Home Posts tagged Company Notebook (Page 6)

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

Bay Path Receives HSF Business Award

HOLYOKE — Bay Path College recently received the 2010 Human Service Forum Business Award from the Human Service Forum for its commitment to the community and specifically Girls Inc. Girls Inc. of Holyoke nominated Bay Path for its ongoing board involvement, financial support, and expertise in various subject matters, according to Suzanne Parker, executive director of Girls Inc. Parker added that the college provides “transformational opportunities” for Girls Inc. participants. For the past decade, the Human Service Forum has honored area businesses and organizations that have played a significant role in supporting the human services of the Pioneer Valley.

ReStore Expanding in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Next summer is the target date for the ReStore Home Improvement Center to move into a 32,000-square-foot complex at 83 Warwick St. The warehouse was formerly owned by the Kavanagh Furniture Co. The expanded facility will provide a retail experience featuring sections of recycled appliances and environmentally friendly products for the home, as well as seminar space designed for builders and homeowners. ReStore’s inventory includes used and salvaged materials and surplus stock from the building industry. Items are accepted from homeowners, contractors, manufacturers, retailers, and municipal collection centers. ReStore officials note that, by shopping or donating materials, area residents can save materials from disposal and make home improvement more affordable for more people. With the move, ReStore expects to hire five additional employees, as well as deconstruction crews that would be needed to collect inventory. As part of the overall project, ReStore secured $900,000 in federal stimulus money through the Mass. Department of Energy Resources to make the new building more energy-efficient. ReStore is currently located on Albany Street in the Gasoline Alley complex.

Mercy Recognized as Community Value Provider

SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center was recently recognized as a top-ranked Community Value Provider by Cleverley + Associates of Columbus, OH. Cleverley + Associates, a health care financial consulting firm specializing in operational benchmarking and performance enhancement strategies, released the findings as part of its new publication, State of the Hospital Industry – 2010 Edition. Dr. William Bithoney, interim president and CEO of the Sisters of Providence Health System and chief operating officer of Mercy Medical Center, said Mercy is proud to be identified as one of the highest-scoring facilities in the country in measures of quality of care and costs. He noted that these awards serve as “independent validation” that Mercy’s quality scores exceed those of its peer hospitals while charges and costs are significantly lower than peer hospitals. Health care value and value-based purchasing of health care services are increasingly important concepts driving health care reform, and Mercy continues to prove that high-quality hospital care can cost less, added Bithoney. The State of the Hospital Industry reports selected measures of hospital financial performance and discusses the critical factors that lie behind them. The publication focuses on the U.S. acute-care hospital industry during a three-year time period (2006-08). For the seventh year, the 2010 State of the Hospital Industry reports an exclusive measure developed by Cleverley + Associates: the Community Value Index (CVI). The CVI is a proprietary index created to offer a measure of the value that a hospital provides to its community. The book outlines the data used to calculate the CVI as well as provides a list of the Top 100 and all Five-Star (top-quintile) hospitals. The Community Value Index was created to provide an assessment of a hospital’s performance in four areas: financial strength and reinvestment, cost of care, pricing, and quality. Fundamentally, the CVI suggests that a hospital provides value to the community when it is financially viable, is appropriately reinvesting back into the facility, maintains a low cost structure, has reasonable charges, and provides high-quality care to patients.

MassMutual Hosts ‘Way to Win’ Conference

SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division recently hosted a conference titled “Way to Win,” showcasing its commitment to helping its select network of third-party administrators (TPAs) grow their business by leveraging the resources provided by MassMutual to TPAs on behalf of sponsors and participants. MassMutual has been working with TPAs for more than 30 years, according to Hugh O’Toole, senior vice president of sales and client management. O’Toole noted that each TPA channel has unique strengths and resource needs, and each brings a “unique value” to the sponsor and the participant. More than 60 TPAs nationwide attended the conference. O’Toole added that the response from the participants was “phenomenal.” The common view expressed throughout the event was that MassMutual understands the TPA business and the value TPAs bring to plan sponsors and participants, said O’Toole. For more information on MassMutual’s TPA Alliance, call (866) 444-2601.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

