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Doctors Express Forges Partnership with Large Practice Group
WORCESTER — Doctors Express, the largest independent urgent-care provider in the Commonwealth, announced a partnership with one of the largest independent cooperative physician groups, the Central Massachusetts Independent Physicians Assoc. (CMIPA). This first-of-its-kind partnership will offer more resources for patients, better communication between providers and patients, as well as continuity of care. Doctors Express operates under parent company Medvest, LLC, which serves as the master developer of the urgent-care franchise throughout Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. In particular, this will be an opportunity for patients in Worcester to find accessible and affordable care. Doctors Express and CMIPA plan to launch their first site in Worcester (115 Stafford St., late spring) and another Worcester location (address and date to be announced shortly). This announcement comes on the heels of a successful partnership between Doctors Express and the Steward Health Care System, based in the Greater Boston area. Through the partnership, urgent care provided by Doctors Express is now available to all Steward patients. As Doctors Express continues to grow with more locations, affiliations between urgent-care providers and major medical systems is the way of the future, said Jim Brennan and Rick Crews, CEO and president, respectively, of Medvest, LLC. “Our partnership with CMIPA continues the objective at Medvest to redefine how patient care is delivered,” said Brennan. “We are partnered with Steward Health Care System, the largest fully integrated community care organization and community hospital network in Eastern Massachusetts, and now CMIPA, one of the largest physician cooperative groups in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” Existing urgent-care locations have not completely satisfied the need for affordable and accessible care, said Gail Sillman, CEO of CMIPA. “We thought about setting up our own urgent-care center while evaluating our options. We even hired a consultant and became familiar with all the urgent-care providers nationally and locally.” With the help of a consultant, Sillman identified Doctors Express as the most viable option. “Together we saw the benefits of a true partnership where other urgent-care providers did not,” she said. “Doctors Express will honor our patient relationships and extend patient care on nights and weekends for a true, mutually beneficial partnership. Furthermore, Doctors Express has the name brand and market recognition that we were looking for, largely due to the quality of their patient care.” Doctors Express currently has Massachusetts locations in Braintree, Burlington, Dedham, Malden, Marlboro, Natick, North Andover, Saugus, Springfield, Waltham, Watertown, and West Springfield, with several new locations in development. In addition to the two Worcester locations to be opened this year, the company plans to open a location in New Bedford later this month. The Marlboro location is the most recent addition to the Massachusetts-based operations of Doctors Express, having opened on Dec. 5 under the leadership of Managing Director Bing Yeo.

UMass Amherst, Amazon.com Create Virtual Bookstore
AMHERST — UMass Amherst has contracted with Amazon.com to replace its traditional on-campus textbook store with a virtual bookstore expected to save students about 30% compared with current prices on course materials and provide free, one-day shipping to the campus and nearby communities. This will be Amazon’s first online university store in the Northeast and its third nationwide, with potential annual savings of $380 per student. “We know students struggle with the high cost of textbooks and other course materials, and they have been moving to online purchasing. We are delighted to help them get the most competitive prices and first-rate service,” said James Sheehan, UMass Amherst’s vice chancellor of administration and finance. “By seamlessly linking our online campus information system to Amazon, we will make it convenient as well as economical for students to get the items they need for their classes, delivered in one day with no shipping charge to campus and nearby addresses.” Beginning in May, students will be able to order new, used, rental, and digital textbooks and other course materials through Amazon or through personalized links in SPIRE, the university’s online student-information system. To make finding UMass textbooks easier for students, Amazon will integrate relevant course and section information on customized Amazon product pages. In June, Amazon will also open a staffed customer pick-up and drop-off location in the Lincoln Campus Center. For several years, students have been turning from traditional textbook stores to online sources to save money. The university’s five-year contract with Amazon will accelerate the online-purchasing trend and save UMass Amherst students money, particularly through free shipping either to campus or to addresses in Amherst, Hadley, Northampton, Pelham, South Deerfield, and Sunderland. UMass Amherst officials said Amazon was chosen from six companies that submitted proposals because of its low prices and its ability to deliver superior customer service. Based on a sample of more than 1,500 course materials used in UMass Amherst classes during the 2014 spring semester, Amazon estimates it can offer UMass students a savings of 31% versus current bookstore prices, or around $1.4 million based on sales of textbooks at the existing UMass Bookstore. The College Board estimates that a student at a four-year state university spends $1,225 per year on textbooks and supplies, but that number varies across courses of study. Based on this rough estimate, UMass Amherst students could save about $380 annually.

Atlantic Fasteners Moves to Larger Facility
AGAWAM — Atlantic Fasteners has moved to a 44,500-square-foot facility in Agawam, bringing all employees under one roof. The 100%-employee-owned company, which sells industrial and aerospace fasteners and supplies nationwide, previously operated out of three locations in neighboring West Springfield. The new facility has the capacity to hold four times the company’s current inventory and accommodate 25% more office employees. It includes a 22-foot pickup counter, complete with 17 technical fastener wall charts to help customers with measuring fasteners, identifying head styles, and other important information. The ISO 9001:2008 and AS9120-certified firm was founded by Western Mass. businessman Patrick O’Toole in 1981. He sold the company to his employees in 2005.

WSU Online Programs Lauded by U.S. News
WESTFIELD — Westfield State University led Massachusetts’ state universities and placed in the top 30% out of 214 schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2015 “Best Online Education Programs” rankings. Westfield State’s official ranking was 58 out of 214 in the category of online-education bachelor’s programs. “We are committed to finding new ways to expand access to a high-quality college education,” said Elizabeth Preston, president of Westfield State University. “Offering online access to our academic programming allows us to support the needs of students who might not otherwise be able to take advantage of the educational opportunities we offer.” Westfield State has offered online classes since 2002 and currently offers six online bachelor’s-degree-completion programs, in business management, criminal justice, liberal studies, history, sociology, and psychology. Evolving the program has been key to its success and expansion. Last year, Westfield State signed the MassTransfer Plus agreement that allows students who have completed an online associate’s degree at Holyoke Community College (HCC) to transfer to the university’s online bachelor’s-degree program, making it possible for them to complete a four-year degree fully online. The MassTransfer Plus agreement builds on the growing number of fully online degree programs available at HCC and Westfield State, as well as the institutions’ determination to make it easier for Massachusetts residents to obtain an education and move into higher-paying, in-demand career fields.

VertitechIT Launches New, Interactive Website
HOLYOKE — With sales at an all-time high, a modern headquarters, and a new, national business alliance focused on IT network infrastructure and unified communications, VertitechIT is celebrating with the launch of its new, interactive website, www.vertitechit.com. The site uses humorous, black-and-white photography and poignant headlines to draw in visitors, poking light fun at what can be a very staid and highly technical profession. “IT industry websites tend to be rather formulaic,” said VertitechIT Principal Partner Greg Pellerin. “It was important for our new site to reflect our corporate culture, one that promotes fun and creativity along with cutting-edge technical expertise.” The privately held company, which caters to the business and healthcare industries, just concluded its most successful year ever and recently moved into its new national headquarters in a converted 19th-century paper mill in Holyoke. VertitechIT also recently announced the formation of a national IT-solutions coalition with Microsoft platform provider Software Logic and unified communications expert Partner Consulting. The new Stability Alliance (www.stabilityalliance.com) is focused on building IT network infrastructures that allow businesses and healthcare systems to increase capacity, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.

SC Recognized for Community Engagement
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as one of a select group of colleges and universities throughout the country to earn its community-engagement classification. This classification recognizes Springfield College for its curriculum, which involves students and faculty addressing community needs, as well as outreach and partnerships that benefit the external community and the campus community. “This classification is highly respected and valued by the higher-education community,” said Springfield College Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jean Wyld. “The essence of a Springfield College education is preparing students for careers and personal lives that improve the lives of other people, and this classification attests to that mission.” Springfield College is one of 361 institutions that now hold the community-engagement classification. This honor represents a higher-education institution’s excellent alignment among mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement.

Springfield JCC Receives Grant for Wellness Project
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield JCC Kehillah Special Needs Department’s Fitness Buddies Program is the recipient of a $10,000 grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities of Connecticut & Western Mass. for a wellness project that will significantly improve quality of life for young people with special needs. Recognizing the need in the Greater Springfield area for a fitness center with adapted equipment for teens with special needs, the JCC established a Fitness Buddies program with seed money from the Doug Flutie Foundation in 2013. As the popularity of the program increased, additional specialized equipment was needed to accommodate individuals with Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, and autism-spectrum disorders. Ronald McDonald House Charities stepped in to underwrite the cost of two Expresso S3Y youth bikes, which are safer than a conventional treadmill or elliptical machine. This type of bike is also being used in a pilot program with Harvard School of Public Health. Adding modified equipment puts special-needs individuals on a par with their friends and gives them access to aerobic and fitness equipment that otherwise would be excluded from their workout. “Innovations such as these accessible bikes for teens and young adults with special needs opens up yet another opportunity for profound self-development — in this case, exercising in a typical fitness center,” said Stocky Clark, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Connecticut & Western Mass. “RMHC is honored to partner with the JCC to bring this innovation to individuals with a range of special needs participating in the Kehillah Special Needs Department of the JCC.” Increased social interaction between the special-needs community and general members helps create healthy relationships and empowers individuals with special needs. Best Buddies matches teens and young adults who have social challenges with teens and adults in the community. Together, they work out at the Springfield JCC, and participants make new friends while learning healthy habits. Research shows that exercise yields a range of physical and mental-health benefits for children. The Springfield JCC serves the Greater Springfield and Northern Conn. communities, offering hundreds of programs for all ages with a strong commitment to individuals with special needs.

WMECo to Rebrand as Eversource Energy
SPRINGFIELD — Western Massachusetts Electric Co. (WMECo) announced it will undergo a corporate rebranding, complete with a new name, Eversource Energy. The change will become official on Feb. 2. All subsidiaries of Hartford-based Northeast Utilities will take the new name, including WMECo, NSTAR, Connecticut Light and Power Co., Public Service Co. of New Hampshire, and Yankee Gas Services Co. Tom May, chairman, president, and CEO of Northeast Utilities, stated in a press release that “consolidating our brand was the obvious next step for us as we continually strive to improve energy delivery and customer service to our 3.6 million electricity and natural-gas customers across the region.”

Real Pickles Wins Good Food Award
GREENFIELD — Dan Rosenberg and Addie Rose Holland of Greenfield-based Real Pickles joined top artisan food producers from around the country on Thursday for the Good Food Awards ceremony at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Real Pickles was awarded a top honor at the event for its organic beet kvass, a fermented beverage traditional to Eastern Europe. “One of our goals at Real Pickles has always been to promote the flavor and health benefits of fermented foods,” said Rosenberg. “Receiving a national honor like the Good Food Award helps us get this message out.” Real Pickles uses the traditional pickling process — without vinegar — to make its line of fermented vegetables. The organic beet kvass is made with certified organic vegetables from northeast family farms, as are all of the company’s products. The kvass is available by the bottle from area retailers, including Green Fields Co-op Market in Greenfield, River Valley Co-op Market in Northampton, and Whole Foods Market in Hadley. The Good Food Awards are given to artisan producers in five regions of the U.S. in 11 categories — beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, coffee, confections, honey, oil, pickles, preserves, and spirits — and highlight outstanding American food producers who are making food that is exceptionally delicious and supports sustainability and social good.

MassMutual to Continue Sponsorship of Hampden County Legal Clinic
SPRINGFIELD — The Hampden County Bar Assoc. announced that MassMutual will be continuing its sponsorship of the Hampden County Legal Clinic for 2015 with a grant of $20,000. The grant will help carry on the expansion of pro bono activities as well as the promotion of the clinic. MassMutual has been the Hampden County Legal Clinic’s exclusive sponsor since 2012, not only providing financial support but also taking a leadership role in developing new pro bono opportunities and encouraging its in-house lawyers, paralegals, and staff to participate in the clinic’s programs. “Sponsoring the Hampden County Legal Clinic enhances access to justice for a significant number of local residents, ultimately benefiting the Greater Springfield community as well,” said Mark Roellig, executive vice president and general counsel. “We are proud to continue this relationship and hope to see growing numbers of legal volunteers donating their time through the clinic’s programs.”

Springfield College Recognized for Community Engagement

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as one of a select group of colleges and universities throughout the country to earn its community-engagement classification. This classification recognizes Springfield College for its curriculum, which involves students and faculty addressing community needs, as well as outreach and partnerships that benefit the external community and the campus community.

“This classification is highly respected and valued by the higher-education community,” said Springfield College Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jean Wyld. “The essence of a Springfield College education is preparing students for careers and personal lives that improve the lives of other people, and this classification attests to that mission.”

Springfield College is one of 361 institutions that now hold the community-engagement classification. This honor represents a higher-education institution’s excellent alignment among mission, culture, leadership, resources, and practices that support dynamic and noteworthy community engagement.

There are many examples of community-engagement initiatives sponsored by Springfield College in Springfield on the main campus and at nine regional campuses. One of the largest such efforts in Springfield is the AmeriCorps program, through which students serve as academic coaches for schoolchildren, as well as counselors and health-case managers for community agencies.

The Carnegie Foundation introduced the community-engagement classification in 2006 as part of restructuring the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The basic classifications rely on national data to categorize all U.S. colleges and universities by what they teach, characteristics of their student body, size, and location. It is popularly known as the source of categories in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “America’s Best Colleges” issue.

Unlike the foundation’s basic classifications, the community-engagement classification is elective. Institutions may apply by documenting the nature and extent of their involvement with the community, local or beyond. The category enables the foundation to address characteristics of the institution’s mission and distinctiveness that are not represented in national data.

Real Pickles Wins Good Food Award

By
Daily News

GREENFIELD — Dan Rosenberg and Addie Rose Holland of Greenfield-based Real Pickles joined top artisan food producers from around the country on Thursday for the Good Food Awards ceremony at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Real Pickles was awarded a top honor at the event for its organic beet kvass, a fermented beverage traditional to Eastern Europe.

“One of our goals at Real Pickles has always been to promote the flavor and health benefits of fermented foods,” said Rosenberg. “Receiving a national honor like the Good Food Award helps us get this message out.”

Real Pickles uses the traditional pickling process — without vinegar — to make its line of fermented vegetables. The organic beet kvass is made with certified organic vegetables from northeast family farms, as are all of the company’s products. The kvass is available by the bottle from area retailers, including Green Fields Co-op Market in Greenfield, River Valley Co-op Market in Northampton, and Whole Foods Market in Hadley.

The Good Food Awards are given to artisan producers in five regions of the U.S. in 11 categories — beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, coffee, confections, honey, oil, pickles, preserves, and spirits — and highlight outstanding American food producers who are making food that is exceptionally delicious and supports sustainability and social good. There were 11 other winners from New England, including Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge and Hosta Hill in West Stockbridge. Real Pickles’ organic garlic dill pickles won the award in 2012 and 2013.

AIM Reports Soaring Business Confidence in 2014

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The Associated Industries of Massachusetts Business Confidence Index ended 2014 at 57.3, 7.1 points above last December’s level.

“This is the index’s highest reading since July 2007, before the Great Recession, and it concludes the best quarter since that period,” said Raymond Torto, chair of AIM’s Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) and lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Design. “There is reason to believe, moreover, that this upwelling in confidence will prove more lasting than the increase of early 2012, which was undone by fiscal conflict in Washington.”

In 2014, Torto noted, “business confidence survived a stress test of economic contraction in the first quarter, then gained in eight of the last 10 months of the year. Fundamentals are looking much better — unemployment is down and job creation is running strong nationally and in Massachusetts, which shows up in rising consumer confidence; the federal deficit and the trade deficit are shrinking; and, of course, the stock market has done well. Despite significant areas of weakness in the global economy, Massachusetts employers have ample cause to be optimistic.”

The AIM Index, based on a survey of Massachusetts employers, has appeared monthly since July 1991. It is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. The index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009.

The sub-indices based on selected questions or categories of respondent experienced a mix of gains and losses from November to December, but all were up from a year before. The Massachusetts Index, assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth, added one point on the month to 56.1, and the U.S. Index of national business conditions was up four-tenths to 50.1.

“This is the third time since the recession that U.S. Index reached 50, but so far it has not held that level,” said BEA member Paul Bolger, president of Massachusetts Capital Resource Co. “Respondents with 100 or fewer employees still tend to rate national conditions negatively, while larger firms are on the positive side. Compared to last December, the state indicator was up 9.1 points, while its national counterpart gained 5.3 points.”

The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, was up 1.2 points to 56.2, while the Future Index, measuring expectations for six months out, shed one-tenth to 58.4. The annual gains were 7.6 and 6.8, respectively.

“These results point to business conditions that are fairly good and improving, though by no means booming,” Bolger noted. “For some employers, the recession is in the past, while others are finding success elusive in a changed environment.”

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Recognized as Top Performer

By
Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Cooley Dickinson Hospital has been recognized as a 2013 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures by the Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of healthcare organizations in the U.S.

Cooley Dickinson was recognized as part of the Joint Commission’s 2014 annual report, “America’s Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety,” for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability-measure performance for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and surgical care. Cooley Dickinson Hospital is one of only 19 hospitals to achieve the 2013 Top Performer distinction in these four categories and among about one-third of all hospitals in the U.S. to achieve the 2013 Top Performer distinction.

The Top Performer program recognizes hospitals for improving performance on evidence-based treatment protocols that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and surgical care.
To be a 2013 Top Performer, hospitals had to meet three performance criteria based on 2013 accountability measure data, including:

• Achieving cumulative performance of 95% or above across all reported accountability measures;

• Achieving performance of 95% or above on each and every reported accountability measure where there were at least 30 denominator cases; and

• Having at least one core measure set that had a composite rate of 95% or above and, within that measure set, a performance rate of 95% or above on all applicable individual accountability measures.

“Delivering the right treatment in the right way at the right time is a cornerstone of high-quality healthcare. I commend the efforts of Cooley Dickinson Hospital for their excellent performance on the use of evidence-based interventions,” said Dr. Mark Chassin, president and CEO of the Joint Commission.

“We understand what matters most to patients at Cooley Dickinson Hospital is the quality and safety of the care they receive. That is why we have made it a top priority to improve positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes,” said Joanne Marqusee, president and CEO. “Cooley Dickinson Hospital is proud to be named a Top Performer as it recognizes the knowledge, teamwork, and dedication of our entire staff.”

Bitter Pill

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Law Sections
A Primer on the New England Compounding Bankruptcy Proceedings

By STEVEN WEISS

New England Compounding Pharmacy Inc. (NECC) was a drug-compounding facility located in Framingham. Beginning in the fall of 2012, reports began to surface that patients across the country who had been given an NECC-manufactured product had contracted fungal meningitis.

Steven Weiss

Steven Weiss

Health authorities soon determined that NECC’s products were, in fact, tainted, and NECC ordered a recall. However, considerable damage had been done. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eventually determined that, as of October 2013, 64 people had died, and 751 had become ill. At least 555 separate lawsuits have been filed against NECC, its officers, and others, which have been consolidated in federal court in Boston. Ultimately, approximately 3,350 people have filed claims for personal injuries allegedly resulting from the tainted pharmaceuticals.

Two weeks ago, 14 people, including the former owners of the company, were arrested on federal charges, including RICO charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organizations law.

As a result of the outbreak, NECC could no longer operate, and on Dec. 21, 2012, it filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in the Massachusetts Bankruptcy Court (the case is being heard in the Springfield session of the court). Not long after the case was filed, NECC’s management was removed and a Chapter 11 trustee (Paul Moore) was appointed to oversee the liquidation of the company, to collect funds to distribute to victims and other creditors, and to establish a plan to distribute those funds. During the course of the case, the trustee and lawyers representing victims reached settlements with NECC, its officers and directors, several affiliated entities, several insurers, and others, through which as much as $135 million has been recovered for victims.

Recently, almost two years after the bankruptcy petition was filed, the Chapter 11 trustee and the unsecured creditors’ committee filed a joint disclosure statement and a plan of reorganization for NECC. Under the Bankruptcy Code, the disclosure statement is intended to be something like a stock prospectus; it is intended to provide creditors with sufficient information to enable them to make an informed judgment about whether to approve the plan. After the disclosure statement is approved by the Bankruptcy Court, it will be distributed to all of NECC’s creditors, who will have the opportunity to vote on whether or not the plan should be confirmed by the court. The vote is ‘weighted,’ because it has to be approved by a majority of creditors holding two-thirds of the dollar amount on the ballots of those who vote.

The plan, while complicated, is essentially a ‘liquidating plan,’ so-called because it does not contemplate that NECC will reorganize and ever operate again. Instead, it provides a process for estimating and determining the amounts of the victims’ claims, as well as a mechanism for making distributions to victims. If the plan is confirmed, all of the funds from the settlements will be transferred to a tort trust established under the plan.

One of the potentially controversial features of the plan is that, if confirmed, it will provide releases to parties not just to NECC and the insurers who have funded the settlements, but also to third parties who are not in bankruptcy, and enjoin further suits against those parties. Courts across the country have reached different conclusions about whether such broad injunctive provisions are beyond the powers of bankruptcy courts.

The plan provides for a ‘claims-resolution facility,’ under which victims’ claims are evaluated and ‘scored’ based on seven base-point categories, such as whether NECC’s products caused death and the extent of surviving victims’ injuries, then possibly adjusted based on individual victims’ personal circumstances.

That will enable the tort trustee to assign a dollar value to each victim’s claim. Those claims will then be eligible to receive pro-rated distributions from the pool of funds in the tort trust. Because there are so many claims, the disclosure statement does not provide any estimate of what the total amount of claims is likely to be, so the disclosure statement also does not predict what percent dividend victims are likely to receive on their claims. But for purposes of illustration, if there are total claims of $270 million, each victim with an allowed claim would receive a dividend of approximately 50% (less attorneys’ fees, of course).

The disclosure statement acknowledges that it may take several years to fully determine the amount of victims’ claims. Thus, the tort trust allows the tort trustee to make an initial interim payment to victims, followed by a final distribution once all of the claims have been calculated.

The Bankruptcy Court has scheduled a hearing on whether to approve the disclosure statement for Feb. 24. Once the disclosure statement is approved, it will be served on all of NECC’s creditors, along with the plan, a ballot, and voting instructions. A hearing on whether the plan should be confirmed — and be binding on NECC and all creditors — will likely be held in the spring.

Attorney Steven Weiss is a partner at Springfield-based Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin. He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and consumer bankruptcy, reorganization, and litigation. Weiss supervises the firm’s bankruptcy, reorganization, and workout practice; represents creditors, debtors, and others in both commercial and consumer bankruptcy cases throughout Massachusetts; and has been a member of the private panel of Chapter 7 trustees for the District of Massachusetts since 1987, and also serves as a Chapter 11 trustee; (413) 737-1131; www.ssfpc.com

Briefcase

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Briefcase Departments

UMass President Robert Caret to Step Down
AMHERST — University of Massachusetts president Robert Caret has announced he will leave his job after four years to become the next chancellor of the University of Maryland system. Caret, who became president of the five-campus UMass system in July 2011, begins his new position in July. Before coming to Massachusetts, he had spent much of his career at Towson University, near Baltimore, where he worked as a faculty member, dean, executive vice president, president, and provost. “I could not say no to an offer to return to my home state, where I will be closer to my family,” Caret wrote in a statement. He will succeed chancellor William “Brit” Kirwan, who has led the 12-institution Maryland system for the past 12 years. In a statement, Kirwan praised his successor, saying, “I’ve known Bob Caret for several years. He has had significant positive impact on each institution he has led. The University System of Maryland and the state will benefit greatly from his leadership in the years ahead.” Caret, who will be formally introduced to the University of Maryland community at a news conference Friday, will earn $600,000 a year, and his contract will run for five years. At UMass, he was paid about $500,000 a year. He will be taking over a much larger system, with 162,000 students and an operating budget of $4.9 billion. UMass has half as many students and a budget of $2.9 billion.

MassBenchmarks Report Optimistic About Area’s Economic Prospects
HADLEY — The state’s workforce and job seekers have reason for optimism, according to the economists behind MassBenchmarks, a study of the state’s economy prepared by the UMass Donahue Institute. “State gross product growth has kept pace with strong national growth for the past two quarters,” according to the report. “State job growth has been steady, with software, information technology, and staffing-services sectors doing well. The Commonwealth’s labor force has grown consistently since June, as workers who were previously discouraged re-enter the labor market. And strikingly, Massachusetts has the fastest-growing population not only in New England, but in all of the Northeastern U.S. This is in large part due to international immigration and a lower level of domestic net outmigration than has been experienced in recent recoveries.” The state also appears to be benefiting from a national economic expansion that is gaining traction. The national jobs report for October was strong, with more than 300,000 jobs added, an increase in the average workweek, modestly rising wages, and upward revisions in job growth for August and September. Falling oil and gas prices are putting more money in the pockets of consumers and lowering business costs. Still, challenges remain, the report notes. “Electricity prices in Massachusetts are expected to rise steeply this winter largely as a result of the New England region’s ongoing difficulties in accessing a sufficient supply of natural gas to power its electricity generators. Rising electricity prices can be expected to partially offset the beneficial effects of the drop in oil prices and will create significant financial challenges for energy-intensive industrial users. Federal-government expenditures, long an important funding source for a variety of private-sector contractors and nonprofit research institutions (universities and hospitals), will continue to be squeezed. And, absent action on the part of the incoming governor and Legislature, state infrastructure spending will be significantly constrained in coming years now that state voters have determined that the gas tax will not be indexed to inflation.” In addition, housing production, especially single-family units, remains well below pre-Great Recession levels. “Despite these challenges,” the report goes on, “the Massachusetts economy continues to experience solid economic growth, particularly in the Greater Boston region, and the prospects for continued growth remain strong. After a weak first quarter of the year, the Massachusetts economy has rebounded strongly. While there continue to be serious concerns about the geographically and financially imbalanced nature of this recovery, the MassBenchmarks editorial board is as optimistic as it has been in some time and expects the state’s economic expansion to continue for the foreseeable future.”

Valley Gives Day Brings In More than $2.67 Million
SPRINGFIELD — Western Mass.-based nonprofits sent out the call, and their supporters gave — and gave and gave. In 24 hours, 14,189 donors made 28,824 gifts for a grand total of $2,676,595 at the third annual Valley Gives Day. In addition, a prize pool of $225,000 was distributed among several nonprofits. Organizations in three budget categories competed for bonus grants presented to the top three slots for ‘most unique donors.’ First prize was $5,000, second was $4,000, and third was $3,000. In keeping with a In addition, nonprofits in 12th place in each category were awarded a $1,200 bonus grant. In the category of large nonprofits, the winners were New England Public Radio (839 unique donors), Dakin Humane Society (739 donors), and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts (696 donors). Among medium-sized nonprofits, the winners were New Spirit Inc. (641 donors), Whole Children (632 donors), and Pioneer Valley Symphony (384 donors). Among small nonprofits, the winners were Friends of the Hilltown Cooperative Charter School Inc. (437 donors), Grow Food Northampton (342 donors), and the Jackson Street School PTO Inc. (299 donors). Other awards were given in the category of money raised by first-time participants, with first place going to the Jackson Street School PTO Inc. with $24,356. Also, hourly beginning at 9 a.m., a randomly selected donation to a participating nonprofit had a $1,000 golden ticket added to the total. Throughout the day, there were five bonus power hours (10 a.m., noon, 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 9 p.m.) when a total of $22,000 golden tickets were added to randomly selected donations. The full list of nonprofits and their totals raised is available at www.valleygivesday.org. 

Leadership Pioneer Valley Launches Leadership 2.0
SPRINGFIELD — Leadership Pioneer Valley (LPV) is offering offering a new series of bite-sized training sessions beginning in January to enhance leadership skills and understanding of the region. The sessions are open to LPV alumni and other emerging and established leaders. LPV recognizes that leadership is a lifelong process, and the Leadership 2.0 series features six two- to three-hour training sessions on a variety of topics with the goal of deepening leadership skills, creating new and diverse connections, and making an impact on the region. The sessions are open to LPV alumni who want to continue their learning or others who are unable to be part of LPV’s 10-month program. The intent is to diversify Leadership Pioneer Valley’s offerings and create new opportunities. Workshop topics include “Effective Communications,” “Becoming a Superhero Board Member,” and a field experience to explore the Agawam area. The series sponsors include Sisters of Providence Health System/Mercy Hospital, Appleton Corp., the Beveridge Family Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.

