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James Krupienski, Partner, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.: Leading by Example

By Ryan Leary
Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

With new episodes airing every other Monday, BusinessTalk features in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders who offer thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachusetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running. BusinessTalk is sponsored and presented by Greenfield Cooperative Bank.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 259: June 22, 2026

George O’Brien talks with James Krupienski, Partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C, and 2026 Alumni Achievement Award Winner

When James Krupienski was named to BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2010, he was CPA manager for the Health Care and Pension Audit Divisions at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (MBK). Now, he’s one of six partners who together manage all operations at the firm. But it takes much more than a change in title to be named Alumni Achievement Award winner, as James was earlier this month. That prestigious honor reflects how much an individual has accomplished since joining the 40 Under Forty club, and James has excelled not just at his job, but as a mentor to many young people entering the accounting field, and as someone who gives back to the community in many ways, both through his own volunteerism and the way he encourages the firm to support local causes. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, James talks with BusinessWest contributing writer George O’Brien about all of that, and why it’s so gratifying. It’s must listening, so tune into BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest over both audio and video platforms, and sponsored by Greenfield Cooperative Bank.

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BusinessWest to Celebrate 40 Under Forty, Announce AAA Winner Tonight

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest will celebrate its 20th annual 40 Under Forty program tonight, June 11, with a sold-out gala at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

The 40 Under Forty program was launched in 2007 to honor young professionals in Western Mass., not only for their career achievements, but for their service to the community. The Alumni Achievement Award (AAA) winner will also be revealed tonight. The AAA was created in 2015 to honor the 40 Under Forty honoree who has most impressively continued and built upon his or her track record of accomplishment.

The 20th annual 40 Under Forty program is presented by PeoplesBank and sponsored by the Dowd Agencies, Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, and the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. The 12th annual 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award is presented by Baystate Health and Health New England.

This year’s 40 Under Forty honorees are:

• Paul Accorsi Jr., Assistant Vice President, Business Banking Lender, PeoplesBank

• Alexandra Balise, Director of Corporate Strategy, Balise Auto Group

• Felicia Barr, Service Director, Bertera Auto Group

• Anthony Boido, President, TNT Tent and Table Rentals

• Lezlie Braxton Campbell, Deputy Director, Neighbor to Neighbor

• Alicia Brown, English Teacher, John J. Duggan Academy

• Kate Caligaris, Vice President, Human Resources Program Management, Liberty Bank

• Darryl Cole, Global Cyber Product Consultant, Liberty Mutual

• Mychal Connolly Jr., CEO, Realistic CEO

• Steven Costa, First Vice President, C&I Lending, Beacon Bank

• Giancarlo Crivelli, Executive Director, Fishing Friends

• Danielle Delgado, Principal, Brightwood Elementary School

• Mariana DeLobato, Executive Vice President, Chief Delivery Officer, Farm Credit Financial Partners

• April Doroski, Team Leader, Senior Wetland Specialist, Fuss & O’Neill

• Jack Dowd, Partner, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, The Dowd Agencies

• Tom Dowling, Partner-in-Charge, Holyoke, Whittlesey

• Jill Foley, Director of Membership, Massachusetts Society of CPAs

• Evan Garber, Vice President, Anthony L. Cignoli & Associates

• Ted Hanna, Commercial and Residential Realtor, Cohn & Company Real Estate

• Ali Haqq, Center Coordinator, Department of Elder Affairs

• Brooke Jones, Owner, Lovelo Cycle & Strength

• Sara Landaverde, Director of Survivor Advocacy & Outreach Programs, YWCA of Western Massachusetts

• Kylie LaPlante, Deposit Operations Officer, Monson Savings Bank

• Heather Leclerc, Business Partner, Riley Home Realty; Membership & Events Coordinator, Home Builders & Remodelers Assoc. of Western Massachusetts

• Siobhan Matty, Assistant First Vice President, Financial Advisor, St. Germain Investment Management

• Jesse McMillan, Principal, Westfield Middle School

• Jamillah Joy Medina Nova, Community Relations Coordinator, Springfield City Library

• Daniel Miller, Senior Environmental Scientist, Tighe & Bond

• Robyn Miller, Owner, MorningBird Media

• Shannon O’Connell, Facility Manager, The Good Dog Spot

• John Page, Executive Director, Amherst Business Improvement District

• Leanese Ramos, Owner, RCollaborative

• Bianca Romero, Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Residence Life, Adjunct Professor, Bay Path University/Cambridge College

• Corrine Ryan, Managing Attorney – Hampden County, Community Legal Aid

• Aimee Salmon, CEO, Positively Africana by Aimee

• Amanda Shafii, Owner, CopyCat; President, Downtown Northampton Assoc.

• Nicole Stevenson, Vice President, Consumer Lending, PeoplesBank

• Brandon Towle, Executive Director, Camp Words Unspoken

• Yeselie Tulloch, Co-founder, Academic Leadership Assoc.

• Isaac Weiner, Owner, Familiars Coffee & Tea and Florence Pie Bar

This year’s Alumni Achievement Award finalists are:

• James Krupienski, Partner, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C., 40 Under Forty class of 2010

• Modesto Montero-Forman, Executive Director, Libertas Academy Charter School, 40 Under Forty Class of 2020

• Adam Quenneville, Owner, Adam Quenneville Roofing and Siding, 40 Under Forty Class of 2009

• Ciara Speller, Evening Anchor, WWLP-22 News, 40 Under Forty Class of 2023

Introducing BusinessWest’s 2026 Alumni Achievement Award Finalists

By
Alumni Achievement Award Cover Story Features

In 2015, BusinessWest, created a new recognition program that would eventually be called the Alumni Achievement Award (AAA), recognizing those individuals who have most expanded upon the résumés that earned them membership in the now-800-strong 40 Under Forty club.

And while there is usually one winner each year (there have been two on a pair of occasions), we profile all the finalists for the award each year because … well, just being among the handful of top scorers is an achievement of note.

“Last year I was very surprised and honored to have been named a finalist for the 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award,” said Jeffrey Fialky, managing shareholder at Bacon Wilson, P.C. and last year’s AAA winner. “Surprise gave way to astonishment when being named the recipient of the award.

“I was beyond humbled to receive this award among a pool of other candidates and finalists, all of whom represent the highest echelon of excellence throughout our region — personally, professionally, and through their contributions to the community,” Fialky added. “While there is only one named recipient, it is really a distinction that is shared among everyone who works to better our region through their hard work, dedication, and commitment to community — and for that I extend my congratulations to all nominees and finalists.”

The four finalists that rose to the top, according to a panel of three independent judges, including Fialky (see page 22), are James Krupienski, partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (40 Under Forty class of 2010); Modesto Montero-Forman, executive director of Libertas Academy Charter School (class of 2020); Adam Quenneville, owner of Adam Quenneville Roofing and Siding (class of 2009); and Ciara Speller, evening anchor at WWLP-22 News (class of 2023).

Their stories on the following pages certainly convey continued excellence in the professional world, continued commitment to giving back to the community, or both. They also provide some looks into the personal lives of some outstanding individuals, each of them worthy of the award known as AAA.

The winner will be announced at the start of this year’s 40 Under Forty gala on Thursday, June 11 at the MassMutual Center. The presenting sponsor of this year’s Alumni Achievement Award is Baystate Health/Health New England.

Meet the 2026 Alumni Achievement Award Judges:

The previous year’s AAA honoree traditionally serves as a judge the following year, and Jeffrey Fialky is no exception, having won the award in 2025 following 40 Under Forty honors in 2008. As managing shareholder at Bacon Wilson, P.C., he chairs the law firm’s corporate and commercial department and is also a member of the municipal department. He specializes in sophisticated business, financing, and commercial real estate transactions, representing the interests of business owners and lending institutions, as well as municipalities and landowners. A board member with the Springfield Regional Chamber and a trustee with the Springfield Museums, he has also been involved with causes ranging from the United Way and the American Cancer Society to the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield and Leadership Pioneer Valley. 

Rania Kfuri has been a convener, connector, and motivator in many ways over the years, having served in a wide variety of roles, from a stint working for the mayor of Chicago to an entrepreneur who developed a unique travel bag for young parents; from her time at Smith College, which she served in several roles, to a Philanthropy officer for Baystate Health, and her most recent role as vice president for Philanthropy, Sales, and Marketing at Glenmeadow, where she provided leadership and direction to key revenue-producing areas; developed strategies to secure annual, planned, and donor-directed gifts; and pursued partnerships with other local organizations. Named a BusinessWest Woman of Impact in 2025, she is deeply involved with a wide range of community groups and causes, including Revitalize CDC, Girls on the Run, the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, and the city of Westfield, where she served on a master plan committee. 

Julie Quink is managing principal at accounting firm Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C., where she is involved in the accounting and consulting aspects of the practice and manages engagements of various sizes and complexity, as well as performing forensic and fraud-related services. Named a BusinessWest Difference Maker in 2026, she is a trustee of Baystate Health and Monson Savings Bank, chairperson of the Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School committee, a finance committee member of the East Quabbin Land Trust, board chair for Greater Springfield Senior Services, and treasurer of Square One, the Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce, Hardwick Rescue & Emergency Squad, and the Estate Planning Council of Hampden County. She is also an adjunct faculty member in Elms College’s MBA accounting program and a 2017 recipient of the MSCPA’s Women to Watch awards. 

The Four Finalists for 2026 are:

James Krupienski

Partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C

Modesto Montero-Forman

Executive Director, Libertas Academy Charter School

Adam Quenneville

President, Adam Quennevile Roofing & Siding

Ciara Speller

Evening Anchor, WWLP-22 News

The winner will be announced at the start of the 20th annual 40 Under Forty gala on Thursday, June 11 at the MassMutual Center.
Click here to reserve your tickets today!

Presenting Sponsor:

James Krupienski

By
Alumni Achievement Award

Partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C

It’s called ‘Barrett’s Barracks.’

It’s named after the late Jim Barrett, long-time managing partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C., and it’s actually his former office.

It’s where the tax interns hang out, and this past year, the space had even more meaning for James Krupienski, one of the firm’s partners, who works closely with those interns. That’s because his son, Jimmy, was one of those who called the space home this past year, following a stint as an audit and accounting internship.

“It was nice to have him here and work with him,” said Krupienski, adding that Jimmy, who graduated earlier this month from Westfield State University, worked with some of his clients and had the chance to offer feedback on the job. “Your family thinks they know what you do, but they really don’t, and he really got a chance to see what I do, and having him at home go to bat for me for me when my wife asks me why I was working so late … that was helpful.”

Jim Krupienski when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2010, and today (top)

Jim Krupienski when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2010, and today (top)

Jimmy’s tax internship is poignant for many reasons, starting with the old ‘how time flies’ adage. Indeed, Jimmy is front and center in his father’s 40 Under Forty photo from 2010, wearing his ‘Westfield T-ball’ T-shirt.

He’s come a long way since then, and so has his dad, who is making a return appearance as an Alumni Achievement Award finalist after first achieving that honor last year. The award is given to an individual has built upon their résumé — as a professional, a leader, and someone who gives back — and Krupienski has done that on those fronts and many others, as we’ll see.

At the firm, he has grown into a respected leader, a partner focused on areas such as marketing and professional development, including work with the interns, while also setting a tone for community involvement. He does this through his own work within his hometown of Westfield — he’s been involved with everything from Little League (as coach and treasurer) to the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce; from the YMCA of Greater Westfield, where his daughter, Hayley, will be working this summer, to the Westfield State Foundation, which he now chairs — but also through support of firm-wide initiatives to back causes and agencies ranging from A Bed for Every Child to Habitat for Humanity to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

“Jim’s philosophy highlights that, while an individual’s contributions are great, developing a strategic plan for firm-wide involvement compounds those efforts, creating a multiplier effect,” wrote Howard Cheney, another of the partners at MBK, who nominated him for the Alumni Achievement Award.

“Beyond individual contributions, Jim has played a pivotal role in his firm’s community involvement, leading monthly initiatives that encourage team members to engage with local organizations,” Cheney added. “Through sponsorships, Jim and his firm have supported more than 75 local organizations per year, with personal donations to many of them, highlighting his dedication to making a lasting impact in his community.”

“Jim’s philosophy highlights that, while an individual’s contributions are great, developing a strategic plan for firm-wide involvement compounds those efforts, creating a multiplier effect.”

Meanwhile, Krupienski has also grown as a respected leader and the mentor at the firm, one whose best talent might be the ability to listen.

Fast Facts

Age: 47

40 Under Forty Class: 2010

Title Then: CPA Manager, Health Care and
Pension Audit Divisions,
Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.

Title Now: Partner,
Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.

Walk-up Song: “Dream On” by Aerosmith

Years an AAA Finalist: 2

“Jim leads from intention, rather than from ego,” wrote Sarah Rose Stack, a marketing consultant for MBK and formerly its director of Marketing and Recruitment, who wrote a letter to the AAA judges supporting Krupienski’s nomination. “He makes the final call, but only after thoughtfully considering professional input.
I never felt small or unimportant working for him. Not every idea I brought forward was the right one, but I always felt safe presenting it. We arrived at the best solutions together.

“At the end of the day, what defines a leader is whether people feel seen, respected, and empowered in their presence,” Stack went on. “Jim makes people feel important. He makes them feel capable. He makes them feel safe to stretch and grow.”

When asked what he likes most about what he does, Krupienski paused a moment before listing client work and how he can help individual business owners with their issues, challenges, and growth opportunities, but also professional development and helping others get to … well, where he is right now.

“I’d love to retire at some point — I don’t want to be doing this when Im 75,” he said. “And the only way that’s going to happen is if we have a great team behind us. To see people grow and develop and how I can help with that in different ways, that’s very rewarding.”

As for Jimmy, he’ll be wrapping up his internship soon and then starting another one at the Hartford-based accounting firm CohnReznik.

“I wanted him to spread his wings a little bit … they’re a competitor, but not really a competitor,” said Krupienski, adding that the experience with the larger firm will provide another layer of experience and perhaps guide the direction his career takes.