Travelers Recognizes Sumner & Toner Agency
LONGMEADOW — The Sumner & Toner Insurance Agency was recently recognized by Travelers as one of 20 agencies in the country to receive its prestigious Insurance Agency of the Year Award. Firms are chosen based on their goals for long-term profitable growth, dedication to high-quality customer service, and commitment to Travelers. “The Sumner & Toner Insurance Agency demonstrates the highest level of motivation and commitment,” said Greg Toczydlowski, president of personal insurance for Travelers, in a prepared statement. Toczydlowski added that Travelers “truly values” the partnership they’ve developed with the local firm. Established in 1933, Sumner & Toner Insurance Agency is an independent provider of comprehensive auto, home, professional liability, and life insurance. In 2008, partners Warren Sumner and Bill Toner created a dual father-and-son family business with sons Bud Sumner and Jack Toner. The next generation of Sumner & Toner, they say, serve as the company’s sales representatives and are helping to lead the company into the 21st century.

MMWEC Redesigns
Public Web Site
LUDLOW — The Mass. Municipal Wholesale Electric Co. (MMWEC) has redesigned its public Web site with the goal of bringing greater efficiency to its Web-site management and improving content to online visitors. The Web site, www.mmwec.org, provides a “fresh and sophisticated look” at MMWEC’s history, programs, and services as well as recent news, financial reports, and information about energy assets and renewable-energy initiatives, according to MMWEC CEO Ronald C. DeCurzio. The site also features improved navigation and a search function, making it simpler for visitors to find specific information that is enhanced with graphic detail. The new site is updated using a customized content-management system, giving authorized individuals the ability to update and publish Web pages as needed from any location with Internet access. In addition, the site is search-engine-optimized to direct more users to the site based on their search-engine queries. MMWEC is a nonprofit, public corporation and political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that provides a variety of power-supply, financial, risk-management, and other services to the state’s consumer-owned, municipal utilities.

STCC, Balise Create Partnership for Students
SPRINGFIELD — Balise Motor Sales recently donated $25,000 toward the purchase of a state-of-the-art Hunter vehicle-alignment lift for the Automotive Technology Department at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC). The lift will introduce students to real-world diagnostic equipment to better prepare them for their careers in automotive technology, according to Raymond Sbriscia, chairman of the Automotive Technology Department. Sbriscia noted that the lift will be an integral part of the education and training students receive. The college also has a relationship with the Hunter Engineering Co., the manufacturer of the lift and other automotive-repair equipment. Hunter uses the STCC facility as a training and demonstration center for repair companies throughout the region and neighboring states. In return, STCC receives the latest, highest-quality equipment in the industry. Michael Balise, vice president, noted that Balise Motor Sales is always in need of talented automotive technicians who have computer and electronics training in addition to the traditional mechanical training. During the first year at STCC, students work mostly in the lab, diagnosing and fixing problems. At the end of the first year, students receive a certificate of completion. Students can then either join the workforce or continue on to the second year of study and receive an associate’s degree in automotive technology. Only 22 students are accepted into a new class, so the competition is “fierce,” according to STCC officials.

“Hackman” Retires
after 48 Years
EAST LONGMEADOW — Lee “Hackman” Breton recently retired from LENOX after a 48-year career that started out on the manufacturing floor. In 1962, Breton was credited with manufacturing the first bi-metal reciprocating saw blade entirely by hand. His career took a dramatic change in 1981 when the LENOX sales team asked him if he thought he could cut a car in half with the new Hackmaster hacksaw blades to show off their superior strength and durability. He accepted and met this challenge, which turned out to be the first of hundreds of car cuts — earning him his nickname. From that day forward, being Hackman became his full-time job. Over the years, Breton traveled the world as Hackman, demonstrating the strength and durability of LENOX Tools by cutting more than 500 cars and other items, including an oil tank truck, cargo plane, boxcar, house, armored car, and even a bus at Super Bowl XXXIIII in 1999. Rich Mathews, vice president of marketing and new business for LENOX, noted that Breton exemplified the LENOX brand with his trademark car cuts, and was always willing and able to help out the company with anything and everything. “He will forever be considered a great employee as well as the best ambassador for the LENOX brand that we ever could ask for,” said Mathews. Breton’s last day at LENOX was May 28.
Café Lebanon Celebrates
10 Years in Business
SPRINGFIELD — Nadim Kashouh, owner of Café Lebanon, recently invited customers and friends to a complimentary 10-year celebration extravaganza at the 1390 Main St. restaurant to thank everyone for their patronage over the years. Kashouh serves Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine in what he calls “an elegant, yet relaxed atmosphere.” Café Lebanon also offers catering for weddings; showers; anniversary, birthday, and graduation parties; bereavement gatherings; holiday events; business meetings; and corporate events. Kashouh maintains a second Café Lebanon restaurant in the center of East Longmeadow at 60 Shaker Road.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