Springfield Chamber Opposes Recommended Tax Rates in City
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Chamber of Commerce, an affiliate of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, announced that it has reviewed the city of Springfield’s proposal for property taxes for fiscal year 2015 and has issued a position paper opposing the rates recommended. “The Springfield Chamber, on behalf of its more than 500 members, has consistently advocated for a reduction in the heavy tax burden that has been shifted from the residential community onto the backs of the business community,” said chamber President Jeffrey Ciuffreda. “While the recommended tax rates being proposed by Mayor [Domenic] Sarno reduces both classes of rates, his proposal actually increases the burden again onto the business community, and that is something the chamber cannot accept.” The chamber has a stated, long-term goal of reducing the heavy burden of taxes that has been shifted onto the business community, especially over the past 10 years, to a level that is more reasonable and one that has been used in past years, it said in its position paper. “In 2004, the business classification of properties paid 12.93% more in property taxes than its percentage of overall value. The chamber refers to this increased business-tax burden as the ‘gap.’ Businesses made up 26.86% of all property values in Springfield, yet paid 39.79% of all the property taxes, and used less municipal services. The gap provides for the business community to pay additional taxes so that the residential tax rate can remain lower. Since 2004, the chamber has consistently advocated for a reduction in the gap. Despite these efforts, that gap has seen a steady increase, to its current level of 15.37%.” Ciuffreda said that, while the chamber firmly believes that reducing this burden will spur economic growth, it recognizes the current economic fragility of the city and, for fiscal year 2015, is simply recommending a freeze in the extra level of taxes borne by the business sector. The chamber recommends that the difference between what the business community pays and the percent of value it comprises overall remain at the current level of 15.37%. Under the chamber’s recommendation, all classes of property taxes would be reduced (to $19.68 for residents and $38.72 for businesses), but, more importantly, the gap between the business tax rate and the residential tax rate would remain level. Under the mayor’s proposal, the tax rates would be reduced, but the business sector would pay an even higher rate of taxes, increasing the gap to 15.57%, again shifting more of an already burdensome tax level onto the business community, the chamber argues.

Red Cross Seeks Nominations for Hometown Heroes
SPRINGFIELD — Each year, the American Red Cross of Western Massachusetts hosts the Hometown Heroes Breakfast to honor local individuals and groups that have shown courage, kindness, and unselfish character when a friend, family member, or stranger faced a life-threatening situation, or who have had an extraordinary impact on his or her community. Next year’s breakfast will take place on Thursday, March 19 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Members of the community are invited to nominate local heroes for consideration by sharing their story. Honorees will be selected by a committee of individuals from the community, including former Hometown Heroes. Submissions for nominations are welcome from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. Nomination forms and criteria are available on the chapter website at www.redcross.org/news/event/ma/springfield. Nominations must be submitted online or postmarked no later than Dec. 31. This year’s event is being sponsored by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, Channel 22 News, the MassMutual Center, and OMG Inc. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available for this event. Hometown Heroes is the chapter’s largest annual fund-raising event and supports the ability to provide the resources necessary to serve its communities. The American Red Cross of Western Massachusetts serves Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties, assisting families affected by disaster, helping military families relay emergency communications to their deployed loved ones, and providing life-saving training programs. For further information, contact Gina Czerwinski at (413) 233-1035 or [email protected].

State Issues $12.2M to Reduce Healthcare Costs
LOWELL — Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rachel Kaprielian awarded more than $12.2 million in the latest round of grants to help train healthcare providers to improve patient service and reduce healthcare costs. The funding goes to 53 organizations across the state as part of the Patrick administration’s effort to encourage economic growth by supporting innovation in the Commonwealth’s healthcare industry. “These grants will help ensure healthcare providers succeed in implementing new models of service delivery and adapt to new payment structures,” said Kaprielian. “By providing resources to develop new and innovative training and education programs, Massachusetts will continue to solidify its place as a leader in healthcare modernization and advances.” In 2012, Gov. Deval Patrick signed a law making Massachusetts the first state in the country to enact healthcare quality-improvement and cost-containment legislation. The act allocated $20 million to prepare the healthcare industry for the new demands and innovations called for in the legislation. Patrick announced the first round of grants in March, allowing businesses to assess their workforce and determine what skills and training they will need to change operations and deliver more efficient healthcare. For many of this week’s grantees, the training activity ahead builds on that planning work. All the grantees have identified a set of operational changes that are driving their need for increased workforce skills. The training activity will support new models for coordinating care across professions, institutions, and settings; focus on patient-centered care, stronger patient engagement, and health education to promote health and wellness; and spur the integration of primary care and behavioral health. In Western Mass., grants were awarded to Berkshire Health System ($249,286), Community Health Programs ($148,349), Baystate Medical Center ($249,682), Gandara Center ($250,000); Springfield Technical Community College ($156,338); and Carson Center for Human Services ($249,996).

Park with Ease Program Continues in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — As the temperatures continue to drop, the Springfield Business Improvement District (SBID) plans to continue its Park with Ease valet program through the winter. “We are thrilled the community has responded so positively to our valet program,” said Chris Russell, executive director of SBID. “After many conversations with stakeholders downtown, including building owners, business owners, and community members, we kept hearing the same comment about parking issues, so we have addressed the concern.” Two valet stations are set up each Thursday, Friday, and Saturday along Main Street; simply look for the signs and valet kiosk. The first is at Court Square across from the MassMutual Center, and the other at the corner of Worthington and Main streets. Car acceptance runs from 5 to 9 p.m., with retrieval continuing until midnight. The SBID is underwriting the service, lowering the customer’s cost to just $5. For more information, visit www.springfielddowntown.com/parkwithease.

Wild Apple Design Group Cops 2014 Summit Creative Award

By
Daily News

WILBRAHAM — Wild Apple Design Group has been named a Bronze winner in the 2014 Summit Creative Award competition for its creative work on the website design for Attain Therapy + Fitness. The company was selected from more than 5,000 submissions from 24 countries.

According to Amy Scott, owner of Wild Apple Design Group, “we had such a great time working with the folks at Attain Therapy + Fitness. This award really validates that, when our team of creative marketers collaborates with an excellent and open-minded client like Attain, great things will result. And we had a lot of fun in the process.”

MaryLynn Jacobs, cofounder of Attain Therapy + Fitness, added, “at Attain, we recognize the growing importance of how people use the Internet to research information on medical services such as ours. Wild Apple provided us with a website that is representative of our services while at the same time capturing our passion and overall brand. We are thrilled with the result and the ongoing support.”

This year’s panel of international judges included a host of creative directors from design agencies around the world, including Brazil, Sweden, Australia, Russia, Canada, and the U.S. Entries in 20 major categories were judged against a stringent set of standards. During the blind judging events (company names withheld), the judges searched for innovative and creative concepts, strong execution, and the ability to communicate and persuade. Winners were selected in a wide range of categories, from print and broadcast to emerging and social media.

Wild Apple Design Group, founded by Scott in 2000, offers a next-generation version of the old marketing-agency model by offering creative design and expertly leveraging technology.

Off to a Roaring Start

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Features
White Lion Brewing Is Making a Name for Itself

Ray Berry Jr.,

Ray Berry Jr., seen here at a display of White Lion at Table & Vine, says his company’s mission is to build a great brand and help revitalize a great city.

Not long after graduating from American International College with a degree in finance, Ray Berry Jr. went to work for a nonprofit agency called Mason Square Development Corp., which, as the name suggests, was dedicated to helping small-business ventures off the ground in that low-income Springfield neighborhood.

Summing up the now-defunct agency’s mission, Berry said it was created to help entrepreneurs understand the risks of a business venture and overcome their fear of accepting those risks, assist them with forging business plans, and guide them with the task of developing the connections and relationships needed to succeed.

“I think it’s important for any entrepreneur to map and frame out their ideas, utilize the networks that are in the community, and not be afraid to take advice along the way,” said Berry, who served the MSDC as deputy director. “There are individuals out there who have a tremendous amount of proven experience in establishing companies and moving them forward. If you have a vision or dream, and once you get through that fear of risk and get over that hurdle, you utilize the resources available and push your dream forward.”

Today, Berry is definitely practicing what he preached 15 years ago as he pushes his own dream forward.

It’s called White Lion Brewing Co., a venture he launched just a few months ago — after nearly four years of planning — with some working capital, an imaginative brand, an intriguing mission statement, and that aforementioned willingness to accept risk.

And in that short time, he has enjoyed what could only be called a roaring start while making White Lion “Springfield’s beer,” even though it’s not brewed here — yet.

As it states on the bottom of the six-pack container that features many of the city’s landmarks, “Springfield is our home. We share the city’s pride in its legacy of innovation and ingenuity. We intend to serve as a catalyst for Springfield’s renaissance. One that celebrates diversity and urban vibrancy. We have a dual mission: Build a great brand. Revitalize a GREAT CITY.”

The first component of that mission is still a work in progress, but Berry believes important strides have been made. The second? Well, he intends to be a big part of the renaissance he sees coming for Springfield by bringing the brewing operation to the city, and with it, jobs and a renewed sense of pride that in some ways is already evident.

“The city of Springfield does not have a product that folks can rally around, and it was important to me to create one,” said Berry, who by day is vice president of Administration and Finance for United Way of Pioneer Valley. “We want to be a game changer, a difference maker, part of the community fabric, part of the legacy that moves the city of Springfield forward.”

As for the brand … the white lion, a color mutation of the African lion, found in South Africa and zoos around the world but mostly in Europe, has nothing to do with Springfield. Or everything to do with it, if you listen to Berry.

“Folklore will state that it’s an extension beyond race, color, creed, or gender,” he explained, noting Springfield’s diverse population. “It doesn’t matter who you are, what economic status you come from, a white lion is a symbol of good in all mankind. It goes on to say that, if you’re in the presence of a white lion, you will be sanctified with infinite prosperity.”

Already, a strong connection is being forged between the city and the brand.

Indeed, when Gov.-elect Charlie Baker paid a visit to Springfield the day after the Nov. 4 election, Mayor Domenic Sarno had a six-pack of White Lion pale ale waiting for him as a gift.

That highly visible bit of marketing and public relations is only one way in which White Lion’s fast start has manifested itself. The company’s two products — there’s also a cream ale, with more on the way in 2015 — are now in more than 120 locations (liquor stores, bars, and restaurants) in Western Mass. and just beyond, and Berry has ambitious plans to grow those numbers and make his brand a household name.

For this issue, BusinessWest looks at his multi-phase strategy for making White Lion both a player in the craft-beer universe and a major player in Springfield’s future.

Mane Attraction

As he talked with BusinessWest after posing for some photos beside a rack of his products at Table & Vine in West Springfield, Berry used the opportunity to provide an education in the craft-beer industry and quantify and qualify its explosive growth.

“There are nearly two full aisles of craft beers here now, and new ones arrive regularly — there are more than 2,000 craft-beer establishments across the country,” he said while walking through one of them, pointing out a seemingly endless array of imaginative names — Smuttynose, Dogfish Head, Otter Creek, and Magic Hat, among others — and colorful packages. Some of these brands are local in origin, such as Berkshire Brewing in South Deerfield, Paper City in Holyoke, Fort Hill in Easthampton, and Iron Duke in Ludlow, while others are regional powerhouses like Samuel Adams and Harpoon.

WhiteLionBoxArtEntering such a crowded field would seem like a risk not worth accepting, but Berry thinks otherwise, and he started coloring in his entrepreneurial canvas roughly four years ago.

He did so after analyzing the market and noting one important point — there was no craft-beer product attached to Springfield, a city with a history of brewing operations, most of which didn’t outlast Prohibition; those that survived didn’t live long after it was repealed.

“The concept goes back at least four years; that’s how long I’ve been having general conversations with friends in the Valley around craft beer, their growing popularity, and the fact that there wasn’t a local product here in Springfield,” he explained. “But, like any entrepreneur with an idea, sometimes they come and go, so this idea came and went, I would sit on it, time would pass, and I would revisit it. I did that off and on for a three-year period.”

What eventually enabled him to break that cycle was research into the various options of getting a craft beer off the ground, including a contract-brewing business model, but also a growing sense that one of the ways he could have an impact in the region, and especially Springfield, was through entrepreneurship.

“I would sit with friends, especially after college, over the past 15 to 20 years and brainstorm about what we could do to make a difference, beyond what we were already doing with our volunteer work and our 9-to-5 jobs,” he told BusinessWest. “And it always gravitated back toward an entrepreneurial spirit.

“What I tell folks now is that we always had great ideas, but there was hesitation because we knew there was always risk associated with taking that step from idea to reality,” he went on. “And I think that probably held us back for some time, but it got to the point where we felt that now was the time to make a difference and be part of that ongoing change in the region.”

He used that collective ‘we’ to refer to those friends he conversed with and various team members he’s recruited since moving White Lion off the drawing board. These include brewmaster Mike Yates, who oversees the brewing of White Lion at Mercury Brewing in Ipswich; distributors Williams Distributing (Hampden and Hampshire counties), Quality Beverage (Central Mass.), and Girardi Distributors (Franklin and Berkshire counties); and warehousing partner R.M. Sullivan Co. in Westfield.

Berry told BusinessWest that success in the highly competitive craft-beer industry comes with being creative, not only with what goes inside the bottle (although that’s obviously important), but also with the name on the bottle, the packaging, the marketing and public-relations work, even the tap the bartender pulls to fill a glass with your product.

And he believes he’s effectively expressing his creativity, especially with the brand White Lion.

“We wanted to think outside the box,” he said, “and cause the consumer to, at a minimum, pause and ask the questions, ‘why that name? Where’d the name come from?”

People are now asking those questions across Western and Central Mass., said Berry, adding that the next pushes will be into the eastern part of the Bay State and Northern Conn.

Coming to a Head

Creating a brand, hiring a brewmaster, outsourcing brewing operations, and forging relationships with a warehouse operator and distributors are just some of the many components of what Berry called phase 1 of his entrepreneurial venture.

Others include launching a website, use of various social-media vehicles to gain visibility, and creation of imagery and packaging that can compete with all those offerings seen in the aisles at Table & Vine, assignments being handled by the Springfield-based companies DIF Design and TSM Design, respectively. There’s also the tasks of building a portfolio of locations that will offer White Lion products and getting the word out about those products.

With the former, Berry has forged relationships with a number of liquor stores and bars, and also with several restaurants in and around the city, including the recently reopened Fort, Max’s and Max Burger, Nadim’s, Plan B Burger, and others. And there have ben discussions with MGM about making the products available in the $800 million casino to be built in the South End.

Meanwhile, the products have gained exposure through a number of events and public-relations efforts, including Baker’s visit to the mayor’s office, but especially a launch event on Oct. 21 at the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History that drew more than 300 people. Berry has also been telling the story to area Rotary clubs, chambers of commerce, and other groups.
But there is other work to be done as well, he said, and much of it echoes the advice and services provided to entrepreneurs by Mason Square Development Corp., he said, adding that many of these assignments fall into the categories of relationship building and tapping into resources that can help a venture grow.

Ray Berry Jr. says he has a product — and a name — that will stand out in the crowded craft-beer market.

Ray Berry Jr. says he has a product — and a name — that will stand out in the crowded craft-beer market.

As one example, he cited White Lion’s success in becoming one of the 30 ventures chosen to comprise the first cohort of the accelerator program created by Valley Venture Mentors and funded through a grant from MassMutual.

There are substantial cash awards for ventures that fare well in what amounts to a four-month learning experience, mentoring exercise, and competition, noted Berry, but the bigger reward is the ability to tap into the knowledge and resourcefulness of those leading the accelerator program.

“Teams such as White Lion are going to be in front of a multitude of individuals who are there to provide advice for startups,” he said. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for all these companies.”

As another example, he cited a relationship forged with AIC to bring two or three interns each year into the White Lion operation, giving the company access to young talent and potential future employees, while providing those students with real-world experience with a growing enterprise.

“This partnership will enable three seniors majoring in marketing to get hands-on experience and be part of this new startup,” Berry explained, “all while having the principles they learned in school applied to real-life scenarios.”

As for phase 2 of this operation, that entails bringing the brewing operation, as well as other components of the company, under one roof in Springfield, preferably in or near the central business district, and then taking the brand into new markets in the Northeast and eventually beyond.

Berry said he’s engaged in discussions with city officials with the goal of identifying 8,000 to 10,000 square feet of manufacturing space to house brewing equipment, a bottling line, and possibly a canning line. His planned timeline is to have such a facility in operation by late 2016, but there will be challenges to meeting it, especially the need to raise the estimated $1 million to $1.5 million he’ll need to create his operations facility through what he expects will be a mix of debt and equity financing.

Berry is hoping that his ongoing efforts to create exposure, as well as participation in VVM’s accelerator program, will open the eyes of not only beer drinkers, but potential investors as well.

In the meantime, he intends to foster controlled growth and carefully manage the company’s progression.

“We’re a very, very young company, and we have to be very careful not to overextend ourselves,” he explained. “Everything will be well thought out prior to making any major decisions. Every step has been well planned, and our placement has been right on target. The future of White Lion will follow suit.”

Ale’s Well That Ends Well

Looking forward, Berry said there are many directions his venture might take.

He noted, for example, that, as the craft beer industry continues to take market share from industry giants such as Miller and Anheuser Bush, those larger players are responding by acquiring some of those much-smaller rivals in deals that feature large numbers of zeroes.

Such a fate might await White Lion, he said, adding quickly that, for now, he’s simply focused on building exposure for his product, expanding its footprint, verifying its sustainability, and making real progress with phase 2.

The company has indeed enjoyed a roaring start, but Berry knows that this is in all ways a marathon and not a sprint — and he’s in it for the long haul.


George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook Departments

Paragus Recognized as Model Employer
HADLEY — Paragus Strategic IT was recently honored with an Employer of Choice award by the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast at the organization’s Employment Law and HR Practices Conference in Sturbridge. Paragus CEO Delcie Bean was also a featured speaker at the 21st Century Talent event focused on how top employers are changing today’s workforce. Winners of the Employer of Choice award are recognized for developing a culture of transforming and rewarding employee performance. Entrants are judged in categories including company culture, training and development, communication, recognition and reward, and work-life balance. Past winners include Maybury Material Handling, PeoplesBank, and Health New England. The 21st Century Talent conference was organized by Bank of America, Commonwealth Corp., and Grads of Life. Along with representatives from Harvard and Udacity, Bean was invited to speak about Paragus Strategic IT’s commitment to the next generation of workforce. With a 546% growth rate over six years, Paragus is the second-fastest-growing outsourced IT firm in New England. Most recently, Bean started Tech Foundry, a nonprofit education program designed to provide area high-school students with strong education and career training in technology.

Nuclea Biotechnologies Secures Design Patent
PITTSFIELD — Nuclea Biotechnologies Inc. announced that it has secured a new U.S. design patent for the design of its beam-dump assembly, a mechanical component that will be utilized in multiple diagnostic applications. The beam-dump assembly is used for the detection of low-abundance proteins within microfluidic-based environments. It identifies a change in biological samples by reading laser light. This detection instrument will be used for protein detection in Nuclea’s fatty-acid synthase (FAS), HER-2/neu, and CAIX diagnostic tests, with future potential use in additional diagnostic tests. The design patent is an important step for Nuclea as the company continues to expand its intellectual property surrounding its proprietary tests and methods. “This is another milestone for Nuclea in developing new diagnostic-based technology as it relates to the analysis of fluids in a variety of diseases,” said Patrick Muraca, the company’s president and CEO. Based in Pittsfield, Nuclea, with additional operations in Worcester and Cambridge, has developed and is commercializing unique diagnostic tests for colon, breast, leukemia, lung, and prostate cancer, as well as for diabetes and other metabolic syndromes. Nuclea also performs research leading to novel molecular oncology companion diagnostics for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

Dowd Agencies Merges Indian Orchard Offices
HOLYOKE — The Dowd Agencies, a leading insurance provider serving New England for more than 115 years, announced a merger of the firm’s two Indian Orchard-based offices. Moskal-Dowd, previously located at 20 Parker St., and Orchard-Dowd, previously located at 144 Main St., have officially merged and will now operate as the Indian Orchard-based location of the Dowd Agencies located at 485 Main St. The new, 2,500-square-foot office is officially open for business. Customers and the general public are invited to visit, and an open house is planned for the spring of 2015. “One centralized location for our Indian Orchard office will increase accessibility for our customers,” said John Dowd Jr., president and CEO of the Dowd Agencies. “The benefits of the new office include ample parking, a large conference room for meetings, and, most importantly, a larger staff to provide our customers a broader service offering from one location.” The Dowd Agencies will continue to be headquartered in Holyoke, which houses the firm’s human resources department and administrative staff.

Comcast Lends Support to New Agawam YMCA
SPRINGFIELD — In response to the recent opening of the Agawam YMCA Wellness & Program Family Center, the YMCA of Greater Springfield is announcing the donation of $10,000 from Comcast. The Agawam YMCA is the latest addition to the YMCA of Greater Springfield’s many locations, providing membership and program opportunities to the Agawam region. With support from Comcast in the way of public-service announcements and direct financial contributions, the Agawam YMCA is slated to impact more than 3,000 youth, teens, families, and seniors in Agawam and its surrounding communities. The YMCA of Greater Springfield serves 115,000 members and program participants in 14 cities and towns throughout the region. The Agawam YMCA includes a health and wellness center, sauna, group exercise space, café, technology center, and community meeting space. Naming opportunities for donors are still available. To learn more about the YMCA of Greater Springfield, contact Nikki Durham at [email protected] or visit www.springfieldy.org.

Springfield College Honored for Community-service Efforts

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College was named a finalist for the President’s Award for Community Service by the Corp. for National and Community Service (CNCS). The college was one of four finalists in the education category and also was awarded Honor Roll with Distinction status in the category of general community service.

This nationwide designation is part of the 2014 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, and recognizes institutions and their students across the country for their commitment to volunteer service. The award was based on data from the 2012-13 academic year, during which more than 3,500 Springfield College students completed more than 480,000 hours of service to the Springfield community through volunteer work, service learning, internships, practica, fieldwork, and other activities.

“Students come to Springfield College with a desire to serve and to immerse themselves in academic and co-curricular programs that will allow them to make a difference in their community,” said President Mary-Beth Cooper. “The college offers a wealth of meaningful service opportunities allowing students to develop as scholars and engaged citizens. Our students work extremely hard throughout the academic year to be part of our community. This recognition is a reflection of their continued dedication to service.”

The Springfield College AmeriCorps Program and the Partners Program remain two of the college’s constant and long-standing community outreach programs, which, combined, are responsible for the contribution of more than 50,000 hours of service. Springfield College AmeriCorps members provided more than 44,000 hours of service to 479 at-risk students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 at Square One, Head Start, and Springfield Public Schools during the 2012-13 academic year. As part of the Student Success Corps, now known as the School Turnaround Initiative, AmeriCorps academic coaches and school counselors provided interventions and support for students struggling with low attendance, course failure in English and math, and behavioral, social, and emotional issues.

AmeriCorps literacy tutors implemented the nationally recognized Minnesota Reading Corps pre-K model in an effort to ensure that all children enter kindergarten ready to learn how to read. This pilot of the Minnesota Reading Corps evolved into the Massachusetts Reading Corps, which is currently providing early-literacy support to more than 400 pre-kindergarten students in Springfield.

“The goal of the AmeriCorps programs at Springfield College is to give students the support they need to remain on the path to high-school graduation,” said Springfield College AmeriCorps Program Director Shannon Langone. “Our programs are based on research-driven models and interventions that have been shown to effectively target risk factors for dropping out. By using what we know works in a very intentional way, we can have a measurable impact on the academic achievement of youth in Springfield.”

The AmeriCorps programs at Springfield College are funded in part by the Corp. for National and Community Service, the Massachusetts Service Alliance, the Funder Collaborative for Reading Success, and the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation.

For more than 20 years, the Springfield College Partners Program has paired college mentors with Springfield Public School students from both the Brookings and DeBerry elementary schools. Since the program’s inception, more than 600 elementary-school students have been mentored. Previous research indicates that youth who participate in the program report better grades, improved attendance, increased confidence about themselves and the future, and fewer behavioral issues in and out of school.

In total, more than 760 higher-education institutions were named to this year’s honor roll. From that group, four schools were selected to receive the President’s Award in one of four categories — general community service, economic opportunity, education, or interfaith community service. An additional 16 schools are named as finalists for the President’s Award, the highest federal honor a higher-education institution can receive for its commitment to community service. A complete list of this year’s winners can be found at www.nationalservice.gov/honorroll.

Valley Gives Day Records More Than $2.67 Million in Donations

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Western Mass.-based nonprofits sent out the call, and their supporters gave — and gave and gave. In 24 hours, 14,189 donors made 28,824 gifts for a grand total of $2,676,595 at the third annual Valley Gives Day.

In addition, a prize pool of $225,000 was distributed among several nonprofits. Organizations in three budget categories competed for bonus grants presented to the top three slots for ‘most unique donors.’ First prize was $5,000, second was $4,000, and third was $3,000. In keeping with a In addition, nonprofits in 12th place in each category were awarded a $1,200 bonus grant.

In the category of large nonprofits, the winners were New England Public Radio (839 unique donors), Dakin Humane Society (739 donors), and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts (696 donors). Among medium-sized nonprofits, the winners were New Spirit Inc. (641 donors), Whole Children (632 donors), and Pioneer Valley Symphony (384 donors). Among small nonprofits, the winners were Friends of the Hilltown Cooperative Charter School Inc. (437 donors), Grow Food Northampton (342 donors), and the Jackson Street School PTO Inc. (299 donors).

Other awards were given in the category of money raised by first-time participants, with first place going to the Jackson Street School PTO Inc. with $24,356. Also, hourly beginning at 9 a.m., a randomly selected donation to a participating nonprofit had a $1,000 golden ticket added to the total. Throughout the day, there were five bonus power hours (10 a.m., noon, 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 9 p.m.) when a total of $22,000 golden tickets were added to randomly selected donations.

The full list of nonprofits and their totals raised is available at www.valleygivesday.org.

Paragus Strategic IT Recognized as Model Employer

By
Daily News

HADLEY — Paragus Strategic IT was recently honored with an Employer of Choice award by the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast at the organization’s Employment Law and HR Practices Conference in Sturbridge. Paragus CEO Delcie Bean was also a featured speaker at the 21st Century Talent event focused on how top employers are changing today’s workforce.

Winners of the Employer of Choice award are recognized for developing a culture of transforming and rewarding employee performance. Entrants are judged in categories including company culture, training and development, communication, recognition and reward, and work-life balance. Past winners include Maybury Material Handling, PeoplesBank, and Health New England.

The 21st Century Talent conference was organized by Bank of America, Commonwealth Corp., and Grads of Life. Along with representatives from Harvard and Udacity, Bean was invited to speak about Paragus Strategic IT’s commitment to the next generation of workforce.

Since Bean founded the company at age 13, Paragus has grown from a one-man operation to a regional leader in business computer service, consulting, and information-technology support. And despite a sluggish economy, Paragus IT has continued to thrive and expand. In 2012 and 2013, Paragus was named in Inc.’s annual ranking of the 5,000 fastest-growing businesses. With a 546% growth rate over six years, Paragus is the second-fastest-growing outsourced IT firm in New England.

Most recently, Bean started Tech Foundry, a nonprofit education program designed to provide area high-school students with strong education and career training in technology.

Shuffling the Deck

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Commercial Real Estate Sections
Casino Vote Spurs Movement in Real-estate Market

Main Street between Harrison Avenue and Falcons Way

The buildings along Main Street between Harrison Avenue and Falcons Way are among those expected to draw interest from businesses to be displaced by the casino.

Kevin Jennings called it “an election-night hangover.”

That’s how he chose to describe the relative — and unexpected — quiet on the morning of Nov. 5, maybe a dozen or so hours after it became clear that ballot Question 3 was going to be defeated and that the casino era had officially begun in Springfield.

