Company Notebook

Tighe & Bond Launches New Web Site
WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond recently launched a new Web site aimed at making information on the engineering firm’s core services easier to find and more comprehensive, according to David Pinsky, president. “Part of being a progressive engineering firm that is client-focused means keeping up with technology and making it easier for our clients and others to readily find the information they seek on our Web site,” said Pinsky. He added that the firm wanted to “bring elements of our core business into greater focus and create a fresh design.” Beyond the firm’s traditional core business — civil engineering, water, wastewater, and environmental consulting — the Web site highlights newer areas of expertise. These areas include renewable energy, as well as the latest 3D modeling and GIS technologies. In addition, the Web site offers interactive features such as the ability to ask a question on each Web site page, review current projects that are out to bid, and request a host of technical papers authored by Tighe & Bond staff. The Web site also features a revitalized section on career opportunities and information on the company’s culture. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are also integrated to keep followers up to date on the latest news. Lastly, the Web site spotlights the firm’s commitment to sustainability, documents the firm’s history, and provides a link to the online commemorative book, Engineering a Century of Progress: The Evolution of Tighe & Bond.

NUVO Bank Unveils No-Catch Checking
SPRINGFIELD — NUVO Bank & Trust Co. is now offering No-Catch Checking, a free account with no hidden requirements, according to M. Dale Janes, CEO. Customers may open a No-Catch Checking account with a deposit of $10; going forward, there is no minimum balance to maintain. Customers will have the benefits of no direct-deposit requirements, no monthly maintenance or activity charges, no service charges, no hidden fees, and no ATM fees. “We simply adjusted the requirements of our original two checking-account options,” said Janes. “We listened to what is going on regionally and nationally and heard consumers demanding simplicity in banking, with no games or hoops to jump through.”

Cooley Dickinson Named High-performing Hospital
NORTHAMPTON — Two independent rating organizations have verified that patients who choose Cooley Dickinson Hospital (CDH) for their health needs receive better quality and safer outcomes, even as the hospital has reduced the cost of care, according to Dr. Mark Novotny, chief medical officer. The hospital is among the 2011 Top Performing Hospitals in the Premier health care alliance’s national QUEST collaborative. In the delivery of evidence-based care, CDH ranked 10 percentage points above the top-performing hospitals’ score of 84%, and its cost per adjusted admission was $780 lower than that of other community hospitals in its size group. This is the first year CDH placed among the top-performing QUEST hospitals. “Being a QUEST member means redesigning the way we provide care so that patients receive reliable, safe, and efficient health care every time they visit Cooley Dickinson,” added Novotny. QUEST, the most comprehensive hospital collaborative (300 hospitals) in the nation, measures, compares, and scales solutions for the complex task of caring for patients. In related news, the Leapfrog Group reported that CDH ranked in the top 10% on overall value, a measure that takes into account the quality of care hospitals provide. This is the second consecutive year that CDH has ranked in Leapfrog’s top 10%. “Achieving high overall value is the key success factor for health systems,” said Novotny. “More than ever, employers and patients expect superb outcomes at low cost.” Among the Leapfrog database of 1,066 hospitals from 43 states, CDH earned roll-up scores of 81 on quality and 88 on resource use in Leapfrog’s 2011 Hospital Survey. The value score combines the quality and resource scores, with quality weighted most. The hospital’s 83 for value is 11 points above the 72 score needed to rank in the top 10%. Leapfrog’s quality score is based on a hospital’s performance on more than 20 national quality standards. The standards measured include care provided for common conditions such as pneumonia and normal deliveries of babies, intensive-care unit physician staffing levels, and performance on preventing conditions such as pressure ulcers and central-line-associated bloodstream infections.