Big Y Announces New Store in Eastern Mass.
SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Foods Inc. has announced plans to open a World Class Market in Milford/Hopedale, Mass. The proposed 55,000-square-foot supermarket will be located at South Main Street (Route 140) just south of the Courtland Street intersection. The 25-acre site is partly in the town of Hopedale and partly in Milford, and is scheduled to be the subject of rezoning articles at the annual town meetings in both communities. Topsfield Development Associates will be developing the overall project, including approvals and construction. Other contemplated tenants at the site include a 40,000-square-foot medical building, a 150-seat restaurant, 7,500 square feet of additional retail, and a bank. Milford/
Hopedale will be Big Y’s 59th store and will represent an investment of between $15 and $17 million in the community. An early 2012 opening is expected.

Hampden Bancorp Reports Q3 Results
SPRINGFIELD — Hampden Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Hampden Bank, recently announced the results of operations for the three months and nine months ended March 31, 2010. The company had a net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2010 of $143,000, or $0.02 per basic and fully diluted share, as compared to a net loss of $57,000, or $0.01 per basic and fully diluted share, for the same period in 2009. The decrease in net income was primarily due to an increase in the provision for loan losses of $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2010 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2009. The increase in the provision for loan losses is due to increases in loan delinquencies, non-accrual loans, and impaired loans; growth in the loan portfolio; and general economic conditions. For the three-month period ended March 31, 2010, net interest income increased by $521,000 compared to the three-month period ended March 31, 2009. Non-interest income, including net gains on sales of securities and loans, increased by $88,000 compared to the three-month period ended March 31, 2009. For the nine months ended March 31, 2010, the company had a net loss of $975,000, or $0.15 per basic and fully diluted share, as compared to net income of $180,000, or $0.03 per basic and fully diluted share, for the same period in 2009. The decrease in net income was primarily due to an increase in the provision for loan losses of $2.9 million for the nine months ended March 31, 2010 compared to the nine months ended March 31, 2009. The increase in the provision for loan losses is due to increases in loan delinquencies, non-accrual loans, and impaired loans; growth in the loan portfolio; and general economic conditions. There was also an increase in non-interest expense of $995,000 for the nine months ended March 31, 2010 compared to the nine months ended March 31, 2009. The company’s total assets increased $10.2 million, or 1.8%, from $567.7 million at June 30, 2009 to $577.8 million at March 31, 2010. Net loans, including loans held for sale, increased $22.5 million, or 5.8%, to $410 million at March 31, 2010, and securities decreased $3 million, or 2.6%, from $116.1 million to $113.1 million as of March 31, 2010. Cash and cash equivalents decreased $10.9 million, or 30%, to $25.4 million at March 31, 2010. Deposits increased $29.9 million, or 7.8%, to $411.4 million at March 31, 2010 from $381.5 million at June 30, 2009. The company also announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.03 per common share, payable on May 28, 2010 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 14, 2010.

Wolf & Co. Supports
Big Brothers Big Sisters
SPRINGFIELD — Wolf & Co., P.C. supported Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County again this year by sponsoring the Bowl for Kids’ Sake. Wolf teams comprised of 63 Wolf bowlers, as well as additional employees who participated in other fund-raising activities, raised more than $10,000 to support Big Brothers Big Sisters programs in the Springfield area.

