Company Notebook

Berkshire Bank Foundation Announces 2022 Donations

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank announced more than $2.8 million in foundation philanthropic investments during 2022. During the fourth quarter of 2022, more than $764,000 was contributed to help the communities Berkshire Bank serves. The grants awarded cover a wide range of projects that help foster upward economic mobility, support overall well-being, and enhance opportunities for individual and small-business success, particularly for underrepresented populations. The investments also support the company’s BEST Community Comeback, which includes a planned $15 million in community contributions by the end of 2024. In total, Berkshire’s foundation assisted 155 nonprofit organizations during the fourth quarter of 2022 through grants supporting a wide range of critical projects like food insecurity, health, wellness, homelessness, educational advancement, arts, culture, diversity, and inclusion. The Berkshire Bank Foundation is committed to supporting programs that work toward providing equitable opportunities for economic prosperity. In addition, the foundation supports programs that align with the bank’s Center for Women, Wellness, and Wealth.

 

LEGO Group to Move American Headquarters to Boston

ENFIELD, Conn. — The LEGO Group announced it has selected Boston for its future head office in the Americas and will move its current office from Enfield, Conn. by the end of 2026. Skip Kodak, president of the LEGO Group in the Americas, said the move will support the company’s long-term growth ambitions to bring LEGO play to even more children in the U.S. and the Americas region. The LEGO Group opened its office in Enfield in 1975. The move to the new office will happen in a phased way beginning in mid-2025 and completed by the end of 2026. Until then, LEGO employees will work across two sites: the existing office in Enfield and the company’s LEGO Education office in Back Bay, Boston, where new roles will be located. All colleagues based in Enfield will have a position in the new location and will receive relocation assistance if they wish to make the move. Colleagues who choose not to relocate will receive financial support and job-placement assistance to transition to new opportunities outside the company.

 

BANKW Staffing Acquires Johnson & Hill Staffing

BOSTON — BANKW Staffing’s family of locally owned companies just got bigger with the addition of Johnson & Hill Staffing to its family of full-service staffing and recruiting agencies. Johnson & Hill will become part of the KNF&T Staffing Resources brand, and will continue to provide temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct-hire services in Western Mass. and Connecticut as it has for more than 28 years. BANKW’s investment in Johnson & Hill is part of the firm’s plan to continue its organic and strategic growth in the New England employment market. This acquisition is a natural choice for BANKW as Johnson & Hill fits seamlessly with staffing solutions in similar professional areas, including accounting, administrative, legal, and finance. In addition to gaining access to KNF&T’s broad base in verticals like healthcare, higher education, financial services, and nonprofits, Johnson & Hill clients will enjoy the added benefit of information-technology staffing solutions and sales placement through BANKW’s other companies, Alexander Technology Group and Sales Search Partners. BANKW Staffing’s portfolio of companies includes Alexander Technology Group, KBW Financial Staffing & Recruiting, Sales Search Partners, the Nagler Group, KNF&T Staffing Resources, and now Johnson & Hill Staffing, which has been rebranded under the KNF&T name. All are staffing providers in the areas of IT, finance, accounting, sales, human resources, legal, administrative, healthcare, higher education, and marketing.

 

Country Bank Donates More Than $1.3 Million in 2022

WARE — Country Bank reported that its donations and sponsorships for 2022 totaled more than $1.3 million. The bank’s philanthropic efforts supported local nonprofits throughout its communities; more than 350 organizations received grants in 2022. In addition, the bank’s team members volunteered 1,091 hours of service, and 64 team members served on 33 nonprofit boards and committees throughout the region. Recognizing the importance and overwhelming need to help organizations that address hunger, in addition to the $1 million, five-year pledge it made in 2021 to the Worcester County Food Bank and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Country Bank provided an additional $100,000 in donations to food programs throughout the region. Other organizations receiving donations included Behavioral Health Network, the Hanover Theater, Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp., Revitalize Community Development Corp., Springfield Rescue Mission, the Children’s Trust, Juniper Outreach, United Way of Central Massachusetts, Ronald McDonald House, and YWCA. During its annual “Season of Difference” campaign, Country Bank supported more than 1,000 local individuals with gifts of toys, blankets, hats, and other essential items for those in nursing homes, shelters, local YMCAs, and Boys and Girls Clubs.

