Home Posts tagged Construction (Page 34)

Building Permits

By
Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of August 2012.

 

AGAWAM

 

Coyote Realty, LLC

1340 Springfield St.

$750,000 — Construct new Wendy’s restaurant

 

Polish American Club

139 Southwick St.

$54,000 — Repair damaged roof trusses

 

AMHERST

 

Amherst College

Seligman Dorm

$35,000 — Renovations

 

Guidera Realty Trust

446 Main St.

$7,000 — New roof

 

Hampshire College

Lemelson Art Building

$55,000 — Renovation of existing office space

 

Holyoke Property Management

160 Old Farm Road

$70,000 — Install two new generators

 

CHICOPEE

 

Chicopee Crossing, LLC

536 Memorial Dr.

$38,000 — T-Mobile fit-out

 

D&D Chicopee Realty, LLC

49 Highland Ave.

$17,000 — Interior renovation

 

EASTHAMPTON

 

Interland Real Estate, LLC

180 Pleasant St.

$40,000 — Repairs for second-floor AC system

 

Jeanne Moore

69 Ferry St.

$25,000 — Install three antennas

 

Williston Northampton School

11 Payson Ave.

$10,000 — Exterior repairs

 

HOLYOKE

 

Baystate Health

361 Whitney Ave.

$72,000 — Tenant fit-out

 

Daughters of the Heart of Mary

1365 Northampton St.

$13,000 — Renovate existing chapel

 

Suffolk Realty Associates, LLC

56-58 Suffolk St.

$40,000 — Install three new wireless antennas

 

NORTHAMPTON

 

Robert Defresne

155 Industrial Dr.

$115,000 — Renovate office and enlarge break room

 

Smith College

44 College Lane

$290,000 — Reconstruct stairs and ramps

 

Smith College

Green St.

$101,000 — Divide classroom into four offices

 

SOUTH HADLEY

 

Integrity Development and Construction

216 Pearl St.

$83,000 — Construct garage

 

SOUTHWICK

 

Shatz, Schwartz, and Fentin PC

22 Industrial Park

$1,500 — Three upgraded antennas

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

Briarwood Seven, LLC

11-31 Park St.

$230,000 — Exterior renovations

 

Buckley, Richardson and Gelinas

1500 Main St.

$1,161,000 — Office renovations on the 26th and 27th floors

 

CBRE

1316 Carew St.

$30,000 — Convert drive-thru teller to ATM

 

Paperchine

40 Progress Ave.

$113,000 — Renovation of an office and addition of a conference room

 

Ronald McDonald House

34 Chapin Terrace

$162,000 — Renovate kitchen

 

TD Banknorth

1360 Carew St.

$57,000 — Renovation of ATM room

 

Valley Psychiatric Services

505 East Columbus Ave.

$108,000 — New office space and break room

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

 

Costco Wholesale

119 Daggett Dr.

$779,000 — Erect 2,995-square-foot addition to the northwest corner of existing commercial building

 

John Salema

95 Memorial Ave.

$70,000 — Renovate donut shop sales area

 

Leslie’s Swimming Pool Supplies

3925 East Broadway

$120,000 — Renovate 3,556 square feet of existing space

Doing business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of August 2012.

 

AMHERST

 

ADG Contracting

18 Edgehill Place

Douglas Olsen

 

Cat and Dog Housecall Practice

760 Station Road

Christine Massaro

 

Clearpoint Communications

72 Pelham Road

Eddy Goldberg

 

Gamer Geek Heroes

34 Pomeroy Lane

Phillip Lanson

 

Hawkins Meadow

370 Northampton Road

Lucy Carlson

Quantum Breakthrough

401 Main St.

Deborah Maclin

 

Voice Male Magazine

44 North Pleasant St.

Emily Danielle

 

CHICOPEE

 

Precisions Barbershop

97 Main St.

Benjamin F. Lester III

 

Renewed Strength

222 Langevin St.

Dawn Jarrell

 

Re-Threads

246 Montcalm St.

Kelly Bicket

 

EASTHAMPTON

 

One Match Films

1 Cottage St.

Jeff Derose

 

Paint and Pixel

12 Fox Run

Margrette Twardowski

 

HADLEY

 

Comfort Inn

237 Russell St.

Laxman Parmar

 

ECO ATM Inc.

367 Russell St.

Drew Spayenta

 

Hartsbrook School

193 Bay Rd.

Stephen Volkmann

 

HOLYOKE

 

Belden Jewelers

50 Holyoke St.

George Frankovich

 

China House

322 Appleton St.

Hong Z. Wang

 

Kay Jewelers

50 Holyoke St.

George Frankovich

 

M.J. Transcriptions

20 Easthampton Road

Katie Jones

 

Patalarga Auto Repair

63 Commerical St.

Pablo Guerrero

 

NORTHAMPTON

 

Alexis Design

5 Strong Ave.

Alexis Neubert

 

Blue Ox Greenscapes

11 Franklin St.

Michael Felbeck

 

Easthampton Pet Sitting

726 Park Hill Road

Anne Pilewsky

 

Great Specs

15 Hawley St.

Jeffrey Bostian

 

JB Auto

605 North King St.

Joseph Barker

 

Local Lead Solutions

45 Maple St.

Garrett Fitzgerald

 

Lovelight Designs

44 Ridgewood Terrace

Joseph Sandler

 

Robinson Real Estate

35 State St.

Steven Slezek

 

Tech Cavalry

355 Bridge St.

Brian Scanlon

 

PALMER

 

Ken Wheelock Painting

54 South St.

Kenneth Wheelock

 

Lazy Lady Farm

60 Olney Road

Paul Lukaskiewicz

 

Milltown Inc.

3033 Main St.

Lance Ferrell

 

P-Madrid Human Services

44 Squire St.

Margaret Warrington

 

Palmer Package Store

1015 North Main St.

Jorge Martins

 

Pawhead Produce

3090 Palmer St.

Robert Schoonover

 

POS

51 Squire St.

Jay Heinicke

 

The NR Group

43 French Dr.

Nathan Olson

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

Short Line Track Inspection

5 Louis Road

James Anthony

 

A Touch of Class Remodeling

760 Sumner Ave.

Eddie Alicea

 

Aaron’s

1275 Liberty St.

Ray Simmons

 

Acorn Learning Center

62 Noel St.

Rita Panasian

 

Action Center

1 Armory Square

Bob Giannino-Racine

 

Ambassador Car Wash

1095 State St.

Jaime Rodriguez

 

BBP & Fast Transport

17 Olmsted Dr.

Ricky D. Boone

 

Bamboo House

676 Belmont Ave.

Hieu Le

 

Bezalel Prophetic Art

1676 Carew St.

Triny E. Vargas

 

Calvin Auto Repairing

170 Massachusetts Ave.

Calvin Fearing

 

Chestnut Transport

238 Rear Chestnut St.

Christopher J. Ortega

 

Color Your World Painting

2207 Page Blvd.

Johnson H. Lamont

 

CS-MA LLC

34 Rocus St.

Shawn P. Carroll

 

Delicias Caribenas

127 Stafford St.

Otero A. Luis

 

Ermosa Hair Design

20 Arnold St.

Carmen M. Silva

 

Ferrero Plumbing & Heating

200 Abbott St.

Jason M Ferrero

 

Gold Pizza

459 Main St.

Turkmen Tayfun

 

Gugies Trucking

36 Beauregard St.

Steven A. Gugenberger

 

IBS Electronics

225 Armory St.

Jonathan J. Waitt

 

International Health Services

604 Cottage St.

Margarita Blanter

 

J3T Set Design Group

108 Upton St.

James Frances

 

JBL Construction Company

100 Progress Ave.

Teixeira Carlos

 

WESTFIELD

 

Hair by Julie

34 School St.

Julie Ryan

 

JEP Distributing

18 Gladwin Dr.

James Schiep

 

Southern States Cooperative Inc.

323 Lockhouse Road

Wayne Sine

 

Westfield School of Music

347 Elm St.

Isabelle Boggs

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

 

Colmatt Associates

50 Wishing Well Way

Sandra M. Fletcher

 

El Safi Supermarket

532 Main St.

Ashraf M. Galal

 

Haireast Inc.

8 Chestnut St.

Jennifer Gamelli

 

Metamorphosis Massage

201 Westfield St.

Kathleen A. Cullinan

 

NTB

400 Memorial Ave.

Orland Wolford

 

Park Street Convenience Store

54 Park St.

Pravinbhai Patel

 

Rehab Resolutions Inc.

1111 Elm St.

Sofia Zanzarella

 

Stop & Save

2011 Riverdale St.

Alqaim, Inc.

 

The Courtyards

1139 Westfield St.

Mass Courtyards

 

Westside Aikido

452 Main St.

Lorraine Dianne

 

Wingate at West Springfield

42 Prospect Ave.

Michael S. Benjamin

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

STCC, Eastern States Exposition Partner on Internship Program

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and the Eastern States Exposition (ESE) recently announced a scholarship that creates internship opportunities for STCC students in the Civil Engineering Technology program. Through a donation from Eastern States Exposition, the college created the STCC Civil Engineering Excellence Fund this past June to support a Civil Engineering Learning Laboratory at the exposition facilities. The laboratory will provide STCC students with the opportunity to apply classroom skills outside the campus in a working environment. The partnership between STCC and the ESE will provide a unique learning opportunity to STCC students. Selected interns will receive a scholarship and be recognized at the annual STCC scholarship and awards ceremony. Students will develop project organization, management, and communication plans; catalog, review, and digitally archive historical blueprints and engineering documents; interview and gather facility development history; locate the exposition site’s structural, sewer, electrical, and roadway systems; provide updated digital schematics and renderings of the site using industry-standard software; and recommend areas for consideration for future analysis and verification. “It’s a unique opportunity for our students because it allows them to have a historical perspective of what they are working on,” said STCC Foundation Interim Director Robert LePage. “It’s a really great hands-on learning experience.” STCC student Carlos Cruz is the first student to participate in the program and began work this summer. Under the supervision of STCC Adjunct Professor of Civil Engineering Technology Robert Vetrano, Cruz already has scanned more than 600 of the exposition’s drawings, converted them into TIF format, cleaned the images, and finally converted them into PDF format. Next summer, LePage said he hopes to have at least three or four additional interns to help with the project, and credits the Eastern States Exposition with stepping forward to become the first local organization to support the scholarship program. “It’s an interesting project,” said LePage. “And it’s nice to support and partner with an organization like the Eastern States Exposition, with such a strong mission and focus on education.” LePage noted that, while the ESE is the first organization to step forward to contribute to the STCC Civil Engineering Excellence Fund, there are opportunities for other area businesses to get involved.

 

Colony Hills Capital Announces Acquisition

WILBRAHAM — Colony Hills Capital, LLC (CHC), a Wilbraham-based real-estate-investment firm, recently closed on the $14 million purchase of Wynthrope Forest Apartments, a 270-unit, garden-style community located in Riverdale, Ga. Wynthrope Forest, built in 2000, occupies 28 acres of land. “Because Wynthrope Forest was an REO, we were able to acquire this tremendous asset at an excellent cost basis and significantly below replacement cost,” said David Kaufman, vice president with CHC. “With minor capital improvements and instituting best-in-class management disciplines, I believe our investors will be rewarded with strong risk-adjusted returns.” CHC was joined by equity partners Plymouth Opportunity REIT and Redwood Real Estate Partners in the investment, as well as Morgan Stanley, which provided the mortgage financing on the property.

 

Big Y Opens Latest Store

in Franklin

SPRINGFIELD —  Big Y recently opened its newest World Class Market at 348  East Central St. in Franklin. The 56,866- square-foot market boasts many new innovations both inside and outside of the store. Bowdoin Construction Corp. served as the general contractor for this location, in conjunction with several local subcontractors, such as Tom Gioloso Construction Inc., for the completion of this $14.5 million investment that began in September 2011. “All of us at Big Y are excited to offer the Franklin community with a brand-new shopping experience and a new option for their grocery and lifestyle needs,” said Big Y’s president and chief operating officer, Charles D’Amour.

 

AJE Financial Services Moves into New Quarters

LUDLOW — AJE Financial Services in Ludlow recently moved into new offices at 588 Center St. in Ludlow. Previously located on 364 East St. in Ludlow, the company had outgrown its former location. Owner and President Robin Wdowiak said he is pleased to be able to keep the business in town. “AJE Financial Services has been a part of the Ludlow business community for 17 years, and we are thrilled that we were able to find a  suitable location right here in town,” said Wdowiak. “I grew up in Ludlow and know many of the residents here, so there is always a neighbor-helping-neighbor feeling to the services that we provide.” The company staged an open house on Sept. 6.

Making Their Case

By
From left, Louis Moore, Tracie Kester, Cal Annino, Mark Draper, and Trant Campbell.
Law Sections
Annino Draper & Moore Charts a Growth Strategy

From left, Louis Moore, Tracie Kester, Cal Annino, Mark Draper, and Trant Campbell.

From left, Louis Moore, Tracie Kester, Cal Annino, Mark Draper, and Trant Campbell.

Cal Annino says most law firms, especially smaller boutique operations like his, don’t traditionally embrace those proverbial five-year operating plans.

“Things change much too quickly in this business for that,” he explained, referencing all that’s happened over the past half-decade to get his point across. But this doesn’t mean that firms can’t undertake strategic planning, he stressed repeatedly.

At Springfield-based Annino Draper & Moore, or ADM, as it’s called, the firm he started with Mark Draper and Louis Moore (former colleagues at the firm Ryan & White) in 1990, planning is a year-round assignment usually focused on the shorter term, said Annino. And often, track is laid at a year-end meeting of the minds, or planning session, in the firm’s conference room.

At the most recent one, last December, the partners decided to move ahead with everything from a larger and more visible satellite office in Westfield (it has another, similar facility in Northampton) to more extensive marketing, including a revamped and expanded Web site and an electronic newsletter, to a hard push into the realm of alternative dispute resolution, or ADR.

“We’ve jumped with two feet into the arbitration and mediation aspects of alternative dispute resolution,” said Annino, the firm’s managing partner, adding that the creation of the ADR Group was an aggressive step taken in response to ongoing trends toward greater use of ADR and thus less work in the courts, and the recognized need to fill voids in business in such areas as estate planning, family law, and others.

Draper is a certified arbitrator who has handled a number of cases, and others at the firm have taken mediation training, Annino noted, adding that ADR services could become a strong growth area for the firm moving forward, especially if marketed aggressively, which ADM intends to do.

“With the reputation that this firm has in the marketplace now, once we let people know that we’re in the mediation and arbitration business, this will be a good source of business for us,” he explained, adding that, with ADM’s expertise across many areas of the law, it could mediate or arbitrate a wide range of matters.

The past several months have been spent putting the ADR Group and other strategic initiatives into effect, said Annino, adding that these steps, coupled with the firm’s wide diversity of specialties — covering everything from construction law to estate planning; environmental law to general business law — has Annino Draper & Moore positioned for continued growth.

For this issue and its focus on business law, BusinessWest turns the spotlight on a two-decade-old firm that is shedding its comparatively low profile and taking intriguing steps in response to changes in the legal profession, as well as the local business community.

 

Firm Resolve

Tracing the history of the firm, Annino said it is one of several that were essentially spun off from Ryan White, which at one time had more than two dozen lawyers and was one of the largest firms in the area.

Lawyers in that firm were “compartmentalized” into certain practice groups, he continued, adding that, with their backgrounds in diverse areas, the three individuals with the names now over the door decided there was proper chemistry and synergy for a partnership.

The firm had a solid foundation in the form of clients that stayed with the three partners after they left Ryan & White, and continuously built on that foundation over the years.

“We’ve been able to grow because many of the clients who came with us when we left Ryan & White are still with us,” he continued. “We have very loyal clients, and, frankly, we do a great job for them. We do excellent work, and we’re responsive; that’s what a small firm has to do in order to compete.”

Trant Campbell, who specializes in everything from family law to dispute resolution, joined the firm in 2007, and the latest addition is Tracie Kester, Annino’s one-time assistant and paralegal, who earned her J.D. at Western New England Law School, became an associate at the firm soon thereafter, and was named partner earlier this year.

From the beginning, the firm’s success has been attributed to its diversity and ability to provide a wide range of services to specific clients.

Annino, the firm’s managing partner, focuses on corporate law, municipal and health care law, banking and finance, commercial and residential real estate, estate planning, and elder law, while Draper specializes in construction law and civil litigation. Moore’s areas of practice include environmental law, land-use issues, municipal law, insurance law, civil litigation, and dispute resolution, while Campbell focuses on family law and domestic relations, estate planning, business and corporate law, and dispute resolution, and Kester specializes in business and corporate law, commercial and residential real estate, estate planning and elder law, and civil litigation.

“The work I do in residential and commercial real estate works out well with Mark’s construction practice and Lou’s environmental practice,” said Kester, offering just one example of the synergies within the company and how the various specialties complement one another and improve the overall quality of service. “Any time I have a hint of an environmental problem with one of my real-estate deals, I go down to hall — I don’t pass ‘Go,’ don’t collect $200, and go straight to Lou’s office.”

There is similar synergy between estate-planning work and real estate, noted Campbell, adding that ADM can handle a full range of client needs, and often without having to go outside the firm for an expert.

“Clients’ legal needs don’t necessarily fall in one area,” he explained. “If there was an estate administration going on, there may be a piece of real estate involved, and there may be some environmental issues and some title issues. What I found when I came here was a willingness and a desire on the part of the other members of the firm to help us reach a solution; it’s a great level of comfort.”

Moore agreed. “We don’t do everything that the large firms do,” he said, “but the things we do, we do well and more cost-effectively than most other firms.

“It’s not unusual, especially in some more complex matters, when you’re dealing with a larger firm on the other side, to see them have two or three lawyers in a meeting or at a hearing,” he continued. “And maybe not in every instance, but many of them, clients are getting billed for that.”

The firm’s diversity and cost-effective service have served the company well during the recent — and in many ways still ongoing — economic downturn, he continued, adding that the firm, like most all others, struggled during the leanest of times, especially in hard-hit fields like construction, where most activity came to a grinding halt, but persevered without cutbacks or salary cuts because of its broad range of specialties.

 

Case in Point

Looking ahead, Annino said the business community, and society in general, are moving increasingly in the direction of ADR, and the firm is responding accordingly — and proactively — with its new ADR Group.

He noted that in addition to divorce and other areas where ADR has been used effectively for many years, there is vast potential for the firm to gain business in such areas as environmental law, construction law, and family law.

“When people find out that we’re doing environmental, family, and contract mediation and arbitration — and we really haven’t told them yet, but we’re starting to — I think we’re going to be very busy,” he said. “I see the family-mediation piece as one where there is growth potential — I’m not aware of it being done extensively now.

“You look at a case where the parents die and now there’s an issue with the estate,” he continued, offering an example of the type of work he anticipates. “You’ve got four children, and everyone is going to get a lawyer. If you’re well-thought-of as being able to mediate or arbitrate those types of issues, rather than fighting them out in the courtroom, that would seem like the perfect venue to resolve family disputes — privately, quietly, and less expensively.”

When asked how a firm, or a specific individual, gains a solid reputation in the realm of ADR, Draper said it does so by becoming known for both expertise and fairness, which can only be attained through time, experience, and thoughtful resolutions.

“The first thing you need to do is get the word out, which we’re trying to do,” he told BusinessWest, noting the use of the firm’s Web site and other vehicles to introduce the service. “Beyond that, it’s just like any aspect of a legal practice — if the parties in the mediation or arbitration perceive you to be fair, then I think you’ll get a good recommendation from the parties and the attorneys. On the other hand, if you’re perceived as being unfair or biased toward one party or the other, you’re not going to get a good recommendation from either side.

“If I see someone who has a bias as an arbitrator, I’m disinclined to use that person,” he continued, “because I’m not sure where the bias is going to fall next time. So it’s just like building any other kind of practice.”

While working to build its portfolio in ADR, the firm is making strides with many of the other strategic initiatives identified last December.

For example, the firm has relocated into larger quarters on Broad Street in Westfield, providing improved visibility. Annino and Kester (both Westfield residents) spend at least one day in a week in that city, which has recorded significant residential and business expansion in recent years and offers strong growth opportunities.

Meanwhile, the firm is moving ahead with plans to market itself more aggressively and become much more visible than it has been in the past.

Specific steps include the revamped Web site, which will, in addition to offering information about the firm, its lawyers, and their areas of expertise, provide visitors with information on timely issues of the day, as well as a new e-newsletter sent to hundreds of clients and prospective clients.

The first edition, which came out in June, chronicles the Westfield relocation, announces Kester’s new status as partner, introduces the new ADR services, and even offers a bit of commentary on the economy.

“We have definitely noticed an uptick in business and consumer confidence and a resulting demand for legal services,” it reads. “There is also new optimism in our clients. Much of our new work results from clients expanding business operations or taking advantage of new business opportunities. It is exciting to be part of this emerging vitality, and to see long-time clients optimistic again about the future for their families and businesses.”

 

Closing Argument

Whether this perceived uptick and rise in optimism translates into new growth opportunities for ADM remains to be seen. But it’s clear that the firm is taking solid steps to effectively position itself within a changing economic and legal landscape.

As Annino noted, five-year plans don’t generally work out in the legal industry. But firms still need to look down the road and anticipate where opportunities will be found and take proactive steps to capitalize on them.

And ADM has a firm resolve — both literally and figuratively — to do just that.

 

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

Briefcase

By
Briefcase Departments

GSCVB Touts Discounts in Updated WOW Value Book

SPRINGFIELD — The Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau (GSCVB) has produced a new edition of the WOW Value Book, a collection of discount coupons for several of the Pioneer Valley’s leading attractions, restaurants, shops, and more. Offers include discounted admission prices, free restaurant items with the purchase of entrée selections, and shopping discounts. More than 12,500 copies of the dollar-bill-sized book have been printed. Each of the offers highlighted in the coupon book are also available online by visiting www.valleyvisitor.com and clicking “Download WOW Values.” The book offers more than $100 in total savings. According to GSCVB President Mary Kay Wydra, “we got a terrific response to the earlier edition of the WOW Value Book that we released several months ago, and it was our plan to have subsequent editions to allow our seasonal attractions to participate. We created the book for people who came to the region to attend conventions and meetings, to encourage them to visit our restaurants, shops, and attractions in their free time. It also came in handy for people who couldn’t download and print the coupons on our Web site.” Pioneer Valley residents who would like a copy of the WOW Value Book should email [email protected] and provide their name and mailing address, or call (413) 787-1548. The book’s participants include: Adolfo’s Ristorante, Artist Square Group Art Gallery, Bright Nights at Forest Park, CityStage and Symphony Hall, Frigo’s Foods, the Handbag Outlet, La Fiorentina Pastry Shop, Mana Iguana’s, Nadim’s Mediterranean Grill, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Petra Hookah Lounge, Springfield Museums, the Student Prince Café and the Fort Dining Room, Zonin’s Deli, and the Zoo in Forest Park, all in Springfield; the Pizza Guy and Six Flags New England in Agawam; the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and the White Hut in Amherst; Lee Premium Outlets in Lee; the Loft Restaurant & Lounge in Northampton; Renew.calm, Storrowtown Tavern & Carriage House, and the White Hut in West Springfield; Horizons Restaurant & Bar in Wilbraham; the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford; and Friendly’s locations throughout the Pioneer Valley.

 

Survey: Employers Increase Health and Wellness Benefits

ATLANTA — More employers are offering benefits that encourage employees to improve their health, according to a survey released by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) at its 2012 Annual Conference and Exposition in Atlanta. Over the past five years, benefits that reward employees for improving their health have jumped — a sign that organizations are looking for ways to cut business costs and recognize that employees value these benefits. For example, the percentage of employers offering health and lifestyle coaching jumped from 33% in 2008 to 45% in 2012, and rewards or bonuses for completing a health and wellness program increased from 23% in 2008 to 35% in 2012. “Employers recognize that providing employees with the opportunity to improve their health can increase morale, confidence, and productivity,” said Mark Schmit, vice president of research at SHRM. “Organizations continue to look for ways to manage costs as the economy slowly improves. Benefits that encourage healthier behavior are a cost-effective way to keep up employee morale, while healthier employees also help decrease health care costs to employers and employees.” SHRM’s 2012 Employee Benefits Survey found that, while most employee benefits stabilized this year, 73% of HR professionals reported that the economic downtown negatively impacted employee-benefit offerings (11% to a large extent and 62% to some extent). This is more or less the same as in 2011, when 77% said the economy negatively affected benefits to some or a large extent. Because of the economy and recent employment-related legislation, many employers have switched to benefits that shift primary responsibility and control to employees. For example, more employers offer defined-contribution retirement-savings plans (92%) than defined-benefit pension plans (21%) in 2012, putting the impetus on employees to manage their own retirement savings instead of relying on employer-provided pensions. “By shifting primary responsibility in controlling certain health care and financial benefits, employers are recognizing a shift in workplace culture,” said Schmit. “The new plans allow employees have more control over how they save for retirement and manage their health, while reducing costs for employers. These plans are also more flexible, and thus more attractive, to employees who will likely not spend an entire career with one organization.” Employer spending on benefits remained stable this year, with organizations spending, on average, 19% of an employee’s annual salary on voluntary benefits, 18% on mandatory benefits, and 10% on pay for time employees did not work. Paid-time-off plans have become more  popular; more than half of organizations (51%) provide paid-time-off plans, a combination of traditional vacation time, sick leave, and personal days in one plan, up from 42% in 2009. For more survey data, visit shrm.org/surveys.

 

 

Construction Backlog Bounces Back in

Second Quarter

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator (CBI) rose 4.3% in the second quarter of 2012 after declining the two previous quarters. Despite the quarterly expansion, CBI is 0.3 months, or 4.2%, below the second quarter of 2011, and progress in the Northeast region of the U.S remains sluggish. CBI is a forward-looking economic indicator that measures the amount of construction work under contract to be completed in the future. “The CBI accurately predicted both the broader economic softness experienced during the first half of 2012, as well as a flattening of the nation’s non-residential construction recovery,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “The latest CBI data is now projecting gradual acceleration in non-residential construction spending, and perhaps a slight increase in the overall pace of construction activity going forward. Unfortunately, any improvement in non-residential construction activity is likely to remain modest given the ongoing uncertainty regarding America’s fiscal cliff — a number of tax increases and spending cuts that take effect at the end of the year — as well as European sovereign-debt issues and increasingly volatile energy prices. While there is pent-up demand for new construction in the power, manufacturing, and infrastructure segments, the level of economic and political uncertainty remains far too elevated to permit more aggressive non-residential-construction spending recovery in the near term.” During the second quarter of 2012, the Northeast had the smallest gain in construction backlog at 0.05 months for the quarter, and is now at 7.28 months. Across the U.S. average construction backlog rose for all monitored industry segments after declining the two previous quarters. The infrastructure segment registered the largest quarter-to-quarter construction backlog increase, up 1.4 months to more than 10 months — the first time infrastructure backlog has been above 10 months since the second quarter of 2010. Construction backlog in the heavy-industrial category is at its highest level since the first quarter of 2011, but at the lowest level of all the industry segments at 5.92 months. Construction backlog in the commercial and institutional segment is 0.85 months lower than one year ago, and now stands at 7.78 months.

 

Prices of Construction Materials Decline Again

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Prices of construction materials declined 0.7% in July, according to the Aug. 14 Producer Price Index report released by the U.S. Department of Labor. On a yearly basis, construction materials prices are down 0.6% — the first year-over-year decline since November 2009, when non-residential construction spending was at its lowest point. Non-residential construction materials prices also are down, falling 0.9% for the month and 1.2% for the year. Prices for iron and steel dropped 3.7% for the month and are 9.7% lower on a yearly basis. Softwood lumber prices fell 3.7% in July, but are still 5.9% higher than in July 2011. Steel-mill product prices decreased 2.8% for the month and are down 5.9% year over year. Prices for fabricated structural metal products slipped 1% for the month and are up 0.1% during the past 12 months. Prices for prepared asphalt, tar roofing, and siding surged 5.4% for the month, but are still down 3.8% year over year. Non-ferrous wire and cable prices increased 0.5% for the month, but are down 8.9% from July 2011. Prices for concrete products are up 0.3% for the month and are 1.8% higher year over year. Prices for plumbing fixtures and fittings inched up 0.1% in July and are 1.2% more expensive than one year ago. Crude-energy-material prices increased 0.6% in July, the first monthly increase since February 2012. Year over year, crude-energy-material prices are down 19.1%. Overall, the nation’s wholesale-goods prices increased 0.3% for the month and are 0.5% higher than in July 2011. The report “should be viewed by the non-residential construction industry as good news,” said Anirban Basu, chief economist at Associated Builders and Contractors. “Prices of a number of key inputs declined significantly last month, including steel-mill products, iron and steel, and softwood lumber. Lower construction materials prices translate into more attractive project pro-formas, which in turn make it more likely that a project will be financed and move forward. While it is true that last month’s decline in materials prices is a reflection of a still-sluggish economic environment, there are reasons for growing optimism. For example, much of the economy’s lackluster performance can be attributed to ongoing uncertainty emerging from Washington, D.C., including the looming fiscal cliff. If Congress acts soon to create greater certainty around federal budgetary and taxation issues, the level of business certainty would increase meaningfully. That would result in the availability of more risk-seeking capital to finance projects. Anecdotal and survey information indicate that bankers are becoming more aggressive in their lending. Lower and more stable materials prices are associated with less risky construction, and permanent loans and are more likely to attract capital to construction projects. This means that, for the first time in several months, more robust recovery in non-residential construction spending is conceivable. However, Congress and the administration still must act appropriately before capital becomes sufficiently risk-seeking.”