Charter Oak Partners with Whole Children of Hadley
HOLYOKE — Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services Co. recently announced that it has formed a three-year charitable relationship with Whole Children, a Hadley-based nonprofit that provides recreational, social, and enrichment programs for children and teens of all abilities, and especially those with special needs. In the initial year of the relationship, Charter Oak will give $10,000 to Whole Children in support of a new program that focuses on helping teens with special needs transition to adulthood. The company will also participate in events to raise funds for a wheelchair-accessible van for Whole Children’s students. Financial support from Charter Oak comes from the agency’s charitable arm, the Charter Oak Fund, and is part of a larger community-outreach strategy benefiting children, particularly those with special needs, in the agency’s three major markets of Western Mass., Central/Eastern Conn., and Southern Conn.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

Here’s the Scoop: Rondeau’s Marks 70 Years

PALMER — Alvin Rondeau’s Dairy Bar, a Quaboag region institution, is this month celebrating its 70th birthday. It was on May 18, 1940 that Alvin “Mike” Rondeau opened his ice-cream shop, which has endured and now has fourth and fifth-generation members of the family carrying on the tradition. Indeed, Dick Rondeau, Alvin’s grandson, now works alongside his son, Dick, and grandson, Michael. The establishment, located on Route 32, specializes in hot dogs, hamburgers, fresh seafood, and, of course, ice cream. As in past years, Rondeau’s will mark its birthday celebration with a special. From May 18 to May 20, ice-cream cones, hot dogs, fries, and soda will all be 70 cents each.

Hampden Bank Turns 158, Is Named Sponsor of Jazz & Art Festival

SPRINGFIELD — Hampden Bank recently celebrated its 158th anniversary, an occasion the institution’s president, Tom Burton, marked by looking forward, not back. “Reaching this milestone on my watch is indeed a privilege. I couldn’t be more proud of our people, who we are, and what we’ve accomplished on behalf of those we serve,” he said. “As we move toward the end of the first decade of the 21st century, we will not rest on our laurels; we will continue to vigorously support our communities, and we will work tirelessly to brighten the days of our customers.” In other news, the bank announced that it is the named sponsor of the fourth annual Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival, partnering with presenting sponsor MassMutual and a host of other businesses and organizations. The event, to be staged July 9-11, is being moved to downtown Springfield at Court Square and the City Hall Esplanade.

Tiger Press Adds New Color Production System

NORTHAMPTON — Tiger Press announced that it has installed a new Ricoh C900 color production system at its manufacturing facility in Northampton. The system can produce more than 5,000 color impressions per hour on a variety of coated and uncoated stocks. Digital files are handled using the newest Fiery controller with built-in color calibration and imposition. “This new digital press enables us to offer color reproduction of short-run orders for a fraction of what our competitors are charging,” said Reza Shafii, president of Tiger Press. The C900 has a unique square-saddle-stitch capability that allows a spine for larger books, a special feature for customers in need of high-quality, short-run booklets with limited budget, he continued. In addition, Tiger Press has developed an advanced proofing technique for projects that will be produced on uncoated stock. Printing on recycled, uncoated paper is becoming more popular as companies strive to become more eco-friendly.

Curran & Berger Adds Location in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Curran & Berger, LLP, the Northampton-based immigration-law firm, has opened a satellite office at 1145 Main St. in Springfield. The new location will provide a convenient meeting space for legal staff to meet with its clients, said partners Joseph Curran and Dan Berger.

Friendly’s Restaurants Introduce New Salads

WILBRAHAM — In response to a desire among many adult Americans to eat healthier, Friendly’s has introduced a new selection of freshly made salads. Beginning in late March, more than 500 Friendly’s restaurants began offering seven new salads, including Southwest Chipotle Chicken Salad, Bleu Moon Sirloin Salad, and Apple Harvest Chicken Salad. In addition, Friendly’s has partnered with Healthy Dining, an organization that recommends dietician-approved menu items at restaurants. As part of the partnership, healthydiningfinder.com will highlight several the healthier options that are available at Friendly’s restaurants. These choices will be highlighted in Friendly’s menus. For more information on the new offerings, visit www.friendlys.com.

