Davis Snow

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Program Supervisor, Hampden County Sheriff’s Office: Age 37

Davis Snow

It’s called the Sheriff’s Shuffle.

That’s the name given to an annual run at Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke that has raised more than $200,000 to support the YWCA of Western Massachusetts and survivors of domestic violence.

Since 2019, Davis Snow, program supervisor at the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, has been chair of the committee that oversees the event, handling a wide array of details and contributing in myriad ways to its continued growth and success. And that’s one of many reasons why he’s a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2025.

The primary reason is his work at the Sheriff’s Department, where he has risen in the ranks and now supervises the Employment Program, part of the department’s larger All Inclusive Support Services. In this wide-ranging role, he oversees everything from Prison Industries (work training within the jail) to the work-release program to community-based programs facilitated by area community colleges to help inmates, and others, secure work at area businesses.

It’s a three-phase program, he said, adding that it involves employment readiness, such as work with résumés, cover letters, and interview skills; a job-search program, where interviews are arranged; and employment retention.

“Not only do we help individuals get jobs, we help them hold onto those jobs,” Snow explained. “We stay in communication with them once they start working, check in with them to see how everything’s going, and check in with employers, when it’s appropriate, to see how these individuals are doing.”

Much of his work comes down to networking within the business community, talking to HR directors, business owners, and operations managers, telling them about the program and the people it serves, and, ultimately, forming partnerships.

Indeed, many have been forged, he said, adding that employers across many sectors have become involved in the program, including Baystate Medical Center, Casella Waste Management, International Container, and others.

“Davis has devoted his entire life to helping others,” wrote Elizabeth Dineen, CEO of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts in nominating him for this award. “He’s constantly challenging himself to grow and learn more about why people commit crime and how his team can help inmates redirect their lives to become contributing members of society.”

When not working, or running the Sheriff’s Shuffle, Snow likes doing things outdoors — skiing, travel, hiking, or the beach — with his wife Emily, daughter Willa, and son Cody.

—George O’Brien

Savannah Taylor

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Director of Editorial, EBONY: Age 26

Savannah Taylor

When Savannah Taylor was a child, she used to create her own magazines.

“Writing was my superpower,” she recalled. “I’ve always known I’d be a writer. I had faith and confidence that I could tell a great story. So part of what I’m able to do every day, in a sense, is the fulfillment of my childhood dream.”

But it’s much more than that, too, the editorial director at EBONY magazine said.

“I’ve always been passionate that storytelling and communication can bring people together, and I still believe that. And I strongly believe there’s a place for journalism, even in today’s time.”

In her role, Taylor spearheads content strategy, media engagement, and storytelling for one of the most iconic Black media brands, leading a team of writers, editors, and digital strategists at the 80-year-old publication.

As assistant editor before ascending to her current role, she was given plenty of opportunities to broaden her experience.

“We’re a small but mighty team, so I became super involved in a lot of different capacities — culture, entertainment, politics, technology. It allowed me to become super rounded, and I was able to apply that work ethic and be prepared to step into the role of director of Editorial last year.”

Beyond EBONY, Taylor’s entrepreneurial spirit — and her love of community — is evident in a number of ways, starting with her leadership of the Silhouette Brand, a platform she founded to empower Black creatives through media training, branding, and professional development.

As part of that role, she launched Field Fest in 2021, a two-day virtual conference that drew dozens of speakers and about 500 attendees across Western Mass., aimed at inspiring young people and empowering them to succeed. And last year, she was the keynote speaker for Springfield Partners for Community Action’s annual gala.

“Growing up in Springfield, my parents exposed me to a lot of different opportunities,” Taylor said. “There’s such talent in this community; you don’t have to go to Boston or New York to have access to opportunities.

“I’ve always understood Springfield has challenges, but those challenges are not unique to this city. Once I went away to college, I developed a deeper appreciation,” the Syracuse University graduate said. “There’s so much talent here, so much potential. It just needs to be underlined and highlighted in the best light and given a chance to shine. It’s just about opportunity and how we position ourselves in order to be successful.”

—Joseph Bednar

Nicole Taylor

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Senior Marketing Specialist, Trinity Health Of New England: Age 32

Nicole Taylor

Nicole Taylor’s primary influences come from the foundational values instilled by her family, faith, and life experiences.

While notable public figures have certainly influenced her over the years, her family gets the credit for molding her into the person she is today, guiding the way she serves her community.

Her journey began with a love for sports, earning her degree in sports and recreation management from American International College, where she also earned her MBA. Soon after graduating, she took on the role of Business Development & Special Events executive for the Springfield Thunderbirds, where she secured strategic partnerships, and, among other things, led the planning and execution of the team’s first sensory-friendly game.

In 2021, Taylor joined Trinity Health Of New England, where she serves as senior Marketing specialist. This is a broad role, involving everything from shaping the marketing strategy for both Mercy Medical Center and the Trinity Health Of New England network — particularly in the women’s health, cardiovascular, and cancer service lines — to building and sustaining high-value partnerships.

“I work on a variety of projects across these service lines, partnering with providers to thoughtfully promote their services to the community, with the goal of encouraging residents to choose Trinity Health Of New England as their preferred healthcare system,” she said.

“It’s important to be detail-oriented and have a strong understanding of people — that psychological piece of marketing,” she went on, adding that she’s applied lessons from sports and higher education to her current role.

And in this setting, as in those before it, she’s achieved results — such as marketing efforts that have led to 8,000 new patient leads, 5.5 million website visits, and 1.8 million earned media impressions.

“Nicole continuously leverages her expertise in digital marketing, community relations, and event planning to launch initiatives that not only drive business success, but also create meaningful, long-term impact,” wrote Amy Ashford, regional vice president of Marketing & Communications for Trinity Health, who nominated her for the 40 Under Forty award.

Active in the community, Taylor was instrumental in forging a partnership between Mercy Medical Center and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. — she’s an active member of the Western Mass. alumnae chapter — to promote Black Maternal Mental Health Week in 2024. She has also spearheaded initiatives like Swim 1922, providing area residents with water-safety skills through instruction from Olympic silver medalist Maritza McClendon.

—George O’Brien

Kashawn Sanders

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

President and CEO, Follow My Steps Foundation Inc.: Age 29

Kashawn Sanders

Kashawn Sanders says the inspiration for the Follow My Steps Foundation, the nonprofit organization he co-founded and now serves as president, CEO, and board chair, came from an experience in a class he was taking during his senior year at UMass Dartmouth.

“The professor tasked us with going out and getting an internship. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, we could hear our fellow students say, ‘I’m going to reach out to this person, or my uncle, or my cousin’ … we didn’t have any of those connections,” he said, referring to himself and classmate Tyrone Williams.

To help ensure that future generations of young people would not suffer that same experience, Sanders, a Springfield native, and Williams, from Boston, created Follow My Steps, which is dedicated to empowering youth through mentorship, career readiness, financial-literacy programs, scholarships, and more.

Summing it all up, Sanders, a financial advisor by trade, said the agency, founded in 2020 during COVID when he and Williams were thinking about what to do next and how to give back, is about providing resources to those who simply don’t have as many as those who are more fortunate.

“We created a customizable mentorship program that centers around the youth and their aspirations,” he noted. “We also work with them when it comes to financial literacy, we make sure there’s a health component that addresses both physical and mental health, and we add on additional resources, teaching them the importance of networking, the importance of getting out there early and understanding that there are people in the community they can look up to and talk to.”

Dawn Creighton, Community Outreach officer for Liberty Bank, who nominated Sanders for the 40 Under Forty, has worked with him on the agency’s Cultural Steps event, which provides participants with a diverse range of foods and introduction to various cultures, as well as a Credit for Life course, a financial-literacy module through which students embark a simulated journey through life.

She also appreciates that the mission of Follow My Steps is “personal” to Sanders.

“Having personally navigated the same challenges his organization seeks to address, he brings a lived understanding of the systemic obstacles that underserved youth face,” Creighton said.

While doing that, he spends the rest of his time reading, working out, and spending time with his partner, Kenia, and son KJ.

—George O’Brien

Lidia Rodríguez

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

CEO, Rewarding Insurance Agency: Age 37

Lidia Rodríguez

Lidia Rodríguez and her husband, Miguel Rivera, first began selling insurance in Puerto Rico in 2009, focusing on life and health products, mainly for an older clientele.

When they moved to Massachusetts, they continued that model when they launched Rewarding Insurance Agency in 2018.

Today, as the company’s CEO, Rodríguez has spearheaded the company’s growth to serve more than 1,500 clients in multiple states with insurance, underwriting, and claims, and the main customer base remains Hispanic seniors. The agency started with life insurance, then added Medicare Advantage, and has since moved into auto, home, and business insurance.

“I also do tax preparation because it’s fun for me, something different, and I love to help my community as well,” she said. “I like to sit down and explain everything step by step.”

The company has also expanded its visibility, moving from rented space at the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce to its own office and storefront on Maple Street in downtown Holyoke in 2023.

“Now we are focused on growing the agency to be more successful,” Rodríguez said. Now that we have this experience over 15 years, I’m ready to train new agents. We want to expand our agency and open new offices, maybe in Worcester or the Berkshires.”

In the community, Rodríguez is a board member with Enlace de Familias and president of the Central High School swimming and diving booster club. She also co-founded Rewarding Community Partners Corp., a nonprofit that supports families and professionals, and designed a 10-week boot-camp program that trains young professionals in sales and insurance.

Meanwhile, the Greater Holyoke Chamber honored her and Rivera as its 2024 Business Persons of the Year and Rewarding Insurance Agency as its Business of the Year in the annual Grow Holyoke Awards.

“I didn’t imagine in my life I’d be nominated for those awards. That was a surprise; I cried when I heard that,” she said, quickly adding that she and Rivera have a strong partnership. “I never in my life thought, moving from Puerto Rico to here, that it was going to be this amazing experience. And I wouldn’t be Business Person of the Year or 40 Under Forty if it wasn’t for my husband. He has always supported me.”