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT
Air Distribution Corporation v. Curry Realty, LLC and Curry Automotive, LLC
Allegation: Plaintiff asserts its mechanics lien rights for materials provided in a construction project owned/leased by the defendants: $20,330
Filed: 7/25/12

Lisa Pereira v. Hampton Inn
Allegation: Negligent maintenance of property causing slip and fall: $3,343.12
Filed: 7/19/12

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT
Donald K. Carew v. Riverside Industries Inc. and Carolyn M. Dineen
Allegation: Motor vehicle negligence and personal injury: $45,906.85
Filed: 6/13/12

LaMountain Brothers Inc. v. Pan Am Southern, LLC
Allegation: Action to enforce a mechanics lien upon the property of the defendant: $91,733.33
Filed: 6/17/12

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Carol and John Walsh v. New Tradition Millwork Inc.
Allegation: Breach of construction agreement: $29,692
Filed: 6/21/12

Edward and Joan Haley v. Verizon New England Inc.
Allegation: Placement of utility poles without owner’s consent: $2,800
Filed: 6/28/12

Hampden Bank v. Patient Edu, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of promissory note: $1,175,000
Filed: 6/25/12

Isabel and Jose Sanchez v. Hani Haddad, M.D. and Valley Women’s Health Group, LLV
Allegation: Medical malpractice: $25,000+
Filed: 6/25/12

Lillian Colon, as administratrix of the estate of Jose Colon v. The Mardi Gras
Allegation: Negligence in security causing wrongful death when the decedent was shot and killed by another patron of the Mardi Gras: $1,000,000+
Filed: 6/26/12

PALMER DISTRICT COURT
Camerota Truck Parts v. L.J.R. Trucking, Inc. and Robert Levesque
Allegation: Failure to pay for goods provided and breach of contract: $10,299.95
Filed: 7/6/12

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
A-Tech Commercial Parts & Service Inc. v. Kentucky Fried Chicken
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $7,483.22
Filed: 6/21/12

Baystate Elevator Company v. Western New England University
Allegation: Non-payment of labor and materials for repair and maintenance of elevators: $8,760.00
Filed: 7/31/12

Bradco Supply v. C.S. Alexander Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment on promissory note: $3,910
Filed: 7/6/12

Perkins Paper Inc. v. Chez Josef Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $4,075.64
Filed: 6/25/12

Sesac Inc. v. Skyplex
Allegation: Breach of performance license agreement: $6,160.07
Filed: 7/5/12

Briefcase

By
Briefcase Departments

$21 Million Approved for Union Station and PVTA
SPRINGFIELD — Congressman Richard Neal recently announced that nearly $21 million in federal funding has been formally approved for the planned renovation of Springfield’s Union Station, a historic landmark, and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA). Of the $21 million, $17 million will help support the renovation of Union Station into a regional transportation center, which is estimated to cost $45 million. The remaining $3.9 million will be directed to the PVTA to help underwrite maintenance of the local public-transportation system. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Raymond LaHood visited Springfield in late July to tour the historic train station and meet with local officials to discuss the redevelopment project. Neal, who has spearheaded this project since the late 1980s, expressed his satisfaction with the recent funding approval and thanked LaHood for his attention and assistance. “I have been determined to turn Union Station into a modern intermodal transportation center for many years,” said Neal. “Restoring this historic structure and turning it into a thriving 21st-century transportation center has been a top priority of mine going back to my days as mayor of Springfield. I remain convinced that the successful renovation of Union Station can literally transform the northern blocks of downtown Springfield. The renewal of this local treasure has been confirmed with this announcement, and a new generation of travelers will soon be passing though its doors.” Neal reported that $72 million in federal funding is being used to renovate the Connecticut River rail line and bring high-speed rail to Western New England, and more than $100 million is being invested in the local infrastructure. The Springfield Redevelopment Authority owns Union Station, built in 1926. Demolition of a portion of the building will commence late this year, with construction for the new renovations expected in the spring of 2013.

Pro Springfield Media Launches Web Publication
SPRINGFIELD — Pro Springfield Media, a nonprofit organization that was established in 2011 with a campaign to encourage area residents to “say something nice about their city,” recently launched an online publication called Speaking of Springfield. The publication will feature good news about the city — upbeat, up-close, and uplifting stories about residents, businesses, and neighborhoods. A section entitled “Sensations” features city sights, sounds, and signs as part of the editorial content. The publication is being managed and produced by TSM Design with support from local writers, photographers, and videographers. Speaking of Springfield is a free public medium and is funded through the support of corporations, foundations, and individuals through grants, underwriting, and donations. Individuals are encouraged to subscribe to the e-zine in order to be notified when articles are posted by logging onto www.speakingofspringfield.org.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of July 2012.

AGAWAM

Advantage Insulation Group
1057 Main St.
Rhiannon Eiffort

Crazy for Charms
409 River Road
Barbara Cross

Handyman Cleaning Services
204 Brookfield Lane
Helen Schuler

Patriot Auto School
301 Springfield St.
Anthony Spear

Smiling Stars Photography
569 Springfield St.
Matthew Hanlon

CHICOPEE

BCN Mechanical
100 Lawndale St.
Benjamin Nyzio

Jan’s Novelty Gift Shop
38 Oriole Dr.
Janice E. O’Connor

KNS Construction
83 Ingham St.
Keith Robitaille

Strong Backs Moving & Hauling
54 Warwick Road
Keith Godek

EAST LONGMEADOW

Dollar Tree
406 North Main St.
Rosalie Beaugard-Lee

Pride Market
13 North Main St.
Robert Bolduc

White Dog Services
191 Maple St.
Robert Nowak

GREENFIELD

Barlow Tree Landscaping & Excavation Inc.
77 Davis St.
Bryan Barlow

Floral Affairs
324 Deerfield St.
Rebecca Guyer

Goly’s Garage
286 Federal St.
James Byrne Jr.

Heart Boats Music Therapy
76 Hastings St.
Michael Williams-Russell

Metals Plus
23 Woodard Road
Lawrence Foster

Pale Circus
24 Franklin St.
Alexander Phillips

Shaw’s Mart
239 Main St.
NaxMart LLC

HOLYOKE

A-1 Nolan Realty LLC
580 Appleton St.
Patrick S. Nolan

Claire’s
50 Holyoke St.
Sonia Tejada

G & P, Inc.
50 Holyoke St.
Rajat Ghosh

Hillside Holdings Inc.
80 Jarvis Ave.
Jeffrey S. Aldrich

Holyoke Towers Associates
582 Pleasant St.
James N. Sullivan

Milkman & Co. Inc.
16 Arden St.
Terril L. Mancuso

Sephora USA Inc.
50 Holyoke St.
Sherman Hoo

LUDLOW

Bridge Premedia
45 Tyburski Road
Ann Lukasik

PALMER

Accu-Siding and Home Improvement
P.O. Box 127
Wayne Quinn

Awsstores.com
1581 North Main St.
Brian Green

Azaya Inc.
1059 North Main St.
Jitendra Changela

Baldyga Inc.
1221 South Main St.
Mark T. Baldyga

Buddy’s Cities Service
1150 Park St.
Arthur D. Tripp, Jr.

Dream Catchers
1440 North Main St.
Charles L. Hood, III

Flamingo Racing
2 Wilbraham St.
Eric W. Sanderson

Floormax Coating
21 Wilbraham St.
John C. Becker, IV

Friendly’s Ice Cream
1519 North Main St.
Shanna Rhoades

SOUTHWICK

Jericho Builders
6 Hidden Place
Bernard Berard

SUP Lake Congamond
49 Mort Vining Road
Diana M. Flynn

SPRINGFIELD

Griffin Consulting Firm
1592 Plumtree Road
Nicole Griffin

Heavenly Air
83 Kathleen St.
Michael R. Rock

Heavenly Essence
588 Carew St.
Hamzah A. Latif

Johnny’s Janitorial Service
51 Nelson Ave.
Johnny M. Kyles

Jupiter Consulting Group
97 Overlook Dr.
Moira Catherine

Kitchen Counsel
270 Maple St.
Michael L. Talmadge

Lamontagne Auto Body Inc.
33 Stafford St.
Glen Robert

Lyndale Garage Inc.
87 Warehouse St.
David E. Vedovelli

Mexico Money Express
2766 Main St.
Ady N. Rosario

N.Y.C. Variety
195 Pine St.
Johnnie Young

Nayab Enterprises LLC
273 Hancock St.
Muhammad Imtiaz

New England Export and Import
764 Main St.
Riswan Raufdeen

OSB and Services
346 Page Blvd.
Carlos E. Martinez

Platinum Image Luxury
57 Haskin St.
Tamika McKenzie

Real Talk Tee’s
34 Clarendon St.
Evelyn Bethea

Robert Valenti Design
25 Hilltop St.
Robert A. Valenti

Roberto’s Bar & Grill Inc.
80 Worthington St.
Paul Ramesh

Saigon Springfield LLC
398 Dickinson St.
Thomas Vuong

Silver Shield Security
185 Belmont St.
Gary L. Berte

TD Bank
1800 Boston Road
Diane Ryan

Vito’s Barber Shop
654 Page Blvd.
Ciro Ricciardi

Wingate at Springfield
215 Bicentennial Highway
Sec Springfield Inc.

Wolfetones Gaelic Football
33 Progress Ave.
John B. O’Reilly

Xtraordinary Recording
2 Chestnut St.
Tony A. Mebane

WESTFIELD

Sandy L. Design
39 Magnolia Terrace
Sandra Fiedler

Timber Ridge Tree Expert
217 Lockhouse Road
Christopher Rafus

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Flowers by Webster LLC
82 Elm St.
Gail Kelly

Friendly’s
1094 Riverdale St.
BDL Restaurant Inc.

K Brothers Construction
1111 Westfield St.
Yuriy Krasnov

Knightly Billing
126 Maple St.
Paul M. Corey

Mind, Body & Skin
117 River St.
Kelly L. Rondeau

Paul H. Boudo & Associates
519 Gooseberry Road
Paul H. Boudo

Power Washing
29 Neptune Ave.
Thomas M. Bienia

Gaining Ground

By
Cover Story
High-end Burgers Coming to Greater Springfield

It’s called ‘the Frankenstein.’
This is the creation of a Providence-based restaurant called Luxe Burger, and, as the menu declares, it is truly a “monster sandwich.”
How about four so-called “gold-label” burgers (5 ounces each), two jumbo Nathan’s all-beef hot dogs, four slices of bacon, and American cheese, topped with Hereford black bean chili, cole slaw, and relish, two buttered rolls, and a double order of French fries? Finish it all (and your cardiologist would certainly prefer that you didn’t), and you get a free T-shirt.
The Frankenstein will be among many new menu items, including a host of burger concoctions, that area residents will soon have to sort through, as a new and different type of business competition (no, not casinos) unfolds in Greater Springfield.
Indeed, in a region where, until very recently, there were none of the high-end burger restaurants that have begun to populate other areas of the country, there will soon be at least three, depending on how you define that phrase ‘high end.’ Max Burger, part of the Max Restaurant Group, recently opened in the Longmeadow Shops, while Plan B Burger Bars will open an outlet in the Basketball Hall of Fame complex (the former Pazzo site) in early September, and Luxe Burger hopes to open its second location in the former tourism center, just a block away from the Hall of Fame, in time for the holidays. Recently, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, one of the fastest-growing chains in the country and one that some would put in the high-end category, recently opened locations in Westfield, West Springfield, and Enfield, and an independent operation, Bruburger, has opened in Feeding Hills.

Tim Taillefer

Tim Taillefer says Max Burger is off to a fast start in Longmeadow.

With these developments, there have already been several additions to the local culinary lexicon, with many more to come. Max Burger has a Kobe Classic, for example, as well as a shrimp burger and a portabella burger, among many others, while Luxe Burger also touts something called Death By Burger, the Fatty Melt Burger, served between two grilled-cheese sandwiches (Max Burger has one of those, too), and Tory’s Breakfast Burger. Plan B Burgers can get creative, too, with a Double Double (referring to both the burger and the cheddar cheese), an Atlantic salmon burger, the Squeeler (a half-pork, half-beef burger), and even a ‘pretzel burger.’
Just how much of an appetite — in both a literal and figurative sense — the region has for all this is soon to become known, but all those involved are optimistic about their chances for success, even as the field becomes more crowded.
“It’s going to be interesting, and I’m glad we’re in first,” said Timothy Taillefer, manager of the Max Burger location, noting that, at the moment, he’s focused not on the competition, but on getting his establishment, which opened July 23, off to a solid start. And he says it’s already exceeding expectations that were set very high.
Al Gamble

Al Gamble, seen outside the site of the Plan B Burger to open at the Basketball Hall of Fame in September, says his eatery will complement the many restaurants already at the Hall.

Al Gamble, CEO and co-founder of the Locals 8 Restaurant Group, which counts four existing Plan B Burger Bars (all in Connecticut) among the six restaurants in its family, told BusinessWest that the picture unfolding in Springfield mirrors what eventually happened in Hartford.
“We were the pioneers in Hartford,” he said, noting that the group’s first location opened in 2006. “And then others followed — Max Burger, Gold Burger, Burger Baby, and others — and in Springfield, you’re seeing the same thing. What we’ve found is that the competition creates an exciting synergy — people will want to go and try different things; they’ll try us, try them, and then come back to us.”
John Elkhay, president of Providence-based Chow Fun Food Group, which includes the first Luxe Burger, opened in 2010, agreed. He said that, contrary to popular opinion, competition is generally a good thing in the restaurant industry, because it creates a critical mass that can make a city, or even a specific neighborhood, a dining destination. He’s seen it in Providence’s Federal Hill area.
“There are more Italian restaurants side by side there than there probably are in the North End of Boston,” he explained. “People might think, ‘there’s 15 to 18 restaurants in a quarter-mile block; how can anyone survive? They survive because everyone goes there for Italian food; you wouldn’t dare eat anywhere else.
“As a restaurateur, you want to be on Federal Hill,” he continued. “And I think the same will be true for that part of Springfield. More competition drives more people, and everyone gets a bigger piece of the pie.”
For this issue, BusinessWest gives its readers a taste of what could become a compelling battle of the high-end burgers in Greater Springfield, with a side order of speculation on how all this might turn out.

Meat and Greet
Taillefer told BusinessWest that the 200-seat Longmeadow location is the ninth in the Max Restaurant Group family of eateries, and the second Max Burger.
The first was opened in West Hartford in 2010, he noted, adding that, since its debut, results have far exceeded expectations — so much so that company officials began scouting sites for a second location more than a year ago.
They eventually found one they considered ideal in a former Blockbuster video store in the Longmeadow Shops, a large retail complex located less than a mile from East Longmeadow and Enfield, two other growing, affluent communities.
“Based on the success in West Hartford, we felt Longmeadow would be a great fit,” he explained. “The communities are very similar in many respects, although West Hartford has many more restaurants; Longmeadow doesn’t have many, and nothing like this.”
Taillefer, like the others we spoke with, said that what defines high-end or upscale burgers is essentially the quality of the beef — hormone-free, with no antibiotics or steroids, and always fresh, not frozen. Beyond that, it’s how the beef is prepared and the environment in which it’s served that defines this growing class of restaurant that Max Burger has joined.
Overall, he expects that the restaurant’s diverse menu — in addition to burgers, there are also appetizers, salads, soups, and entrees — as well as the large selection of craft beers and full bar will make Max Burger a true destination.

John Elkhay

John Elkhay, seen with some friends and several of the Luxe Burger concoctions, believes competition only helps those in the restaurant business by making the city a destination.

And he believes that term will definitely apply to Sunday afternoons (and maybe Sunday, Monday, and Thursday nights, as well) in the fall. “People have already been telling me this will be a great place to watch a football game,” he said as he started switching on the nine flat-screen televisions, with a 10th likely to be located on the patio.
Taillefer, who spent six years as assistant manager at Max’s Tavern (also within the Hall of Fame complex) before being named general manager of the second Max Burger, spent several months “in training” at the West Hartford location, an experience he believes will prove invaluable.
His previous experience includes stints at the Delaney House in Holyoke, Legal Sea Foods in Boston, and, when he was in high school, the Captain Rivi’s food stand at what was then known at Riverside Park in Agawam (now Six Flags).
“The burgers would come at you on a conveyer belt,” he said of his assignment at the amusement park’s fast-food eatery. “Let’s just say I’ve come — and burgers have come — a long way since then.”

Steer — Clear
Gamble would agree, and he’s had a front-row seat for some of the latest evolutionary twists and turns. He formed Plan B Burgers (the ‘B’ stands for beef, burgers, beer, and bourbon) with partner Shawn Skehan in 2006. The chain is a division, of sorts, of the Locals 8 Restaurant Group — which also owns the Half Door European Beer Bar and Tisane Tea & Coffee Bar, both in Hartford’s West End — so named because, in some parts of Europe, the neighborhood restaurant is known simply as the ‘local.’
“That’s a play on who we are culturally — it defines what we’re about,” he explained. “We want to create a lot of restaurants where locals feel like it’s their restaurant; to do that is a long, complicated process that revolves around connecting to the community you open restaurants in.”
From its roots in West Hartford, the chain expanded into Simsbury, Glastonbury, and Milford, said Gamble, adding that, beyond the next wave (Springfield and Stamford, Conn.), the group — named one of the fastest-growing U.S. companies by Inc. magazine in 2009 and 2010 — plans to take the concept national.
Locals 8 was contacted by the Basketball Hall of Fame to gauge interest in assuming the space vacated by Pazzo, which shut its doors more than a year ago, Gamble continued, adding that the company believes the location offers great opportunity in the form of the local demographic base, the tens of thousands of cars that traverse that stretch of I-91 on a daily basis, and the growing restaurant infrastructure in and near the Hall.
He described that complex as a high-profile site, with a good tenant mix that includes restaurants such as Max’s, Samuel’s, and Mama Iguana’s.
“That was something we scrutinized internally,” he explained. “We asked ourselves, ‘if we came to that site, would we split the demographic of consumers or would we add to it?’ We talked to the restaurateurs who were there and talked to people in the South End, and felt that we would add to the mix and bring more people seeking diverse products to that area. I think we’re a complement to the mix that’s there.”
As he talked with BusinessWest amid construction workers readying the former site for its new use, Gamble said he was eyeing a Sept. 1 opening date — roughly a week ahead of the Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
Elkhay said the Chow Fun Food Group has grown steadily over the years, and now includes an eclectic mix of eateries.
There’s Rick’s Roadhouse, which markets itself as “an escape from fine dining”; Ten Prime Steak and Sushi; XO Café, which “celebrates the fusion of fine cuisine, wine, and funky art”; Harry’s Bar & Burger, a small (600 square feet) establishment that serves sliders, hot dogs, shakes, and craft beers; and Luxe Burger, which was created with the logic that spawned many of the high-end (or higher-end) burger restaurants.
“Every restaurant has a hamburger, except really high-end dining, and even they’re in the hamburger business,” said Elkhay. “So I’m thinking that I must be crazy to do an exclusive hamburger place. But when you go into a niche, you get so many loyal customers.
“And when you’re focused on a hamburger, and a hamburger only, you’re able to be better, be more consistent, and do it for value because that’s all you’re doing; you’re not doing all the other things that are distracting, like entrees, fish cutting, and other things. It’s just hamburgers.”
He said the restaurant did extensive research and testing before launching, eventually settling on Hereford beef (“it tastes just like it did when the cowboys ate it 150 years ago — it’s like an American heartland steak”), a unique method of cooking it (the skillet), and a build-your-own format that he believes has created several thousand possible combinations of everything from toppings to buns to side orders.
The Springfield venture represents the first time the group has replicated one of its concepts, said Elkhay, adding that the group sees vast potential in Springfield and, more specifically, the growing restaurant corridor along the riverfront.
“Springfield wants to be a restaurant destination place like Providence,” he noted, “and we’re very proud to be part of the new turning point in Springfield. The more, the merrier — that’s our philosophy.”

The Ground Game
Elkhay said the Frankenstein has become part of the culinary culture in Providence. One of the local television news anchors tried (unsuccessfully) to polish one off recently, he said, adding that there is about a 30% success rate when it comes to finishing the $17.99 burger.
“We have a lot of hockey players who have tried it,” he said, noting that Providence College is not far from the eatery. “Usually, though, it’s not the size of the person that will determine whether they can finish it; sometimes, the skinny guys can finish it more easily than the bigger guys.”
Whether the sandwich becomes a hit in Springfield remains to be seen. But one thing Elkhay is certain about is the climate for high-end burgers in Greater Springfield. He believes the market is ready for some spirited burger competition, and will benefit from having so many options when it comes to what can be placed between two buns — or grilled-cheese sandwiches, as the case may be.
And that’s no bull. Well, actually, it is — lots of bull, and it’s coming to Greater Springfield.

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

Editorial

By
Opinion
New Restaurants Will Spice Things Up

Call it the coming burger battle.
That’s one way to describe the upcoming — and in some ways ongoing — change in the restaurant landscape in Greater Springfield.
Indeed, while every restaurant already has a good burger — or two, or three — on the menu, the Springfield area will soon be host to three restaurants specializing in so-called high-end burgers, and there are several other establishments already in the market that might fit that description, depending on how you define it.
It’s safe to say that no one will be asking that question from the early ’80s, ‘where’s the beef?’ It will all around us, and taking interesting names, like the Frankenstein, the Double-Double, Death by Burger, Fatty Melt, and a host of others.
But what does it all mean in the larger scheme of things when it comes to the economic health and well-being of this region? Maybe not much on the surface, but then again, it’s another piece of the puzzle, at a time when the region needs to be filling in those pieces.
As we’ve said on many occasions, the Greater Springfield economy is still in the process of reinventing itself from its days as a manufacturing hub. There are many facets to this reinvention, as the cities that have been through the process with a great deal of success — like Providence, Lowell, New Haven, and others — can attest.
Part of it concerns building vibrancy, creating a buzz, if you will, and making the area in question a destination — a place that people will want to visit, but also work, live, and start a business. High-end burger restaurants can’t do that alone, but they can be part of the broad solution.
As the story on page 6 explains, Max Burger, a category in the Max’s chain that has thrived in Connecticut, has opened in the Longmeadow Shops. Meanwhile, Plan B Burger, which has several locations in Connecticut, is opening in the Basketball Hall of Fame in a few weeks, and Luxe Burger, an operation with one existing restaurant in Providence, is opening in the former visitors center a block from the Hall.
With those latter two, people are already asking ‘where are they going to park all the cars?’ Good. Parking problems are actually a good thing; they connote vibrancy and the fact that people want to come to your city. Northampton has long had a parking problem that other cities and towns in this region would love to have.
The interest shown by these restaurant groups in Greater Springfield — and, more specifically, the city’s riverfront — is encouraging. It shows that this region has the demographics, and the ‘character,’ for lack of a better term, needed to inspire people to take a chance and make a large investment here.
And if these ventures succeed — and we have every reason to expect that they will — then they will likely prompt others to make similar investments. And if that happens, then this region, and Springfield in particular, will have more of that critical mass that will attract more young people, more empty nesters, more businesses, and more jobs. And this will prompt the construction of more market-rate housing that will help create an even more attractive demographic for businesses looking for a place to land or expand.
OK, three high-end hamburger restaurants are not going to do all that. But they can help. They can be part of the process of moving Springfield forward and closer to being the more vibrant city, the destination, that everyone wants it to become.
The burger battles are set to begin. Watch your cholesterol — please — and also watch and see if these new additions can help breathe more life into this area and, well, add some spice to the local economy.
We certainly hope they can.

Cool Running

By
The Springfield Data Center, currently under construction on the former Technical High School site.
Construction Sections
High Performance Computing Center Touts Energy, Security Innovations

The MGHPCC, which will open along the canals in Holyoke this fall.

The MGHPCC, which will open along the canals in Holyoke this fall.

For John Goodhue’s father, it took a tour through the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center to understand exactly what goes into housing — and protecting — computers.
“When my dad toured the center,” said Goodhue, the center’s executive director, “he came out the other end and said, ‘I finally get it! It’s not about computers; it’s about bringing electricity in and creating a lot of heat and then removing that heat from the building.’”
Bingo.
Of course, that has been just one of the challenges — albeit a critical one — of preparing the MGHPCC to open in Holyoke later this year. The $95 million facility is a joint venture between UMass, MIT, Harvard University, Boston University, and Northeastern University, as well as technology giants EMC Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc., to create a high-tech research center.
To create that all-important cooling effect, the facility will use a continuous water loop in and out of the building. A chilling system will cool the water, which will then be pumped into air-conditioning units placed beside the computers; the heat generated by the equipment will then be exhausted outside, and the process begins again. Constantly.
“The cooling took an enormous amount of effort,” Goodhue said, explaining that the two major techniques used for the process involve air and water, respectively. After six weeks debating which technique to use, architects and builders decided on the chilled-water option. “And we’re bringing it quite close to the computers; for every two racks full of computers, right next to them is a little air-conditioning rack. It takes water into it and cools the air around the computers, and takes the water out.
“Water is actually much better at carrying heat and absorbing heat than air is,” he continued. “A very small volume of water, relatively speaking, can carry the same heat as a much larger volume of air, and it’s one of things that allows us to run the center more efficiently. The cooling system really allowed us to cool these computers that are very, very hot. Some machines pack a considerable amount of electronics into a very small space, and we have to be extra vigilant about cooling — and water is better at doing that.”
But that raises challenges regarding energy efficiency — another goal of the computing center’s leaders. Meanwhile, designers were also faced with protecting sensitive equipment and data from more than heat, so decisions about building security were high on the priority list as well.
For this issue, BusinessWest delves into some of these questions, and how the MGHPCC is proving to be an innovative facility long before going online this fall.

Green for a Reason
From the start, the Holyoke center was designed to be energy-efficient, Goodhue told BusinessWest. “One of the things that drew us to Holyoke is that the power came principally from renewable energy. Holyoke Gas & Electric generates 70% of its power from renewable sources — primarily the dam, but it also has the largest solar array in the state, and also has ideas about adding other resources to their portfolio.”
Holyoke’s dam on the Connecticut River generates hydroelectricity that is then sold to industrial users for about 8 cents per kilowatt hour, compared to a state average of more than 12 cents, according to the U.S. Energy Department.
That’s good, because data centers tend to suck up a lot of energy — partly because they never shut down, partly because of the power the equipment uses. “There has been a trend in recent years toward operating computers and servers at higher and higher temperatures,” Goodhue noted.
In fact, according to a 2011 Stanford University report, data centers account for about 2% of the nation’s energy consumption, and many use electricity generated by coal-fired power plants, not exactly a clean energy source. Because of its power supply and design, the MGHPCC is expected to use at least 25% less energy than the typical data center.
Goodhue said the computing center has applied to be a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) project, aiming for Gold status — the second-highest accreditation — from the national recognition program run by the U.S. Green Building Council.
“Again, that’s by paying attention to hundreds of details, from how we manage stormwater to the white reflecting roof; from what landscaping materials we use to the chemical basis for our paints,” he explained, noting that the paint must not contain what are known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs; when breathed in, these are not acutely toxic, but can cause long-term health effects.
“There are dozens of small things that, taken individually, add up to a very different way of designing and building this center, so that it has a much lower environmental impact,” Goodhue continued. “The good part about it is, people have thought very carefully about the environmental impact, so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel — just follow the best practices you know, none of which are crazy or over the top. They just make good design sense.”

The Springfield Data Center, currently under construction on the former Technical High School site.

The Springfield Data Center, currently under construction on the former Technical High School site.

Some of the same focus on energy efficiency is evident at the Springfield Data Center (SDC), set to open in 2013 on the site of the former Technical High School. The facility will be one of the state’s two primary data centers, backing up and supporting the Massachusetts Information Technology Center in Chelsea.
New York-based Skanska USA, the contractor for the SDC, has also incorporated a number of energy-efficient elements in aiming for Silver certification under LEED. “This is one of the most energy-efficient buildings of its type in the United States right now,” said Steve Eustis, senior vice president and project executive for Skanska.
The design includes selecting materials that are energy- and water-efficient and incorporates ‘daylight harvesting,’ which uses sensors in the lighting system to shut off the lights when there is sufficient daylight; 90% of the occupants will have daylight views. The roof will be also be a reflective white, and HVAC systems were designed with energy conservation in mind. In fact, the air-conditioning system that cools the computers will capture the waste heat and reuse it.

Securing the Data
Of course, protecting computers from heat damage while keeping energy costs low is only one balancing act a data center must perform. Another is keeping data private while not hindering the ability of the facility’s users to conduct and share their research.
“Security is of critical importance. If you’re doing medically oriented research, for instance, you might have sensitive patient data in the center, and it’s very important to protect that,” Goodhue said. “At the same time, this is a research center, and it’s very important to give people as much flexibility as possible to share data.
“So we have these two conflicting constraints, and we handle that in two ways,” he continued. “One has to do with the physical infrastructure. There are maps that label every room as a security zone, with relatively small lists of people who are allowed to go into each room in the building, and that drives our keycard-access system. Your ID will let you inside doors and won’t let in others.
“So, if you’re an electrician servicing the transformer,” he went on, “you probably don’t need to go into the computer room, so that person’s card will let him into the transformer room and maybe one or two other adjacent rooms. Similarly, if you’re operating a computer in the computer room, you probably have no business hanging around the transformers.”
The other element is how networking is handled, Goodhue continued.
“Every institution that uses the facility — Harvard, MIT, UMass, and so forth — already has well-developed methods of protecting data when it flows across their networks,” he said. “So, imagine that, on the floor, there’s one network that we’ve arranged so it’s an extension of the MIT campus network, and one we’ve arranged as an extension of the Harvard campus network, and so on. Each exists here in parallel universes; they don’t see each other, but are kept separate. If you’re at MIT, you can think of the building as just another building on campus, but farther away, and BU folks can see it the same way.
“That gets you the protection,” he noted. “So how do you get flexibility?”
For that, the center uses what Goodhue called a “meet-me switch,” which allows two or more users from different networks to exchange data. “Again, it’s the balance between access and flexibility and making sure the data is protected and controlled.”
In addition, each rack of computers has its own set of keys, so only authorized people can access each one. “This isn’t like the movies where you see these places with barbed wire and armed guards and so forth,” he said. “We are a high-tech facility, and we’re very careful about protecting it, but we’ll put on a slightly friendlier face than what you see in the movies.”