Mercy Medical’s EEG Lab Achieves Accreditation

SPRINGFIELD —- The Electroencephalographic (EEG) Lab at Mercy Medical Center has been awarded accreditation by the EEG Laboratory Accreditation Board of the American Board of Registration of Electroencephalographic and Evoked Potential Technologists (ABRET), making it one of only two EEG labs in Massachusetts to achieve that distinction. The ABRET lab-accreditation process involves evaluation of technical standards, the quality of the laboratory’s output, and lab-management issues. According to ABRET, successful accreditation indicates that the EEG lab has met strict standards and is recognized for providing quality diagnostics. “The ABRET accreditation is another example of Mercy Medical Center’s success in providing outstanding patient care throughout our facility, and delivered daily by highly trained professionals using quality diagnostic tools,” said Sharon Adams, RN, vice president of Patient Care Services at Mercy Medical Center. “This independent, objective verification of quality management and policies also allows physicians and patients to choose the EEG Lab at Mercy with the confidence of knowing that they will receive quality diagnostics.” The EEG Lab at Mercy Medical Center provides testing for 540 patients each year, and the ABRET lab accreditation is effective through 2015. EEGs are used diagnostically for many neurological problems, including stroke, seizures, migraine headaches, tumors, headaches, and dizziness. With this accreditation, Mercy joins Children’s Hospital of Boston as one of only two facilities in Massachusetts with EEG labs that meet ABRET standards.

Mont Marie Scores Highest in Region in Survey

HOLYOKE — Family members rated the care that their loved ones receive at the Mont Marie Health Care Center as the best in Western Mass., according to a survey just released by the State Department of Public Health. The Mont Marie Health Care Center, a not-for-profit skilled-nursing facility owned and operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, was among 430 nursing homes surveyed by the state last fall. The center scored 4.79 in overall satisfaction, well above both the statewide average of 4.22 and the Western Mass average of 4.20 (on a scale of 1-5). When asked if they would recommend the Mont Marie Health Care Center to a friend or family member, 98% of the respondents said ‘yes.’ Commenting on the high score, center Administrator Sr. Elizabeth Sullivan said, “the numbers indicate the trust level and credibility that family members have in our staff, who respond to the needs of residents on a daily basis with compassion, respect, and diligence.” The survey collected detailed information about nursing-home staff, physical environment, activities, personal-care services, food and meals, and residents’ personal rights. It also asked respondents to rate overall satisfaction and ability to meet residents’ needs. Surveys were mailed to approximately 34,600 family members of nursing home residents across the state.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

FloDesign Expanding into Waltham

WILBRAHAM — FloDesign Wind Turbine Corp. recently announced plans to expand, which includes a new corporate headquarters and product-development center in the Waltham watch factory. FloDesign officials and Gov. Deval Patrick made the announcement, noting that the Mass. Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) approved a $3 million financing package for the turbine company. Financing includes a five-year, $700,000 forgivable loan that is contingent on FloDesign maintaining its corporate headquarters and primary R&D facility in the state, creating or retaining 150 jobs in the next three years, and maintaining those jobs for an additional two years. The package also includes a $600,000 convertible grant, which gives MassCEC an equity stake in FloDesign if the company receives additional financing, and $1.7 million from MassCEC’s Renewable Energy Trust to defray a portion of the cost of installing the company’s first ‘shrouded’ wind turbines at state or local public entities and nonprofit organizations. FloDesign said it is retaining its research center in Wilbraham. During the press conference, it was announced that the Massachusetts Port Authority will explore the possibility of using FloDesign turbines at Logan International Airport, at least on a pilot basis. FloDesign was founded in 2007 to develop what it calls a wind-turbine design based on jet-engine technology, and promising to deliver more than three times the amount of energy as traditional wind turbines for the same size rotor.