She added that it makes her happy when clients trust them. “You don’t create a business in one day. It takes time, and seeing the results, for me, has been extraordinary.”

—Joseph Bednar

Jennifer Reynolds

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Project Manager, Tighe & Bond: Age 36

Jennifer Reynolds

Growing up, Jennifer Reynolds was always interested in math and science, particularly their intersection in chemistry. But while studying chemical engineering in college, she struggled with potential career applications of that degree.

“A lot of chemical engineers go into oil and gas or even pharmaceuticals, and none of those felt quite right,” she recalled, but when she started taking classes in environmental engineering and the water and wastewater field, something clicked.

“Those are also chemistry, but applications that felt better to my heart and soul,” Reynolds said. And she never forgot that. After earning degrees at the University of Connecticut and UMass Amherst, she worked in the power industry in Washington, D.C. for a time, but when she and her husband returned to New England, she saw the projects Tighe & Bond was working on and found her true niche with the regional engineering stalwart.

As project manager and team leader of the firm’s Water Business Line, working out of its Westfield headquarters, Reynolds oversees a team of water engineers and manages several multi-disciplinary projects for municipalities and utilities across the Northeast.

Her experiences include design and construction of drinking-water storage tanks, new chemical feed systems for drinking-water treatment, and infrastructure upgrades, with expertise in treatment, distribution, and storage of clean drinking water.

“There’s a lot of variation, which is what I love,” she said. “Working with utilities just gives me so much more appreciation of the fact that water comes out of my faucet and I can drink it, and the lights come on; that’s just amazing to me. People work so hard to improve those systems and make them reliable, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Outside of work, Reynolds chairs the committee that organizes the annual Granby Road Race in Connecticut, which raises funds for the YMCA of Greater Hartford.

Meanwhile, as co-chair of the education and program committee for the Connecticut Section of the American Water Works Assoc., she has worked to further educational opportunities for industry professionals, including young people just starting out. The association recognized her as its Rising Star Young Professional in 2024 for efforts to train colleagues and improve their skill sets.

“Also, folks like treatment-plant operators need their coursework to maintain their licenses and make connections, which makes it easier to solve problems,” she said. Because that’s how the clean water flows and the lights stay on.

—Joseph Bednar

Catherine Rioux

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Assistant Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer, Monson Savings Bank: Age 34

Catherine Rioux

Catherine Rioux is a textbook example, pun intended, of how internships, at both the college and high-school level, can not only introduce young people to careers, but help businesses keep talent in the pipeline.

Rioux interned in the Human Resources department at Monson Savings Bank (MSB) while in high school as part of a class in business and entrepreneurship, an initiative called ‘work-based learning.’

The experience left her intrigued by the financial-services sector, enough to make her want to stay at the bank, even though she wasn’t old enough to even work on the teller line.

“I continued to learn and just be a part of it, and earning a little bit of money was cool, too, when I was 15,” she said, adding that she answered phones and handled other duties after school. “My grandma would pick me up from school and drop me off for my shift, and either she or my mom or dad would pick me up.”

Rioux kept working at MSB through high school and again while earning a business degree at Western New England University, leaving the company for a short time her senior year. But when she graduated, she returned to MSB as a loan servicer receptionist, then worked her way up to her current role as assistant vice president and commercial loan officer.

“I don’t want to say it just happened,” she said of her career. “It was a lot of organic growth and organic learning; I always wanted to learn more and do more and stay busy. The bank gave me a lot of opportunities because I showed the initiative to take on projects, big or small.”

Active in the community, Rioux serves on the town of Monson’s scholarship committee and the Monson Free Library committee. She has also volunteered her time to build bikes for local disadvantaged youths, fill backpacks in support of the United Way’s Stuff the Bus campaign, and work with the Revitalize Community Development Corp. program known as #GreenNFit Neighborhood Rebuild. Previously, she served as a Lighthouse advisory board member for I Found Light Against All Odds, and with the Ludlow Rotary Club Charitable Foundation.

Rioux said she’s looking forward to bringing her son with her on a #GreenNFit assignment or some of her other work so he can get involved and understand the importance of giving back. That’s another thing she learned on that internship.

—George O’Brien

Kerry Parsons

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Service Operations Manager, Colonial Life: Age 39

Kerry Parsons

Kerry Parsons knows she’s not dealing with people in their best moments. But she said it’s gratifying to help them through those times.

“People only call on their worst day, or a really bad day, and when somebody is hurt or going through a stressful time, they don’t want to talk insurance,” she explained. “So I like being able to help people navigate that and give them some positive news on a day that’s probably not so positive for them.”

In her role at Colonial Life’s Western Mass. office, Parsons assists with billing and claims and coordinates meetings between benefits counselors and employees. She started there with a summer job in 2005 and never left. “I just worked in the office, got my license, and I’m still here.”

She’s still active in the community as well. For example, she’s been volunteering for the Miracle League of Western Massachusetts, which offers youth with disabilities the chance to play baseball, since 2015. She led a golf tournament that raised funds to build an accessible playground in Holyoke where everyone, including children with mobility devices and physical challenges, can access all equipment with their peers.a

In addition, Parsons spearheaded a $60,000 fundraising campaign for the Holyoke Public Library, leading a committee that raised the funds with golf tournaments over three years.

She’s also a committee member with Magic for Maddie, a nonprofit formed in memory of her best friend’s niece, who died in 2022 at age 8 from a rare form of pediatric brain cancer that very few survive.

“Seeing Maddie and her family go through that, we wanted to give back to the families that are in the fight,” Parsons said. “We donate to families that are going through that. And it shouldn’t be less than a 1% survival rate. They need more research. So we’re giving them funds for research as well.”

The list goes on, from volunteering in her younger daughters’ schools (her eldest is in the U.S. Navy) to supporting local libraries, food pantries, arts and culture organizations, and, as noted, accessible recreation. In fact, she and her mother, Maureen Ross O’Connell, were honored by the Holyoke Rotary Club in 2024 with the Paul Harris Fellow Award for their service.

“I grew up watching my mom give back,” Parsons said. “I saw what people can do and what the community needs, and it really got to me. I wanted to be involved.”

—Joseph Bednar

Brigid Owino

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Birth and Postpartum Doula and Childbirth Educator, Perinatal Wellness Partners: Age 38

Brigid Owino

Brigid Owino’s journey into the field of perinatal care is a deeply personal one.

She gave birth to her first child during the early days of the pandemic, while also dealing with a difficult separation from her partner, and the isolation contributed to a challenging battle with postpartum depression.

“It was a very lonely, painful journey going through the birth process,” she recalled. “During that time, you weren’t even allowed to have a person in the room with you at the hospital.”

But when she became pregnant with her second child, with the support of compassionate professionals and loved ones, the birth experience was healing and transformative.

“I was present this time. I was ready. I took childbirth classes with a doula. And I wondered how many women go through this themselves and don’t have that support.”

Owino wound up doing some volunteer work in perinatal care, then began working in the field professionally and, eventually, launching her own company, Perinatal Wellness Partners.

Her mission is to create a nurturing, supportive environment where women feel informed, confident, and empowered throughout their journey through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. She said she provides trauma-informed, mindful care tailored to each client’s needs, whether navigating a routine pregnancy or facing complexities such as maternal-fetal medicine cases, cesarean deliveries, medical emergencies, or harm reduction during pregnancy.

Having earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at UMass Amherst and worked in the mental-health field before her current career, she’s also pursuing a master’s degree in mental health at Framingam State University.

“Mental health, especially in perinatal health, can be very taboo,” she noted. “Often, women are afraid to say, ‘I’m experiencing problems. I’m not feeling well. I’m not bonding with my baby.’ That’s why I wanted to be very honest with my journey. As someone who had PTSD, I wanted to show people that you can go through this and still love your baby and still thrive as a mother.”

Owino also serves a peer mentor doula with Moms Do Care, where she connects families to resources and community supports from pregnancy through postpartum. She is also a board member with the Green River Doula Network, which fosters community for doulas, midwives, and birth workers.

And she remains grateful to keep telling her story.

“No matter what your journey, I want you to know that you’re seen and heard, and you’ll be better off for it.”

—Joseph Bednar

Geoff Naunheim

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Executive Director, United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region: Age 35

Geoff Naunheim

Geoff Naunheim has a heart for nonprofits, so when a position at the United Way of Hampshire County opened up in 2017 — specifically, Community Investment director, where he advocated for and collaborated among numerous United Way program partners — he jumped at it, and excelled in that role for more than four years.

“That’s the program side of the United Way, the part that engages with the nonprofit community and works on how we can invest in the nonprofit sector,” he explained. “That was a real interest of mine. And I loved it.”

And when a bigger role opened up in 2022 at the now-combined United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region, he didn’t hesitate, serving as interim executive director for seven months before being offered the permanent job.

“We’re trying to build the shelf, trying to create a strong network of social-service organizations in Hampshire and Franklin County,” Naunheim said. “How do we strengthen those services, and how do we invest in programs that are best-positioned to deliver the best services? It’s really gratifying work.”

It’s challenging work, too. Over the past few years, he noted, homelessness has risen across the region, food-insecurity rates are up, and housing costs are way up.

“I like engaging with people in the nonprofit community who are doing incredible and inspiring work in Western Mass. and often working in tough circumstances on some really challenging problems — and making people’s lives a little bit better,” he said.

He has tackled these trends while managing the merger of the former United Way of Franklin County and United Way of Hampshire County into one organization. “I worked on making sure our processes and cultures aligned and blended in the spirit of the United Way.”

In his spare time, Naunheim is an avid hiking enthusiast — and he’s not satisfied with level ground. He and his wife just finished the New Hampshire 48 last summer, which are all 48 peaks above 4,000 feet in that state. He’s now working through the 100 highest peaks in New England.