Little Things
Goodhue said the MGHPCC will open on time and under budget, but that’s far from the only positive aspect of it.
“People often ask me, ‘what’s one unique thing about the data center that makes it the best in some way?’” he told BusinessWest. “But there’s not just one thing. It’s lots of attention paid to literally hundreds of details that gets you there.”
And that’s when the real excitement — the research itself — begins.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Reaching New Heights

By
John Murphy Jr., with account administrator Bonnie Moynihan
Construction Sections
Eastern General Contractors Raises the Bar for Community Involvement

John Murphy Jr., with account administrator Bonnie Moynihan

John Murphy Jr., with account administrator Bonnie Moynihan, who has been with the firm for 24 years.

When John Murphy Jr. was young, he wanted to become a musician or pilot. And although the founder, president. and CEO of Eastern General Contractors Inc. in Springfield did not end up pursuing either of those careers, he has spent the past 40 years orchestrating complex construction projects that often involve dizzying heights.
“We do anything that’s vertical,” Murphy said as he talked about jobs his full-service construction company has completed, such as building air-traffic control towers in Worcester, Cape Cod, New Haven, Conn., and Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, as well as many high-rise buildings. EGC just finished replacing the siding on six hangars at Westover, which are so high that he had to bring in a crane from Missouri to reach 150 feet into the air to handle the work.
The majority of EGC’s projects are public-sector in nature, with many undertaken for the federal government, and Murphy’s employees work throughout New England. But the company is grounded in Springfield, and both he and his staff spend many weekends engaged in volunteer work that ranges from building handicap ramps and installing elevators in local churches to a complete renovation of the Dunbar Community Center in Springfield and maintaining the cottages and buildings at Camp Atwater, a summer camp for boys and girls in North Brookfield, which they’ve done for 20 years.
In fact, Murphy believes successful businesses have a responsibility to give back to their communities. “The late economist Mark Friedman once said, ‘there is one and only one social responsibility of business, and that is to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase profit,’” he told BusinessWest. “But we subscribe to a different value system. Although we certainly set the highest bar in corporate ethics, it reaches far beyond dollars and cents. Our company is not just a money-making machine or a balance sheet; it is a human enterprise run by caring people who understand the impact of the work we do in our immediate community.”
Murphy likes to fly under the radar, but has received so many accolades and plaques commemorating the volunteer work his company does that they line the walls of his office as well as the rest of the building.
Mayor Dominic Sarno gave him a key to the city in recognition of his work, and he has been feted in Boston as well as Washington, D.C. for those volunteer efforts. But he doesn’t like fanfare, and the interview he agreed to do with BusinessWest was the first since he established his company.
Still, he takes pride in the fact that EGC provides jobs for local people and serves as a flagship for community involvement. “We will continue to find innovative ways to forge ahead in that direction,” he said, recounting local projects as well as a scholarship association he started with a friend that awarded $500,000 to deserving high-school seniors in his hometown of Ridgeland, S.C. “There is so much that is needed, so we do what we can.”

History of Success
Murphy said he was introduced to both construction and social responsibility during his youth.
“My father was a handyman, and we built things together; I thought it was interesting,” he said, adding that his parents spent their weekends doing volunteer work and always took him along “to help someone.”
Before starting his own business, he spent 10 years working in production control at Hamilton Standard in Windsor Locks, Conn., which made aircraft parts. He said the responsibility he had there played a role in his later success in the construction business.
“There were 1,200 parts in a jet-fuel control, and I had to do all of the coordination required to build them,” he said. “When I began building homes, it seemed simple, as there were only about 30 components to keep track of.”
Murphy opened a construction firm he called Eastern Home Builders and Developers, and began building single-family homes while he was still employed at Hamilton Standard. The business took off quickly, and Murphy left Hamilton Standard when it became too overwhelming to work two full-time jobs.
During the ’80s, his company built a number of single-family homes in Springfield under the federal Housing and Urban Development Section 235 program, which allowed qualified families to purchase them with a $200 down payment.
As word of the quality work he did began to spread, Murphy received repeated recognitions, which included being named Contractor of the Year in 1987 and 1988 by the Small Business Administration.
When the government discontinued the HUD program, he switched his focus to historic preservation and high-rise projects, and changed his business moniker to Eastern General Contracting Inc.
The most challenging job the company has undertaken was a recent $6.5 million renovation of the four-story Whaling Museum in New Bedford. “Everything inside had to come out. It was challenging because the museum is on a corner and we couldn’t touch the exterior,” Murphy explained.
The company removed the roof, then began disassembling the building piece by piece, floor by floor, until they reached the basement. However, everything had to be labeled and saved so it could be put back inside when the renovation work was complete.
“There were planks used in the original construction that had been shaved with an axe that we had to take out in one piece,” Murphy said. “We had someone stationed inside the building with a radio who had to communicate to the crane operator outside because the person operating it couldn’t see what needed to be done inside. It was very challenging.”
Another difficult project involved installing five elevators in a 28-story library at UMass Amherst. “When we got to the 28th floor, we had to use a helicopter to put the equipment inside. The wind was blowing, and the opening was only four feet wide, so we had to make sure everything was dropped in exactly right,” Murphy said, explaining that renovation is challenging to begin with “because when you open up a wall, you don’t know what is behind it.”
The company recently finished a renovation of the historic Fanueil Hall in Boston. “We removed the moldings, the ceiling tiles, the window sashes … and everything had to go back in the way it came out,” said Murphy. “It was extremely challenging, but I like to see the finished product and be able to say, “I did that.”

High Stakes
Murphy said he likes to continually raise the bar for himself and his employees.
“Turning a vision into a multi-million-dollar reality is a lofty goal that many people aspire to, but precious few achieve,” he said. “I began by setting a goal, and once I reached it, I continued to set another, then another. You have to look at where you came from and where you are, at as well as the obstacles you have to jump across to move forward. I always say, ‘I am pleased, but not satisfied, because I think we could do more.’”
So they do whatever is needed and take pride in their accomplishments. “I tell my employees repeatedly that we have to be three times better to be considered half as good, and as long as we have that philosophy, we will be successful,” Murphy said. “People hire us because we save them time, worry, and money.”
The majority of his employees have been with him for at least two decades and share his philosophy of giving back to the community. “They often ask me what we’re doing on the weekend,” he said.
Their 20-year history of volunteerism at Camp Atwater began after it closed. “It was in great need of repairs and someone asked me if I could help,” Murphy said. Over the years, he built a laundry there and renovated a kitchen and recreation hall. In addition, “I took my crew there, and we built five cabins, supplying the labor and materials.
“I really believe in giving back,” he continued, adding that, at one point, his staff built a cottage at the camp from the ground up, finishing it in one day. “People were running all over, but we got it done,” he said. “When we do a project, we try to accelerate everything and do whatever it takes to make the customer happy.”
EGC still maintains a cottage at the camp which is used as a recreational building for staff members. The camp named it ‘the Murphy’ after him, but, again, it was not an honor he wanted.
Still, the donations, labor, and materials ECG has provided for nonprofits is remarkable, and requests for help continue to pour in. So, in recent years, Murphy has had to pick and choose carefully how to spend his resources.

Bottom Line
EGC’s portfolio is substantial, but Murray said his employees are his most valuable asset. He has 31 full-time staff members and about 50 field employees.
“We are a family, and I appreciate the support I get from them as well as their honesty, loyalty, and integrity,” he said. “For many years, we have produced quality products in a timely and cost-effective manner, while providing jobs for members of our community and contributing to funds that keep our local, city, state, and federal governments up and running.
“We will continue to find innovative ways to forge ahead in the direction of larger building contracts and enhancing the community services we provide for free,” Murphy went on. “But our proudest goal will continue to be the success of our families and the success of the families around us.”

Transforming the Landscape

By
Commercial Real Estate Sections
Pittsfield Strives to Generate Interest in Business Park at GE Site

Above, the GE Pittsfield Works in 1946. At top, an aerial shot of the portion of that same property that has become the William Stanley Business Park.

Cory Thurston says the name William Stanley Business Park was chosen to recognize the power of innovation, in this case the work of an inventor credited with, among other things, the development of the induction coil, or transformer.
Stanley, a long-time engineer with Westinghouse, created his prototype in 1886, in Great Barrington, but his concept, which made it possible to spread electric service over a wide area, would most dramatically change the landscape — and in many different ways — in nearby Pittsfield. It was there that he started the Stanley Electric Manufacturing Co., the venture eventually purchased by General Electric and later renamed the GE Pittsfield Works, a sprawling large-transformer-manufacturing complex that, at its height in the 1960s, employed more than 13,000 people.
Today, Thurston, executive director of the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA), is hoping that innovation can again transform this property near Silver Lake more than a quarter-century after GE announced that it was closing the massive plant. The 52-acre business park, created on roughly a dozen various-sized parcels, transferred to the city by GE in recent years, officially opened in early June with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Mountain One Financial Center in a corner of the property off East Street.
The facility, a 6,735-square-foot, LEED-certified structure dominated by glass, is catching the attention of the city and the region, said Thurston, who is confident that it will also capture the imagination of the business and development communities, and eventually help repopulate the mostly barren acreage with a broad mix of businesses.
“It showed the naysayers, who didn’t believe anything would ever happen here, what can be done,” he explained, adding that the quick timeline for the project — it was announced in April 2011, ground was broken that August, and construction was completed on March 30 — demonstrates how the city is committed to making things happen on the property.
Moving forward, one possible catalyst for redevelopment could be a planned 20,000-square-foot life-sciences building, said Thurston, adding that the venture could be funded through a $6.5 million earmark granted to Pittsfield as part of the Commonwealth’s Life Sciences Bond Bill.
Intended as a stage-two facility for companies looking for room to get to the next stage, the 20,000-square-foot center would be a facility that could house and foster the kind of innovation that gave the park its name.
Beyond that initiative, though, the park could become home to anything from retail to light industrial; from green-energy ventures (there’s already a 1.8-magawatt solar power array on the property) to municipal facilities.
“We’re optimistic,” said Thurston. “Typically, in the Northeast, 70% of your economic development comes from within, from expansion of companies in the market already. We’re focusing quite a bit on making sure that our existing businesses have opportunities to grow, while we’re also looking at other options such as government facilities.”
There are a number of challenges involved with redeveloping the former GE complex, said Thurston, listing everything from the stigma attached to brownfield sites, even though this one has been cleaned, to competition in the form of perhaps 1 million square feet of former mill space in Berkshire County vying for the attention of startups and established businesses alike. But he is optimistic that the park can soon become a center for both innovation and jobs, as it was decades ago.
“We believe that this is a model for cooperative remediation and redevelopment efforts across the country,” he told BusnessWest while looking over a large aerial photograph of the GE complex taken decades ago. “There is enormous potential here.”
For this issue and its focus on commercial real estate, BusinessWest ventured to Pittsfield to learn how officials there hope to transform the landscape in this section of the city and, in some ways, have history repeat itself.

Current Events
Thurston said it’s difficult to quantify or even qualify the impact GE’s operation had — and still has — on the city.

This view from the northeast shows some of the vast open space now available for redevelopment with the transfer of the former GE property to the city of Pittsfield.

“Let’s just say GE made Pittsfield,” he told BusinessWest, adding that the manufacturing complex certainly contributed to the social and economic fabric of the community. But there was considerable controversy as well, especially in the form of environmental contamination involving land at the site, Silver Lake, and the nearby Housatonic River (GE agreed to pay $250 million to clean it up). Meanwhile, the demise of the transformer plant also led to years of economic struggle, outmigration (many young people left the city when GE did), and ongoing, often-painful efforts to reinvent and diversify the city’s economy.
And part of that reinvention is the redevelopment of the property on which Stanley Electric and then GE operated for close to a century, a project that has been ongoing for more than 13 years now and is defined by both challenges and opportunities.
Fast-forwarding through the years since a definitive economic-development agreement between GE, the city, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other parties was inked, Thurston said the 52 acres now under PEDA’s control have been remediated and transferred to the city for redevelopment. The pace of progress has often been frustratingly slow — the last parcels were not transferred until earlier this year — but significant momentum has been generated in recent months.
Standing outside the front door of PEDA’s office on Kellogg Street, which has a commanding 360-degree view of the site, Thurston hit the highlights. Pointing to his far right, toward Silver Lake, he referenced the solar installation completed by Western Mass. Electric Co. in 2010, as well as Mountain One’s project.
Turning to his far left, he pointed out a large 16-acre parcel on which several GE buildings once stood. It is, to the best of Thurston’s knowledge, the largest open, developable (“unimpeded” was the word he chose) tract in Pittsfield, and land that could be subdivided any number of ways to suit the needs of developers.
And, sweeping his hand to the right, he pointed out Woodlawn Avenue and the now-closed bridge (built in 1906) over the railroad tracks that run through the middle of the complex. The street, formerly a private way that bisected GE’s plant, will be repaired and made a public road, and a new bridge will be constructed by the state, said Thurston.
“This will hopefully be a real catalyst for our rebuild,” he said, noting that the site, hemmed in by residential neighborhoods and narrow, winding side streets, will need a secondary form of access in the form of an open Woodlawn Avenue to reach its full potential. “Finishing up these key infrastructure pieces is very crucial for us and our ability to put a large manufacturing facility or retail center that employs a large number of people on one of these sites.”
As he talked about that process, Thurston said the plan has several basic components, all designed to increase awareness of the site and its many amenities, and then bringing prospective tenants to PEDA’s door.
At present, the city is conducting some target marketing, while also working to connect with a host of public and private partners on the project, he continued, noting that this constituency includes a number of players.
Cory Thurston, seen in front of a map of the new business park

Cory Thurston, seen in front of a map of the new business park, says the site has amenities that could attract ventures from across several sectors of the economy.

For starters, there are state agencies that assist businesses in efforts to expand or relocate within the Commonwealth, he noted, listing the Mass. Office of Business Development and the Mass. Alliance for Economic Development, among others. There are also regional agencies such as the chambers of commerce serving the Berkshires, as well as 1Berkshire, which exists to stimulate new job growth and economic opportunity in the region by sparking collaboration between artists, designers, cultural institutions, and businesses.
Meanwhile, another potential partner, and major asset, as Thurston described it, is CSX Corp., which has a rail line that runs through the middle of the site and, with Woodlawn Avenue, creates four sectors of redevelopment.
“We’re working with their economic-development team to identify rail-friendly tenants that might be interested in an opportunity in downtown Pittsfield,” he explained. “They’re in a large growth mode, and rail service could be an important factor in drawing people to this site.”

Watts Next?
PEDA and these various partners have what Thurston considers a very salable product, one with amenities attractive to businesses in a variety of sectors.
At the top of this list is developable land that is in many cases ‘shovel-ready,’ a technical term used to describe land that is clean, fully permitted, and, as the phrase suggests, ready for a shovel.
Other parcels don’t quite fit that description, said Thurston, listing that aforementioned 16-acre parcel, for example, which has elevation changes and old foundations as the primary but still minor challenges to be overcome.
Another amenity, he told BusinessWest, is location, which is driven home in promotional aerial photographs of the site that prominently feature Crystal Lake and the nearby Berkshire mountains.
Beyond scenery, though, Pittsfield is located roughly halfway between Albany and Boston, said Thurston, and thus could be an attractive option for emerging technology and life-sciences companies operating or doing business in both markets. There is also the Berkshires’ still-affordable high quality of life, he went on, adding that this mix of selling points should turn some heads.
However, there are some challenges as well, including an economy still in recovery mode, that aforementioned stigma about brownfield sites, especially one with such a high profile, and a huge glut of former mill space in Pittsfield and surrounding communities that offers an attractive alternative to business owners, and one that usually carries a lower price tag than new construction.
“We’re confronting the same challenges being faced from a manufacturing and industrial perspective across the Northeast,” he explained. “New construction is difficult, and we have a lot of wonderful facilities in Pittsfield and across Berkshire County, like some of the old paper mills that have been repurposed, where businesses can grow and expand; there’s a lot of competitive real estate that still stands.”
But overall, Thurston believes the business park is the proverbial right place at the right time, and he thinks the planned life-sciences building is a potential-laden project that could drive that point home, while also creating some potential future tenants.
As currently conceived, the center would go beyond a typical incubator, providing next-stage companies with the shared lab space, broadband capacity, and other amenities needed to make that jump to where they’re ready to begin production and take on employees.
“This would be a nice, low-cost, quality-of-life facility that they could move their venture to and continue their growth and development,” he said, adding that the next phase in the project is convincing the state to release the earmark, a process that is already underway. “We want to create something new and exciting in Pittsfield.”
Overall, PEDA will be patient with the broad redevelopment process, said Thurston, adding that, in every way possible, it will “leave its options open.”
That sentiment applies to everything from potential reuses — the site has been mentioned as home to everything from retail complexes to municipal facilities, including a new courthouse and police station — to individual parcels.
Indeed, while it is likely that the 16-acre parcel mentioned earlier will be subdivided, PEDA will not do that until options for one larger user have been explored and exhausted.

Getting Amped Up
While it’s extremely unlikely that the former GE site will again be home to 13,000 jobs, said Thurston, the business park created there has vast potential to again play a lead role in shaping the economy of Pittsfield and the surrounding area.
What that shape will be is anyone’s guess, he noted, adding that it will take years to fill in the canvas.
But the process is well underway, momentum is building, and there are clear signs that this facility can live up to the name it’s been given.

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

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

CHICOPEE
DISTRICT COURT
TBF Financial, LLC v. JSLC Corp., and Sandra and Joseph Marlin
Allegation: Breach of lease agreement: $21,378.06
Filed: 6/15/12

HAMPDEN
SUPERIOR COURT
Aaryn Blain v. Porterhouse Media
Allegation: Breach of contractual agreement: $25,000+
Filed: 5/8/12

Country Development Corp. v. Colorful Creations Bead Co. Inc. and Patricia and Stanley Pawlowicz
Allegation: Breach of lease agreement: $77,643.88
Filed: 5/2/12

Jenco Property Maintenance Services v. ITT Power Solutions d/b/a Exelis
Allegation: Breach of contract for snow plowing: $450,000
Filed: 5/18/12

John J. Walczak v. Turley Publications
Allegation: Breach of contract: $25,000
Filed 5/31/12

Michelle Michaels v. Superior Oxygen Systems Inc. and Inova Lab Inc.
Allegation: Failure to pay promissory notes: $150,000
Filed: 5/23/12

Rafal Lasiuk v. Liquor Town
Allegation: Action for monies had and received, unjust enrichment, and fraud: $96,817.50
Filed: 5/11/12

Shawntell Lee Waldon, administratrix of the estate of Aaron Lavanta Waldon v. Helsant Inc. d/b/a LACE
Allegation: Careless and improper security and maintenance at Club 418, causing wrongful death: $500,000+
Filed: 5/16/12

HAMPSHIRE
SUPERIOR COURT
Eclipse Manufacturing Inc. v. Gillespie Corp.
Allegation: Non-payment of monies loaned: $60,000
Filed: 5/23/12

Felix Perez v. Anthony’s Dance Club
Allegation: Negligent hiring and supervision, causing personal injury: $40,000
Filed: 5/15/12

R.E. Laplante Construction Inc. v. Harold L. Eaton Associates Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract to supply land survey: $25,000
Filed: 5/29/12

NORTHAMPTON
DISTRICT COURT
American Express Bank FSB v. Pitt-singer P&H and Donald R. Pittsinger
Allegation: Non-payment on previous judgment: $10,759.23
Filed: 5/27/12

Constellation Newenergy Inc. v. Stop n’ Save
Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered: $8,342.50
Filed: 5/17/12

Eastern Brothers, LTD, d/b/a Black River Produce v. Sunflower Inc., d/b/a Green Street Café and John A. Sielski
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $10,666.94
Filed: 6/14/12

Santa Buckley Energy Inc. v. Volkswagon of Northampton
Allegation: Non-payment of services and goods: $7,016.38
Filed: 6/1/12

WESTFIELD
DISTRICT COURT
Cach, LLC v. Daval Home Services Inc. and Keith G. Roy
Allegation: Breach of credit-card agreement: $16,840.11
Filed: 5/25/12

People On the Move

By
Kevin Hart
Departments People on the Move

Mark R. Tolosky

Mark R. Tolosky

Mark R. Tolosky, president and CEO of Baystate Health, was recently awarded the prestigious 2012 William L. Lane Hospital Advocate Award from the Mass. Hospital Assoc. (MHA) in recognition of his “exceptional leadership.” During his 20-year tenure at one of the largest health systems in New England, Tolosky has helped transform Baystate Health into one of the Top 15 health care systems in the country, as recognized by Thomson Reuters. Lynn Nicholas, president and CEO of the MHA, noted that Tolosky “has driven the transformation of the North End of Springfield into a vibrant ‘medical mile,’ constructing new facilities, creating jobs, improving the local community, and contributing to the economic development of the city.” Nicholas added, “under Tolosky’s leadership, Baystate Health and Health New England are also nationally recognized for top levels of quality and safety, most notably through advances made in clinical care, the adoption of health-information technology, and the development of team-based and patient-centered medical homes.” Each year at the association’s annual meeting, the MHA publicly acknowledges one senior hospital executive who exemplifies exceptional leadership and the characteristics to which all hospital and health system leaders should aspire. Tolosky was nominated by Richard B. Steele Jr., chairman of the Baystate Health Board of Trustees, and his senior leadership team at Baystate Health. “Mark sets a stellar example as a CEO who tirelessly advocates for improvement, inclusion, responsibility, preparation, taking the high road, and the importance of collaborative, positive relationships,” noted one letter in support of Tolosky’s nomination. According to Nicholas, it was the first time in the nine-year history of presenting the award that the MHA executive committee was unanimous in its selection.
•••••

Eugene J. Cassidy

Eugene J. Cassidy became the seventh CEO of the Eastern States Exposition (ESE) in its 95-year history on June 27. He joined ESE as Director of Finance in 1993, and was named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in March 2011. He succeeded Wayne McCary, who retired June 26 after 21 years at the helm of the West Springfield institution. “The Big E is a balance of agriculture, industry, and entertainment all designed to move the core mission of the exposition forward while retaining the roots on which it was built,” said Cassidy. He is accredited as a certified fair executive by the International Assoc. of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) and is actively involved as a member of the budget and finance and program committees. He is a frequent presenter at IAFE meetings on the local, regional, and national levels and served as program chair of the organization’s International Convention in Las Vegas in 2010. Cassidy began his career at KPMG Peat Marwick in Springfield. He then served as treasurer of Chicopee Cooperative Bank and Colonial Mortgage Co. and was assistant vice president of Park West Bank and Trust Co., all wholly owned subsidiaries of Westbank Corp.
•••••
Andrea Robitaille, P.E., recently joined Tighe & Bond Inc. as a Project Engineer. She brings to that position eight years of professional experience with the firm’s expanding structural-engineering team. Robitaille has provided bridge design and inspection, construction design, and transportation-planning services for numerous clients and projects throughout New England.
•••••
David Kalman, M.D. was recently promoted to President of Springfield Medical Associates, a multi-specialty group gractice with locations in Springfield and Enfield. Kalman has been a practicing gastroenterologist since 1927.
•••••
Amy Royal

Amy Royal

Amy Royal, founding partner of Royal LLP, the Northampton-based woman-owned boutique, management-side labor and employment law firm, has been invited to speak at the ExecuSummit 7th Annual National Employment Practices Liability Insurance Conference at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. in October. She will present on minimizing emotional-distress damages in employment-litigation claims.
•••••
Danielle Nicklas

Danielle Nicklas

Danielle Nicklas, an attorney with the Springfield-based firm Cooley, Shrair P.C., has been appointed to serve on the Mass. Bar Assoc. (MBA) Health Law Section Council. Each council is charged with formulating and recommending policy and legislative positions, developing CLE program content for the MBA, and producing articles for Section Review and/or Lawyers Journal. Nicklas focuses her practice on the area of health law with a concentration in health care compliance, risk management, Start, and anti-kickback regulations.
•••••
Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart

Holyoke-based Mohawk Communications announced that Kevin Hart has joined the staff as Director of Operations. Hart has more than 15 years experience in the telecommunications field, from high-end PBX systems, to fiber installation, to managing communication networks for mid- to large-sized businesses. He will be managing the customer service department along with the outside technicians and various other projects.

Briefcase

By
Briefcase Departments

Paid Sick Leave Sent to Study by Lawmakers
BOSTON — Backers of a bill that would require certain employers to offer workers earned paid sick leave acknowledged in recent months that it would be an uphill battle to get the legislation passed this session. They were proven right when the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing sent the bill to a study, according to the House clerk’s office, effectively killing its chances of becoming law this session, with the Legislature planning to recess at the end of July. The paid sick-leave bill was drafted by state Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera and released favorably this year from the Labor and Workforce Development Committee co-chaired by the Springfield Democrat. Paid sick-leave benefits for workers have become a perennial issue on Beacon Hill, backed by a broad coalition of organizations and lawmakers who argue that legislation would improve productivity, reduce turnover in the workplace, and drive down health care costs by allowing people to seek primary care during the day rather than visiting emergency rooms after hours. Many business groups, however, including the Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, warn that forcing employers to provide certain benefits could discourage hiring at a precarious time for the economy. Coakley-Rivera’s bill would have allowed workers at companies with more than 10 employees to earn up to seven paid sick days a year, while employers with between six and 10 employees would have been required to allow employees to accrue up to five paid sick days. Business, however, strongly resisted mandating sick leave, warning the bill could cost the economy as many as 12,000 jobs and claiming that such policies are best established by employers.

Construction Employment Stagnates in June
ARLINGTON, Va. — Construction employment stalled in June as more former construction workers left the industry, according to an analysis of new federal data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. The lack of current job openings, along with the departure of experienced workers, suggests a potential skilled-labor shortage may be developing, construction association officials warned. “Employment in the construction industry has fluctuated within a very narrow range — 1% above or below the June level of 5.5 million — for more than two years now,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. While the latest figure was 14,000 higher than one year earlier, the June 2012 total was just 2,000 higher than in May and in June 2010. “Construction employment has essentially been stagnant for much of the past two years.” Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for former construction workers fell to 12.8%, the lowest June rate since 2008 and much better than the 15.6% rate in June 2011 or the 20.1% rate in June 2010, Simonson noted. He added that, over the past two years, nearly 750,000 experienced workers have either found jobs in other industries, returned to school, retired, or otherwise left the workforce. “It will be hard for construction firms to get those skilled workers back when demand picks back up.” There was little difference among construction segments in terms of recent job gains or losses, Simonson noted. Residential construction added 1,700 total jobs in June and 8,900 (0.4%) over 12 months. Non-residential construction firms lost 600 jobs in June but added 4,300 (0.1%) over 12 months. Within the residential segment, residential specialty trade contractors added 7,600 jobs for the month and 14,100 (1.0%) over the past year, reflecting ongoing strength in multi-family construction. In contrast, residential builders — mostly single-family homebuilders — lost 5,900 positions in June and 5,200 (–0.9%) over 12 months. Non-residential job gains for the year were concentrated among non-residential building contractors, which lost 1,000 jobs in the latest month but added 4,300 (0.7%) over 12 months. Heavy and civil-engineering construction firms shed 2,000 jobs in June and 1,800 (–0.2%) in the past year. Non-residential specialty trade contractors boosted employment by 2,400 since May but only 1,800 (0.1%) since June 2012. Association officials noted that one bright spot for the industry was the 27-month highway and transit bill the president recently signed into law. They said the legislation includes many significant reforms that will allow more existing transportation funds to be invested in highway and transit construction projects, as opposed to unrelated programs. “This measure will certainly help staunch the decline in construction employment among highway and transportation builders,” said Stephen Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Congress understands that investing in infrastructure is one of the best ways to support growth within the private sector.”

Summit Focuses on Academic Advising
SPRINGFIELD — More than 70 community-college faculty and advisors met at the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) campus to participate in an academic advising summit on June 22 to focus on advising as a collaborative approach. The summit workshops explored national best practices in academic advising, apprised academic advisors of National Academic Advising Assoc. (NACADA) services and resources that support more effective academic advising, and detailed how to improve both individual academic-advising skills and overall campus academic programs. Sessions included topics about career exploration and advising tools, introduced advisors to the Advising Is Teaching program, and discussed important updates to advising software. Keynote speaker Susan Kolls, associate director of Student Account Services at Northeastern University and a member of the NACADA board of directors, said students today are faced with a variety of challenges. They work hard both in and outside the classroom balancing school, work, and families; they struggle with financial issues; and many are in the military, often finishing their schoolwork while in the combat zone. “We’re looking at the whole student,” said Kolls. “None of our students are only students, and if we don’t look at the things that impact them, if we only look at the academic side, we can’t help them with the things outside of school.” Knowing a student’s background, Kolls said, can help advisors understand how a student is better, or less, able to cope with their situation. Through her interactive session, Kolls questioned how to get faculty, staff, and advisors to think about all of the contributing factors that impact a student’s success. According to Kamari Collins, STCC’s director of Academic Advising, the summit allowed advisors from the region to get together and start a conversation. “It was a good way to have everyone focus and strengthen our campus as a whole, and it was a great opportunity for us to share our best practices with our colleagues at the other community colleges.” The summit, made possible through the Board of Higher Education’s Vision Project Performance Incentive Grant, was available to the four community colleges in the Western Mass. Vision Project Exchange: Berkshire Community College, Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College, and STCC. This was the first time STCC has hosted the summit.