 

Fortune Names MassMutual Among World’s Most Admired Companies

SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual has been named a World’s Most Admired Company by Fortune magazine, placing second in the life- and health-insurance industry category and leading among mutual company peers. Notably, MassMutual ranked first for innovation in its industry category, the fifth time in the past six years the company has received this honor. The company has been named to the Fortune World’s Most Admired Company list 20 times since 2000. The 2023 Fortune World’s Most Admired Company survey was conducted in the fall of 2022 among executives, directors, and analysts in 52 industries. The annual poll assessed nine reputation drivers considered to be crucial to a company’s global success: innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment value, quality of products/services, and global competitiveness.

 

 

Businesses Join GCAi in Celebrating 25 Years at Tower Square with Video

SPRINGFIELD — Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) recently finished a production called “Life at Tower Square” for the Tower Square management group. GCAi produced the video for free for Tower Square in celebration of a quarter-century of doing business in the building. Joining GCAi President John Garvey in the video were attorney Scott Foster of Bulkley Richardson, Diane Varypatackas of Le Greque, Patricia and Michael Matty of St. Germain Investment Management, Carlo Bonavita of Springfield Wine Exchange, Ray Berry of White Lion Brewing Co., and Brandon Quiterio and Melissa Halton of Wolf & Co. The “Life at Tower Square” video is not the first Tower Square-related video produced by GCAi. Several months ago, a division of GCAi, New England Corporate Video, produced a video on the post-pandemic return of Le Greque to the mezzanine, where it has been located for 40 years.

 

WSU Athletic Training Program Receives Lengthy Reaccreditation

WESTFIELD — Westfield State University’s (WSU) Athletic Training program has earned the maximum reaccreditation duration after a recent review by the Committee on Accreditation for Athletic Training Education (CAATE). It is common for reaccreditation of three- or five-year periods. The 10-year reaccreditation recently earned by WSU Athletic Training program extends through the 2032 academic year. WSU has been accredited by CAATE since 2001, and the curriculum has undergone considerable changes due to evolving practices in the field. The reaccreditation process now details compliance in 109 profession-specific standards. WSU graduates are working as athletic trainers in high schools, universities, and clinics throughout the region. Alumni are also employed in professional baseball, professional ice hockey, industrial settings, and leading research hospitals. Recent graduates have also furthered their professional knowledge by adding graduate degrees in related fields to extend their impact on healthcare delivery.

 

LEDC Awards Mini-Grants to Nine Local Businesses

SPRINGFIELD — The Latino Economic Development Corp. awarded nine grants to Latino-owned businesses that are focusing on growing in the new year. This round includes a security business, a honey farmer, a bakery on wheels, and a juice bar, just to name a few. The LEDC is excited to offer not only these grants, but also the services of more than 25 business coaches to help the recipients achieve the goals for their business. The grantees include Pedro Arroyo, Juguitos Healthy Grab & Go ($2,500), Jose Burgos, Burgos & Son Trucking LLC ($3,000), Stephanie Figueroa, 50/50 Food Truck ($2,000), Josh Montanez, who works in security ($1,000), and Thomas Peralta, Thomas’ Cleaning ($1,000), all in Springfield; Gustavo Agudelo, Agudelo Apiary ($2,000), Johnny Colon, JC Carriers ($1,000), and Erika Matos, Top-Flight Nutrition ($2,000), all in Holyoke; and Ricardo Diaz-Vargas, Faded Barber Lounge in Chicopee ($2,500).