“But then on Thursday, the floodgates opened,” said Jennings, president of Springfield-based Jennings Real Estate, in reference to the volume of phone calls to his office, most of them from business owners who will be displaced by the $800 million gaming complex to be built by MGM Resorts International in the city’s South End.

And he expects the calls to keep coming in the weeks and months to come as the dust only begins to start settling from this momentous development, one that has the potential to lift the local real-estate market from the general doldrums that have characterized it for the more than a decade now.

“My expectation is that we will be busy, and the whole trickle-down from this will be fantastic,” he told BusinessWest. “It will involve not only the real-estate brokers, but the lawyers, the phone companies, the contractors, the rug companies, the movers, and many others.

“The trickle-down will be significant and exciting,” he went on. “For the first time in I don’t how long, the landlords in Springfield who have slugged it out for the past 15 years will finally see some rent appreciation.”

While he was somewhat more reserved in his tone, Doug Macmillan, president of Macmillan & Son Inc., said essentially the same thing as he speculated on what will certainly be an intriguing time for the downtown real-estate market.

“I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything quite like this — it’s a dynamic change,” said Macmillan, who came into the business started by his father just as the real-estate bust of the late ’80s was gaining steam and has seen a number of economic cycles since. “This is certainly going to be interesting.”

73 State St

The stately building at 73 State St., part of which will be used for the casino’s hotel, is among those whose tenants must find new homes.

And the relocation of businesses to be displaced by the casino is only one of the reasons why.

Indeed, while many tenants in buildings along State, Main, and other streets in or near the South End will have to be moved to make way for the casino and MGM’s operations, there are others who will want to be near that $800 million complex — or away from it, as the case may be. Meanwhile, Macmillan has started getting calls from some parties concerned about the casino and I-91 reconstruction projects happening simultaneously, and the possible negative impact on their business.

“We’ve seen a fair amount of people who are actively contingency planning for how all this construction for the casino and the viaduct might impact their business downtown,” he said. “They’re wondering if customers are going to be able to get to them and if employees are going to be able to get to work. They’re thinking about whether they should set up a satellite office or do something different. It’s created a lot of … not pandemonium, but certainly uncertainty.”

MGM is offering incentives to businesses to be displaced by its complex — $3 per square foot for those who stay in Springfield and $4 per square foot for those who remain in the central business district.

And while the downtown market has tightened up somewhat in recent years, with new businesses and organizations ranging from MassLive to Bay Path University moving in, there is still plenty of space available in many different categories.

One full floor and many smaller spaces are available in 1350 Main St., also known as One Financial Plaza, said Bill Low, a broker with NAI Plotkin, which is leasing agent for the top 12 floors in that building. There is also some space in both Tower Square and Monarch Place, Macmillan noted. Meanwhile, considerable square footage is available in Harrison Place and other buildings along Main Street between Harrison Avenue and Falcons Way, noted Jennings, who is handling those properties for owner Glenn Edwards.

Jennings said he’s already had a few soon-to-be-displaced business owners sign on the dotted line, and he expects several more in the months to come as the project moves forward.

“Our goal is to be 100% occupied,” he said of the properties along Main Street. “That’s ambitious, but we’re optimistic.”

1350 Main St.

One Financial Plaza, a.k.a. 1350 Main St., is another property expected to draw interest from displaced businesses, including many law firms.

For this issue and its focus on commercial real estate, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at this exciting time for the local market and at how this unique opportunity might play itself out.

New Lease on Life

MacMillan told BusinessWest that he didn’t care to speculate on how many businesses will be displaced by the casino and MGM’s day-to-day operations and how much square footage is represented by those pending relocations. “I really have no idea, and if I guessed, I’m sure I’d be way off.”

Jennings said he’s heard some numbers, such as 250,000 square feet, in reference to the amount of real estate involved — meaning property to be demolished or made part of the casino complex.

Whatever the figure is, it adds up to an unprecedented opportunity for area landlords and brokers to fill space that in some cases has been vacant for more than a decade.

And, in many ways, movement to seize that opportunity began months ago.

Indeed, Edwards has invested a significant amount of money in capital improvements to the properties along Main Street in anticipation of the casino moving forward, said Jennings, adding that his firm has been proactive with regard to marketing the space, opting not to wait until after the vote on Question 3.

“We put together a strategic list of properties that we have both for sale and lease in Springfield,” he explained, “and knocked on doors.”

And there are many to knock on within the 14.5-acre area in which the casino will be built, he said, noting that there are many lawyers and other professionals in both 95 State St. and 73 Main St. — located just a block or two from the Hampden County Hall of Justice — which will both become part of the casino complex.

Meanwhile, there are several retail operations along Main Street and other service businesses within the casino site that will have to be relocated.

Some will move out of that area and perhaps out of the city, but Jennings and Macmillan believe many will opt to stay downtown.

And some of these business owners are being proactive themselves when it comes to finding a new address, opting not to wait until the votes were counted on Nov. 4 to consider some options.

“The day after the election, my phone did ring a little louder and a little longer than it normally does,” said Macmillan. “But a lot of these people have been forward-thinking enough to understand that they need to be proactive about this, because they’re only going to have X amount of time to find a new home.

“We’ve been working with some groups for more than a year now,” he continued, “because they’ve recognized this eventuality and wanted early on to identify where they thought they might like to be.”

However, some waited until after the vote, said Low, and now they’re making up for lost time.

“There were some people who didn’t bother calling — they just showed up at 1350 Main St. and asked to see space,” he told BusinessWest, adding that a few businesses have made verbal commitments to take space there. “You hardly ever see anything like that.”

He noted that the building is attractive to the law firms and solo practitioners that will be displaced by the casino because of its proximity to the courthouse and the flexible nature of the available space.

Jennings said he’s brokered some deals for smaller spaces, 2,000 square feet and under, and also a few in the 2,000-to-4,000-square-foot range. And since Question 3 was defeated, the volume of inquiries has increased exponentially.

They come during a time that Macmillan described as a “resurgence of interest in downtown,” a period during which UMass Amherst has opened a center in Tower Square; Bay Path, MassLive, and Thing5 have moved into 1350 Main St.; New England Public Radio has relocated into the Fuller Block; and Accountable Care Associates has taken a full floor in Monarch Place; just to name a few developments.

“There’s been a renewed interest in downtown that is unrelated to the casino,” he explained. “We’ve been extremely busy leasing an awful lot of downtown office space for the past two years. Some of them are new tenants, some of them expanding; there’s been a lot of activity, and we’ve done a number of deals.”

The “shuffling of the deck,” as he called it, that will result from the casino projectg — and is, in many respects, already underway, will further tighten and stabilize the market, and likely push lease rates higher.

“With all this interest we’ve seen in downtown before the casino, the downtown market has tightened up; there’s still a fair amount of space, but there’s not the same amount that there was two years ago,” Macmillan said, speculating that perhaps 80% of the Class A space and 70% of the Class B space downtown was occupied.

Jennings said the surge of interest is already impacting rates in some of the properties he’s representing. At Harrison Place, he noted, space that was quoted at $11 or $12 per square foot is now being quoted at $17, and there have been similar increases at other properties along Main Street.

Low said the asking prices at 1350 Main St. may soon be rising, adding that those who wait to begin the process of finding a new home will likely pay more for that square footage.

Building Momentum

As he talked about the recent history of the downtown commercial real-estate market, Macmillan said there have been a number of “fits and starts” over the past few decades, small gains that have been slowed or reversed by economic declines in the early ’90s, just after 9/11, and the Great Recession.

The dawn of the casino era presents the opportunity for something far more substantial and lasting, he said, although the overall impact of this massive development is still difficult to predict.

What is known is that this situation presents a rare opportunity, one that all those involved are committed to take full advantage of.

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

Paragus, R.H. White Named ‘Employers of Choice’ by EANE

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Daily News

AGAWAM — Two Massachusetts businesses were selected as Employer of Choice Award recipients by the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE). Paragus Strategic IT of Hadley and R.H. White Construction Companies, based in Auburn, received their awards at EANE’s Employment Law and HR Practices Conference on Nov. 4.

Winners of the Employer of Choice Award are recognized for developing a culture for transforming and rewarding employee performance. Entrants are judged in categories that include company culture, training and development, communication, recognition and reward, and work-life balance.

“Both R.H. White and Paragus have succeeded in creating amazing workplace cultures which maximize employee engagement, creativity, and organizational success,” said Meredith Wise, president of EANE. “They are truly connected to their communities, contributing financially as well as with staff time and talent to various charities and events.”

Paragus Strategic IT employees attend 90 to 100 hours of learning and development each year. In 2012, the company was ranked by Inc. magazine as one of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies in the country. R.H. White Construction Companies celebrated its 90th anniversary last year with a goal to raise $90,000 for local charities; the company actually raised $156,000. It provides more than $700,000 in safety-related training to employees annually.

Employers who have been in business for at least three years and have a minimum of 25 employees are eligible to participate; both the company size and its resources are considered in the screening and selection process. Sponsored by EANE and the Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, the award has been given since 2011.

UMass Records Best-ever Year for Startup Businesses

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Daily News

AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts created six new startup companies within the past year, its best-ever annual performance, and set new records for patent applications and the number of faculty members disclosing inventions, President Robert Caret said.

The new companies reflect the university’s increased focus on coaching, mentoring, and providing other services and support to help researchers start businesses. Also, for the eighth straight year, UMass generated more than $30 million in licensing income, enough to ensure that the university maintains its perch in national surveys of universities with the highest licensing income derived from academic research.

“Our success is proof that the leading-edge research performed by our distinguished faculty and the high-performing students who work alongside them is growing every day in relevance and importance,” Caret said. “We want to accelerate these efforts because this research — and the new treatments, products, services, and companies it spawns — adds tremendous value to society and impacts the quality of life in Massachusetts.”

In addition to the six new startups, the UMass recorded 157 patent applications and 180 faculty invention disclosures for fiscal year 2014, which ended June 30. In all three categories, it was the university’s best-ever yearly performance. The university also was granted 54 patents for ideas that have the potential to be commercialized. UMass generated more than $31 million in licensing revenue in fiscal year 2014. The six companies spun out of UMass inventions this year were:

• Felsuma, “Geckskin Adhesive Technology,” by Al Crosby and Duncan Irshick, professors at UMass Amherst. Felsuma is commercializing a new technology, Geckskin, licensed from UMass Amherst. Geckskin is a three-dimensional, transformational adhesive that can attach and release repeatedly from multiple surfaces with high bonding strength. It is based on technology developed in the laboratories of Crosby in Polymer Science and Irschick in Biology. The major markets are large and include clothing, shoes, households, medical devices, military, and construction. The company is headed by Rana Gupta, an entrepreneur and former venture capitalist.

• Aha! Productions/Innovation Accelerator, “Obscure Features Hypothesis,” by Joseph McCaffrey from UMass Amherst. The company licenses UMass software technology that is useful in creativity and invention processes. The firm’s first product, Analogy Finder, offers a software package that seeks to rationalize the process of creativity and invention. The software seeks out analogous solutions to problems by hunting through patent databases, research libraries, and other sources. Innovation Accelerator is headed by James Pearson, an alumnus of UMass Amherst’s Mechanical and Engineering Department.

• Sonation, “Expert System for Musical Accompaniment,” by Chris Raphael from UMass Amherst. The company is developing music software technology that transforms singing and playing instruments into a more interactive, fun experience. It is creating apps that simulate playing with a full band or orchestra that listens and responds to the user’s style. The first product, Cadenza, is available at the iStore for use on the iPad. The product, to be introduced in the next two years, will expand the application to other devices, instruments, and available music. The company is headed by Ann Chao, a Harvard MBA and former strategy consultant.

• Voyager Therapeutics, “RNA Interference,” by Phil Zamore, Guangping Gao, Neil Aronin, and others at UMass Medical School. The company is developing gene-therapy methods to treat several important neurological diseases, including ALS, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. Voyager will focus on adeno-associated virus as the vector and will try to effect gene replacement or gene knockdown to effect the relevant protein production. The company, financed by $45 million in funding from a venture capitalist, will be located in Cambridge.

• TATT, LLC, “Use of siRNA to Preserve Organs for Transplant,” by Timothy Kowalik and Marc Uknis, professors at UMass Medical School. The company is based on technology, developed by Kowalik and Uknis, that relates to the use of siRNA to improve organs being used for transplantation by minimizing organ rejection, transplantation-mediated transmission of viral infection, and the triggering of apoptosis in transplanted tissue.

• Agalimmune Ltd., “Cancer Immunotherapy,” by Dr. Uri Galili from UMass Medical School. The company is developing innovative immunotherapies for the treatment of solid tumors based on Galili’s work. The company is based in London and California and has received initial funding from Loxbridge Research, LLP and Animatrix Capital, LLP. Dr. Giles Whalen, professor of Surgical Oncology at UMass Medical School, is working with the company to bring its first product, Alphaject Technology, to clinics.

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook Departments

United Financial Bancorp Posts Solid Third Quarter
GLASTONBURY, Conn. — United Financial Bancorp Inc., the holding company for United Bank, announced results for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2014. These results represent the first full fiscal quarter as the combined United Financial (merger of legacy Rockville Financial Inc. and legacy United Financial Bancorp Inc.) Rockville was the legal acquirer in the merger of equals with legacy United, in a transaction that closed on April 30, 2014, and Rockville changed its name to United Financial Bancorp Inc. at that time. The company had net income of $10 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared to Rockville’s net income of $4.6 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2013. Operating net income for the third quarter of 2014 was $10.5 million (non-GAAP), or $0.20 per diluted share, adjusted for $4.5 million (pre-tax) of expenses related to the merger, $3.8 million (pre-tax) net positive impact of the amortization and accretion of the purchase accounting adjustments (or fair-value adjustments) as a result of the merger, and $430,000 (pre-tax) net gains on sales of securities. Operating net income for the quarter ending June 30 was $5.8 million (non-GAAP), or $0.13 per diluted share, adjusted for $21.3 million (pre-tax) of expenses related to the merger, $4.9 million (pre-tax) net impact of the amortization and accretion of the purchase accounting adjustments (or fair-value adjustments) as a result of the merger, and $589,000 (pre-tax) net gains on sales of securities. Operating net income for the third quarter of 2013 was $4.6 million (non-GAAP), or $0.18 per diluted share, adjusted for income of $29,000 (pre-tax) from net gains on sales of securities. “I am pleased to announce that, during United Financial Bancorp, Inc.’s first full quarter as a merged entity, the company reported strong organic earning asset growth, highlighted by 10% annualized commercial loan growth and record residential mortgage loan production, while maintaining superior asset quality,” stated William Crawford IV, CEO of United Financial Bancorp Inc. and United Bank. “While this is a difficult operating environment for banks, the company will continue its strategy of organic growth and commitment to enhancement of long-term shareholder value through operational and capital efficiency.” Other financial highlights:
• Third-quarter net income of $10.0 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, and operating net income of $10.5 million, or $0.20 per diluted share;
• A 12% increase in operating revenue, compared to linked quarter;
• A 22% increase in operating expense, compared to linked quarter;
• A 3.56% GAAP tax-equivalent net-interest margin, compared to 3.86% in the linked quarter. On an operating basis, the third-quarter tax-equivalent net-interest margin was 3.23%, compared to 3.34% in the linked quarter; and
• Operating non-interest expense/average assets decreased to 2.32% from 2.38% in the linked quarter.

Freedom Launches ATMs in Rite Aid Pharmacies in Western Mass.
SPRINGFIELD — Freedom Credit Union and Welch ATM announced that Freedom Credit Union-branded ATMs are now available in Rite Aid pharmacies in Agawam, Chicopee, Easthampton, Holyoke, Lee, Monson, Pittsfield, Southwick, Springfield, West Springfield, and Westfield. Freedom will also provide its members with surcharge-free access to all 224 Rite Aid pharmacy locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut. In addition to custom branding, Welch ATM is providing new, fully compliant ATM machines and complete management. “We are excited to provide Freedom Credit Union with ATM branding at Rite Aids in Massachusetts,” said Adam Hobelmann, senior vice president at Welch ATM. “Our company strives to provide customer satisfaction, and we look forward to offering easy cash access and consistent ATM service to Freedom Credit Union’s members.” Over the past 11 years, Freedom Credit Union has grown from one branch to 10. The newest branch opened in September in the Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy on State Street in Springfield.

Florence Bank Sets Grand Opening at Hadley Branch
HADLEY — Florence Bank, a mutually owned savings bank serving the Pioneer Valley through nine branch locations, will celebrate the official opening of its new Hadley location at 377 Russell St. on Nov. 8 between 10 a.m. and noon. The public is invited to help celebrate the important milestone by joining officials from the bank for a grand-opening ceremony that includes a ribbon cutting, a weathervane dedication in memory of John Devine, refreshments, and entertainment. The opening of this branch culminates a construction project that began in the spring. The bank’s new home is only a few doors down from where it has been serving the town for nearly 20 years. “The bank owns the real estate at its new location, whereas we rented our previous space at 335 Russell St. It made sense for us to own the space and have control over renovations and upgrades as needed,” said John Heaps, Jr., president and CEO of Florence Bank. “Plus, this is a truly state-of-the-art facility that we believe will be very well-received and appreciated by our customers and friends.” Amenities and features of the new, 3,150-square-foot branch include direct access from Route 9; a full-service teller line with state-of-the-art technology for quick cash handling; walk-up and drive-up ATMs with smart technology for easy depositing; three drive-up lanes, including a drive-up ATM; expanded private offices and a private conference room; an energy-efficient building to minimize the carbon footprint; and a comfortable waiting area with a coffee bar and free wi-fi. Wright Builders Inc. and HAI Architecture worked on the design and construction of the new building in close cooperation with officials from the bank. Toby Daniels, vice president and branch manager of the Hadley branch, will continue in that role in the new location.

Paragus Ranks Among ICIC and Fortune’s Inner City 100 Winners
SPRINGFIELD — The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) and Fortune announced that Paragus Strategic IT was selected for the 2014 Inner City 100, a list of the fastest-growing inner-city businesses in the U.S. This year, for the first time in the list’s 16-year history, the Inner City 100 consists of 10 fast-growing businesses from 10 industry categories: construction, manufacturing, professional services, food and beverage, retail, media and communications, software and information technology, transportation and logistics, healthcare and biotechnology, and arts, entertainment, and recreation. Applicants ranked according to revenue growth against their industry peers, as well as overall. Paragus Strategic IT ranked sixth in the software and information-technology category, and 35th overall on the list of 100. The Inner City 100 program recognizes successful inner-city businesses and their CEOs as role models for entrepreneurship, innovative business practices, and job creation in America’s urban communities. Paragus Strategic IT, an outsourced IT-solutions business and a nonprofit that trains high-school students in IT, reported 2013 revenues of $3.54 million and a gross growth rate of 328% from 2009 to 2013. The full list of winners can be viewed at fortune.com. Preceding the Oct. 16 awards celebration, winners attended a two-day small-business symposium designed exclusively for urban firms. The 2014 Inner City 100 winners represent a wide span of geography, hailing from 53 cities and 23 states. The winners grew at an average compound annual growth rate of 39% and an average gross growth rate of 336% between 2009 and 2013. Collectively, the top 100 inner-city businesses employ 8,276 people and created 5,119 new jobs between 2009 and 2013. Not only are the winners powerful job creators in their communities, they also help develop their employees — 73% provide business-skills training, and 69% provide professional-development training to all full-time employees.

Baystate Partners with VertitechIT on IT Infrastructure Project
SPRINGFIELD — Looking to maintain its role as one of the largest and most technically advanced health systems in New England, Baystate Health has launched a new IT infrastructure-redevelopment effort to be managed by Holyoke-based VertitechIT. Baystate Vice President and Chief Information Officer Joel Vengco announced the initiative, which includes updates to critical IT technologies and migration to a new, advanced data center. “Our doctors, nurses, and clinicians need access to critical records at all times, in all of our facilities, and on multiple platforms,” said Vengco. “This initiative, including our data-center move to a new facility in downtown Springfield, will allow our more than 10,000 employees to better serve more than a million patients every year and fully utilize the technology that has made us a keystone of the Western Mass. community.” Vengco has called on VertitechIT, one of the fastest growing healthcare-technology consultancies in the country, to manage the project. “Baystate is among the most respected institutions of its kind in the nation,” added VertitechIT CEO and founder Michael Feld. “It’s our job to make sure they have the infrastructure to continue to provide seamless care between the academic medical center, two community hospitals, and numerous outpatient and primary-care facilities. And from a purely selfish standpoint, it’s nice to have such a prestigious client in our own backyard.” VertitechIT formally opened its new national headquarters at Open Square on Oct. 17.

Executech Sold to Dan Serrenho and Partners
AGAWAM — Executech, one of the area’s leading providers of office supplies and equipment, recently announced the sale of its business to Vice President of Sales Dan Serrenho. Serrenho and employees Hilary Leclair, William Walsh, and Greg Nivison jumped at the chance to acquire the business from owner David Centracchio when Centracchio decided to sell. According to Serrenho, “our goal is to let the community know that we are here to continue providing excellent service to our customers. The transition will be transparent in terms of service.” Added Kathleen Anderson, president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, “we congratulate Mr. Serrenho and all the Executech employee owners on their new roles as small-business owners. Small businesses are the backbone of the community’s economy, and the Holyoke chamber is fully committed to supporting our local businesses.” Executech, located at 53 Ramah Circle South in Agawam, offers a full range of sales, leasing, and service of office supplies and business machines and equipment. “We’ve learned that local ownership is key to meeting the needs of the business of our community,” said Serrenho.

Berkshire Community College Receives 2014 Trendsetter Award
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College (BCC) has received the 2014 Trendsetter Award for Growing and Advancing the Berkshire Economy by 1Berkshire, an independent not-for-profit corporation charged with strengthening and growing the economy in Berkshire County. The award, which was presented last month at 1Berkshire’s Celebrate the Berkshires event, is presented annually to an individual or organization with “a project that attracts new residents or new jobs or enhances the current workforce attributes for a single employer, targeted employee segment, or the region as a whole.” BCC was recognized for its unique collaborative partnership with the vocational schools in the Berkshires, in particular Taconic High School. The partnership between BCC and Taconic to produce the new advanced-manufacturing employee program was launched in October 2013 with the unveiling of a new, state-of-the-art lab. The lab is housed at Taconic and provides both BCC and Taconic students with the advanced technical skills that are needed in the new high-tech manufacturing workplace. BCC’s investment, along with matching funds from the state’s 2013 Vocational Equipment Grant Program, yield a $250,000 capital infusion into the new manufacturing lab. The lab includes a learning system consisting of two programmable computer numerical control (CNC) machines with a material-handling robot, hardware, simulation software, and other cutting-edge CNC equipment. This learning system was provided by funds from the Massachusetts Community Colleges & Workforce Development Transformation Agenda (MCCWDTA), a statewide Department of Labor grant. The kickoff event celebrated new manufacturing and BCC’s participation in MassDevelopment’s AMP (Advanced Manufacturing Program) it up! initiative. In addition to the investment into the manufacturing lab, BCC utilized funding from MCCWDTA and AMP it up! to promote manufacturing as a livelihood through the use of billboards and other advertising displayed throughout the county celebrating October as ‘manufacturing month.’ Presentations were also made to targeted audiences to promote advanced manufacturing as a career. BCC then offered its new advanced-manufacturing training certification program in partnership with Taconic High School to a pilot group of unemployed and incumbent workers at no cost. This 10-week, 66-hour, Level 1 program launched a statewide certified curriculum and employer-led training initiative developed by the Mass. Extension Partnership (MASSMEP) called MACWIC, (Mass. Advancement Center, Workforce Innovation Collaborative.) Following the Level 1 program, a 16-week, 115-hour, Level 2 program was established to build upon the Level 1 programming and meet the needs of the paper and plastic manufacturing companies in the Berkshires. The overall mission of the program is to preserve manufacturing knowledge and to execute the transfer of knowledge, all while meeting the needs of local employers. In addition to the programming at Taconic High School, BCC also assisted with a special manufacturing program offered at McCann Vocational Technical High School in North Adams.

Briefcase

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Briefcase Departments

Decision Reduces Electric Transmission Profits, Benefits Consumers
LUDLOW — New England electricity consumers will get a roughly $60 million refund and pay less for transmission service in the future due to a federal ruling reducing the profit that power-grid owners are allowed to earn on their investments. The Massachusetts portion of the refund is expected to be about $28 million, with Massachusetts municipal utilities receiving a refund of approximately $4 million. The decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) reduces the allowed rate of return on equity (ROE) for transmission owners from 11.14% to 10.57%. In a 2011 complaint to the FERC spearheaded by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC) and others claimed the 11.14% profit margin was too high, given changes in economic conditions and interest rates since 2006, when the ROE was established. Utility regulators and consumer advocates from throughout New England, as well as U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, also supported the complaint. The Oct. 16 FERC decision found the higher rate to be “unjust and unreasonable,” set the new rate at 10.57%, and ordered refunds of overpayments for the period from October 2011 through December 2012. Litigation is continuing at the FERC to secure additional refunds. “This is an important and positive decision for all New England consumers, and it’s gratifying to see these years of effort coming to a close with a large net benefit for our customers,” said MMWEC CEO Ronald DeCurzio. “We are pursuing additional refunds of overpayments made in 2013 and 2014 and will continue our work to ensure that transmission investments are justified and beneficial to consumers.” DeCurzio said the refunds certainly are welcome, but the benefit increases as the lower rate of return is applied in years ahead to long-term transmission investments. The current $7 billion invested in New England transmission facilities is expected to increase to $11 billion by 2017, and the costs avoided with a lower rate of return will increase as the transmission investment base grows. The FERC has ordered New England’s transmission owners to file a refund report within 45 days of the Oct. 16 order. The transmission companies include National Grid, Northeast Utilities, NStar, Unitil, and Fitchburg Gas & Electric. MMWEC, a nonprofit, public corporation and political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the joint action agency for public power in Massachusetts, providing a variety of power-supply, financial, risk-management, and other services to the state’s consumer-owned, municipal utilities.

Massachusetts Employment Numbers Up 9,400 in September
BOSTON — The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported that preliminary estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show Massachusetts added 9,400 jobs in September, for a total preliminary estimate of 3,425,000. The September total unemployment rate was 6.0%, up 0.2% over the August rate. Since September 2013, Massachusetts has added a net of 64,100 jobs, with 62,000 jobs added in the private sector. The total unemployment rate for the year is down 1.2% from the September 2013 rate of 7.2%. BLS also revised its August job estimates to a 4,900-job loss from the 5,300-loss previously reported for the month.

Construction Employment Increases in 39 States
WASHINGTON, D.C.­ — Construction firms added jobs in 39 states between September 2013 and September 2014 while construction employment increased in 34 states and the District of Columbia between August and September, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that the construction job gains come as more construction firms report having a hard time finding qualified workers to fill key positions. “Construction firms in most states have been expanding during the past year,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But as those firms expand, they have to work harder to attract their skilled craft workers and key construction professionals.” Florida added the most construction jobs of any state (41,900 jobs, 11.2%). Ten states shed construction jobs during the past 12 months, with construction employment unchanged in D.C. and New Mexico. Association officials said the new employment figures show that the industry continues to add new workers after its years-long downturn. But they cautioned that more and more firms are reporting labor shortages. “Hard as it is to imagine, given what this industry has been through the past few years, but many firms are very worried about their ability to find, recruit, and retain qualified workers as the industry continues to rebound,” said Stephen Sandherr, the association’s CEO.