Hiring Lukewarm in June
NEW YORK — Hiring was lukewarm last month, with employers adding jobs but not enough to bring the unemployment rate down. The economy added 80,000 jobs in June, the U.S. Labor Department reported, barely an improvement from the 77,000 jobs added in May. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate remained at 8.2%. Economists surveyed by CNN Money had expected to see employers add 95,000 jobs and the unemployment rate to remain unchanged. The labor market has been volatile this year, with job growth starting off strong in the first couple months of 2012. Then a disappointing slowdown in the spring led many to wonder whether the recovery was taking a turn for the worse. June’s weak growth added to those fears. The economy needs at least 125,000 jobs added each month just to keep up with population growth. Revisions from previous months also showed the economy gained 1,000 fewer jobs in April and May than originally thought. Overall, the job market has a long way to go to climb out of the deep hole left by the financial crisis. Of the 8.8 million jobs lost, only about 3.8 million have been added back. Roughly 12.7 million Americans remain unemployed, and 41.9% of them have been so for six months or more. Another 88 million out-of-work people were not even counted as unemployed because they didn’t look for a job in the last four weeks.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of June 2012.

AGAWAM

Ad-Venture
10 Castle Hill Road
Jay Berger

Barry Rothenberg
335 Walnut St.
Barry Rothenberg

Deveno Landscaping
577 Springfield St.
David Deveno

K. Kudlic Trucking Inc.
491 Springfield St.
Kristen Kudlic

The Sand Trap
1399 Suffield St.
Kristine Mele

Vella Limousine
511 Springfield St.
Richard Vella

CHICOPEE

Sonic Value Transportation
129 Exchange St.
Ali O. Koseoglu

Total Exterior Services
218 Pondview Dr.
Lisa A. DelMonte

Yankee Auto Sales
162 Chicopee St.
Russell R. Foisy

EASTHAMPTON

Artisan Builders & Craftsmen
19 Plain St.
Aaron Scott

Mamadou Group Painting & Decoration
13 Arlington St.
Mamadou Diedhiou

Mountain View Antiques & Collectibles
51 Holyoke St.
James P. Delnero

Omni Ohana Media and Design
14 Playa Ave.
Sara H. Gomes

The House Doctor
29 Ward Ave.
Chris S. Black

HOLYOKE

B & C Cleaning Services
12 Evergreen Dr.
Brent Lavigne

Contemporary Auto Sales
63 Shawmut Ave.
Stephen Stathis

Flamingo
319 High St.
Sinung Yi

Kentucky Fried Chicken
2241 Northampton St.
Michael Houston

Tony’s Radiator Shop
84 North Bridge St.
Alan Barthelette

VK Restoration
92 Race St.
Vitek Kruta

LUDLOW

Alegria Dance & Fitness
658 Center St.
Debra Nunes

Jeffrey’s Suit Rack
287 East St.
Jeffrey Clemons Sr.

Lavoie Development Corporation
733 Chapin St.
David Lavoie

NX2 LLC
656 Center St.
Armando Nunes

NORTHAMPTON

DeLong Construction LLC
76 Bancroft Road
Edmund Lennihan

Hampshire Sheriff’s Office
205 Rocky Hill Road
Robert Garvey

Pine Street Publishing
10 Pine St.
Fred Contrada

Red Thunder Audio
20 Highland Ave.
Ezra Teboul

Retro Service
26 Strong Ave.
Jeanne Mulvey

Valley Green Feast
PO Box 632
Maggie Shar

Yankee Mattress Factory Inc.
104 Damon Road
Joseph Noblit

SPRINGFIELD

Metro Chrysler Jeep Dodge
484 Boston Road
Metro Auto Sales

Omega Provision
21 Garvey Dr.
Jose E. Hernandez

Organic Apparel
122 Mooreland St.
Yazmarie Quinones

Paula’s Porch Catering
207 Nottingham St.
Vivian L. Hatwood

Proex Physical Therapy
1150 Hall of Fame Ave.
Michael J. Mulrenan

Torres Painting
37 Castle St.
Juan Torres

Valley Automotive Inc.
160 Taylor St.
John Lizak

Your Way Catering
156 Chalmers St.
Bernard J. Carriere

Youth Urban Multimedia
1809 Roosevelt Ave.
Tammy Sharif

WESTFIELD
Egerton Home Improvements
44 Prospect St.
Ethan Egerton

Spring Hill Properties LLC
246 Russellville Road
Wayne Cowles

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Affordable Home Improvement
533 Elm St.
Pavel Pauasyuk

Cleaning Connection
76 Elmwood Ave.
Nathan Grenon

Great Plains Transportation
92 Great Plains Road
Dennis Koshechko

I Home Installations LLC
33 Angeline St.
Ray Auger

La-Prestiges Salon and Spa
533 Union St.
Yelena Ivanov

MCL Mechanical Services Inc.
26 Kelso Ave.
Marc C. Lichwan

TD Bank
969 Riverdale St.
TD Bank

Westside Check Cashing
205 Elm St.
JMT Check Cashing Inc.

BANKRUPTCIES

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Arcand, Deborah L.
88 Whittier St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Bacigalupo, Richard J.
Bacigalupo, Elsa M.
324 Spring St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Belcher, Valadia C.
18 Vassar St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Bergeron, Beverly A.
1583 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Berkshire Yard Works
Dolan, Nicholas B.
Dolan, Neesha M.
a/k/a Cole, Neesha M.
2326 Jacobs Ladder Road
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Bernat, Maureen
PO Box 366
Bondsville, MA 01009
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Bickel, Floyd Norman
45 Lake Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Bonafila, Laurie A.
95 Corey Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Brea, Juan O.
P.O. Box 6225
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/12

Broughton, Christopher D.
15 Lawndale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Caliendo, Erika
198 Leland Road
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Canning, Clay K.
Canning, Kimberly J.
203 Pheland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/12/12

Carter, Edward Charles
60 Jeanne Marie St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/02/12

Casamento, Deana M.
183 Parkedge Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/13/12

Chartier, Kathleen H.
29 Chartier Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/12/12

Chateauneuf, Jeffrey P.
Chateauneuf, Sheila M.
84 Cherryvale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/08/12

Consolati, Christopher M.
25 Putnam Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/12

Corbett, Terras I.
837 Partridgeville Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Davidson, Theodore Z.
Davidson, Susan M.
P.O. Box 45
Goshen, MA 01032
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Dellea, Janet L.
2 Crossway St.
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/12

Dunbar, Charles Thomas
25 Hartford St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Ewing, JR
P.O. Box 872
Chicopee, MA 01014
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Fellows, William C.
Fellows, Joy A.
22 Fowler St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Figueroa, Samuel
8 Meadowbrook Lane
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/12

Flanagan, Michael J.
Flanagan, Miranda
13 Dexter St., Apt. 2
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/12

Flap Jack Willie’s Restaurant
Holmberg, William G.
P.O. Box 764
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/02/12

From Hair On
Rosazza, Elizabeth Ann
P.O. Box 203
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Gardner, Sandra M.
a/k/a Madden, Sandra M.
193 Elberon Ave., Apt. 4G
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Gutierrez, Luis E.
Gutierrez, Maria E.
201 Locust St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Hebert, Donald P.
Hebert, Joan L.
120 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/12

Henriques, Marino
525 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Hess, John P.
Hess, Susan E.
91 Deepfield Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/12/12

Hills, Beverly D.
a/k/a Schwartz, Beverly D.
49B Crown St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/12/12

Imme, Nicole M.
845 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Jones, Richard A.
224 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/04/12

Kasperek, Christopher Paul
Kasperek, Karen Marie
306 Barry St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/04/12

Knas, Matt J.
Knas, Teresa
202 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Kowach, Lou Ellen
10 Paula Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

LaClair, Jeremy Adam
71 Lakeview St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/04/12

Lafleur, Debra Jean
25 Kendall St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/12

Lake, Kimberly Y.
88 King Arthur Dr.
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Lane, Heather S.
42 Tilda Hill Road
Florida, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/12/12

Lange, Stephen R.
PO Box 73
South Barre, MA 01074
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/13/12

Laplante, Carole M.
a/k/a Stone, Carole M.
a/k/a Dauplaise, Carole
54 Stimson St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Lasky, Paul L.
P.O. Box 837
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Lenox, Dianne M.
127 Vadnais St.
Chicopee, MA 01020-3026
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/12

Leon, Maria C.
a/k/a Leon, Maria Del Carmen
6 Lionel Benoit Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/12

Lessard, Eileen M.
168 Groveland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/12

Liverseidge, Mary
2 Sutton Place #10
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Lockett, Dessie R.
30 Marshall St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/13/12

Lucien, Jean W.
Lucien, Guilene
53 Sherbrooke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Lussier Plumbing
Lussier, Richard Leon
Lussier, Beverly Jean
1 Marlboro Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Maclachlan, Tracy Dawn
101 Sylvester St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/02/12

MacNeal, Karen L.
25 Thomas St., Apt. 21
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Majka, Daniel E.
Majka, Danielle M.
93 South Maple St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/12

Marte, Josefina
130 Hastings St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Matney, Donna M.
PO Box 317
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/12

Meade, Kathryn M.
61 Orlando St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/12

Molinari, Lynne
99 Champlain St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Monday, Debra C.
a/k/a DeRose, Debra C.
P.O. Box 418
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/12

Murphy, Michael S.
28 River St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/12

Niemiec, David A.
Niemiec, Karen M.
5 Gloria Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/31/12

O’Connor, Richard Bruce
O’Connor, Margaret Diane
323 Green River Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/07/12

Osl, Miriam
70 Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/12

Pagan, Haydee
57 Farnum Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/07/12

Pasini, Robert M.
111 Lumae St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Paul, Christine A.
258 Oakham Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/12

Perreault, Brian H.
Perreault, Jennifer A.
22 Stone Road
Royalston, MA 01368
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/12

Quinn, Garald E.
45 Pulaski St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/12

Ramos, Rigoberto
185 Leyford Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Richard, Kelly L.
470 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/12

Rivera, Maria E.
40 James St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Rock, Dawn M.
a/k/a Puduski, Dawn M.
140 Union St., Apt. 15
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/12

Rock, James M.
140 Union St., Apt. 15
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/12

Rodriguez, Edward
28 Oliver’s St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Rodriguez, Maria D.
101 Lowell St., Apt. 3
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Rodriguez, Yavi
101 Beacon Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/12

Rowley, Andrea L.
12 Renny Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/15/12

Salgado, Edith
415 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Sanchez, Roberto
1632 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/08/12

Sanders, Carrie A.
166/168 West Main St., Apt 7
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Sinico, Shannon
135 Christian Hill Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/12

Songini, Marie E.
80 Dawes St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Soto, Jasmin M.
138 Jasper St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Spooner, Ruth A.
118 Eagleville Road
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/12

Stearns, Pamela J.
8 Carter St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/13/12

Stewart, Gregory M.
98 Turnpike Road
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/04/12

Sullivan, William F.
Sullivan, Mary A.
40 Porter St. Apt. 289
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/12

Uribe, John F.
2 Belden Court, Apt. W-2
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/12

Veremchuk, Peter
44 Sprague St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/01/12

Vorce, Bernice E.
67 Mechanic St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Walker, Cynthia J.
28 Country Club Heights
Monson, MA 01057-9514
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/05/12

Walker, Mark A.
1424 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/12

Wallace, Terrence A.
Wallace, Charlene L.
64 Mooreland St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/12

Wetherell, David C.
71 Coes Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Winn, Charles J.
Winn, Helen J.
a/k/a Main, Helen L.
86 Colonial Dr.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/12

Wyllie, James C.
12 Wenonah Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/12

Opinion

By
Opinion
Fueling the Next Wave of Biotech Growth

The staggering impact of the nationwide economic malaise has caused every state to examine what it can do to attract the industries that will drive sustainable growth over the long term. We were reminded once again of why the life-sciences industry in Massachusetts is the envy of states across the country — and why we can’t become complacent about it — when 15,000 biotech professionals from 65 countries descended on Boston for the BIO Convention last week.
The local economy has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past two decades, as industries that once dominated the local landscape have been reduced to a shell of what they once were, and newer, technology-driven industries have grown to fill the void. The life-sciences industry has experienced unprecedented growth during that time, buoyed by a unique combination of local assets, including world-class universities and hospitals; substantial federal funding for research; a strong, local venture-capital community that understands the vagaries of our industry; and, more recently, the active involvement and support of the Commonwealth.
Employment at Massachusetts biotechnology companies has grown more than 50 percent over the past decade, to nearly 50,000, and even managed to grow during the depths of recession from 2007 to 2010. The average salary of a biotech worker is more than $95,000, substantially higher than the estimated state average salary of approximately $54,000. And with construction cranes looming not just over Cambridge and the Boston waterfront, but also reaching well out into the suburbs, Central Mass., and the South Coast, it is clear that investment and optimism in the future of the industry in Massachusetts remain strong.
But it was evident at the convention how dangerous it would be to become complacent. Other states and countries were there competing to lure away our state’s biotech companies and talent. They have many tactics at their disposal, including strong financial incentives, tax breaks, lower labor costs, and, in some cases, a fairly convincing argument about quality-of-life benefits outside of our state.
I experienced this first-hand as CEO of Organogenesis Inc., a biotechnology company based in Canton that has successfully developed two regenerative medicine products that use human cells to stimulate the body’s natural ability to repair and regenerate itself.
When we began planning five years ago to expand our operations, our top choice was Massachusetts. But when other states offered us incentive packages that topped what was initially offered here, we couldn’t help but listen. When we were offered a package of incentives that would potentially make us more competitive and more sustainable, we were set to leave the state and expand elsewhere.
A lot has changed since that time, for Organogenesis and for Massachusetts. We are now in the midst of a major, multi-year expansion that will more than triple the size of our presence in Canton, to more than 300,000 square feet. Our global headquarters, R&D, and manufacturing facilities will remain in Massachusetts. The decision to remain and grow here was driven primarily by incentives provided by the state under its 10-year, $1 billion Life Sciences Initiative, signed into law in 2008. Massachusetts has provided us with grants, low-interest loans, and a competitive tax rate, and we in turn have invested five times that amount to build our new facilities. We are delivering on the pledge to create hundreds of new jobs in the years ahead.
The state’s investment in the future of Organogenesis made a critical difference at a crucial time in our history. Dozens of Massachusetts companies are wrestling with the same questions about long-term growth and sustainability. The competitive race for growing industries like ours will only get tougher.
With all that has been done to make Massachusetts a more attractive magnet for biotechnology, we will constantly be challenged to stay one step ahead of the competition.

Geoff MacKay is president and CEO of Organogenesis Inc., and chairman of the MassBio board of directors.

Optimistic View Point

By
Bill Tragakis
Golf Preview Sections
15 Years in the Making, Cold Spring C.C. Opens for Business

Fan Du

Fan Du says its was views from the top of the hill, like this one, that helped inspire her father to make the long-stalled Cold Spring Country Club a reality.

After a number of false starts and mis-steps, the long-awaited Cold Spring Country Club in Belchertown opened its fairways this spring. There has been the expected curiosity factor among regional players, getting the operation off to a solid start, but management understands that the key to success isn’t getting the attention of the golfing community — it’s holding it.

Fan Du says there was a great deal of buzz, or anticipation, that accompanied the recent opening of Cold Spring Country Club in Belchertown — and with good reason.
After all, this track, located just over the Ludlow line in a former apple orchard, has been more than 15 years in the making. Over that time, there have been several ownership groups involved, a well-chronicled foreclosure, and enough fits and starts to prompt the residents of that area to wonder if the vision would ever become reality.
“People have been waiting a long time for this course to open — there has been a lot of curiosity,” said Du, whose father, Sheng Du, a successful businessman in China and avid golfer, is the man responsible for resurrecting the project. He was able to look past the problems, she said, and focus on both the incredible views from the hilltop where the clubhouse was eventually constructed — and also the vast potential of the property to become home to a golf course and much more.
The challenge moving forward, said Bill Tragakis, head golf professional and club manager, is to maintain and build upon that buzz, and channel it into what will become a multi-faceted business venture, launched during a difficult time for the golf business in general and the economy as a whole.
But the requisite pieces are in place or on the drawing board, said Tragakis, adding that the highly anticipated golf course is merely the first one to fall into place. Others include the club’s 19th hole, a restaurant now open to the public that was launched with expectations that it could become a popular destination for residents of Belchertown and surrounding communities, as well as a large banquet facility to be located further up the hill and a housing component that has no timetable as of yet but will likely be commenced when that sector improves.

Bill Tragakis

Bill Tragakis says Cold Spring is off to a solid start with both memberships and public play, and it will need continued support for those constituencies to be successful.

The success of each of these specific ventures, as well as the larger development, will depend on management’s ability to capture and keep the public’s attention, said Tragakis, adding that the golf course itself is off to a solid start with membership (more on that later), as well as public play, despite a rainy spring, and the restaurant is drawing positive reviews from those who have discovered it.
In both cases, the goal is to bring people back repeatedly, he explained, noting that every course in the region is confronting the same basic challenge, and must respond accordingly.
“The keys are impeccable conditions for the golf course and superb customer service, and that’s where our focus has been,” he said. “This club has a resort appearance, and that’s by design.”
For this issue and its focus on the region’s golf industry, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at the Cold Spring development, and why its managers look to the future with optimism and confidence born from a combination of persistence and imagination.

Designs on Success
Du, who has assumed a leadership role at the club with her husband, Willie Guo, told BusinessWest that one of the many assignments that had to be carried out over the past several months was selecting a logo for the venture, a branding mechanism now affixed to everything from ball markers to shirts; from golf-bag towels to a wide variety of head gear.
“There’s a lot that goes into this, and it took a while to create this look,” she said with a laugh, while displaying the eventual winner — the words Cold Spring juxtaposed against a leaf. The image contains several colors, including red, orange, gold, and a few shades of green, and it was chosen, said Du, to spotlight what is perhaps the club’s best selling point — the scenery, especially at fall foliage season.
It was the views at that time of year that captivated her father, said Du, adding quickly that the scenes from the top of the hill, which he discovered while looking for business opportunities in Massachusetts, were certainly not enough to prompt the requisite sizable investment in the project. Indeed, the initiative had to make good fiscal sense, she went on, something that outwardly appeared unlikely given the challenged state of the local golf industry and the prevailing opinion that this region was already saturated, if not oversaturated, with places to play.
But market analysis, not to mention instinct, indicated that there was room in the market for a higher-end, semi-private course that offered something distinctive, said Tragakis, formerly the pro at Hampden Country Club, adding that he believes that Cold Spring delivers those qualities.
The elder Du acquired the property in 2009, said his daughter, adding that preliminary construction on the course resumed soon thereafter, with grass put down early in 2010. Construction of the ornate clubhouse and a maintenance building commenced in 2011, and the course was open for business on May 1 for members and June 1 for the general public.
What the golfers have found is a test that is both stern and somewhat unique, said Tragakis, who points to the scorecard for some evidence. It has yardages for five tees, including championship markers that stretch the track to 6,521 yards. “And that’s the longest 6,521 yards you’ll ever play, because the actual yardage is somewhat hidden,” he said, noting that there are some uphill stretches, particularly the rugged par 4 18th, to go with some downhill holes, and a rare route to a par of 71.
Indeed, there are six par 3s (three on each side), and five par 5s, he said, noting that a typical par 71 would have four of the former and three of the latter.
The course architects, Armstrong Associates, located in New Mexico, essentially took what the land offered, and designed an intriguing test for players of all abilities, said Tragakis, adding that this is one of the many ingredients necessary to attract a large and diverse audience.
Overall, he describes Cold Spring as a mix of Crumpin Fox (in Bernardston) and the Ranch (Southwick), meaning the former’s tight, tree-lined fairways — which dominate the front side — and the latter’s open, sweeping fairways, prevalent on the back nine.
Thus far, the course has been successful in attracting both members and public play, said Tragakis, and it must continue to do both if it is to be profitable. “My goal is to make this golf course a fun, enjoyable experience for everyone,” he explained, “but especially for the members. We need them to come back, and we need to keep growing those numbers; that’s our rainy day money.”
The membership count now exceeds 200, and continues to climb each week, something unusual at this time of year, months after most area players have settled on a club to join for the year, he said, adding that many former members of nearby Hampden Country Club (now under new ownership) have joined Cold Spring. An attractive senior membership rate ($750) has attracted more than 70 people from that demographic group.
Meanwhile, there has been a steady stream of public play, with visitors from across Western Mass. and even Northern Conn., which Tragakis attributes to that aforementioned buzz factor, as well as some aggressive, targeted marketing.
The club has focused mostly on radio, including the expensive option of taking slots during Red Sox games and related programming, he noted, adding that the pitch line used at the end of each spot — “it’s the reason you play golf” — sums up how the club intends to differentiate itself.
The specific marketing message has varied through the first several months, he went on, adding that in the late winter and early spring, before the season started, the club was focused on memberships. Later, the emphasis was on the fact that the club had opened for play, and most recently, the accent has been on stressing that, despite its appearance (including the elaborate stone entranceway now under construction), Cold Spring is in fact open to the public, as is its restaurant.

Aggressive Course
And that’s important, because attracting golfers is just part of the success quotient, said Du, adding that there will eventually be several components to this venture.
For starters, there’s the club’s restaurant, called simply the 19th Hole Bar and Grille, which, like a growing number of facilities at public and semi-private courses (including The Ranch and Crumpin Fox), is open to the public and will be in operation year-round.
Ron Riopel, food and beverage manager for Cold Spring, said the restaurant is relatively small (just over 70 seats inside), but can accommodate more than 120 on a large patio that boasts sweeping views of the course and the hills beyond, and will likely stay open until at least mid-fall.
Beyond the scenery, the outdoor area will feature live music on many evenings (a ‘Caribbean Night’ was staged recently), and a menu Riopel described as “simplified but elegant.”
Elaborating, he noted that the fare extends well beyond traditional post-round food (most of it fried), and includes such options as pan-seared Pacific Ponga, a Vietnamese white fish.
The 19th Hole opened to members and the public on June 1, and like all new eateries, went through a breaking-in period, during which kinks were worked out and staff members came fully up to speed, said Riopel, adding that, as with the golf course, there has been a curiosity factor surrounding the restaurant that has prompted many area residents to take the drive up the hill.
And, also like the course, repeat business will be a function of delivering a quality experience, he continued, noting that he believes the facility should fare well in a region that doesn’t have a deep roster of competing restaurants.
Tragakis said some of the recent marketing has made reference to the dining element, underscoring its importance to the overall operation. “We have focused on food and beverage in these spots,” he explained. “We’re not going to forget about golf — we’re still a golf course — but public dining is a big part of what we’re doing, and I think the restaurant will do very well.”
Other components of the Cold Spring business plan are on the drawing board, to one degree or another, said Du, who told BusinessWest that plans are being developed for a banquet hall that will sit above the clubhouse.
The facility will be large in scale, and meet what she considers a recognized need in the Quaboag Valley region, she went on, adding that there is no immediate timeline for construction.
The same can be said for a housing component that most experts say is a key to the success of any large golf operation. There is considerable land on which to build houses or condos, she noted, adding that market analysis is currently ongoing, and it is likely that work will begin over the next five years.

Successful Roll Out
If all the pieces fall into place as expected, Cold Spring will become a formidable player in the large and seemingly ever-changing local golf market, said Tragakis.
He acknowledged that the industry is faced with many challenges — from the still-sluggish economy and its broad impact on discretionary spending, to stagnancy and even retreat in the number of people taking up the game, to the vagaries of the weather.
But venues that succeed in creating enjoyable and memorable experiences can overcome those issues, he continued, adding that Cold Spring has enormous potential to do just that.
“The view from up here is good,” he said, using that term in both a literal and figurative sense, “and we think it’s only going to get better.”

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

Getting a Second Wind

By
Terry Powe
Education Sections
How the Tornado Helped Bring a School — and a Community — Together

Terry Powe

Terry Powe says the tornado that struck the Brookings School a year ago has helped provide a new sense of perspective for all those involved with the institution.

On the first day of school last August, a young girl pulled a broken chunk of slate from her pocket and showed it to Terry Powe.
“She told me it was a piece of our old school that she had found on the ground after the tornado and she kept it with her everywhere she went,” said the principal of Elias Brookings Elementary School in the Six Corners neighborhood of Springfield. “Her family had lost their home and was living in a shelter.”
The child was one of many Brookings families affected by June 1 tornado, which unleashed its fury on the neighborhood, destroying homes and businesses as well as the nearly century-old school.
Powe says it’s a miracle no one was hurt, as school was dismissed less than an hour before the twister hit the ground. “If it had been an hour later, there would have been deaths, and we would have needed grief counselors and still been in mourning,” she said, explaining that windows were blown out, walls collapsed, desks and furniture were strewn everywhere, and tree limbs and construction debris from nearby structures made the interior look like a war zone.
The girl with the slate is one of myriad anecdotes from the past 13 months that show, in rather dramatic fashion, how the school and the surrounding community has picked up the pieces — figuratively but also quite literally — and moved on, and with a renewed sense of commitment.
Indeed, while the tornado turned hundreds of lives upside down in that neighborhood, it has in many ways been a catalyst for the school’s rebound from poor performance ratings from the state and a feeling of being overwhelmed by the challenges being faced.
“People here see things differently now; everything has been put into perspective,” said Powe. “The tornado allowed everyone to take an inventory on life, realize the strengths we had, and put them into action. Since that day, everyone – including the children – has been working really hard and bringing their best efforts to school every day.”
Meanwhile, in the shadow of the boarded up school a modular facility has risen — a compelling story of triumph over adversity in its own right — and a new, $28 million school is being planned for a site at the corner of Hickory and Walnut Streets.
“The future is bright — so bright I might need sunglasses,” Powe said. “This really has been a blessing in disguise and allowed us to see how much care and thoughtfulness exists within different groups in the community.”
For this issue and its focus on education, BusinessWest visited Powe and others at the school to see and learn how a disaster gave all those involved with this institution a much-needed second wind.

Clouding the Issue
Powe has faced significant challenges since she was hired to run the Brookings school four years ago.
When she accepted the position, the school, named for a Civil War veteran and educator and opened in 1926, housed students in kindergarten through grade 8. However, officials decided to do away with the middle school classes and students in grade six, then seven and eight, began to be phased out.
The staff was still adjusting to the change when the Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education named Brookings as one of the underperforming “Level 4” schools in the state. That’s the lowest level the state system has, and the designation required changes that included replacing 50% of the staff over a specific time line. In addition, the school day had to be lengthened by 45 minutes to give teachers more time to focus on areas where students had scored poorly on state tests.
“The designation gave us an opportunity to look at the root causes for performance and create a redesign plan to get back on track,” Powe said. “We implemented a plan without funding before the tornado hit and although we had some challenges, we did as much as we could to put it into action.”
It worked well, and prior to the tornado, the school had made significant gains; 25% of the staff members had been replaced, and although Brookings was still deemed underperforming, it had made double-digit gains in math and gained almost eight points in English Language Arts.
This year, thanks to additional funding, the school gained a new assistant principal and two additional coaches to help teachers hone their skills. “We have established a culture that we call the Brookings Way,” Powe said, adding quickly that change takes time.
However, she told BusinessWest that studies show that high-performing schools share three common traits — adaptability, cohesiveness, and a focus on goals, and all three are present, to one extent or another, at Brookings.
“Adaptation had been our lowest category,” said Powe. “In education, you have to look at the cards you are dealt and then play them, and our staff had had a really hard time playing those cards.”
And the tornado only shuffled the deck even further, she said, noting, however, that in many ways it has brought people closer together, provided fresh perspective on what’s important in life, and fostered a commitment to excellence that, in many respects, wasn’t there before the sky turned dark.

Winds of Change

Elias Brookings School Senior Custodian George Rollins

Elias Brookings School Senior Custodian George Rollins and adjustment counselor Gianna Allentuck say the tornado brought the school community together in a way that couldn’t have been imagined.

The day after the tornado, staff members assembled at two places: the school, where they worked to clear a path on the sidewalk, and at the Longmeadow home of adjustment counselor Gianna Allentuck.
Their first priority was to call every student to make sure they were safe. They then created a plan and took steps to kick off what would become a monumental collection effort for the 57 Brookings families that had lost their homes or been displaced.
The outpouring of support and donations was so substantial that Allentuck’s garage soon filled, so organizers staged a distribution program on July 1 in the J.C. Williams Community Center on Florence Street. They also held frequent distribution efforts outside the school, and students witnessed caring in action as their teachers stood outside throughout the summer, ready to share an encouraging word and a smile while handing out supplies that ranged from diapers to shampoo and underwear.
The staff members shifted their focus to collecting school supplies as the months went on and were astonished again by the outpouring of backpacks, crayons, and items students would need to return to classes. “My garage got so full, we had to rent storage space in Enfield,” said Allentuck, adding that the barrage of donations included stuffed animals, sleeping bags and towels, which necessitated a second major distribution effort.
Throughout the summer, staff members also visited families in shelters, hotels, and their homes to see how they were faring, and gave them donated items, while school nurse Pam Maynard did a tremendous amount of outreach.
The staff had also united to help the students finish the year in the days following the tornado. The children arrived at Brookings in the morning, then had to be bussed to two different schools depending on their grade, which meant many family members were split up.
“There were a lot of logistics involved and some of the younger kids were frightened,” said Allentuck. “It could have been chaotic, but the staff stepped up and made sure the children felt safe and loved. It was our finest hour.”