“If you had told me 10 years ago that I’d be waking up at 5 a.m. to drive to a trailhead, I would have said you were crazy,” he laughed. “But it’s fun. I love getting into the woods. It gives me some space to think and decompress.”

And then get back to work surmounting some truly pressing problems.

—Joseph Bednar

Marc Murphy

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Co-owner, Lock and Key Realty: Age 39

Marc Murphy

Marc Murphy’s trajectory in the real-estate world has been impressive, to put it mildly.

After graduating from Western New England University in 2008, he entered the real-estate world in 2011, then launched Lock and Key Realty with a business partner in 2019. Starting with three agents, the firm has grown to 60 agents and recorded $230 million in sales last year, with a portfolio of commercial and residential properties, including apartment complexes, commercial offices, and industrial sites.

“We continue to be in the top five in Hampden and Hampshire County. We’ve definitely been very busy,” Murphy said, crediting much of that success to the team he’s built and the work environment he’s tried to cultivate.

“We’re able to attract a lot of the top talent in the area through our training of agents and our culture,” he told BusinessWest. “We believe in top-tier service for our clients, whether it’s a first-time homebuyer or an investor or a commercial client. We have resources to solve any problem and make the process as easy as possible with attorneys, lenders, insurance brokers, accountants, and so forth.”

In short, he added, “when we split off, we wanted to create a company with a win-win culture. Every scenario we create should be a win-win for agents, customers, everyone involved.”

Murphy gives back to the community through an annual golf tournament the firm started four years ago, with all proceeds donated to nonprofits; over the last four years, the event has given $20,000 to Habitat for Humanity and the Hartsprings Foundation.

“They’re both heavily involved in real estate, and they’re great organizations; we’ve become close with them over the years,” he said. “We’re trying to do our part.”

Meanwhile, most of his free time centers around his wife, Danielle, and three children, all under age 9. “That keeps me very busy, from traveling to practices to spending time with them. It’s very enjoyable.”

So is real estate, even though it’s been more challenging the past few years, he explained. “Inventory has been the biggest challenge in this area. And there have been a lot of law changes and rule changes around real-estate transactions. We’ve been at the forefront of training our agents in how to deal with it.”

That’s one aspect of what Murphy enjoys most about this career — the people he works with. “They’re awesome. We’re able to problem-solve using our resources and experience, and that’s the fun part.”

—Joseph Bednar

Dr. Divya Mudumba

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Practice Owner, Smileworks Family Dentistry and Palmer Smiles: Age 37

Dr. Divya Mudumba

Dr. Divya Mudumba’s life is a story of turning a negative into a positive.

“I’m from an Army background. My dad was always posted in places where there was not much access to dental care, so I grew up with bad dental experiences,” she explained of her early life in India. “After a few years, I met a female dentist who was serving in the Army, and she made me feel so comfortable in the chair that I decided to become like her.”

She wound up volunteering at that practice, which grew her interest to the point where she decided to pursue a dental career. Today, Mudumba owns two practices, in Pittsfield and Palmer, where she specializes in pediatric and family dentistry, with an emphasis on compassionate, comfort-centered care.

“Eventually, I became more inclined toward kids,” she said. “That’s where long-term anxiety comes from. If you have a bad experience growing up as a kid, it stays with you. It makes you more scared of going to the dentist. That’s why I decided to be a pediatric dentist.”

She also prioritizes patients from underserved populations, including the Medicaid population and veterans in Pittsfield.

“I’m blessed with the ability to change people’s lives, giving them a beautiful and healthy smile, and helping anxious patients get over their anxiety and learn to love — or at least have a level of comfort toward — seeing a dentist for their checkup.”

Mudumba, who was honored last year as a 40 Under 40 dentist by Incisal Edge magazine, is also community-minded, including a breast-cancer donation drive at Smileworks each October. “So many patients have gone through breast-cancer treatment or know someone who has,” she said.

She also frequently speaks on dental health at local schools and daycare centers, reinforcing oral-health awareness among young people, and is working on a collaboration between YWCA and Smiles for Success (a sister organization to the American Assoc. of Women Dentists) so women in YWCA programs can access dental care and rehabilitation.

“Women dentists volunteer their time and practice resources to help women whose background may be one of domestic violence or sexual abuse; they have suffered some dental neglect and trauma, and they’re trying to get back in the game, get ready for a job,” she explained. “We find these women and help them rehabilitate their oral health to a level that they feel confident.”

—Joseph Bednar

Jason Moran

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

President, Morduct LLC: Age 39

Jason Moran

Jason Moran started working in his family’s heating and air-conditioning business at age 15, but eventually decided he wanted to step out on his own. So, in 2017, he found a retiring contractor looking to sell his operation and hit the ground running.

It turned out to be a good decision; today, as president of Morduct LLC, Moran has scaled up his company dramatically, now employing more than 10 associates.

As an HVAC and sheet-metal contractor, most of his clients are heating and AC contractors or mechanical contractors.

“It’s a fulfilling career,” he said. “You’re always at a different location, not just sitting on your hands. Maybe you’re in a commercial space or an office space one day, and in a hospital the next day, and maybe working at an aerospace facility the next day.

“I enjoy working with my hands, even though, as the boss, I shouldn’t be working as much as I do in the field,” he added. “And I like resolving clients’ problems. Maybe they’ve had four other companies there, and then we figure it out and take care of it for them.”

As a member of Associated Builders & Contractors, Moran collaborates with industry leaders to promote best practices, support vocational programs, and advocate for policies that strengthen the trades.

He’s also deeply involved in local workforce-development efforts, partnering with technical high schools and apprenticeship programs to give aspiring tradespeople hands-on experience, mentorship, and professional guidance.

“I strongly encourage young people to get into the trades, especially this trade,” he said. “I like meeting different people and feeling a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. We’re the only trade that takes a raw material and turns it into something. Plumbing is a manufactured product; you can only use it how it’s manufactured. In our trade, the sky’s the limit; you can make anything.”

In one burst of creativity, he crafted a metal ductwork heart and put it in front of his house during the COVID pandemic, a tribute to local doctors and nurses. It has since been donated to a church in Westfield.

Moran said he’s inspired by his wife, Jess, and son, Archie, calling them “big motivators in my life.”

For Jess, who nominated him for 40 Under Forty, the feeling is mutual. “His entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to workforce development, and contributions to the trades exemplify the qualities of a true leader.”

—Joseph Bednar

Kate Minifie

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Farm & Food Products Program Director, Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center: Age 34

Kate Minifie

Kate Minifie was candid when she talked about everything it takes to be an entrepreneur and bring an idea for a new food or beverage product from conception to the store shelf — and about how she doesn’t possess all those ingredients herself.

“I’m way too risk-averse,” she said with a laugh, adding quickly that, in her role as Food & Products Program director for the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center at Franklin County Community Development Corp., she works closely with those who are not.

And she finds it quite rewarding to help these individuals navigate a broad array of challenges and issues — from recipe development to regulatory compliance to general business planning — to bring a product to the marketplace.

“I like working with entrepreneurs and being part of their story,” she told BusinessWest. “My favorite thing is that every day is different, and the other thing that’s really cool is seeing someone be successful over time, someone who comes to us with an idea, and three or five years later, you can find their products in stores all over the region.”

She cited several success stories, including a Greenfield woman who created something called ‘fire cider,’ what Minifie described as a “preventive medicine.”

Minifie graduated from UMass Amherst with a degree in public health, but soon decided she was more interested in food systems, and has since worked “across the supply chain,” as she put it, meaning farms, restaurants, and a farm-to-school program in Vermont.

She then moved on to the Food Processing Center, where she initially worked in the farm-to-institution realm, running a program called Valley Veggies, whereby local produce was sourced, then frozen and sold to schools across the region.

She progressed to her current role, in which she assists entrepreneurs with products across a wide spectrum — sauces, baked products, condiments, beverages, and more.

“These are early-stage businesses,” she explained. “We counsel on all the things they need to bring a product to market — legally, safely, and in a way that’s going to get them noticed.”

Active in the community, Minifie serves on the Board of Health in Colrain and has also co-chaired the Franklin County Food Council.

When not doing all that, she likes to run with her dog in the woods and enjoys outdoor activities with her husband, Ben, and children Maeve and Miles.

—George O’Brien

Jessica Menard

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Advanced Practice Clinician Manager of Care Delivery, Education, and Training, Commonwealth Care Alliance: Age 38

Jessica Menard

Jessica Menard started her nursing career in the emergency room and has worked in that setting for a number of area hospitals during her career.

Early in her training, she said, “I thought I wanted to do labor, delivery, and pediatrics, and then I did a rotation in the emergency room, and it turns out I loved it.”

But she didn’t take a narrow view of that work; she saw early on the “connecting dots,” as she put it, between the ER and home care, and the gaps in care many patients experience between the two.

In her current role with Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA), Menard fills those gaps and helps patients navigate what can often be an overly complex, frustrating healthcare system.

“I started here as an advanced practice clinician. We take care of Medicaid patients, the chronically ill, the sickest of the sick. We have a unique model — we’re not just an insurer, but we also deliver care into the home and take care of whatever needs to be done: medical, behavioral health, socioeconomic stuff, housing. There are a lot of arms to it.”

Now in a management role, she still helps patients, but guides the professionals, too. She also actively mentors and precepts nurse practitioner and registered nurse students from UMass Amherst, Westfield State University, and American International College as they prepare to tackle this complicated world.

The Boston Globe honored Menard in 2021 with its Salute to Nurses Award, recognizing her contributions to nursing and patient care. In addition to her work at CCA, she has played a public-health role by educating people about critical health issues, including media interviews on topics such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus. She’s also a member of the Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners, supporting legislative efforts to expand NP practice and improve healthcare delivery.