MMS Urges Adoption of Regulations Governing Licensure, Health IT
WALTHAM — The Mass. Medical Society recently urged the state Board of Registration in Medicine (BRM) to adopt a set of proposed regulations that would satisfy a statutory requirement that physicians demonstrate proficiency in health information technology as a condition of maintaining their license to practice medicine. Testifying before the BRM, society Vice President Dr. James Gessner said the requirement is a provision of Chapter 224, the state health-reform law on cost control and quality enacted in August 2012. Chapter 224 required the BRM to establish as a condition of licensure regulations that physicians “demonstrate proficiency in the use of computerized physician order entry, e-prescribing, electronic health records, and other forms of health-information technology, as determined by the board.” The law further specified that, to demonstrate such proficiency, physicians must establish the skills to comply with federal meaningful-use requirements for health information technology. The requirement takes effect Jan. 1, 2015. According to the Massachusetts eHealth Institute, however, only 15,000 physicians who practice in the state have met or are expected to meet federal meaningful-use requirements. The state currently licenses more than 40,000 physicians. “Most of the remaining physicians are, under the law, ineligible for meaningful-use incentives and could lose their license if this statute were interpreted to require meaningful use as a standard for licensure,” said Gessner, adding that this situation would severely affect patient access to care across the Commonwealth, as physicians are prohibited from practicing medicine without a license. “The board has been left to interpret this statutory requirement on its own in a logical manner that is productive and serves the interests of the public. The Massachusetts Medical Society strongly supports the proposed regulatory approach the board has taken in compiling a thoughtful way to implement this requirement.” Among the BRM’s proposals are a provision that applicants may demonstrate skills through their employment with, credentialing by, or contractual agreements with an eligible hospital or critical-access hospital with a federally certified meaningful-use program; by being either a participant or authorized user in the Massachusetts Health Information Highway; or by completing three hours of continuing medical education in electronic records and meaningful use. The BRM also proposed several exemptions from the requirement, including those not engaged in the practice of medicine, such as researchers; medical residents and interns who are experienced with electronic records; those holding an administrative license and not engaged in direct patient care; those with a volunteer license, as these physicians often provide care to the most vulnerable and needy patients; and those on active military duty called into service during a national emergency. Another provision has been proposed to allow physicians coming to Massachusetts who have never been exposed to such a requirement to have the opportunity to be licensed and complete the requirement either through their employment site or other categories after arrival. Gessner, while indicating that large numbers of physicians will be able to comply with the statutory requirement by participating in one of the proposed categories, also cautioned BRM members that, “should any of these categories be eliminated or substantially changed, the impact would be profound on physicians, patients, and the board itself to process such denials of licensure.”

Regional Children’s Hospitals Begin Clinical Collaboration 
 
SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Children’s Hospital and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center have launched a new collaboration addressing potential ways to improve access to high-quality and high-value healthcare for children in Western Mass. and Connecticut. The two organizations, which both provide high-level inpatient pediatric and neonatal care as well as comprehensive outpatient services for children and adolescents, will work together to determine whether they can increase the availability, sophistication, and coordination of pediatric services throughout the Connecticut River Valley, and collaborate with community pediatric providers to improve the overall health and wellness of children in the region. Both have been recognized by U.S. News and World Report among the top U.S. children’s hospitals. “We recognize that an opportunity exists to bring together the talent, vision, and expertise of some of the leading healthcare providers in Western and Southern New England,” said Dr. Fernando Ferrer, chief physician executive at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. “As the pediatric healthcare environment becomes more complex, the responsible approach is to consider what is in the best interests of our children and families. We are committed to working together with this in mind.” Added Dr. John Schreiber, chief physician executive of Baystate Health, “our two organizations have a lot in common: similar cultures of placing the patient at the very center of our focus and strong commitments to the health of our communities in the broadest sense. In these common traits, we see the foundations of a very successful collaboration.” Examples of areas where both organizations agree that a collaborative approach could improve access and quality of care include pediatric neurosurgery, ophthalmology, pulmonology, and urology, all areas where current provider shortages can make getting care difficult for patients and families. The proposed collaboration may extend beyond clinical-care delivery as the organizations will also jointly explore the potential for expansion of a new pediatric accountable-care organization (ACO) that is now being developed in Western Mass. by Baycare Health Partners, Baystate’s affiliated physician-hospital organization. The goal of an expanded children’s ACO will be to improve the coordination of care between pediatric primary-care providers, specialists, and hospitals throughout the Connecticut River Valley; support the continuing development and implementation of healthcare-quality measures specific to caring for children; and continue the paradigm shift in the provision of care, from treating children when they’re sick to focusing on keeping them well. Another area of potential will be developing research collaborations between the organizations in order to expedite discovery and treatment of pediatric conditions. Both facilities are Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

The Super 60

By
Sections Super 60
Program Marks 25 Years of Honoring the Top-performing Companies

Super60logoIt started a quarter-century ago.

The program was smaller — it was known as the Fabulous 50 back then — and was conceived as a fund-raising event for what is now the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS), and also as an opportunity to celebrate the top-performing companies that characterized the region’s diverse economy.

Along the way, it has become a fall tradition, and the phrase ‘Super 60 company’ has become a bragging right for businesses large and small, said ACCGS President Jeff Ciuffreda, as he referenced the class of 2014.

It will be celebrated on Nov. 14 at Chez Josef in Agawam, which has traditionally been sold out for the Super 60 luncheon, and should be this year as well.

And, as in the previous 24 years, the Super 60 lists are characterized by diversity — in a number of forms (see snapshots below). First, geographically. Nearly 20 cities and towns in Western Mass. are represented by the companies in the Total Revenue and Revenue Growth categories, including both the larger cities, such as Springfield, Holyoke, and Westfield, but also the smaller towns, such as Ware, Belchertown, and Southwick.

There’s also diversity in terms of the industrial sectors represented on those lists. There are winners from the financial-services sector, retail, manufacturing, education, healthcare, technology, service, distribution, construction, and the region’s large nonprofit realm. And there’s diversity in terms of size, with some of the region’s largest employers on the Total Revenue list, and some of its smaller rising stars on the Revenue Growth compilation.

Add it all up, and this year’s winners provide ample reason for optimism as the region continues to battle its way back from the prolonged recession that began in 2007.

“Small business is the backbone of our region,” said Ciuffreda, “and the success of this year’s winners is a clear indication that our regional economy is strong.”

This strength is reflected in the numbers posted by this year’s winners. The average revenue of the companies in the Total Revenue category exceeded $35 million, with combined revenue of more than $1 billion. Meanwhile, one-third of the companies in the Revenue Growth category posted growth in excess of 50%, with the average growth of all honorees in that category at more than 49%.

Topping the Total Revenue category is West Springfield-based Balise Motor Sales, which now boasts more than 20 facilities (new- and used-car dealerships, collision-repair shops, and car washes) in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Placing second is the Stavros Center for Independent Living, with NUVO Bank & Trust Co. placing third.

In the Revenue Growth category, Springfield-based City Enterprise Inc., a woman-owned commercial and residential builder, finished on top, followed by Troy Industries Inc. and Chemex Corp.

Also, 16 companies qualified for both categories. They include the Dennis Group, Gandara Mental Health, Joseph Freedman Co., Maybury Associates, M.J. Moran, Northeast Treaters, NUVO Bank & Trust Co., PC Enterprises (Entre Computer), Pioneer Valley Concrete Services, Premier Source Credit Union, Tighe & Bond, Troy Industries, Universal Plastics Corp., and Whalley Computer Associates. Each was placed in the category where it finished highest.

The winners will be saluted at the annual luncheon, which this year will feature Friendly Ice Cream President and CEO John Maguire as keynote speaker.

Maguire is credited with engineering a strong turnaround at the company, which began with a single shop in Springfield in 1935, grew into a regional powerhouse, but struggled through the ’90s and the first part of this century, eventually filing for bankruptcy.

The celebration luncheon is presented by Health New England and sponsored by Hampden Bank, Zasco Productions, and WWLP-TV22.

Reservations for the luncheon are required and can be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com or by e-mailing Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected]. Tickets are $50 for ACCGS members, $70 for non-members. The deadline for reservations is Nov. 7.

Fast Facts:

What: The Super 60 Luncheon
When: Nov. 14, 11:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Chez Josef, Agawam
Keynote Speaker: John Maguire, president and CEO, Friendly’s
For more Information: Visit www.myonlinechamber.com

TOTAL REVENUE

1. Balise Motor Sales
122 Doty Circle, West Springfield
(413) 733-8604
www.baliseauto.com
Jeb Balise, President and Dealer
Now one of the largest retailers of new and used automobiles in New England, Balise Motor Sales, which traces its roots back to 1929, operates more than 20 dealerships, collision-repair shops, and car washes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Brands sold and serviced include Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen. The company now employs more than 1,000 people at its various facilities.

2. Stavros Center for Independent Living
210 Old Farm Road, Amherst
(413) 256-0473
www.stavros.org
Jim Kruidenier, Director
The Stavros Center for Independent Living, founded in 1976, is one of the oldest independent-living centers in the country. It is the goal at Stavros to give people with disabilities the tools to take charge of their life choices, act on their own behalf, and overcome situations that reduce their potential for independence. The company operates three offices, in Amherst, Springfield, and Greenfield. Offerings include deaf and hard-of-hearing services, housing services, building services, options counseling, a transition-to-adulthood program, personal-care-attendant services, and many others.

3. Nuvo Bank & Trust Co. *
1500 Main St., Springfield
(413) 787-2700
www.nuvobank.com
Dale Janes, CEO
NUVO Bank is a locally owned, independent small-business bank located in downtown Springfield. NUVO provides loans, deposits, and cash-management services for personal-banking and business-banking needs.

The Assoc. for Community Living
220 Brookdale Dr., Springfield
(413) 732-0531
www.theassociationinc.org
Barbara Pilarcik, R.N., Executive Director
For 60 years, the Assoc. for Community Living has been creating opportunities, building relationships, and improving lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. The agency’s caring and experienced workforce empowers individuals with developmental disabilities to live with dignity, bringing fulfillment, community, and valuable relationships into their lives.

Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services Co.
330 Whitney Ave., Holyoke
(413) 374-5430
www.charteroakfinancial.com
Peter Novak, General Agent
A member of the MassMutual Financial Group, Charter Oak been servicing clients for 127 years. The team of professionals serves individuals, families, and businesses with risk-management products, business planning and protection, retirement planning and investment services, and fee-based financial planning.

City Tire Company Inc.
25 Avocado St., Springfield
(413) 737-1419
www.city-tire.com
Peter Greenberg, President
Brothers Peter and Dan Greenberg, the third generation of a family-owned business founded in 1927, have grown the business to 11 locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The company offers one-stop shopping for tires of all shapes and sizes and a full compliment of maintenance and repair services.

Commercial Distributing Co. Inc.
46 South Broad St., Westfield
(413) 562-9691
www.commercialdist.com
Richard Placek, Chairman
Founded in 1935 by Joseph Placek, Commercial Distributing Co. is a family-owned and -operated business servicing more than 1,000 bars, restaurants, and clubs, as well as more than 400 package and liquor stores. Now in its third generation, the company continues to grow through the values established by its founder by building brands and offering new products as the market changes.

The Dennis Group, LLC *
1537 Main St., Springfield
(413) 746-0054
www.dennisgrp.com
TOM DENNIS, CEO
The Dennis Group offers complete planning, design, architectural, engineering, and construction-management services. The firm is comprised of experienced engineering and design professionals specializing in the implementation of food-manufacturing processes and facilities.

Environmental Compliance Services Inc.
588 Silver St., Agawam
(413) 789-3530
www.ecsconsult.com
MARK HELLSTEIN, PRESIDENT AND CEO
For more than 25 years, ECS has specialized in environmental site assessments; testing for asbestos, lead, indoor air quality, and mold; drilling and subsurface investigations; and emergency-response management.

Gandara Mental Health Inc. *
147 Norman St., West Springfield
(413) 736-8329
www.gandaracenter.org
Dr. Henry East-Trou, CEO
Focusing on the Latino/Hispanic community, Gandara Center provides substance-abuse recovery, mental-health, and housing services for men, women, children, adolescents, and families throughout the Pioneer Valley.

Joseph Freedman Co. Inc. *
115 Stevens St., Springfield
(888) 677-7818
www.josephfreedmanco.com
John Freedman, President
Founded in 1891, the company provides industrial scrap-metal recycling, specializing in aluminum, copper, nickel alloys, and aircraft scrap, and has two facilities in Springfield — a 120,000-square-foot indoor ferrous facility, and a 60,000-square-foot chopping operation.

Kittredge Equipment Co. Inc.
100 Bowles Road, Agawam
(413) 304-4100
www.kittredgeequipment.com
Wendy Webber, President
Founded in 1921, Kittredge Equipment Co.is one of the nation’s leading food-service equipment and supply businesses. It boasts 70,000 square feet of showroom in three locations — Agawam, Williston, Vt., and Bow, N.H., making it the largest total showroom in New England, with in-stock inventory of equipment and smallware consisting of more than 7,000 different items. The company also handles design services, and has designed everything from small restaurants to country clubs to in-plant cafeterias.

Marcotte Ford Sales
1025 Main St., Holyoke
(800) 923-9810
www.marcotteford.com
BRYAN MARCOTTE, PRESIDENT
The dealership sells new Ford vehicles as well as pre-owned cars, trucks, and SUVs, and features a full service department. Marcotte has achieved the President’s Award, one of the most prestigious honors given to dealerships by Ford Motor Co., on multiple occasions over the past decade.

Maybury Associates Inc.*
90 Denslow Road, East Longmeadow
(413) 525-4216
www.maybury.com
John Maybury, President
Since 1976, Maybury Associates Inc. has been designing, supplying, and servicing all types of material-handling equipment throughout New England. Maybury provides customers in a wide range of industries with solutions to move, lift, and store their parts and products.

Northeast Treaters Inc./Chemical Wood Treaters *
201 Springfield Road, Belchertown
(413) 323-7811
www.ntreaters.com
David Reed, President
Northeast Treaters, founded in 1985 in Belchertown, is a manufacturer of pressure-treated lumber. In 1996, an additional facility was added in Athens, N.Y. to produce fire-retardant treated lumber.

Quabbin Wire & Cable Co. Inc.
10 Maple St., Ware
(413) 967-6281
www.quabbin.com
Paul Engel, President
Quabbin Wire & Cable Co. is a privately held corporation that manufactures a variety of thermoplastic shielded and unshielded cables that are sold through distribution. Cable applications and markets include local area networks (LANS), industrial LAN systems, telecommunications systems, control and Instrumentation, process-control interconnect, computer peripherals, low-capacitance data, point-of-sale equipment, sound and audio instrumentation, fire alarm and security systems, medical devices, and custom-designed signaling applications.

Rediker Software Inc.
2 Wilbraham Road, Hampden
(800) 213-9860
www.rediker.com
RICHARD REDIKER, PRESIDENT
Rediker software is used by school administrators across the U.S. and in more than 100 countries, and is designed to meet the student-information-management needs of all types of schools and districts.

Sarat Ford Lincoln
245 Springfield St., Agawam
(413) 789-5400
www.saratford.com
Jeff Sarat, President
Founded in 1929 by John Sarat Sr., Sarat Ford has become the largest Ford dealership in Western Mass., and today, grandson Jeff Sarat leads the company. The full-service dealership includes a state-of-the-art body shop, and a new, 10,000-square-foot expansion offers a 24-bay service center that houses a $1 million parts inventory featuring Ford, Motorcraft, Motorsport, and a variety of other specialty manufacturers.

Specialty Bolt & Screw Inc.
235 Bowles Road, Agawam
(413) 789-6700
www.specialtybolt.com
Kevin Queenin, President
Founded in 1977, Specialty Bolt & Screw (SBS) is a full-service solutions provider of fasteners, vendor-managed inventory (VMI) programs, and c-class commodities. Based in Agawam, it has locations in Valcourt, Quebec; Juarez, Mexico; Queretaro, Mexico; Rovaniemi, Finland; and Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Spectrum Analytical Inc.
11 Almgren Dr., Agawam
(413) 789-9018
www.spectrum-analytical.com
Hanibal Tayeh, CEO
For more than a decade, Spectrum Analytical Inc. has provided quantitative analysis of soil, water, and, more recently, air samples, as well as petroleum products. Consulting firms, industries, municipalities, universities, and the public sector are among the constituencies that make up the client list.

Springfield College
263 Alden St., Springfield
(413) 748-3000
www.springfieldcollege.edu
Mary-Beth Cooper, President
Founded in 1885, Springfield College is a private, independent, coeducational, four-year college offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs with its Humanics philosophy — educating students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.

Tighe & Bond Inc. *
53 Southampton Road, Westfield
(413) 562-1600
www.tighebond.com
David Pinsky, President
Having celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011, Tighe & Bond specializes in environmental engineering, focusing on water, wastewater, solid-waste, and hazardous-waste issues, and provides innovative engineering services to public and private clients around the country and overseas.

United Personnel Services Inc.
1331 Main St., Springfield
(413) 736-0800
www.unitedpersonnel.com
PATRICIA CANAVAN, PRESIDENT
United provides a full range of staffing services, including temporary staffing and full-time placement, on-site project management, and strategic recruitment in the Springfield, Hartford, and Northampton areas, specializing in administrative, professional, medical, and light-industrial staff.

University Products Inc.
517 Main St., Holyoke
(413) 532-3372
www.universityproducts.com
John Magoon, President
University Products is one of the nation’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of materials for conservation, restoration, preservation, exhibition, and archival storage. The company’s catalog includes thousands of paper and plastic enclosures, specialty tapes and adhesives, preservation framing supplies, and archival storage boxes. In addition, it distributes furnishings, tools, equipment, chemicals, and other materials that contribute to the field of preservation.

Valley Fibers Corp.
75 Service Center Road, Northampton
(413) 584-2225
www.yarn.com
Steve Elkins, CEO
Valley Fibers Corp., operating as Webs Amera’s Yarn Store, was founded in 1974, and ships products for knitters, weavers, and spinners in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, the continental U.S., and internationally. Products consist of all forms of natural and man-made fibers for clothing and accessories in addition to crochet accessories, tools, and more.

Valley Opportunity Council Inc.
35 Mount Carmel Ave., Chicopee
(413) 552-1554
www.valleyopp.com
Stephen Huntley, Executive Director
The Valley Opportunity Council (VOC) is the largest and most diverse community-action agency in the region. It has a network of support and collaborative services that include energy assistance, nutrition, early education and childcare, adult education, senior services, housing, money management, and transporation.

WestMass ElderCare Inc.
4 Valley Mill Road, Holyoke
(413) 538-9020
www.wmeldercare.org
Priscilla Chalmers, Executive Director
WestMass ElderCare is a private, nonprofit agency with a mission to “to preserve the dignity, independence, and quality of life of elders and disabled persons desiring to remain within their own community.” The agency offers a variety of services for elders, their families and caregivers, and persons with disabilities. Programs and services include supportive housing, home care, options counseling, adult family care, nutrition programs, adult foster care, and group adult foster care.

Whalley Computer Associates Inc. *
One Whalley Way, Southwick
(413) 569-4200
www.wca.com
JOHN WHALLEY, PRESIDENT
WCA is a locally owned family business that has evolved from a hardware resale and service group in the ’70s and ’80s into a company that now focuses on lowering the total cost of ownership of technology and productivity enhancement for its customers. Whalley carries name-brand computers as well as low-cost performance compatibles.

YMCA of Greater Springfield
275 Chestnut St., Springfield
(413) 739-6951
www.springfieldy.org
Kirk Smith, President and CEO
The YMCA of Greater Springfield, established in 1852, is the fourth-oldest Y in the world, second-oldest in the country, and third-oldest in North America only to Montreal and Boston. The Y provides services annually to more than 115,000 members, and the program participates in 14 cities and towns across the region. Facilities include the Downtown Springfield YMCA Family Center, the Scantic Valley YMCA Family Center in Wilbraham, the Agawam YMCA Wellness & Program Family Center, and the Dunbar YMCA Family & Community Center in Springfield.

* Indicates company qualifed in both categories

REVENUE GROWTH

1. City Enterprise Inc.
38 Berkshire Ave., Springfield
(413) 726-9549
www.cityenterpriseinc.com
Wonderlyn Murphy, president
City Enterprise Inc. offers skilled general-contracting services to the New England region. The company prides itself on custom design and construction of affordable, quality homes and the infrastructure surrounding each project.

2. Troy Industries Inc. *
151 Capital Dr.,
West Springfield
(866) 788-6412
www.troyind.com
Erhan Erden, president
Troy Industries is a leading U.S. government contractor that designs and manufactures innovative, top-quality small-arms components and accessories and complete weapon upgrades. Many iconic firearms manufacturers incorporate Troy products into their weapons, including Smith & Wesson, Sturm Ruger & Co., Viking Tactics, POF-USA, LaRue Tactical, LWRC International, Noveske, and HK Defense.

3. Chemex Corp.
11 Veterans Dr., Chicopee
(413) 331-4460
www.chemexcoffeemaker.com
Liz Grassy, president
The Chemex coffeemaker was invented in 1941 by Dr. Peter Schlumbohm. Made simply from non-porous, borosilicate glass and fastened with a wood collar and tie, it brews coffee without imparting any flavors of its own. Chicopee-based Chemex Corp., a family-owned company, manufactures Chemex coffeemakers, bonded filters, handblown water kettles, and accessories for worldwide distribution.

American Pest Solutions Inc.
169 William St., Springfield
(413) 781-0044
www.413pestfree.com
Robert Russell, president
For about a century, American Pest Solutions has been taking care of families and business owners to keep their properties free from ants, bedbugs, rodents, roaches, termites, and other harmful pest infestations. By utilizing products and pest-treatment solutions designed to minimize impacts on the surrounding environment, American takes an ecologically sensitive approach to pest control for the environmentally concerned client.

Boys & Girls Club Family Center Inc.
100 Acorn St., Springfield
(413) 739-4743
www.bgcafamilycenter.org
O’Rita Swan, executive director
The Boys & Girls Club Family Center, featuring a regulation-size gym, a full-size indoor swimming pool, and rooms where kids study and play, is devoted to the idea that children need a place where they are nurtured, protected, and loved. The center offers a variety of activities for children and teens, at all times of the day and early evening. Open year-round, its programs include a pre-school program, after-school program, teen drop-in program, and summer camp.

CanAm Fibers
100 State St., Ludlow
(413) 525-9018
www.canamfibers.net
Peter Meuiner, president
CanAm Fibers has established itself as a well-known and highly respected supplier of varied and specialty-grade paper products to export markets, particularly third-world countries, a segment that allows CanAm to offer domestic suppliers a feasible and economically advantageous avenue in which to dispose of excess material.

Convergent Solutions Inc.
9501 Post Office Park, Wilbraham
(413) 509-1000
www.convergentsolutions.com
Arlene Kelly, CEO
A healthcare billing solutions provider founded in 2006, Convergent Solutions provides hardware and software products that help eliminate human error in medical billing processes, thus helping bring down the cost of healthcare.

Dietz & Co. Architects Inc.
17 Hampden St., Springfield
(413) 733-6798
www.dietzarch.com
Kerry Dietz, CEO
Dietz & Co. provides a full range of architectural services in the public and private sectors, including work in housing, education, healthcare, commercial facilities, historic preservation, and sustainable projects. The firm seeks to bring the benefits of integrated design into all its projects, from individual buildings to entire neighborhoods.

FIT Solutions, LLC
25 Bremen St., Springfield
(413) 733-6466
www.fitsolutions.us
Jackie Fallon, president
Since 2004, FIT Solutions has been partnering with clients, from small-business owners who have only a few IT needs to large companies that have small IT departments, to provide the best candidates for a variety of IT positions. Serving both the Massachusetts and Connecticut markets, FIT Solutions determines the exact qualifications and skills needed, as well as the personality traits desired, in order to find candidates that fit an array of technology-based positions.

The Gaudreau Group
1984 Boston Road, Wilbraham
(413) 543-3534
www.gaudreaugroup.com
Jules Gaudreau, president
A multi-line insurance and financial-service agency established in 1921, the Gaudreau Group combines the traditional service philosophy of an agency with the talents of a dynamic marketing organization. With the expertise and resources that enable clients to respond to an ever-changing economic environment, the agency offers a broad range of insurance and financial products from basic life, home, and auto insurance to complex corporate services, employee benefits, and retirement plans.

GMH Fence Company Inc.
15 Benton Dr., East Longmeadow
(413) 525-3361
www.gmhfence.com
Glenn Hastie, owner
Serving the Western Mass. area for more than over 20 years, GMH Fence Co. is one of largest and most respected fence companies in the region. The fencing contractor offers quality service and fence installations from a selection of wood, aluminum, steel, and vinyl fencing that are durable and virtually trouble-free for residential, commercial, and industrial fencing requests.

Haluch Water Contracting Inc.
399 Fuller St, Ludlow
(413) 589-1254
Thomas Haluch, president
For 30 years, Haluch Water Contracting has served the region as a water-main construction and excavation contractor specializing in water, sewer, pipeline, and communications and power-line construction.

Hampden County Career Center / CareerPoint
850 High St., Holyoke
(413) 532-4900
www.careerpointma.com
David Gadaire, executive director
Since 1996, Hampden County Career Center Inc., d/b/a CareerPoint, has been serving the workforce and economic-development needs of individual job seekers, social-service agencies, and the business community throughout Hampden County and beyond. The center transforms the maze of complex, bureaucratic employment and training programs into one seamless service-delivery system for job seeking and employer customers alike.

Holyoke Community College Foundation Inc.
303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke
(413) 552-2546
www.hcc.edu/the-hcc-foundation
Erica Broman, executive director
The Holyoke Community College Foundation was created four decades ago to help the college meet the needs of the region’s citizens and workforce, by raising both funds and awareness and supporting programs and activities in keeping with the mission of the college.

Innovative Business Systems Inc.
161 Northampton St,. 
Easthampton
(413) 584-4274
www.for-ibs.com
Dave DelVecchio, president
For a quarter-century, IBS has provided information-technology solutions designed to meet the stated business objectives of its customers through a process-oriented, consultative approach, with services including exchange conversions, data-replication solutions, disaster recovery and business continuity, and much more.

Janice Yanni, DDS
180 Westfield St., West Springfield
(413) 739-4400
www.yanniorthodontics.com
Dr. Janice Yanni, owner
Dr. Janice Yanni specializes in orthodontic treatment for children, teens, and adults with offices in West Springfield as well as Tolland, Conn., using the latest in technology and a variety of treatment options, including Invisalign, Invisalign Express, Incognito, Six Month Smiles, and traditional braces.

M.J. Moran Inc. *
4 South Main St., Haydenville
(413) 268.7251
www.mjmoraninc.com
James Moran, CEO
The M.J. Moran company was formed in February of 1978 and has steadily grown in size. Services include plumbing, HVAC systems, process piping systems, high-pressure gas and steam systems, medical-gas systems, design/build services, and mechanical construction management. Repeat customers include Top Flite/Callaway Golf, Milton Bradley, Suddekor, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College, Eaglebrook School, Northfield Mount Hermon, and the Cooley Dickinson Hospital.


Market Mentors, LLC
1680 Riverdale St., West Springfield
(413) 787-1133
www.marketmentors.com
Michelle Abdow, principal
A full-service marketing firm, Market Mentors handles all forms of marketing, including advertising in all mediums, media buying, graphic design, public relations, and event planning.

Netlogix Inc.
181 Notre Dame St., Westfield
(413) 586-2777
www.netlgx.com
Marco Liquori, president
NetLogix offers a wide range of IT services, including equipment sales; managed network services and remote monitoring; network design, installation, and management; network security and firewalls; disaster-recovery and business-continuity services; VoIP; wi-fi; and more.

Northeast Security Solutions Inc.
33 Sylvan St.,
West Springfield
(413) 733-7306
www.northeastsecuritysolutions.com
George Condon, president
Northeast Security Solutions takes a unique, integrated approach to security by bringing together locks, access control, alarms, safes, camera systems, and door-replacement systems to enhance clients’ security.

O’Connell Professional Nurse Service Inc.
14 Bobala Road, Holyoke
(413) 533-1030
www.opns.com
Francis O’Connell, president
For more than two decades, O’Connell Professional Nurse Service has grown to deliver a range of home-health and staffing services across the Pioneer Valley. Services range from nursing care and geriatric healthcare management to advocacy and transportation.