Moving Experience
In the meantime, school officials were working hard behind the scences to insure the children had classrooms to return to at summer’s end.
David Meehan, director of operations for Facilities Management in Springfield, said finding modular units, getting permits and assembling them in less than two months was a daunting challenge. “We did it in approximately 45 days; a project of this scope would normally take 90 days or more to complete,” he explained.
Rita Coppola-Wallace agreed. “A lot of people don’t realize the effort that goes into a project like this,” said the director of the Department of Capital Asset Construction in Springfield. “It took an extreme amount of coordination, but the vendors and city departments all rose to the challenge and did more than they needed. We literally pulled permits within hours, and everyone I called was phenomenal, from the contractor to the funding agencies.”
Thirty portable classroom structures, including 20 two-story units and 10 one-story units, were installed behind the old school on Hancock Street.
But there were unexpected setbacks. For example, right before the Fourth of July, water began gushing from the ground as workers set footings 30 feet into the ground. “They pumped water 24-7 for a week,” Coppola-Wallace said, explaining that the site is close to the Mill River. “It was a tough experience, but we had fun along the way. When people get hit by tragedies, their best side comes out.”
Meehan said Brookings senior custodian George Rollins played a major role in getting the job done on time. He worked close to 90 hours each week from the day following the tornado until school opened.
Rollins cares deeply about the school. It’s his alma mater, and he was determined to salvage everything possible from the old building, then do whatever it took to have the modular units ready for the children.
“At one point, we had 25 people cleaning furniture from the old building. We also had to coordinate getting teachers in and out of the building in the days following the tornado,” Rollins said, explaining they needed to salvage what they could from their classrooms, but could not stay inside long due to air- quality issues caused by the devastation.
“We put our heart and soul into this,” he continued. “It brought us together because we had to depend on one another. Everyone had to be cooperative and understanding, and even the kids had to give. They had to adapt to difficult circumstances, which for some included losing their homes.”
But stability seemed hard to come by, as the day Brookings was set to open, all Springfield Public Schools were closed due to an approaching hurricane, which downed trees, caused power outages, and wreaked its own devastation. And in the weeks that followed, there were myriad new adjustments as 25% of the staff was new hires and the modular units lacked a cafeteria, gym, and storage space.
But the community continued to step forward, and the spirit of cooperation and changes that took place within the school were remarkable.
Teachers held a book drive throughout the school year that proved so successful that each child was allowed to choose four books to keep at the end of the year. The school also staged a “Perfect Attendance Day” and due to community support, each student being honored received a $10 gift certificate. Allentuck said the numbers jumped from less than five with perfect attendance in February of 2010-2011 to 55 this year.
Staff members also began to pursue grant money that resulted in positive outcomes.
“This has been a year of celebration; even though I am a hopeful person, I never imagined we would be sharing the celebratory attitude that has been prevalent all year,” Allentuck said, adding that she doesn’t believe the transformation would have taken place without the tornado.

New School of Thought
Initially, the city hoped to save the 87-year-old school building, but a feasibility study determined that was not feasible. When the need for a new building became apparent, city officials approached Springfield College, because it owned a sizeable piece of vacant piece of land across Walnut street.
“It was not for sale, but they quickly jumped on board and were willing to become a partner,” Coppola-Wallace said. City officials are in the process of acquiring the land and plan to build a $28 million state-of-the-art school on it to replace the old building.
“I am very hopeful that we can finally get ahead of the game, because in the past the constants were always changing,” said Powe “We have stability now and I am looking forward to next year and the future in a new building.”
The day when that new school opens its doors is still a long way off, and there will no doubt be many challenges to overcome along the way.
But the tornado has fostered a new sense of resiliency at the Brookings School. All those involved, including the young girl with the slate, have picked up the pieces and shown that a disaster of this magnitude can destroy a building — but not dreams.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of June 2012.

AGAWAM

4U Siding and Roofing
605 Southwick St.
Dmitry Bruskiy

Agawam Wellness
430 Main St.
Nichole Hines

Christo’s & Sons Landscaping
129 South St.
Mark Christodlous

Custom Cabinet and Millwork Inc.
62 Suffield St.
Garrett Kimball

Wargamers’ Terrain
73 Tobacco Farm Road
Joe Linares

Tucano Applications
14 Mansion Woods
Leonardo D. Mascarenhas

AMHERST

Deepening Roots Farm
793 Bay Road
Andrew Korza

Ganna Designs
2 Morgan Place
Crystal Nielsen

Hess Express
468 West St.
R.J. Lawlor

Majik Management Consulting
279 West St.
David Majka

Renew Vitality
324 Middle St.
Rosamond Wulsin

CHICOPEE

Abundant Wellness Center
94 Chicopee St.
Deborah Boulanger

D & D Sales
815 McKinstry Ave.
Donald Perusse

Dave & Lisa’s Artful Furnishings
165 Front St.
David Murphy

DES Auto Technologies
439 Chicopee St.
David Stearns

Eris Construction
26 Casino Ave.
Erisnaldo Santos

Pioneer Valley Landscaping
45 Dresser Ave.
James Hebert

West Side Home Improvement
429 Front St.
Viktor Lapik

GREENFIELD

Driscoll’s Company
45 High St.
John J. Driscoll

Lipton Mart
100 Mohawk Trail
Michael Lipton

SMD Contracting
278 Main St.
Stephanie M. Dudos

Zemi
176 Main St.
Maya Meyers

HADLEY

Crystal Gardens Unlimited
140 Mount Warner
Crystal Boucher

Hadley Dry Cleaners
206 Russell St.
Hwa J. Han

Interskate 91 North
367 Russell St.
William Hoeffer

Riverside
373 River Dr.
John Kershlis

Shaolin Kung Fu Center
231 Russell St.
Ryan Budny

Z Auto
105 East St.
Michael Zera

HOLYOKE

Emmanuel Jewelry Store
311 High St.
Tai W. Kang

Luigi’s Christian Book & Music Store
103 High St.
Eddie Rivera

M & M Mini Mart
46 Franklin St.
Naz B. Naji

Real China Restaurant
1529 Northampton St.
Shi Z. Liu

Stop N’ Go
915 Main St.
Sagheer Nawaz

Valley Hall
26 Hadley Mills Road
Gabriel Reyes

Who’s Next Barber Shop
241 Main St.
Omar Peralta

PALMER

Crimmins and Graveline Insurance Agency
1382 Main St.
Thomas Graveline

N.M. Construction
11 Conant St.
Nathaniel Messier

Reskewed Things
1444 North Main St.
Charles L. Hood III

Trackside Tire Service LLC
1237 Park St.
Norman J. Ashline

Track Side Trains
1294 South Main St.
Greg Flamand

SOUTHWICK

R.B. Distributors
375 North Loomis St.
Russell Jones

Shawn Rutola Electrician
25 Eagle St.
Shawn Rutola

SPRINGFIELD

L & G Signs & Designs
120 Kimberly Ave.
Leroy A. Davidson

L & Q Game Shop
182 Oakland St.
Luis Lopez

L & S Transportation
118 Cardinal St.
Liliya Dudrova

La Garita Convenience
1212 Main St.
Betsy Lozada

La Zona Supermarket Corporation
24 Fort Pleasant Ave.
Hector Merejo

Lazy Valley Winery Inc.
34 Front St.
Scott Santaniello

Lil Divas Boutique Salon
65 Sycamore St.
Elizabeth Matos

MJA Construction
11 Gold St.
Nelson Menjivar

One Stop Cuts
494 Central St.
Charlette Gentry

Pink Peace
5 Danaher St.
Michelle LaPorte

R. Rocca Construction
169 Carver St.
Roger H. Rocca

Richard R. Rulnick
79 Embassy Road
Richard R. Rulnick

Simply Divine Beauty Lounge
607 Dickinson St.
Kelly Rochelle

So Fresh, So Clean
94 Wilbraham Road
Michael R. Marshall

Spring Street Super Grocery
121 Spring St.
Jose M. Rijo

T-Shirt Time
427 State St.
Hernesto Olmo

The Vela-Villalobos Corporation
1350 Main St.
Eduardo H. Vela

The Brothers Grocery
314 Bay St.
Virginia Leonor

Top Performance Heating
58 Davenport St.
Dorsey Cupe Jr.

Tsvor Construction Company
113 Michon St.
Aleksandr Tsvor

Ummi’s Haven Daycare
16 Glendell Terrace
Saliyhah A. Wadud

Valley Inn Boston Road
339 Boston Road
Bryan L. Townsend

Vigo Remittance
432 Belmont St.
Western Union

WM Development Company
1 Monarch Place
Joseph A. Lashinger

West Indian Taste Inc.
320 Wilbraham Road
Cornel Forbes

WESTFIELD

Boise Cascade LLC
33 Fowler St.
Jim Wickham

Bshara Catering
110 Airport Road
Paul Bshara

Cherished Loved Ones Home Care
244 Birch Bluffs Dr.
Carolyn Giordano

Lucky Spa & Nails LLC
303 East Main St.
Huan V. Huynh

Marek Jewelers
7 Day Ave.
Scott Marek

The Country Clipper
9 Russell Road
Sara Noska

The Sharing Tree
27 King St.
Karen E. Eaton

WEST SPRINGFIELD

98 Front Street
98 Front St.
Suzanne Halpin

A and N Transport
33 Craig Dr.
Andrew Ngure

Acumen Data Systems Inc.
2223 Westfield St.
Edward W. Squires

Aquatique Pools
730 Union St.
Robert E. Genereux

Beautiful Rooms
42 Myron St.
Gary R. Okun

Dream Events
43 Belle Ave.
Daria Krasnov

E-Zee Mart
83 River St.
Arshad Iman

First Niagara Benefits Consulting
225 Park Ave.
First Niagara Risk Management Inc.

Galaxy 900
32 Pine St.
Ralph T. Dalise

Gamelli Vending
203 Circuit Ave.
Justin P. Gamelli

Odd Jobbers
67 Armstrong St.
Jared Hamre

Subway
1329 Riverdale St.
Steven Petow

LEED by Example

By
From left, Aelan Tierney, Charles Roberts, and Ann Wills Marshall
Architecture Sections
Architects Increasingly Focus on Eco-friendly Design

From left, Aelan Tierney, Charles Roberts, and Ann Wills Marshall

From left, Aelan Tierney, Charles Roberts, and Ann Wills Marshall have all worked on LEED projects at Kuhn Riddle Architects.

New England Environmental (NEE) is an Amherst-based consulting firm that specializes in environmental assessment, restoration, and management. Oh, and setting a good example.

“We saw that project as sort of a laboratory for the kind of work they do, almost an exhibit of sorts,” said Ann Wills Marshall, an architect with Kuhn Riddle Architects in Amherst, which designed NEE’s new headquarters in Amherst with the sort of ‘green’ features that fit the company’s mission.

“They can take clients through and show them what a bioswale is, and a rain garden that uses all native plants and doesn’t require irrigation. It has a tremendous amount of green space,” Marshall noted.

The development will earn Platinum certification — the toughest-to-attain rating — from LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a program developed in 1994 by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to encourage environmentally friendly and energy-efficient design, construction, and operation of buildings.

And New England Environmental, which uses both geothermal heat and photovoltaic solar panels for energy, is only one of Kuhn Riddle’s recent LEED projects. Others include the George N. Parks Minuteman Marching Band Building, a 15,000-square-foot facility at UMass; the Ken Burns Wing of the Jerome Liebling Center for Film, Photography, and Video, a 6,700-square-foot addition to the facility at Hampshire College; and the Northeast Veteran Training and Rehabilitation Center in Gardner — which, like NEE, boasts both geothermal and photovoltaic energy.

In fact, LEED has become a major buzzword in the architecture and construction world; the state has mandated eco-friendly design on many projects, while individual cities and towns are increasingly seeking out the long-term benefits of energy-efficient, environmentally non-invasive design as well.

“It’s an involved process,” said Charles Roberts, a principal with Kuhn Riddle. “First, the client has to decide what they want to do, then we sit down with the user groups and our LEED consultants and basically go through the checklist typical for all projects and see what points are attainable. It’s important to do that as early in the design process as possible.”

Those ‘points’ are awarded according to a development’s adherence to five key areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

Sustainable site development includes the reuse of existing buildings, when possible, and preservation of the surrounding environment. Water conservation may include the recycling of gray (previously used) water or the installation of catchments for rainwater.

Energy efficiency can be increased by orienting buildings to take advantage of seasonal changes in the sun’s position and by the use of alternative energy sources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, or water.

Meanwhile, developers are encouraged to use as much recycled or renewable materials as possible, or those that require the least energy to manufacture, are locally sourced, or are in themselves recyclable. Finally, indoor environmental quality emphasizes how the building user feels in a space and involves ventilation, temperature control, and the use of nontoxic materials.

New England Environmental

New England Environmental incorporated both geothermal and photovoltaic energy on its LEED Platinum project.

“Good architecture has always been environmentally responsible,” Roberts said. “Development and land-use patterns create stresses on the environment, and as buildings become much more complicated, LEED is kind of an effort to try to think about these pressures and minimize them.”

However, they should not get in the way of basic aesthetic appeal, said Aelan Tierney, an associate with Kuhn Riddle.

“While it’s important to focus on sustainability,” she said, “it’s also important to remember that buildings should be beautiful. So the form can still be beautiful if it’s a green building, or a LEED-certified building. I think there are some people out there who are so hyperfocused on sustainability that they forget about the aesthetics. In our firm, they’re equally important to us.”

 

Breaking Ground

Other architects are saying the same. Among them is Jim Hanifan, a principal with Caolo & Bienek in Chicopee, which recently completed the new UMass police station, the first LEED-certified building on the Amherst campus, but very likely not the last.

That project earned Gold status, just under platinum in the USGBC’s rating system, which is based on the points assigned for green compliance. Further down are Silver and simply ‘certified.’ The police station features a geothermal heating and cooling system drawing heat and cold from the earth.

“We’ve also got the Northampton police station,” Hanifan said. “They’re going to occupy the building in a couple of weeks, and that’s targeted for LEED Gold as well.”

Another of the firm’s jobs, the new Easthampton High School set to open in 2013, has earned certification from Massachusetts CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools), a LEED-like green-building program for the Commonwealth. Among the considerations are bigger windows to maximize daylight, a photovoltaic array being installed on the roof to harvest solar power, and LED lighting. “It’s similar to LEED in its requirements,” he said of the CHPS designation.

Hanifan said building owners, whether governments or businesses, want to know the long-term savings built into an investment in green design — which can be costly up front. “You’re trying to balance improvements to a building’s system with what the projected payoff will be. Maybe you’ll spend $250,000 on improved mechanical or electrical systems, and you try to project out how many years it will take to pay that back.”

Tierney said the owners of the Northeast Veteran Training and Rehabilitation Center took this into account when they had 28 geothermal wells and more than 8,000 square feet of electrical panels installed. “It’s a large initial investment, but in the end, they’ll save money. In a lot of cases, it’s easier to get capital funding than it is to get operational funding.”

Added Marshall, “I think there’s a leap of faith you have to take, knowing you have these upfront costs, but they will pay for themselves in a very short time.”

And the initial costs can be significant, Hanifan said, noting that some LEED points are easier to come by than others, and not every type of point is attainable. “Some points you won’t get, depending on the building design,” he said. For instance, a developer can earn points for tearing down an existing building and reusing the site for a new structure. “But if it’s a clean site, there’s no way to get that point.”

The LEED certification process itself is costly, which is why some cities and towns will put a priority on green design, but not go for the certification, he added. “So you’re getting the payback for sure and achieving the intent of a LEED project; you just don’t have a plaque on the wall that says you achieved it.”

 

The Old College Try

The Liebling Center project at Hampshire College is a good example of a broad mix of LEED points, Roberts said, from the use of native plants to cutting-edge air-quality-monitoring systems, to white, reflective surfaces to keep the building cool. It also gained points for its location along a bus route and the installation of bike racks and showers, all of which encourage earth-friendly commuting.

“It’s a good example of a project done on a modest budget,” he said, “and just by doing pieces of all these things, were were able to achieve LEED Gold.”

Hampshire College has been pursuing eco-friendly development for some time, and other area schools have done the same. In fact, the U.S. Green Building Council recently opened a local branch on the UMass campus.

“The university has been working to expand its green-building commitment for more than a decade now,” said Ludmila Pavlova, a senior planner at the UMass Campus Planning Physical Plant, who started the branch. “Here, we can provide education, outreach, and information to the general public about the LEED rating system and green building.

“It’s really important that people who use the rating system talk to the general public, network, and learn together,” she continued. “It’s great to have a location where people looking into green building can come to learn how to become proficient in green building, and turn around and help their communities as well.”

UMass recently made a commitment to build all new structures to a minimum of LEED Silver, and the state already requires all publicly funded buildings of at least 20,000 square feet to be 20% over baseline in terms of energy efficiency. All of which makes plenty of sense to Pavlova.

“People live in buildings and spend most of their time in buildings,” she told BusinessWest. “Forty percent of our energy is embodied in buildings. If we want to improve the environment, one of the first basic places to improve it is in the places where you work and live.

“Our buildings constitute such a huge investment, and so much of our ongoing operations and capital costs go into facility maintenance,” she added. “And so much of our health depends on how buildings keep us healthy — or not.”

That’s just one more reason businesses and communities are increasingly choosing to build green — and often taking the LEED while they’re at it.

 

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments
The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of June 2012.

 

AGAWAM

 

A+ Services

1135 North Westfield St.

John J. Snide

 

C & C Installation

837 Springfield St.

Andrew Clough

 

My Tan Factory

850 Suffield St.

Samantha Cloud

 

The DHL Group

387 Springfield St.

Andrew Clough

 

The Skin Salon

159 Main St.

Debra Pazik

 

AMHERST

 

Food 2 Go Delivery Service

1040 North Pleasant St.

Webster A. Marfo

 

Hampshire Hospitality Group

220 North Pleasant St.

University Motor Lodge LLC

 

Hickory Ridge Golf Club

191 West Pomeroy Lane

David Wasenda

 

Integrated Therapeutic Massage

664 Main St.

Kristine Sullivan

 

Julian’s Home Renovation & Repair

52 Chapel Road

Julian Albo

 

CHICOPEE

 

444 Front Street LLC

444 Front St.

Neesha Patel

 

Diverse Academy of Martial Arts

155 Front St.

Stephen Majgier

 

First Class Cuts

55 Springfield St.

Luis Graceski

 

Forget Me Knot Funbooths

95 Wheatland St.

Craig Galipeau

 

Hank’s Variety

457 Granby Road

Priti Patel

 

J and P’s Lawn Service

16 Amherst St.

Julie Murphy

 

 

SVT

124 Exchange St.

Ali O. Kosfoglu

 

Video Game Castle

40 Center St.

Ralph Cotter

 

GREENFIELD

 

Deerfield River Recycle

116 Meridian St.

Richard Plotczik

 

Franklin Spectacle Shop

489 Bernardston Road

Brian W. Wadman

 

Healing Works Salon

55 Cleveland St.

Diane Morrison

 

Kleeberg’s Sugar House

343 Adams Road

Brian Kleeberg

 

HADLEY

 

Active Chiropractic

8 Goeffe St.

Bradford Eichwald

 

Dwight Home Improvement

27 Maple Ave.

Thomas Dwight

 

Hadley Coin-op Laundry

206 Russell St.

Richard Czarniecki

 

Mountainview Auto Sales

71 Lawrence Plain

Wayne Asselin

 

TD Bank

140 Russell St.

Derrick Feuerstein

 

HOLYOKE

 

Aeropostale

50 Holyoke St.

Harry Axt

 

Bunt Down

49 Calumet Road

Thomas Kelliher

 

CPL LLC

279 Cabot St.

Stuart Lindeman

 

Dollar World

237 South St.

Aisha Ghuman

 

Fresh Paint Design

67 Lawler St.

Filipe Medes

 

New York Nails

778 Homestead Ave.

Karen A. Spear

 

Red Robin

27 Holyoke St.

Phyllis R. Mercurio

 

Ronald E. Gillis Insurance Agency

290 High St.

James R. Gillis

 

PALMER

 

J.C. Construction

2124 Palmer Road

Justin J. Coyer

 

Majestic Masonry

11 Pearl St.

Jacob Gehlhausen

 

Patriot Consumer Services

63 Belanger St.

Jason C. Brooks

 

Russell Baker Realty

1700 Park St.

Russell Baker

 

The Yellow House Inc.

1479 North Main St.

Bonny Rathbone

 

SOUTHWICK

 

David Sutton Heating

207 Mort Vining Road

David Sutton

 

Ham Hill Tents LLC

11 Ham Hill Road

Julie Servis

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

350 Grill

350 Worthington St.

Sherri L. Via

 

4King Edward Enterprises

20 Lemnos Lane

Keshawn Dodds

 

A2Z Convenience Store

115 Chestnut St.

Zaman Sajid

 

A.S.N.S. Landscape

64 Pasadena St.

Aramis Perez

 

Asian Market

19 Pomona St.

Truong Nguyen

 

 

Beautiful Lady Beauty

618 Belmont Ave.

Duane M. Dowd

 

Bedel Omar

685 State St.

Bedel A. Omar

 

Big Daddy’s Homemade Ice

955 Boston Road

Filomena Dibenedetto

 

Branandez Trucking

393 Water St.

Laura K. Brazier

 

C.J.D. Construction

23 Ingersoll Road

Carlo Dilizia

 

Cosmoprof

1726 Boston Road

Beauty Systems Group

 

County Chimney of Massachusetts

4 Berbay Circle

Edith Engelhard

 

Crafty Are We

52 Frederic St.

Carol A. Bissonnette

 

Darlene & Mary Sisters

76 Embury St.

Darlene D. Francis

 

Deals on Wheels

170 Main St.

Aramis Perez

 

Divalicious Salon

1601 Main St.

Javier Mulero

 

Economico T.V.

183 Pendleton Ave.

Rafael D. De Cola

 

Eight Residential LLC

32 Hampden St.

Daisy Sanchez

 

Exclusives Barber Shop

162 Boston Road

Dwayne R. Scott

 

Healthy Neighborhoods

50 Silver St.

Armando Roman

 

It’s a Snap Creative Photo

155 Lucerne Road

Richard R. Fullwood

 

J.J. Gleason Company

314 St. James Ave.

David J. Baker

 

Kaos to Kosmos

1655 Main St.

Luz S. Ramirez

 

Kishu Kali Corporation

823 Belmont Ave.

Kalpesh B. Patel

 

WESTFIELD

 

Creative Hairdressers Inc.

459 East Main St.

Michele Johnson

 

Follow Me

36 School St.

Gina Berte

 

Full Tilt Fabrication

121 Summit Lock Road

Michael Rossman

 

Liberty Lifting & Hoisting

7 Belmont St.

Thomas M. Johnson

 

M & Y Designs

404 Southwick Road

Shelly Hawley

 

Management Solutions Northeast

34 Country Club Dr.

Christopher W. Nagle

 

Santiago Family Restaurant

34 Franklin St.

Ismael R. Santiago

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

 

Asian Star

753 Union St.

Nar Rai

 

Cosmo Prof

464 Riverdale St.

Beauty Systems Group LLC

 

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

1268 Riverdale St.

Robert Zinck

 

J. Paier Carpentry

265 Lancaster Ave.

Joseph L. Paier

 

J & J Archery

1102 Riverdale St.

Balise Motor Sales

 

John’s Home Improvement

97 Chester St.

John E. Richard

 

Mind Body and Skin

117 River St.

Angela Lamothe

 

Native Lands

33 Terry Road

James D. Poteat

 

Natural Nails

244 Memorial Ave.

Lien A. Chen

 

New Day Church

864 Riverdale St.

Michael Sorcinelli

 

Shrub Man

120 Interstate Dr.

Thomas P. Mauer

 

Z Case to go Distributor

703 Westfield St.

Yuri Murzin


People On the Move

By
Eric Fontaine
Departments People on the Move

Westfield-based engineering firm Tighe & Bond announced the following:

Eric Fontaine

Eric Fontaine

• Eric Fontaine, LEED AP has joined the staff as a Mechanical Engineer. He has more than 10 years of mechanical-engineering experience in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems. His expertise includes sustainable and integrated system designs for education, government, commercial, industrial, and residential buildings. He is a member the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers and the U.S. Green Building Council; and

Jean Christy

Jean Christy

• Jean Christy, PE has joined the staff as a Civil Engineer. She has more than 10 years of experience in the management, design, permitting, and construction of civil-engineering design projects that range from site and roadway design to complex stormwater-management analyses. She is also a licensed soil evaluator.

•••••

The law firm Annino, Draper & Moore, P.C. announced that Attorney Tracie Kester has been made a Partner. Kester focuses her practice on residential and commercial real estate, estate planning and administration, elder law, and small-business representation.

•••••

Easthampton-based Hogan Technology announced that Sean Hogan, President of the company that is a provider of unified communications, has been invited by Technology Assurance Group, an international organization representing nearly $350 million in product and services, to speak at its national convention in New Orleans on Sept. 9-12. He will share his vision of the future of unified communications with some of the industry’s top manufacturers, vendors, suppliers, and resellers.

•••••

Patrick J. Willcutts

Patrick J. Willcutts

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney announced that Patrick J. Willcutts, Vice President, Financial Advisor, Certified Financial Planner Practitioner, and Certified Investment Management Analyst Professional in the Springfield office, has earned the Certified Private Wealth Advisor designation. Willcutts has been a member of the firm since 2008.

•••••

Glenmeadow Retirement announced the appointment of Allan J. Ouimet to the position of Director of the Glenmeadow at Home program. Ouimet has 20 years experience in human services, including various senior-director-level positions at the Stetson School in Barre, Mass.

•••••

Garvey Communications Associates announced two recent appointments:

Kelsey C. Vella

Kelsey C. Vella

• Kelsey C. Vella has been named Public Relations Analyst and will create search-engine-optimized content for new media, social networks, and organic searches. She will also manage 30 different social-media platforms for public relations and advertising purposes; and

Jamie M. Dunkan

Jamie M. Dunkan

• Jamie M. Dunkan has been named accounts analyst and will insure contract compliance for more than $1 million in financial transactions annually. She will also support the agency’s online advertising and content-management efforts.

•••••

Big Y Foods Floral Manager John Heon has been honored by United Fresh Foundation’s Center for Leadership Excellence. Heon was among 25 outstanding produce managers representing 20 different supermarket chains, commissaries, and independent retail stores in the U.S. and Canada.

•••••

Epstein Financial Group announced the addition of Brian N. Caine, ChFC as Director of Retirement Income Planning. Caine will provide EFG clients with his expertise and knowledge in creating successful retirement outcomes customized for each individual’s unique objectives.

Family Matters

By
Kevin Ross and Maureen Ross O’Connell
Insurance Sections
Third Generation of Ross Insurance Agency Looks to the Future

Kevin Ross and Maureen Ross O’Connell

Kevin Ross says he and Maureen Ross O’Connell work well together because they understand where each excels.


While Maureen Ross O’Connell said that her father didn’t want her to work at the family’s insurance company during her college years, her brother, Kevin Ross, laughed and said he knew since he was 5 years old that the company would one day be in their hands.
“I can remember my father bringing me into his office, and as a kid I would point to a desk and say, ‘that’s mine, dad!’” he remembered with a laugh.
Today, the siblings comprise the third generation of their family to run Ross Insurance Agency Inc. Their brother, Ernie, was also part of the team until he passed away last year. Sitting down with BusinessWest recently, the partners offered a look into an agency that, in many intriguing ways, is looking squarely to the future.
Like many family-business owners, both Ross and O’Connell said that their best education came from the daily interaction and on-the-job words of wisdom from the generation before them. And having grown up in the agency together, Ross added, the siblings have honed their collaborative technique.
“Family businesses have their struggles,” he acknowledged. “Every one of them does, and I won’t say that we don’t sometimes. But we know where we excel. Maureen runs the inside of the house, administration, the staffing, company communications, and I’m in sales. We play off each other, and that’s why it’s been so successful.”
And it isn’t just the walk-in, brick-and-mortar business where Ross Insurance excels. The partners long ago recognized the changing marketplace for their service-based industry, and have been steadily trending in the direction dictated by technology.
Like a seasoned IT whiz, O’Connell explained both how the firm has maintained a regularly updated insurance blog, and the efficacy of spiking its professional online presence with current information, all for the purposes of search-engine optimization (SEO). “When people Google, we want to be right up there,” she continued. “We’ve been working very hard on organic SEO for almost a year and a half. It’s been very beneficial.”
But as the third generation talked about the shifting sands of technology and how it impacts their industry, they stopped before a wall of photos in their office. In front of this large grid of Little League team pictures, all sponsored by Ross Insurance, O’Connell said, “as much as this digital age allows us to grow, it’s not to say that this community and this local piece isn’t important.”

Shop Talk
O’Connell and Ross are just the latest generation to put their stamp on the company — and they are well aware of all the contributions needed to take the venture to this point in its long history.
“In 1925 our grandfather, George Ross, had a grocery store in Holyoke,” Ross said. “But he decided that he wanted to get into the insurance business instead. Holyoke was growing and booming, and he saw it as a real opportunity. So he started the business from scratch.”
In the years after World War II, his sons, George Jr. and Ernie, and son-in-law Jim Gorman took over the firm. Returning to the story of her first days in the company, O’Connell said that she had always been a diligent worker — “I didn’t play any sports in high school; I worked.
“When I entered college, my father insisted that I quit work and devote my time to my studies,” she continued, adding with a laugh, “I was furious!”
The time soon came for Ernie to revisit his moratorium on her collegiate employment. “He called me one day in November,” she remembered. “The business had recently moved from Suffolk Street to High Street. And basically, he said, ‘the bills aren’t getting out — can you come and send out statements?’ It didn’t take me long to say, ‘sure!’ I was going to get paid, it was work, I was thrilled.
“I finished that job before the day ended,” she continued, “so my uncle had me start another project. That wasn’t finished by day’s end, so I had to come back, and then that went on for several days. Finally my uncle said to my father, ‘either give her a job or let her go.’ And so my Uncle Jim hired me as a file clerk. That was my first official job here.”
Meanwhile, her sibling contrasted this story with his own tale, as an early adopter of the family business. “I went into the office with dad on nights and weekends,” Ross said. “I just knew from day one that this is what I wanted to do. I went to business school at Bryant, and there was no question about it; I was coming into the family business.”
While their stories might have diverged up to that point, once they were part of the staff, the two spoke similarly of the benefits of working in a generational family business.
“From my perspective as an in-house employee with my beginnings here,” O’Connell said, “dad was harder on me than any of the other staff — from day one.
“But we had the greatest working relationship,” she went on. “I learned everything from that second generation. I would come in the morning, grab a coffee, and sit at the spare chair at my dad’s desk and just hash things out — talk about the business, where we were going, what we were doing. I loved working with them.”
With Ross nodding in agreement, she added, “it was sad, very sad, when they all retired.” Their father eventually bought out his partners in the firm, and when the time came for his legacy to be built upon by the next generation, both O’Connell and Ross said the transition was as smooth as could be expected.
“In the last few years of his owning the business,” Ross explained, “he went into semi-retirement and passed the reins of operation over to us, which gave us valuable education, but also gave him a comfort level, knowing that, when he was ready to sell out, we could take it on successfully.”