“It’s truly heartbreaking to see individuals suffer as they navigate this complex healthcare system,” she said. “If I can be the person that can help them get where they need to be and see their lives change for the better, health-wise — for example, getting diabetics who aren’t controlled to a spot where they’re better controlled and their quality of life is better — that’s so gratifying to me. It brings me a lot of gratitude when I see firsthand the difference we can make.”

—Joseph Bednar

Mia McDonald

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Senior Associate, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.: Age 24

Mia McDonald

It’s a good thing Mia McDonald likes her employer so much, as she’s never worked anywhere else in her professional career.

With a lifelong aptitude for math, she figured her best career options, while studying at Westfield State University, were math teacher and actuary, and she leaned toward the latter, but once she began taking some accounting courses, she was hooked.

While still in college, she secured an accounting internship at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK) and never left, handling a wide variety of responsibilities today in the audit and assurance realm.

“I love how you’re never working with the same type of things; there are new challenges and new things to learn every day. I feel my confidence growing as I’m talking to clients and becoming more familiar with the issues people are facing,” she explained. “I wanted to be a teacher initially, and there are so many great opportunities in the field where I can use some of those teaching skills to build other people up.”

Even though she’s only 24 — making her one of the youngest ever recognized by 40 Under Forty — part of McDonald’s role is being a mentor to other team members, which comes naturally because she has been mentored herself.

“It’s cool being this young and getting this award, but I wouldn’t have been able to do that without the mentorships and strong women who gave me the opportunities I’ve had,” she said, naming Chelsea Russell and Kristi Reale as two who have given her a seat at the table. “That’s been huge in my four years at MBK, and I love being able to pass that down.”

McDonald is also very active in the community, spearheading community-service events for Girls on the Run, Winter Walk, and Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke, while partipating in events for Square One, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, United Way of Pioneer Valley, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity, a Bed for Every Child, and HCS Head Start, among others. She also coaches cross country and track and field at Westfield State.

“A lot of it comes from being at MBK and seeing the focus that they have on the community,” she said. “It’s really empowering to be able to give back to these organizations, especially one like Girls on the Run, whose mission and values are so close to everything I love and the things I’m passionate about.”

—Joseph Bednar

Liz Martinek

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

EMS Coordinator, Baystate Health: Age 34

Liz Martinek

Liz Martinek misses riding in the ambulance. Sort of.

She was an EMT and then a paramedic for many years, and thoroughly enjoyed that work, despite its physical and mental toll.

“I like being there for people on the worst day of their life because I want to make it better,” said Martinek, who has moved on to what is, in many ways, an even more rewarding role: that of EMS coordinator for Baystate Health.

This is a role with a lengthy job description that includes everything from coordinating internal and external quality-assurance and education initiatives to helping plan and execute Baystate Health’s EMS Week activities and Disaster Day, an annual event that partners Baystate Health physician residents with all-level first responders from local communities in a staged mass-casualty disaster.

“We bridge the gap between EMS agencies, whether they’re fire departments or private ambulance services, and the hospital side,” said Martinek, who is based at Baystate Noble Hospital and works with several different fire departments from area municipalities and even Six Flags New England. “We do a lot of overview of the pre-hospital medical care that is happening out in the field and make sure that providers are following the state protocols and the standards of that care, with an eye toward continuous improvement and patient safety.”

Martinek brings a wealth of experience to her current role, from her years as a paramedic to her work as ambulance coordinator for Baystate Health and as service quality manager for Alert Ambulance — as well as her experiences during the pandemic, when her role changed to include more outreach to patients.

Indeed, she was honored by her colleagues as a Pandemic Response Hero for her patient-assessment efforts at a Westfield assisted-living facility that led to the immediate transportation of six patients in need of an emergency-room evaluation of their COVID symptoms.

Active in the community, Martinek serves as Baystate Health’s medical captain for the IRONMAN competition in Western Mass. In that role, she recruits and oversees the volunteer services provided on site during the event by physicians, nurses, paramedics, EMTs, and other emergency responders.

With encouragement from her husband, Kreig, Martinek said she got into CrossFit and has fallen in love with it, giving her more energy for doing things with her two children, Lindsay and Matthew.

—George O’Brien

Dr. Nathan Macedo

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School – Baystate; Associate Program Director, Greenfield Family Medicine Residency Program: Age 36

Dr. Nathan Macedo

Many young people stumble upon their careers after studying something different.

Not Dr. Nathan Macedo, who, as far back as he can remember, always wanted to be a doctor. As a first-generation American (his parents are immigrants from Portugal), he was the first in his family to graduate high school, let alone college.

“I was probably inspired by my own pediatrician, and then, growing up, I always had a passion for serving others,” he said, noting that he volunteered at a local hospital while in high school and was an EMT in college. “Those experiences solidified my path going to medical school.”

He pursued a master’s degree in public health and his medical degree at the same time at Tufts University School of Medicine, and became interested in family medicine there. When he spent time in hospital wards, his interest in a different setting became even more clear. “I really loved building relationships long-term, getting to know the patients, figuring things out together, and helping them stay healthy and out of the hospital.”

Now, at Greenfield Family Medicine, Macedo is 100% outpatient-focused.

“Part of the reason why I gravitated to primary care and family medicine is I definitely would get bored if I just focused on one organ system. I like being a comprehensivist, getting to know a little bit about everyone and treating people as people,” he explained, adding that he treats everyone from newborns to nonagenarians.

As an assistant professor of Family Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School – Baystate, he also gets to train the next generation.

“I always liked teaching, and in my own clinic, I often have medical students from UMass working with me. I’m training future family-medicine doctors,” he said, emphasizing the importance of that effort. “All of us know how hard it is to find a PCP and to get an appointment. We’ve developed a good system of building a foundation for more of them.”

The residency program recruits four individuals annually for a three-year training program, and Macedo said they often challenge him as much as he does them.

“I think students push you, in good ways. They ask great questions. I feel like I’m transforming the way I practice medicine for the better because of them,” he said. “And a number are staying in Western Mass., so we’re also building that pipeline.”

—Joseph Bednar

Shannon Lynch

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Assistant Vice President of Compliance, Mount Holyoke College: Age 30

Shannon Lynch

While attending the Western New England University School of Law, Shannon Lynch was initially interested in sports law and contract work. As she developed her oral advocacy skills, she thought maybe she’d go that route.

But her experience working with WNE’s General Counsel office impacted her in a significant way. There, she helped investigate student grievances and coordinate Title IX cases, and after beginning her career in family law and then personal injury, an opportunity arose as Trinity College’s Title IX coordinator in 2021.

“That’s a position that is federally mandated, but a lot of institutions stick it on an HR person or an interim or part-time person. So coming in, I had to build an office and develop a rapport with students where, previously, there wasn’t a lot of trust there.”

Her efforts contributed to a 284% increase in student reports filed. She led an overhaul of the college’s policy on sexual harassment and supported the redevelopment of the non-discrimination policy.

In her current role at Mount Holyoke College, Lynch combines her experience in Title IX with other federal civil-rights laws, American Disabilities Act compliance, and civil-rights matters in higher education, the latter being a long-time passion.

Since starting last summer, Lynch has seen Title IX reporting jump again.

“It’s incredibly important, especially since Title IX covers sexual assault, sex discrimination, domestic and dating violence, and stalking, all of which is very prevalent in this age group and at higher-education institutions,” she noted. And reporting is important because an institution can’t fix what it doesn’t know about. We can’t make an institution safer and better for young individuals if we don’t know what’s happening to them.”

A figure skater who rose to the U.S. Junior National team, Lynch also co-founded (with her husband, Michael, a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2022) the Lynchie and Friends Foundation, which has donated more than $40,000 to several local health-related charities through a series of golf tournaments.

“Our first daughter just turned 3,” she said. “She was in the NICU at Baystate. To go back later and present them with a check, we were able to look at the nurses and say, ‘thank you so much for everything you did for us. Here’s something for you.’ Our nephew has autism, so once a year we do something toward autism. It’s really gratifying and keeps us connected to the community.”

—Joseph Bednar

Sarah Lapolice

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Tax Department Manager, Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C.: Age 37

Sarah Lapolice

While earning her MBA at Elms College, Sarah Lapolice says she was influenced by many of her teachers, but especially Julie Quink, then a partner and now managing principal of the accounting firm Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C.

“There’s a certain presence about her, and I remember leaving my last MBA class with Julie … I called my mom — I called her every night — and said, ‘there’s something about this woman; I don’t want to stop learning from her.’”

And, in essence, she hasn’t.

The two have offices a few yards apart at the firm’s West Springfield headquarters, with Lapolice crediting Quink with providing the inspiration and direction to become a CPA and eventually advance to the role of Tax Department manager.

The two share a passion for building teamwork and providing support to team members whenever and however it’s needed.

Indeed, when asked to walk us through the life of a Tax Department manager, Lapolice started by saying the first thing she does is “check in with everyone at the office.”

She explained that “it’s important for me to get a sense for how everyone else is feeling, including outside of work, so you can gauge where they’re at and whether they need support. I check in with them on a personal level and then on the work front.”

That’s especially true during the height of tax season, which is when she talked with BusinessWest. It’s a stressful time, one during which, as a manager, she focuses on providing support in myriad ways.

This is part of a broad job description that includes everything from growing the firm’s client base to helping those clients optimize their tax strategies; from employee training and development to building client relationships.

Lapolice brings to these assignments, and many others, a management philosophy grounded in solid teamwork, lessons learned from playing a variety of sports — starting when she was young and continuing through college — and also from playing music in tandem with others.

While instilling the importance of teamwork, she also sets an example when it comes to work in the community. She is active with the nonprofit Girls on the Run and now serves on its board, and has served on the philanthropic services committee for the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and has also served as a board member for Libertas Academy Charter School.

—George O’Brien

 

Tashea Jenkins

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Executive Director, One Village Inc.: Age 37

Tashea Jenkins

“Youth is my baby.”

