Company Notebook

Zasco Productions Makes Key Acquisition

CHICOPEE — In business for nearly 25 years, Zasco Productions has made yet another significant equipment investment. After an exhaustive search for the best manufacturer/partner, Zasco decided to make a large purchase of indoor/outdoor display modules from Oracle LED Systems of Los Angeles. With a large inventory of LED panels in its Chicopee warehouse, the Zasco team will have more than enough stock to create two massive, 16-foot-wide video-display walls. The panels can be assembled in virtually any size or shape that creative designers can imagine. Rated at a resolution of 9mm, the system is sharp for viewing even in intimate venues. The panels boast a brightness rating of 7,000 nits, meaning they have plenty of punch for outdoor events. They are also weather resistant. “We have absolute confidence in this product because it’s obvious that it was designed by people who understand the demands of the live-event industry,” said Michael Zaskey, owner and senior technical director. “We now own bright, high-resolution displays that we can present to our clients in a simple way: the best visual value that they can put before their audience.” The popularity of giant LED displays has exploded recently because they give event planners opportunities to display video, graphics, live social-media boards, and sponsorships without the cost of huge soft goods or the challenges of projection, such as the battle to be seen against high volumes of ambient light. “We fully expect that, once people get a look at this display, it will set the standard for events across New England,” Zaskey said. “Once again, we’ve got the best technology in the hands of our team of creative professionals. Whether clients need all of our services, or just cutting-edge displays, we are ready to deliver unparalleled options and excellence.” Zasco Productions was honored as the 2007 Business of the Year by the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce. The company provides turn-key production solutions that include video, audio, lighting, rigging, and design services.

 

Women Entrepreneurs Launch Female-focused Marketing, Design Firm

NORTHAMPTON — Meghan Rothschild and Emily Gaylord recently announced the launch of Chikmedia, a marketing and design firm focused on helping women-run organizations create comprehensive marketing strategies. The two partners seek to improve marketing campaigns, target messaging, and create designs that reflect individual business personalities. Rothschild and Gaylord met four years ago through their work with a local nonprofit and have been working together ever since. “Chikmedia is a brainchild born from a casual conversation we were having one day,” said Gaylord. “We were both assisting individual businesses with marketing, PR, or design and relied on each other for professional input on the work we were
doing.” Said Rothschild, “something clicked. We immediately knew this could work, as we are both very committed to exceeding expectations. And we’re both hilarious.” The two immediately got to work on a business plan, realizing that female-run organizations were of high priority. “Women running and owning their own businesses is becoming increasingly more common,” said Rothschild. “It’s important to remember that we are a small, female-run business, so we understand the importance of finding your voice in this economy.” The pair is already working with a variety of clients, including everything from local talk shows to area authors; community nonprofits to major restaurant chains. Chikmedia recently launched its website — www.chikmedia.us —along with a Facebook page (facebook.com/chikmedia) and Twitter account (@chikmedia).

 

Holyoke Medical Center Ranks No. 1 in State for Quality of Stroke Care

HOLYOKE — The Stroke Collaborative Reaching for Excellence (SCORE), a voluntary statewide quality improvement collaborative administered by the Mass. Department of Public Health (DPH), which supports primary stroke-service hospitals, has once again ranked Holyoke Medical Center No. 1 out of 58 hospitals in the state of Massachusetts, including large teaching facilities, for stroke care. Defect-free care is achieved when a patient receives the appropriate care based on clinical guidelines. “Holyoke Medical Center is proud that our hard work and passion for providing great care was recognized by this prestigious award from the DPH’s SCORE program,” said HMC Stroke Program Clinical Manager Angela Smith. “We strive to provide exceptional care to all of our patients. This award represents that every stroke patient that comes through our doors receives the highest quality of care.” The rating evaluated adherence to 10 stroke-consensus measures and required that each stroke patient receive all 10 measures. Holyoke Medical Center had the highest score in the state. This was one of several awards the medical center received at the annual award ceremony of the American Heart/Stroke Assoc. and SCORE. The medical center also received awards for being the highest performer on the National Institute of Health (NIH) Stroke Scale, and the American Stroke Assoc. Get with the Guidelines Gold, Gold Plus, and Target Stroke Honor Roll awards for consistently exceeding quality-care benchmarks for stroke and administering the clot-busting drug t-PA within 60 minutes of hospital arrival.