That step is another example of the way Krupienski balances work, family, and community, taking leadership roles in each case. And it’s yet another example of why he is again a finalist for the Alumni Achievement Award. 

—George O’Brien

Ciara Speller

By
Alumni Achievement Award

Evening Anchor, WWLP-22 News

When Ciara Speller thinks back to 2023, she remembers a bittersweet year.

That’s the year she was elected to 40 Under Forty due to her success at WWLP-22 News — not just in front of the camera, but also away from it, with all the preparation, writing, editing, and more that goes into airing a newscast every weeknight — as well as her work in the community.

But her father, who was battling a rare form of bile duct cancer called cholangiocarcinoma, couldn’t attend the 40 Under Forty gala that June.

“He wanted to make it to the awards, but unfortunately he was too sick to make it. But he came down with my mom that weekend, so when I got home, I got to tell him all about it,” she recalled. “That was my last award that he saw.”

Ciara Speller

Ciara Speller when she was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2023

That’s because Jeffrey Speller passed away just a few months later.

Ciara knew she wanted to turn her grief into something meaningful and impactful. So she and her mother launched the Jeffrey Speller Foundation ‘4 Change’ in his honor. Having raised and donated more than $50,000 over the past two years, the foundation’s mission is centered around creating opportunities for underserved youth to participate in golf programs. 

“He was an avid golfer who had a dream of providing resources for economically challenged youth,” Speller explained. “Golf is a really expensive sport. His own father passed away when he was a child, unfortunately, so he never got to experience the game until he could afford to do so as an older adult.

“He really credited golf with positively shaping his life, allowing him to climb up the corporate ladder, meeting so many great people — both in business and as friends,” she went on. “Golf is one of those sports that creates amazing partnerships and connections. And he said, ‘how great would it be if our underserved and economically challenged youth were exposed to the game at a younger age? Imagine what their lives could be.’”

These days, Speller doesn’t have to imagine — she’s already impacting those young lives through the game.

The foundation’s main fundraiser is an annual tournament that started with 80 golfers its first year, and will assemble 140 for the third annual event this Aug. 8 at Wyckoff Country Club in Holyoke — the track where her father’s ashes were scattered under a tree near the first hole.

“Golf is one of those sports that creates amazing partnerships and connections. And he said, ‘how great would it be if our underserved and economically challenged youth were exposed to the game at a younger age? Imagine what their lives could be.’”

That annual fundraiser has turned into a series of donations — to a local middle school golf program, the Springfield Ballers’ golf program, a nonprofit organization called the First Tee, and more, including donations of golf clubs to kids of all ages.

“Our motto is, ‘together, we’re changing lives for good,’” Speller said. “And we’ve expanded to helping families and children in need. For the holidays, we fully decorated a Christmas tree and outfitted it with gift cards — that landed with a mother who has cancer as well, somebody who understands what we went through, whose family is going through the same thing. Just to give them a little holiday cheer was amazing.”

Speller is also a dedicated cholangiocarcinoma advocate in other ways. In February, she spearheaded an awareness event and flag raising in Springfield, bringing the community together to honor those impacted by the disease; as part of the initiative, several landmarks across the city were illuminated in green. That same month, the Jeffrey Speller Foundation ‘4 Change’ hosted a celebrity bartending event, raising $10,000 to support patients, families, and programs in her father’s memory.

Fast Facts

Age: 33

40 Under Forty Class: 2023

Title Then: Evening Anchor,
WWLP-22 News

Title Now: Evening Anchor,
WWLP-22 News

Walk-up Song: “Golden”
by Jill Scott

Years an AAA Finalist: 1

All that is deeply gratifying, but so is Speller’s career anchoring the weeknight newscast at WWLP, for which she recently received a Merit Award from the Massachusetts Broadcasters Assoc. for her feature story on internationally acclaimed fashion designer (and Springfield native) Justin Haynes. In her role as anchor, she has reported on some of the region’s most impactful events, and has also contributed to the station’s Black history initiatives, hosting and producing segments that highlight the local community.

“I’ve always been a storyteller,” she told BusinessWest. “I have a degree in dance as well, and I found at a young age that I could tell stories with my words and with my emotions — and now, I can bring attention to communities that may not have a light shining on them,” she said, adding that her work often draws the attention of local leaders and decision makers, effecting positive change. “Just being able to highlight the good work that people are doing, the needs of the community, that’s been incredibly impactful.”

Meanwhile, this October, Speller will be honored at the 11th annual 100 Women of Color Gala, which recognizes high-achieving, community-minded women from across Connecticut and Massachusetts — a major recognition, to be sure.

“To think that what I’m doing — what I feel is a regular day in my life — speaks to people, that’s pretty cool,” she added. “And the foundation has become a huge part of who I am and my identity. I’m just happy to keep giving back and making a difference — and I hope to grow more and impact even more people’s lives.”

—Joseph Bednar

Modesto Montero-Forman

By
Alumni Achievement Award

Executive Director, Libertas Academy Charter School

When Modesto Montero-Forman was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2020, the school he founded — Libertas Academy Charter School in Springfield — was already a burgeoning success story, expanding from just 90 sixth-graders at its start in 2017 to a full middle school. But plenty of growth was still to come.

“We found a building on Chestnut Street that served as our starter home — an office building that we converted into a school and blew out some walls to open a number of classrooms,” he recalled. “And the focus for the first portion of our history was really getting the school off the ground and getting the right academic performance.”

Modesto Montero-Forman when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2020

Today, after adding a grade each year — with a slight pause for the pandemic — and expanding to both a middle and high school, Libertas Academy now serves just under 600 students in grades 6-12, having graduated its first senior class in 2025.

“As a college prep school, our goal is to prepare our students academically, socially, and emotionally for the demands of college. And last year was the first year that we got to do that. We’re proud to say that 100% of our students were accepted into a four-year college,” Montero-Forman explained, with 87% of them choosing to follow that higher-ed path.

While opening a school almost a decade ago was a major challenge, he added, “in the second half of our founding story, the focus has been on getting the high school right, ensuring that we have a robust college prep program and support. Our college team supports our students throughout the entire process, everything from SAT preparation to crafting their college list to writing the personal statements for their applications and working with families on the FAFSA.”

It all culminates in an energetic ‘senior signing day’ when the students’ achievements and future plans are celebrated. That all resonates with Montero-Forman, who has always described himself as forward-looking.

He said his upbringing — in a low-income, Christian home — fostered a sense of focus and a dedication to finding a way to make a difference in his community.

As an immigrant, he initially thought about becoming an immigration lawyer, but while in college, he worked for an Upward Bound program as a mentor and tutor, and was instantly drawn to working with young people in communities like the ones Libertas now serves, he told BusinessWest, explaining his path into the education world.

Part of that trajectory, in recent years, has been securing the school’s current home on Liberty Street, a new structure that Libertas leases, and raising $3 million from private individuals and foundations to outfit for its March 2025 opening.

“We just had classrooms before, no specialty spaces, and we knew that our students deserved and needed so much more than that,” he said. “So we were able to secure a partnership with a private developer here in Springfield who was able to work with us to design a school to fit our model. So now we have a gym, a cafeteria, an art room, a weight room, a music room, a library — all those things that we didn’t have before. And this is our permanent home.”

“Now we have a gym, a cafeteria, an art room, a weight room, a music room, a library — all those things that we didn’t have before. And this is our permanent home.”

Fast Facts

Age: 37

40 Under Forty Class: 2020

Title Then: Executive Director,
Libertas Academy Charter School

Title Now: Executive Director,
Libertas Academy Charter School

Walk-up Song: “The Realness”
by RuPaul featuring Eric Kupper

Years an AAA Finalist: 1

It’s also one of the highest-performing charter schools in Massachusetts. In the most recent MCAS results, students have shown dramatic increases in proficiency; the school ranks first in Massachusetts for student growth in math and third for growth in English language arts (ELA). Libertas is also one of only 13 school districts that is outperforming pre-pandemic performance in both ELA and math.

“Seeing our mission come to fruition — getting students to graduate from high school and, more importantly, persist in college — has been very gratifying,” Montero-Forman said, adding that those efforts include a scholarship program and other supports for alumni that help them stay on their path in college.

“Most of our students are, like me, first-generation college students. And that may not have been the trajectory they would have experienced in a different school system. I think we’ve played an integral role in showing them what was possible and preparing them academically, and then providing the right supports along the way so that not only could they envision themselves in those spaces, but they could actually be admitted into those institutions and now persist.”

Montero-Forman is persisting in other ways; he’s currently board president of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley, and he was chosen for a program called the North Star Fellowship, through which he has worked to research and understand the education landscape in Connecticut, specifically Hartford, since it’s close to Springfield and serves a similar population.

“We are very much considering opening a second school in the Hartford community, hopefully by the fall of ’28,” he said.

He has also married since his 40 Under Forty recognition. “We are hoping to adopt,” he told BusinessWest. “I will continue to do good work here at Libertas, but growing my family and thinking about legacy and impact … that’s what I’m really excited about.”

—Joseph Bednar

Adam Quenneville

By
Alumni Achievement Award

President, Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding

“Under Our Roof.”

That’s the name Adam Quenneville, president of Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding, has affixed to a podcast he started a few months ago.

It features conversations with business leaders who are heavily involved in the community, said Quenneville, adding that he recently had Nate Costa, president of the Springfield Thunderbirds, on the show, and he was really looking forward to his next guest, Gary Rome, president and CEO of the Gary Rome Auto Group.

Adam Quenneville when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2009

“He’s kind of my hero when it comes to involvement in the community, and I’ve told him that personally,” said Quenneville, noting that Rome, one of BusinessWest’s Difference Makers in 2022, has become a role model of sorts for him on the subject of giving back and getting involved. “That guy is a superstar.”

Without doubt. But Quenneville has become a hero to some, a role model to many others, and a superstar in his own right for the way he has created a culture of giving back at the roofing company he launched 31 years ago.

That’s especially true when it comes to the roofs the company donates to area nonprofits and others — an average of three to five a year now. The company has gifted roofs to Revitalize CDC, Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen, the YMCA of Greater Springfield for some of its properties, and, more recently, a 10,000-square-foot roof for the Ronald McDonald House in Springfield.

That was a project that hit home, said Quenneville, noting that the agency provides lodging and meal expenses for the parents of children enduring difficult healthcare journeys. Quenneville’s two children had extended stays in Baystate’s Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which is why he’s such a strong supporter of that institution.

And he supports many others as well, as we’ll see, but first … back to those roofs.

Beyond nonprofits, the company, through its AQ Cares division, is now donating free roofs on an annual basis to a veteran, a first responder, and a teacher, with the public choosing winners among received nominations.

“He has made giving back a meaningful part of his company’s identity through charitable initiatives, sponsorships, and direct support of local causes.”

Overall, and like previous finalists for the Alumni Achievement Award, Quenneville is being recognized for building on an impressive résumé of both accomplishments in business and work within the community.

With the former, he has steadily grown his business, from a few crews to 10 on average, while also broadening the list of services to include siding, windows, gutters, roof repair, roof cleaning, and more. Annual revenues have grown from $4 million when he joined the 40 Under Forty club to nearly $20 million today.

In 2025, the company was named one of three national finalists for Roofing Contractor magazine’s Residential Roofing Contractor of the Year, eventually losing out to a company exponentially larger. 

His company has evolved with the times, said Quenneville, noting that, in addition to the podcast, he uses a YouTube channel to educate consumers who are more into research than past generations, with videos on a wide range of subjects, such as whether to repair or replace a roof. In many cases, it can be the former, he noted, adding that he often advocates for repair to keep roofing materials from filling up landfills.

“We’re releasing three long videos and two short videos per week along with blogs that match that content,” he said, adding that he works out of a studio in his office and creates the videos of another way of giving back.

Fast Facts

Age: 54

40 Under Forty Class: 2009

Title Then: President,
Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding

Title Now: President,
Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding

Walk-up Song: “Eye of the Tiger”
by Survivor

Years an AAA Finalist: 1

As noted earlier, beyond the donated roofs, Quenneville and his company have become involved with a wide array of area nonprofits, causes, and institutions, not only the YMCA of Greater Springfield and Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen, but also the Thunderbirds, UMass sports, and the Miracle League of Western Massachusetts.

As he talked with BusinessWest, he was lamenting recent headlines concerning budget cuts and the possible elimination of sports at South Hadley High School (he’s an alum), and how he intends to get involved and help the school continue those programs.

“I offered to put $1,000 up and then $100 for every roof we do between now and then,” he said, adding that the school will need hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep its sports, and efforts to help are in their early stages.

His planned involvement there is just example of how he has taken a leadership role when it comes to community involvement — and several giant steps toward emulating his role model, Rome.

“He has made giving back a meaningful part of his company’s identity through charitable initiatives, sponsorships, and direct support of local causes,” wrote Morgan Bennett, marketing director of Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding. “His leadership has helped strengthen partnerships with youth organizations, nonprofits, and community events throughout the region.

“Adam’s example shows that true leadership is not only measured by growth and achievement,” she continued, “but also by how consistently someone shows up to support the people and communities around them.”

That’s what Quenneville celebrates with his new podcast, and it’s also the tone he sets at the company he started and has led to continued growth and impact within the community.

And that’s why he’s a finalist for another prestigious honor, the Alumni Achievement Award.

—George O’Brien

Celebrating Four Class Acts

By
Alumni Achievement Award Opinion

BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007 to recognize the rising stars in the 413. It’s become an immensely popular initiative that has created a somewhat exclusive club, if you will, one that now boasts 800 members.

That’s a big number, and something to bear in mind when considering a spinoff from that original program, something we call the Alumni Achievement Award, which, as that name suggests, recognizes 40 Under Forty winners who have continued to build on their résumés, both professionally and with their work in the community.

This is a far more exclusive club and, in many ways, a more notable achievement, just because of those numbers.

Which brings us to our latest AAA competition, presented by Baystate Health/Health New England. There can be only one winner — and he or she will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 11. But we celebrate our finalists because it’s an honor just to be in that group. And their accomplishments provide us with a great opportunity to tell more stories about individuals who continue to excel and find new ways to give back and make a difference.