Balise Breaks Ground for Lexus Dealership

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Balise Motor Sales recently broke ground for a new Lexus dealership at 1385 Riverdale St., next to Balise Toyota. The new facility will be more than 27,000 square feet, and its new showroom will be state-of-the-art, including three indoor vehicle-delivery areas. Balise President Jeb Balise noted that the Lexus dealership will be “world class.” He added that the new facility is what “customers deserve and have been waiting for.” The service and parts departments will have air conditioning, and the indoor service drive-in reception area will allow customers to drop off and pick up their vehicles indoors. Customers will enjoy a warm, comfortable service reception and a spacious lounge complete with computer stations for their convenience, according to Balise. Another upgrade will be the expanded number of parking spaces available. With the new Balise Toyota next door, more than 900 parking spaces for new and used cars and trucks will be available. The construction work is being done by Associated Builders. The completion date is late September, with an Oct. 1 grand opening planned.

SC Unveils Naismith Statue

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College (SC) officials recently unveiled a new, larger-than-life-sized bronze statue of Dr. James Naismith, permanently installed on the plaza in front of the newest building on Naismith Green, the Richard B. Flynn Campus Union. Naismith invented the game of basketball at SC in 1891 when he was an instructor in physical education. The bronze casting depicts Naismith seated upright holding a ball with two peach baskets stacked at his feet. Sculptor Eldon Tefft, a former art professor at Kansas University, spent seven years creating it. Joining SC President Richard Flynn in uncovering the statue was Rachael Naismith, great-granddaughter of James Naismith, who is also the college’s chief research librarian and an editor and authority on her famous ancestor. Other members of the Naismith family were also on hand for the unveiling, as well as Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. During the ceremony, Flynn noted that basketball was James Naismith’s “gift to humanity.”

Firm Named Among ‘Best Places To Work’

FARMINGTON, Conn. — For the fourth consecutive year, Kostin, Ruffkess & Co., LLC was recognized by the Hartford Business Journal as one of the 2010 “Best Places to Work” in Connecticut. In addition, the firm is the only certified public accounting/business advisory firm named in this year’s list. The statewide survey and awards program were created by the publication to identify, recognize, and honor the best places of employment in Connecticut. The 2010 list is made up of 25 companies, split into two categories — 20 small and medium-sized companies (15-199 employees) and five large companies (more than 200 employees). Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the best places to work. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process, and also analyzed the data and used its expertise to determine the final rankings. Kostin, Ruffkess & Co. has 140 employees with offices in Farmington and New London, Conn., and in Springfield.

StenTel and NLP International Corp. Announce Partnership

SPRINGFIELD — StenTel has acquired license of NLP International’s MedLEE™ Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology for integration with medical transcription. NLP International has created a universal SaaS portal to give medical-transcription service organizations (MTSOs) and transcription-technology platforms, like StenTel’s application service provider, access to a broad range of applications designed to support automated, low-cost health care solutions for interoperability, EHR adoption, and meaningful use. StenTel plans to jointly advance these applications in cooperation with other MTSOs to widely enable the medical-transcription industry to offer these services to inpatient and outpatient health providers and organizations. The MedLEE NLP engine codifies standard text documents for data extraction, thereby enabling discrete reportable transcription (DRT). MedLEE was developed over the course of 20 years by Columbia University in New York and is a powerful, patented NLP-processing engine that automates analytics, reporting, and alerting for outflows such as core measures, PQRI, patient summary review, coding and billing support, decision support, clinical trials, biological surveillance and more. MedLEE has been successfully tested by large hospital systems and government agencies, including New York Presbyterian Hospital, the National Cancer Institute, and the U.S. Department of Defense, and is considered the gold standard of such technologies. “We are thrilled to bring this technology to health care through the medical-transcription industry, particularly because it is superior to the few competing technologies available,” said George Catuogno, president of StenTel. “Many in the HIT community promote the notion that transcription is no longer valuable or relevant, yet narrative dictation continues to be the preferred method of data capture for physicians because it’s simple, efficient, and supports a thorough and complete record of patient encounters. It’s a pleasure to bring this important technology to all MTSOs through NLP International’s platform-neutral portal. Now, with an example such as the Verizon Medical Data Exchange, we can collaboratively demonstrate how transcription-centric technology is, in fact, a valuable and relevant driver of our national HIT initiatives.”