That’s how Tashea Jenkins described her heart for helping young people through her nonprofit, One Village Inc.

In that role, she develops and prepares both teens and young adults for the workforce through programs, activities, and community service.

During the six-week curriculum, participants attend once a week and learn about topics like communication styles, conflict management in the workplace, how to sit for an interview, and what a résumé looks like. She also hosts events, games, speakers, field trips to employers, and more. The idea is to inspire young people to develop career ambitions and give them tools to pursue them.

“The last week, we try to have four or five employers come out, and they can do a mock job fair using the tools and knowledge they learned over those six weeks,” she explained.

Jenkins launched the initiative in 2017 after four Springfield Central High School students were killed in the crash of a stolen SUV on Union Street. She established it as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit five years later.

“I wanted to give back. I tell them, ‘guys, you’ve got so much ahead for your life. Don’t go out and do stupid stuff. Do your life. You’ve got so many years before you.”

Deeply involved in the community, Jenkins has coordinated events for a number of nonprofits, including Black Men of Greater Springfield, Walk in Their Shoes Foundation, Mission Church Ministries, and Pyramid Soccer Group.

Even at work, she always worked for the betterment of society. Her past positions include lead case manager with the New England Farm Workers Council’s Youth Program, outreach counselor with Behavioral Health Network, residential stabilization specialist with the Mental Health Assoc., re-entry employment specialist with MassHire Holyoke, and community sourcing specialist at Baystate Health. A few of those roles, notably, involved connecting people with jobs.

“Young people want to work. They want money. But nobody’s teaching them how to be sustainable,” she explained. “I’ve been helping to develop seniors and juniors in the workforce, getting them matched up with the right placements, the right career path, whether it’s school or training or trade.”

She especially wants to set an example for her 13-year-old son.

“One of the things I want to instill in him is not giving up. If you fall down, don’t stay down. And if you do fail, come up with a different plan so you can get back up.”

—Joseph Bednar

Brenton Jenkins

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Founder, Vision Entertainment: Age 30

Brenton Jenkins

Brenton Jenkins, better known to many as DJ Onyx, says he doesn’t remember what his first paid gig was.

He guesses it was a barbecue or birthday party for a friend or relative — he started DJing for events like that when he was 14.

His first big break, he said, came a few years later when he was fortunate enough to land several high-school graduation parties in Longmeadow, where he grew up.

“They’re a big deal in that town,” said Jenkins, who has gone on to much bigger deals in his career as founder and owner of Springfield-based Vision Entertainment.

These include being the resident DJ for UMass Athletics, starting in 2016; at MGM Springfield, starting in 2020; and at the Big E, where he opens for many of the major acts, since 2019, while also handling corporate clients, luxury weddings, and a wide range of large-scale events.

He’s also the entertainment provider for a long list of area schools, and an equally long list of nonprofit events and fundraisers ranging from Baystate Health’s National Health Week to Springfield’s Historic McKnight District’s annual block party, to the Holyoke Police Officers’ Ball.

As an entrepreneur, Jenkins, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management at Westfield State University, has steadily grown his business, consistently adding clients while also broadening the list of services to include photo booths, lighting, and other attractions.

He’s passionate about his work, but also giving back and sharing what he’s learned — about DJing, business, and life in general.

An active member of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, Jenkins has become involved in several mentorship and apprenticeship programs in the region.

“Passionate about giving back to the next generation, DJ Onyx actively mentors and provides apprenticeships for local youth, introducing them to entrepreneurship and the events industry,” wrote Amie Miarecki, president of Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, as she nominated him for the 40 Under Forty award. “Through hands-on experience in DJing, event production, and business development, he equips young talent with the skills and confidence to pursue careers in entertainment and entrepreneurship.”

Added Jenkins, “when someone asks me what it means to be successful, I say that it’s about doing something you love and creating wealth for myself and the people around me. And that’s not material wealth — that’s the wealth of life, the wealth of experiences, the wealth of knowledge.”

—George O’Brien

Angela Hansberry

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Financial Planning Assistant, the Jamrog Group: Age 37

Angela Hansberry

For much of Angela Hansberry’s life, horses were the main focal point.

She got her first horse when she was 16 and later majored in equine business management at Johnson & Wales University. After graduating, she spent the next decade managing a horse barn in New Hampshire, working in equine rescue for the MSPCA, and teaching others how to ride.

But then … she was ready for a change, and a move back to Western Mass. And, long story short, while she still rides, her life has a different set of priorities, starting with her twins, Charlotte and Ryan; the latter suffers from autism and Williams syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects many parts of the body.

There’s also a new, emerging career as a financial planning assistant with the Holyoke-based Jamrog Group.

As Hansberry tells the story, a friend working at the Jamrog Group heard she was coming back to the region and asked if she was interested in an office job with the firm. She was, and in one short year, she progressed from receptionist to paraplanner.

“I enjoyed the work, so I decided I wanted to learn more about it; I started studying and taking exams and earning my life and health insurance licenses,” she said, adding that she earned additional designations enabling her to become a retired income certified professional.

While navigating her new career and Ryan’s early interventions, surgeries, and trips to specialists in Boston, she became focused on learning more about special-needs planning — for her own family as well as company clients — an earned the industry designation as a chartered special needs consultant.

“We’ve had a handful of families come to us who have children with special needs,” she said. “So it’s great to have that specialized training and be able to help them.”

Active in the community, Hansberry is a room parent at Meadowbrook School in East Longmeadow, assists with her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, and serves as a ‘parent buddy’ to Ryan as he plays baseball in the Miracle League of Western Massachusetts.

“Angela really is amazing, and an incredible role model for working mothers who prioritize their children and master the art of balancing it all,” said Amy Jamrog, CEO of the Jamrog Group, who nominated her for this award. “She is quiet, humble, and calm; I do not know what our team would do without her contribution to us and her clients.”

—George O’Brien

Diana Guzman

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Vice President of Human Resources, YWCA of Western Massachusetts: Age 36

Diana Guzman

Diana Guzman enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at age 17, serving for four years and excelling in a human-services role, handling trainings, promotions, changes of assignments and stations, and more.

“After I ended my enlistment, I took a little break to figure out what’s next,” she recalled. “Going from a really structured military world to being on my own was completely strange to me.”

So she continued on an HR path, earning a bachelor’s degree at DeVry College of New York, then returning home to Springfield and earning an MBA at American International College. She wound up at the YWCA of Western Massachusetts as a temporary receptionist, right around the time the HR assistant was leaving. From there, it’s been a steady climb to her current role.

Among her many responsibilities — from staff attendance and performance to recruitment matters to connecting employees with training and resources — Guzman especially loves onboarding new staff members. “We already have this culture at the YWCA, and it’s great to see people come in and contribute to that.”

She also speaks throughout the community about domestic violence and sexual assault, issues the YWCA deals with on a daily basis.

“It really is a pervasive problem, and I’m able to work in an organization where we’re trying to help people, telling them, ‘you’re not alone in this. It wasn’t your fault. We’re here for you.’ Being a part of that, even from an administrative support end, supporting the staff that is doing the work, I’m proud of that.”

Outside of work, Guzman is involved with her church’s children’s ministry and media ministry, and as a board member with the Western Massachusetts World Affairs Council, where she has been able to proudly share her Dominican heritage in myriad ways.

In addition, she is enrolled in a doctoral program in business administration at Liberty University and has launched her own business, Gentle Touch Cosmetics, selling homemade soaps and balms.

But she’s also been a balm to YWCA employees, with the staff recognizing her empathy and professionalism by naming her Employee of the Month.

“Her meteoric rise is a huge accomplishment in and of itself,” wrote CEO Elizabeth Dineen, who, for the second straight year, is celebrating two YWCA employees making the Forty Under 40. “Diana is a great role model for men and women alike as to what it means to be a true professional and patriot.”

—Joseph Bednar

Koby Gardner-Levine

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Regional Manager, Office of Congressman Jim McGovern: Age 29

Koby Gardner-Levine

Koby Gardner-Levine describes his work as being a “jack of all trades.”

Indeed, as regional manager for the Northampton office of U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, he handles everything from overseeing the needs of the 30 municipalities in the western portion of the massive district (most of them in Hampshire and Franklin counties) to assisting individual constituents with matters involving Social Security, veterans’ affairs, IRS matters, and more, to overseeing $8.5 million in Community Project Funding across the district in 2024.

Overall, it’s rewarding work, said Gardner-Levine, who has worked in McGovern’s Western Mass. office for six years, adding that, in many cases, but certainly not all, problems can be solved, and issues can be properly addressed.

“No day is exactly the same as the day before it,” he noted, adding that he often works with constituents one-on-one, but is also out in the community speaking to groups, as he did recently on Medicare policies. “I like being in a role where I’m able to give back to this community and really get a better understanding of the needs in this area.”

The Northampton office is generally busy with constituent calls and inquiries from officials in those 30 communities, he said, adding that the volume of calls has increased exponentially since the start of the Trump administration and its sweeping changes and executive orders.

“Our phones have been ringing off the hook since the new administration took office,” he noted. “We’ve certainly had a lot of constituent outreach on different federal initiatives coming out of the White House, and Congress as well.”

A Clark University graduate with a master’s degree in environmental science and policy, Gardner-Levine serves on the board of the Hitchcock Center for the Environment in Amherst, just one example of his involvement in the community. He also serves on the board of the United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region and is a member of the Hampshire Food Policy Council.

He also works closely with McGovern on food-security issues, and has served as a panelist in discussions hosted by the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the Amherst Survival Center, and the Hampshire County Council of Social Agencies to discuss various topics, including last year’s White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.

He has also worked in partnership with the African Heritage Reparations Assembly of Amherst, a group with a mission to study and develop reparation proposals for local people of African heritage.

—George O’Brien

 

Mo Freniere

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Deputy Director of Sales, Eastern States Exposition: Age 36

Mo Freniere

Mo Freniere brought a lot with her to her 40 Under Forty photo shoot, all to help capture everything that’s important to her.