Paragus Strategic IT
84 Russell St., Hadley
(413) 587-2666
www.paragusit.com
Delcie Bean IV, president
While still in high school, Delcie Bean founded Paragus IT in 1999, first under the name Vertical Horizons and then Valley ComputerWorks. Under the Paragus name, it has grown dramatically as an outsourced IT solution for area clients. From information technology solutions to CMR-17 compliance to EMR implementation, Paragus provides business computer service, computer consulting, information-technology support, and other proactive services to businesses of all sizes.

PC Enterprises / Entre Computer *
138 Memorial Ave., West Springfield
(413) 736-2112
www.pc-enterprises.com
Norman Fiedler, CEO
PC Enterprises, d/b/a Entre Computer, assists organizations with procuring, installing, troubleshooting, servicing, and maximizing the value of technology. In business since 1983, it continues to evolve and grow as a lead provider for many businesses, healthcare providers, retailers, and state, local, and education entities.

Pioneer Valley Concrete Service Inc. *
66 North Chicopee St., Chicopee
(413) 534-8171
Dan Smith, owner and president
Pioneer Valley Concrete Service is one of the largest open-shop concrete contractors in New England with experience in warehouse, industrial, institutional, foundation, flatwork, and mass concrete construction, with single-limit bonding capacity in excess of $12 million and aggregate bonding capacity in excess of $20 million, and more than 80 field personnel in addition to a fully staffed office.

Premier Source Credit Union *
232 North Main St.,
East Longmeadow
(413) 525-2002
premier-sourcecu.com
Bonnie Raymond, CEO and president
Premier Source Credit Union (formerly Kelko Credit Union) was founded in 1941 by the employees of Kellogg Envelope Co. Kelko merged with Twin Meadows Federal Credit Union in 2000, with Spalding Employees Credit Union in 2001, and with Embeco Credit Union (Hasbro Games) in 2006. Combining the resources of these credit unions has allowed it to continue providing personal attention, while expanding its products and services.

Topato Corp.
14 Industrial Parkway, Easthampton
www.topatoco.com
Jeffrey Rowland, president
Topato Corp. is a widely recognized online retailer of webcomic and related merchandise established around 2004 by artist Jeffrey Rowland. Its services are exclusively for established, original, independent Internet creators with a proven record of solid updates and a considerable existing audience.

Universal Plastics Corp. *
75 Whiting Farms Road, Holyoke
(800) 553-0120
www.universalplastics.com
Joseph Peters, CEO
Since 1965, Universal Plastics has been a leading force in the custom thermoforming industry. It specializes in precision custom thermoforming, a plastic-manufacturing process that converts a sheet of plastic into a highly detailed finished product with less tooling investment than other plastic molding processes.

V&F Auto Inc.
443 Springfield St, Agawam
(413) 789-2181
www.vfauto.com
Frank Palange, owner and president
Since 1988, V & F Auto Inc. has been a local, family-owned and -operated auto-repair center servicing Agawam and neighboring areas. As an approved AAA auto-service shop, its ASE-certified technicians have years of experience working on both domestic and import vehicles of all makes and models and can work with customers to find cost-effective repair and maintenance alternatives.

Valley Home Improvement Inc.
340 Riverside Dr.,
Florence
(413) 517-0158
www.valleyhomeimprovement.com
Steven Silverman, owner
Valley Home Improvement has specialized in home improvement, renovations, and remodeling service in Leeds, Hadley, Amherst, Sunderland, Florence, and Northampton since it was founded in 1991. Home-improvement and remodeling services include kitchen design, bathrooms, additions, sunrooms, screen porches, basement finishing, weatherization/insulation services, garages, and custom cabinetry and countertops.

Westside Enterprises Inc.
1004 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam
(413) 786-1414
www.westsideenterprises.com
Gary Mitchell, president
With a proven track record for project management and superior craftsmanship, Westside Enteprises is a general contractor offering project management, consulting/site management, project estimating, contract negotiations, quality-control management, subcontractor coordination, material purchasing and handling, site work, interior fit-up, and in-house craftsmen. Other specialties include all types of landscaping, retaining walls, snow removal, and emergency construction.

* Indicates company qualifed in both categories

Paragus Among ICIC and Fortune’s Inner City 100 Winners

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) and Fortune announced that Paragus Strategic IT was selected for the 2014 Inner City 100, a list of the fastest-growing inner-city businesses in the U.S.

This year, for the first time in the list’s 16-year history, the Inner City 100 consists of 10 fast-growing businesses from 10 industry categories: construction, manufacturing, professional services, food and beverage, retail, media and communications, software and information technology, transportation and logistics, healthcare and biotechnology, and arts, entertainment, and recreation. Applicants ranked according to revenue growth against their industry peers, as well as overall. Paragus Strategic IT ranked sixth in the software and information-technology category, and 35th overall on the list of 100.

The Inner City 100 program recognizes successful inner-city businesses and their CEOs as role models for entrepreneurship, innovative business practices, and job creation in America’s urban communities. Paragus Strategic IT, an outsourced IT-solutions business and a nonprofit that trains high-school students in IT, reported 2013 revenues of $3.54 million and a gross growth rate of 328% from 2009 to 2013. The full list of winners can be viewed at fortune.com.

The rankings for each company were announced at the Inner City 100 Awards on Oct. 16 in Boston. Preceding the awards celebration, winners attended a two-day small-business symposium designed exclusively for urban firms featuring business-management case studies presented by Harvard Business School professors, and peer-to-peer learning sessions led by CEOs of fast-growing firms.

The 2014 Inner City 100 winners represent a wide span of geography, hailing from 53 cities and 23 states. The winners grew at an average compound annual growth rate of 39% and an average gross growth rate of 336% between 2009 and 2013. Collectively, the top 100 inner-city businesses employ 8,276 people and created 5,119 new jobs between 2009 and 2013. Not only are the winners powerful job creators in their communities, they also help develop their employees — 73% provide business-skills training, and 69% provide professional-development training to all full-time employees.

“It’s important to recognize businesses like Paragus Strategic IT that are truly driving economic growth and job creation in America’s urban cores,” said Matt Camp, president of ICIC. “We believe that inner cities hold unique competitive advantages for business, and the success of these firms underscores that market opportunity.”

Lord Jeffery Inn Wins Sustainability Champion Award

By
Daily News

AMHERST — The Lord Jeffery Inn in Amherst has received the 2014 Sustainability Champion Award from Historic Hotels of America at the 2014 Awards of Excellence. The 2014 Annual Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner took place at the Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pa. on Oct. 2. The Lord Jeffery Inn is one of more than 250 hotels and resorts throughout the country that is recognized by Historic Hotels of America for preserving and maintaining its historic integrity, architecture, and ambience.

“We are delighted to honor the Lord Jeffery Inn in winning the Sustainability Champion Award,” said Larry Horwitz, executive director of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “This award-winning hotel represents the pinnacle of this distinct group of nominees in a number of categories. We give them congratulations and wish them best success.”

Award recipients were selected from nominees received from across America from historic hotels, historic-preservation supporters, and leadership from Historic Hotels of America. As the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels of America provides the recognition to travelers, civic leaders, and the global cultural, heritage, and historic travel market that member hotels are among the finest historic hotels across America.

“We are extremely honored to be recognized by Historic Hotels of America for our efforts to implement innovative green initiatives at the Lord Jeff while maintaining historic preservation,” said Robert Reeves, general manager of the Lord Jeffery Inn. “We are proud of the extensive, state-of-the-art green features throughout the facility that have dramatically improved energy efficiency and reduced the inn’s carbon footprint.”

The Lord Jeffery Inn is owned by the Amherst Inn Co., an affiliate of Amherst College. Waterford Hotel Group currently provides hotel management services for inn.

People on the Move

By
Departments People on the Move

Kamari Collins

Kamari Collins

Kamari Collins was recently appointed to the position of Dean of Academic Advising and Student Success at Springfield Technical Community College by the STCC board of trustees after serving as the college’s director of academic advising since 2011. Collins began his employment with the college in 2007 as an academic counselor. Prior to his employment with STCC, he served as the director of youth and education programs at the Urban League of Springfield for several years. Collins earned both his bachelor’s degree and his master’s degree with a concentration in organizational management and leadership from Springfield College. He was named one of BusinessWest magazine’s 40 Under Forty in 2009 and currently serves as a board member of the Children’s Study Home and Urban League of Springfield Inc. and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts education committee.
•••••
William Hart Jr.

William Hart Jr.

John Pucci

John Pucci

Fourteen lawyers from Bulkley Richardson were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America 2015. Bulkley Richardson had the most honorees of any law firm in Springfield, with 12 of its 14 selected lawyers based in its Springfield office. Two of the firm’s honorees were also named Springfield “Lawyer of the Year” in specific practice areas. William Hart Jr. was so honored in the category of trusts and estates, and John Pucci for criminal defense, white-collar. He was also recognized in the area of criminal defense, non-white-collar. The following Bulkley Richardson lawyers were also selected for the 2015 edition of Best Lawyers:
Peter Barry

Peter Barry

Michael Burke

Michael Burke

Mark Cress

Mark Cress

Francis Dibble Jr.

Francis Dibble Jr.

Daniel Finnegan

Daniel Finnegan

Robert Gelinas

Robert Gelinas

Kevin Maynard

Kevin Maynard

David Parke

David Parke

Melinda Phelps

Melinda Phelps

Donn Randall

Donn Randall

Ellen Randle

Ellen Randle

Ronald Weiss

Ronald Weiss

•Peter Barry: construction law;
• Michael Burke: medical-malpractice law (defendants); personal-injury litigation (defendants);
• Mark Cress: bankruptcy and creditor/debtor rights; insolvency and reorganization law; corporate law;
• Francis Dibble Jr.: bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation; litigation (anti-trust, labor and employment, securities);
• Daniel Finnegan: administrative/regulatory law; litigation (construction);
• Robert Gelinas: personal-injury litigation (defendants);
• Kevin Maynard: commercial litigation; litigation (banking and finance, construction);
• David Parke: corporate law;
• Melinda Phelps: medical-malpractice law (defendants); personal-injury litigation (defendants);
• Donn Randall: commercial litigation;
• Ellen Randle: family law; and
• Ronald Weiss: corporate law; mergers and acquisitions law; tax law.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as a definitive guide to legal excellence. Because it is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 52,000 leading attorneys cast almost 5.5 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
•••••
Robinson Donovan, P.C. announced that seven of its attorneys will be included in the 2015 edition of the prestigious national guide Best Lawyers in America. Robinson Donovan attorneys were included in a number of categories, with three lawyers earning additional Lawyer of the Year recognition for their practice area. Only one lawyer in each practice area in each community is eligible to be named Lawyer of the Year. The Robinson Donovan honorees include:
• Richard Gaberman: corporate law; real estate law, commercial; tax certiorari; tax law; trusts and estates (23rd consecutive year); Lawyer of the Year, real-estate law. Also previous Lawyer of the Year award for trusts and estates
• James Martin: franchise law, automobile dealerships; real-estate law, franchise
• Jeffrey McCormick: personal-injury litigation, automobile collision; catastrophic injury; civil litigation; ethics and professional responsibility; insurance; medical malpractice; premises liability; professional malpractice
• Carla Newton: family law; Lawyer of the Year, family law
• Nancy Frankel Pelletier: personal-injury law, defendants (10th consecutive year)
• Patricia Rapinchuk: employment law, management; litigation, labor and employment; Lawyer of the Year, employment law, management
• Jeffrey Roberts: corporate law; trusts and estates; also previous Lawyer of the Year award for trusts and estates
For more than 30 years, Best Lawyers has been regarded, by both the legal profession and the public, as the definitive guide to legal excellence in the U.S. The 2015 volume of Best Lawyers, the 21st edition, is based on a rigorous evaluation process that included thousands of clients, highly skilled lawyers, and law-firm representatives.
•••••
Tina Stevens

Tina Stevens

Tina Stevens has joined Greenfield Community College as an adjunct faculty member for the academic year. She will be teaching “Principles of Marketing,” an in-depth course covering the fundamental concepts of marketing, including the hands-on preparation of a marketing plan for a local business. Stevens is the principal and creative director of Stevens 470 in Westfield, a multi-channel marketing consultancy. With more than 20 years of experience growing the agency and working with a diverse mix of clients, she has real-world experience in developing and directing marketing plans. She focuses her attention on creating successful strategies for clients and executing those solutions throughout today’s marketing channels. Stevens attended Greenfield Community College and earned an associate degree in graphic design. She received her bachelor’s degree from Westfield State University and also has a master’s degree in advertising design from Syracuse University through its Independent Study Degree Program for working professionals in the creative industry.
•••••
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has selected UMass Amherst Professor James Kurose to serve as Assistant Director for its directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE). The three-year appointment begins in January 2015. Kurose is distinguished professor in UMass Amherst’s School of Computer Science, a position he has held since 2004. He has also served in a number of administrative roles, including chair of the department, interim dean, executive associate dean of the College of Natural Sciences, and senior faculty advisor to the vice chancellor for research and engagement. With Keith Ross, he co-authored the textbook Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, which is in its 6th edition. CISE’s mission is to promote the progress of computer and information science and engineering research and education and advance the development and use of cyber infrastructure; promote understanding of the principles and uses of advanced computer, communication, and information systems in support of societal priorities; and contribute to universal, transparent, and affordable participation in a knowledge-based society.
•••••
Attain Therapy + Fitness announced the hiring of Michael Fall, who will act as the facility Manager and treating Physical Therapist at the recently acquired facility at 65 Springfield Road in Westfield. Fall has been practicing orthopedic physical therapy for more than 30 years. He has owned, built, and subsequently sold two private practices in Connecticut. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Quinnipiac University in 1983, a master’s degree in orthopedic physical therapy in 1992, and his Ph.D. in biomechanics from the University of Connecticut in 2001. In 2013, he was accepted into the prestigious Gray Institute, where he completed two 40-week fellowship programs in applied and advanced applied functional science, and earned his fellowship in applied functional science.
•••••
Dr. Thomas Wadzinski has joined Dr. James Bell, Dr. Amy Pelletier, Dr. Hanna Awkal, and nurse practitioner Mary Andaloro on the provider staff at Fairview Pediatrics. Board-certified in general pediatrics and pediatric endocrinology, Wadzinski will be able to provide both primary-care and pediatric-endocrinology services to his patients. Wadzinski earned both his medical degree and his Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from UMass Medical School in Worcester, and completed his pediatric residency at Baystate Medical Center. He recently completed a pediatric-endocrinology fellowship at Baystate Medical Center, including service as an adjunct research assistant professor at UMass Amherst.

Seven Robinson Donovan Attorneys Named to ‘Best Lawyers’

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Robinson Donovan, P.C. announced that seven of its attorneys will be included in the 2015 edition of the prestigious national guide Best Lawyers in America.

Robinson Donovan attorneys were included in a number of categories, with three lawyers earning additional Lawyer of the Year recognition for their practice area. Only one lawyer in each practice area in each community is eligible to be named Lawyer of the Year. The Robinson Donovan honorees include:

• Richard Gaberman: corporate law; real estate law, commercial; tax certiorari; tax law; trusts and estates (23rd consecutive year); Lawyer of the Year, real-estate law. Also previous Lawyer of the Year award for trusts and estates

• James Martin: franchise law, automobile dealerships; real-estate law, franchise

• Jeffrey McCormick: personal-injury litigation, automobile collision; catastrophic injury; civil litigation; ethics and professional responsibility; insurance; medical malpractice; premises liability; professional malpractice

• Carla Newton: family law; Lawyer of the Year, family law

• Nancy Frankel Pelletier: personal-injury law, defendants (10th consecutive year)

• Patricia Rapinchuk: employment law, management; litigation, labor and employment; Lawyer of the Year, employment law, management

• Jeffrey Roberts: corporate law; trusts and estates; also previous Lawyer of the Year award for trusts and estates

For more than 30 years, Best Lawyers has been regarded, by both the legal profession and the public, as the definitive guide to legal excellence in the U.S. The 2015 volume of Best Lawyers, the 21st edition, is based on a rigorous evaluation process that included thousands of clients, highly skilled lawyers, and law-firm representatives.

March of Dimes Names HMC’s Megan Mayo Nurse of the Year

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — The March of Dimes Massachusetts Chapter and Holyoke Medical Center (HMC) have announced that Megan Mayo has been named the 2014 Nurse of the Year by the March of Dimes in the category of Labor and Delivery. This is the second consecutive year a Holyoke Medical Center nurse has received this elite distinction. The award was presented during a ceremony in Boston on Sept. 4.

“I was so surprised to win. There were nurses from all over the state,” said Mayo. “I am proud to serve the women and families of my community and honored to be given this award. I have spent my entire nursing career at HMC and can’t imagine being anywhere else.” Mayo will be honored at a reception at Holyoke Medical Center on Thursday, Sept. 25 in the hospital’s main lobby.

The awards program is a statewide event that recognizes exceptional nurses, creates awareness of professional excellence, and promotes the future of the nursing profession, while helping to advance the mission of the March of Dimes. The Nurse of the Year selection committee reviewed applications in the categories of Advanced Practice, Community Health, Public Health, Education, Neonatal, Nurse Researcher, Administration, Pediatric, Family Medicine, Women’s Health, Student Nurse, Maternal/Newborn, Labor and Delivery, and Anti-partum. More than 75 finalists emerged, and 17 were chosen to receive top honors.

Bauzá & Associates Joins Worldwide Partners

By
Daily News

ENFIELD, Conn. — Worldwide Partners Inc. (WPI) has added another partner to the world’s 8th-largest full-service ad-agency network and the world’s largest network of independent ad agencies, according to Al Moffatt, president and CEO of Worldwide Partners, headquartered in Denver.

Bauzá & Associates, headquartered in Enfield, Conn., specializes in multicultural marketing and is headed by principal and CEO Héctor Bauzá. Founded in 2003, the agency became an LLC in Massachusetts in 2005 and has a roster of clients including the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center of Dorchester, and the Connecticut Lottery.

“What makes us attractive to clients worldwide is that we’re comprised of innovative, progressive agencies across a full range of disciplines and industries,” Moffatt said. “We’re a collaborative, bottom-up network whereby the partner agencies own us rather than us owning them. We provide the resources and the global outreach to help our partners achieve greater profits and revenue while the partner agencies work together to build each other’s business and service clients locally, regionally, and internationally. We’re an efficient, international network that is built to succeed in today’s highly competitive and fragmented marketing environment. Each partner is hand-selected for its progressive and innovative approach. In short, we have the critical mass and skills of the agency conglomerates coupled with the flexibility of the independents. We’re very happy to have Bauzá & Associates join us.”

Added Bauzá, “we are honored to be a part of WPI’s tremendously successful network of independent agencies. As a smaller agency, the added muscle from WPI will help to increase the size of the projects Bauzá & Associates will compete for and expand this agency’s reach to regional, national, and global markets.”

Worldwide Partners Inc., which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2013, has more than 20 network-wide regional and international clients, including Wal-Mart Centroamerica, Caterpillar, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Group Santander, MINI, Western Digital, California Tourism, and Novartis. Partner firms have over 4,000 employees and have expertise in more than 90 product and service categories.

Fighting Back

By
Health Care Sections
Task Force Takes on State’s Daunting Addiction Problem

Dr. Robert Roose

Dr. Robert Roose says Massachusetts residents struggling with opiate addiction are also, in many cases, struggling with long waiting times for treatment.

Tough problems require bold solutions, and opiate addiction has become a tougher problem than ever before in Massachusetts.

Responding to a troubling rise in drug addiction in the Commonwealth over the past decade, Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration convened a task force earlier this year to come up with solutions. The recommendations are plentiful, and time will tell how effective implementation will be.

“I think it’s very appropriate to characterize this as an opiate addiction crisis,” said Dr. Robert Roose, chief medical officer, Addiction Services, for the Sisters of Providence Health System. “Government and media and other parties who have described opiate addiction as an epidemic are making an honest assessment of what this region and others have been dealing with for a number of years. And we have not seen potentially the worst of the consequences of this crisis.”

One problem the task force sought to address was a shortage of treatment options in the Bay State, where an estimated 120,000 people are addicted to opiates, and roughly two deaths every day are attributed to overdoses — while perhaps 100,000 of those people either cannot access limited treatment resources, or are not trying.

“Everyone is trying to keep up with the current demand for treatment,” Roose noted. “I would say, at this point, patients struggling with opiate misuse are also struggling with longer waiting times to get into treatment programs, and that puts people’s lives at risk.”

The task force’s recommendations (more on those later) encompass strategies for expanding treatment access and boosting educational efforts, but also altering how the insurance industry and correctional system handle addiction, among other goals.

The coalition of more than 35 stakeholders — representing municipalities, hospitals, insurers, social services, and other entities — worked with families, the Department of Mental Health, and a host of organizations to develop a set of recommendations designed to improve the Commonwealth’s opiate-abuse prevention and treatment systems, prevent further misuse and addiction, increase the number of people seeking treatment, and support individuals recovering from addiction.

“These actions will help enhance our network of treatment and recovery services to help communities and families struggling with addiction,” Patrick said. “I hope this work results in more families talking openly about issues of addiction in order to spark the process of healing and recovery.”

Roots of a Strategy

What would become known as the state’s Opioid Task Force stemmed from Patrick’s declaration in March of a public-health emergency in regard to opiate addition. The task force, chaired by Cheryl Bartlett, commissioner of the state Department of Public Health (DPH), was charged with developing policy recommendations to strengthen the Commonwealth’s response to this crisis. The task force eventually made recommendations in several categories, including:

• Expanding and streamlining access to services. In order to meet the escalating demand for treatment, ensure a comprehensive continuum of care, and facilitate access to coordinated care, the DPH intends to expand community-based and residential treatment programs for underserved populations, including adolescents, young adults, and families with children.

• Enhancing opiate education. The DPH will launch a statewide awareness campaign for youth and parents to promote more openness and public dialogue about issues of addiction and recovery. The Commonwealth will also work on strategies to enhance education for medical professionals on best practices in identifying and treating individuals struggling with opiate addiction.

• Addressing insurance practices. The DPH and the Division of Insurance, in consultation with the Health Policy Commission, will conduct a comprehensive review of insurance coverage for opiate addiction treatment. The agencies will consult with clinical experts to develop minimum criteria for opiate abuse and addiction treatment services that will be considered medically necessary for all patients. The task force found that gaps in coverage were impacting services for individuals in need.

• Expanding correctional-system treatment. The Commonwealth will work to provide individuals with enhanced support and treatment for drug addiction when they leave correctional facilities and integrate back into society.

• Expanding peer-support networks. The Patrick administration will work with communities to expand peer support networks comprised of individuals in recovery who provide guidance to those navigating pathways out of addiction.

Patrick also met in June with other New England governors at Brandeis University to discuss a regional response to the opiate epidemic.

Roose noted that he worked in addiction treatment in New York City for a couple of years, and he sees parallels with Western Mass. in how addiction isn’t just entrenched in urban areas, like Springfield and Holyoke, but has spread into other communities, which don’t always have the infrastructure to deal with it.

“It was a bold move by the Legislature to create a task force, and they put forth some strong, bold recommendations, which will hopefully make an immediate — but lasting — impact,” he told BusinessWest. “Recovery is a lifelong process, and treating addiction is something done over time. I expect we’ll be dealing with this for many years to come.”

John McGahan, a task-force member and president of the Gavin Foundation in Boston, said the task force’s approach “addresses a public-health crisis without compromising public safety and … supports communities, families, and the people seeking recovery.”

From Drugstore to Street

The education component of the task force’s recommendations is especially important, considering how subtlely many individuals become addicted, as Roose noted.

“There have been different studies that looked into this, and they reinforce what had become a common understanding, which was that a general overprescribing of prescription painkillers, starting in the ’90s, led to a dramatic increase in access to painkillers and opiates. And many people developed physical dependence because of this increased availability. These include young people and teenagers who began experimenting with prescription painkillers.”

John Morello says the roots of the problem run deeper than young people discovering their parents’ painkillers in the medicine cabinet. A Worcester-based actor and writer who performs Dirt, a one-man show about substance abuse and choices, in schools and colleges across the U.S., Morello said a culture that has become more welcoming to the idea of pills as a solution to problems has helped grease the skids toward higher rates of addiction among young people.

“I think one of the biggest things I’ve noticed is how medicated most students are these days, and how it is a direct reflection of the medicating of their parents,” he said. “We have a generation that has been overmedicated by painkillers and anti-depressants, having children and then being told that their kids have ADHD and need to be medicated.

“No matter what school I go to — maybe more, though, in wealthy areas or private schools — I see kids being medicated for academic performance,” he went on. “I don’t know if it’s because parents and communities are buying into this whole idea that ‘our children are falling behind, and we as a nation need to keep up with China and India,’ or maybe it’s just plain fear, or maybe they truly do want what’s best for their kid and are not getting any other answers besides some anecdotal reports on afternoon talk shows and a prescription from the pediatrician.”

The numbers at some schools are startling, said Morello, recalling a relaxed chat he had with about 25 or 30 students after one of his shows. When the subject of prescription drugs came up, more than half the students said they were on some sort of behavioral prescription, and the ones on Ritalin or ADHD medications had bought into the idea that the pills were helping them be successful students.

“So, there is this overarching message that to fix things, we take a pill,” he continued. “Of course, I question the whole premise most of the time because I don’t even think that what they’re ‘fixing’ is even broken half the time.”

Whatever the reasons for increasing numbers of addicts, it’s not hard to understand how a significant number of those people have moved from the medicine cabinet to the street, where a hit of heroin is typically $10, compared to $30 for one dose of Oxycontin, Morello noted.

“We are seeing the effects of young people who tried painkillers, became addicted to them, and transitioned to heroin,” Roose said. “There’s very clear evidence that, as the number of opiate prescriptions increased over the last two decades, so did the number of treatment admissions and the number of opiate-overdose deaths. As the medical community and others recognized this was a problem, the subsequent decrease in prescribing them led many already addicted to switch to heroin, which has always been readily available.”

Added Morello, “what happens when the patient cannot afford the FDA-approved and legalized habit that was created and nurtured in him by prescriptions since childhood? He or she will either break the habit or find a way to feed it that they can afford.”

Bottom Line

The task force’s recommendations are aimed, at least in part, at breaking those habits, but no one is saying it will be easy.

In fact, Roose said some addicts simply aren’t willing to seek help, and perhaps the best way to reach them is through programs that educate people about safer injection practices and overdose prevention.

“Heroin dependence brings additional risks, including complications that arise from injection use, which sometimes lead to more dramatic social and economic consequences for individuals, families, and the community,” he said. “The good news is that we have treatment — treatment that works — for addiction, but we’re behind the 8-ball, coping with the increased demand.”

Bartlett said the task force wants to expand on a strong, if overextended, treatment system in Massachusetts, and to create a national model for recovery. Roose, who works for a health system with a broad range of inpatient and outpatient addiction-treatment services, knows the battle is only beginning.