Lord Jeffery Inn Reopens in Downtown Amherst
AMHERST — The transformation of the Lord Jeffery Inn is complete, according to the Amherst Inn Co., an affiliate of Amherst College and owner of the inn. The downtown property features 49 state-of-the-art guestrooms, including three king, three queen, and two double/double suites. The inn has added a 2,360-square-foot ballroom along with a tented garden area that can accommodate up to a 40’ x 80’ tent. The project also included upgrading the 46,000-square-foot building’s internal systems, adding 20 parking spaces, and creating a new restaurant. The renovation and expansion also included significant energy-efficiency improvements that make it one of the greenest inns in the Pioneer Valley, according to Amherst College President Biddy Martin. “The absence of the Lord Jeff over the past few years has shown how important the inn is to the vibrancy of the college and the community,” said Martin. “The Lord Jeff has long served as a beacon, welcoming visitors to the town of Amherst and to Amherst College. We are thrilled that the magnificently renovated inn and restaurant is open to guests once again.” Last June, the Mass. Historical Commission announced that it had voted and approved the expansion of the boundaries of the Amherst Central Historic Business District to allow for the inclusion of the Lord Jeffery Inn. The vote was the first step in recognizing the historical significance of the inn, which is now included on the National Historic Registry along with such notable community landmarks as the Emily Dickinson Homestead, the Evergreens, the Strong House, and the West Cemetery. “The new inn was given a fresh contemporary update representing the spirit of a new generation of modern comfort,” added Rob Winchester, president and COO of Waterford Hotel Group Inc., the inn’s management company. “This renovation addresses the evolving needs of today’s traveler, offering a more contemporary style and the latest technology. We are thrilled to reintroduce the Lord Jeffery Inn to the community as the premier destination for lodging, dining, corporate meetings, and social events.”

Holyoke Community College Going Smoke-free
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College will become an entirely smoke-free campus on Aug. 13, college President William Messner announced recently. On that day, smoking will no longer be permitted in any building or outdoor area on the 135-acre HCC campus. Smoking is now allowed only outdoors outside 20-foot buffer zones around entryways. “The decision to establish a smoke-free campus reflects HCC’s commitment to provide an accessible, safe, and healthy environment in which to learn and work,” Messner said in a message sent out today to the HCC community. “It is also a result of the efforts of HCC students and the staff members of the HCC Smoke-Free Committee, who urged us to join the hundreds of other colleges and universities that have already made smoke-free a reality.” The full text of Messner’s statement is available on the HCC Web site at www.hcc.edu/smokefree, along with resources and links for people who want to quit smoking. Counseling and nicotine patches are also being made available through HCC Health Services. “We understand that overcoming the addiction to tobacco is a great challenge,” Messner said. “For students and staff who wish to quit smoking or find ways to manage their cravings on campus, HCC will provide a variety of resources.” HCC will also be holding events throughout the spring semester to raise awareness about the new smoking policy and the health benefits of quitting. Testimonials from people who quit smoking will be going up soon in the main lobby of HCC’s Frost Building. “As with any change, it will take time to adjust,” Messner said. “During the transition to a smoke-free campus, all members of the HCC community must share the responsibility of self-enforcement and of creating an environment that is respectful and cooperative.”

United Bank Supports Several United Ways
WEST SPRINGFIELD — United Bank’s employees and its United Bank Foundation recently contributed a combined totaled of $97,643 in support of the United Ways of Pioneer Valley, Hampshire County, and Central Mass. United’s employee campaign totaled more than $58,000, surpassing last year’s level of giving, according to Richard Collins, president and CEO. In addition, the bank’s foundation contributed $39,000 to the three United Ways. “The participation of our employees is also a reflection of United Bank’s commitment to the communities where we live and work,” said Collins. “It’s particularly meaningful in today’s trying economic times. Our neighbors need our help; our employees stepped up to provide that help.”

First Niagara Donates
$50,000 to Mass Mentoring Partnership
BOSTON – Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP), a Boston-based nonprofit that is an umbrella organization for youth mentoring statewide, recently announced that First Niagara Bank will donate $50,000 to support the organization’s mentoring efforts, with a focus on initiatives in Western Mass. During Mass Mentoring’s annual Youth Mentoring Forum at State Street, which was held recently at State Street Financial Center, MMP Chief Program Officer Marty Martinez thanked representatives from First Niagara for signing on as the Western Mass. sponsor of National Mentoring Month (January) and for its support of the annual Champions of Mentoring fund-raising event with the Boston Red Sox, which will be held June 7 at Fenway Park. “National Mentoring Month is a time when mentoring organizations across the country come together with a focus on raising awareness of the importance of mentors, acknowledging and appreciating current mentors, and positioning our organizations for future success,” said Martinez. “We’re thrilled to partner with First Niagara to promote National Mentoring Month and expand quality mentoring in Western Mass.” During January, First Niagara supported MMP’s efforts to promote the importance of mentoring through a multi-faceted marketing campaign with a focus on Western Mass. Throughout National Mentoring Month, MMP aims to help Massachusetts mentoring programs celebrate the everyday people who are making a difference for young people in their communities.