Company Notebook
Paragus Recognized as Model Employer
HADLEY — Paragus Strategic IT was recently honored with an Employer of Choice award by the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast at the organization’s Employment Law and HR Practices Conference in Sturbridge. Paragus CEO Delcie Bean was also a featured speaker at the 21st Century Talent event focused on how top employers are changing today’s workforce. Winners of the Employer of Choice award are recognized for developing a culture of transforming and rewarding employee performance. Entrants are judged in categories including company culture, training and development, communication, recognition and reward, and work-life balance. Past winners include Maybury Material Handling, PeoplesBank, and Health New England. The 21st Century Talent conference was organized by Bank of America, Commonwealth Corp., and Grads of Life. Along with representatives from Harvard and Udacity, Bean was invited to speak about Paragus Strategic IT’s commitment to the next generation of workforce. With a 546% growth rate over six years, Paragus is the second-fastest-growing outsourced IT firm in New England. Most recently, Bean started Tech Foundry, a nonprofit education program designed to provide area high-school students with strong education and career training in technology.
Nuclea Biotechnologies Secures Design Patent
PITTSFIELD — Nuclea Biotechnologies Inc. announced that it has secured a new U.S. design patent for the design of its beam-dump assembly, a mechanical component that will be utilized in multiple diagnostic applications. The beam-dump assembly is used for the detection of low-abundance proteins within microfluidic-based environments. It identifies a change in biological samples by reading laser light. This detection instrument will be used for protein detection in Nuclea’s fatty-acid synthase (FAS), HER-2/neu, and CAIX diagnostic tests, with future potential use in additional diagnostic tests. The design patent is an important step for Nuclea as the company continues to expand its intellectual property surrounding its proprietary tests and methods. “This is another milestone for Nuclea in developing new diagnostic-based technology as it relates to the analysis of fluids in a variety of diseases,” said Patrick Muraca, the company’s president and CEO. Based in Pittsfield, Nuclea, with additional operations in Worcester and Cambridge, has developed and is commercializing unique diagnostic tests for colon, breast, leukemia, lung, and prostate cancer, as well as for diabetes and other metabolic syndromes. Nuclea also performs research leading to novel molecular oncology companion diagnostics for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
Dowd Agencies Merges Indian Orchard Offices
HOLYOKE — The Dowd Agencies, a leading insurance provider serving New England for more than 115 years, announced a merger of the firm’s two Indian Orchard-based offices. Moskal-Dowd, previously located at 20 Parker St., and Orchard-Dowd, previously located at 144 Main St., have officially merged and will now operate as the Indian Orchard-based location of the Dowd Agencies located at 485 Main St. The new, 2,500-square-foot office is officially open for business. Customers and the general public are invited to visit, and an open house is planned for the spring of 2015. “One centralized location for our Indian Orchard office will increase accessibility for our customers,” said John Dowd Jr., president and CEO of the Dowd Agencies. “The benefits of the new office include ample parking, a large conference room for meetings, and, most importantly, a larger staff to provide our customers a broader service offering from one location.” The Dowd Agencies will continue to be headquartered in Holyoke, which houses the firm’s human resources department and administrative staff.
Comcast Lends Support to New Agawam YMCA
SPRINGFIELD — In response to the recent opening of the Agawam YMCA Wellness & Program Family Center, the YMCA of Greater Springfield is announcing the donation of $10,000 from Comcast. The Agawam YMCA is the latest addition to the YMCA of Greater Springfield’s many locations, providing membership and program opportunities to the Agawam region. With support from Comcast in the way of public-service announcements and direct financial contributions, the Agawam YMCA is slated to impact more than 3,000 youth, teens, families, and seniors in Agawam and its surrounding communities. The YMCA of Greater Springfield serves 115,000 members and program participants in 14 cities and towns throughout the region. The Agawam YMCA includes a health and wellness center, sauna, group exercise space, café, technology center, and community meeting space. Naming opportunities for donors are still available. To learn more about the YMCA of Greater Springfield, contact Nikki Durham at [email protected] or visit www.springfieldy.org.