Linked In
Pausing to reflect back on her earliest days in the firm, O’Connell recalled her first official job at Ross, in claims. “In those days we paid our own claims. So that means a customer would call in with a claim, I go into Jim’s office, ask him if it was a payable claim, he’d have me pull the form, and from that moment on, every claim that came in, I’d pull the form. He made me research every single claim. It was the best education I could ever have gotten in the industry.”
The pair’s professional development in many ways mirrors their industry. O’Connell said that, while the office isn’t paperless — yet — much of its registration and filing is streamlining in that direction. Their marketing budget has seen a similar shift.
“Years ago, quite a bit of our business was walk-in,” Ross added. “We were on High Street, and that’s the way things were done. Now, we have an employee who handles all of our social media. We post four blogs a week on our on-site blog, and we post to our off-site blog. And the bottom line is that this works for our SEO.
“The first thing the modern consumer does before he makes a purchase, he gets on the computer,” he continued. “We want to be the first agency that pops up, so we get the opportunity to deal with that person. Maureen really has been spearheading this process.”
The new walk-in customer, she said, is anywhere with an Internet connection. “We’re writing policies across the state,” she said. “We wrote a workmen’s comp policy for a business in Hawaii. They had a salesman in Massachusetts, and they had to have a workmen’s comp policy. Their agent couldn’t provide it, so they got in touch with us.”

Neighborhood Watch
O’Connell said that the firm is in the formative stages of digital growth.
“But while the digital age is very young, we think it’s the future of our business,” she continued. “So we’re embracing that and working as hard as we can to make that a very important part of our future. We’re growing without bricks and mortar.”
However, in talking about the future of their industry, both O’Connell and Ross gestured to that wall of Little League pictures. “We’re a committed, third-generation business in our community,” Ross said. “Maureen and I spend a lot of time trying to grow our business and be the best answer for all of their questions and needs. But it’s also important to give back to the fabric of our community. Immediately since we took over in 1990, we paid close attention to two areas — youth and education; they’re important to us.”
O’Connell said that is the difference — a locally based family business maintaining its community roots. “When auto insurance in Massachusetts went competitive in 2008,” she added, “we first had the Geicos, Progressive, all of them. To compete with that, we have to be an important part of our community, giving back to it. The direct writers don’t do that. They don’t care.”
As part of the ongoing renovations at the Holyoke Public Library, O’Connell and Ross have created the Team Ernie Charitable Golf Tournament; the goal is to raise $60,000 for the construction project, and in turn the newspaper and periodicals room at the new facility will be named for their late brother.
Speaking to the technology that has secured their generation’s ascent into the digital age, O’Connell said that, while it is necessary to have a strong online presence, some things will never change.
“Yes, we want to be straightaway on Google searches,” she said. “Otherwise, you’re not getting that primary opportunity. And then you get the chance to show them the personalized customer service.
“Face to face is not obsolete,” she added. “But it is important to get them here first.”

Law: A Case That Bears Watching

By
Columns Sections
Rank-and-file Employees on the Hook for Employment Discrimination

Amy Royal

Amy Royal

“A person’s a person, no matter how small.” — Horton Hears a Who, Dr. Seuss
This quote describes perfectly the general takeaway of a recent federal court decision finding that rank-and-file, hourly employees can be sued individually in an employment discrimination lawsuit brought under state law.
While Title VII, which is our federal anti-discrimination law, does not permit individual liability at all, our state counterpart, Mass. General Laws Chapter 151B, provides for it.  In fact, state courts interpreting Chapter 151B have found that supervisors and managers can be sued individually in an employment-discrimination lawsuit. Now, at least according to the federal trial court in Massachusetts (as well the MCAD), rank-and-file, minimum-wage workers can be sued individually for employment discrimination.

Why the Court Got It Wrong
First, Chapter 151B is a statute that applies only in the context of employment. The statute is further limited in its application to only those employers with six or more employees. By its very nature, Chapter 151B applies to employers and those ‘persons’ standing in the position of some authority at the employer, such as authority to discipline or terminate, authority to affect the terms or conditions of another’s employment, or some other supervisory-type authority. For persons with such authority, they are acting as if they are the employer. Indeed, the entire purpose behind Chapter 151B is to prohibit employment actions on the basis of discrimination.
While Massachusetts courts interpreting Chapter 151B have recognized that supervisors can be held individually liable by virtue of their position in management and the accompanying authority that comes with such a position, they have not held that such liability extends to a rank-and-file worker.
In the recent federal court case allowing for individual liability of rank-and-file workers, the court erroneously cited a Massachusetts Appeals Court case (Beaupre v. Cliff Smith & Associates) as grounds for its decision. That case is completely distinguishable: individual liability was imposed on the company’s top leader, its president and controlling shareholder, not a minimum-wage, rank-and-file worker.
Secondly, a plain reading of the statutory language simply does not provide for the individual liability of a rank-and-file worker. Chapter 151B, in pertinent part, provides as follows:
“It shall be unlawful … for any person to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with another person in the exercise or enjoyment of any right granted or protected by this chapter, or to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with such other person for having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of any such right granted or protected by this chapter.”
While recognizing that the Chapter 151B statutory language is broader than its federal counterpart insofar as it uses the word ‘person’ whereas Title VII does not, Chapter 151B language seems to allow for individual liability in the context of supervisory or management-level employment only, not a rank-and-file hourly worker. Linking the word ‘person’ to ‘coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere’ and to the exercise or enjoyment of a right connotes the actions of an individual possessing some level of control, power, or authority, or the appearance thereof. In other words, the statutory language implies that the word ‘person’ applies to someone with power to act or to influence in some way.
Furthermore, words such as coercion, intimidation, threats, and interference suggest that an individual has some level of power or influence over an employee’s exercise or enjoyment of a right. Therefore, a liberal construction of the statute, which is required and which in turn accomplishes its remedial purpose of prohibiting discrimination in the context of employment, is to extend liability to those individuals in positions of authority or perhaps even perceived authority, but not to a rank-and-file worker.
Third, in enacting Chapter 151B, our liberal Massachusetts legislature could never have intended to ascribe liability for employment discrimination to a low-wage, hourly worker who has no authority over a co-worker’s employment. Extending liability so broadly and under such circumstances would completely run afoul of legislative intent.
Fourth, as a matter of pure public policy, it would be patently unfair to hold a rank-and-file hourly worker (and low-wage earner) individually liable for discrimination in the context of employment. Such an interpretation would clearly offend public policy.

Why This Case Should Not Matter Anyway
This case was from a federal court, not our state court. As such, it has no mandatory effect on how our state courts should decide if faced with this same issue. Further, it was a trial court decision, not an appellate one, and no Massachusetts appellate court (or even federal appellate court covering Massachusetts) has ever decided this specific issue. While the federal court points to a case from the Massachusetts Appeals Court, as noted above, that case is completely distinguishable (it involved a company president who was sued, not a rank-and-file worker).
Although these are compelling reasons for arguing why this case should not matter, do not discount this case by any means. Until our state’s appellate courts are confronted with and rule on this issue, this decision, for now, will provide support to any plaintiff’s attorney who decides, for whatever reason, to sue a rank-and-file worker.

The Problems This Case Presents for You
Now, as the defendant employer, you have a non-management, rank-and-file worker as your co-defendant in a lawsuit. This worker very likely does not have the means and/or resources necessary to obtain separate counsel. Your options then become paying for an attorney for this worker yourself, having your labor- and employment-law attorney represent both of you, provided there is no conflict, or having the worker proceed pro se.
All three options create potential issues. When a rank-and-file worker represents himself, you lose a certain amount of control over the way the case progresses, the litigation may not be as efficient, the worker may become uncooperative, and/or the worker may default. While there are benefits to a joint representation arrangement, such as presenting a unified front, cooperation from the worker, and retaining more control over the direction of the case, issues and/or conflicts could arise down the road, such as with strategy or settlement. Hiring a separate attorney for the worker is obviously costly. These types of issues will need to be explored carefully with your labor- and employment-law counsel.

Amy B. Royal, Esq. specializes exclusively in management-side labor and employment law at Royal LLP, a woman-owned, SOMWBA-certified, boutique, management-side labor- and employment-law firm; (413) 586-2288; [email protected]

Building Permits

By
Building Permits Departments
The following building permits were issued during the month of May 2012.

AMHERST

Amherst College
280 Main St.
$58,000 — Basement structural repairs

Dragonfly Health,LLC
17 Research Dr.
$86,000 — Foundation only for a two-story medical office

Northampton Co-Op Bank
390 College St.
$2,500 — Install night deposit

EASTHAMPTON

Berkshire-Easthampton, LTD
118 Northampton St.
$60,000 — Renovate pharmacy

David Pascoe
72 Union St.
$7,000 — Interior renovations

Interland Real Estate, LLC
180 Pleasant St.
$250,000 — Install equipment and fixtures to brewing, bottling, and distribution of beer and soda

J & J Elkins Properties
6 Industrial Way
$15,000 — Create lunch/break room for employees

Paul Sise
92 Cottage St.
$4,000 — Minor non-structural renovations

Riverside Industries Inc.
1 Cottage St.
$29,000 – New roof

HOLYOKE

City of Holyoke Dept. of Public Works
1 Berkshire St.
$37,500 — Remove existing roof and install new

Contemporary Apartments Inc.
59 Mosher St.
$250,000 — Replace rear porches

Fiesta Café
305-307 Main St.
$7,000 — Frame new walls

SBA Sites Inc.
29 Mt. Tom Ski Road
$20,000 — Modify wireless antenna

LUDLOW

Cumberland Farms
320 East St.
$3,000 — Alterations

Town of Ludlow School Central Office
63 Chestnut St.
$60,000 — Alterations

Englewood Properties, LLC
194 East St.
$11,000 — Alterations

Ludlow Housing Authority Community Room
48 Higher St.
$6,500 — Reshingle

Robin Wdowiak
588 Center St.
$104,000 — New construction

NORTHAMPTON

Cooper’s Dairyland of Northampton
51 State St.
$7,000 — Strip and re-roof

Erin McCarthy
14 Hatfield St.
$4,500 — Porch repair and replacement windows

Northampton City Hall
210 Main St.
$100,000 — Replace windows

Smith College
51 College Lane
$9,000 — Strip and shingle roof

SOUTHWICK

Greenhill Services
51 Lakemont St.
$36,000 — Exterior renovations

R.A.C. Builders
224 Sheep Pasture Road
$879,000 — Addition to church

SPRINGFIELD

Baystate Medical Center
759 Chestnut St.
$26,000 — Expand supply room

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$20,000 — Upgrade antennas and cables

NEC Family Enterprise II
1095 Main St.
$20,000 — Renovate office space

New Hope Pentecostal Church
364 Central St.
$70,000 — Interior repairs

Springfield Housing Authority
231-239 Pine St.
$107,000 — Insulation and repairs

WESTFIELD

Frank DeMarinis
395 Southampton Road
$475,000 — Addition to medical building

Gulf Stream
31 Elise St.
$23,000,000 — Construction of a new hangar

SBA Communications
395 Southampton Road
$20,000 — Replacing antennas

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Chris Nekitopaulos
339 Bliss St.
$18,000 — Strip and re-roof

Paul Longtin
20 Crescent Circle
$320,000 — Renovations to existing restaurant

Sergei Starosielski
181 Doty Circle
$10,000 — Re-roof

Victory Temple Church
521 Union St.
$3,500 — New siding

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets Departments
The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT
Brandi Sabourin v. Stop & Shop Holdings Inc.
Allegation: Negligent maintenance of premises causing injury: $4,667.23
Filed: 4/25/12

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Alves Fuel Inc. v. W & I Construction Inc.
Allegation:  Non-payment of diesel fuel delivered: $26,414.52
Filed: 4/26/12

Delta Capital Group, LLC v. 66 Holyoke, LLC
Allegation: Failure to pay outstanding fees for services rendered: $300,000
Filed: 4/17/12

Falcetti and Clark Electrical Supply v. Classic Envelope Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of electrical supply: $45,903.19
Filed: 4/18/12

James L. Hansmann v. Nationstar Mortgage, LLC
Allegation: Intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress: $10,155
Filed: 4/26/12

Kristine Morrison v. Wheely Fun Inc.
Allegation: Negligent maintenance of property: $200,000
Filed: 4/12/12

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT
Credit Cash NJ, LLC v. University Motors, LLC
Allegation: Failure to pay on credit-card agreement: $105,024.16
Filed: 3/29/12

Richard O’Riley v. Green Seal Environmental Inc., John Blaisdell, and Garrett Keegan
Allegation: Breach of contract: $37,000
Filed: 3/20/12

Roxanne H. Labonte, administratrix of the estate of Brian C. Labonte v. J.D. Rivet and Co. and New England Scaffolding Inc.
Allegation: Negligence on job site causing wrongful death of Brian C. Labonte: $25,000+
Filed: 3/22/12

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
Reuben and Nicole Moore v. Lia Northampton Inc.
Allegation: Violation of Lemon Law: $14,740.86
Filed: 3/13/12

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
ABC Supply Co. Inc. v. West Side Builders and Peter J. Lingley
Allegation: Non-payment on merchandise sold and delivered: $4,796.35
Filed: 4/19/12

Bank of America v. Brothers Pizza, Nicholas and Catherine Markantoris
Allegation: Failure to pay small-business loan: $89,779.90
Filed: 4/24/12

Daniel Toniatti v. Weatherproofing Technologies Inc.
Allegation: Failure to pay wages: $20,000
Filed: 4/2/12

Sherrill A. Simpson v. Travelers of MA
Allegation: Breach of contract and failure to pay medical expenses and lost wages: $3,850
Filed: 4/4/12

Tamika Rivera v. Geico
Allegation: Failure to pay all PIP benefits due: $1,076.53
Filed: 4/19/12

Building Permits

By
Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of May 2012.

AMHERST

Amherst College
Johnson Chapel
$4,000 — Repair and cleanup of water damage

Amherst Colonial Village, LLC
200 South East St.
$13,000 — Roof repairs

Jan Eidelson
138 Sunderland Road
$1,500,000 — Build new structure for Amherst Survival Center

Peter Grandonico
23 North Pleasant St.
$25,000 — Interior renovations for Froyo World

EASTHAMPTON

City of Easthampton
19 Union St.
$1,500 — Repair granite steps at Council on Aging

David Boyle
422 Main St.
$200,000 — Construct 84 self-storage units

David Shelton
39 Union St.
$5,000 — Create new 3,000 square feet of gym space

Frank Basile
16 Industrial Parkway
$8,000 — Repair damaged trolley hoist-support system

Lisa Fusca
93-95 Main St.
$2,000 — Repair rear egress

HOLYOKE

Bayview Financial
345-363 Dwight St.
$200,000 — Emergency exterior repairs

Holyoke Boys Club
70 Nick Cosmos Way
$74,600 — Remove existing roof and install new

Sacred Heart Parish
427 Maple St.
$4,000 — Construct pergola

Verano Apartments, LTD
560-562 South St.
$40,000 — Repair structural columns

LUDLOW

Five Star Cleaners
433 Center St.
$3,500 — Alterations

Kapinos Mazur Funeral Home
64 Sewall St.
$40,000 — Reshingle

KUB Properties
4 Pell St.
$30,000 — Alterations

Oak Tree Inn
782 Center St.
$24,000 — Alterations

Richard Kelleher
44 Sewall St.
$40,000 — Reshingle

NORTHAMPTON

Colvest/Northampton, LLC
327 King St.
$383,500 — Construct new commercial bank with drive-up; foundation only

Easthampton Savings Bank
297 King St.
$34,500 — Relocate ATM

Look Park
300 North Main St.
$12,000 — Move building onto new foundation

Packaging Corp. of America
25 Mount Tom Road
$178,000 — New roof

SOUTHWICK

SBA Communications
686 College Highway
$20,000 — Replace six antennas

SPRINGFIELD

Diamond Affiliates, LLC
125 Paridon St.
$20,000 — Upgrade antennas

Diocese of Springfield
123 William St.
$84,000 — Exterior repairs

Golden Eagle Apartments
129-145 White St.
$17,000 — Renovations

MD Trading Corp.
19 St. James Ave.
$46,000 — Interior renovations

Springfield College
701 Wilbraham Road
$19,000 — Bathroom renovations

Stockbridge Court, LP
45 Willow St.
$10,000 — Rebuild handicap ramp

WESTFIELD

Ann Woodson
67 Elm St.
$7,600 — Interior repairs

University Housing, LLC
27 Washington St.
$2,500,000 — Construction of new student apartments for Westfield State College

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Century Investment
73 State St.
$14,000 — Interior fit-out for a doctor’s office

Eastern States Exposition
1305 Memorial Dr.
$6,000 — Exterior repairs

Matthew Griswold
1838 Riverdale St.
$20,000 — Renovations to existing building

Robin Taylor
255 Interstate Dr.
$12,000 — Reroof

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of May 2012.

AGAWAM

4 U Siding & Roofing
605 Southwick St.
Dmitriy Bruskly

Agawam Wellness
430 Main St.
Nichole Hines

Custom Cabinet & Millwork Inc.
62 Suffield St.
Garrett Kimball

Tucano Applications
14 Mansion Woods
Leonardo D. Mascarenhas

Wargamers’ Terrain
73 Tobacco Farm Road
Joe Linares

AMHERST

Arise Pizzeria
28 Amity St.
Emily Wadham

Smoking Otter Furniture
13 Ridgecrest Road
Ben Paus-Weiler

CHICOPEE

Jonken Lawncare
1981 Memorial Dr.
Kevin Blanton

Kava Press
57 Springfield St.
Lyudmila Shumska

Knight Home Improvement
18 Mellen St.
Richard E. Knight Jr.

Renzo Services
70 Broadway St.
Carlos Carrero

Westover Tailor Shop
1512 Memorial Dr.
Cengiz Ihas

EASTHAMPTON

Brickyard Maintenance
142 Pleasant St.
James Wittmer II

Eastside Auto Recovery and Transport
3 West St.
Aneudi Bermudez

The Botaniste
101 Main St.
Corina Miller

Video 4 Good
116 Pleasant St.
Media Shower Productions

HADLEY

Interskate 91 North
367 Russell St.
William Hoeffer

Shaolin Kung Fu Center
231 Russell St.
Ryan Budny

Z Auto
105 East St.
Michael Zera

HOLYOKE

Dollar Rite
50 Holyoke St.
Sawkat Owali

Easy Pick Convenience
224 Lyman St.
Arfa Shaikh

NORTHAMPTON

Amulet Nine
225 Elm St.
Elisabeth Beller

Aqua View Design
16-20 Crafts Ave.
Yue Zhang

Harlowe Luggage
196 Main St.
Robert Murdick Jr.

Home Town Healthcare Store
142 North King St.
Heriberto Tapanes

Pho Vietnam
18 Main St.
Giang Nguyen

Sid Vantage
279 Main St.
Jill Boyce

The Laughing Tomato
20 Hampton Ave.
Armando Verea

Vend Magic
73 Bridge St.
Barbara Marsh

PALMER

Tenczar’s Food Store
2004 Main St.
Rejesh Patel

The Blue Veins Band
1028 School St.
Matthew Skowyra

SOUTHWICK

Conlin Interiors
17 Island Pond Road
Sonia Sube

Extreme Tree
9 Robin Road
Zachary Dougherty

Friends of the Southwick Rail Trail
454 College Highway
Roger Yargeau

Full Bobbin Quilting
27 Gargon Ter.
Catherine Barwikowski

Lunique Realm
160 Point Grove Road
Lynne Hartwell

SPRINGFIELD

Lil Divas Boutique
65 Sycamore St.
Elizabeth Matos

Lion Like it or Not
108 Yale St.
Sheldon Alexander

M.V.M. Balloon Design
172 Eastern Ave.
Benjamin Martinez

Mahigani Flava LLC
248 White St.
Yvette Anderson

Martin’s Barbershop
165 White St.
Martin Nieves

Mikey’s Pizza
89 Main St.
Mohammad M. Tajerha

One Stop Cuts
494 Central St.
Radalle Hubbard

P J & E Home Improvement
94 Draper St.
Paul Jeannenot

P.B. Remodeling
565 Riverside Road
Pedro Baez

Partnership Nest Egg Club
37 James St.
Tracey A. Maddix

PH Photography
115 Denwall St.
Anitra Brown

S & S Wholesale Corporation
90 Pinta Circle
Suraji S. Omar

Simply Divine Beauty Lounge
607 Dickinson St.
Kelly Rochelle

Small Repair / PC
45 Itendale St.
Fred L. Moskowitz

Something to Talk About
1500 Main St.
Diane Evans

Step in Styel
280 Oakland St.
Sean Brantley

Stop & Shop
415 Cooley St.
Stop & Shop

Sweet Start Family Childcare
36 Amanda St.
Germaris Pinero

Tamaz Inc.
32 Boston Road
Mazhar Iqbal

Universal Cuts
172 Eastern Ave.
Jossimarye Melendez

Velez Home Improvement
22 Wilmont St.
Evelio V. Garcia

Vessels of Silver and Gold
8 Navajo Rd.
Ingrid Ingram

War and Fantasy Games
20 Old Farm Road
Wayne Liggan

Xiuli Li Corporation
271 Belmont Ave.
Xiuli Li

Youth Logic
80 Congress St.
Experience Wellness

WESTFIELD

Complete Tax Service Inc.
85 Reservoir Ave.
Shelley LaCross

Design the Line Custom Clothing
246 Elm St.
Joshua Kelsey

Dine & Play Buffet
77 Mill St.
Michael Ventrice

Glitz, Glamour, N’Elegance
160 Elm St.
Stephanie L. Wesolowski

Westfield Vacuum Center
281 Notre Dame St.
Annette Barl

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Afterglow RV Auto Detailing
134 Orchard View St.
Michael J. Stefano

Cori’s K9 Clip
242 Elm St.
Cori Napolitan

Cornerstone Construction Co.
105 Hampden St.
Anatoliy Paliy

E. Scott Landscaping
320 Massachusetts Ave.
Eric Scott

Hale Channel Photography
124 Lincoln St.
Brian M. Hale

JJ’s Soft Serve & More
16 Chestnut St.
Montagna Enterprises Corporation

Lattitude
1338 Memorial Ave.
Inspirations Food

North Garden Chinese Restaurant
42 Myron St.
Raymond Kan

Peak Performance Exterior Home Improvement
103 Lower Beverly Hill
Eric Barkyoumb

Ready Motors
2405 Westfield Road
Victor Meyko

The Puppy Place
935 Riverdale St.
Richard Carty

Van Deene Medical Building Partner
75 Van Deene Ave.
Jonathan C. Sudal

Westside Checking
205 Elm St.
JMT Check Cashing Inc.

People On the Move

By
Denise V. Laizer
Departments People on the Move

Denise V. Laizer

Denise V. Laizer

Denise V. Laizer, Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer for Easthampton Savings Bank, has been named a Community Bank Hero for 2012 by Banker and Tradesman magazine. Readers of Banker & Tradesman were asked to nominate individuals who work in a Massachusetts community bank, are respected industry professionals who have made a significant impact on those around them, and make outstanding contributions to their institution. Criteria for candidates also included giving back to the community and the industry with time, energy, and resources through volunteerism, community service, and charity. Laizer, who was one of 16 selected, will be honored at a special awards ceremony in Boston on May 23.
•••••
Michael Ravosa was recently elected to the Board of Trustees at American International College in Springfield. He is the Vice President for Investment for the RBD Wealth Management Group, UBS Financial Services.
•••••
United Fresh Foundation’s Center for Leadership Excellence has chosen John Heon, Produce and Floral Sales Manager, Big Y World Class Market in Great Barrington, as an honoree for its 2012 awards. Heon was honored among 25 produce managers representing 20 supermarket chains, commissaries, and independent retail stores within the U.S. and Canada. Winners were selected by a team of produce experts who examined efforts to increase produce consumption through everyday excellence in merchandising, special displays and promotions, community service, and commitment to total customer satisfaction. Heon has been with Big Y for 31 years.
•••••
North Brookfield Savings Bank announced the following:
• Rick Egan has been named Assistant Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer. He is responsible for developing new and existing commercial-lending relationships, advising business customers on available lending products, and helping borrowers achieve their financing goals.
• Lillian Carlson has been named Loan Officer. She is responsible for creating and maintaining relationships with existing and prospective loan customers as well as assisting customers with the mortgage-lending process and helping them find financing solutions.
•••••
Kim Bushey

Kim Bushey

Santander Holdings USA Inc. and Sovereign Bank, N.A., wholly owned subsidiaries of Banco Santander, announced the appointment of Kim Bushey as Senior Vice President and Business Banking Executive for Connecticut and Western Mass. Bushey, based out of the West Hartford, Conn. office, will be responsible for serving the needs of local businesses with annual revenue of $3 million to $20 million.
•••••
Attorney Danielle I. Nicklas has joined Cooley Shrair in Springfield as Associate Legal Counsel. Nicklas focuses her practice on health law, including health care compliance, risk management, Stark law, and anti-kickback regulations.
•••••
James M. Lavelle, General Manager of the Holyoke Gas & Electric Department, will receive the 2012 Henry A. Fifield Award for Voluntary Service to the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. The late Henry Fifield was an Ampad executive who served the chamber in many capacities, including chairman of the board. Lavelle will be honored at the 122nd annual meeting of the Holyoke Chamber on May 30 at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House. The award presentation and reception for Lavelle will be a highlight of the annual meeting, which will also include an election of officers and directors for the 2012-13 year.
•••••
David Fedor, an independent Financial Advisor affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network and President of Fedor Financial Group in West Springfield, was named to Commonwealth’s Winners Circle. The distinction recognizes 167 out of Commonwealth’s 1,400 financial advisors nationwide.
•••••
The Hampden County Bar Assoc. announced the following:
• Attorney Kevin J. Claffey received the John M. Greaney Award during the association’s National Law Day Ceremony at Springfield District Court; and
• Noreen E. Nardi received the John M. Greaney Award during National Law Day. The annual awards are given to both an attorney and a non-attorney who are deemed outstanding citizens of the Hampden County legal community.
•••••
John Elder Robison was among 15 individuals recently selected to serve on the U.S. Health and Human Services Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. Robison is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Elms College, Chicopee. He speaks publicly about his experience as a person on the autism spectrum, and is the author of Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s and Be Different: Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian.
•••••
Tighe & Bond of Westfield announced the following:
• Stephen Seigal, P.E., BCEE, has joined the firm as a Vice President, and will work out of the Worcester office. A civil engineer with 36 years of regional experience in the wastewater industry, Seigal has planned, designed, and provided construction-phase engineering services for more than 24 wastewater treatment facilities throughout the region.
• David Loring, P.E., LEED AP, has been named Technical Practice Leader for the Civil Practice Group. In this role, he will coordinate and advance the firm’s civil-engineering capabilities, oversee the continual advancement of relevant technical skills, and promote professional development of key staff. He will also ensure that the Civil Practice Group stays abreast of local, state, and federal regulations that impact clients. Loring is a licensed civil engineer and construction supervisor in Massachusetts, as well as a LEED Accredited Professional.
•••••
American International College in Springfield has named Dr. Cesarina Thompson Dean of the School of Health Sciences. Thompson will begin her duties on July 1. She was inducted as a Fellow in the National League for Nursing’s Academy of Nursing Education for her research and scholarly activities focusing on advancing nursing education. She received a Ph.D. in Adult Education and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Connecticut, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Bridgeport.
•••••
The Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC) announced the following election of directors and officers:
• Paul Robbins, Principal of Paul Robbins Associates and a gubernatorial appointee, was elected Chairman;
• Phillip W. Sweeney, Marblehead Municipal Light Department Commission Chairman, was elected to a two-year term on the board;
• Kevin P. Kelly, Groton Electric Light Department Manager, was elected to a three-year board term; and
• Peter D. Dion, General Manager of the Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department, was re-elected by the membership to his fourth one-year term as President of MMWEC.
Additional MMWEC officers for the coming year, as elected by the board, include:
• Ronald C. DeCurzio, CEO and Secretary;
•  Jeffrey B. Iafrati, Treasurer;
• Stephen J. Smith, Assistant Treasurer;
•  Nancy A. Brown, Assistant Secretary; and
•  Nicholas J. Scobbo Jr., General Counsel.
Other MMWEC directors, elected previously by the membership, include:
• Gary R. Babin, Director of the Mansfield Municipal Electric Department;
• Jeffrey R.  Cady, Manager of the Chicopee Muncipal Lighting Plant;
• Sean Hamilton, General Manager of the Sterling Municipal Light Department;
• Jonathan V. Fitch, Princeton Municipal Light Department Manager; and
• James M. Lavelle, Holyoke Gas & Electric Department Manager.
In addition to Robbins, Michael J. Flynn serves on the board as gubernatorial appointee. Flynn also represents the Town of Wilbraham on the board, with Luis Vitorino and John M. Flynn representing the towns of Ludlow and Hampden, respectively.
•••••
Big Y Foods Inc. of Springfield announced the following:
• Michael J. Galat has been named interim Senior Director of Employee Services. He will oversee the entire department, including employee policies and procedures, training and development, morale and engagement, recognition, progressive discipline, employee benefits, and wellness initiatives; and
• Sean S. Nimmons has been appointed a District Director for the eastern zone. He is responsible for managing all aspects of the 15-store zone, including employees, financial performance, merchandising, and operations.
•••••
Daniel R. Moriarty has been named Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Monson Savings Bank. A member of the bank’s senior leadership team, he is responsible for leading the bank’s financial functions, operations, and reporting.