There’s a promotional banner for her family’s Prospect Valley Farm in Westfield; a plaque that depicts a leadership award she won; some ribbons from Eastern States Exposition (ESE) won by her family, which has shown cattle and produce for four generations; a picture of her family; materials depicting the Westfield Fair, which she has served in many capacities; and more.

The photo captures the essence of Freniere’s life and career, which, in many ways, has revolved around agriculture, milking shorthorns, fairs, and especially the Big E, which she currently serves as deputy director of Sales.

In that capacity, she oversees the sales and administrative process for all non-fair events and manages the brick-and-mortar food and beverages service, including alcohol partners, during the Big E.

She’s responsible for growing revenue, expanding ESE’s non-fair event portfolio, and attracting new trade shows and events, and she has been successful in rebuilding that side of the Big E’s business since the difficult COVID years.

“We’re looking pretty good … it’s been a few years until these events have gotten back up to scale, but we’re steadily improving,” said Freniere, who earned a degree in animal science with a focus on agricultural finance at Cornell and worked for the Holstein Assoc. USA and briefly at Hampshire College before joining Eastern States Exposition in 2019.

A list of all she has done within the Western Mass. community — and beyond — also helps tell her story. She is or has been a member of the International Assoc. of Fairs & Expositions, an American Milking Shorthorn Junior Society advisor, a Wyben 4-H Dairy Club leader, Westfield Fair Assoc. secretary and Vendor and Concessions coordinator, a member of the ESE Ag & Ed advisory committee, an ESE milking shorthorn breed representative, and an ESE judging competition superintendent.

And while she doesn’t show cattle at the Big E any longer, because of her position with the company, her family does, and that’s just one of many forums for exhibiting their milking shorthorns.

“We travel all over the country showing our cattle,” she said. “Locally we do really well, regionally we do OK, and nationally we hold our own, so we’ve got room to grow.”

 

—George O’Brien

Amber Estelle

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Clinical Director, YWCA of Western Massachusetts: Age 32

Amber Estelle

Every year, BusinessWest lets readers know who is that year’s highest-scoring 40 Under Forty honoree, in the eyes of the five judges. And no one earns that honor by doing easy work.

That’s especially true for Amber Estelle.

As part of the leadership team at the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, her roles range from handling staff trainings on sexual-assault cases to supporting staff dealing with children who witnessed violence to supervising the sexual-assault and domestic-violence hotline. “The calls can be intense and triggering,” she said of the latter.

Again, not easy work. And not everyone comes out on the other side into a better situation, and no one at the YWCA has a hero complex, thinking they can save everyone.

“But the people who successfully leave the program, they’re always a reminder why I love doing what I do, even if it’s just that one person,” Estelle said. “We’re seed planters. We’re not always meant to make someone grow or blossom. But if they just leave here as a survivor … that one story goes a long way.”

At age 27, Estelle was appointed to oversee two four-year grants from the U.S. Department of Justice, one for adults and another for youths, to support survivors of human trafficking. She’s also a public speaker at conferences, colleges, jails, and nonprofits about domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual assault. A member of her church’s Sing Praise Team, she is also a frequent facilitator at church conferences, speaking about mental health. In her spare time, she also plays volleyball competitively..

She’s also an adjunct professor in Connecticut’s community-college system, teaching human-services courses for men in medium- and maximum-security prisons.

“A lot of people make wrong decisions. But being in prison does not make you a bad person. You just did something wrong. It doesn’t make any of us who are not in prison any more perfect,” Estelle said. “For them, the whole point is to rehabilitate, to be able to take something and learn something while they’re there so they can incorporate it into the rest of their lives when they leave.”

Many inmates are discouraged about their job prospects, she added, but social work is a career where many find that second chance.

“This field is very welcoming of people with lived experiences. You can use what you’ve been through as a tool to help people and encourage others to make different decisions so they don’t follow that path.”

—Joseph Bednar

Paris Felogloy

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

School-age Childcare Director and Camp Director, Franklin County YMCA: Age 28

Paris Felogloy

Paris Felogloy grew up attending summer camp at a YMCA.

“I remember being surrounded by so many different kids. I could come here and learn stuff from older kids and also learn stuff from the younger kids and play different games with all of them,” he recalled.

Which makes it even more gratifying to impact children today as director of Camp Apex, one of his roles at the Franklin County YMCA, where he oversees both the before- and after-school youth programs and the summer camp.

“We get kids as early as 6 a.m., then you get them back after school until 6 p.m.,” he said. “Most of the kids love it so much, they go to camp with us as well, so we watch them grow throughout the entire year. It’s awesome.”

Felogloy manages a staff of around 55 — mostly high-school or early college-age students — overseeing these programs, which typically serve about 230 children from kindergarten through grade 8. Both programs have grown under his leadership, generating talk of expanding them to meet demand.

“It’s really cool. Kids might geek out an arts-and-crafts project and then go upstairs and kick home runs in kickball. We surround kids with so many activities — swimming lessons, nature activities … a little bit of everything, from scooters, skateboards, and BMX bikes to virtual-reality stuff. We keep every moment of every day pretty busy. I just love being in front of these kids all the time. The impact is really life-changing.”

And not just for the kids, said Franklin County YMCA CEO Grady Vigneau Jr., who nominated Felogloy for 40 Under Forty, and noted that many of his staff are taking on the first professional work role of their lives — and learning under a committed teacher, coach, and mentor.

“It is not a stretch to state that Paris — within a safe, supportive, family-like environment — has developed innumerable young people into trusted, future professionals while still in high school,” Vigneau wrote.

Active in the community, Felogloy is a community ambassador for a child sexual-abuse prevention initiative through the Children’s Advocacy Center, while volunteering over the years for a host of other nonprofits. In addition, he has worked to cultivate a side business in photography and videography, and also builds furniture.

“I just enjoy the process of learning and doing things,” he said — and helping hundreds of kids do the same.

—Joseph Bednar

Chelsea Depault

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Vice President, Commercial and Municipal Lending, Greenfield Cooperative Bank: Age 36

Chelsea Depault

Chelsea Depault says she got into banking “by default.”

As she explains it, the mother of an old boyfriend took it upon herself to help her secure a better job by submitting an application for her at Greenfield Cooperative Bank to be a teller.

That was in 2007. She got the job and has been there ever since (except for a two-year stint with Community Action of Pioneer Valley), rising in the ranks and securing a progression of titles, from accounting clerk to credit analyst; commercial loan officer to vice president, Commercial Operations officer, assuming a wide range of duties along the way.

During COVID, for example, she played a key role in helping install a manual process to train internal staff in the handling of PPP loan applications.

Today, her role as vice president, Commercial and Municipal Lending involves everything from handling loans for commercial customers, most of them small-business owners, to staffing the bank’s booth at Frontier Regional High School’s Teen Reality Fair, providing lessons in financial literacy.

These and other assignments are quite rewarding, said Depault, who earned degrees at Greenfield Community College and then the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst and has also completed the prestigious ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking program at the University of Pennsylvania. She especially likes working with business owners and guiding them through what can be a difficult process.

“No two businesses are the same, and no two deals are the same,” she explained. “Being able to help small businesses and big businesses achieve their goals — and those goals are always changing — is my favorite part of this job.”

Active in the community, she serves Community Action Pioneer Valley, a nonprofit that assists low-income residents with everything from fuel assistance to SNAP benefits, as treasurer. She also serves on the Northfield Recreation Committee (as treasurer, but also soccer and basketball coach), the Franklin County Community Development Corp. loan committee, Franklin County Community Meals, the Greenfield Public Library Foundation, the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, and more.

While doing all that, she finds plenty of time for family — husband, Doug, three children, Mason, Brody, and Ellie, and two dogs — and a wide range of outdoor activities and sports.

“All that keeps me busy,” she said. “But it’s a good busy.”

—George O’Brien

Sherleen Crespo

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Vice President, Branch Manager, and Mortgage Specialist, Westfield Bank: Age 36

Sherleen Crespo

Banking was a surprise career for Sherleen Crespo — but, as it turned out, a pleasant surprise. “Fresh out of high school, I was a waitress, but I needed a career, and someone told me about banking,” she recalled. “I started part-time while going to night school — and I loved it. I had a great mentor, and I went full-time from there.” Since starting that journey 17 years ago, she’s advanced through a series of supervisory roles and joined Westfield Bank as a branch manager in 2017. These days, she manages a branch of eight employees in Westfield, with responsibilities including overseeing customer service; retail and business product sales, including mortgage origination; business development and community outreach; and employee development. “My main passion in banking is financial literacy,” she added. “That’s what drew me into banking: to help people, whether they’re kids with a small bank account, middle- and high-school students, or adults. I really enjoy being able to help them financially, teach them about about credit, and keep them on a plan, whether they want to buy a home or whatever their passion is.” In the community, Crespo mentors youth on job-readiness skills; volunteered with the We Care Initiative, which provided care packages for older adults during the pandemic; and has been a board member and #GreenNFit house captain at Revitalize Community Development Corp. for the past six years, helping renovate local homes and make them safer and healthier for their residents. “We help a lot of people, and it makes a really big impact,” she said. “When you see the events, how many people get together, how many houses, it makes such a difference. It’s really touching when you work with these families from beginning to end, to see how emotional they are because it’s something they may not have been able to afford or they can’t do physically.” But Crespo’s financial-efforts in the community may be closest to her heart, whether by facilitating educational sessions in local schools and businesses or serving on the local Credit for Life committee, which sets up day-long fairs for high-school seniors, where they choose a virtual career path and make decisions about saving, budgeting, and spending. Such efforts earned her the 2019 Business Investment Award from Parent Villages. “That’s something I’m really passionate about,” she said. “I’m able to be there for the kids, and it ties into what I do at work. It’s amazing.” —Joseph Bednar

Tatiana Cole

By Joseph Bednar April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Business Connector and Coach, Free to Flourish, LLC: Age 38

Tatiana Cole

Tatiana Cole said she was inspired to become an entrepreneurial coach by several family members, including her father, who had a side business cleaning commercial and residential buildings, and her mother, who sold quilts and sewing items.