Each of our finalists has a unique story, but there are common denominators, especially a commitment to this region and using their talents to improve quality of life here. Each story is compelling, and each finalist is certainly worthy of being the next AAA winner:

• Jim Krupienski, part of the 40 Under Forty class of 2010 and a finalist for the AAA in 2025, has risen to the rank of partner at the accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka, where he is a real leader and mentor to many young people entering the field. And he gives back to the community in many ways, whether it’s through his own work with the Westfield State Foundation or the Westfield YMCA, or the way he encourages the firm to support agencies ranging from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts to Habitat for Humanity.

• When Modesto Montero-Forman entered the 40 Under Forty class of 2020, he had been leading the middle school he founded for three years. Now, Libertas Academy serves grades 6-12 — around 600 students in all — and graduated its first class of high-school seniors last year. He has also shepherded the school to a new, larger location, where it has been able to expand its educational and enrichment offerings, while overseeing some of the most impressive math and language arts performances in the state.

• Adam Quenneville launched his roofing enterprise, known today as Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding, 31 years ago, and he was honored for that success with inclusion in the 40 Under Forty class of 2009. But not only has he continued to expand his client base — growing revenues by 500% over the past 17 years — but the company has also become well-known for its philanthropic endeavors, gifting roofs to numerous area nonprofits and donating free roofs annually to veterans, first responders, and teachers.

• It took Ciara Speller only three years since being honored in the 40 Under Forty class of 2023 for her success as evening anchor at WWLP-22 News. And it’s not hard to see why. Since that time, she has turned a personal tragedy — the death of her father to a rare form of cancer — into the Jeffrey Speller Foundation ‘4 Change,’ which raises tens of thousands of dollars every year to help young people participate in golf. Ciara’s father believed in the power of the sport to connect people and improve lives, and she is certainly seeing his vision to fruition.

As noted earlier, all four are worthy of the AAA award, and all four should be celebrated for all they’ve done, and all they continue to do in — and for — this region. 

Nominations Close on April 9 for Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is accepting nominations for its 12th annual 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award. Nominations are due by Thursday, April 9. They can be submitted by clicking here.

The Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in BusinessWest, and the winner will be announced at the 40 Under Forty awards gala, presented by PeoplesBank, on Thursday, June 11 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007 to identify and celebrate rising stars across our region who are excelling in business and involved in the community. Launched in 2015, the Alumni Achievement Award was created to honor the 40 Under Forty honorees who have most impressively continued and built upon their track records of accomplishment. Nominators help BusinessWest find the best of the best.

For more information, visit businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward or contact Natasha Mercado-Santana, Marketing and Events Manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or [email protected].

Nominations Close on April 9 for Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is accepting nominations for its 12th annual 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award. Nominations are due by Thursday, April 9. They can be submitted by clicking here.

The Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in BusinessWest, and the winner will be announced at the 40 Under Forty awards gala, presented by PeoplesBank, on Thursday, June 11 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007 to identify and celebrate rising stars across our region who are excelling in business and involved in the community. Launched in 2015, the Alumni Achievement Award was created to honor the 40 Under Forty honorees who have most impressively continued and built upon their track records of accomplishment. Nominators help BusinessWest find the best of the best.

For more information, visit businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward or contact Natasha Mercado-Santana, Marketing and Events Manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or [email protected].

Nominations Now Open for Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is accepting nominations for its 12th annual 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award. Nominations are due by Thursday, April 9. They can be submitted by clicking here.

The Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in BusinessWest, and the winner will be announced at the 40 Under Forty awards gala, presented by PeoplesBank, on Thursday, June 11 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007 to identify and celebrate rising stars across our region who are excelling in business and involved in the community. Launched in 2015, the Alumni Achievement Award was created to honor the 40 Under Forty honorees who have most impressively continued and built upon their track records of accomplishment. Nominators help BusinessWest find the best of the best.

For more information, visit businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward or contact Natasha Mercado-Santana, Marketing and Events Manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or [email protected].

Nominations Now Open for Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is accepting nominations for its 12th annual 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award. Nominations are due by Thursday, April 9. They can be submitted by clicking here.

The Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in BusinessWest, and the winner will be announced at the 40 Under Forty awards gala, presented by PeoplesBank, on Thursday, June 11 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007 to identify and celebrate rising stars across our region who are excelling in business and involved in the community. Launched in 2015, the Alumni Achievement Award was created to honor the 40 Under Forty honorees who have most impressively continued and built upon their track records of accomplishment. Nominators help BusinessWest find the best of the best.

For more information, visit businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward or contact Natasha Mercado-Santana, Marketing and Events Manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or [email protected].

Nominations Now Open for Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is accepting nominations for its 12th annual 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award. Nominations are due by Thursday, April 9. They can be submitted by clicking here.

The Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in BusinessWest, and the winner will be announced at the 40 Under Forty awards gala, presented by PeoplesBank, on Thursday, June 11 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007 to identify and celebrate rising stars across our region who are excelling in business and involved in the community. Launched in 2015, the Alumni Achievement Award was created to honor the 40 Under Forty honorees who have most impressively continued and built upon their track records of accomplishment. Nominators help BusinessWest find the best of the best.

For more information, visit businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward or contact Natasha Mercado-Santana, Marketing and Events Manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or [email protected].

Nominations Now Open for Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is accepting nominations for its 12th annual 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award. Nominations are due by Thursday, April 9. They can be submitted by clicking here.

The Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in BusinessWest, and the winner will be announced at the 40 Under Forty awards gala, presented by PeoplesBank, on Thursday, June 11 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007 to identify and celebrate rising stars across our region who are excelling in business and involved in the community. Launched in 2015, the Alumni Achievement Award was created to honor the 40 Under Forty honorees who have most impressively continued and built upon their track records of accomplishment. Nominators help BusinessWest find the best of the best.

For more information, visit businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward or contact Natasha Mercado-Santana, Marketing and Events Manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or [email protected].

Nominations Now Open for Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is accepting nominations for its 12th annual 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award. Nominations are due by Thursday, April 9. They can be submitted by clicking here.

The Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in BusinessWest, and the winner will be announced at the 40 Under Forty awards gala, presented by PeoplesBank, on Thursday, June 11 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007 to identify and celebrate rising stars across our region who are excelling in business and involved in the community. Launched in 2015, the Alumni Achievement Award was created to honor the 40 Under Forty honorees who have most impressively continued and built upon their track records of accomplishment. Nominators help BusinessWest find the best of the best.

For more information, visit businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward or contact Natasha Mercado-Santana, Marketing and Events Manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or [email protected].

Jeffrey Fialky Wins BusinessWest’s 11th Annual Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

Jeffrey Fialky

SPRINGFIELD — At Thursday evening’s 19th annual 40 Under Forty event at the MassMutual Center, BusinessWest announced that Jeffrey Fialky, managing shareholder at Bacon Wilson, P.C., is this year’s Alumni Achievement Award (AAA) winner.

Fialky broke through on his fourth time as a finalist for the AAA, which, since 2015, has been awarded annually to the past 40 Under Forty winner who, in the minds of an independent panel of judges, has most impressively built on his or her record of professional achievement and service to the community since being named a 40 Under Forty honoree.

Fialky was an associate with Bacon Wilson when he was voted to the 40 Under Forty class of 2008. Today, as managing shareholder, he is leading the firm through a time of change and challenge in that sector while also continuing to give back to community organizations and causes ranging from Springfield Museums to the Springfield Regional Chamber — which, just last week, awarded him its Lifetime Achievement Award.

The other four finalists for this year’s AAA award were Amelia Holstrom (40 Under Forty class of 2015), partner at Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C.; James Krupienski (class of 2010), partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; Ryan McCollum (class of 2012), owner of RMC Strategies; and Orlando Ramos (class of 2014), state representative for the 9th Hampden District. The Alumni Achievement Award was presented by Health New England.

More than 500 people attended the 19th annual 40 Under Forty program, which was presented by PeoplesBank and sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Springfield, Live Nation Premium, and the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst.

Meet the 2025 Alumni Achievement Award Finalists

By
Alumni Achievement Award Cover Story

All AAAs

In 2015, BusinessWest, created a new recognition program. Well, let’s call it a spinoff of an existing initiative.

Indeed, the Alumni Achievement Award recognizes those individuals who have most expanded upon the résumés that earned them membership in the 40 Under Forty Club.

And while there is usually one winner each year (there have been two on a pair of occasions), we profile the finalists for the award each year, because … well, just being among the handful of top scorers is an achievement of note.

The five stories on the following pages certainly convey continued excellence in the professional world — usually with a step or two or three up the ladder — and continued commitment to giving back to the community. They also provide some looks into the personal lives of some outstanding individuals, each of them worthy of the award known as AAA.

The Five Finalists for 2025 are:

Click on the photos below to read their stories

Jeff Fialky

Managing shareholder at Bacon Wilson, P.C.

Amelia Holstrom

Partner at Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C.

James Krupienski

Partner at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C

Ryan McCollum

Owner of RMC Strategies

Orlando Ramos

State Rep. 9th Hampden District

The winner will be announced at the start of the 19th annual 40 Under Forty gala on Thursday, June 19 at the MassMutual Center. Once again, the presenting sponsor of the AAA program is Health New England.

Meet the 2025 Alumni Achievement Award Judges:

Ashley Bogle is assistant general counsel and director of Legal Services for Health New England, where she manages the day-to-day operations of HNE’s Legal Department, from reviewing contracts to providing regulatory guidance and maintaining licenses and accreditation. A 40 Under Forty honoree in 2021 and a founding member of HNE’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging committee, she was recognized by the Urban League of Springfield this year as its Health & Wellness Hero for her commitment to health equity, legal advocacy, and community enrichment.

A 27-year veteran of Monson Savings Bank, Dan Moriarty has been the institution’s president since 2020 and added the title of CEO in 2021. Earlier this year, BusinessWest named him one of its 2025 Difference Makers, largely for his commitment to the community — he volunteers about 200 hours a year — but also his stewardship of a philanthropic culture at Monson Savings, which has given about $1 million to 420 organizations over the past five years, with employees donating about 1,700 hours in the community each year.

Meghan Rothschild, a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2011 and the recipient of the 2024 Alumni Achievement Award, is president and owner of the marketing and public relations firm Chikmedia, which puts an emphasis on female-run organizations and women business owners, offering strategic marketing planning and creative public relations. Increasingly in demand as a public speaker on topics ranging from enterpreneurship to social media training to women’s health, she is also a melanoma survivor and a fierce advocate for skin cancer awareness and prevention.

Orlando Ramos

By
Orlando Ramos
Alumni Achievement Award

State Representative, 9th Hampden District

Orlando Ramos

Orlando Ramos

Orlando Ramos when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2014, and today (top)

Orlando Ramos when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2014, and today (top)

Orlando Ramos has a small classic car collection.

He once had four vehicles, but recently sold a 1974 Corvette. He still has a 1970 Chevy Monte Carlo, a 1989 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z, and a 1991 Ford Escort, and shows them all at area shows.

The Escort doesn’t sound particularly sexy, and Ramos acknowledged that, but it has taken home a lot of hardware at those shows, as has the Monte Carlo, he said, adding that the Camaro wins at pretty much every competition he brings it to.

Beyond first-place ribbons, the cars bring Ramos memories, a chance to meet new people and add more friends to an already large roster, and, perhaps most importantly, some relaxing moments to counter the many chaotic ones at the State House and within his district.

“I try to drive them on the weekends when I get some downtime, and I do some car shows on the weekend if I’m not busy with work,” he told BusinessWest. “It takes my mind off things. That’s where I find my peace — driving my classic cars … no radio, just the sound of the engine with the windows down.”

He considers the cars a passion, one of two that he has, with the other being the city of Springfield, which is now his sole focus within the 9th District (he used to represent a small section of Chicopee).

He grew up in the City of Homes, among several other places (his family moved frequently in his youth), graduated from Putnam Vocational Technical High School, did some boxing in the city, and later settled in Indian Orchard, which he still calls home. He served on the City Council, including as its president, before being elected to the House, and ran, unsuccessfully, for Springfield mayor in 2023, leaving the door wide open for another run down the road.

Most of those who nominated Ramos for the Alumni Achievement Award — and there were several — called him an ambassador for the city, a mentor to young people, and, in many ways, an inspiration to those in the minority community.

FAST FACTS

Age: 42
40 Under Forty Class: 2014
Title Then: Springfield City Councilor
Title Now: State Representative, 9th Hampden District
Walk-up Song: “Aguanile” by Marc Anthony
Years an AAA Finalist: 2

In addition, he’s a prolific filer of bills designed, in many cases, to safeguard the interests of his constituents while also addressing inequalities that still exist on many levels.

Indeed, Ramos said he filed 27 bills at the beginning of this session, the most he’s ever filed, and they involve everything from regulations for facial surveillance technology (there currently are none) to measures to protect taxpayers and cities and towns from utility companies that withhold property taxes by closing existing loopholes.

“The law was intended to help small, mom-and-pop businesses and individual residents that were struggling to pay their tax bills,” he explained. “It wasn’t meant to help multi-billion-dollar utilities to abuse that loophole.”

In addition to all this work at the State House, Ramos remains actively involved with the community, whether it’s in his neighborhood, where he sits on the Indian Orchard Citizens Council; coaching in a basketball league; turning up at car shows; or supporting small businesses.

“I always try to show up at small businesses and festivals and community events and be supportive of everything that’s happening in the community,” said Ramos, who has a new initiative that touches on many of his priorities, goals, and efforts to make a difference.

It’s called Ties to Success, and it’s designed to teach young men in Springfield public schools how to tie a tie — what he calls an important but overlooked life skill.

“Eventually, I hope to reach every graduating class in the city,” he said, adding that, in this, the program’s inaugural year, he and others working with him started with about 30 students at Putnam.

“I’ve recruited about 15 volunteer mentors from the public and private sector,” he said. “In addition to learning how to tie a tie, each student will leave with a brand-new tie, written instructions, and the invaluable experience of connecting with positive role models from the business and government sectors.”