Another Piece of the Puzzle

By
Marriott Courtyard that will anchor Chicopee Crossing
Commercial Real Estate Sections
Chicopee Crossing Will Complement Booming Growth on Route 33

Marriott Courtyard that will anchor Chicopee Crossing

An artist’s rendering of the Marriott Courtyard that will anchor Chicopee Crossing.

At the front of a large, open plot of land on Memorial Drive in Chicopee, just south of Mass Pike exit 5, is a lone Chipotle Mexican Grill — and nothing else.
But judging by the volume of cars pulling in each day, Frank Colaccino has to be optimistic about the prospects for the rest of that open space, which he has dubbed Chicopee Crossing.
“I was surprised that Chipotle has such a following, but they do a very, very good job,” said Colaccino, president of the Colvest Group in Windsor, Conn., which is developing the site. And other restaurants and retailers should see value in joining Chipotle there, he added.
“It’s so accessible — you have access right off the Mass Pike and from Route 33, a major street with a high traffic count — and you have a lot of traffic generators around there, from a Wal-Mart to a Home Depot to Stop & Shop, Big Y, and a BJ’s Wholesale Club. That’s a lot of retail attractions, and we’re right in the middle of all those traffic generators.”
The process of developing Chicopee Crossing began in 2009, but had to clear a major hurdle first. Namely, the city had to find a way to allow northbound drivers on Memorial Drive — separated from the southbound lane by a guardrail — access to the property.
“The access was only on one side of Route 33,” Colaccino said — and with plenty of other retail and restaurant options at the next few busy intersections, none of them allowing U-turns, it was unrealistic to think northbound drivers would make the effort to reverse course for Chicopee Crossing. “To make this an attractive site for retailers, we had to put a traffic light in, and in order to do that, we had to go through the state, through Mass Highway — because it’s a state road — and get their permission.”
That process, he noted, took about 14 months, and involved input from several different agencies. “But that happened, and we’ve put in the traffic signal. It’s installed and operating.” The intersection allows not only left turns into the development, but also access from across the street, where a host of other retail ventures have sprung up over the past decade, and where an Aldi’s supermarket will be built later this year.
While the intersection issue was working its way to resolution, infrastructure for Chicopee Crossing — from water and sewer drains to electric installations and road paving — were being completed, and Colaccino expects construction work to begin in earnest early this summer, following commitments by tenants.
The one building already erected, the 7,000-square-foot structure which currently houses Chipotle, will soon have two other tenants to fill its remaining space: Great Clips, a national hair-salon chain, and a national telephone store. Three other buildings of similar size are also planned; they’re expected to be a second fast-food restaurant, a family restaurant, and a bank. Behind those will be a three-story office building and a 40,000-square-foot retail complex.
Further back will be a Marriott Courtyard hotel. That portion of the project is owned and being developed by Dennis Patel of BK-Investments.
“We’re starting to see some more activity out there,” Colaccino said regarding interest from potential tenants at Chicopee Crossing, “so we’re optimistic that something will happen soon.”

Setting Their Sites
Chicopee Mayor Michael Bissonnette said last year that the key event in bringing Chicopee Crossing to reality was a financial commitment by the state — specifically, $1.25 million through the Massachusetts Opportunity Relocations and Expansion Jobs Capital Program — to pay for the construction of the new intersection, allowing access from both sides of the Route 33 and connecting the new development with the former Casey Chevrolet (and future Aldi’s) property.
“It’s a great project, and it’s going to have the best access off the Pike of any piece of land in Western Mass.,” said Kate Brown, Chicopee’s Planning Department director. “I guess we’re hopeful, now that the economy seems to be picking up, that we’ll see more activity in that location.”
In particular, she noted, the hospitality industry was sluggish during the Great Recession, casting caution over any new hotel project, so it’s encouraging to see the Marriott Courtyard, and all the other proposed elements of the development, coming together.
As for other retailers and restaurant chains that might be feeling out the property, “I can certainly see that site as a draw because the hotel won’t have a restaurant facility,” Brown added. “So it’s kind of a captive audience.”
Any new additions would join a flood of retail and restaurant ventures that have sprung up along Memorial Drive just north and south of the Pike entrance over the past few decades.
The former Fairfield Mall property across the street was the most significant recent development; after those buildings were torn down in 2002, they were gradually replaced by a Home Depot and a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Those, in turn, anchor a plaza that now includes a Marshall’s, Staples, 99 Restaurant, Applebees, and about a dozen smaller retailers and quick-service eateries; a Friendly’s at the south edge of the site is the only survivor from the mall years.
Yet, Brown said the corridor began to pick up even before that, around 1996, with a series of smaller store openings. Since the mid-’90s, “if we had a vacant spot, we’d have a building on it quickly. It’s been pretty amazing. I wish we had more land there, actually. We were kind of skeptical that the stores located in the [Wal-Mart] shopping center would be viable, but it’s been a very stable group of businesses.”
Colvest, which has built a solid portfolio of projects in Western Mass., from several CVS locations to a new office complex on East Columbus Avenue in Springfield, has never taken on this kind of mixed-use project before, Colaccino told BusinessWest, but he’s excited about the potential for this particular site, for the very reason others mentioned — the fact that exit 5 has become a significant retail destination.
“I think this is a prime mixed-use project, with everything that’s here,” he said, adding that he has enjoyed working with Chicopee officials on bringing the development to the verge of the construction phase.
“All the people I’ve worked with in the city of Chicopee have been terrific,” he noted. “Mayor Bissonnette has been great to work with, and they have been very cooperative.
“They have a system in Chicopee,” Colaccino continued. “When a developer comes in, they get all the various departments together to talk about all the issues that might come up and all the different needs they have and what the developer has to do. They really make the process streamlined, and you don’t have to guess at everything. They just tell you, ‘these are the requirements,’ and we work together to make those things happen in a way that’s beneficial to everybody.”

Bottom Line
Nothing will happen — except for the hotel, of course — without commitments from tenants, and Colaccino expects those to be firmed up in short order so that construction can proceed this summer.
“We won’t build on spec,” he said, not even the office building. “But we envision some demand for office space there, and when that comes in, we’ll be ready. I think we’re envisioning some 22,000 to 25,000 square feet of office space, and that could be any number of uses — a doctor’s office, a dentist’s office, it could be a professional office, a mixed office with medical … any number of things.”
In any case, construction workers will be digging for drainage and other underground work very soon, and the hotel foundation will follow. After that, “we wait for the tenants,” Colaccino said, conceding that he’s anxious to see that phase move swiftly. “It doesn’t do us any good to have land just sitting there.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

State of Flux

By
Dave Fontaine
Construction Sections
Public-sector Construction Shows Signs of Life

Northern Construction Service was busy repairing roads following Hurricane Irene, including these in Florida, Mass.

Northern Construction Service was busy repairing roads following Hurricane Irene, including these in Florida, Mass.

When Hurricane Irene washed out miles of the Mohawk Trail last August, plenty of Franklin and Berkshire County residents were suddenly forced to find alternate routes to work and other destinations — often at great inconvenience.
“We’re not really a rapid-transit society, although we like to believe we are. We’re not Europe, even though some people want to make us Europe,” said John Rahkonen, president of Northern Construction Service in Palmer. “How would you run a train to some of the hilltowns? No matter what you do, you still need cars, and roads.”
Crews from Northern have spent plenty of days on Route 2 since that storm — which wreaked even more havoc just to the north in Vermont — fixing roadways that, in some cases, were completely wiped out by the hurricane.
For contractors that specialize in such projects, events like Irene mean steady work, in the same way tree-service outfits haven’t slowed down a bit since the freak October snowstorm felled limbs and branches across Western Mass. And when public roads are damaged, it creates a need that can’t be set aside, no matter what the economy is like.
Construction companies that focus on the private sector — where projects can more easily be put off or cancelled for financial reasons — have had a rough few years, but state and municipal jobs have continued to flow steadily (if not spectacularly) for firms heavily invested in the public sector. And it’s not just roads and bridges; the region has seen a building boom for new high school construction and renovations that shows no signs of slowing down.
Dave Fontaine

Dave Fontaine says public-school construction has been a healthy niche in the region for the past quarter-century.

“We’ve had a pretty good share of opportunities over the past 20, 25 years in the public-school market. We built a lot of schools locally,” said David Fontaine, president of Fontaine Brothers in Springfield.
He cited Chicopee Comprehensive High School as one of the firm’s bigger recent projects, but Fontaine has several other schools under construction across the state, including three in the Pioneer Valley, each at a different stage of completion. The new Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham will open this fall, followed by the new Easthampton High School next spring. The firm also recently broke ground on a new West Springfield High School, which will open in 2014.
“They’re all unique,” Fontaine said. “The one coming out of the ground now in West Springfield is a large school with a big footprint and a large, complicated earthwork job. That was the big challenge there, coming out of the ground. And then there’s the length, because you’re tying up a lot of capital, for most of three years. You’re building a new building for two years, then you’re there for the third year tearing down the existing building and reconfiguring the whole area.”
Clearly, this is a vibrant scene — other high schools currently being constructed or rebuilt include Longmeadow High School and the new Putnam Vocational Technical High School — at least in part spurred by the Massachusetts School Building Authority, which, since 2004, has helped communities pay for school construction through a 1-percent sales tax.
“Since they started sending a penny of the state sales tax, we’ve fared pretty well,” Fontaine said. “The Building Authority hasn’t forgotten Western Mass.” The Bay State also benefited from the 2009 federal stimulus, which channeled $7.9 billion into the Commonwealth for construction projects.
Still, these success stories have not spread to all areas of construction, and contractors are finding that, in projects not involving a steady stream of state funds or, in the case of storm-damaged roads, immediate need, the public arena isn’t much more promising than the still-stagnant private sector.

Slim Pickings
Indeed, while state-funded projects have been available in varying degrees, infrastructure projects on the municipal level have been frustratingly slim, according to Matias Goncalves, president of Caracas Construction Corp. in Ludlow.
“It’s very competitive out there,” said Goncalves, whose firm focuses on public-sector projects such as roads, curbs, sidewalks, and underground utilities. “It’s tough right now.”
The entire industry was pounded throughout the Great Recession, and Goncalves said his niche has not rebounded due to tightened purse strings in city and town budgets.
“It’s the same as before; they don’t have as much tax revenue coming in, and as a result, they can’t do the capital-improvement projects they’ve been hoping to get done,” he told BusinessWest. “The same way people complain about school budgets, nobody wants to do any road work.”
And when jobs do come online, Goncalves said, contractors are faced with the same competitive situation across the board — namely, far more companies getting into the bid action than in decades past, and coming from farther away than before.
“We bid a job a couple of months ago with about 20 bidders; we finished in the middle of the pack,” he said. “It’s doubtful you’ll find a project without at least six to 10 bidders, easily.”
Projects involving state roads, on the other hand, have benefited from roughly $1 billion in bond issues per year recently. “That has not changed over the past two years,” Rahkonen said.
“We’re primarily doing a lot of bridge work in three states — Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts — and we’re probably sitting on quite a bit of work,” he said, adding that the firm employs between 120 and 200 people, depending on the current workload.
Recent or pending work at Northern includes the Davitt Bridge in Chicopee, an $8 million job replacing most of a bridge on Route 2 in Gill, and a $6 million job repairing hurricane damage in Shelburne Falls. “There was no road in places. It varied from place to place, a lot of washouts; we had to do a lot of that repair on the Mohawk Trail.”
The situation on Route 2 was especially critical, he added, considering it’s one of only three thoroughfares running east to west across the state, the Pike and Route 20 being the others.

Cost and Effect
Still, Rahkonen said, these aren’t exactly heady days, even for firms who focus on state work. The fierce competition for bids that Goncalves cited has made it very difficult for firms to make profits, while costs continue to mount.
Take a bulldozer, Rahkonen said. Estimating conservatively, that piece of equipment might log 2,000 hours annually; after five years and 10,000 hours, it’s time to replace it. Pickup trucks — Northern maintains between 20 and 30 — only last so long, too, and need to be replaced at a cost of close to $40,000 per vehicle.
But recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has made budgeting even more difficult by requiring that all building equipment using diesel fuel (Northern has about 100 such machines) be fitted with a device to lower emissions to what are known as ‘Tier 4’ standards. At a cost of about $3,000 per conversion, the math isn’t hard to figure out. “That’s an additional cost that no one is putting into jobs, but we’re forced to do it.”
At a time of such tight profit margins, Rahkonen noted, any sort of additional cost is a burden, and it’s harder for contractors to grow their business. “They don’t expand, because they’ve got to make ends meet. Companies want to reinvest and hire more people, but if they’re getting clobbered, they can’t do it.”
Intense competition across all sectors of construction has brought players from Greater Boston and even neighboring states into Western Mass., but Fontaine has responded by doing the same; in addition to its local projects, the company is building schools in Norfolk and East Bridgewater.
“We’ve been more competitive recently; our forte has been larger projects, which don’t seem to draw the 10 to 15 bidders most projects do. I also think we’re pretty good at these big schools,” Fontaine said, adding that the company has the size and resources to absorb the day-to-day costs associated with a $5 to $10 million project over multiple years.
“Fortunately, we have the financial capacity to be carrying an awful lot of money over an awful lot of time,” he told BusinessWest. “I will say that, in the public-school marketplace, cities and towns do pay their bills every four to six weeks on average, so that’s pretty good, all things considered.”

Lean and Green
The keys to juggling so many big projects at once are many, Fontaine said, including the task managing subcontractors at such a volatile economic time.
“The last five to 10 years have been difficult with so many subcontractors going out of business, and you’re always nervous that a lot of bad subcontractors will turn a project bad, so we’re always very particular about who we subcontract certain things to,” he explained.
Then there’s the new emphasis on ‘green’ building, which has become especially important to municipalities putting up public structures like schools — a specialty that not only requires evolving skills, but reams more paperwork and frustration. Still, Fontaine said, he understands the momentum of the trend, particularly when it comes to energy-efficiency improvements that carry a long-term “bang for the buck.”
Other trends in public projects come and go.
“There’s a lot of library funding out there; we’re doing the Holyoke Library renovations, and some others have been funded,” Fontaine said. “But we’re not seeing anything in public-sector housing improvements.”
On the other hand, he said, there has been a rash of fire stations constructed over the last couple of years, and UMass Amherst continues to engage in numerous renovation projects.
Still, “about 70% public-sector activity is done by out-of-town firms,” he said. “But we’ve been fortunate. We’re not afraid to take our game on the road, either.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Cutting Corners

By
Employment Sections
What You Should Know About Worker Misclassification

Charlotte Cathro

Charlotte Cathro

Since the downturn in the economy, businesses have been looking for ways to cut costs, and the largest cost for many is payroll. Companies might engage more part-time and temporary workers, in addition to independent consultants, to reduce expenses. However, business owners could find themselves in a difficult position if they don’t know the rules of how to classify these workers.
Due to tight budgets and decreased collections, federal and state governments are also cutting costs and looking to generate additional revenue. These governments have focused efforts on misclassification of workers to collect unpaid employment taxes. A similar push by the IRS from 1988 through 1994 reclassified 483,000 workers as employees and resulted in $751 million in assessments.
Business owners trying to reduce costs would rather have their workers classified as independent contractors than as employees. Employers are required to withhold and submit federal and state withholding taxes from an employee’s payroll, and pay Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment taxes on their behalf. Depending on how the company’s plans are set up, they could also provide health, dental, retirement, and other benefits to everyone classified as an employee. Sick time and vacation time might also be paid. State protections such as wage-and-hour laws may apply only to employees, and employment arrangements can be much more difficult to terminate.
Independent contractors are considered self-employed individuals. Some workers appreciate the flexibility and the ability to deduct additional un-reimbursed expenses against income. The contractor is responsible for paying the employer and employee contributions for Medicare and Social Security taxes, and they receive a deduction on their tax return for the employer portion. They are expected to make quarterly estimated tax payments on their income since they are not having taxes withheld. Health and other insurance is the self-employed individual’s responsibility, and they may be entitled to a deduction for tax purposes. The company using their services is responsible for acquiring the appropriate federal identification number and issuing a form 1099 at the end of the year if they paid the worker over $600, but they do not incur payroll-tax liabilities.
Issues with classification are generally noted when a worker applies for unemployment, since employees are eligible, while self-employed individuals are not. Effective in 2008, the federal government implemented the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program, which provides federal funding to extend unemployment benefits up to 53 weeks. An additional program effective in 2012, the Federal-State Extended Benefits Program, provides for an additional 20 weeks of unemployment during periods of high unemployment on a state-by-state basis.
Therefore, depending on the employee’s state, the individual may be eligible for up to 99 weeks of payments. The more attractive the unemployment benefits become, the more likely individuals are to apply and open up the inquiry into whether they were previously employed.
Determining whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor is more complex than simply how the worker is paid or whether they work full-time or part-time. The IRS has historically used a series of questions referred to as the ‘20-factor test’ to establish worker status. The 20-factor test was not intended to be used as a pass-or-fail determination. However, the results were often unclear because some of the questions did not affect the final result of the test.
In a 2009 update to its manual for auditors, the IRS noted that some of these questions could be inapplicable, other pieces of information could be pertinent, and relevancy changes over time given the circumstances. Therefore, it revised its approach to include more general considerations organized into three categories: behavioral control, financial control, and relationship of the parties.
Behavioral control exists when the employer directs the employee in the way that they perform their duties. The level of instruction and training the worker receives, who provides the tools or equipment, and when and where the work should be done would all be factors to consider in this area. The business can, of course, indicate the result of the work to be performed, but when it also has control over the means and methods to achieve the result, it is acting more like an employer.
Financial control includes considerations related to whether the worker acts like a self-employed person. For example, to what extent do they make themselves available to assist multiple businesses? An independent contractor might also have made their own financial investment in facilities, tools, or equipment; might incur unreimbursed expenses related to their work; and could achieve a profit or a loss. To establish the relationship between the business and the worker, the IRS would look at the permanency of the relationship as well as to what extent the work performed is an integral part of the company’s business.
A written contract would be a consideration in determining the relationship of the parties, but it cannot be used to avoid classification as an employee if other factors indicate that relationship.
Many states, including Massachusetts and Connecticut, have moved away from the IRS definition of ‘employee,’ and have adopted another test for determining worker status. In addition, some states have separate tests for unemployment and workers’ compensation classifications. Often, specific industries, such as construction contractors, have stricter rules.
The most common non-IRS test is called the ‘A, B, C’ test. This test has three factors, all of which must be met for the worker to be considered an independent contractor. The first test is whether the employer exercised control and direction over the worker. This is similar to the behavioral-control test. The second test asks whether the duties performed were outside of the usual course or all normal places of business; integral functions of a business generally would be performed by employees. The final test is the most stringent, and is where this type of test differs from the IRS. A contractor must be engaged in an independently established trade or business. To meet this definition, it could be shown that the worker has his or her own business license, insurance, or federal identification number.
Penalties for misclassification of workers differ depending on whether the misclassification is considered an intentional disregard for the requirements. If it is deemed intentional, the employer is responsible for all back taxes. If no intentional disregard is found, the employer can use Section 3509 rates to calculate their federal liability. The rates are lower if the employer issued the appropriate 1099 forms.
If the forms were filed, the employer is liable for the employer’s share of Social Security and Medicare plus 20% of the employee’s portion. In addition, the employer is responsible for income tax at a rate of 1.5% of wages. If the 1099s were not filed, the amounts increase to 40% of the employee’s portion of Social Security and Medicare and 3% income taxes. The employer owes even if the worker properly paid income taxes and self-employment taxes on their income, and cannot recover amounts from the employee. The business would be responsible for unpaid benefits such as retirement-plan contributions for the reclassified employees. On top of the federal requirements, the employer will likely have state tax liabilities and may face steep fines and penalties.
A business can be absolutely certain that the IRS will agree with its worker classification only by obtaining a determination letter directly from the source. Form SS-8 is organized with questions in the three factor categories and provides information the IRS can use in issuing the determination. The form can be filed with the IRS by a firm or by a worker to receive a resolution for purposes of federal withholding and employment taxes only, although many states that conform to IRS rules will accept the determination. States that do not conform to IRS rules generally also have a request form to file with their employment divisions.
The IRS and many states have voluntary settlement programs whereby a company is required to file and pay only for the last few years, but these programs are available only if no notices or inquiries have been received. If you are unsure whether your workers are properly classified, it is best to speak with your accountant or labor attorney as soon as possible to gauge your exposure.

Charlotte Cathro is a tax manager for the Holyoke-based public accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; [email protected]

Getting Down to Business

By
Janet Warren, left, and Suzanne Beck
Features
Northampton Chamber Marks Century of Progress

Janet Warren, left, and Suzanne Beck

Janet Warren, left, and Suzanne Beck say the chamber benefits both businesses and the overall community.

In seven years, the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce will mark its centennial, and Suzanne Beck says many parallels exist between those earliest days and what the organization does today.
Beck, the chamber’s long-time president, told BusinessWest recently that the early GNCC set goals for civic responsibility in addition to the day-to-day concerns of the member businesses. In fact, the chamber was responsible for the establishment of the Northampton Community Chest in 1922 — what later became the United Way of Hampshire County. And in 1926, the Hotel Northampton was developed from an earlier and smaller structure into the elegant quarters guests enjoy know, all at the hand of the Chamber of Commerce.
“Of course we look at what our members need,” Beck said of the chamber’s role, “and we determine what we can do to meet those needs. But often, in helping the business sector move forward, there are roles for economic development and benefits to the community.”
For many, those centennial accomplishments might be hard to replicate. But within the past decade, the GNCC has excelled as a launching pad not only for business-minded subsidiaries, but also in active roles with events and organizations for the town and residents of Northampton. And, as BusinessWest reported in April, the GNCC was a catalyst for the creation of the Hampshire County Chamber of Commerce, ready to go online this year.
Joining Beck in her talk with BusinessWest was Janet Warren, current president of the chamber’s board of directors, and herself a long-time member. “We have done some research in the last handful of years which shows us that people join this chamber for a few reasons,” she said. “We know for a fact that our members would like to see a direct benefit to their business in terms of helping to grow.
“But there are also people who are joining because they know they can invest in the chamber,” she continued, “and help us work on projects that can have an overall impact within the community.”
Both Beck and Warren agree that an engaged membership, a committed board, and a dedicated staff are all dedicated to helping the GNCC get down to business. “There’s great vision, with great people, in a great community,” Warren said.

Membership Has Its Privileges
Both women said Warren’s own story of coming to the chamber was a good example of how the organization benefits its members. “She herself uses many of the programs that we offer, and has chosen to take on a critical leadership role,” Beck said. “So there must be something she likes.”
Warren smiled and introduced her own chamber piece. She’s the owner of MarCom Capital, a marketing and communications agency based in Hatfield. After working in a corporate environment in Connecticut, a lengthy commute from her family home in the Greater Northampton area, she decided 11 years ago to hang out her own shingle. “Even though I lived here, I didn’t know anyone in the business community,” she said.
“I joined the chamber almost immediately after starting up because it just seemed like the right thing to do,” she continued. “I came to a new-member orientation, and I literally got my first client there. And then, as I was leaving, another member approached me and said they needed marketing services, so I was like, ‘wow.’ I know it doesn’t always work out that way, but sometimes it does.”
For a few years, Warren said, she didn’t have much of an active role in the chamber. “I didn’t really intend to go to events, quite honestly — my kids were really little,” she explained. “For a couple of years, I just stayed connected via the communications sent to me through the chamber. Most of my business was out of the area because of the contacts from my old job.
“But getting the newsletters every month, getting the package of materials every month, it kept me connected to what was happening here,” she continued. “Then, of course, I did get more involved in committees, and it exploded.”
Member events run the gamut from the signature Arrive@5, a meet-and-greet held on the first Wednesday of every month, to new-member breakfasts. But the GNCC excels at member marketing, Beck said, and here she listed off a host of action plans. In addition to the monthly newsletter, available both in print and online, the chamber maintains an annual Explore Northampton guide, distributed to more than 22,000 local businesses and households. There is also a member-to-member value program, with special offers available between participating businesses.
That engaged membership base, however, also translates into referrals outside of the published guidebooks. “The tone of the events is very supportive, whether you’re in a new business or if you’ve been around for a while,” Beck said. “We have a very social membership. The value there is certainly that you may find someone with whom to do business, but definitely you’ll find somebody who you can rely on for support, or someone who will speak well of you when they’re out and about within the community.”

Special Effects
Like its predecessors of the early 20th century, the current iteration of the chamber has set goals for the city in which it operates. “At a certain point in the trajectory of a business, it becomes more important to be functioning in a strong environment,” Beck said. “You’ve taken care of all the primary needs of a new business, and now it’s incumbent to be operating that business in a thriving local economy. Where you are is as important as what you do.”
To that end, she outlined what the GNCC has accomplished in the 20 years she has been working with the organization. About a decade ago, the chamber’s tourism committee began talks with the administrators of the Three County Fairgrounds, all with an eye toward the city’s growing leisure-travel market.
“Destinations can often get a boost with more organized programming,” she said. “But you need certain facilities to pull that off. As it happens, the fairgrounds were going through some significant changes in the way they were operating, so we formed a partnership with the city, the chamber, and the fairgrounds. Since then, we’ve created a redevelopment strategy for the fairgrounds, raised $400,000 in public and private money to define the market opportunities for the venue, and this year, the first physical evidence was the construction of three new horse barns, which was undertaken with $4 million in state bond authorization.
This development could have far-reaching implications for the city, she explained, adding that the facilities will enable the community to host more events, and on a year-round basis. A market study has shown that this broader portfolio of events could generate an additional $35 million annually in consumer spending in the area.
Meanwhile, the GNCC has been instrumental as a launching pad for organizations to become independently operating entities. “We’ve been good at nurturing ideas, getting people together, collaborating, and then being transparent in terms of whatever is best for what needs to get done,” Warren said.
The Northampton Area Young Professionals is one good example of this. Still considered a partner organization with the GNCC, NAYP acts as a chamber of sorts to the younger members of the area’s business community.
Another example is the Northampton Business Improvement District (BID). At one time, the GNCC was responsible for the sidewalk sales, the Taste of Northampton events — “all things that members would support financially, when they were interested,” Beck recalled.
“Owners stepped up and said they couldn’t do this on a casual, ad-hoc basis,” she continued. “There’s an enormous investment in the properties downtown; in the creation of the BID, we supported it financially, and we supported with leadership. But the BID now takes on that role of downtown programming. They have a lot more money to spend than we ourselves alone would have, year after year.”
Beck and Warren were both enthusiastic about the unfolding regional organization. “Chambers across the country have been coming to the realization that you can’t get all that you want done when you’re focused only on a small area or a single municipality,” Beck said.
The Hampshire County Chamber of Commerce is close to fully funded for a target inauguration later this year. Again, Beck pointed to the GNCC’s role in this new agency as another key example of how her office has the community’s interests in mind, as well as those of the business sector.
“The EDC in Springfield is a great generator of economic-development interests for our region,” she said. “And it’s our job to set the table for Hampshire County. It doesn’t make any sense for this chamber to be pitching to site selectors. We don’t have the land, the commercial space. We have what we have. And we just need to look at a much bigger footprint.
“And, of course,” Beck added, “the chamber knows that what is good for business in the region is going to be a game changer for us all.”

Doing Business As Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of April 2012.

AGAWAM

A.J. Precision Inc.
25 Century St.
Nicole Goyette

C & M Heating and Air Conditioning
28 Merrell Dr.
Mark Chevalier

Crestview Country Club
281 Shoemaker Lane
Greg Lindencuth

Evergreen Lawn Care
40 Tower Terrace
Eric Luccardi

J.B. Construction
83 Hope Farms Dr.
John Bishop

JRK Precision Machine, LLC
25 Century St.
John Baginski

Omega Mortgage
430 Main St.
Brad Salerno

Pioneer Valley Productions
43 South West St.
Joseph Paul

U.S. Lawns of Springfield
55 Halladay Dr.
Richard McCaslin

CHICOPEE
Angel Wings Couriers
19 Lark Dr.
Margaret Tichey

Connections Real Estate
78 Lyman Road
Daniel Stamborski

JJ Artwood
23 Tolpa Circle
Mark Chouinard

Pressure Tech
150 Deslauriers St.
Anthony Maschi

Western Mass Blower Door & Duct Testing
165 Front St.
John Kosak

Wireless Solution & Accessories
232 Exchange St.
David Hale

EAST LONGMEADOW

Coyne Tax
53 Wellington Dr.
Jonathan Coyne

Embroidered Images
22 Glynn Farms Dr.
Anne M. Drapalski

Events by Jackie M
19 Kelsey St.
Jacqueline Marlucci

Ojays
83 Elm St.
Jason Zalewski

Sharpline Construction & Remodeling
17 Cosgrove St.
Michael Parker

Studio Nails
30 Shaker Road
Jennifer Nguyen

The UPS Store
444 North Main St.
Lawrence M. Crasnick

GREENFIELD

Different Stuff Bakery
2 Fiske Ave.
Debbie Herrick

Family Vacuum Store
28 Chapman St.
Kellie Hemingway

Greenfield Auto Wrecking
392 Deerfield St.
Antonio Siano

Indoor Action Sports Center
1585 Bernardston Road
Jeff Coulston

Personal Touch Pilates
278 Main St.
Nadya Kostch

Presa Republic
25 Laurel St.
Jeremiah McLenithan

Tapestry Health
80 Sanderson St.
Leslie Laurie

The Home Depot
264 Mohawk Trail
Home Depot USA Inc.