She also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Central Connecticut State University and Springfield College, respectively, and built a background in event planning in higher education, from campus-wide events to professional conferences.

Marrying those aptitudes and inspirations, in 2017, Cole launched Free to Flourish, LLC, which aims to empower women entrepreneurs through coaching, strategic business planning, and networking opportunities.

As part of those efforts, she has curated large-scale Flourish Conferences in Massachusetts and North Carolina, as well as Flourish Connections networking events across Western Mass. and Connecticut.

“Free to Flourish focuses on the professional-development side of entrepreneurship,” she explained. The conferences feature the stories of real women who have overcome difficult personal struggles — from a pair of heart attacks by age 36 to ending an engagement — while running and growing their business.

“They give hope to other women that you’re not alone, that you can make it through to the other side,” she said. “As entrepreneurs, they show how they navigated that space and what lessons they had to learn.”

The networking events, typically held at women-owned businesses, also feature business owners speaking about overcoming challenges. Cole does one-on-one coaching and consulting as well and is looking to add new events to her offerings.

“I enjoy seeing the growth, a seed planted in an interaction that turns into an action plan — and I’m all about the action plan,” she said. “I’m their biggest cheerleader. They just need someone to see them, to help them walk a little taller and hold their head high because they know at least one person is on their side.”

Cole is also active in the community, serving on the board of Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, where she mentors women on career development and financial independence, and as a mentor for EforAll/EparaTodos Pioneer Valley, helping minority and immigrant entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses.

All of this is summed up by one of her nominators, Mydalis Vera, owner of Guerrera Writer, LLC, another of this year’s 40 Under Forty class, who appreciates how Cole empowers others. “Whether through her entrepreneurial initiatives, academic leadership, or civic engagement, she continues to make a meaningful impact in the lives of students, professionals, and business owners.”

—Joseph Bednar

Olivia Calcasola

By George O'Brien April 24, 2025

Class of 2025

Tax Supervisor, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.: Age 27

Olivia Calcasola

Olivia Calcasola started her career in accounting at the Boston-based firm RSM US.

That was in November 2019. Just a few months later, COVID hit, and, like almost everyone else at the firm, she was sent home to work, and did so for the next two years.

This was a difficult, trying stretch, she said, adding that she, like other young accountants, missed out on the mentoring and camaraderie that comes with being in an office every day.

But she believes that, ultimately, that experience has made her a better accountant and worker.

“You had to sink or swim — I pretty much had to teach myself everything that I would have learned in person or learned with a mentor,” she said. “I didn’t have what I have now — the ability to go talk to someone and knock on their door.”

Those experiences have made Calcasola even more determined to be a mentor and foster professional development.

And she does this in her role as tax supervisor at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK), where her day job involves everything from overseeing the preparation and review of complex individual, corporate, and partnership returns to managing client relationships; from conducting tax research to staying current on changes in tax laws, regulations, and rulings.

“We all have designated mentors here, but we all try to mentor each other,” she said, adding that this is one of the reasons why she enjoys what she does and loves going to work every day — even at the height of tax season.

Calcasola, a graduate of UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management and one of two young professionals from MBK named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2025, is also actively involved in many of the firm’s efforts to give back, especially through its community-service events and initiatives.

She has spearheaded an event for HCS Head Start — a drive to collect winter coats for children — while also working on the United Way of Pioneer Valley’s Stuff the Bus program, which collects school supplies, among other efforts.

Through the firm’s Community Outreach Program, she has participated in events to support groups ranging from the Springfield Boys and Girls Club to the Gray House; from Girl Scouts of Western Massachusetts to Better Together Dog Rescue.

While doing that, she finds plenty of time for her fiancé, Jon, and Siberian husky, Gunner.

 

—George O’Brien

Celebrating the 40 Under Forty

By Editorial April 23, 2025

Opinion

Editorial

Turtlepalooza. The Sheriff’s Shuffle. Lynchie and Friends. Swim 1922.

Monson Free Library. The Miracle League of Western Massachusetts. Credit for Life. Girls on the Run.

Head of Internal Audit. Founder and CEO. Dental practice owner. Farm & Food Products Program director.

Respectively, these are some of the unique community programs that members of the 40 Under Forty class of 2025 are involved with; just a few of the nonprofits to which they donate time, energy, and expertise; and a handful of the many impressive titles they now hold.

Collectively, all this helps tell story of this class, which, like the 18 before it, is full of rising stars doing impressive things. And, like previous classes, this one is diverse, although 29 are women, tying a record set just last year; what that trend means, we don’t exactly know.

But it’s diverse in every other sense of that word, including geography — members represent communities from Greenfield to Monson; Holyoke to Ludlow — and business sectors. Indeed, while there are bankers, accountants, and nonprofit managers, there’s also a DJ with his own entertainment company, an EMS coordinator, and the employment program supervisor for the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department.

This rich diversity and collection of inspiring stories helps explain why BusinessWest created its 40 Under Forty program back in 2007. The strategy was simple: solicit nominations from across Western Mass., hand them to a panel of judges, let them decide which ones stand out the most, and then inspire a region by simply telling their stories.

We’re up to 760 of them now, and each one has been different, but with some common denominators — namely, outstanding work in their chosen field and a willingness to give back to the community.

And by highlighting what they do, we learn more about them — whether they keep bees and sell honey or play the guitar or raise milking shorthorns — and this personalizes the stories, bringing into focus the many ways in which they balance life and work.

One of the reasons we created Forty Under 40 and tell these stories is to inspire others to follow the lead of those being honored and find their own way to stand out. And we have to believe that the program has done that.

After reading about these 40 people, how could you not be inspired?

Local Destinations Offer Something for Everyone

By BusinessWest Staff March 27, 2025

Cover Story

Stepping Out

If there’s one constant when conversations arise about quality of life in Western Mass., it’s the embarrassment of cultural and recreational riches that are accessible to this region’s residents — and, quite often, draw visitors from well outside this area.

For this issue’s focus on tourism and hospitality, we checked in with 10 such destinations, eight in Western Mass. and two just over the border in Connecticut, about whom their visitors are, what’s on tap for 2025, and why folks who may never have considered a visit should stop by. The picture that emerges is ever-evolving and vibrant, and may spur an idea (or 10) for a fun, enriching outing — and inspiration to look up other tourist and cultural attractions across the region.

• Berkshire East, Zoar Outdoor Offer Plenty of Thrills

• The Past Rolls On at Connecticut Trolley Museum

• Eric Carle Museum Delights All Ages

• New England Air Museum Soars with History

• Norman Rockwell Museum Celebrates Illustration

• Engineering to Wildlife, Quabbin Reservoir Has It All

• Robert E. Barrett Fishway Highlights Nature, Ingenuity

• Springfield Armory Marks Milestones with a Bang

• Westfield Starfires Elevate the Old Ballgame

• Wistariahurst Is a Center for Culture, Education

Wistariahurst Is a Center for Culture, Education

By George O'Brien March 27, 2025

Tourism & Hospitality

 

They plan to call it the “Immigration Experience Room.”

And that’s exactly what it will relate, said Megan Seiler, director of the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke, adding that this permanent new exhibit, set to open this summer, will give participants a glimpse into everything from the questions asked immigrants arriving at Ellis Island — thousands of whom found their way to Holyoke — to what they would pack in the one suitcase they would bring to this country.

“You come in, and you’ll take the steps that someone immigrating to this country would have taken, from the medical exam to other questions they would be asked,” she said, adding that this will be a hands-on family activity, complete with a passport that can be stamped and a map so visitors can pinpoint where they’re from.

The Immigration Experience is just one example of how Wistariahurst, the estate built by silk magnate William Skinner, is much more than a house museum; indeed, provides educational experiences involving all of Holyoke and much more. One upcoming exhibit is called “Prison Reimagined,” featuring visual art and poetry created by people who are currently incarcerated.

Meanwhile, it has become an event venue, hosting everything from weddings and retirement parties to art exhibits and book discussions.

The home, like Skinner’s silk mill, was originally in Williamsburg, and moved to Holyoke after the great flood of 1874. The buildings and grounds were owned continually by the Skinner family until 1859, when Katherine Skinner Kilbourne, the youngest child of William and Sarah Skinner, and her heirs gave Wistariahurst to the city of Holyoke.

It has become what Katherine Skinner intended it to be — a center for cultural and educational purposes.

Its grounds are open to the public dawn to dusk, Seiler noted. “We get people coming throughout the day, especially when things are in bloom. We get people doing yoga on their lunch break, we get the YMCA preschool … people love the grounds.”

There are also house tours and, as noted, a wide variety of programs, many of them focused on Holyoke and the people who have come here since it became a planned industrial city in 1873. In addition to “The Immigrant Experience,” there’s also a planned permanent exhibit on migrants who came to Holyoke from the South, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere.

In short, while the landmark tells the story of the Skinners, it really tells the story of Holyoke and all who have called it home. Learn more at www.wistariahurst.org.

—George O’Brien

Westfield Starfires Elevate the Old Ballgame

By Joseph Bednar March 27, 2025

Tourism & Hospitality

 

Students. Star Wars fans. Dog lovers (both kinds).

There’s something for just about everyone this year as the Westfield Starfires open up their seventh season of play in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.

“We’re actually opening the season with a few games that are baseball and education day games,” team co-owner Chris Thompson said, noting that these are school field trips, with first pitch at 10:30 a.m., that blend game action with lessons about the regions the players hail from, statistics, and sabermetrics.