Speaking of tying the knot, Ramos, a proud single parent of daughter, Ariana, now 21 (who was his date at his 40 Under Forty gala), announced that he recently got engaged to a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2024, Natalie Mercado, owner and CEO of Sweetera & Co.

That adds another passion to a man who has several, including those cars. You might say he’s a driving force for positive change. Many people do.

—George O’Brien

Ryan McCollum

By
Ryan McCollum
Alumni Achievement Award

Owner, RMC Strategies

Ryan McCollum

Ryan McCollum

Ryan McCollum when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2012, and today (top)

Ryan McCollum when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2012, and today (top)

Ryan McCollum says he likes to have the circles in his life intersect.

And by circles, he means people who are in his life for various reasons — clients, friends, colleagues, elected officials — and causes and agencies he supports, everything from early childhood education provider Square One to the game of golf, especially for populations not generally associated with it.

To get his point across, McCollum gave a couple examples that help tell his story, and this particular story of how he is again a finalist for the coveted Alumni Achievement Award.

One references his involvement with a group called 16 Lyrics (formed with 15 friends), which is committed to combating racism and, among other initiatives, helps provide schools with books featuring diverse characters, authors, and storylines — “because, whether it was books or TV, it was hard to find characters that looked like me,” he noted.

“We had a golf tournament last year,” he said of 16 Lyrics. “I had Trap Golf, which I work with to bring people in the game, donate a bunch of stuff. I had a client from PricewaterhouseCoopers play with me. I made sure to ask elected officials to play or sponsor — we had a cart full of state reps. My wife and daughter helped in planning it. Circles intersected: my charitable world, a lobbying client, my family, and all my friends, and Get Set Marketing designed and printed all the tee signs and the like, and I work with them.”

FAST FACTS

Age: 45
40 Under Forty Class: 2012
Title Then: Owner and Principal, RMC Strategies; Marketing Consultant, Get Set Marketing
Title Now: Owner, RMC Strategies
Walk-up Song: “Get By” by Talib Kweli
Years an AAA Finalist: 2

The second example involves one of his clients, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia, and the kickoff to his re-election campaign in February.

Garcia wanted Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll to attend, and McCollum made some calls and secured an appearance, not just for that announcement, but also for a tour of the Hope for Youth Arts Center (formerly CityStage), a project being undertaken by another McCollum client, Robert Bolduc, and his Center for Hope & Families Foundation. He also helped organize a fundraiser for the lieutenant governor at LightHouse Holyoke, a non-traditional middle and high school that is another McCollum client. And to top it off, Young at Heart, the Northampton-based chorus and yet another client, performed at the event.

You might say bringing worlds together and having circles intersect is what McCollum does. Professionally, he’s an entrepreneur, the owner of RMC Strategies, a consulting firm that partners with Get Set Marketing to provide one-stop shopping for those with political marketing needs. He’s worked on several campaigns over the years, including those for Garcia and State Rep. Orlando Ramos, another of this year’s AAA finalists (see story on page 19).

McCollum is also heavily involved in the community and has been for decades. He’s among the founders of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield and currently sits on several boards, including those for Square One, Suit Up Springfield, 16 Lyrics, the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley, and the National Conference for Community and Justice.

“When people ask me what I do, I tell them I’m a political consultant, I tell them I’m a lobbyist, but I do a lot of connecting of folks whom I think should be connected,” he said, adding that this unique and important skill has defined his professional career and personal life.

And it certainly explains why is a finalist for the Alumni Achievement Award for the second time in three years.

As does his outlook on simply … being kind.

“Kindness, and being kind, is a great business and career strategy, and on so many levels,” he told BusinessWest. “Especially in my business — the relationship business. Treating people kindly goes a long way. It can be hard to be kind all the time, because we’re all human … but it’s important, and it’s something I work on.”

As for the game of golf, McCollum plays whenever he can — he’s partial to Springfield’s municipal courses, Franconia and Veterans — and has become involved with various efforts and outfits, such as Trap Golf out of Atlanta, which was created to bring more people into the game, “especially communities that don’t intersect with it often,” as he put it.

“I like to be America’s golf guest,” he joked, adding that he plays with friends as well as entering tournaments for various causes throughout the summer.

“It’s a great game,” he went on, adding that, among other things, it provides more opportunities to enable circles to intersect and for him to continue his work as a connector.

—George O’Brien

 

FAST
FACTS

Age: 45

40 Under Forty Class: 2012

Title Then: Owner and Principal, RMC Strategies; Marketing Consultant, Get Set Marketing

Title Now: Owner, RMC Strategies

Walk-up Song: “Get By” by Talib Kweli

Years an AAA Finalist: 2

James Krupienski

By
James Krupienski
Alumni Achievement Award

Partner, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.

James Krupienski

James Krupienski

Jim Krupienski when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2010, and today (top)

Jim Krupienski when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2010, and today (top)

It’s called Krupienski’s Korner.

That the name of the … let’s call it gathering spot in the break room at the accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka.

Jim Krupienski is host and unofficial bartender at the Korner on Friday afternoons just after 5 during tax season. He said tax preparers and others at the firm can get a libation if they are so inclined, but also, and more importantly, a much-needed reprieve from the pressures that build as April 15 approaches.

FAST FACTS

Age: 46
40 Under Forty Class: 2010
Title Then: CPA Manager, Health Care and Pension Audit Divisions, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.
Title Now: Partner, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.
Walk-up Song: “Dream On” by Aerosmith
Years an AAA Finalist: 1

“It’s just a way for people to step away after a long week and just talk about something other than tax returns, take a deep breath, and unwind,” said Krupienski, noting that, with his Korner, he is continuing a tradition started years ago by retired partner Bob Perry, who operated Perry’s Pub for those same reasons.

Korner keeper is one just one of the many additional roles and responsibilities Krupienski has assumed since he joined the 40 Under Forty club in 2010. Then, he was CPA Manager for the Health Care and Pension Audit Divisions. Now, he’s one of six partners who together manage all operations at the firm.

Krupienski’s focus points are marketing and what’s known as the firm’s Business Development Group, an initiative that empowers emerging professionals to develop their networking skills, build a clientele, and foster strong client relationships.

To this and his many other assignments, Krupienski brings energy, creativity, a strong emphasis on teamwork, and a mindset of building a stronger firm through a focus on people. All this helps explain why he is a first-time finalist for the Alumni Achievement Award.

“Jim has not only enhanced his professional stature but also elevated the firm’s reputation in the broader business community,” wrote Howard Cheney, another of the firm’s partners, who nominated Krupienski for the honor. “This ongoing commitment to excellence, innovation, and community engagement has significantly contributed to the firm’s success and continued growth, marking Jim as a pivotal figure in its upward trajectory.

“Jim’s contributions to the firm’s corporate culture, especially through initiatives like Krupienski’s Korner, illustrate his dedication to creating a cohesive, supporting, and engaging workplace environment,” Cheney continued. “These somewhat intangible contributions to the firm are invaluable, playing a significant role in enhancing employee satisfaction and morale.”

Krupienski, who became partner in 2017, said his new role and responsibilities have created learning experiences on many levels that are, of course, continuing. He listed COVID as one of those experiences.

“That was an interesting, challenging time … we were all learning together,” he said of the partnership team. “We’d have partner meetings several times a week just to figure out the next steps while the governor was making his decisions; we were trying to figure it all out and make very quick, very real decisions that were impacting people and their well-being. And this was the in middle of tax season.

“Through it all, we learned a lot about ourselves, about our firm, about our employees — and in the end, we came out stronger,” he went on, adding that this learning continues on many levels.

And while he continues to mature as a leader, mentor, and motivator, Krupienski remains active in the community, especially in his home community of Westfield. There, he is involved with everything from Little League to the Chamber of Commerce to the YMCA. He is also current chair of the Westfield Foundation.

Meanwhile, he is involved with the firm’s many efforts to support area nonprofits and individual causes and initiatives. Under his influence, MBK has supported entities such as Habitat for Humanity of Greater Springfield and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts through donations, volunteering, and raising awareness. He’s also a strong supporter of the firm’s Dress Down for Charity Days, a fundraising effort that benefits various local charities, including the Veterans Home at Holyoke and the Massachusetts Special Olympics.

And he is continually encouraging those at the firm, especially the young professionals, to get involved themselves, as supporters of nonprofits, but also as board members, roles that support those agencies but also help individuals develop into leaders in the community.

When not working — at MBK or in the community — Krupienski is usually spending time with family — wife Megan, son James, and daughter Hayley. His children were very young when he joined the 40 Under Forty club, but are now a junior in college and a graduating high school senior and softball player, respectively, with James poised to follow his father into the accounting field.

—George O’Brien

 

 

 

Amelia Holstrom

By
Amelia Holstrom
Alumni Achievement Award

Partner, Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C.

Amelia Holstrom

Amelia Holstrom

Amelia Holstrom when she was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2015 and today (top)

Amelia Holstrom won’t ever have any trouble remembering when she joined the 40 Under Forty club.

It was near the time her first child was born. Make that very near.

Indeed, the day after Holstrom posed for her 40 Under Forty photo — “they told me to bring a prop; I said, ‘isn’t my stomach enough of a prop?’” — she was in labor. She recalls being in the hospital after delivery and facing a deadline to pick a walk-up song for the gala.

FAST FACTS

Age: 39
40 Under Forty Class: 2015
Title Then: Associate Attorney, Skoler, Abbott & Presser
Title Now: Partner, Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C.
Walk-up Song: “Gonna Fly Now” from Rocky
Years an AAA Finalist: 1

“I didn’t have a lot of time to think, so I just went with the theme from Rocky,” she recalled, adding that the gala at the Log Cabin that June marked her first real public event since she gave birth to Carter, who is now 10 and an avid soccer player.

Attending his games, and also her younger son Reid’s track meets, are just a few of the many things Holstrom now packs into a busy schedule that also includes many forms of giving back, including several roles within her home community of Wilbraham, as well her day (and sometimes night) job as a partner with the Springfield-based law firm Skoler, Abbott & Presser.

It’s a schedule that’s helps explain why she is a finalist for the Alumni Achievement Award for 2025.

Holstrom was an associate attorney when she became a member of the class of 2015. Today, she is a partner and one of the leaders of a firm that specializes in employment law, a subject Holstrom likes to talk about, and on many different levels, from interviews with the press to leadership roles in events hosted by the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast, MassHire Springfield, and others.

“I pride myself on being able to explain complex issues in everyday language so that everyone will understand and get a grasp of what they need to know.”

This is an intriguing area of the law, she told BusinessWest, one where there is both constant change and an overriding mission — to help employers stay on of top of all that change and, at the same time, avert potential legal trouble.

“In this area of the law, I have a unique opportunity to advise employers before something happens,” she said. “I can give them advice so that, if they are sued by an employee, they’re in the best position to defend that matter. And sometimes, I can guide them through the process with a specific employee issue, and a lawsuit never arises.

“Employment law is an area of the law that changes frequently, and it’s really important for employers to keep up with that change,” she went on. “If they don’t do that, they could find themselves facing a lawsuit, including a wage-and-hour claim or another type of claim. So I’ve dedicated my time to learning employment law inside and out, knowing everything there is to know.”

Helping employers navigate the rough seas created by constantly changing employment law requires several skills, said Holstrom, especially the ability to both listen and communicate effectively.

“One of my mentors when I first started with the firm really talked about how knowing the information is one thing, but being able to explain it to supervisors and managers in a way that is understandable is the most important part of the equation,” she noted. “I pride myself on being able to explain complex issues in everyday language so that everyone will understand and get a grasp of what they need to know.”

And there are several areas they need to know, including, most recently, paid family medical leave and issues involving diversity, equity, and inclusion.

As for other items on her busy schedule … these include serving with several area nonprofits, including the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, as chair of board development; the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, as a member of the personnel committee; Clinical & Support Options, as a board member and clerk; and the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce, as legislative chair.

Meanwhile, in Wilbraham, she serves as vice chair of the town’s Commission on Disabilities, chair of the Personnel Advisory Board, and, most recently, library trustee; she filled a short-term vacancy on that board and was recently elected to a three-year term.

These various contributions to the community were recognized by the Massachusetts Bar Assoc., which honored Holstrom with its Community Service Award for Hampden County in 2016.

And then, there’s her family, for which she always finds time, and to which there will always be a special connection to 40 Under Forty.

—George O’Brien

 

Jeffrey Fialky

By
Jeffrey Fialky
Alumni Achievement Award

Managing Shareholder, Bacon Wilson, P.C.

Jeffrey Fialky

Jeffrey Fialky

Jeff Fialky when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2008, and today (top).

Jeff Fialky says being managing shareholder of a law firm allows him to “put my money where my mouth is.”

For decades, he’s been counseling business owners large and small on matters from personnel to growth through acquisition to being prepared for the future and whatever it might bring.

And now, he’s doing all of the above and more for Bacon Wilson, a firm celebrating its 130th birthday. Fialky says it’s his job — his mission, in fact — to make sure it’s around for another 130.

“We have 115 employees, four offices, and we’re looking to expand — we’re looking at other geographic areas, other firms, other attorneys looking to join,” he said. “And you balance that with a business with exponentially increasing expenses, which creates unique challenges, but is exciting for someone who has been representing businesses and business owners for 30 years.”

Including the recently announed class of 2025, there are 760 members of the 40 Under Forty club. Fialky is now among the … let’s call them ‘most senior.’

“Will humans get to a point where they’re satisfied looking at a blinking cursor and a computer screen? I don’t think I’ll see that in my lifetime, but as lawyers, as a legal industry, we must be thinking about what the future has in store.”

He was honored in 2008, the program’s second year, just a few years after joining Bacon Wilson as an associate. That was so long ago, honorees didn’t have their own walk-up music, as they do now. When asked what he may have chosen, Fialky gave an answer that spoke to just how many years have passed.

“My tastes have changed over time … it would probably be something country now,” he said. “Back then, probably Beastie Boys, Metallica, or something in between; now it’s country.”

