “Partners of Hope,” to 32 breast-cancer support groups throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. This program reflects the partnership, commitment, and support of breast-cancer awareness and research that are so vital for many. Recipients in Western Mass. include Protect Our Breasts (Amherst), Holyoke Medical Center Women’s Center (Holyoke), the Pink Way (Ludlow), Survivor Journeys (Longmeadow), Cancer Connection (Northampton), Cooley Dickinson Hospital Women’s Health Care (Northampton), Berkshire Medical Center Women’s Imaging Center (Pittsfield), Baystate Health Foundation, Rays of Hope (Springfield), and Mercy Medical Center, Center for Breast Health (Springfield). Since 2007, Big Y has raised more than $2 million to support local breast-cancer initiatives.

 

Streetlight Financial Foundation Partners with Friends of Children

FLORENCE — Streetlight Financial Foundation announced that Friends of Children Inc. has been chosen as the recipient of its fundraising efforts for 2023. The foundation was created in 2022 from financial-services company Streetlight Financial. Founding partners Aaron Smith and Mark Vaclavicek recognized a need for a philanthropic effort that provides a positive financial impact to one cause or organization each year. Friends of Children, a Northampton-based 501(c)(3) dedicated to improving the lives of children and young adults impacted by foster care or juvenile-justice involvement, is the first recipient of the foundation’s annual fundraising initiative.

 

MDRT Foundation Awards $2,000 Grant to Girl Scouts

HOLYOKE — The MDRT Foundation has awarded a $2,000 grant to Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) in support of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience and further its mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.The Million Dollar Round Table Foundation gives to charitable organizations worldwide, demonstrating the generosity, service, and impact of MDRT members. This year, the MDRT Foundation will award more than $1.6 million in MDRT member-endorsed grants to more than 300 charitable organizations worldwide. Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts was nominated for the MDRT grant by Amy Jamrog, CEO of the Jamrog Group and GSCWM board member. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience is a collection of engaging, challenging, and fun activities for girls to develop a strong sense of self, display positive values, seek challenges, learn from setbacks, form and maintain healthy relationships, and learn to identify and solve problems in their community.

 

LiftTruck Parts & Service Announces 35th Anniversary

WEST SPRINGFIELD — LiftTruck Parts & Service Inc., a local, family-owned business with locations in West Springfield and Brockton, announced its 35th business anniversary. For 35 years, LiftTruck has been a family-owned business providing cost-effective forklift sales, rentals, parts, and service to the Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Connecticut, and Rhode Island areas. The company offers a wide range of brands for sale, including BYD, Clark, Doosan, Heli Americas, and Komatsu, and is now also selling the new BYD lithium ion phosphate battery-powered forklift. The BYD lithium iron phosphate battery LiFePO4 has proven to be extremely safe, never losing structural integrity nor exploding. LiftTruck Parts & Service also offers both short- and long-term electric, LP, and gas forklift rentals with planned maintenance to keep customers’ business running smoothly. Its various service plans help clients monitor maintenance costs, hours of usage, equipment condition, and other factors that can affect forklift trucks’ on-the-job performance. LifeTruck provides service on all makes of forklifts, golf cars, pallet jacks, reach trucks, and stackers. LiftTruck is outfitted to manage all its clients’ material-handling equipment needs and meet clients’ service needs in a cost-effective manner.

 

BetMGM Supports Problem Gambling Awareness Month

SPRINGFIELD — BetMGM announced a new pledge to prominently feature responsible-gaming messages in its marketing and advertising campaigns beginning March 1, in alignment with the start of Problem Gambling Awareness Month. As part of the pledge, responsible-gaming messaging will be featured within BetMGM’s mobile app and within BetMGM advertisements ranging from billboard marketing to television, print, and radio ads across the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, responsible-gaming messages and banners will be incorporated into BetMGM’s digital and social platforms, as well as on property signage within physical BetMGM sportsbooks. Along that line, MGM Resorts, MGM Northfield Park, and BetMGM were well represented as sponsors at the 20th Ohio Problem Gambling Conference, held in Columbus last week. The event brought together leading gaming operators, researchers, and treatment professionals in an effort to generate problem-gambling awareness and education while discussing the impact of legalized sports betting in the state.

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

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

EAST LONGMEADOW

CE Springfield Inc., 194 Elm St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Gregory Burack, same. Restaurant.

HAMPDEN

Tranquil Mindz Inc., 137 East Longmeadow Road, Hampden, MA 01036. Zachary Geissler, same. Therapy services.

HOLYOKE

Deerfield Commercial Real Estate Inc., 1611 Northampton St. 1st Floor, Holyoke, MA 01040. Timothy Thompson, same. Commercial real estate brokerage services.

LONGMEADOW

208 Shaker Clean Energy Inc., 208 Shaker Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Christopher I. Scyocurka, same. Sale and installation of solar energy systems.

Wolf Swamp Road Elementary Parent Teacher Organization Inc., 62 Wolf Swamp Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Haley Miner, 259 Inverness Lane, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Corporation organized to support the education at Wolf Swamp Road Elementary School in Longmeadow, MA.

PITTSFIELD

Berkshire Access Realty Inc., 12 Ventura Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Mary Jane Dunlop, same. Real estate/brokerage firm.

Gem Technologies Holdings Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Federico Marchese, same. Building a decentralized social media app that aims to encourage deeper and more numerous interactions between content creators and fans.

Hayden Ai Technologies Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Chris Carson, same. Pioneering smart traffic enforcement.