“Despite increasing capacity over the past year,” he said, “we’re still coping with the same demand the state is experiencing. It’s a problem.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook Departments

Baystate Announces Leadership Appointments, New Name for Wing
SPRINGFIELD — With the change of Wing Memorial Hospital’s parent company from UMass Memorial Health Care to Baystate Health expected to take place on Sept. 1, Baystate Health announced leadership appointments for its Eastern Region and a new name for the Palmer hospital: Baystate Wing Hospital. As of Sept. 1, Dr. Charles Cavagnaro III, now president and CEO of Wing Memorial Hospital, will be appointed president of Baystate Health’s Eastern Region, which is comprised of Baystate Mary Lane Hospital, Baystate Wing Hospital, and the employed medical practices and medical centers in that region. As he assumes this leadership position, Cavagnaro has appointed Dr. Shafeeq Ahmed chief operating officer of Baystate Health’s Eastern Region. Ahmed will also continue in his role as chief medical officer of Baystate Mary Lane Hospital and Baystate Medical Practices Eastern Region. As president of the region, Cavagnaro will provide strategic, executive, and operational leadership for the two hospitals there, which provide inpatient medical, surgical, gynecological, and behavioral-health services; emergency services; as well as a range of primary-care and other outpatient services for about 80,000 people in that region. He will report to Dennis Chalke, senior vice president of Baystate Health Community Hospitals and senior vice president and chief financial officer of Baystate Health. Cavagnaro has served as president and CEO of Wing Memorial Hospital and Medical Centers for the past 15 years. Before that, he was Wing’s vice president of Medical Affairs. In 2013, he served as interim president of UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. Amid a challenging financial environment, Cavagnaro and his team have led Wing to serve a greater number of patients, add hospital beds, and increase the depth and breadth of services in its health centers and outpatient practices. The hallmark of his leadership is a focus on quality and safety that led to an ‘A’ safety rating for Wing from Leapfrog Group and Top Performer status from the Joint Commission on core accountability measures. Cavagnaro is a board-certified primary-care internist in Belchertown and sees patients on a weekly basis. He is a Six Sigma and Lean Green Belt in healthcare quality-improvement processes. Cavagnar completed his residency in internal medicine at UMass Medical Center and is a graduate of Cornell University Medicine College in New York City. He is a member of the American College of Physician Executives and the American College of Healthcare Executives, and a fellow of the American College of Physicians. He was a founding member of the American Academy of Hospice Physicians, which is now known as the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He has served as a medical examiner for District IV of Hampshire County, and as a member of the board of directors of the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the Red Cross. He presently serves on the American Hospital Assoc. Regional Policy Board for the New England Region. Ahmed was recently named one of ‘100 Hospital and Health System Chief Medical Officers to Know’ by Becker’s Hospital Review. Prior to his arrival at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital, Ahmed had served as president of the medical staff, chief of Ob/Gyn, and a member of the hospital board of directors at the Naval Hospital in Cherry Point in North Carolina. Ahmed is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist at Baystate Medical Practices – Mary Lane Ob/Gyn in Ware, and sees patients on a weekly basis.
 Over the next several months, Cavagnaro and Ahmed will be working together as part of a larger, broadly experienced team to develop the integration strategy for Baystate Health’s Eastern Region. The name Baystate Wing Hospital aspires to honor the hospital’s more-than-100-year history, and recognize the vision and contributions of the Wing family and the countless others who have contributed their time, talents, and money to making Wing the strong community health provider it is today, while also celebrating Wing’s new affiliation with Baystate Health.

Springfield College Named College of Distinction
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College has again been identified as a 2014-15 College of Distinction for providing an innovative, teacher-centered undergraduate education with a strong record of preparing its graduates for real-world success. Colleges of Distinction is a college guide that for the last 15 years has recognized colleges it determines to be the best places to learn, grow, and succeed. The goal of Colleges of Distinction is to provide students, counselors, and parents with information about such schools. Colleges of Distinction describes schools that take a holistic approach to admissions decisions, consistently excel in providing undergraduate education, and have a national reputation. It also gives students, counselors, and parents an unbiased look at the college-admissions process. Colleges of Distinction looks at the myths surrounding college admissions, provides tools for self-assessment, and provides insights from college-admissions professionals, high-school counselors, students, and parents. Founded in 1885, Springfield College is known worldwide for the guiding principles of its Humanics philosophy — educating students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others. The college offers a range of undergraduate- and graduate-degree programs in the fields of health sciences, human and social services, sport management and movement studies, education, business, and the arts and sciences. It also offers doctoral programs in physical education, physical therapy, and counseling psychology. The college is ranked in the 2014 edition of Best Colleges in the top tier of “Best Regional Universities — North Region” by U.S. News Media Group, and is designated as a premier Leadership Development Center by the YMCA of the USA. More than 5,000 traditional, non-traditional, and international students study at its main campus in Springfield and its School of Human Services campuses across the country.

NBSB Cuts Ribbons in Ware, East Brookfield, and Three Rivers Village
NORTH BROOKFIELD — North Brookfield Savings Bank recently held ribbon-cutting events at its Ware, West Brookfield, and Three Rivers Village of Palmer branches. The events took place following the bank’s merger with FamilyFirst Bank in June. “North Brookfield Savings Bank is honored to be a part of these great communities and hopes to make a positive impact for businesses and individuals for years to come,” said NBSB President and CEO Donna Boulanger. “We look forward to being ‘where it’s at’ for specially tailored financial products and services, the best customer service, community support, and fun community events.” The ribbon cuttings drew current and prospective members of the Massachusetts Legislature. State Rep. Todd Smola attended the event at the Three Rivers Village branch, state Senate candidate Mike Valanzola attended the event at the Ware branch, and state Sen. Stephen Brewer and state Rep. Anne Gobi attended the East Brookfield branch ribbon cutting. In addition to carrying the North Brookfield Savings Bank name, the three new NBSB branches feature state-of-the-art banking for residents and businesses alike, while renovations to the 40-44 Main St., Ware branch will begin shortly to provide more cutting-edge banking services and access to the business bankers at the NBSB Business Center.

Advance Welding Relocates to Springfield
WEST SPRINGFIELD — After more than 36 years of doing business in West Springfield, Advance Welding will relocate to Brookdale Drive in Springfield on Sept. 2. “As our capabilities and customer base continue to grow, this move will improve our ability to process our customers’ work,” said Advance Welding President Christopher Kielb. The company is a provider of metal-joining services to the commercial, marine, nuclear, medical, aerospace, and defense industries. Its operations and management team will remain the same. The new address is 150 Brookdale Dr., and the phone number will remain (413) 734-4544.

Country Bank Contributes $14,500 to Local Schools
WARE — Country Bank surprised 29 local schools that participate in the bank’s Savings Makes Sense School Banking Program with $500 gift cards to Staples. Each school received the donation to help cover the cost of back-to-school supplies. “We know how difficult it is for the schools to have the supplies they need when budgets become tight,” said Jodie Gerulaitis, financial education officer for Country Bank. “They are truly so grateful and appreciative of this gift.” It is reported that teachers annually spend about $250 of their own money to purchase items for their classrooms. Country Bank wanted to help teachers who do so much for their students. Country Bank serves Central and Western Mass. with 15 offices in Ware, Palmer, Brimfield, Belchertown, Ludlow, Wilbraham, Paxton, Charlton, Leicester, and West Brookfield.

PeoplesBank Supports Women Business Owners
HOLYOKE — In support of the growth and success of women business owners, PeoplesBank is partnering with WomenUpFront to host a monthly, ongoing roundtable for women who have ownership and leadership responsibility and want to grow toward $1 million in annual revenue. The WomenUpFront Roundtable provides a learning forum for owners to get out of the weeds of the day-to-day routine and look at their businesses more purposefully and strategically. The objective of the roundtable is to help accelerate women entrepreneurs transition their businesses to the next level and place their companies in a better strategic position to access new opportunities and continue to prosper. The roundtable offers a curriculum designed for the small-business owners and will begin in September. For more information on WomenUpFront and membership criteria, contact Cathy Crosky at [email protected] or (413) 822-1263.

Berkshire Bank Wins Communicator Awards
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank has received two Communicator Awards from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA). The bank received 2014 Silver Awards of Distinction in two categories, Commercials – Banks and Annual Report – Corporation. Each year, AIVA receives more than 6,000 entries from across the U.S. and around the world, making the Communicator Awards the largest and most competitive awards program honoring creative excellence for communications professionals. Berkshire’s television commercial for banks recognized by the Communicator Awards was its “Life Is Exciting. Let Us Help” spot developed by Berkshire Bank’s marketing department. The bank’s second Silver Award of Distinction from the Communicator Award was for its 2013 annual report. Founded in 1994, the Communicator Awards are judged and overseen by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, an organization of more than 600 leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media.

People on the Move

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Departments People on the Move

Ralph Abbott Jr

Ralph Abbott Jr

John Glenn

John Glenn

Timothy Murphy

Timothy Murphy

Jay Presser

Jay Presser

Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., an employment-law firm serving the Greater Springfield area, announced that four of the firm’s partners — Ralph Abbott Jr., John Glenn, Timothy Murphy, and Jay Presser — were listed in 2015 edition of Best Lawyers in America. In addition, Murphy was named the Best Lawyers 2015 litigation, labor and employment Lawyer of the Year in Springfield. Those honored as Lawyer of the Year have received particularly high ratings in surveys by earning a superior level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity. Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. More than 52,000 leading attorneys cast more than 5.5 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.
• Abbott has been listed in Best Lawyers in the categories of arbitration; employment law, management; labor law, management; and mediation. He has been a partner at the firm since 1975 and is known throughout the legal community for his work representing management in labor relations and employment-related matters, providing employment-related advice to employers, assisting clients in remaining union-free, and representing employers before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Abbott also has numerous credits as an author, editor, and teacher and a record of civic and community involvement. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers every year since 1989.
• Glenn has been listed in Best Lawyers in the categories of arbitration; employment law, management; and labor law, management. He has been a partner of the firm since 1979 and has spent his career representing management in labor relations and employment-related matters. In addition to providing employment-related advice to employers, he assists clients in remaining union-free and represents employers before the NLRB. He has extensive experience negotiating collective-bargaining agreements and representing employers at arbitration hearings and before state and federal agencies. Prior to joining Skoler, Abbott & Presser, Glenn was employed by the NLRB in Cincinnati. He has served as an adjunct professor of Labor Law at Western New England University School of Law and is a member of the American Academy of Hospital Attorneys. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers every year since 1995.
• Murphy has been listed in Best Lawyers in the categories of employment law, management; labor law, management; and litigation, labor and employment. He joined Skoler Abbott after serving as general counsel to an area labor union and as an assistant district attorney for the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office. His practice includes labor relations and employment litigation, as well as employment counseling. A native of the Springfield area, Murphy is a graduate of the Western New England University School of Law. He has also taught courses in employment law at WNEU. He is a frequent contributor to business and human-resource publications and a contributing author to the Massachusetts Employment Law Letter. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers every year since 2013.
• Presser has been listed in Best Lawyers in the categories of employment law, management; labor law, management; and litigation, labor and employment. He has more than 35 years of experience litigating employment cases and has successfully defended employers in civil actions and jury trials and handled cases in all areas of employment law, including discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, wage hour, FMLA, ERISA, and defamation. He has won appeals before the Supreme Judicial Court and the First and Second Circuit Courts of Appeals, and represented employers in hundreds of arbitration cases arising under collective-bargaining agreements. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers every year since 1991.
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Robert Belitz

Robert Belitz

Tighe & Bond, a civil and environmental engineering consultant, has appointed Robert Belitz its Chief Financial Officer. In this role, he will direct Tighe & Bond’s financial operations and priorities, as well as contribute to growth strategies consistent with the firm’s continued expansion in the marketplace. Belitz, who will provide financial management from the firm’s Westfield office, is a certified public accountant and executive with more than 25 years of corporate finance and accounting experience in professional services. He previously has served as the chief financial officer, corporate controller, and vice president of Finance for firms such as Malcolm Pirnie, Arcadis U.S., and the Hunter Roberts Construction Group. He also provided senior management for the public accounting firms of Ernst and Young LLP and KPMG LLP in New York. His prior responsibilities have included oversight and management of all financial functions, as well as developing and implementing financial plans and processes to achieve strategic and operational objectives. “Bob’s wealth of experience in our industry, and his proven ability to successfully direct financial operations, is instrumental to Tighe & Bond’s accelerating growth,” said David Pinsky, president and CEO of Tighe & Bond. “We’re thrilled that he has joined us as Tighe & Bond’s first chief financial officer.” Belitz, who earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Muhlenberg College, is a member of the New York State Society of CPAs and the Construction Financial Management Assoc. He also has participated in various finance forums with the Environmental Financial Consulting Group, Ernst and Young, the American Council of Engineering Companies, and the Design Finance Officers Group. Founded in 1911, Tighe & Bond is one of the most experienced engineering firms in New England, with offices in Pocasset, Westfield, and Worcester, Mass.; Middletown and Shelton, Conn.; and Portsmouth, N.H. With a team of more than 250 employees, Tighe & Bond provides engineering and environmental services for clients in government, industry, healthcare, education, real-estate, energy, and water/wastewater markets.
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Radius Financial Group Inc., a leading private mortgage lender in New England, has announced the addition of Kate Crogan as a Loan Officer in its West Springfield branch. Crogan brings three years of experience in mortgage lending. Most recently, she was a customer-service representative before being promoted to financial-services representative at TD Bank in Chicopee, where she was responsible for first and second mortgages, insurance, and annuities. She is currently studying business at Western New England University.
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Keith Minoff

Keith Minoff

Keith Minoff was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America 2015 in the fields of commercial litigation and corporate law. Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. More than 52,000 leading attorneys cast more than 5.5 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Minoff specializes in business litigation and employment law. His law office is located in downtown Springfield.
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Paul Fortin

Paul Fortin

Northeast IT Systems Inc. announced the addition of Paul Fortin to its team. Fortin will be joining Joel Mollison and Brian Sullivan as a Desktop Support Specialist. In that role, Fortin is able to implement cloud-based backup systems, reduce downtime of equipment, and increase speed of repairs for clients. With this new addition, Northeast IT Systems will be able to continue its pattern of steady growth and provide solutions to a broad range of clients.
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Brattleboro Retreat President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Robert Simpson Jr., has been named by Behavioral Healthcare magazine as a 2014 Behavioral Healthcare Champion along with four other leaders in the field of mental health from across the nation. The 2014 champions were selected from outstanding nominees across the country who, according to the magazine, are making a difference in the development, delivery, and effectiveness of mental healthcare services. “True leaders create lasting impact, and our 2014 Behavioral Healthcare Champions all have an eye on the future,” said Julie Miller, editor in chief of Behavioral Healthcare magazine. “Their drive to find new and more effective ways to serve their clients is reflected not just in their own organizations’ success, but also in the progress they’ve witnessed in their communities.” The 2014 Behavioral Healthcare Champions are profiled in the July/August 2014 issue of Behavioral Healthcare magazine and were recognized at a special ceremony during the National Conference on Addiction Disorders (NCAD) and the co-located Behavioral Healthcare Leadership Summit, which was held in St. Louis on Aug. 22-26.  Simpson’s many achievements since becoming the Retreat’s CEO in November 2006 are discussed in-depth in the above-mentioned profile. Among those achievements are a complete revamp of the hospital’s admissions process that replaced a multi-channel system of patient access with a streamlined, single-access point that makes access to the Retreat’s numerous programs easier and more dignified for patients. Under Simpson’s watch, the retreat has successfully launched four specialty clinical services designed to better meet the psychiatric and addiction treatment needs of distinct populations that are typically underserved. They are the Adult Inpatient Program for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender; the Emerging Adult Inpatient Program for young adults ages 18 to 26; the Uniformed Service Program, a partial-hospital program designed to meet the unique needs of law enforcement, firefighters, corrections officers, military personnel, and first responders suffering from PTSD and other duty-related issues including addiction to alcohol and other drugs, major depression, and domestic violence; and the Mind Body Pain Management Clinic, a treatment alternative for people experiencing chronic pain that utilizes biofeedback, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness, and mindful movement in place of typical treatments such as medication and surgery.
During Simpson’s tenure, the Retreat has experienced tremendous growth, having increased its number of staffed beds from an average of 50 in 2006 to an average of 122 in 2014. During the same time, the Brattleboro Retreat has doubled its number of employees from approximately 400 to more than 800.

Berkshire Bank Wins Two 2014 Communicator Awards

By
Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank has received two Communicator Awards from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA). The bank received 2014 Silver Awards of Distinction in two categories, Commercials – Banks and Annual Report – Corporation. Each year, AIVA receives more than 6,000 entries from across the U.S. and around the world, making the Communicator Awards the largest and most competitive awards program honoring creative excellence for communications professionals.

Berkshire’s television commercial for banks recognized by the Communicator Awards was its “Life Is Exciting. Let Us Help” spot developed by Berkshire Bank’s marketing department. The animated spot features Berkshire Bank’s spokesperson, banking-services endorser, and nine-time national champion and Hall of Fame basketball coach Geno Auriemma, as the voiceover. The spot was broadcast throughout New England and New York in support of Berkshire Bank’s “Life Is Exciting” campaign in which the institution targeted consumers to help them find and fund their exciting moments. Berkshire Bank’s second Silver Award of Distinction from the Communicator Award was for its 2013 annual report.

Founded in 1994, the Communicator Awards are judged and overseen by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, an organization of more than 600 leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media.

History Lessons

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Sections Travel and Tourism

The Big E Continues to Be an Economic Engine

Eastern States Exposition CEO Gene Cassidy and the man who inspires his work, fair founder Joshua Brooks.

Eastern States Exposition CEO Gene Cassidy and the man who inspires his work, fair founder Joshua Brooks.

Joshua L. Brooks was a man who got things done. And Gene Cassidy, CEO of the Eastern States Exposition, doesn’t let anyone forget it, hanging a large portrait of Brooks, the fair’s founder, at the front of the conference room where he meets with his staff.

“Mr. Brooks was concerned about agriculture,” Cassidy told BusinessWest. “He was an industrialist, but he saw that agriculture was losing ground in New England at the turn of the last century, with so much agriculture being produced out of the Midwest and South Central estates. So he established the Eastern States Agricultural and Industrial Exposition.”

Specifically, he got the National Dairy Show to move its annual event from Chicago to West Springfield in 1916, but only after he transformed a bare plot of land into a property where the expo could be staged.
“There’s a great story of how he capitalized the fairgrounds and got people to donate incredible sums of money,” said Cassidy, citing, as an example, the night of Feb. 1, 1914, when a major blizzard hit the Pioneer Valley. A fund-raiser was scheduled for that night, and Noyes Fisk, owner of Fisk Tire Co. in Chicopee — which later became Uniroyal — was given the responsibility of raising $750,000. “Even in that blizzard, with limited attendance, he was able to raise $450,000. That was the initial capital providing resources to build these facilities, including A Barn, B Barn, and C Barn.”

All three of those barns, including several other structures built in the early years of the fair, still stand today, while the fairgrounds has added many others over the years. More importantly, however, the fair — its name eventually shortened to the Eastern States Exposition and known colloquially as the Big E — has built a nearly century-old legacy that’s measured by more than its impressive regional economic impact (more on that later).

“The impact of Eastern States is dramatic, and it’s important to the region,” said Cassidy, who joined the Big E 20 years ago as chief financial officer and took the reins from longtime CEO Wayne McCary. Cassidy’s first two fairs as CEO set records for attendance, but he has been equally successful with another mission: bringing the expo’s history to life, partly by decorating the expo’s offices with dozens of posters, documents, and artifacts from the past 98 years, including more than one celebrating the work of the man he respectfully calls Mr. Brooks.

“Since I became CEO, my goal has been to reconnect and resurrect, if you will, the spirit of our founder, Mr. Brooks,” Cassidy said. “This building was pretty sterile before, but I think the history is important, and it’s important for all of us who work here to be reacquainted with why we’re here — and what, really, is the purpose of the Eastern States Exposition.”

As the 99th edition of the Big E gets set to roll out in two weeks, Cassidy sat down with BusinessWest to answer that question in a number of ways.

Animal Attraction

Although the words ‘agricultural’ and ‘industrial’ are no longer in the fair’s name, Cassidy said, it would be a mistake to underestimate their importance to what the Big E is all about.

“Yes, entertainment drives people’s interest, and we make a big deal about food; that drives people’s interest as well. And certainly the midway is an attraction, so making sure we have a good, clean, safe, attractive midway is key,” he explained. “Behind the scenes, though, we’re engaged in producing an event that serves the agricultural industry and the commodities industry for all of New England. Those are less exciting things for some people, but we get very excited about them.”

He said the fair has become known over the decades as a prime showcase for what he called the “bovine, equine, and swine” categories of livestock shows, as well as for produce and other food products. “If you win a blue ribbon at the Eastern States Exposition, whether it’s for cheese or cattle or goats, whatever it is, that gives you national cachet, national attention. Most fairgoers aren’t cognizant of that, but it’s very important for both the agriculture and industry that drives a large part of the New England economy.”

The fair has always educated people about livestock and agriculture, and Cassidy feels that mission is more important than ever, with so many Americans, particularly of the younger generations, unaware of what goes into putting their food on the table.

“So much time has passed from 1916 to today, and people are so distant from production agriculture. In many cases, animals [at the show] are viewed as if they’re domestic pets and not domestic food products. Youth today have no connection, no understanding of where their food actually comes from,” he said, adding that this disconnect isn’t limited to the agricultural side, and he’d like to see more fair offerings that teach people about food processing as well.

In addition, “it’s a continuing battle with animal-rights organizations,” Cassidy noted. “We get blowback from rogue groups that raise money on the Internet, anonymously, and they influence our programs in a way that’s detrimental to the general public.”

For example, “my office is two miles from the house where I was born and raised,” he continued. “When I was a kid, the Eastern States Exposition had a carcass exhibit, and a butcher butchering beef cattle and explaining the different cuts of beef. People would be mesmerized, and would learn where the loin comes from, the shoulder, and so on. In this day and age in New England, you could never have an exhibition like that, and it’s sad.”

Just like today, fairgoers have long been able to peruse and buy the latest products at the Big E.

Just like today, fairgoers have long been able to peruse and buy the latest products at the Big E.

While maintaining as much of the expo’s agricultural focus as possible, Cassidy said he would like to strengthen the connections the fair has to other notable industries, such as machine tools, using the fair as a platform to grow those businesses and generate jobs as well. He also believes promotion of consumer products still has a place.

“Companies used to use fairs as a means of promoting their new products,” he noted. “With the advent of television, fairs became less attractive for, say, Westinghouse or General Electric to launch their latest washing machine or other product. But we’re working very hard here to create opportunities for companies to re-engage people on the one-to-one level.”

This year’s fair will showcase the Ford Mustang, which made its debut at the New York World’s Fair 50 years ago. The Big E will display one of the Mustangs that was actually on display in New York in 1964, and Sarat Ford has produred a few rare special-edition Mustangs to display as well. “In many ways, we’re celebrating the World’s Fair,” Cassidy said. “It’s a throwback feature, which I’m really excited about.”

Eat, Listen, Love

Cassidy told BusinessWest that he fully understands the fair’s appeal to tradition and nostalgia that repeat visitors enjoy — everything from the livestock shows to the parades and circuses to the state buildings, where the six New England states promote their most popular foods, crafts, and other products. The challenge, of course, is maintaining those traditions while keeping the fair fresh.

Entertainment is a large part of that, and the Big E has long offered free concerts to visitors — this year’s extensive lineup features up-and-comers like The Voice winner Cassadee Pope and veterans like Eddie Money — while mixing in a few bigger-name shows that require an extra admission fee, including Darius Rucker, Little Big Town, and ZZ Top.

“I’ve been trying to get ZZ Top for 10, maybe 15 years, and I finally got them, so I’m very excited,” Cassidy said, adding that financial changes in the entertainment-booking world have made charging for some acts necessary.

“You’ve got to have good entertainment — that’s the thing that puts the buzz in the air. But that’s extremely difficult to do, and every year, it’s harder and harder. When I started here in 1994, we could book the biggest acts in Las Vegas for $40,000 or $50,000, and they would do two shows a day. Now, in the current age, we can’t afford these acts,” he said, noting that booking Reba McEntire in 2011 cost $335,000. “So we’ve been forced to charge now for the biggest acts, and we do our best to find solid acts we can give away.”

He credited John Juliano, the long-time special-events director for the Big E, with always being able to book talent on the rise, from Beyoncé before Destiny’s Child was popular to Hunter Hayes last year to Pope next month.

Still, for many fairgoers, music isn’t the number-one attraction; they’re more interested in finding out how many foods can be successfully deep-fried.

“Talent is such an important way of keeping people interested, but the other way is gastronomically,” Cassidy said of the Big E’s extensive selection of fair food. “I love cheese curds, and this is the only place in the world I get cheese curds. But we also have to continually discover new products and find means by which to bring new products to the fairgoing public.”

After all, the vitality and continuing popularity of the Big E has a direct economic impact on the region. According to a report the Eastern States Exposition produced this year, the 17-day Big E, plus all the other events that take place on the fairgrounds each year — which feature exhibitions for animal lovers, car enthusiasts, gun owners, campers, and dozens of other groups — benefit the region with an annual economic impact of $479 million.

The tax revenues alone include $3 million in income tax, $1.4 million in sales tax, $427,000 in hotel tax, and $3.3 million in food and beverage tax. More significantly, events generate $299 million in gross regional product and account for 3,000 jobs in Hampden County that generate $91.9 million in personal income. The exposition’s impact on the rest of New England and New York include 2,000 jobs generating $134 million in personal income. In all, 2.5 million visitors stop by the fairgrounds each year, well over 1 million for the Big E alone.

“We need all the stakeholders — which include the fair patrons, business leaders from throughout the region, and our own board of trustees — to be able to draw a direct link toward the Eastern States as a mechanism to drive the economy and jobs,” Cassidy said. “The fair has a broad impact on agriculture worldwide, but has its most important role in this region. It plays a very important role in generating business on a grand scale, and that ripples throughout the economy at many different levels.”

Into the Next Century

At one point, Cassidy pulled out an old, worn book filled with stock certificates that Brooks sold to some of Greater Springfield’s most notable citizens in the fair’s early days — then later bought back so that no individual or group could set the event’s agenda.

To continue Brooks’ legacy for the next 100 years, Cassidy knows that the fairgrounds need some attention, starting with those century-old buildings. Renovating the large B Barn, otherwise known as the Coliseum, is a $60 million endeavor, and that’s just one structure. Last year, the fair generated about $5 million in profit — a success, of course, but not the kind of revenue flow needed to sustain multiple improvement projects.

“We need to continue to grow, not just because we’re a 100-year-old facility with a great deal of deferred maintenance, but to re-educate the fair-going public,” he said. “I think we’re the most successful fair in the country; we’re recognized nationally as a best-practices organization. We’re one of the largest fairs, and the largest fair that’s not state-subsidized, which is really remarkable. But we need to put a lot of attention into this 100-year-old plant.”

To do that, Cassidy says it’s crucial to generate regional philanthropy, like Brooks did when he reached out to his wealthy friends to launch the exposition in 1916. “We’re a 501(c)(3) public charity, and financially, we’re a very stable organization, but we need to reinvigorate our stakeholders — not just to sustain ourselves, but we owe it to the region to grow, so the region grows.”

As board treasurer of the Regional Employment Board of Western Mass., Cassidy is keenly aware of the region’s need to retain talent to grow a number of its industries, and he feels like the Big E and its myriad activities can play a role in that, if only by improving quality of life in the Pioneer Valley.

“We have access to the best education in the world, and we’re exporting our graduates. Any company executive who scoffs at that is not being responsible in their duty to grow the economy and make their mark on the general citizenry,” he told BusinessWest. “It’s all about quality of life. My hope is that the Eastern States Exposition adds to quality of life for people in West Springfield and all of Greater Springfield.”

It’s an easy thing to get excited about, Cassidy added. “People pay to get in, and they’re predisposed to happiness. There are very few jobs in the world where the person coming through the gate is coming in to have a good time. You go to the grocery store because you have to, or go to the tire store because you need tires. You don’t have to come to the Big E.

“Our job,” he concluded, “is to deliver a product that makes you want to be here. If we can take our presence here and use it as a multiplier to drive industry in the local economy, we’ve succeeded.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Four Skoler, Abbott & Presser Attorneys Honored by Best Lawyers

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., an employment-law firm serving the Greater Springfield area, announced that four of the firm’s partners — Ralph Abbott Jr., John Glenn, Timothy Murphy, and Jay Presser — were listed in 2015 edition of Best Lawyers in America. In addition, Murphy was named the Best Lawyers 2015 litigation, labor and employment Lawyer of the Year in Springfield.

Those honored as Lawyer of the Year have received particularly high ratings in surveys by earning a superior level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity. Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. More than 52,000 leading attorneys cast more than 5.5 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.

• Abbott has been listed in Best Lawyers in the categories of arbitration; employment law, management; labor law, management; and mediation. He has been a partner at the firm since 1975 and is known throughout the legal community for his work representing management in labor relations and employment-related matters, providing employment-related advice to employers, assisting clients in remaining union-free, and representing employers before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Abbott also has numerous credits as an author, editor, and teacher and a record of civic and community involvement. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers every year since 1989.