While his tastes in music have changed over the years, so have the responsibilities for Fialky, a finalist for the Alumni Achievement Award several times early on (the award was created a decade ago), but not recently. His ascension to managing partner has something to do with his return to the field, as does his continued involvement with the community.

With the former, he noted, it’s an intriguing challenge at any time, but especially now — for the legal industry and for business in general.

FAST FACTS

Age: 55
40 Under Forty Class: 2008
Title Then: Associate Attorney, Bacon Wilson, P.C.
Title Now: Managing Shareholder, Bacon Wilson, P.C.
Walk-up Song: None
Years an AAA Finalist: 4

“I enjoy this side of what I do,” said Fialky, who remains chair of the firm’s corporate and commercial department and serves as the senior mergers and acquisitions attorney as well. “I enjoy the entrepreneurial aspect, as well as the management, and they’re different.

“The management side is the day-to-day, P&L and balance sheet, the budget,” he went on. “The entrepreneurial side is imagining where the future lies and the practice of law in the Pioneer Valley.”

Which brings him to the subject of AI, technology that is casting a shadow over the future if many industry sectors.

“I don’t think we’ve seen it yet in our day-to-day, but you have to be realistic that it is going to change the way the practice of law looks in the future, maybe five to 10 years out,” he told BusinessWest. “Predicting what that’s going to look like is more art than science, but you must be thinking that far out as you see the billions that are being invested in AI and will continue to be.

“For so long, people wanted to look their lawyer in the eye; they wanted to hear from a human being when they were asking, ‘what should I do?’” he went on. “Will humans get to a point where they’re satisfied looking at a blinking cursor and a computer screen? I don’t think I’ll see that in my lifetime, but as lawyers, as a legal industry, we must be thinking about what the future has in store.”

As for his work in the community, Fialky continues to be involved with several nonprofits and business groups. That list includes the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce, which he has served as a board member since 2007 and as chair from 2013 to 2016, and the Springfield Museums, which he has served as a trustee since 2012.

Previously, he has been involved with agencies and causes ranging from the United Way to the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield; from Leadership Pioneer Valley to the American Cancer Society.

Today, while continuing to give back and leading Bacon Wilson into its next 130 years, he finds time for family, especially his son, Samuel, born just after he was presented with his 40 Under Forty plaque, and daughter Madeline.

“They’re both just wonderful, so I spend a lot of time with them,” said Fialky, the now country music fan who has returned to being a finalist for the Alumni Achievement Award.

—George O’Brien

 

 

Celebrating Five Class Acts

By
Opinion

Editorial

BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007 to recognize the rising stars in the 413. It’s become an immensely popular initiative that has created a somewhat exclusive club, if you will, one that now boasts 760 members.

That’s a big number, and something to bear in mind when considering a spinoff from that original program, something we call the Alumni Achievement Award, which, as that name suggests, recognizes 40 Under Forty winners who have continued to build on their résumés, both professionally and with their work in the community.

This is a far more exclusive club and, in many ways, a more notable achievement, just because of those numbers.

Which brings us to our latest AAA competition, if you will. There can be only one winner — and he or she will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 19. But we celebrate our finalists because it’s an honor just to be in that group. And these stories provide us with a great opportunity to tell more stories about individuals who continue to excel and find new ways to give back and make a difference.

Each of our finalists (see cover story) has a unique story, but there are common denominators, especially a commitment to this region and using their talents to improve quality of life here. Each story is compelling, and each finalist is certainly worthy of being the next AAA winner:

• Jeff Fialky was an associate at the law firm Bacon Wilson when he became part of the just the second 40 Under Forty class in 2008. He’s now managing shareholder, leading the firm through a time of change and challenge in that sector while also giving back to the community and, specifically, agencies and causes ranging from the Springfield Regional Chamber to Springfield Museums.

• Amelia Holstrom was an associate at the law firm Skoler, Abbott & Presser when she earned her 40 Under Forty plaque. She’s now a partner and a regional leader in this ever-changing, vitally important field of law. She is also active in the community, with groups from the Girls Scouts to Clinical & Support Options, and roles such as library trustee in Wilbraham.

• Jim Krupienski has risen to the rank of partner at the accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka, where is a real leader and mentor to many young people entering the field. And he acts as a true role model for them, especially with the many ways he gives back to the community, whether it’s through his own work with the Westfield State Foundation or the Westfield YMCA, or the way he encourages the firm to support agencies ranging from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts to Habitat for Humanity.

• Ryan McCollum is, in a word, a ‘connector.’ As the founder and owner of RMC Strategies, he coordinates political campaigns and spearheads the marketing efforts of a growing number of area agencies, businesses, and causes, many of them involving under-represented constituencies. And, since long before joining the 40 Under Forty club in 2012, and continuing through his career, he has been involved in the community, with agencies like Square One, YPS, Suit Up Springfield, and the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley.

• Orlando Ramos and his family moved around a lot when he was young. They eventually settled in Springfield, which, for him, became a home — and a passion. He’s represented the community on the City Council, and now as state representative for the 9th Hampden District. It’s been 11 years since he was presented his 40 Under Forty plaque, and over that time, he’s continually found new ways to advocate for city residents and make the City of Homes a better place to live, work, and do business.

As noted earlier, all five are worthy of the AAA award, and all five should be celebrated for all they’ve done, and all they continue to do in, and for, this region.

Alumni Achievement Award Nomination Deadline Extended to May 2

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest has extended the nomination deadline for the 11th annual Alumni Achievement Award until May 2. This award is presented to the past 40 Under Forty honoree who, in the eyes of an independent panel of judges, has most impressively continued and built upon his or her track record of accomplishment.

Candidates must be from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007 to 2024.

Past winners include: 2024: Meghan Rothschild, president of Chikmedia (40 Under Forty class of 2011); 2023: Amy Royal, founder and CEO, Royal Law Firm (class of 2009); 2022: Anthony Gleason III, president and co-founder, Gleason Johndrow Companies (class of 2010); 2021: Anthony Gulluni, Hampden County district attorney (class of 2015); 2020: Carla Cosenzi, president, TommyCar Auto Group (class of 2012), and Peter DePergola, director of Clinical Ethics, Baystate Health (class of 2015); 2019: Cinda Jones, president, W.D. Cowls Inc. (40 Under Forty class of 2007); 2018: Samalid Hogan, regional director, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (class of 2013); 2017: Scott Foster, attorney, Bulkley Richardson (class of 2011), and Nicole Griffin, owner, ManeHire (class of 2014); 2016: Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president, Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England (class of 2008); 2015: Delcie Bean, president, Paragus Strategic IT (class of 2008).

The 2024 Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in the June 9 edition of BusinessWest, and the honoree will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 19.

The nomination form is available at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward. Only nominations submitted to BusinessWest on this form will be considered. For your convenience, a list of the past 40 Under Forty classes may be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40underforty.

For more information, call Natasha Mercado-Santana, Marketing and Events manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail [email protected].

BusinessWest Accepting Nominations for 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — When BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007, it did so to identify rising stars across our region — individuals who were excelling in business and through involvement within the community — and celebrate their accomplishments.

In 2015, BusinessWest announced a new award, one that builds on the foundation upon which 40 Under Forty was created. It’s called the Alumni Achievement Award. As the name suggests, it is presented to the 40 Under Forty honoree who, in the eyes of an independent panel of judges, has most impressively continued and built upon his or her track record of accomplishment.

Candidates must be from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007 to 2024.

Past winners include: 2024: Meghan Rothschild, president of Chikmedia (40 Under Forty class of 2011); 2023: Amy Royal, founder and CEO, Royal Law Firm (class of 2009); 2022: Anthony Gleason III, president and co-founder, Gleason Johndrow Companies (class of 2010); 2021: Anthony Gulluni, Hampden County district attorney (class of 2015); 2020: Carla Cosenzi, president, TommyCar Auto Group (class of 2012), and Peter DePergola, director of Clinical Ethics, Baystate Health (class of 2015); 2019: Cinda Jones, president, W.D. Cowls Inc. (40 Under Forty class of 2007); 2018: Samalid Hogan, regional director, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (class of 2013); 2017: Scott Foster, attorney, Bulkley Richardson (class of 2011), and Nicole Griffin, owner, ManeHire (class of 2014); 2016: Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president, Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England (class of 2008); 2015: Delcie Bean, president, Paragus Strategic IT (class of 2008).

The 2024 Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in the June 9 edition of BusinessWest, and the honoree will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 19.

The nomination form is available at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward. Only nominations submitted to BusinessWest on this form will be considered. The deadline is Wednesday, April 23. For your convenience, a list of the past 40 Under Forty classes may be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40underforty.

For more information, call Natasha Mercado-Santana, Marketing and Events manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail [email protected].

BusinessWest Accepting Nominations for 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — When BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007, it did so to identify rising stars across our region — individuals who were excelling in business and through involvement within the community — and celebrate their accomplishments.

In 2015, BusinessWest announced a new award, one that builds on the foundation upon which 40 Under Forty was created. It’s called the Alumni Achievement Award. As the name suggests, it is presented to the 40 Under Forty honoree who, in the eyes of an independent panel of judges, has most impressively continued and built upon his or her track record of accomplishment.

Candidates must be from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007 to 2024.

Past winners include: 2024: Meghan Rothschild, president of Chikmedia (40 Under Forty class of 2011); 2023: Amy Royal, founder and CEO, Royal Law Firm (class of 2009); 2022: Anthony Gleason III, president and co-founder, Gleason Johndrow Companies (class of 2010); 2021: Anthony Gulluni, Hampden County district attorney (class of 2015); 2020: Carla Cosenzi, president, TommyCar Auto Group (class of 2012), and Peter DePergola, director of Clinical Ethics, Baystate Health (class of 2015); 2019: Cinda Jones, president, W.D. Cowls Inc. (40 Under Forty class of 2007); 2018: Samalid Hogan, regional director, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (class of 2013); 2017: Scott Foster, attorney, Bulkley Richardson (class of 2011), and Nicole Griffin, owner, ManeHire (class of 2014); 2016: Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president, Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England (class of 2008); 2015: Delcie Bean, president, Paragus Strategic IT (class of 2008).

The 2024 Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in the June 9 edition of BusinessWest, and the honoree will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 19.

The nomination form is available at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward. Only nominations submitted to BusinessWest on this form will be considered. The deadline is Wednesday, April 23. For your convenience, a list of the past 40 Under Forty classes may be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40underforty.

For more information, call Natasha Mercado-Santana, Marketing and Events manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail [email protected].

Meghan Rothschild Wins BusinessWest’s 10th Annual Alumni Achievement Award 

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — At Thursday evening’s 18th annual 40 Under Forty event at the MassMutual Center, BusinessWest announced that Meghan Rothschild, president and owner of Chikmedia, is this year’s Alumni Achievement Award (AAA) winner. 

Rothschild broke through on her fourth time as a finalist for the AAA, which, since 2015, has been awarded annually to the past 40 Under Forty winner who, in the minds of an independent panel of judges, has most impressively built on his or her record of professional achievement and service to the community since being named a 40 Under Forty honoree.  

Rothschild was voted to the 40 Under Forty class of 2011 while serving as Development and Marketing manager for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. As a survivor of melanoma, she was also a well-known advocate for skin safety and cancer prevention. 

Since then, she has founded and significantly grown the marketing and public-relations business known as Chikmedia, a full-service, boutique firm that provides clients nationwide with graphic design, social-media management, public relations, expert positioning, event management, and more. 

Meanwhile, her involvement within the community takes many forms, from a Girls & Racism town hall created in collaboration with Girls Inc. to a Campaign for Healthy Kids PSA designed to help raise funds for the children and families that rely on Square One and were severely impacted by COVID, to her creation of the Chiks of the Future Scholarship, designated for a young woman of color pursuing a degree in a marketing-related field. 

Rothschild is also increasingly in demand as a public speaker, having addressed subjects ranging from skin cancer to social media to leadership skills and how to build them. She has also become a sought-after presenter and media host, including red-carpet coverage on behalf of Explore Western Mass. (the Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau) for Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement, as a panelist for the RISE Women’s Leadership Conference, and regular media-outlet contributions including The Rhode Show, Mass Appeal on WWLP, iHeart Radio, and more. Her first keynote address, called “Living Authentically Unleashed,” came this spring at the Pioneer Valley Women’s Conference in Springfield. 

The other three finalists for this year’s AAA award were Andrew Melendez, founder of the Latino Economic Development Corp.; Payton Shubrick, founder and CEO of 6 Brick’s LLC; and Craig Swimm, senior vice president of Audacy Springfield. 

The Alumni Achievement Award is presented by Health New England. 

Meghan Rothschild

By
Meghan Rothschild
Alumni Achievement Award

President and Owner, Chikmedia

Meghan Rothschild today (above) and as a 40 Under Forty winner in 2011.

Meghan Rothschild today (above) and as a 40 Under Forty winner in 2011.

Meghan Rothschild started speaking in public when she was just 20 years old.

She had become a survivor of melanoma, a common and deadly form of skin cancer, and she began speaking out about her diagnosis as an advocate for sun safety and cancer prevention, turning a negative into a positive.

Over the ensuing two decades or so, she would become a natural behind the microphone, addressing subjects ranging from skin cancer to social media to leadership skills and how to build them. She would also become a sought-after presenter and media host, including red-carpet coverage on behalf of Explore Western Mass. (the Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau) for Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement, as a panelist for the RISE Women’s Leadership Conference, and regular media-outlet contributions including The Rhode Show, Mass Appeal on WWLP, iHeart Radio, and more.

It wasn’t until recently, though, that she delivered what she called her first ‘keynote address.’ It came at the Pioneer Valley Women’s Conference staged last month at the Marriott in downtown Springfield. The conference’s theme was Unleashed, and the unofficial title of her address was “Living Authentically Unleashed.”

“These were my tips for how to live an authentically unleashed life,” she told BusinessWest. “Being authentic, unleashing your emotions, unleashing your power, bringing empathy back into the workplace and acknowledging that people are human beings and not machine — things like that.”

When asked if she lived her own life authentically unleashed, she said, “I would certainly say that, yes. It means being free of of concern over how others view you, finding your true authentic mission and purpose, not being afraid to speak your mind, using your voice to set boundaries, knowing your own self-worth, all of those things,” she added.