Princeton Labor Day Committee Inc., 82 Wendell Ave. Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Committee.
Dale Stafford, PO Box 608, Princeton, MA 01541. To organize and run the annual Chandler Bullock Memorial Labor Day tennis tournament in Princeton, Mass., and to solicit donations from the community to pay for any costs associated with the tournament.

SOUTH HADLEY

Minmin Kitchen Inc., 532 Newton St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Chunjin Chen, 23 Dallaire Ave. Chicopee, MA 01020. Food service.

SPRINGFIELD

JF Bazaar Inc., 932 Worthington St., Springfield, MA 01105. Muhammad Bilal, 71 East School St. West Springfield, MA 01089. Supermarket.

Junza Productions Inc., 181 State St., Springfield, MA 01103. Thalia Mwanilelo, same. Music production and travel blogs.

WILBRAHAM

Rooney Insurance & Financial Inc., 2341 Boston Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Sean Rooney, same. Insurance agent and broker, financial planning, and investment services.

WILLIAMSTOWN

OM Mini Mart Inc., 824 Simonds Road, Williamstown, MA 01267. Switi Patel, 10 Depot Street Housatonic, MA 01236. Convenience store.

Tdiyou Incorporated, 20 Chestnut St., Williamstown, MA 01267. Timothy Andenmatten, same. The purpose of the corporation is to carry out the propaganda, or otherwise attempt to influence legislation, and the corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of February 2023.

BELCHERTOWN

A&E Partnership
10 Meadow Pond Road
Olena Boryssenko, Anatoliy Boryssenko

Aaron Guimond Electrician
501 South Washington St.
Aaron Guimond

Beauty of Orchids LLC
1 Main St.
Charisma Som

Belmont Driving School
1 Main St., Suite E
Michael O’Rourke

Feathers & Fur Pet Care Services LLC
589 Federal St.
Peggy McLeod, Robert McLeod

The Gathering Station
7 Overlook Dr.
Nicole Senecal

Hampshire Myotherapy
145 Old Amherst Road
Robert Andersen

LLR 2000
281 Chauncey Walker St., #176E
Lisa Ducharme

Magic Catering
25 Cedar Glen Dr.
Gary Majka, Mary Majka

EASTHAMPTON

Allways Painting
17 Prospect St., #3
Jesse Ferriter

Bits & Bobs
243 Loudville Road
Eva Cappelli

Erin Binney Editorial
27 Zabek Dr.
Erin Binney

Hitchcock Strength and Fitness
124 Cottage St., Apt. A
Stefan Hitchcock

Mechanical Heating & Air Cooling Quality
9 Clinton St.
Sam Om

Soufully Nourishing
116 Pleasant St., Suite 320
Christabeth Ingold

Walgreens #17980
32 Union St.
Walgreen Eastern Co. Inc.

Wemelco Industries
19 Wemelco Way
Christos Christodoulou

SOUTH HADLEY

Comicspa
27 Michael Dr.
Jeffrey Newman

New England Old World Antiquities
41 River Road
New England Old World Antiquities

Nicholls Home Improvement
38½ North Main St.
William Nicholls

The South Hadley Suite
15 College View Heights
Lynn Williams

Stop and Go
4 Bardwell St.
S&A Corp.

 

WESTFIELD

Bristol Street Engineering Design LLC
69 Bristol St.
Blake Croteau

Katie Howard
94 Elm St.
Katie Howard

Mi Ranchito Tex Mex Restaurant
69 Franklin St.
Mejias LLC

On Electrical Solutions
37 Sunrise Ter.
Alden Chisholm

Saeta Construction
5 DuBois St.
Jose Saeta

Salina’s Suspension Training
33 Winding Ridge Lane
Salina Sarat

Sigma Mattress
74 Franklin St.
Vladimir Vilkhovoy

Suave
127 Sackett Road
Jayden Leighty

Westfield Shell
259 North Elm St.
Sirdar Investment Group LLC

What Dreams May Come
29 Vine St.
Brian Grady

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

Arsenault, Lauren Alyssa
84 Eastwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/06/2023

Boileau, Donna
38 Inward Commons
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/14/2023

Bray, Jonathan Hitchcock
26 South Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/12/2023

Chase, Robert E.
Chase, Kathleen N.
45 Cleveland St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/10/2023

Chernick, Robert A.
53 White Birch Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/15/2023

Dillon, John M.
309 Deerfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/09/2023

Hartnett, Debra A.
199 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/15/2023

Hashtag Positivity, LLC
Cain, Jonas
Toutant, Jonas
245 Sargeant St., Apt. 1L
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/07/2023

HENRYS REAL ESTATE LLC
Henry, Keino O.
32 Beaumont Ter., Apt.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/14/2023

Kiernan, John C.
Kiernan, Michelle Lee
a/k/a Williams, Michelle
54 Bel Air Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/31/2023

Mackay, Deborah F.
51 Danek Dr., Apt. B
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/30/2023

Malfino, Joseph David
350 West St., Lot 40
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/31/2023

Murphy, William F.
60 Saint Lawrence Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/14/2023

Ouellette, Yvette
a/k/a Nichols, Yvette
a/k/a Hitchcock, Yvette Duval
a/k/a Duval, Yvette
1449 County Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/14/2023

Pare, Lucie
24 Bither St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/07/2023

Ping, Sokhom
93 Davenport St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Date: 01/31/2023

Robbins, Michelle J.
42 Quarry Hill
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/15/2023

Roman, Juan A.
Rooke, Rebecca L.
108 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Date: 01/31/2023

Scibelli, Andrea M.
62 Spence St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/31/2023

Spear, Raymond Anthony
138 Nonotuck St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 01/31/2023

Tsavidis, Konstantinos
366 Granville Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7