Celebrating the Difference Makers
Editorial
The name came naturally.
Indeed, as the leadership team at BusinessWest was finalizing plans to create a new recognition program back in 2009, all that remained was a name. And as they talked about the individuals, nonprofits, and institutions that could, and would, be honored in the years to come, Difference Makers was the logical fit.
It says it all, and it describes, efficiently and succinctly, the dozens of honorees recognized since we launched this endeavor 16 years ago. It’s the same with the eight honorees for 2025, all of whom are making a difference in their own way, as is made clear in the stories in the special center section of this issue. They are:
• Jennie Adamczyk, executive director of Providence Ministries for the Needy (PMN). She oversees programs that include a soup kitchen, a pantry, sober homes for men, and a warming shelter. But it’s not what she does that makes her a Difference Maker, but show she does it, with determination and imagination that mirrors that of PMN founder Sr. Margaret McCleary: if she sees a need, she works aggressively to meet it.
• Sheryl Blancato, CEO of Second Chance Animal Services. She’s a true believer that all animals deserve a second chance, and from humble beginnings 26 years ago, she and her team have created a wide-ranging nonprofit, including four veterinary hospitals, that helps more than 56,000 animals each year. Her goal has always been to help not just pets, but their families, in an effort to keep them together.
• Andrea Bordenca, CEO of DESCO Service. Yes, she’s the leader of a successful healthcare emergency field-service response organization, but she’s a Difference Maker because of her many initiatives to bring people together, create dialogue, build community, and help young people, women, and other constituencies become the best versions of themselves.
• Mychal Connolly, owner of Stand Out Truck. He’s a serial entrepreneur and the successful owner of a unique marketing business, but he’s a Difference Maker because of the way he’s become a mentor, role model, and true inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly young people, and for the way he’s helped many of them overcome challenges and get off the ground or to the next level.
• John Delaney, director of Ride to Remember. When a fellow Springfield police officer, Kevin Ambrose, died in the line of duty, Delaney helped create what has become one of the region’s premier bicycling events — not a competitive ride, but a communal one that has raised awareness of fallen heroes and money for a host of important charitable causes across the region.
• John Doleva, president and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. When he took this job, he expected to stay a few years and then return to the sporting-goods world from which he came. Instead, he’s stayed more than 20 years, leading the Hall through myriad challenges while also becoming greatly involved in the Western Mass. community, especially with programs involving young people and sports.
• The Michael J. Dias Foundation. From the crushing loss of her son to drug addiction, Grace Dias created a supportive community of fellow grieving parents — and then created something more: an organization that operates three (soon to be four) sober homes where individuals in recovery can develop resilience, responsibility, accountability, and a chance to move on to a successful life of independence.
• Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank. A star athlete in high school and college, and a participant in marathons and Ironman competitions today, he makes frequent use of sports phrases and metaphors, especially those involving the importance of teamwork. He practices what he preaches and leads by example, and has built a strong team that is committed to getting involved and giving back.