Building an impressive portfolio of public speaking engagements and living her own life authentically unleashed — in all those ways she described — are just two of the many ways Rothschild has grown and evolved, personally and professionally, since she became a 40 Under Forty honoree in 2011 while serving as Development and Marketing manager for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

The most obvious is the creation and continued growth of the marketing and public-relations business she founded called Chikmedia, a full-service, boutique firm that provides clients nationwide with graphic design, social-media management, public relations, expert positioning, event management, and more.

But there is more to this story, including involvement within the community that takes many forms, from a Girls & Racism town hall created in collaboration with Girls Inc. to a Campaign for Healthy Kids PSA designed to help raise funds for the children and families that rely on Square One and were severely impacted by COVID, to her creation of the Chik of the Future Scholarship, designated for a young woman of color pursuing a degree in a marketing-related field.

The sum of these accomplishments has made Rothschild a repeat finalist for the Alumni Achievement Award. In fact, this is the fourth time that panels of judges have made her one of the top scorers.

It’s easy to see why, starting with her success in business.

She told BusinessWest that, while she considers herself an entrepreneur at heart, she never anticipated growing an agency to where it would have several team members and more than 40 clients at any given point.

“I started this to really take a calmer approach to my career, and it’s been the exact opposite,” she said. “Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, but the business has just blossomed.”

Indeed, it now boasts clients ranging from TIZO, a national skin-care line, to local businesses and nonprofits ranging from the Log Cabin to Girls Inc. to the recently opened event venue 52 Sumner.

But she is perhaps more proud of the work that she and the agency are doing in the community. She is involved with the Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts as a board member, for example; runs in several 5Ks, like the one staged recently to support Dakin Humane Society; and brings added value to the many nonprofits within the client portfolio as another way to give back.

“I do influencer marketing myself, so on social media, I’m constantly talking up my clients and sharing their events and throwing myself in the hat as a marketing tool for them — because I find that’s sort of a seamless way for me to give back,” she said.

And then, there are initiatives like the Chik of the Future Scholarship, which has grown in scope and monetary value over its five-year history thanks to the support of several local businesses, as well as the She Votes campaign spearheaded by the team at Chikmedia in collaboration with Girls Inc. The goal of the campaign was to pre-register as many teen girls to vote as possible and to raise $21,000 for the She Votes curriculum. Voting pre-registrations were outstanding, Rothschild said, and the fundraising campaign concluded 3% above goal.

“I started this to really take a calmer approach to my career, and it’s been the exact opposite. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, but the business has just blossomed.”

Maybe the best indication of how far she has come, and how her impact has grown, is her increasingly crowded schedule, filled with various speaking engagements that reflect her many areas of expertise.

Last year, for example, she was in Dallas to appear at a major beauty conference to share her personal experience with skin cancer and talk about TIZO. She also addressed the Bradley Chamber of Commerce this month and hosts a series of workshops for Head Start programs across New England.

Overall, she’s speaking four to six times a month on average, with the subject matter ranging from skin-cancer prevention to entreprenership; from social-media training to talks that would be considered motivational in nature.

She said it’s taken her the better part of a decade to “get into a really good groove,” as she called it, developing a style that makes heavy use of humor and that engages the audience in whatever it is she’s talking about.

“When the topic is something outside my comfort zone, like a motivational speech, that fuels me,” she said. “It makes me take a moment and really think about what I’m going to say. I can stand up and talk about social media for six hours and not even bat an eye, but motivational-style speaking is completely different.”

There are many things that fuel Rothschild today, everything from working with her team to grow Chikmedia to providing scholarships to girls of color looking to enter the marketing field, to … well, living life unleashed.

All that explains why she is an Alumni Achievement Award finalist. Again.

—George O’Brien

40 Under Forty 2024 Alumni Achievement Award

By
Alumni Achievement Award Cover Story

2024 Finalists Continue to Lead by Example

Left to right: Andrew Melendez, Meghan Rothschild, Payton Shubrick, and Craig Swimm

In 2015, BusinessWest introduced a new award, an extension of its 40 Under Forty program. It’s called the Alumni Achievement Award (AAA), and as that name suggests, it recognizes previous 40 Under Forty honorees who continue to build on their résumés of outstanding achievement in their chosen field and in service to the community.

Along with honoring one winner (or, on a couple of occasions, two) each year, the program also gives us a chance to visit with, and write about, several finalists each year — which gives our readers an opportunity to read about the interesting and impactful things going on in their lives. After all, for most 40 Under Forty alums, that award recognizes only the beginning stages of where their paths will take them.

So read the links below for the subsequent, and often surprising, chapters in the lives of Andrew Melendez, Meghan Rothschild, Payton Shubrick, and Craig Swimm. These four were chosen by a panel of three independent judges among this year’s AAA nominees. The same judges were then tasked with agreeing on the ultimate winner, who will be revealed at the 18th annual 40 Under Forty Gala on Thursday, June 20 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

As the profiles that begin on page 5 reveal, these four finalists truly embody the spirit of this award. Their stories convey leadership, ongoing commitment to the region’s economic and civic life, and an ability to pivot and evolve as opportunities present themselves. They are, in a word, inspiring.

Special thanks to Health New England for its continued sponsorship of the Alumni Achievement Award.

 

Andrew Melendez

Founder, Latino Economic Development Corp

 

Meghan Rothschild

President and Owner, Chikmedia

 

Payton Shubrick

Founder and CEO, 6 Brick’s LLC

 

Craig Swimm

Senior Vice President, Audacy Springfield

Meet the Alumni Achievement Award Judges

By
Alumni Achievement Award
Ashley Bogle

Ashley Bogle

Ashley Bogle is assistant general counsel and director of Legal Services for Health New England, where she manages the day-to-day operations of HNE’s Legal Department, from reviewing contracts to providing regulatory guidance and maintaining licenses and accreditation. A 40 Under Forty honoree in 2021, Bogle is a founding member of HNE’s diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) committee, which strives to embed DEIB and health equity into HNE’s strategic plan, mission, operations, community outreach, and member community. She currently serves as president of Art for the Soul Gallery’s board of directors in addition to working on other community projects.

Corey Murphy

Corey Murphy

Recipient of the 40 Under Forty award in 2009, Corey Murphy is president of First American Insurance Agency and CMS Associates, second-generation businesses started in 1986 and 1994, respectively. First American has two locations, in Chicopee and Brimfield. A veteran of the U.S. Marines who served four years of active duty and 16 years in the Reserves, Murphy has served on the boards of the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce and Soldier On Inc., including stints as chair of both boards. He currently serves on the Holyoke Community College Foundation Board, recently completing three years as board chair.

Amy Royal

Amy Royal

Amy Royal is the founding owner and principal of the Royal Law Firm LLP, a boutique, woman-owned corporate law firm headquartered in Western Mass. with additional offices in Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Royal is a 2009 40 Under Forty recipient and the 2023 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award winner. She is a trial attorney specializing in management-side labor and employment law and commercial litigation. Active in the community, she is a volunteer and board officer at several area nonprofits, including the Springfield Ballers and the Center for Human Development.

 

Craig Swimm

By
Craig Swimm (center) with Dina McMahon and Chris Kellogg from the WMAS Kellogg Krew.
Alumni Achievement Award

Senior Vice President, Audacy Springfield

Craig Swimm today (above) and as a 40 Under Forty winner in 2007.

Craig Swimm today (above) and as a 40 Under Forty winner in 2007.

Craig Swimm was in the very first class of 40 Under Forty honorees.

That’s was 2007, for those who don’t know the history. And for Swimm, who would turn 40 just a few months later, he acknowledged that this would be his only shot at attaining that honor.

As he reflected on all that has changed since he received his plaque on the stage at the Log Cabin that spring, Craig paused a second, said “wow,” and then paused again as if deciding where and how to start.

Indeed, there have been momentous changes, in his own life and career obviously, and in radio and with his broadcast group, which now includes 94.7 WMAS, sports station 105.5 WEEI, and a new Spanish station, Nueva 98.1 WHLL. And in general, with the Great Recession, other economic ups and downs, a pandemic and its aftermath, the emergence of social media, and so much more.

As for radio and the changes that have come to the industry and his group in particular, Swimm had to do some counting.

“Let’s see — there’s been one, two, three mergers, two bankruptcies, and a lot of other changes,” he said while giving the Readers Digest version of the progression from Citadel Broadcasting, which he served as sales manager when named a Forty Under 40 honoree, to the entity known as Audacy, a huge group with a presence in more than 100 markets, including Greater Springfied.

But what he chose to focus on more is what hasn’t changed over all that time — the team at Audacy Springfield, which has remained largely intact over those years, even through mergers and downturns in the economy; the fact that station WMAS remains live and local, at a time when far fewer stations can make those claims; and especially the stations’ commitment to the community.

That commitment, through Swimm’s direction, now includes everything from book drives to job fairs to the hugely successful radiothon to benefit Baystate Children’s Hospital, which, in many ways, eptoimizes the station’s commitment to the community and Swimm’s own desire to use its impresssive reach to make an impact.

“Success to Craig is watching his team become better versions of themselves.”

“We’ve raised more than $4 million since we started this,” he said, adding quickly that the station’s efforts have also yielded books, winter coats, bike helmets, and much more.

Those who nominated Swimm for the Alumni Achievement Award — and there were several from Audacy Springfield that did so — described him as a caring and effective manager, but also a mentor.

Craig Swimm (center) with Dina McMahon and Chris Kellogg from the WMAS Kellogg Krew.

Craig Swimm (center) with Dina McMahon and Chris Kellogg from the WMAS Kellogg Krew.

“Success to Craig is watching his team become better versions of themselves,” wrote Chris Duggan, an account executive. “That can be said for current employees, but also past employees who have gone on to new careers. They all will say that they owe their success to Craig for the type of manager and mentor he was.”

Dina McMahon, an on-air personality and member of the Kellogg Krew, agreed, and talked about something she called Swimm’s ‘1% philosophy.’

“Craig has strongly supported many local organizations, but he is always looking to make something bigger, better, stronger,” she wrote. “His philosophy is always do 1% better today than the day before, and he lives by that motto.

“One of our biggest community efforts is the 94.7 WMAS Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Radiothon for Baystate Children’s Hospital,” McMahon added. “Each year, Craig spearheads the station’s effort, encouraging more sponsors to support the cause, coming up with new and innovative ideas to encourage donations and volunteers. And he is the first to say after the event, ‘OK, let’s meet and come up with new ideas for next year.’”

Lucie Rubba, sales planner and administrator at Audacy Springfield, had this to say: “Craig possesses an exceptional resourcefulness, consistently navigating through challenges with adeptness and resilience. His ability to improvise effectively when faced with obstacles underscores his leadership prowess, demonstrating fairness and astuteness in all his endeavors. He embraces every challenge with open arms, whether it’s a 3K run/walk, a food drive, or particularly an event for children. He is invariably present, ready to lend his support in any capacity needed.”

For his part, Swimm said his job comes down to leading Audacy Springfield through the myriad challenges now facing all radio stations and groups — and all media outlets, for that matter — and also making sure that Greater Springfield, one of the smaller markets in the huge Audacy portfolio, is heard loud and clear. And while doing that, he’s always looking for new ways to make an impact within the community.

“Every day is a little different,” he acknowledged. “But I’m always focused on our two clients — the listeners and our advertisers. Every one of my decisions involves making sure we’re putting out a good product and that we’re connecting to the community.”

He points to numerous success stories, but especially the CMN radiothon and the job fairs, conducted in conjunction with MassHire Springfield, that are staged at the Basketball Hall of Fame.

The job fairs have changed and evolved as the economy has, he told BusinessWest, noting that, most recently, they’ve become a way for employers struggling to fill openings to become visible and tell their stories to those looking to enter the job market or take their next career step.

“We started during the Great Recession, and I think we’ve found jobs for 10,000 people since we started this,” he explained. “Back then, we had three companies and 5,000 people show up; now we have 40 companies and 300 people show up. I’m super proud of it because we’ve found so many people jobs; people have walked out of these expos who were hired on the spot. They’re walking through the Hall of Fame, and they’re saying, ‘I got hired.’ They’re happy, there’s tears, and … you’re part of that.”

He’s been part of a great many things since he joined the 40 Under Forty club 17 years ago, and he’s continously looking for ways to add to that list, while continuing to be an effective manager and mentor. This is the very definition of the Alumni Achievement Award and the reason why Swimm is now a finalist for that honor.

—George O’Brien

Payton Shubrick

By
Payton Shubrick
Alumni Achievement Award

Founder and CEO, 6 Brick’s LLC

Payton Shubrick today (above) and as a 40 Under Forty winner in 2019.

Payton Shubrick today (above) and as a 40 Under Forty winner in 2019.

Payton Shubrick joined the region’s 40 Under Forty club in 2019, when she was serving as ‘Innovation and Design Thinking manager’ for MassMutual.

That was one of the years when the honoree profiles consisted of answers to questions designed to provide some real insight into whom these individuals were and, well … what made them tick.

In Shubrick’s case, they certainly did.

Indeed, when asked how she defines success, she said, “living a life of intentionality — one that allows you to smile unwittingly with excitement because of what you do, understand that hard times are a necessary evil to get to good times, and live a life that the ones you love are proud of.”

When asked what three words best describe her, she replied, “innovative, tenacious, visionary.”

And when asked what she’s passionate about, she wrote, “I am passionate about challenging the status quo. It is not easy, nor it is ever comfortable, but one fearless choice at a time, one brave decison at a time, one courageous action at a time … you can change the world. In the end, some of life’s best moments are on the other side of fear.”

These answers explain the motivations for Shubrick’s subsequent career move — a bold entrepreneurial venture, a cannabis dispensary she would call Six Brick’s, a nod to the six people in her immediate family, many of whom are involved in this operation. And the words and phrases she used in those answers almost eerily portend what an extreme challenge this venture would become. Indeed, the cannabis industry has changed profoundly over the past few years as prices have fallen and the herd of players has been subsequently thinned; nearly 40 dispensaries in the Commonwealth have gone out of business over the past few years.