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

V-One Vodka Receives Top Honors in Competition

HADLEY — Valley Vodka Inc.’s V-One Vodka was recently honored with the highest award, the Double Gold Medal, at the World Spirits Competition. The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is a weekend of blind taste tests conducted by an expert panel of judges who award medals based solely on taste. The competition was held at the Nikko Hotel on March 13-14, and included more than 1,050 spirits from 56 countries and six continents, making it the largest competition of its kind. For gaining top honors, V-One Vodka will be featured in the May issue of Tasting Panel magazine. Also, Paul Kozub, owner and founder of V-One, will be traveling with the other Double Gold Medal winners in other categories for a 12-city tour for trade and media promotions. Kozub noted that for V-One Vodka to be rated as the top vodka in the world is “mindblowing.” He is one of the youngest founders of a Double Gold medal-winning vodka. V-One is distributed throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut and is available in more than 1,000 bars, restaurants, and liquor stores.

Pion Family Receives Reprieve from GM

CHICOPEE — Within the next few weeks, Robert Pion and his son, Donald Pion, hope to increase their inventory of new Buicks and GMCs after they learned they had been reinstated as a Buick and GMC dealer by General Motors Corp. During a recent press conference, the Pion family thanked U.S. Rep. Richard Neal for his efforts on their behalf as he met with GM executives to review the car dealer’s sales statistics. The Pions had kept the business going with the service department and bought used cars at auction to sell. In addition to Pion’s dealership, six others have been reinstated across the state following arbitration with GM.

Firms Expand into Brownfield Market

ROBBINSVILLE, N.J. — Sovereign Consulting Inc. has announced a partnership with RE Invest Solutions LLC to offer real-estate developers, corporations, and municipalities creative solutions to finance, remediate, and redevelop distressed and underutilized industrial properties. RE Invest, in partnership with real-estate developers, finances environmental remediation projects in exchange for an equity position in the redevelopment project. RE Invest invests in brownfield properties throughout the U.S., helping corporations and municipalities monetize their surplus fixed assets and transfer environmental liability. Sovereign provides the technical resources and manpower needed to execute the site remediation to regulatory closure.

Don Muller Gallery Attends Exclusive Jewelry Show

NORTHAMPTON — Jewelry showcased at the Centurion Show, an invitation-only trade show in Tucson, Ariz. for prominent retailers, will soon be found in the Don Muller Gallery on Main Street. Retailers shopped with Centurion’s 110-plus award-winning designers and purchased collections in various price ranges. Muller noted that shopping at the Centurion allows him to see the “very best jewelry available.” Muller added that he enjoyed shopping the collections of Todd Reed, Alex Sepkus, and Sethi Couture, which are carried in his store.

Friends of the Homeless Receives Grant

SPRINGFIELD — The TD Charitable Foundation recently awarded a $10,000 grant to Friends of the Homeless (FOH) that will allow the organization to continue working with adults who are homeless in the Greater Springfield area. Bill Miller, executive director of FOH, thanked the TD Charitable Foundation and noted that the funds will provide services that help people access permanent housing.

Impoco’s Poultry Market Celebrates 80 Years

SPRINGFIELD — Impoco’s Poultry Market is celebrating 80 years of providing fresh, all-natural poultry products to the region with a move to a new location on Walnut Street. The new site is operated by Anthony Impoco, the third generation of the Impoco family to continue in the business. He has been involved in the poultry industry for more than 35 years. The company was founded by Joseph Impoco in 1929 at the original Six Corners site of 345 Walnut St., a quarter-mile from the new location. The new retail market offers freshly prepared, all-natural chicken and chicken parts, as well as fresh eggs obtained from local egg farms. In the near future, the company plans to expand the product line to include waterfowl and game birds.

Normandeau Marks 20th Anniversary

FLORENCE — Hard work, honesty and a commitment to others have been the driving forces behind Normandeau Communications, which was founded by Raymond Normandeau and is now run by his son, Brett Normandeau, and daughter, Kim Durand. The family-owned and operated business provides quality cabling services and professional installation of business telephone systems. Durand noted that they “stake their name and reputation” on providing all their customers with the right solutions for their communication needs, taking advantage of new technology and providing true value with continued support.