• Glenn has been listed in Best Lawyers in the categories of arbitration; employment law, management; and labor law, management. He has been a partner of the firm since 1979 and has spent his career representing management in labor relations and employment-related matters. In addition to providing employment-related advice to employers, he assists clients in remaining union-free and represents employers before the NLRB. He has extensive experience negotiating collective-bargaining agreements and representing employers at arbitration hearings and before state and federal agencies. Prior to joining Skoler, Abbott & Presser, Glenn was employed by the NLRB in Cincinnati. He has served as an adjunct professor of Labor Law at Western New England University School of Law and is a member of the American Academy of Hospital Attorneys. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers every year since 1995.

• Murphy has been listed in Best Lawyers in the categories of employment law, management; labor law, management; and litigation, labor and employment. He joined Skoler Abbott after serving as general counsel to an area labor union and as an assistant district attorney for the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office. His practice includes labor relations and employment litigation, as well as employment counseling. A native of the Springfield area, Murphy is a graduate of the Western New England University School of Law. He has also taught courses in employment law at WNEU. He is a frequent contributor to business and human-resource publications and a contributing author to the Massachusetts Employment Law Letter. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers every year since 2013.

• Presser has been listed in Best Lawyers in the categories of employment law, management; labor law, management; and litigation, labor and employment. He has more than 35 years of experience litigating employment cases and has successfully defended employers in civil actions and jury trials and handled cases in all areas of employment law, including discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, wage hour, FMLA, ERISA, and defamation. He has won appeals before the Supreme Judicial Court and the First and Second Circuit Courts of Appeals, and represented employers in hundreds of arbitration cases arising under collective-bargaining agreements. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers every year since 1991.

Fallon Leads GCAi Effort To Become A Certified Google Partner

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Google has awarded Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi) with a Google Partner designation, a unique certification that designates a company as an experienced and trusted online advertising expert. Under the direction of Media Director Mary Fallon, the agency has built up a team of Google AdWords qualified individuals and achieved its partner designation through “demonstrated expertise, experience, and a measurably high level of customer satisfaction,” the Google description of partner qualifications. “Online advertising is very complicated and constantly evolving,” said Fallon, an individually qualified Google AdWords planner. “The Google AdWords network provides access to incredibly powerful online advertising tools and platforms. We spend the time getting certified each year as well as building and managing campaigns so our clients don’t have to. They just receive highly measurable results.” GCAi AdWords planners must pass certification exams each year and in several different categories. Those rigorous standards ensure that the agency continues to build high quality campaigns and apply best practices as quickly as they develop. The agency has recently run successful campaigns for financial institutions and colleges. “All of the social media marketing and online advertising platforms we use, including Google, are constantly in flux,” noted Fallon. “It’s important that we stay up to date with every algorithm tweak, system upgrade, and protocol change. Therefore the learning process never truly ends.” Fallon is a Cum Laude graduate of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She serves on the board of directors for The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts and helps mentor startups for MassChallenge in Boston. 
GCAi is an innovative digital marketing agency that uses SEO PR, online advertising, social media marketing, e-mail marketing, and online reputation management to generate results for its clients.

Dog Food for Thought

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Cover Story
When It Comes to Business, Dave Ratner Has Some Pet Peeves

COVERart0714bWhen Dave Ratner speaks to small-business owners — something he does often — he will inevitably touch on some of the highlights from his intriguing, 40-year career selling soda and pet food, during which he has made his first name and face into a nationally known brand.

And there are many such highlights, from his success in retail (he now has seven Dave’s Soda & Pet City stores in Western Mass. and Northern Conn.) to his triumphs in wholesaling, specifically the introduction and then rapid expansion of his lines of dog and cat food, to his highly regarded marketing initiatives.

But Ratner says he spends much more of his time at the podium talking about what hasn’t gone right with his various business endeavors. Like the store he opened on Allen and Cooley streets in Springfield, which closed roughly a year after it opened in 1995 because of what he called “miscalculations” and bad timing. Then there was an ill-fated e-commerce venture, a four-year experiment that failed because, in essence, he entered a game without fully understanding how it’s played.

“This was the first all-natural pet-food e-commerce site in the country,” he explained, referring to an acquisition he made in 2010. “I said to myself, ‘how hard can this be?’ Well, the e-commerce business is much different than the retail business, and I’m not an expert in e-commerce. I didn’t have anyone on my team who knew the e-commerce business, and we got killed.”

It is by relating these failures and others and the reasons behind them that Ratner believes he can most effectively get across his points about how to succeed in business, something he’s becoming noted for as much as his stores, products, and TV spots.

Indeed, he speaks to various trade groups — he recently addressed the Billiard Hall Owners Assoc., for example — and business organizations on a fairly regular basis. The audience and subject matter varies, but he’s often addressing retailers, and a common theme is advising little guys on how to beat the big guys.

Meanwhile, some of his more recent blog posts — such as “Good Boss or Good Leader? Business Owners Should Learn the Difference Between the Two and How to Be Both,” “Your Attitude Goes a Long Way in Business: Changing Your Mindset Can Mean a Positive Impact for Your Store,” “Not So Fast: Before Pulling a Product off the Shelf, Think About the Total Picture,” and “The Learning Never Stops: Going to Trade Shows and Conventions Can Help Retailers Move Their Business Forward” — are clearly aimed at that constituency.

Overall, Ratner told BusinessWest that there are many mistakes that entrepreneurs will make — everything from not having enough money when they launch a venture to letting their ego get in the way of smart decisions, to not having what he called a “damage-control policy” in place.

“People go into business with their hearts, not their heads,” he noted. “The reason that big companies have boards of directors is so they can question what management is doing and be a devil’s advocate. So if a successful company needs one, and you’re an entrepreneur, you certainly need one.”

Elaborating, he said business owners and managers generally tend to forget about “Mr. Murphy,” the individual whose name is attached to a law — the one about how everything that can go wrong will. And this will invariably lead to trouble, especially when it comes to money and cash flow.

“I don’t care what you’re doing — if you don’t have enough money, don’t do it, and whatever money you think you need, multiply it by at least two,” he explained, “because the minute you start your business, Mr. Murphy is going to move in next door to you.”

For this issue and its focus on entrepreneurship, BusinessWest talked at length with Ratner about his career in business, but also about how he’s devoting a good deal of his time and energy to advising others on how to use their head and not their heart and thus avoid making the critical mistakes that often mean the difference between success and failure.

Poignant Paws

Dave Ratner takes a moment to meet and photograph a regular

Dave Ratner takes a moment to meet and photograph a regular and her dogs, one of the many ways he tries to make an emotional connection to customers.

It’s probably safe to say that few people living and doing business in this region don’t know Ratner’s story.

It’s pretty much common knowledge that he flunked out of Babson College between his sophomore and junior years, only to later return and get his degree, and, not long after graduating, borrowed $5,000 from his father to open a Soda City store on Route 9 in Hadley. That’s the name his father, Harold, gave to a venture he started in 1972 after his career as a distributor for Clicquot Club soda came to an abrupt end when the company decided to sell direct to retailers. Ratner made it clear that, while his father provided some seed money, this was a separate enterprise he could call his own.

“He said to me, ‘if you want to do this, I’ll loan you $5,000, and you can go and find a location and open up your business,’” Ratner recalled. “He said, ‘yours is yours, mine is mine; I’m here for guidance, but this way, you’ll learn how to run a business really quickly.’ And he was definitely right about that.”

It’s also well-known that, roughly a year or so after starting that venture, he bought a puppy, an acquisition that took him to the pet-food aisle at the supermarket, where he learned there was much more to sell there than in the carbonated-beverages aisle, a realization that started him down the road to selling two totally different product categories out of the same building.

The past 37 years or so have been spent expanding the enterprise in several directions, making Dave’s a household name — in this market, but also others — and, for the most part, anyway, practicing what he preaches when it comes to running a successful business and beating those aforementioned big guys.

“And unless you’re Wal-Mart, you’re the little guy,” he said with a laugh, adding that the most important thing for any business owner who falls in that latter category is to “connect with the customer emotionally.”

“When I talk with entrepreneurs and business people, I explain to them that we’re not here to have a transactional relationship with customers, but an emotional relationship with them so we can try to bond with them,” he explained. “Business is business — you have to offer what the customer wants or needs at the correct price, you have to be easy to do business with, and you have to build a relationship with them. And you have to build trust; people don’t want to hang out with or do business with someone they don’t trust.”

Ratner’s been doing all that throughout his career, with his stores, his marketing (it’s his voice you hear in the radio ads), and a weekly television show called simply Dave’s Pet Show, which has been running on Fox for more than two decades, as well as a hands-on attitude in his stores.

For example, on the day he spoke with BusinessWest at his flagship store in Agawam, Ratner could be seen helping customers unload their huge bags of dog food into their cars and taking photos of the canines that his regulars bring into the store with them when doing their shopping.

And he’s taken this emotional relationship to an even higher level with his lines of pet food, which he started introducing nearly 20 years ago and wholesaling five years ago. It’s the entrepreneurial gambit that appears to have the most potential — it’s generating close to the same amount of revenue as his retail operation, and he believes it will soon surpass it — and the one he’s easily most proud of.

His products are now being sold in 40 states and by more than 3,000 independent retailers, he said, adding that beyond those numbers is the great sense of satisfaction that comes with knowing what they mean.

“Dave’s Pet Food is just the coolest thing in the world,” he told BusinessWest. “People who have never met me and have no clue who I am trust me with the health of the creature they love more than anything in the world. How does it get any better than that?”

Talking the Talk

While perhaps not as satisfying as his pet food, Ratner’s seminars, lectures, blogs, and other vehicles for sharing knowledge and lessons with small-business owners remain a big part of who he is.

He told BusinessWest that he’s learned a great deal from his own experiences and also from mentors ranging from his father to Al White, founder of A.O. White, who hired him for a few summers when he was in high school, to Ken Abrams, president of the FoodMart chain of supermarkets that once operated in the region. And he enjoys sharing these lessons, as well as myriad others he’s learned through relationships forged from his membership in the Young Presidents Organization as well as his work with the National Retailers Federation.

There are many such lessons he said, starting with making sure you have enough money when you launch a business and understanding that Murphy’s Law will apply to your venture. Entrepreneurs must also create a reason for people to do business with them “unless they’re inventing something revolutionary,” he went on.

And they need to have that devil’s advocate there, not only to ask the hard questions, but to make sure that they’re answered sufficiently.

Ratner said he’s had to learn some of these lessons himself the hard way.

Indeed, he said he didn’t have enough money to keep the Allen and Cooley location open during a year when he said everything went wrong for retailers, and especially those selling pet food.

“That was the year of Nintendo, America Online, and snowstorms,” he noted, adding that the poor weather kept people from making non-essential trips, and they would get their pet supplies at the supermarket instead. “Everyone started going online, and the pet business declined; kids weren’t into fish and birds anymore.”

Dave’s new pet food

Dave’s new pet food label also features his German shepherd, Trudie.

Using hindsight, he said that, if he had more money at his disposal, he probably could have weathered the storms, literally and figuratively, and outlasted Mr. Murphy. He acknowledged that a devil’s advocate couldn’t have helped him when it came to meteorology or calculating the impact of Nintendo on hamster sales, but in general, they can help entrepreneurs anticipate and navigate various forms of whitewater.

And they can help them understand their limitations and avoid costly missteps, such as Ratner’s foray into e-commerce.

“On the Internet, it’s all about ‘who’s got the best price; who’s got the best deal?’” he explained, adding that distribution is also a huge factor and one that ultimately kept him from effectively competing with Amazon and other huge sites.

Knowing one’s limitations is an important quality for business owners, he stressed, as is the related ability to keep one’s ego in check.

“The smartest, best business people in the world are those who hire the best people, those who can do the things they can’t,” he explained. “I have the best controller in the world — he’s phenomenal; I flunked accounting.

“Another thing that gets entrepreneurs in trouble is ego — there’s no place for ego in business,” he went on. “People have to listen, watch, learn, and never believe they know everything, because they don’t.

“You have to be a sponge,” he continued. “You need to go look and see what your competitors are doing right and copy that, see what they’re doing wrong and make sure you don’t do that.”

But perhaps the most important trait a successful business must possess, he said, is the ability to take a vision and make it permeate a company. To get that point across, he relayed a conversation he had with Mindy Grossman, CEO of Home Shopping Network, that took place as HSN mulled adding Dave’s pet-food products to the list of items it sold.

“I asked her how she competed with QVC, because QVC is twice as big as she is, and she said, ‘QVC is very transactional, and we try to develop an emotional relationship with our customers,’” he explained, noting that, not coincidentally, she used the same language he has employed for decades.

“She said, ‘this was the vision that I brought to the company — that’s it’s all about the customer, storytelling, and developing a relationship with that customer,’” he went on. “CEOs say a lot of stuff, so the next morning, I asked everyone I met, the buyers and everyone else, what it was like working at Home Shopping Network, and they, to a T, repeated exactly what Mindy said. So if you run a business, you have to let everyone know that ‘this is my vision’ and everyone in that company has to buy into it, and if you have people who don’t buy in, you have to get rid of them.”

Tale End

When asked if had — or still has — any plans to perhaps take his chain of stores to a regional or even national stage, Ratner offered a hearty laugh and then some deep introspection.

“You know, I’m just a classic small-town businessman — there’s guys like me in every town,” he said. “I don’t have the brains to go and become a national company; I don’t have the skill set.

“The coolest thing in the world now, though, is that I get to hang out with people who are doing that,” he went on, referring to both YPO and the National Retail Federation. “I like to tell my friends that these guys see stuff that I don’t know exists.”

Perhaps, but there’s no debating that Ratner has scripted an intriguing entrepreneurial success story, and is still writing new chapters. In the meantime, he’s also making a name for himself helping others become successful small-town businessmen and women.


George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

Springfield Museums Chosen for Assessment Program

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums have been selected to participate in the Museum Assessment Program (MAP), a program funded by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and administered by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). Last year, the Springfield Museums received full accreditation from the AAM, a milestone that only 6% museums in America have achieved.

As part of the IMLS National Leadership Program, MAP advances best practices and fosters improvement in museums. Museums of all types and sizes are eligible to participate in the program, including those focused on art, history, science and technology, children, and natural history, as well as historic houses, nature centers, botanical gardens, and zoos.

MAP is a self-motivated program; application to and participation in MAP is initiated by each local institution, and those accepted invest considerable human and institutional resources into the assessment. The main steps in the MAP process include a confidential process of self-study, peer review, and implementation. Museums use the assessment process to strengthen operations, build capacity, and enhance communication throughout the organization and in response to community needs. Participant museums choose one of three categories for its assessment: collections stewardship, organizational, and community engagement. The Springfield Museums will take part in the collections-stewardship assessment process.

Kay Simpson, vice president of the Springfield Museums, supervised the two-year accreditation process and will serve as the project manager for the MAP process. “We’re proud and excited to participate in the MAP program,” she said, “as it will serve to emphasize the national significance of our collections and our standing as a cultural treasure for the region.”

Choosing to be part of the MAP program is indicative of the commitment to civic involvement, public service, and overall excellence on the part of Springfield Museums, said Ford Bell, president of AAM. “Studies have shown America’s museums to be among the country’s most trusted and valued institutions. MAP is designed to make them even better.”

Paul Robbins Associates Wins Two International Awards for Video

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Daily News

WILBRAHAM — Paul Robbins, principal with Paul Robbins Associates Inc., has won two awards in the 2014 Summit Creative Award competition for his documentary-style video titled “Wally, Derek, Gladys” produced for HAPHousing, the region’s largest nonprofit developer of affordable housing. The video received a silver award in the fund-raising category and a bronze award in the not-for-profit category.

Robbins is now a six-time winner of the Summit Creative Award for video. “Wally, Derek, Gladys” is a 12-minute video that documents the lives of three individuals who received assistance from HAPHousing. The video recounts the story of Wally Quinones and her family, who lost their home in the June 2011 tornado; the journey of Derek Washington from incarceration to working dad; and the story of Gladys Morales, which starts in a women’s shelter and ends with home ownership. The video is rendered on the home page of the Paul Robbins Associates website at www.paulrobbinsassociates.com.

Robbins has previously won Summit Creative Awards for two other videos he produced for HAPHousing, and one for a video he produced for Springfield’s Friends of the Homeless. He also produced an award-winning video for the Western Mass. Network to End Homelessness.

This year’s panel of international judges included a host of creative directors from design agencies around the world, including Brazil, Sweden, Australia, Russia, Canada, and the U.S. Entries in 20 creative categories are judged against a stringent set of standards. During the blind judging events (entrant company names are withheld), the board of judges searches for innovative and creative concepts, strong execution, and the ability to communicate and persuade. This year’s contest received more than 5,000 submissions from 24 countries, including Australia, Korea, India, Hong Kong, Denmark, Germany, Brazil, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and the U.S.

Paul Robbins Associates is a strategic communications agency that provides services for corporations, nonprofit organizations, and public-policy initiatives ranging from public relations, marketing, and crisis-communications services to online content management and website-redesign strategy.

Briefcase

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Briefcase Departments

Legislature Approves UMass Funding Increase
BOSTON — UMass President Robert Caret commended the state House and Senate for approving a major funding increase for the UMass system, funding sufficient for a second consecutive tuition and mandatory-fee freeze for in-state undergraduate students. “UMass is poised at the brink of a new era as a result of what would be an extraordinary, two-year, $100 million state investment in its future and in the futures of the tens of thousands of students who bring their aspirations and abilities to our campuses every year,” Caret said. “We are honored by this expression of support from the Legislature, particularly because the members of the House and Senate, given how in tune they are with their constituents, take this step because they recognize the vital role that UMass plays in every corner of the Commonwealth.” Henry Thomas III, chairman of the UMass board of trustees, called the Legislature’s action “historic,” adding: “over the past two years, the University of Massachusetts has received one of the largest increases of any public university in the nation, and this provides opportunity for our students and a strong foundation for our Commonwealth’s future. In addition to thanking the Legislature and its leaders, I want to commend President Caret for his leadership and vision and note the key role the chancellors play in making this process work. We are here in part because we have demonstrated the significant steps the university has taken in the areas of efficiency, transparency, and accountability — and these steps have been championed by our leadership team at the system and campus levels.” He added, “this historic moment would not be occurring without the support of our governor, as Gov. Patrick has been our university’s staunch ally throughout his tenure in office, vividly understanding education’s transformative power.” The fiscal year 2015 state budget approved by the House and Senate funds UMass at $519 million — a $40 million increase over FY 2014 and enough for the second tuition-and-fee freeze as envisioned under Caret’s 50-50 proposal. The state budget approved by the Legislature now goes to Patrick, who has 10 days to review it. Because the $40 million appropriation increase the university received in FY 2014 carried with it an additional $10 million in state fringe-benefit funding, UMass actually saw a $50 million hike in state funding during the year — a pattern that would be repeated in FY 2015 if funding for UMass remains at $519 million. Advanced by Caret after he assumed the UMass presidency in July 2011, the 50-50 plan called for a two-year, $100 million increase in state funding for UMass, with the goals of strengthening the university overall and equalizing the amount of money students and the state provided for educational programs. UMass said it would freeze tuition and mandatory fees in each of the years it received full funding of the 50-50 program. UMass received the first year of 50-50 funding during 2013-14 and froze tuition and fees for in-state undergraduate students. Student charges vary from campus to campus, but under the rates recently approved by the UMass board of trustees, tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduate students at UMass Amherst in 2014-15 will remain at $13,258. The cost of attending the university’s flagship campus with room and board factored in would be $24,215. “College affordability is an issue that is on people’s minds in every corner of the Commonwealth,” Caret said. “Students and parents want to be sure that there is going to be an affordable, high-quality educational opportunity available for the young man or young woman who has worked hard and has achieved at the K through 12 level. And that is what is so important about the action the House and Senate has taken. The Legislature is saying that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the University of Massachusetts stand ready to be your partners in achievement. That is a critical message, and one that is being heard across the state.”

State Business Confidence Off in June, Up on Year
BOSTON — The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index recorded a reading of 53.7 in June, making for a second-quarter average of 53.8. “The positive quarterly average reflects the diminution in recent months of major economic-policy conflict in Washington, which has contributed to stronger business confidence,” said Raymond Torto, global chairman of research at CBRE and chair of the AIM Board of Economic Advisors (BEA). “With less ambient uncertainty, employers are becoming more positive about adding personnel, a sign of confidence that is reflected in our survey. The other notable improvement is in responses from small employers, those with 25 or fewer employees, who are now about as optimistic as mid-size firms.” The AIM Index has appeared monthly since July 1991. It is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. The index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009. In June 2013 it stood at 48.9. Nearly all of the sub-indices based on selected questions or categories of respondent were down from May, but all were up from last June. The Massachusetts Index, assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth, was up 3.3 points on the year to 50.9, and the U.S. Index of national business conditions was 7.6 points ahead of last June at 48.2. “Massachusetts has generally outperformed the nation economically since the onset of the recession,” said Alan Clayton-Matthews, professor at the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University, and a BEA member. “Our state is well-positioned to continue to thrive, but is inevitably standing out less as the rest of the country returns to normal performance.” The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, was 4.1 points above last June’s level at 52.8, and the Future Index, measuring expectations for six months out, was up 6.7 points from a year before at 54.6. “The consensus of economic forecasts calls for faster growth through the rest of this year and into 2015, and most respondents to our survey agree,” Clayton-Matthews noted. “Small and large employers are more optimistic about the near future than mid-size companies; manufacturers rate current conditions lower than other employers, but have similar expectations for the second half of the year.” The Company Index, reflecting survey respondents’ assessments of conditions for their own operations, was up 5.3 points on the year to 56.5. The Employment Index was up the same amount at 54.6, and the Sales Index gained even more, 7.6 points to 57.6. All three were off fractionally from May. “The employment results, even with a marginal loss for the month, continue to reflect a moderate upward trend,” said BEA member Elliot Winer, chief economist for Northeast Economic Analysis Group LLC. “Among employers responding to the survey, 41% expected to add personnel in the next six months, while only 10% foresaw staff reductions, a marked improvement from the already positive 38%-23% split for the prior six months.” Confidence fell in the manufacturing sector (down 2.9 to 51.5) but rose among other employers (up 2.8 to 56.8), and lower outside Greater Boston (52.8, down 1.5) than within the metropolitan area (54.1, down 0.2). Small employers (25 or fewer employees) were about as confident as mid-size firms (26 to 100 employees), while employers of more than 100 were more positive. “Responses on employment were, however, remarkably uniform,” Winer noted, “by region, for manufacturers and other employers, and for companies of all sizes.”

Construction Spending Inches Higher in May
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Total construction spending edged higher for the third straight month in May, as solid increases in private non-residential and public construction outweighed a downturn in residential projects, according to an analysis of new Census Bureau data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned that the pickup in highway spending is in jeopardy of reversing sharply unless policy makers act urgently to shore up the federal Highway Trust Fund. “The May figures show that construction activity continues to expand, but with lots of variability by month and project type,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “These uneven patterns seem likely to continue for the rest of the year.” Construction put in place totaled $956 billion in May, 0.1% above the upwardly revised April total and 6.6% higher than in May 2013. For the first five months of 2014, total spending rose 8.2% from the January-May 2013 total. Private residential construction spending in May retreated 1.5% from April, when homebuilders may have put in extra hours to make up for adverse winter weather in many regions. The May total was 7.5% above the May 2013 level, representing an 11% increase in single-family spending, a 31% boost for multi-family, and a 2.4% decline in improvements to existing housing. Private non-residential spending rose 1.1% in May and 11% over 12 months. The largest private segment, power construction — comprising work on oil and gas fields and pipelines as well as electricity projects — rebounded 4.3% from a sharp drop in April and was up 30% year-over-year. Among other major private nonresidential segments, commercial construction climbed 6.5% over 12 months, manufacturing construction rose 6.7%, and office work jumped 23%. Public construction spending rose 1.0% for the month and 1.2% year over year.

Cost of Unemployment Insurance to Fall
BOSTON — Massachusetts employers will save money on unemployment insurance under legislation signed by Gov. Deval Patrick Thursday as part of a compromise to raise the state’s minimum wage. The new law freezes the rates for the insurance this year at 2013 levels, and lowers them slightly in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Currently, Massachusetts has the fourth-highest unemployment-insurance cost, with companies spending $714 per employee, on average. Under the new law, the minimum wage in Massachusetts will increase to $11 per hour by 2017, from $8.

Greenfield Launches Technology Master Plan
GREENFIELD — The town of Greenfield announced recently that implementation of the town’s technology master plan is underway. The master plan, an initiative started by Mayor William Martin in the fall of 2010, is another step in the mayor’s continuing “Stabilize and Expand Greenfield” Campaign, an effort to create a sustainable and resilient community that also prepares for opportunities created by external forces in the form of jobs, grants, loans, and recreational, cultural, and societal enhancements, as well as upgrades related to infrastructure, buildings, and quality of life. The plan includes upgrading the town’s information-technology assets and building a town-wide ‘last-mile’ broadband infrastructure to serve every business and resident that chooses to subscribe. “This is the culmination of three years of independent research and planning,” Martin said. “We have read and reread the information, discussed with internal and external experts, and now seek to follow a pathway outlined by this research and discussion that will produce a new, technology-rich future for the town of Greenfield. It will allow us, as local providers, to serve our citizens and businesses in a proactive, efficient, and user-friendly manner. We will have the ability to provide Internet access to many of our citizens who cannot currently access the Internet today or are prevented from a rapid and broad connection.” Beginning in 2010, Martin and Economic Development Director Robert Pyers began an effort to focus on the town’s lack of telecommunications and information-technology infrastructure. They believed that an investment in technology would help spur economic development, enhance public-health and public-safety communications, increase quality educational opportunities, and encourage government efficiency and local democracy. Research had also shown that investing in technology would help the town retain technology-based businesses and spur a knowledge-based economy while helping residents take advantage of the global educational, economic, and entertainment resources available through the Internet. “Over the course of the past three years, we have engaged three consulting firms to plan our approach,” said Martin. “The three Massachusetts-based consulting firms include Kelley Management Group Inc. of Wilbraham, JFK Systems of Somerset, and the Skyline Group from Uxbridge. Each has completed their studies and presented their strategic recommendations, which we are now deploying.” Kelley Management Group produced a Municipal Telecommunications Business Plan, which recommends that Greenfield move forward as a municipal telecommunications services provider with full town ownership and control. KMG’s business plan suggests the town will provide the best telecommunications services to every municipal entity, business, and residence at the lowest possible cost. Martin has accepted this plan and is moving forward with the creation of a town-owned Greenfield Technology Division, which will operate a break-even business with reserves for investment into future capital expenditures. JFK Systems developed a comprehensive municipal information-technology strategic plan, which defines and coordinates how the town focuses its IT resources and provides a consistent process necessary to link the various IT departments’ plans and initiatives with the needs of the citizens of Greenfield. The Skyline Group produced a municipal LAN/WAN site-assessment report and recommendations for the town’s municipally owned and town-occupied buildings. This report gives an assessment, inventory, and analysis of current network infrastructure, along with the risks associated with the current deployment. It also provides recommendations to achieve network enrichments in preparation for the town’s new municipal telecommunications network and services. Implementation of the technology master plan is a three-step process that is currently underway. The process begins with upgrading and/or selecting new municipal IT business applications that support the town’s business processes and incorporate industry standards and best-practice functionality and technologies. The next step in the process involves a redefinition of the technical requirements of the newly selected municipal IT business applications — requirements such as CPU speed, memory, data-networking speed, storage, data management, security, data sharing, etc. — and then building an optimal IT infrastructure, including computers, printers, servers, local area networking, etc., required to support it. The final step is the town’s most ambitious and will have the greatest impact on the community: Greenfield will build a low-cost, high-speed ‘last-mile’ broadband infrastructure to support the town’s new IT infrastructure, and to meet the voice, data, and Internet needs of every business and resident.

2015 Healthcare Costs Projected to Grow 6.8%
Growth in healthcare spending is expected to tick upward next year, in part because consumers are now seeking care they put off during the economic downturn, according to a report released this week. Authored by PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute, the report forecasts medical cost growth of 6.8%, compared to 6.5% for this year. The projected increase is slight compared to double-digit increases seen before the downturn, but the rate of growth had been slowing in the past five years, so the upward shift is worth noting, said Ceci Connolly, managing director of the institute.