“The days of ‘if you build it, they will come’ are long gone,” Shubrick said simply when asked to describe the current state of the industry, casting new light and reflection on the answers to those questions five years ago and references to being innovative and visionary, and also hard times, brave decisions, courageous actions, and, yes, challenging the status quo.

“The business is definitely competitive, and prices continue to compress, but I’m extremely grateful for the team that I lead and the customer base we’ve been able to grow, and hopefully will continue to grow.”

In many ways, that’s what she was doing when she desired to take a leap, leave the relative comfort of corporate America and Mother Mutual, and not just start a business, but a cannabis dispensary — becoming a “legal drug dealer,” as she put it — at a time when many large multi-state operators, or MSOs, as they’re called, were eyeing Springfield, in a way that Shubrick, who had seen them come to the City Council first-hand while she was interning for that body, found more than a little disturbing.

“Hearing these multi-state operators talk about Springfield more as a profit center rather than as a place with people really became a catalyst for me wanting to get involved in this industry, especially acknowledging that I was a political science major and African studies major, so I understood and knew first-hand the horror that cannabis had done prior to its legalization in communities like Springfield,” she told BusinessWest. “And I really didn’t like the idea of having dispensaries owned and controlled only by wealthy white men who had no real community ties to Springfield or any real desire to see Springfield be able to leverage this industry and do better and provide not just jobs, but career paths for people.”

Inspired by this desire to challenge what could be considered the status quo, and further inspired by entrepreneurial family members — and especially her grandfather, Hercules Shubrick, who got into the recycling business long before that became meanstream and also owned two convenience stores — she launched Six Brick’s in some of the underused space in the Springfield Republican building nearly two years ago.

“Perhaps it was through complaints and the support of my family or a combination of the two, but I found myself in the process of starting up an adult-use dispensary,” she went on, “wanting to set the tone that those in the community could participate in the legal cannabis community and have authentic representation from the community, as opposed to some performative notion of hiring someone who is a person of color, but isn’t actually an owner/operator.”

Since opening, there has been success and recognition, for both Shubrick and her venture. She has been named to another 40 Under Forty list, this one compiled by Marijuana Venture, and was also named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the New England Cannabis Assoc. Six Brick’s, meanwhile, was named Best Adult Use Dispensary in the state by that same agency.

But there have been challenges as well as the industry has retreated from its strong start of a few years ago.

“Ignorance is definitely bliss; I did not know nor fully understand all that I was getting myself into,” she said. “The business is definitely competitive, and prices continue to compress, but I’m extremely grateful for the team that I lead and the customer base we’ve been able to grow, and hopefully will continue to grow.”

In other words, and to recall those answers from her questionnaire five years ago, nothing is easy, nor is life in this industry anything approaching comfortable. But she is determined and, yes, tenacious, in her quest for both continued success in this business and opportunities to help people victimized by old cannabis laws and non-violent convictions — crimes that are no longer crimes under current state law. Indeed, she has helped many get professional legal guidance to expunge their records and clean their CORI records so they can move on in life.

To sum up her accomplishments to date and her outlook on the future, we return to that questionnaire one more time, and Shubrick’s answer to the question ‘what goal do you set for yourself at the start of each day?’

“I remind myself of the words of Maya Angelou,” she replied. “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

She has certainly done all that, and this helps explain why she is not only a success in an extremely challenging business, but why she is a finalist for another honor — the Alumni Achievement Award.

—George O’Brien

Andrew Melendez

By
Andrew Melendez
Alumni Achievement Award

Founder, Latino Economic Development Corp.

Andrew Melendez

Andrew Melendez today (above) and as a 40 Under Forty winner in 2015 .

“How has the candidate been able to inspire others through his or her work?”

That’s a question that was added to the nomination form for the Alumni Achievement Award a few years back, with the goal of gaining some additional insight into why a certain candidate is worthy of the prestigious award — beyond the positions and titles on a résumé or a list of contributions when it comes to community involvement.

And in many cases, that question has provided some keen insight into not just what someone does for a living, but the impact of what they do.

Such is the case with Andrew Melendez, founder of the Latino Economic Development Corp. and a driving force in helping aspiring business owners get a venture off the ground or to the next level.

“He serves as an inspiration by demonstrating that, with access to the right resources and support, individuals from any background can achieve prosperity and success,” wrote Edna Rodriguez, director of Behavioral Health for Trinity Health Of New England. “His work highlights the transformative power of empowerment, education, and community support in overcoming barriers and realizing one’s full potential.”

And she had more to say on that subject.

“By championing inclusivity and providing opportunities for all, Andrew exemplifies the belief that everyone deserves a chance to thrive and contribute meaningfully to society,” Rodriguez went on. “His story serves as a beacon of hope and encouragement for those striving to build a brighter future for themselves and their communities, regardless of their starting point.”

Melendez’s story is, indeed, an intriguing and inspiring one, with several interesting chapters. These include everything from a short stint as coordinator of an early-literacy initiative led by the mayor of Holyoke to work managing and supervising about 500 substitute teachers for Springfield Public Schools; from a stint as executive director of the short-lived Agawam YMCA Family Center (he was in that role when he joined the 40 Under Forty class of 2015) to a turn in the private sector as operations director for CVS Health, where he was responsible for the efficient operation of multiple locations. There was also a stint as Western Mass. director for Associated Industries of Massachusetts.

“He serves as an inspiration by demonstrating that, with access to the right resources and support, individuals from any background can achieve prosperity and success.”

During that time with AIM, the pandemic hit, providing Melendez with some real insight into the reach and power of business assocations.

“They had an HR hotline; you could call and ask questions of a lawyer,” he recalled. “I said to myself, ‘this is amazing — all these multi-million-dollar companies are getting all this support.’ And I was thinking that, if all these large companies are getting support, we need to be giving support to our minority micro-businesses.”

This led to brainstorming, conducted with other leaders from the Latino community, such as state Sen. Adam Gomez, Springfield City Councilor Orlando Ramos (himself a past AAA finalist), and others to create the Latino Economic Development Corp.

The agency is unique in that it is not a chamber of commerce, nor a business incubator, although it serves as both in many ways. The LEDC provides support to entrepreneurs for all demographic groups (despite its name) in many ways and on many levels. That list includes everything from direct financial support through grants to a pool of coaches — experts who can assist entrepreneurs with everything from writing a business plan to marketing and public relations to support with coping with the huge amounts of stress that come with having one’s name on the business.

And over the past 30 months or so, the agency has made some real strides.

“We’ve brought close to 15 new businesses to downtown Springfield, we’ve given out $200,000 in mini-grants, and we’ve started a new cohort called the Latino Economic Development Institute, and we’ve just graduated 40 people in that cohort, and we have another 15 graduating this week … I could go on and on,” he said. “We have 12 different coaches doing one-on-one coaching; we’re leading the charge in micro-business support.”

Melendez, who was has been instrumental in getting the LEDC off the ground, shaping its unique mission, and running its operation, told BusinessWest that the work is impactful — and inspirational on many levels — although nothing about entrepreneurship is easy, so some of the conversations are difficult.

“Almost every day, I’m talking with someone who has this great idea that they want to bring to the table; they want to talk about creating a business plan, and I walk them through the process,” he said. “But small businesses and micro-businesses do fail; just this morning, I was talking with someone … they’re having a hard time, they’re not sure what to do, and don’t know whether to close their doors or not.

Whether it’s those first conversations — the ones about taking a bright idea to market and developing a business plan — or the harder ones, about whether to keep the doors open, the goal is the same, he said: to provide the business owner with support and a plan for moving forward.

“There are exciting conversations, and there are hard conversations,” he went on. “And I love the environment we’ve created, which is in many ways the first of its kind in the Bay State.”

For Melendez, this latest work is the culmination of everything that came before it career-wise, steps where he developed a passion for others and cultivated myriad skills, especially when it comes to organization, building teams, developing relationships, making connections, and getting things done.

All of this has come together at the LEDC, where not all dreams come true, but all dreams are given their best chance to come true.

And Melendez, through his work and the example he has set, is a huge part of the agency’s success.

As Rodriguez noted, he serves as an inspiration “by demonstrating that, with access to the right resources and support, individuals from any background can achieve prosperity and success.”

This has made Melendez a leader, a 40 Under Forty honoree, and now, an Alumni Achievement Award finalist.

—George O’Brien

BusinessWest Accepting Nominations for 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — When BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007, it did so to identify rising stars across our region — individuals who were excelling in business and through involvement within the community — and celebrate their accomplishments.

In 2015, BusinessWest announced a new award, one that builds on the foundation upon which 40 Under Forty was created. It’s called the Alumni Achievement Award. As the name suggests, it is presented to the 40 Under Forty honoree who, in the eyes of an independent panel of judges, has most impressively continued and built upon his or her track record of accomplishment.

Candidates must be from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007 to 2023.

Past winners include: 2023: Amy Royal, founder and CEO, Royal Law Firm (40 Under Forty class of 2009); 2022: Anthony Gleason III, president and co-founder, Gleason Johndrow Companies (class of 2010); 2021: Anthony Gulluni, Hampden County district attorney (class of 2015); 2020: Carla Cosenzi, president, TommyCar Auto Group (class of 2012), and Peter DePergola, director of Clinical Ethics, Baystate Health (class of 2015); 2019: Cinda Jones, president, W.D. Cowls Inc. (40 Under Forty class of 2007); 2018: Samalid Hogan, regional director, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (class of 2013); 2017: Scott Foster, attorney, Bulkley Richardson (class of 2011), and Nicole Griffin, owner, ManeHire (class of 2014); 2016: Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president, Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England (class of 2008); 2015: Delcie Bean, president, Paragus Strategic IT (class of 2008).

The 2024 Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in the June 10 edition of BusinessWest, and the honoree will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 20. The presenting sponsor of the Alumni Achievement Award is Health New England.

The nomination form is available at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/alumniachievementaward. Only nominations submitted to BusinessWest on this form will be considered. The deadline is Friday, May 10 at 5 p.m., no exceptions. For your convenience, a list of the past 40 Under Forty classes may be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40underforty.

For more information, call Melissa Hallock, Marketing and Events manager, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail [email protected].

BusinessWest Accepting Nominations for Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — When BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007, it did so to identify rising stars across our region — individuals who were excelling in business and through involvement within the community — and celebrate their accomplishments.

In 2015, BusinessWest announced a new award, one that builds on the foundation upon which 40 Under Forty was created. It’s called the Alumni Achievement Award. As the name suggests, it is presented to the 40 Under Forty honoree who, in the eyes of an independent panel of judges, has most impressively continued and built upon his or her track record of accomplishment.

Candidates must be from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007 to 2023.

Past winners include: 2023: Amy Royal, founder and CEO, Royal Law Firm (40 Under Forty class of 2009); 2022: Anthony Gleason III, president and co-founder, Gleason Johndrow Companies (class of 2010); 2021: Anthony Gulluni, Hampden County district attorney (class of 2015); 2020: Carla Cosenzi, president, TommyCar Auto Group (class of 2012), and Peter DePergola, director of Clinical Ethics, Baystate Health (class of 2015); 2019: Cinda Jones, president, W.D. Cowls Inc. (40 Under Forty class of 2007); 2018: Samalid Hogan, regional director, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (class of 2013); 2017: Scott Foster, attorney, Bulkley Richardson (class of 2011), and Nicole Griffin, owner, ManeHire (class of 2014); 2016: Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president, Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England (class of 2008); 2015: Delcie Bean, president, Paragus Strategic IT (class of 2008).

The 2024 Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in the June 10 edition of BusinessWest, and the honoree will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 20. The presenting sponsor of the Alumni Achievement Award is Health New England.

Click here for the nomination form. Only nominations submitted to BusinessWest on this form will be considered. The deadline is Friday, May 10 at 5 p.m., no exceptions. For your convenience, a list of the past 40 Under Forty classes may be found by clicking here.

BusinessWest Accepting Nominations for Alumni Achievement Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — When BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007, it did so to identify rising stars across our region — individuals who were excelling in business and through involvement within the community — and celebrate their accomplishments.

In 2015, BusinessWest announced a new award, one that builds on the foundation upon which 40 Under Forty was created. It’s called the Alumni Achievement Award. As the name suggests, it is presented to the 40 Under Forty honoree who, in the eyes of an independent panel of judges, has most impressively continued and built upon his or her track record of accomplishment.

Candidates must be from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007 to 2023.

Past winners include: 2023: Amy Royal, founder and CEO, Royal Law Firm (40 Under Forty class of 2009); 2022: Anthony Gleason III, president and co-founder, Gleason Johndrow Companies (class of 2010); 2021: Anthony Gulluni, Hampden County district attorney (class of 2015); 2020: Carla Cosenzi, president, TommyCar Auto Group (class of 2012), and Peter DePergola, director of Clinical Ethics, Baystate Health (class of 2015); 2019: Cinda Jones, president, W.D. Cowls Inc. (40 Under Forty class of 2007); 2018: Samalid Hogan, regional director, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (class of 2013); 2017: Scott Foster, attorney, Bulkley Richardson (class of 2011), and Nicole Griffin, owner, ManeHire (class of 2014); 2016: Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president, Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England (class of 2008); 2015: Delcie Bean, president, Paragus Strategic IT (class of 2008).

The 2024 Alumni Achievement Award finalists will be profiled in the June 10 edition of BusinessWest, and the honoree will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 20. The presenting sponsor of the Alumni Achievement Award is Health New England.

Click here for the nomination form. Only nominations submitted to BusinessWest on this form will be considered. The deadline is Friday, May 10 at 5 p.m., no exceptions. For your convenience, a list of the past 40 Under Forty classes may be found by clicking here.