Other promotions include a Star Wars night to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters, fireworks presented by Westfield Gas & Electric, Mental Health Awareness Day, team poster and baseball card giveaways, a dollar dog night, and — speaking of dogs — a Bark in the Park night, where patrons can take in a game with their furry friends.

But the biggest draw is still the team itself, which lost in the league championship game last year and returns a solid group from Clemson, Georgia Tech, Louisiana Tech, Ohio, and a host of other schools, including UConn, Boston College, and others from around New England. Prior to last season, the Starfires extended their lease with the city to keep playing at Bullens Field at least until 2034.

“Mayor [Michael] McCabe sees it as an attraction, with people coming to visit from outside of Westfield, and we also have a ton of local partners,” Thompson said. For example, North Elm Butcher Block, a 90-year staple in downtown Westfield, will be dishing out barbecue fare like pulled pork sandwiches, brisket, burnt ends, and mac and cheese balls, while Amherst Brewing Co. is returning for the seventh year with its Starfire IPA.

And for the third year, the team will present the Starfires Summer Classic in June at Forest Park in Springfield. “We go out and do some brand building, build some awareness of who we are, and hopefully the families will come back to the ballpark at Bullens Field. We partner with a lot of regional schools, too, and hope they also might come back with their family.”

There’s also a Father’s Day promotion that culminates with a game of catch between fathers and sons on the field after the game.

“It’s a great family day at the ballpark,” Thompson said. “The goal for us is to try to increase our in-game fan experience, including the between-innings portion. We’re really thrilled by what we’ve been able to do over the last couple years.”

The 2025 season runs from May 28 to Aug. 9. Learn more at www.westfieldstarfires.com.

—Joseph Bednar

Springfield Armory Marks Milestones with a Bang

By George O'Brien March 27, 2025

Tourism & Hospitality

 

It was just over a half-century ago that the Springfield Armory — the facility that gave the community its heritage of precision manufacturing and even its legacy as the City of Homes — was designated as a national historic site.

And those at the Armory, which now shares its home with Springfield Technical Community College, are celebrating that milestone in many different ways — from merchandise including clothing, pins, and a commemorative passport stamp to a celebration weekend slated for this fall.

But the 50th anniversary is just part of a loaded schedule of programs at the armory this year. There are also events to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, as well as programming that speaks to Springfield’s designation as an American World War II Heritage City by the National Park Service, the only one in the Commonwealth, said Susan Ashman, lead park ranger and historic weapons supervisor at the Armory.

It was during World War II that production at the Armory was at its peak, with more than 14,000 people working there producing weapons such as the legendary M1 Garand, said Ashman, adding that this indelible impact on the war, and the region, are big reasons why the Armory, the site for which was chosen by George Washington, was designated as a national historic site.

Today, as throughout its 50-year history, the Armory is a museum, visited by people from across the region and around the world, where visitors can see displays featuring everything from the Blanchard lathe — a turning point, literally and figuratively, when it comes to mass production — to weapons from several eras, to images of the men and women who worked there.

But it’s also the site of special programs, from recreations of historic battles to public talks, like the ones slated for later this year by several World War II-focused writers, including Alex Kershaw, author of The Bedford Boys, First Wave, and Liberator.

Then there’s the annual big-band show, slated this year for Saturday, July 19, which commemorates Benny Goodman’s band’s performance at the Armory in 1943.

As for that weekend celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the Armory becoming a national historic site, it’s slated for Aug. 16-17, said Ashman, adding that there will be bands, presentations, hands-on demonstrations, and much more. In short, it will celebrate all that the Armory has meant to Springfield, the region, and the country.

The Springfield Armory is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more at www.nps.gov/spar/index.htm.

—George O’Brien

Robert E. Barrett Fishway Highlights Nature, Ingenuity

By George O'Brien March 27, 2025

Tourism & Hospitality

Kate Craven says the 2025 season amounts to a “rebirth” for the Robert E. Barrett Fishway.

Indeed, it’s been a strange and difficult stretch for the Holyoke attraction, which did not open in 2020, 2021, or 2022 because of COVID, reopened in 2023, and then closed again to the public last year as the Holyoke Gas & Electric (HG&E), which operates the facility, undertook extensive upgrades to one of the hydroelectric units at the Hadley Falls station.

So this spring will bring a return to normalcy, if you will, meaning another 500,000 fish covering dozens of different species will be carried over HG&E’s Holyoke Dam by two large elevators — and some 10,000 visitors (that’s the annual average) will be able to take it all in.

That spectrum includes schoolchildren — third- and fourth-graders comprise the sweet spot — on field trips, college students, area families, and visitors to Western Mass. looking for a different kind of getaway.

“People can see where hydropower production, environmental stewardship, and fish passage all come together in a very powerful way,” said Craven, the HG&E’s director of Marketing and Communications, noting that, aside from 2023, many traditions have unfortunately been paused at the fishway, named after Robert Barrett, the former director of the Holyoke Water Power Co., who became consumed with finding a way to help fish — returning to freshwater steams to spawn — find their way over the dam.

They will resume starting May 7 with the opening of the fishway, said Craven, noting that one such tradition comes on Mother’s Day (May 11), when mothers visiting the facility — and many do — are given a carnation.

As noted earlier, visitors to the fishway can see many different species carried over the dam, from American shad, the most populous species, to blueback herring, sea lamprey, and the occasional shortnose sturgeon, a species protected by the federal government.

“We’re hoping to get a lot of school groups and visitors to the fishway this spring,” said Craven, adding that there will be some pent-up demand as well as the usual fascination with seeing ingenuity assist these species of fish with their annual migration to spawn.

The fishway will be open from May 7 to June 15, Wednesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can enjoy a guided tour with a fishway guide or explore the facility at their own pace with a self-guided walk-through. Learn more at www.hged.com/community-environment/barrett-fishway/default.aspx.

—George O’Brien

Engineering to Wildlife, Quabbin Reservoir Has It All

By George O'Brien March 27, 2025

Tourism & Hospitality

The Quabbin Reservoir is the main drinking water supply for more than 3 million people in the Commonwealth.

It is also an engineering marvel, home to wildlife ranging from eagles to mountain lions to porcupines, the site of dozens of hiking trails, and sits on the site of four small towns that were taken by the state, later disincorporated, and now covered by some 412 billion gallons of water more than 50 feet deep in places.

So there’s history, engineering, nature, recreation, fishing, and education into how this water supply was created and how it operates today. And all of that and more can be taken in with a visit to the reservoir and the Les and Terry Campbell Quabbin Visitor Center in Belchertown, said Maria Beiter-Tucker, Interpretive Services supervisor for the Quabbin.

She handles public programing and educational programming, and quite a bit falls into those two categories.

Starting with the visitor center, located on the first floor of the Quabbin Administration Building at 100 Windsor Dam Road in Belchertown. There, visitors can learn about the history of the Swift River Valley and those aforementioned towns — Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott — and also about why and how the reservoir was constructed and how it is managed today, she said.

There’s also a considerable amount of information about the wildlife that calls the Quabbin home, she said, adding that there are educational programs for visitors and groups, including many school field trips, as well as self-guided tours of the area.

These public programs include hikes of Quabbin Park and Quabbin Reservation, including hikes focused on various habitats. There’s also a hike to Dana Common, where some of the foundations to buildings in that community can still be seen.

Overall, there are dozens of hiking trails, including the Bald Mountain Hill Trail, the Goodnough Dike Vista Trail, the Old Stone Trail, and the Quabbin Park Cemetery tour, which takes visitors to the cemetery created for the relocation of graves from the Swift River Valley.

No dogs are allowed at the Quabbin to keep that drinking supply safe from contamination, but two-legged visitors are more than welcome, and, as mentioned earlier, there is much to see, learn, and experience at this regional gem.

The Quabbin Visitor Center is open every day except Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Learn more at www.mass.gov/locations/quabbin-reservoir.

—George O’Brien

Norman Rockwell Museum Celebrates Illustration

By Joseph Bednar March 27, 2025

Tourism & Hospitality

It’s called “Illustrators of Light.”

One of the current exhibititions at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, it’s a collection of advertisements created by Rockwell, and several of his notable peers in the world of 1920s illustration, for Edison Mazda Lamps, a division of General Electric.

“These amazing, large-scale paintings were done as advertisements, and now they’re being put on view to the public for the first time,” said Stephanie Plunkett, the museum’s chief curator, adding that “we constantly change our collections to highlight the influence that illustration has had across time and how Rockwell is a part of that great tradition that continues today.”

While the museum houses the world’s largest collection of art by Rockwell (998 original paintings and drawings in all), many other exhibitions rotate through, including, currently, “All for Laughs: the Artists of the Famous Cartoonist Course,” which was a popular 1950s correspondence course designed to teach artists to be funny; and “Original Sisters: Portraits of Tenacity and Courage,” a series of portraits by Anita Kunz that honor the contributions of history-making women.

Starting in June is “I Spy! Walter Wick’s Hidden Wonders,” showcasing Wick’s iconic photographic creations, and opening in November is “Jazz Age Illustration,” which explores popular illustration during the 1920s and 1930s and the cultural impact of that work,

Many visitors are surprised at the variety of exhibitions, Plunkett said.

“It’s a very mixed audience. Some people grew up with Rockwell’s illustrations; their families may have received the Saturday Evening Post or the Ladies’ Home Journal, and they have a real familiarity with his work. But we’re getting people across the age spectrum, lots of families with children and young adults. We had a Mad magazine exhibition that brought in an audience interested in comics and cartoons and satire. In addition, we have people who are travelers, people who may view us as a destination location.”

During the warm months, visitors can also visit the actual studio where Rockwell — who lived in Stockbridge for the last 25 years of his life — worked. The building was originally located in the backyard of his home on South Street and moved to the museum grounds in 1986. “It’s fun for people to experience Rockwell’s workspace,” Plunkett said.

The Norman Rockwell Museum is open every day except Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Learn more at www.nrm.org.

—Joseph Bednar