Number of Jobless Seeking Aid Falls
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits declined late last month, the latest evidence that an economic slowdown earlier this year hasn’t caused employers to cut jobs. Weekly applications fell 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 312,000, the U.S. Labor Department said. The four-week average rose 2,000 to 314,000, but the average has fallen 9% since Jan. 1.

Home Sales Post Largest Gain Nationally Since 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sales of previously owned homes posted the best gain in nearly three years in May, the National Assoc. of Realtors reported, rising 4.9% to a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.89 million. That gain was the fastest since August 2011; still, sales are 5% below the pace of May 2013. And the pace of home sales is well below the 5.1 million homes sold in 2013 and off the pace of 5.5 million annual sales that would reflect a healthy economy. Sales were dampened by last year’s rise in mortgage rates, tight supplies, and tougher lending standards.

State Business Confidence Off in June, Well Up on Year

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index recorded a reading of 53.7 in June, making for a second-quarter average of 53.8.

“The positive quarterly average reflects the diminution in recent months of major economic-policy conflict in Washington, which has contributed to stronger business confidence,” said Raymond Torto, global chairman of research at CBRE and chair of the AIM Board of Economic Advisors (BEA). “With less ambient uncertainty, employers are becoming more positive about adding personnel, a sign of confidence that is reflected in our survey. The other notable improvement is in responses from small employers, those with 25 or fewer employees, who are now about as optimistic as mid-size firms.”

The AIM Index has appeared monthly since July 1991. It is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. The index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009. In June 2013 it stood at 48.9.

Nearly all of the sub-indices based on selected questions or categories of respondent were down from May, but all were up from last June. The Massachusetts Index, assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth, was up 3.3 points on the year to 50.9, and the U.S. Index of national business conditions was 7.6 points ahead of last June at 48.2. “Massachusetts has generally outperformed the nation economically since the onset of the recession,” said Alan Clayton-Matthews, professor at the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University, and a BEA member. “Our state is well-positioned to continue to thrive, but is inevitably standing out less as the rest of the country returns to normal performance.”

The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, was 4.1 points above last June’s level at 52.8, and the Future Index, measuring expectations for six months out, was up 6.7 points from a year before at 54.6. “The consensus of economic forecasts calls for faster growth through the rest of this year and into 2015, and most respondents to our survey agree,” Clayton-Matthews noted. “Small and large employers are more optimistic about the near future than mid-size companies; manufacturers rate current conditions lower than other employers, but have similar expectations for the second half of the year.”

The Company Index, reflecting survey respondents’ assessments of conditions for their own operations, was up 5.3 points on the year to 56.5. The Employment Index was up the same amount at 54.6, and the Sales Index gained even more, 7.6 points to 57.6. All three were off fractionally from May. “The employment results, even with a marginal loss for the month, continue to reflect a moderate upward trend,” said BEA member Elliot Winer, chief economist for Northeast Economic Analysis Group LLC. “Among employers responding to the survey, 41% expected to add personnel in the next six months, while only 10% foresaw staff reductions, a marked improvement from the already positive 38%-23% split for the prior six months.”

Confidence fell in the manufacturing sector (down 2.9 to 51.5) but rose among other employers (up 2.8 to 56.8), and lower outside Greater Boston (52.8, down 1.5) than within the metropolitan area (54.1, down 0.2). Small employers (25 or fewer employees) were about as confident as mid-size firms (26 to 100 employees), while employers of more than 100 were more positive. “Responses on employment were, however, remarkably uniform,” Winer noted, “by region, for manufacturers and other employers, and for companies of all sizes.”

Tipping Point

By
Law Sections
Restaurateurs Must Take Steps to Avoid Costly Penalties

By MARK A. TANNER, Esq.

Mark A. Tanner

Mark A. Tanner

It is impossible to order a cup of coffee or sandwich without being confronted by a ubiquitous jar labeled “tips for tuition,” “tipping isn’t just for cows,” or some such other catchy phrase. While many patrons smile and happily drop their spare change in the tip jar or leave a gratuity following a meal, the seemingly selfless act of tipping can lead to unintended consequences for restaurateurs who are either unaware that Massachusetts closely regulates tips, or have implemented unlawful tip-sharing procedures.

These unintended consequences may include the imposition of multiple damage awards and civil and criminal penalties for unwary restaurateurs who violate Massachusetts General Laws c. 149 § 152A.

The far-reaching impact of this law is demonstrated in the 2012 case of Matamoros v. Starbucks Corp. In this class-action lawsuit, a group of coffee baristas brought and won a lawsuit against Starbucks over the distribution of tips from the jar placed alongside the store’s cash registers. Under Starbucks’ policy, tips from the collective tip jar were distributed to workers, including workers who had managerial responsibilities for Starbucks such as ‘shift supervisors.’ In finding for the baristas and against Starbucks, the federal appellate court held under Massachusetts law that no employee with managerial responsibilities could participate in Starbucks’ tip-sharing procedure, even though the lion’s share of the shift supervisors’ day-to-day work involved the same job function as the baristas, serving Starbucks’ guests.

As applied to restaurants in Massachusetts, the law mandates that management may not keep, demand, request, or accept any portion of a tip given to waitstaff or a service bartender, and prohibits management from distributing tips or service charges to anyone who does not fall into one of these two categories. Restaurant management may, however, require that waitstaff and service bartenders pool or share tips or service charges with other employees who fall into one of these categories, but all tips or service charges must be paid by the end of the same business day.

A tip under Massachusetts law is broadly defined as “a sum of money, including any amount designated by a credit-card patron, a gift, or a gratuity, given as an acknowledgment of any service performed by a waitstaff employee or service bartender.” Most mandatory service charges imposed by restaurants must be treated the same as tips.

Under the law, ‘waitstaff’ is a broad category of employees that includes servers, bus people, and counter staff, who: (1) serve beverages or prepared food directly to patrons, or who clear patrons’ tables; (2) work in a restaurant, banquet facility, or other place where prepared food or beverages are served; and (3) have no managerial responsibility. ‘Service bartenders’ are employees who prepare alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages for patrons to be served by another employee, such as a waitstaff employee. Stated plainly, the law allows tip pooling or sharing or ‘tipping out’ between servers, counter people, bus people, and all bartenders, but specifically excludes any individual with managerial responsibility, no matter how slight, as well as those individuals not specifically included, such as doormen, cooks, hostesses, and expediters.

As evidenced in the Starbucks case and a number of other recent lawsuits and settlements, restaurateurs who violate this law are subject to far greater liability than the wrongfully withheld tips. Under the law, an employee, and often an entire class of employees (say, your entire front-of-house staff for the past three years) may seek up to three years worth of prior unpaid tips, multiple damages equal to three times the wrongfully withheld tips, as well as their attorneys’ fees and costs. Additionally, any restaurateur who violates the act, even if it does so innocently, may be liable to the Commonwealth for fines of up to $25,000 and criminal penalties. Put into context, the judgment against Starbucks in the barista case was slightly over $14 million.

Courts have ruled that the Legislature’s intent in passing the act was to ensure that service employees receive the tips, gratuities, and service charges that customers intend them to receive. With the potential for huge judgments and onerous civil penalties, unless the law is amended, restaurant management should, at a bare minimum, implement these practical suggestions for tips and service charges:

• Do not allow restaurant employees with supervisory responsibility, no matter how slight, to share in tips earned by waitstaff or service bartenders;

• Have a written tip pooling/sharing policy that excludes individuals who are not waitstaff or service bartenders, and ensure it is followed by all employees;

• Pay out pooled tips only to eligible employees and on the same day the tips were earned; and, finally,

• Hold regular trainings with managers, supervisors, and employees to ensure compliance with the law and your individual restaurant’s tip-sharing policies.


Mark A. Tanner is a shareholder in the Northampton office of Bacon/Wilson, P.C. Prior to practicing law, he graduated from the Hotel Restaurant Management program at UMass Amherst, received an MBA from the University of Colorado, and managed numerous restaurants throughout the country. Tanner currently advises restaurateurs and other businesses in litigation and business-planning matters. This article is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice; (413) 584-1287; baconwilson.com/attorneys/tanner

Time to Be Flexible

By
Law Sections
Avoiding Discrimination Claims Based on Caregiver Responsibilities

By KARINA L. SCHRENGOHST and CRYSTAL BOATENG

Karina L. Schrengohst

Karina L. Schrengohst

Crystal Boateng

Crystal Boateng

Over the past 30 years, the demographics of the workforce have changed. Women comprise approximately half of the working population, many of whom are working mothers. In addition, although women primarily continue to carry caregiver responsibilities, gender lines related to family and caregiver responsibilities have shifted, and the number of men who take on or share in primary caregiver responsibilities continues to increase.

Further, many employees, both female and male, have caregiver responsibilities for elderly parents and other family members, which is a trend that will likely continue to increase as the Baby Boomer population ages. Additionally, a growing number of employees face both child-care and elder-care responsibilities simultaneously. Finally, some employees have caregiver responsibilities for children, spouses, parents, and other family members who are disabled.

Whether they have children, elderly parents, disabled spouses or family members, or a combination of caregiver roles, many employees have family and caregiver responsibilities that they must balance with work responsibilities. What does that mean for employers? In a nutshell, it means that many employees are asking their employers for flexible work schedules and leave (sometimes beyond that required by state and federal law).

‘Caregiver responsibilities’ is not a protected category under state or federal law. However, despite the absence of state or federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on family or caregiver responsibilities, claims based on caregiver discrimination may be pursued under the umbrella of other protected categories, such as sex or race. This is because employment decisions that give rise to discrimination claims based on caregiver responsibilities are often based on assumptions and stereotypes about gender roles and race or ethnicity. Consequently, caregiver discrimination is frequently unintentional, which makes it even more challenging for employers.

Supervisors sometimes make assumptions about how committed, ambitious, and dependable an employee with caregiver responsibilities is. These assumptions impact the employment decisions they make. For instance, female caregivers may be perceived as more committed to caregiving than to their jobs and as less competent than other employees, regardless of how their caregiver responsibilities actually impact their work. As a result, women may be denied employment opportunities or other benefits available to men.

On the flip side, male caregivers may be perceived to be poorly suited to caregiving. As a result, men may be denied parental leave or other benefits that are available to women. Stereotypes may further limit employment opportunities for people of a particular race or ethnicity.

How can employers reduce the risks associated with discrimination claims based on caregiver responsibilities? To begin with, employers should consider adopting best practices such as:

• Developing, disseminating, and en-forcing a strong policy of equal employment opportunity;
• Focusing on specific, job-related qualification standards;
• Ensuring that employment decisions are based on such standards and are well-documented; and
• Investigating complaints of caregiver discrimination promptly and thoroughly.

In addition, employers need to understand what their obligations are (and aren’t) under state and federal law to provide leave for caregiver responsibilities. Some employers may have an obligation to provide leave under the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

In addition, in some states, including Massachusetts, some employers may have an obligation to provide leave in addition to that required under the FMLA. Under the Massachusetts Small Necessities Leave Act, an employee who is eligible for FMLA leave is also eligible for a total of 24 hours in a 12-month period to accompany his or her child or elderly relative to medical appointments or appointments for other professional services related to the elder’s care.

Further, employers would be wise to consult with employment counsel when developing or revising policies and procedures that may impact employees with caregiver responsibilities to ensure compliance with state and federal law.

Finally, it is important for employers to train managers and supervisors about company policies and procedures, the company’s legal obligations, and how to handle requests for a flexible schedule and time off, to ensure that employment decisions concerning employees with caregiver responsibilities are consistent with state and federal law.


Karina L. Schrengohst, Esq. is an attorney at Royal LLP, a woman-owned, SOMWBA-certified, boutique, management-side labor and employment law firm;  (413) 586-2288; [email protected]. Crystal Boateng is a law clerk at Royal LLP.

Summer in the Valley

By
Sections Travel and Tourism
Mark Your Calendar with These 20 Happenings

SummerInTheValleyCover

In the mood for some music or theater? Enjoy art or antiques? Feel like trying out some different kinds of food?
The Pioneer Valley offers myriad opportunities to enjoy the summer, so if you’re feeling stir-crazy — or the kids say they’re bored — check out these 20 summer destinations, which only scratch the surface of what’s available in Western Mass. Whether you’re into baseball or fireworks, concerts or dogs, you’re sure to find plenty to do.

Taste of Amherst
Town Common, Amherst
www.facebook.com/tasteofamherst
Admission: Free
June 19-22: Kick off the summer by eating your fill during the four days of the 2014 Taste of Amherst. In addition to food offerings from about 20 town restaurants — most for $5 or under — the event will feature live entertainment by the River, 93.9 FM, as well as fun family events. The Taste runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, and is presented by Atkins Farms Country Market, with sponsorship by the Amherst Business Improvement District, Amherst College, Hampshire College, and UMass Amherst.

Stearns Square Concert Series
Worthington and Bridge streets, Springfield
(413) 781-1591; www.facebook.com/stearnssquare
Admission: Free
Starting June 26: Thursday evenings heat up in downtown Springfield for another season of concerts in Stearns Square, starting with a visit from Black 47 on June 26, this summer’s kickoff concert. And the bands — from notable local lights to internationally acclaimed acts — just keep coming, including FAT (July 3), the Spin Doctors (July 10), Roomful of Blues (July 17), Diamondback (July 24), Truckstop Troubadors (July 31), Maggie Rose (Aug. 7), John Eddie (Aug. 14), Doug Demings and the Jewel Tones (Aug. 21), and the Smithereens (Aug. 28). All concerts begin at 8 p.m., and there are no opening acts this year. What began 14 years ago as a way to liven up downtown Springfield — it was originally held in the Court Square area — has become a weekly destination for music lovers, people watchers, and scores of motorcyclists. The series is sponsored by the Springfield Business Improvement District.
Stearns-Concert-Series

Williamstown Theatre Festival
1000 Main St., Williamstown
(413) 597-3400; www.wtfestival.org
Admission: $15 and up
July 2 to Aug. 17: Sixty years ago, the leaders of the Williams College drama department and news office conceived of an idea: using the school’s theater for a summer performance program with a resident company. Since then, the festival has attracted such performers as E.G. Marshall, Blythe Danner, Colleen Dewhurst, and Christopher Reeve. This summer, the program will present a range of both classical and original productions, plus other programs like the interactive workshops, post-show Tuesday Talkbacks with company members, and ‘A Festival 4th,’ when actors will celebrate the Fourth of July by gathering at the Williams College Museum of Art to read the Declaration of Independence and the British reply before viewing the college’s noted Founding Documents collection. Williamstown’s classic small-town parade then kicks off on Spring Street at 11 a.m. and ends at the Clark Art Institute for the grand opening of its newly expanded campus.

Clark-ArtClark Art Institute
225 South St., Williamstown
(413) 458-2303; www.clarkart.edu
Admission: Free on July 4; otherwise $20 for adults, free for under 18 and students
Starting July 4: Immediately following the Williamstown parade, enjoy hot dogs, live music, balloons, and other family fun on the museum’s East Lawn before the Clark — which has been closed for an extensive renovation — officially reopens at 1 p.m. Admission is free on grand-opening day. Galleries will be open until 9 p.m., and the Eagles Band will perform at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks at 9. Founded in 1936, the Eagles Band is the oldest continuing performance ensemble in the Berkshires, performing music from the late ’30s through the early ’50s, in styles ranging from traditional brass to contemporary and pop arrangements. Guests are welcome to return throughout the summer (admission $20, students and under 18 free), with new exhibitions including “Make It New: Abstract Paintings from the National Gallery of Art,” which will include Jackson Pollock’s “Lavender Mist,” opening Aug. 2. Perhaps the most impressive work of all is the Clark’s new, 42,650-square-foot Visitor Center — designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Ando, who is known for incorporating landscape into his design. The center boasts new dining facilities, a museum shop, outdoor terraces, and 11,070 square feet of additional special exhibition space. And if you can’t make it to Williamstown on July 4, there’s always…


Monson Summerfest
Main Street, Monson
(413) 267-3649; www.monsonsummerfestinc.com
Admission: Free
July 4: In 1979, a group of parishioners from the town’s Methodist church wanted to start an Independence Day celebration focused on family and community, The first Summerfest was held at the church, featuring food, games, and fun activities. With the overwhelming interest of nonprofit organizations in town, the event immediately grew, and relocated onto Main Street the following year. With the addition of a parade, along with booths, bands, rides, and activities, the event has evolved into an attraction drawing more than 10,000 people every year. The festivities will be preceded this year by a town fireworks display on June 28.

Star-Spangled-SpfldStar Spangled Springfield
Downtown Springfield
(413) 733-3800
Admission: Free
July 4: Speaking of fireworks, what’s a better end to an Independence Day filled with food, family, and outdoor fun than taking in a spectacle of the skies? Springfield’s annual show, starting at 9:30 p.m., is a welcome tradition, but it’s hardly the only one. For example, South Hadley and East Longmeadow have slated their displays for July 3, Old Sturbridge Village will light up the night on July 4, and Westfield and Greenfield have events scheduled for July 5. Many other cities and towns are planning fireworks as well; check with municipal offices for times.

Berkshires Arts Festival
Ski Butternut, 380 State Road, Great Barrington
(845) 355-2400; www.berkshiresartsfestival.com
Admission: $5-$13
July 4-6: Now in its 13th year, the Berkshires Arts Festival has become a regional tradition. Thousands of art lovers and collectors are expected to descend on the Ski Butternut grounds to check out and purchase the creations of more than 175 artists and designers, as well as experiencing theater, music, and dance from local, national, and international acts. Founded by Richard and Joanna Rothbard, owners of An American Craftsman Galleries, the festival attracts top artists from across the U.S. and Canada. Visitors can also participate in interactive events like puppetry and storytelling, all the time enjoying a respite from the sun under tents and in the ski resort’s air-conditioned lodge.

Tanglewood
297 West St., Lenox
(617) 266-1200; www.bso.org
Admission: $21 and up
Starting July 5: Tanglewood has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, and like previous years, it has a well-stocked slate of concerts in store for the 2014 season, including an All-American Opening Night Gala Concert on July 5 and a special gala concert on July 12, a dance-inspired program featuring both the Boston Symphony and fellows of the Tanglewood Music Center, the BSO’s prestigious summer music academy. This season, Tanglewood will offer a special focus on American music with orchestral, opera, and film presentations in the Koussevitzky Music Shed, and opera, chamber music, and recital programs in Ozawa Hall, which marks its 20th anniversary season in 2014. Check out the website for the extensive roster of shows and events, including a number of non-classical shows, such as Tanglewood regular James Taylor, who perform in the Koussevitzky Music Shed on July 3 and 4, with both performances followed by fireworks displays.

BrimfieldBrimfield Antique Show
Route 20, Brimfield, MA
(413) 283-6149; www.quaboaghills.com
Admission: Free
July 8-13: What began humbly — when a local auctioneer decided to hold open-air auctions on his property, and grew into a successful flea market — eventually began including neighboring properties as it grew. It expanded in the ’80s and ’90s to a one-mile stretch of Route 20 on both sides, and these days, the Brimfield Antique Show is a six-mile stretch of heaven for people to value antiques, collectibles, and flea-market finds. Some 6,000 dealers and close to 1 million total visitors show up at the three annual, week-long events; the first was in May, and the third runs Sept. 2-7. The Brimfield Antique Show labels itself the “Antiques and Collectibles Capital of the United States,” and — judging by its scope and number of visitors — it’s hard to disagree.


Green River Festival
Greenfield Community College, One College Dr., Greenfield
(413) 773-5463; www.greenriverfestival.com
Admission: Weekend, $75; Saturday, $49.99; Sunday, $34.99
July 12-13: For one weekend every July, Greenfield Community College hosts a high-energy celebration of music; local food, beer, and wine; handmade crafts; and family games and activities — all topped off with four hot-air-balloon launches (rides are available) and a spectacular Saturday-night ‘balloon glow.’ The music is continuous on three stages, and this year features Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band, Lucius, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Trampled by Turtles, Grant Lee Phillips, and more than two dozen other artists. Children under 10 can get in for free, as the family-friendly festival features children’s music performers, a kid’s activity tent, games, circus acts, a Mardi Gras parade, and other surprises. New for 2014 is the Maker’s Market, a collective of fine artisans from across Western Mass., offering an impressive array of handmade crafts and jewelry. The festival began in 1986 as purely a hot-air-balloon affair, but quickly integrated musical entertainment into the event. Now, its one of the most eclectic events in the Valley.

Yidstock
Hampshire College, 893 West St., Amherst
(413) 256-4900; www.yiddishbookcenter.org/yidstock
Admission: Festival pass, $145 for members or $185 general admission; tickets may be purchased for individual events
July 17-20: Boasting an array of films, concerts, lectures, and workshops, Yidstock 2014: The Festival of New Yiddish Music lands in Amherst in mid-July. The third annual Yidstock festival will bring the best in klezmer and new Yiddish music to the stage at the Yiddish Book Center. The festival pass includes admission to all concerts, lectures, and workshops.
The weekend will offer an intriguing glimpse into Jewish roots and jazzy soul music through popular Yiddish bands like the Klezmer Conservatory Band, Klezmatics, Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All-Stars, and more. Friday and Saturday feature dance workshops as well.

New England Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game
MacKenzie Stadium, 500 Beech St., Holyoke
(413) 533-1100; www.valleybluesox.com
Admission: $5-$8
July 20: The Valley Blue Sox (formerly the Holyoke Blue Sox) continue to bring plenty of baseball excitement to Holyoke and its surroundings, playing in a league that attracts some of the top collegiate talent each summer. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for these guys to really showcase their talent in a professional setting,” General Manager Hunter Golden said. “Major League Baseball is a big believer in our product and the caliber of players we bring. Watch the College World Series, and chances are you’ll see half our roster.” This year MacKenzie will host the league All-Star Game, starting at 12 noon on July 20, but the club will play plenty of other home games into early August — usually featuring giveaways and other promotions — to provide families with a fun, affordable evening out.
Blue-Sox-All-Star-Game

Bang on a Can Plays Art
1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams
(413) 662-2111; www.massmoca.org
Admission: Festival pass, $75; individual concerts, $15-$24
July 26 to Aug 2: The Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival, a residency program for composers and performers, will take place from July 15 through Aug. 4 at MASS MoCA. The heart of this three-week workshop is a week-long series of 14 concerts running from July 26 to Aug. 2, highlighted by two major Saturday events in the museum’s Hunter Auditorium. The first is David Lang’s “death speaks” on July 26 at 8 p.m., featuring the Bang on a Can All-Stars with special guest Shara Worden. Lang combed through every song by Franz Schubert and pulled out just the moments when Death is a character, speaking directly to us, and then set those texts to new music. On Aug. 2 at 4 p.m., the museum will present the six-hour Bang on a Can Marathon with special guests Steve Reich and Glenn Kotche of Wilco. The festival finale will include more than 50 musicians and composers from around the world, and will feature Steve Reich’s newest composition “Radio Rewrite,” a remix of two songs by Radiohead. Another highlight will be a rare performance of Edgar Varese’s riotous masterpiece “Ionisation,” the first piece ever written for percussion ensemble.

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival
Court Square, Springfield
(413) 303-0101
Admission: Free
Aug 9: Following in the footsteps of the Hoop City Jazz and Arts Festival, which drew more than 20,000 people to downtown Springfield, is the inaugural Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival, intended to celebrate the emergence of Springfield’s Cultural District and promote an arts-driven, community-oriented, and sustainable revitalization of the city. The event will offer a festive atmosphere featuring locally and internationally acclaimed musical artists, a variety of ethnic cuisines and local food producers, and more. This inclusive event aims to bring people from Springfield and the surrounding region together to foster connection, stimulate the local economy, and highlight positive initiatives contributing to the betterment of Springfield’s residents, and uniting the city with the rest of the Pioneer Valley. The festival is being produced by Blues to Green, a nonprofit organization led by Kristin Neville, wife of legendary jazz musician Charles Neville. The organization’s mission is to use music and art to celebrate community and culture, build shared purpose, and catalyze social and environmental change.

Dog Shows at the Eastern States Exposition
1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield
(413) 737-2443; www.thebige.com
Admission: Free
Aug. 20-24: The Big E fairgrounds certainly haven’t gone to the dogs, but it will seem that way for five days in August, when dog shows take over the Better Living Center. The Elm City Kennel Club Dog Show will be in town on Aug. 20 and 24, the Newtown Kennel Club Dog Show will take over on Aug. 21 and 23, while the Northwestern Connecticut Kennel Club Dog Show will make an appearance on Aug. 22. Come see dogs in all breeds compete for best in class and best in show.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
358 George Carter Road, Becket
(413) 243-0745; www.jacobspillow.org
Admission: $50-$150
Aug. 23: In its 82nd season, Jacob’s Pillow has become one of the premier venues for dance in the U.S. Dance enthusiasts will surely marvel at the dozens of free and ticketed recitals performed by celebrated companies from around the world, not to mention Jacob’s Pillow’s other offerings of photography and art exhibits, seminars, discussions, and film screenings. The season concludes on Aug. 23 with the Festival Finale, featuring a performance by the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet or LeeSaar. The ticket also includes entry to a festive after-party, with drinks, desserts, photo-booth fun, and DJ BFG spinning live at the ultimate dance celebration. Proceeds benefit the community programs of Jacob’s Pillow.Jacobs-Pillow2

Three County Fair
41 Fair St., Northampton
(413) 584-2237; www.threecountyfair.com
Admission: $8-$10
Aug. 29 to Sept. 1: In 1818, the Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden Agricultural Society was formed, with the purpose of promoting agriculture, agricultural education, and agricultural science in the Commonwealth. The society relied on exhibitions, displays, competitions, and demonstrations to fulfill its purposes, awarding prizes in agricultural and domestic categories. Almost 200 years later, the society’s original purpose still provides the umbrella under which the Three County Fair is presented to the public. Over time, however, various entertainment events became part of the annual fair, from carnival rides and games to thoroughbred horse racing, horse demonstrations, crafts, and, of course, plenty of food. “Taste the past, enjoy the present,” fair organizers say, and visitors will certainly experience a good deal of both.

Blandford Fair
10 North St., Blandford
(413) 848-0995; www.theblandfordfair.com
Admission: $5-$10
Aug. 29 to Sept. 1: Not much has changed in the 145 years of the Blandford Fair, but that’s what makes it so charming. This Labor Day weekend, at the 147th edition of the event, fairgoers can witness the classic rituals of the giant pumpkin display, the pony draw, and the horseshoe tournament, plus more modern additions, like the fantastically loud chainsaw-carving demonstration and the windshield-smashing demolition derby. With many more exhibits and attractions to offer, a weekend at the Blandford Fair is an ideal way for families to close out the summer.

SturbridgeOld Sturbridge Village Family Fun Days
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, MA
(800) 733-1830; www.osv.org
Admission: Adults, $24; children, free
Aug. 31 to Sept. 2: Bring the whole family to Old Sturbridge Village on Labor Day weekend, when the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast opens its doors to children for free (normally, youth admission is $8). Guests are invited to play baseball the way early New Englanders did, make a craft, join a game of French & English (tug of war), meet the oxen in training, try their hand at marbling paper, see a puppet show, watch a toy fire-balloon flight, visit the Freeman Farm, stop and see craftsmen at work, and much more. In addition, the weekend will feature appearances by Bob Olson, performing 19th-century magic, as well as the Old Sturbridge Village Singers and the Old Sturbridge Village Dancers. Let your kids step back into the 1830s and enjoy the last summer weekend before school.

Glendi
St. George Cathedral, 22 St. George Road, Springfield
(413) 737-1496; stgeorgecath.org
Admission: Free
Sept. 5-7: Every year, St. George Cathedral offers thousands of visitors the best in traditional Greek foods, pastries, music, dancing, and old-fashioned Greek hospitality. In addition, the festival offers activities for children, tours of the historic St. George Cathedral and Byzantine Chapel, various vendors from across the East Coast, icon workshops, movies in the Glendi Theatre, cooking demonstrations, and a joyful atmosphere that the whole family will enjoy.

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