Verlando
18 Pond St.
Todd Verlander

HOLYOKE

Aeropostale
50 Holyoke St.
Harry Axt

American Eagle
50 Holyoke St.
Jamie Frey

Western Mass Speech Therapy
56 Suffolk St.
Sean Bochman

LUDLOW

Brad Willard Professional Painters
89 Woodland Circle
Brad Willard

Culinary Cuisine Demonstrations
226 Chapin St.
Walter Grohs

Salon 345
345 Holyoke St.
Liz R. Ramos

PALMER

Elite DJ Services
1330 Ware St.
Robert A. Roy

Fitness With a Fab
159 Wilbraham St.
Fabio Alica

Palmer Coop Center
1239 South Main St.
Paul Vautour

Sam’s Food Store
1078 Park St.
Shakeel Ahmed

Tricia’s Techniques
8 Knox St.
Patricia Woffenden

SPRINGFIELD

Kaine Compton Consulting
20 West Canton Circle
Kaine K. Leanetta

Len-Mer Realty
1333 East Columbus Ave.
Leonard S. Michelman

Lozada’s Auto Repair
111 Farnham Ave.
Samuel Lozada

Magic Pizza
882 Sumner Ave.
Murat Atasoy

Millennium Nails Salon
1655 Boston Road
Anh T. Diep

MJ’s Auto Sales
32 David St.
Dory M. Harika

Morganti, Aquadro, & Cerru
19 Surrey Road
The Morganti Group

Northeast Distribution
467 Cottage St. ,
Ana M. Menendez

Perfectly Paired
123 Mayfair Ave.
Shawnique Mitchell

Photography By Jhun Ciano
30 Springfield St.
Rodolfo Guiterrez

Precanico Landscape Service
95 North Branch Pkwy.
Christopher George

Prestige Planning
73 Meadowbrook Road
Sheree A. Denson

Puerto Rico Restaurant
152 Rifle St.
Israel Rodriguez

Que Carter
183 Tyler St.
Kisha Johnson-Grant

Quick Sign Service
199 Acorn St.
Blas Rosa

R&M Remodeling and More
112 Avery St.
Miguel Homs

Rose Nails
752 Sumner Ave.
Kristen Nguyen

Salem Siding and Roofing
159 Boston Road
Helen J. Salem

The Best Handyman Service
53 Warrenton St.
Rolando Cruz

Thelma’s Creations
85 Edgeland St.
Thelma R. Behler

Touch of Class Fashions
82 Westford Ave.
Patricia Touset

Tropical African Market
810 Main St.
Kwabena H. Ahenkang

Viren Entertainment
70 East Alvord St.
Shawn G. Santanello

Zona Mobile Wireless Store
355 Belmont Ave.
Maria Alban

WESTFIELD

Alternative Generator
60 Old Stage Road
Christopher Robare

Angelic Stones
12 Blueberry Ridge
Lisa Wilson

DT Knights Landscaping
37 Summit Dr.
Daniel Knights

Greengrass Guys
491 Russellville Road
Michael Clendenin

Hardwarez Store
112 Dry Bridge Road
Timothy Taylor

Kitchens by Prestige
63 Meadow St.
David MacIver

Jiffy Lube
88 South Maple St.
Richard C. Smith

Nicholas Collins
38 Taylor Ave.
Nicholas Collins

Spark-A-Arc Sheet Metal
104 Mainline Dr.
Greg Duda

Supreme Lawn Care
33 Woodcliff Dr.
Grant Williams

Western Mass Solutions LLC
1006 Southampton Road
Brian Wagner

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Afterglow RV Auto Detailing
134 Orchard View St.
Michael J. Stefano

Accurate Accounts
193 Wolcott Ave.
Lyudmila Renkas

Cori’s K9 Clip
242 Elm St.
Cori Napolitan

JJ’s Soft Serve & More
16 Chestnut St.
Montagna Enterprises Corporation

Peak Performance Exterior
103 Lower Beverly Hill
Eric Barkyoumb

Pompeii Pizza
9 Norman St.
Elvan Ozcelik

Ready Motors
2405 Westfield Road
Victor Meyko

Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church
23 Southworth St.
Brendan Crawley

Incorporations

By
Departments Incorporations

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGAWAM

Gulf Horizons Property Services Inc., 335 Adams St., Agawam, MA 01001. Dennis Roberts, same. Residential remodeling.

BERNARDSTON

Dawndale Farm Wildlife Inc., 24 Library St., Bernardston, MA 01337. Nancy Bordewieck, same. Charitable organization designed to provide a place of rehabilitation for injured, ill, or orphaned wildlife.

CHICOPEE

ENP Inc., 44 Dwight St., Apt. 2R, Chicopee, MA 01013. Aristides Nunes, same. Bar and lounge.

DEERFIELD

Clarkdale Fruit Farms Land Corporation, 303 Upper Road, Deerfield, MA 01342. Thomas Clark, same. Farm.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Dorothy Day Institute for Social Justice Inc., 37 Old Farm Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Charles Alfano, 7 Meacham Dr., Enfield, CT 06082. Charitable organization designed to fund tax-exempt organizations.

EASTHAMPTON

Easthampton Spirit Inc., 17 East St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Kevin Perrier, same. Non-profit organization designed to promote community spirit through local events.

High and Mighty Brewing Co. Inc., 180 Pleasant St., Studio 30, Easthampton, MA 01027. Michael Michon, 101 Hopkins Place, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Micro-brewing company.

GREAT BARRINGTON

Arcmetra Inc., 39 Hollenbeck Ave., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Robyn Allen, same. Energy-related consultation services.

INDIAN ORCHARD

H & M Cabinets Inc., 64 Devens St., Indian Orchard, MA 01151. Howard Gabaree, same. Kitchen cabinetry sales and installation.

LEE

Berkshire Gateway Preservation Inc., 200 East St., Lee MA, 01238. Garth Elias Story Jr., 30 Highfield Drive, Lee, MA 01238. Non-profit organization designed to preserve the historical structure located at 25 Park Place in Lee, MA.

LONGMEADOW

Gift Baskets and More Inc., 34 Green Hill Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Brian Kimball, same. Gift baskets for special occasions.

LUDLOW

Campora Construction Co. Inc., 77 Stivens Dr., Ludlow, MA 01056. M ario Campora, same. Construction services.

First Sun Solar Co., 350 West St., #35, Ludlow, MA 01056. Joseph Monzillo, same. Sales and service of solar-energy products.

MONSON

Cambridge Executive Services Inc., 146 Bumstead Road, Monson, MA 01057. William Skillman, same. Executive-search services.

NORTH ADAMS

Diversified Energy Solutions Inc., 121 Union St., North Adams, MA 01247. Gustavo Giron Jr., 50 Hyden Hill, Clarksburg, MA 01247. Energy-consultation services.

SOUTHBRIDGE

Coops Scoops Corp., 204 Worcester St., Southbridge, MA 01550. Gail Robin Leclaire, same. Ice cream shop.

SOUTHWICK

Global Maintenance Management Consulting Inc., 160 Point Grove Road, Southwick, MA 01077. Russell Seegars, same. Computer maintenance, management, and consulting.

SPRINGFIELD

C2C Home Improvement Inc., 24 Barrison St., Springfield, MA 01109. Steven Buzzell, same. Home improvement and remodeling.

Colony Care at Home Inc., 74 Walnut St., Springfield, MA 01105. Ellen Freyman, same. Home care services.

El Concilio Pentecostal Missionera En Victoria Inc., 22 Bayonne St., Springfield, MA 01105. Place of worship.

HD Entertainment Inc., 108 Lawton St., Apt, 4 Springfield, MA 01109. Chris Howard Jr., same. Provide artist development and training.

STOCKBRIDGE

Astore Quarry Restoration Inc., 40 Albany Road, Unit #35, West Stockbridge, MA 01266. Charles Astore, same.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Code-Ace Inc., 694 Roger Ave, West Springfield, MA 01089. Carlos, Saloio, Jr. 375 Holyoke St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Development, marketing, and sales of software.

Community Hope Works Inc., 366 Prospect Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. Gregg Marshall, same. Building individuals, families, and community through holistic practices of mind, body, and spirit.

GBS Brows Inc., 1313 Riverdale St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Binda Neupane, same. Beauty salon services.

WESTFIELD

Bradford & Bradford Property Management Services Inc., 4 Linden Ave., Westfield, MA 01085. Jeffrey Bradford, same. Property management and maintenance services.

DKS Music Inc., 107 Loomis Ridge, Westfield, MA 01085. Christine Kane, same.

WILBRAHAM

Creative Eyes, P.C., 223 Manchonis Road Ext., Wilbraham, MA 01095. Nissa Lempart, same. Optician.

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By
Chamber Corners Departments

ACCGS
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555

• May 2: Business@Breakfast, 7:15 at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke.  Breakfast Networking begins at 7:15. Panel discussion by Mayors Domenic Sarno of Springfield and Alex Morse of Holyoke. Jim Madigan of WGBY TV is the chief greeter and moderator. Sponsors include Freedom Credit Union, season ticket Sponsor; FastSigns, season sign sponsor; Verizon Wireless, coffee bar sponsor. Salutes go to MacDuffie School for 50 years of chamber membership, and Pioneer Valley Christian School on its 40th anniversary. Also, the Bell Ringers from the Pioneer Valley Christian School will be performing that morning. Cost is $20 for members, $30 for non-members. Register online at www.myonlinechamber.com or e-mail [email protected].
• May 9: After5, 5-7 p.m., Elegant Affairs/the Glass Room, 1380 Main St., Springfield. Enjoy a night of food, drink, great company, and fantastic networking. Cost is $10 for members, $20 for non-members. Registration may be done online at www.myonlinechamber.com, or  e-mail [email protected].

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.amherstarea.com
413-253-0700

• May 9: Chamber Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Red Barn. Cost is $12 for members, $15 for non-members.
• May 22: Chamber After Five, 5-7 p.m., at the The Lord Jeffery Inn. Cost is $5 for members, $10 for non-members.

CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101

• April 25: April Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at the Hampton Inn, Memorial Drive, Chicopee. Tickets are $5 for pre-registered members, $15 for non-members.
• April 18: April Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College. Tickets are $19 for members, $26 for non-members. Chairperson: Ron Proulx, Dave’s Truck Repair, Inc. Chief greeter: Jeffrey Hayden, Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College. Guest speaker: Trevor Smith, Laugh For No Reason Salutes: Ashland Water Technologies, 100-year anniversary; King Ward Coach Lines, 25-year anniversary; Marcotte Ford, 50-year anniversary; and Minuteman Press, new facility. Bows: the Arbors at Chicopee, 10-year anniversary; Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, five-year anniversary.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414

• May 5: Spring Recycling Day, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Dispose responsibly of your old computer, monitor, TV, stereo, and/or home or office appliance. Location: Valley Recycling, 245 Easthampton Road, Route 10, Northampton. Recycling services courtesy of Duseau Trucking, Hatfield. This event is open to the public. Contact the chamber office for recycling fees; 100% of fees benefit chamber community programs.
• May 10: Networking by Night Business Card Exchange, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored by Easthampton Savings Bank and hosted by Amy’s Place Bar & Grill, 80-82 Cottage St., Easthampton. This event features hors d’ouevres, door prizes, and a cash bar. Tickets: $5 for members, $15 for future members.
• May 18: Wine & Microbrew Tasting, 6-8:30 p.m., One Cottage Street (corner of Cottage and Union streets) in Easthampton. Sample more than 50 wines and microbrews and enjoy fine food and an extraordinary raffle. Major sponsor: Easthampton Savings Bank. Event sponsor: Innovative Business Systems. Wine Sponsor: Westfield Spirit Shop. Microbrew sponsor: Big E’s Supermarket. Food Sponsor: Log Rolling at the Log Cabin/Delaney House. Benefactor: Finck & Perras Insurance Agency. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door. To order tickets or for more information, call the chamber office at (413) 527-9414 or order online at www.easthamptonchamber.org.
• May 20: “For The Kids!” Easthampton’s 12th Annual Big Rig Day, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (rain or shine), at the Easthampton Municipal Building & Public Safety Complex, Payson Avenue, Easthampton. See trucks of all sizes — construction equipment, safety vehicles, and specialty cars and trucks. Free admission and parking. For more information, visit www.bigrigday.com.

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.holycham.com
(413) 534-3376

• April 24: Business Person of the Year Award Dinner, 6 p.m., at the Delaney House, Country Club Road, Holyoke. The Greater Holyoke Business Community will honor Joseph L. Peters of Universal Plastics Corp. as Business Person of the Year. To register or for more information, call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or register online at holyokechamber.com.
• April 25: Beacon Hill Summit, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Members of area chambers, including Greater Holyoke, will participate in a one-day trip to the State House to meet with top leaders. Your payment of $180 covers coffee and danish, transportation to and from Beacon Hill, lunch with local legislators, a wrap-up reception, and legislative materials. Buses depart at 7 a.m. from the Plantation Inn at exit 6 off the Mass Pike and will return at 7 p.m. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376, or register online at holyokechamber.com
• May 16: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at Simplicity Salon, 1735 Northampton St., Holyoke. Sponsored by Girls Inc. of Holyoke and Girl Scouts of Central and Western Mass. Cost is $10 for chamber members, $15 for non-members. A marketing table is $25. Join your friends and colleagues for this informal evening of networking. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or register online at holyokechamber.com.
• May 21: The 44th Annual Holyoke Chamber Golf Tournament at Wyckoff Country Club, 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Registration and lunch at 11 a.m. Tee off at noon (scramble format). Cost is $125 per player, which includes 18 holes of golf, cart, lunch, prizes, dinner buffet, gift bag, and foursome photo. Awards, cash prizes, and raffles will follow dinner, consisting of an array of elaborate food stations. Call the Holyoke Chamber at (413) 534-3376 to sign up, or register online at holyokechamber.com.
• May 30: Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, 4 p.m.,
at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. Program followed by grand reception with assorted food stations. Sponsored by Goss & McLain Insurance Agency; Resnic, Beauregard, Waite & Driscoll; TD Bank; Dowd Insurance Agency Inc.; and PeoplesBank. Tickets are $25. Call  (413) 534-3376 or register online at holyokechamber.com.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900

• April 27: Greater Northampton Chamber Auction, 6:30-9:30 p.m., at the
Clarion Hotel & Conference Center. Sponsored by Coca-Cola Refreshments. Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 at the door ($40 for donors). Bid to win your favorites from an inspired offering of more than 250 dining, shopping, travel, and entertaining choices. Visit www.explorenorthampton.com/auction for details. Dine all night long from an abundant, three-course meal of appetizers, mini-entrees, and desserts. Taste the season’s special V-One Vodka concoctions prepared by creator Paul Kozub. Sponsored by V-One Vodka and Eastside Grill.

• May 2: May Arrive@5, 5-7 p.m., at North Country Landscapes (Route 66, Westhampton). Sponsored by Czelusniak Funeral Home. Cost is $10 for chamber members, $20 for guests.

NORTHAMPTON AREA YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY
www.thenayp.com
(413) 584-1900

• May 10: May Networking Event, 5-8 p.m., at Ibiza Tapas in Northampton. Free to NAYP members, $5 for guests. Visit www.thenayp.com for details.

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER
www.professionalwomenschamber.com
(413) 755-1310

• April 26: Professional Women’s Chocolate Affair, 6-9 p.m., at Chez Josef in Agawam. Event features elegant chocolate desserts, appetizers, cordials, and shopping at vendor booths. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door. Proceeds will go to the Professional Women’s scholarship fund.

QUABOAG HILLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.qvcc.biz
(413) 283-2418

• April 27: Lasagna Dinner to benefit Elm Hill Center, 5-7 p.m., at
Brookfield Congregational Church, 8 Common St., Brookfield. Enjoy a lasagna dinner with a great crowd. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for children 12 years old and younger. The menu includes homemade lasagna, tossed salad, bread, beverages, and dessert. Make-your-own-sundaes will be available for a small additional cost. Take a chance in one of the great raffles. There is a family takeout meal deal for only $30. Proceeds will benefit therapeutic programming initiatives at Elm Hill Center. For more information, call Laurie Reynolds at (508) 347-8181, ext. 120.
n April 28: Volunteer Day at Elm Hill, 9:30 a.m-1:30 p.m., at the Elm Hill Center, 26 East Main St., Brookfield. Help at the spring cleanup of the Elm Hill grounds and mansion. Great for groups to work together. Refreshments will be available to thank all of the volunteers for their efforts in honor of National Volunteer Week. Proceeds will benefit therapeutic-programming initiatives at Elm Hill Center. For more information, call Ed LaPointe, (508) 347-8181, ext. 137, or visit www.rehabresourcesinc.org/elmhill/events.htm

SOUTH HADLEY/GRANBY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.shchamber.com
(413) 532-6451

• May 18: Legislative Breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m., at the Orchards Golf Club, South Hadley. Sponsors: South Hadley & Granby Chamber of Commerce. Special guests: legislative representatives. Tickets are $15 at the door. RSVP at (413) 532-6451 by May 11. Seating is limited.
• May 21: South Hadley & Granby Day at the Orchards Golf Club. Tee times, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sponsor: South Hadley & Granby Chamber of Commerce. Opportunity to win a foursome at the Orchards. Cost is $65 per person, lunch included. For tee times and details, call Tony Giannetti at (413) 533-1784, or e-mail [email protected].

THREE RIVERS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.threeriverschamber.org
(413) 283-6425

• May 7: Chamber meeting, 7-8 p.m., at the chamber office, 2376 Main St., Three Rivers.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.ourwrc.com
(413) 426-3880

• May 2: Wicked Wednesday, 5- 7 p.m, at the Holiday Inn, Enfield. WRC invites you to join us on the first Wednesday of every month at businesses across Agawam and West Springfield. Get a little wicked with us and see what WRC is all about. These events are free for WRC members and $10 for non-members.
• April 24: Board of Directors Meeting, 7:30- 8:30 a.m., at the Captain Leonard’s House, Agawam.
• May 1: Membership Committee Meeting, 8-9 a.m., at Westfield Bank, Agawam.
• May 2: Education Committee Meeting, 8-9 a.m., at the Agawam High School Career Development Center, Agawam.
• May 10: Programs Committee Meeting, 7:30- 9 a.m., at Management Search Inc., West Springfield.
• May 17: Economic Development Committee Meeting, 7:30-8:30 a.m., at the Work Opportunity Center, Agawam.
• May 18: Executive Committee Meeting, 8-9 a.m., at Hampden Bank, West Springfield.
• May 22: Board of Directors Meeting, 7:30- 8:30 a.m., at the Captain Leonard House, Agawam.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618

• May 16: WestNet Plus 1, 5-7 p.m. Hosted by Pioneer Valley Railroad, Old Montgomery Road, Westfield. Our monthly networking event will be held on the Pinsly Railroad Dining Car and Caboose with an opportunity to check out a locomotive in the shop. Our sponsor this month is Comcast. The featured speaker this month is Andrew Morehouse of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. It’s a great opportunity to make business connections, so bring your business cards. Cost is $10 for members, $15 cash for non-members.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD
www.springfieldyps.com

• May 17: 4th Annual Great Golf Escape, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m., at Shaker Farms Country Club, Westfield. Non-member registrations opens April 1. Only 32 foursomes available.

Firm Resolve

By
John Pucci, left, and Andrew Levchuk
Law Sections
Bulkley Richardson Stakes Out New Ground

John Pucci, left, and Andrew Levchuk

John Pucci, left, and Andrew Levchuk bring expertise to Bulkley Richardson in some key, growing niches of law.

John Pucci has amassed a considerable record in white-collar crime. No, not that kind of record.
Specifically, he prosecuted criminal cases for the government as chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Springfield before moving into private practice as a partner at Fierst, Pucci & Kane in Northampton.
For Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, the Springfield-based law firm that brought him on board as a partner earlier this year, his experience on both sides of white-collar-crime and other specialties make him a valuable asset. As part of his role, he’ll handle federal tax-evasion cases, public-corruption claims, and cases involving companies and individuals under pharmaceutical investigation — but, this time, fighting for the defense.
“It’s an enormous advantage for a practitioner in the white-collar crime arena to have worked inside government, because you really get a feel for how and why cases are prosecuted, where the fault lines are in terms of evaluating the case, and how the bureaucracy works — and doesn’t work,” Pucci said.
“Dealing internally with the IRS and FBI is a bit of an art form which takes years to learn,” he added. “When you come to the defense side, you have an ingrained sense of how the government is evaluating the same documents you’re looking at for a client.”
Pucci’s not the only new attorney at Bulkley Richardson. He actually hired Andrew Levchuk at the U.S. Attorney’s Office 20 years ago, “and we find ourselves back here, together, in 2012 by virtue of a collection of circumstances that were surely unforeseeable when I hired him,” Pucci told BusinessWest.
Levchuk, who also joined the firm earlier this year, most recently worked for the U.S. Department of Justice, serving as deputy chief of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section of the Criminal Division.
“I had spent part of my time in Washington as senior counsel at the computer crime and intellectual property section, and we worked on computer issues like data theft and data privacy, and also worked with international groups focused on those issues,” he told BusinessWest.
“That’s now a big issue here in Massachusetts and across the country,” he added. “Massachusetts has very strict data-privacy and data-protection regulations that apply not only to large institutions, but medium-sized businesses as well. In addition, these are very important concerns for health care clients.”
Pucci — who also brought to Bulkley Richardson his associate at Fierst, Pucci & Kane, Lizette Richards — is happy to be reunited with Levchuk. “By chance, we had a discussion, and Andy was interested in coming here.” Pucci said. “I told him he’d be a great addition, and at my suggestion, he came down to talk to the folks here, and here we are.”

Ahead of the Curve
Here they are, indeed — along with a diverse assemblage of fellow attorneys. As a law firm that traces its roots back to the 1920s and has grown to a roster of 45 lawyers with a wide diversity of specialties, Bulkley Richardson doesn’t want to stand pat, instead always considering what the current trends are in law, and trying to meet them, said Sandy Dibble, chair of the firm’s executive committee.
“Our size is incidental to what we are and what we can do,” he said, noting that it’s actually a relatively small firm when compared to some metropolitan and international firms.
The company expanded into Boston 10 years ago, an office that has thrived while focusing largely on representation of financial institutions. No one, Dibble said, could foresee the scope of the crisis that engulfed the financial-services industry in 2008.
“That turmoil has produced lots of litigation for banks. We represent mutual funds and most major banks. We rarely do foreclosures, but we do defend banks and other financial institutions when they’re sued,” he explained. “Banks like Sovereign, Bank of America, Citizens, JPMorgan Chase are big clients, and we do work for them in multiple states in New England through the Boston office. We have good lawyers out there, and it has been very successful.”
Bulkley Richardson has also seen plenty of growth in its health care specialty, particularly at a time when local and national health-insurance reform, and generally increasing compliance demands, require skilled legal aid.
“That’s a hugely active field from a legal perspective, with a tremendous amount of new legislation at the state and federal level, lots of new regulation, lots of new regulatory activity among the clients we represent,” Dibble said — among them Baystate Health and several other hospitals in Western Mass.
“We’re certainly not the only law firm representing these clients, but we do work with them in various areas of expertise,” he continued. “We do a lot of work involving government and how to structure organizations, how to manage them so they have a high level of compliance and ethical behavior. We also interact with the government agencies that supervise health care institutions.”
Among its other strengths, Dibble said, the firm handles plenty of litigation work and boasts a strong business and corporate practice, ranging from the purchase and sale of businesses and real estate to representing nonprofits and foundations in all facets of their operations; from drafting contracts for construction projects to that aforementioned advisory role for health care institutions.
Those efforts included handling financing for Baystate Medical Center’s $296 million expansion project. “That was a pretty challenging undertaking because we were putting it together right at the time the economy was collapsing,” he said. “So we were happy to be able to get that accomplished.”
The firm also represents many individual clients, including business owners and public figures; Bill and Camille Cosby are among the firm’s valued longtime clients, Dibble said.
Not every specialty thrives at any given time, he noted — for example, commercial real estate work has experienced an overall decline in the past few years. “Diversity is helpful to a firm, which is why we’ve made some significant additions, bringing in some additional resources in areas we weren’t as strong in.”

Keeping Secrets
Among those is corporate data security, one of Levchuk’s strong suits.
“Five years ago,” he said, “the big data-security issues involved large computer networks and hacking into banks of health care institutions, and by people seeking to obtain personal information which they could then use to steal identities, credit-card numbers, and so on.
“Now,” he continued, “that has evolved into data theft from a variety of other devices. We all walk around with handheld computers; that’s what smartphones are. Think about the data a smartphone contains. And from an employer’s perspective, think about the data that employees send and receive on smartphones, and you can see how security is now a major issue. Breaches can lead to serious civil liability — and occasionally criminal liability — so it’s important that companies have the right policies in place and get up to speed on these issues.”
For his part, Pucci said he’s built up a strong résumé of complex civil and complex criminal cases, but, having gotten to know Dibble and others at Bulkley Richardson, “I was desiring to make a change and get into a larger environment, a richer environment. I had a discussion that led to my decision to come here. There had not been a white-collar practice here for at least a decade, maybe never.
“This firm is an ideal place for us to settle into because it’s got a lot of rich history,” Pucci continued, as Levchuk nodded agreement. “It’s been here 80 years, which means it’s got a solidity to it and a sense of permanence. It’s got a lot of depth in its resources; just from among the lawyers who walk the hallways, you can get an answer to almost any question in any area, which is helpful.
“And on the service side,” he added, “we employ people who don’t exist in a smaller firm without our resources, and that allows you to lawyer instead of having to manage. Back in my old firm, as co-managing partner, I spent a lot of time managing issues and day-to-day problems, not practicing law. This is a great environment to practice law.”
That distinction is important, he said, for clients who, in many cases, are facing one of the more difficult situations in their life.
“It’s very important that we as lawyers keep in mind that our clients have a problem, and we should try to be problem-solvers,” Pucci said. “And the problem-solving process, working through the legal system, is a complex matter. Here, all our essential focus is on being a lawyer.”
But Dibble was quick to add that the firm’s attorneys are dedicated to helping people outside of work, too.
“We have a lot of people on the boards of dozens of organizations, people who volunteer their time, and we as a firm contribute financially to a lot of organizations,” he said. “That’s important to our culture. We want our people to recognize that we’re all part of a community — especially in a smaller city like this. That’s not to say that people in big cities don’t take part, but in a place like this, there aren’t so many people available to help out that you can skip it.”

Building a Case
With the Great Recession hopefully fading, Dibble said, Bulkley Richardson is hoping to build on a very strong 2011 — which followed a slightly-off 2010 — as it continues to diversify and grow.
“It’s a very competitive market out there; there are some very good firms in Western Mass. and some very good lawyers,” he said. “But the competition is not just local; there’s also a lot of competition from Boston and New York firms, national and international firms, who would like to do some of the work we do.”
And have been doing for more than 80 years.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Editorial

By
Opinion
40 Reasons to Feel Good About the Future

When BusinessWest started its 40 Under Forty Program just over five years ago, there were expectations — and also some trepidation.
We knew we could identify some rising stars in the region’s business, nonprofit, and entrepreneurship realms, but there were always whispers — and sometimes loud doubts — about just how deep the talent pool was.
As we introduce the sixth class of 40 Under Forty winners, it’s clear that the pool is quite deep — and also very inspiring. For those looking for positive signs that this region will have the young leadership it will need to grow and take on the many challenges facing municipalities in this global, information-based economy, the profiles beginning on page A6 should provide them.
Each of these stories is unique, but there are many common denominators, especially the twin desires to excel and make a difference in the community. Here are just a few examples:
• Carla Cosenzi, the high scorer among the more then 100 nominees. In business, she and her brother, Thomas, are not only continuing the legacy established by their father in the automobile industry, but they’re building upon it with the addition of a Volkswagen dealership in Northampton. In the community, she’s continuing another tradition — the Thomas E. Cosenzi Driving for the Cure charity golf tournament (named after her father, who succumbed to cancer several years ago), which has to date raised more than $200,000 in support of brain-cancer research;
• Ben Einstein, the serial entrepreneur who is devoting considerable time and energy to the cause of helping others get businesses off the ground and to the next level though his involvement with the Idea Mill conference, which is likely to become an annual event in this region;
• Eric Hall, the Westfield police sergeant who became the first law-enforcement officer to join a 40 Under Forty class. His passions are fighting and preventing crime, and helping young people make smart choices. He can often be seen sharing lunch with elementary-school students, and is now chairman of the board at the city’s YMCA;
• Jason Tsitso, who has helped R&R Windows battle back from the rough patch resulting from the Great Recession and its crippling impact on the construction sector. In the community, he took his passion for bicycling and channeled it into a fun — and highly successful — fund-raiser for Habitat for Humanity called Trails for Nails.
• State Sen. James Welch, one of the few public-sector leaders to become a 40 Under Forty winner. He has mastered the art and science of constituent service, especially in the wake of the June 1 tornado, the path of which closely approximates the district he represents.
• Sheila Moreau, who, with her mother, has helped shape MindWing Concepts into one of the more intriguing entrepreneurial success stories in recent years. What’s more, she’s making good on a commitment to serve the community in a number of ways, especially as a volunteer with the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day parade. She even sings the national anthem at sporting events and community gatherings.
The other 34 stories are equally compelling, but these are representative of this year’s class. You won’t find the word in every profile, but the trait these young men and women share is passion — to achieve excellence, to innovate, to help others within our community, and, most importantly, to lead.
After reading these stories, you should feel at least a little better about the future of this region. Thanks to them, it looks very bright.