Company Notebook

Precision Concepts International Acquires Meredith-Springfield

LUDLOW — Meredith-Springfield Associates Inc. announced it has been acquired by Precision Concepts International LLC, a diversified provider of rigid packaging solutions based in Huntersville, N.C. Precision Concepts is a leading plastic manufacturer and packaging solutions provider with a focus on sustainability and innovation. Meredith specializes in the design and blow molding of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and HDPE (high-density polyethylene) bottles and containers. Meredith will continue to be led by its existing leadership team. Existing and prospective Meredith customers will also have the opportunity to leverage Precision Concepts’ other manufacturing facilities across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America to meet their constantly evolving needs.

Berkshire Bank Exceeds Goal with Community Comeback

BOSTON — Berkshire Bank’s Community Comeback program concluded by exceeding its $5 billion goal to lend and invest across the company’s markets. The bank launched the multi-year program as communities emerged from the pandemic in 2021. The impact of Community Comeback is a testament to the bank’s commitment to unlock the financial potential of the communities where its employees and clients live and work. The program focused on strengthening communities in four key areas: fueling small businesses, community financing and philanthropy, financial access and empowerment, and environmental sustainability. Highlights of its results include lending more than $3.5 billion to invest in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods, more than $600 million in lending for low-carbon projects, more than 800,000 individuals impacted through financial-wellness programming, 100% renewable electricity use since 2023, and more than $50 million in sustainable investments under management. The Community Comeback program was honored late last year with the prestigious Community Commitment Award by the American Bankers Assoc. (ABA) Foundation for its positive impact on economic inclusion in area communities.

Comcast Awards $20,000 to Urban League of Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Comcast announced a $20,000 grant to support the Urban League of Springfield’s Digital Learning Lab, a community resource that is helping to bridge the digital divide in Western Mass. by providing 150 participants each year with essential technology and internet skills training, specialty workshops, and more. The $20,000 grant will help fund a variety of enrichment training programs at the Urban League’s Digital Learning Lab. Programs include the Foster Grandparent Program, which helps seniors gain confidence in using online tools to mentor youth, and the Project Ready Program, which teaches students coding, advanced digital security, and pathways to careers in computer science. This grant from Comcast is part of Project UP, Comcast’s commitment to provide digital opportunities through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the internet, advance economic mobility, and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators.

Survey Recognizes MassMutual for Employee Retention

SPRINGFIELD — Careerminds, a global outplacement and career-development firm, polled 3,023 workers to reveal the top companies nailing employee retention, and why. According to the survey, Massachusetts’ three most coveted employers are MassMutual in Springfield, followed by Biogen and HubSpot, both in Cambridge. MassMutual is known for solid retirement benefits, automatically contributing 10% of pay into a retirement plan, regardless of employee contributions, on top of 401(k) matching, while offering a rare cash-balance pension for guaranteed income. New hires see this 10% boost immediately, alongside a $1,250 yearly wellness stipend for gym memberships or financial tools. Nationally, the top five companies to work for, based on perks and benefits, are Google, Coca-Cola, Ben & Jerry’s, Hawaiian Airlines, and Nike, according to the Careerminds survey.

AIC Designated 2025-26 Military Friendly School

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) announced it has earned the 2025-26 Military Friendly School designation. AIC’s Silver Award signifies that the college is among the top 20% of colleges supporting veterans and military-connected students. Only a select group of institutions achieve this honor, highlighting their commitment to serving military personnel and their families. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2025-26 survey, with 830 earning awards for going above the standard. The 2025-26 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May and October issues of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at militaryfriendly.com. Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly advisory council of independent leaders in the higher-education and military-recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer), and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

Dewey’s Jazz Lounge Permanently Closes

SPRINGFIELD — Dewey’s Jazz Lounge, a Springfield restaurant and lounge known for its soulful ambiance, vibrant events, and dedication to community and hospitality, permanently closed its doors on April 23. Opened in 2021, Dewey’s Lounge has spent the past four years building a reputation as one of the city’s most welcoming, community-centered establishments. From live music and themed nights to special events and private celebrations, Dewey’s quickly became a cultural hub and a go-to destination for unforgettable experiences. Over the years, Dewey’s has hosted countless milestones: weddings, engagements, birthdays, bridal showers, retirements, and more.

bankESB Facilitates Grant for Volunteers in Public Schools

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB announced that it has nominated Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) of Westfield for a Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. (MBA) Charitable Foundation grant, resulting in the organization receiving a $1,000 award. Each year, the MBA Charitable Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts, with recipients nominated by member banks. bankESB nominated VIPS of Westfield in recognition of its dedication to enhancing educational opportunities and supporting students and educators in Westfield Public Schools. VIPS of Westfield works to foster partnerships between the community and the school system, providing vital resources such as tutoring, mentoring, and program support to benefit students of all ages. The $1,000 grant will help the organization continue its mission of engaging volunteers and enhancing educational programs in Westfield’s public schools.

Eversource Earns VETS Indexes’ 3 Star Employer Award for 2025

SPRINGFIELD — As a testament to its commitment to making veterans a priority in the workplace, Eversource has again been recognized by VETS Indexes as one of the nation’s top veteran employers for 2025. Honored with the 3 Star Employer Award, the distinction highlights the energy company’s continued achievements in recruiting, hiring, developing, and supporting both veterans and the military-connected community. Eversource is one of nearly 300 organizations that were recognized this year by VETS Indexes for their strong commitment to veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and military spouses. Participating organizations that completed and submitted surveys for the VETS Indexes Employer Awards included companies large and small, government agencies and departments, nonprofit groups, and colleges and universities.

Hampshire Meadow Family & Pediatric Dentistry to Expand

HADLEY — Hampshire Meadow Family & Pediatric Dentistry is breaking ground on a cutting-edge, 4,600-square-foot facility at the corner of Route 9 and East Street. This will allow the practice to meet skyrocketing demand, as its current facility — built just five years ago — has outgrown its capacity. In addition to increasing capacity for general dentistry, the new facility will serve as a regional hub for children with severe cases of decay or special healthcare needs. In 2024, the practice provided 2,962 appointments for MassHealth patients, with 2,100 pediatric and 380 adult Medicaid patients on its active roster. The practice owners hope to attract more skilled dental professionals to the region. The new facility represents a nearly $3 million investment by practice owners Dr. Cyrus Safizadeh and Dr. Noelle Nubani in the Pioneer Valley. This is in addition to more than $1 million they had previously invested in the current space. It is being built by Sweitzer Construction of Monson and 20 local subcontractors and materials vendors. The building is being designed by Larry Tuttle of Architectural Insights of Palmer. The Sweitzer team has decades of experience building state-of-the-art dental and medical facilities and built Hampshire Meadow’s original facility five years ago. The practice itself currently has 15 full-time employees, and that number is expected to increase.

Berkshire Bank Named Among Most Trustworthy Companies

BOSTON — Berkshire Bank has been recognized for the fourth consecutive year as one of the most trusted companies in America in Newsweek magazine’s list of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2025. Berkshire is the only Massachusetts-based bank on the list. In all, about 3,400 companies headquartered in the U.S. were considered for the list. In the end, 700 companies in 23 industries were honored. Results evaluated customer trust, employee trust, and investor trust. The analysis included what was said about the companies online, including on social-media platforms, and survey results of approximately 25,000 U.S. residents. Survey respondents who knew companies well were asked, among other things, if they believed individual companies treated their customers fairly, treated their employees fairly, and would be good long-term investments.