Company Notebook Departments

Company Notebook

Paul Robbins Associates Wins International Award
WILBRAHAM — Paul Robbins, owner of Paul Robbins Associates, took home a Silver Award in the 2011 Summit Creative Award competition for his documentary-style video titled Housing First, produced for the Western MA Network to End Homelessness. Robbins previously won a Summit Creative Award in 2008 and again in 2009 for videos he produced for HAP Housing, the region’s housing partnership. The video tells the story of the Housing First initiative in Western Mass., which is designed to help families and individuals avoid homelessness by providing housing and support services, through the eyes of four people helped by the initiative in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. The video can be viewed on the network’s blog, westernmasshousingfirst.org. This year’s panel of international judges included a host of creative directors from design agencies around the world, including Brazil, Kuwait, Australia, Denmark, Dubai, Malaysia, Canada, and the U.S.  Entries in 23 creative categories are judged against a stringent set of standards. During the blind judging events (entering company names are withheld), judges search for innovative and creative concepts, strong execution, and the ability to communicate and persuade. This year’s creative competition included entries from companies in 22 countries, including Austria, China, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands and the U.S. Paul Robbins Associates is a strategic-communications consultancy providing public-relations and marketing planning, design, and execution; crisis communication services; compelling video presentations; Web site design; and blog creation and content management for companies, nonprofit organizations, and policy initiatives.

Bacon Wilson Blog Earns Recognition
SPRINGFIELD — Bacon Wilson, P.C.’s blog, Employment Law Bits, has been nominated as a Top 25 Employment Law Blog by LexisNexis. Employment Law Bits was launched in June 2005, and since then has supplied readers with weekly posts regarding legal issues facing both employees and employers in both text and video format. “We are very pleased to have our work singled out in a sea of about 2 million employment-law blogs,” noted Employment Law Department Chairman Paul Rothschild, Esq. “Our blog demonstrates a six-year commitment to informing employees, employers, and HR managers of changes within the law that affect them, and we intend to continue putting out such information that helps our constituency.” Employment Law Bits can be found at bwlaw.blogs.com. Bacon Wilson has offices in Springfield, Westfield, Northampton, and Amherst, and employs 43 attorneys and 65 paralegals, secretaries, and support staff..

MassMutual Offers New TPA Business Implementation Kit
SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual Retirement Services recently launched its latest version of the Third-Party Administrator (TPA) New Business Implementation Kit, further streamlining the plan installation process and increasing ease of use. The kit provides TPAs with all necessary documents to complete the plan installation process, facilitating each retirement plan’s smooth transition to MassMutual Retirement Services. The enhanced version has been recognized to increase ease of use, by simplifying and grouping related questions and incorporating funding and Web site applications. The incorporation of these applications reduced, on average, four signature requirements, according to Gary Stamborski, vice president of TPA and new business operations. “MassMutual is committed to providing TPAs, advisors, and sponsors with the best plan installation service in the marketplace today,” said Stamborski. “The new kit is one way we are striving to exceed the expectations of everyone involved throughout the plan installation experience.” Stamborski noted that the kit will continue to undergo an annual review to incorporate industry best practices and efficiencies as well as valuable feedback from TPAs, advisors, and sponsors.

Six Flags to Add
Goliath Coaster
AGAWAM — Six Flags New England  announced the addition of Goliath, a suspended, looping, boomerang coaster. New England’s newest coaster will reside in the Crack Axle Canyon section of the park and will make its debut in late spring of 2012. The ride experience will begin when guests are strapped into chairs suspended from the track above; then Goliath sends riders dangling face-down out of the station and up the first tower. Once riders reach the top of the tower, they are dropped into a complete vertical 18-story freefall, reaching speeds of 65 mph before racing head over heels on the outside of a 102-foot-tall vertical loop, followed by a 110-foot-tall butterfly turn before rocketing up the second 19-story tower. “Six Flags New England is thrilled to announce the addition of Goliath to our already-amazing arsenal of rides,” said Jason Freeman, Six Flags New England park president. “This ride delivers pure adrenaline from start to finish and solidifies our commitment to adding high-volume fun for the entire family.” Goliath joins a large lineup of coasters, including Cyclone, Batman the Dark Knight, Mind Eraser, and Bizarro