Introducing the Alumni Achievement Award Finalists for 2023

By
Alumni Achievement Award Cover Story

All AAAs

In 2015, BusinessWest introduced a new recognition program. Actually, it was a spin-off, or extension, of an existing recognition program — 40 Under Forty. The concept was rather simple: to recognize the individual (or individuals — there have multiple winners a few years) who has most improved upon their résumé of excellence, in both their chosen field and with their service to the community. Over the past several years, the competition for what has become known as the Alumni Achievement Award has been spirited, as it was this year. Indeed, a panel of three judges, including the 2022 honoree, Anthony Gleason III, scored nominations featuring individuals across several different sectors of the economy. The four highest scorers, the finalists for the 2023 AAA honor, are profiled here. They are: Ryan McCollum, owner of RMC Strategies; Orlando Ramos, state representative and Springfield mayoral candidate; Amy Royal, founder and CEO of the Royal Law Firm, and Michelle Theroux, executive director of the Berkshire Hills Music Academy. The AAA winner will be announced at this year’s 40 Under Forty gala on June 15 at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House.

Select each finalist below to read their story:

Ryan McCollum

Ryan McCollum

Owner of RMC Strategies

Orlando Ramos

Orlando Ramos

State representative and Springfield mayoral candidate

Amy Royal

Amy Royal

Founder and CEO of the Royal Law Firm

Michelle Theroux

Michelle Theroux

Executive director of the Berkshire Hills Music Academy

This year’s 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award is Presented by:

Ryan McCollum

By
Ryan McCollum
Alumni Achievement Award

Owner, RMC Strategies

Ryan McCollum

Ryan McCollum has grown not only his business but his civic impact since being honored by 40 Under Forty in 2012 (below).

Ryan McCollum 2012

Ryan McCollum 2012

When he became a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2012, Ryan McCollum had already established an impressive track record of entrepreneurship, community involvement, and simply being an advocate for, and supporter of, the Western Mass. region and its business community.

Indeed, at that time, he had established RMC Strategies, a full-service consulting and government-relations firm, as a force in the region. Meanwhile, he was involved in civic work — and helping to promote and strengthen the 413 — on many levels, from his work to help launch the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield to his service on the board of Best Buddies.

To say that, over the past 11 years, he has only built on this deep and impressive résumé would be a huge understatement.

As an entrepreneur, he has established two new ventures — Shoe Leather, a text-messaging marketing company, and Goldilox, an online payment platform for candidates and nonprofits — and he is also part-owner of a cannabis dispensary set to open this fall in Monson, part of the growing portfolio of Holyoke-based DAZE, one of his clients at RMC.

Speaking of RMC, McCollum continues to grow that venture and take it in different directions. Indeed, while he still handles political campaigns — he served as consultant to Joshua Garcia in his successful bid to become the first Latino Mayor of Holyoke in 2021, for example — he continues to build his client list and, recently, his portfolio of work as a lobbyist. When he spoke with BusinessWest, McCollum was driving to Boston to lobby for the Coalition for an Equitable Economy. He’s also done some lobbying for a company looking to enable small businesses — bars, restaurants, and private clubs — to be a part of the burgeoning sports-betting scene across the state.

But it’s his ongoing efforts to expand his volunteer work within the community that is perhaps most impressive.

Indeed, the current list of agencies and causes he’s involved with includes Suit Up Springfield and Square One, which he serves as a board member; Roca, which he serves as an advisory board member; the Springfield Museums, where he has been a member of the marketing and communications committee; the Children’s Museum in Holyoke, for which he was a celebrity dancer for its Fancy Steps fundraiser this year; and many others. He’s even involved in work to help bring others into the game of golf, a sport he discovered years ago and is now somewhat passionate about.

“If ever Ryan leaves a board, he immediately joins two more,” wrote Timothy Allen, principal at Birchland Park Middle School in East Longmeadow and a 40 Under Forty winner himself (class of 2013), who nominated McCollum for the AAA. “Despite the success of his personal business, it is still the community side of his work that drives his daily motivation.”

Increasingly, this work in the community has involved efforts to combat racism and level the playing field for all residents of the 413 — and beyond.

McCollum is now a board member for the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley as well as the National Conference for Community and Justice, and he recently became a member of the Longmeadow Coalition for Racial Justice Task Force. And then, there’s the recently formed nonprofit he founded (with 15 friends and colleagues, many of them involved in education) called 16 Lyrics.

“We fight to conquer and dismantle systemic racism through education, community outreach, and intensive support of those in the same battles.”

“We fight to conquer and dismantle systemic racism through education, community outreach, and intensive support of those in the same battles,” he said of the agency’s mission statement. “Our first initiative has been to provide kids with books that have diverse characters, diverse authors, diverse storylines — and we do that all over the country; we’ve given out books that we’ve purchased from Black-owned bookstores to places in New Jersey, Chicago, and, of course, Massachusetts. It’s been fun, and I think we’re already making a difference.”

While his work in the community and as a business owner and lobbyist are all impressive, perhaps McCollum’s most important work, Allen said, is as a connector — connecting residents, political candidates and office holders, and organizations with resources and opportunities for growth and advancement.

“He is the person to call to connect people and form other lasting bonds, which further creates great energy and outcomes here in Western Mass.,” Allen wrote. “Instead of sitting on each board he is asked to sit on, he’s working on setting up a talent bank of young and diverse leaders to sit on boards and fill other roles he’s often asked himself to take on.

“While clearly becoming an even more of a behind-the-scenes and sometimes out-front leader in the community, it’s Ryan’s ability to push for others that sets him apart,” Allen continued. “He consistently extends opportunities to those who may not have the connections or relationships to be thought of, but have the talent and love of the community to serve as well as anyone.”

When he became a 40 Under Forty honoree in 2012, McCollum summed up his work — and his overall mindset — this way: “I want to leave the world a better place than I found it … this is the driving force behind everything I do.”

That is still the force that drives him, and 11 years later, there is much more to talk about when it comes to ‘everything I do.’

And that’s why he is one of the finalists for the Alumni Achievement Award in 2023.

 

—George O’Brien

Orlando Ramos

By
Orlando Ramos
Alumni Achievement Award

State Representative, 9th District

Orlando Ramos

Orlando Ramos’ 40 Under Forty photo in 2012 (below) emphasized he’s a fighter in more ways than one — and that hasn’t changed.

For his studio photograph when he became a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2014, Orlando Ramos chose to put on his blue boxing gloves and robe — he trained under legend Duke Belton and fought for several years — with a dress shirt and tie underneath.

The juxtaposition of those clothing items was well-thought-out, and quite poignant.

Indeed, at that time, when Ramos was 31 and serving as a Springfield city councilor (Ward 8) and district director for state Sen. James Welch, he was essentially sending a message — that he was still fighting … just not in the ring. Instead, he was fighting for Springfield, the city where he grew up (the Pine Point neighborhood, to be more specific), and its residents.

That fight took him to the presidency of the City Council, a role he carried out for two years, 2017 and 2018.

Today, the fight continues, but in a different setting. Sort of. Instead of City Hall in Springfield, Ramos’ professional mailing address is now the State House in Boston, where he serves as representative for the 9th District, which represents Pine Point and other neighborhoods in the northern part of the city.

But Ramos is looking to come back to City Hall, in this case the corner office. Indeed, he is a candidate for mayor in what promises to be a heated fight (there’s that word again) that will play out over the several months. We’ll get back to that in a minute.

First, there’s Ramos’s ongoing fight for the city and how it has evolved over the past several years, a progression, and an escalation, if one chooses to call it that, which impressed the panel of judges weighing nominations for the Alumni Achievement Award and made him a finalist for that coveted award.

His story of service to the community starts more than 15 years ago, when Ramos, who began his professional career as a carpenter and later was appointed union steward of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 108, was offered an internship in the governor’s Western Mass. office, whetting his appetite for public service.

He was later offered a full-time position as Welch’s district director, and successfully ran for City Council in 2013.

Ramos said he chose to take his work to fight for Springfield to the State House to essentially broaden his impact.

“I saw an opportunity to bring more resources back to the community,” he told BusinessWest, adding that he was first elected during the COVID pandemic, a time that “highlighted so many inequalities and so many needs in Springfield.”

He added that “we needed a leader with experience to navigate the Legislature, and that’s why I decided to run.”

He said his freshman term was a productive one, with three bills that he authored passing the House. Elaborating, he said the sports-betting bill that eventually passed was the version that included diversity, equity, and inclusion language that he wrote. Another bill he steered through concerned biomass plants and essentially removed state subsidies for such facilities, a measure he believes was the “final dagger” for a controversial biomass plant proposed for Springfield.

“I love my job as a state representative, but I feel there is a need in the city, and I feel that I am the right person for the job.”

The third bill concerned regulation of facial-surveillance technology. It passed both the House and Senate, but was vetoed by then-Gov. Charlie Baker. He is hopeful that it will pass this year.

As for his decision to run for mayor, Ramos said he believes it’s time for a change in Springfield, and a time to seize more opportunities, especially within the broad realm of economic development.

“I see that there is a need in the city for a new vision,” he told BusinessWest. “I love my job as a state representative, but I feel there is a need in the city, and I feel that I am the right person for the job. We’ve had a lot of missed opportunities, and I feel that people are ready for a new mayor.”

He said he was the first person on the ballot and has hit the ground running when it comes to his campaign. “I’ve been knocking on doors ever since. And I’m going to continue knocking on doors until election day.”

Areliz Barboza, coordinator of the nonprofit agency known as Listening with Love, who nominated Ramos for the AAA honor, summed up Ramos’s work, and his passion for Springfield and its residents, this way:

“I believe he is an ambassador for our community. He is not only an elected official, but he is also a mentor to our young people,” she wrote. “He has the heart to serve our seniors. He has devoted himself to be the change within his family and in our community. Even with his busy schedule, he still manages to always make time to go above and beyond for our community. I believe his integrity and passion to serve our community speaks volumes and brings inspiration that creates the change we need in Springfield.”

Those sentiments explain why he has been elected city councilor and state representative, why he became a 40 Under Forty honoree in 2014, and now, why is a finalist for the Alumni Achievement Award.

 

—George O’Brien

Amy Royal

By
Amy Royal
Alumni Achievement Award

Founder and CEO, the Royal Law Firm

Amy Royal

Amy Royal had only recently launched her law firm in 2009 (the photo highlights an early client), and now the firm has a physical presence in four states.

Amy Royal is in pretty much the same place she was last year at this time … well, at least when it comes to BusinessWest’s Alumni Achievement Award competition.

Indeed, her scores from a different panel of judges have again made her a finalist for the coveted honor, which is why she is now clearing her schedule for the third Thursday in June to enable her to be at the Log Cabin to see if it is her name being announced as the AAA winner for 2023.

But in many other respects, Royal is in a different place — literally and figuratively.

She is now living in Eastern New York, where she is hard at work opening the newest office for the law firm she started in 2008 (and which earned her 40 Under Forty honors the following year), now known as the Royal Law Firm. That new office is in Albany, the state’s capital, giving the firm a presence now in the Empire State and most of New England.

“I’ve been working really hard to expand our footprint here,” she said from New York, “and obviously continue to build in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire…”

As for the Massachusetts office, it is located in the historic Alexander House, just a few hundred feet down Elliot Street in Springfield from the federal courthouse. For Royal, acquisition and subsequent renovation of the stately mansion has become a passion, one we’ll get back to later.

For now, know that this new home for the Springfield office, and Royal’s affection for it, is enough to prompt her to commute from just outside Albany to Springfield several days a week; travel time is about an hour, she said, just a little longer than it took her to get to Springfield from from her former residence in Deerfield.

Getting back to that notion of Royal being back where she was this same time last year, she is — and then again, she isn’t.

Which helps explain why she is again a finalist for the AAA award.

Indeed, many of the same accomplishments that impressed the judges in 2022 impressed them again this year. These include her ongoing work to grow the firm, take it to new markets, and add to an already-impressive client list that includes Google, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Macy’s, Panasonic of North America, and KeyBank.

“For our clients that are national and international corporations, having a presence in the state of New York is huge to them. It’s an important piece to our continued growth; we had most of the New England states covered, and this was the next logical step.”

The latest expansion effort, as noted, is in Eastern New York, a new office that Royal believes will open some doors for the firm, which once focused exclusively on representing employers in labor and employment-law matters, but in recent years has pushed into other areas of the law, especially the broad realm of commercial litigation.

“For our clients that are national and international corporations, having a presence in the state of New York is huge to them,” she explained. “It’s an important piece to our continued growth; we had most of the New England states covered, and this was the next logical step.”

Royal said she is closing on some real estate for the New York office while also recruiting lawyers to staff it, work that has become increasingly challenging given the ongoing workforce crisis that has touched seemingly every sector of the economy, including the legal community.

Beyond the law firm, Royal has always been entrepreneurial, and that trend continues as well. In New York, she and a partner are closing on an ambitious project that will bring an indoor sports facility and childcare center together in one complex.

Meanwhile, what has also impressed the judges, last year and again this year, is her work in the community, which includes a long track record of service to the Center for Human Development, which recently marked its 50th anniversary; she is currently board president. She is also heavily involved with the Springfield Ballers, a nonprofit that provides opportunities for young people to take part in sports and which won its own honor from BusinessWest this year — the Difference Makers award. Royal is an active board member with the agency, and in the past has served as a coach.

But since being named a finalist last year, Royal has continued to build on this track record of involvement — in Western Mass., and now in New York as well. Locally, she has played a lead role in the creation of another nonprofit agency focused on young people and sports. It’s called Northeast Revolt, and it will feature multiple basketball teams that will involve young people, girls and boys, in grades 3 through high school, in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York.

As for the Alexander House, the Royal Law Firm has settled in there, but renovation work continues, she said, adding that the work has become a labor of love.

Interior renovations are essentially complete, she said, adding that work there has included rewiring; installing central air; remodeling of bathrooms, the kitchen, and office spaces; and much more.

Now, the focus shifts to the exterior and work on the historic pillars, painting the building, and restoration of the fence surrounding the property.

“We’re giving a facelift to the entire building,” Royal said, adding that the work on Elliott Street mirrors what she is doing with the law firm — and youth sports, for that matter — in many respects; she’s setting the stage for decades of growth and continued success.

And that’s why, at least when it comes to the Alumni Achievement Award, she is in the same, good place she was last year.

 

—George O’Brien