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Gaining Steam

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Nominations for the 40 Under Forty Class of 2012 Are Due Feb. 17

When BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007, it did so with the expectation that the honor would soon become coveted and that the program would cast a bright light on the young talent in the four counties of Western Mass. To say that all this has happened would be a huge understatement. The program continues to grow in terms of both relevance and popularity, as evidenced by a new high-water mark for nominations in 2011 and record attendance at the June gala. And now, it’s time to nominate the class of 2012.

Eric Gouvin said being one of the judges for last year’s crop of 40 Under Forty nominees was a more difficult task than he thought it would be. But he said the experience was also enlightening — and encouraging, when he thinks about the future of the Western Mass. business community.
“It was hard,” said Gouvin, professor of Law and director of the Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship at Western New England University. “There are a lot of talented people who participate, and to try to narrow that down to 40 was challenging. But I found it to be a real shot in the arm, for sure, to reassure me that we’re not running out of talented, smart people.”
Indeed, in its fifth incarnation, last winter’s nomination process brought forth a record number of applicants, demonstrating that, if anything, the program is only gaining steam.
“There’s so much enthusiasm,” said Pam Thornton, business development coordinator at United Personnel in Springfield, and current president of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS), which has consistently mined its membership for 40 Under Forty honorees on an annual basis.
“If you think about it, the program has created a kind of precedent already, which is amazing,” she continued. “People really look forward to the opportunity to get their name out there, to get an opportunity to get in front of people, and that’s just an awesome thing for our group, and for our age group.”
Now entering its sixth year with a call for nominations, BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty has captured the respect of the region’s business community and continues to demonstrate that Western Mass. is home to a creative, motivated, and successful group of young business leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators — people who are redefining what it means to build successful businesses and serve their communities with whatever spare time they have left over.
There are clear benefits in recognizing local professionals under age 40, said Kate Campiti, BusinessWest’s associate publisher. But initially, there were some concerns as to whether a strong-enough crop could emerge year after year. Clearly, that worry has long been put to rest.
“I’m amazed at the number of strong nominations we’re getting every year,” Campiti said. “It really speaks to the depth of the young talent here in the region.”

Click here for a nomination form!

Shine a Light
The 40 Under Forty program was launched in 2007 as a way to spotlight the accomplishments of younger professionals throughout Western Mass. — not only their on-the-job achievements, but their often-extensive volunteer work with organizations that benefit their communities.
Over the years, the program has highlighted individuals from an impressive range of businesses and industries, including education, law, finance, media, medicine, creative arts, nonprofits, government, retail, restaurants, green business, and many others. And last year presented a first — a 16-year-old high-school student (Stephen Freyman) was among the winners.
In addition, a healthy number of honorees each year hail from the ranks of entrepreneurs, developing their own business plans and building companies that in turn create jobs.
Judges score nominees on a combination of their accomplishments (be they in business, government, or the nonprofit realm), leadership qualities, and work within the community.
The effort has also helped boost the image of groups like YPS and Northampton Area Young Professionals, which share a common goal with 40 Under Forty — specifically, demonstrating the economic and cultural vibrancy of this region and generating enthusiasm among talented professionals to set down roots in Western Mass.
“I would absolutely say that it’s raised our profile, without a doubt,” Thornton said, noting that YPS typically brings a strong contingent to the annual June gala. “Everyone looks forward to it, and it’s such a great event.”
One theme that past winners have touched upon repeatedly is the networking benefits generated by being chosen to the 40 Under Forty.
“The experience of being an honoree brought together 40 great business people with collegial networking and partnerships that wouldn’t have been made otherwise,” said Beth Vettori, executive director of Rockridge Retirement Community in Northampton, one of the 2011 honorees.
“Between the friendships formed and the business opportunities, the 40 Under Forty really provided a bridge to some successful affiliations,” she added. “These people I’ve been able to network with — they’re very charismatic, very intelligent, and it’s just great to see that the youth in this area really have depth.”
Vettori said those connections have given her a viable resource — plenty of new colleagues with strong business acumen.
“You’re able to have conversations that give you greater insight into your own business,” she said. “The networking has allowed me a greater understanding of my own operation. It’s helpful to get different perspectives, different ideas; other people may work in different fields, but it’s still business, and it allows you to expand your own thinking.”
As with the past five installments of 40 Under Forty, this year’s winners — chosen by a panel of judges comprised of area business leaders and previous honorees — will be profiled in a spring issue of BusinessWest (always a must-read issue) and toasted at the annual gala reception, which drew a record crowd last June, providing further evidence of the 40 Under Forty’s momentum.

Healthy Crop
Gouvin said the growing popularity of the program is due in part to the sheer impressiveness of the honorees.
“Lots of these folks are professionally accomplished and very engaged in our community; they’re giving back, too,” he told BusinessWest. “That’s very encouraging. We want to make this city the best it can be, but we all have to contribute, not just in our jobs, but in our free time, too. I really do feel like they’re making it better.”
The nomination form can be found on page 20 of this issue. It will be reprinted in upcoming issues as well, and may also be printed from businesswest.com. The deadline for entries is Feb. 17.
Thornton sees the 40 Under Forty, and the role of YPS in it, as a collaborative effort.
“It’s people doing great work together, and I feel like the YPS organization helps to feed the program,” she said. “It’s a way for our people to celebrate what they’ve done, who they are, and how they’ve gotten where they are. And it’s something we should continue if we want to keep the momentum going.”


Past Honorees

Class of 2007
William Bither III — Atalasoft
Kimberlynn Cartelli — Fathers & Sons
Amy Caruso — MassMutual Financial Group
Denise Cogman — Springfield School Volunteers
Richard Corder — Cooley Dickinson Hospital
Katherine Pacella Costello — Egan, Flanagan & Cohen, P.C.
A. Rima Dael — Berkshire Bank Foundation of Pioneer Valley
Nino Del Padre — Del Padre Visual Productions
Antonio Dos Santos — Robinson Donovan, P.C.
Jake Giessman — Academy Hill School
Jillian Gould — Eastfield Mall
Michael Gove — Lyon & Fitzpatrick, LLP
Dena Hall — United Bank
James Harrington — Our Town Variety & Liquors
Christy Hedgpeth — Spalding Sports
Francis Hoey III — Tighe & Bond
Amy Jamrog — The Jamrog Group, Northwestern Mutual
Cinda Jones — Cowls Land & Lumber Co.
Paul Kozub — V-1 Vodka
Bob Lowry — Bueno y Sano
G.E. Patrick Leary — Moriarty & Primack, P.C.
Todd Lever — Noble Hospital
Audrey Manring — The Women’s Times
Daniel Morrill — Wolf & Company
Joseph Pacella — Egan, Flanagan & Cohen, P.C.
Arlene Rodriquez — Springfield Technical Community College
Craig Swimm — WMAS 94.7
Sarah Tanner — United Way of Pioneer Valley
Mark Tanner — Bacon Wilson, P.C.
Michelle Theroux — Child & Family Services of Pioneer Valley Inc.
Tad Tokarz — Western MA Sports Journal
Dan Touhey — Spalding Sports
Sarah Leete Tsitso — Fred Astaire Dance
Michael Vann — The Vann Group
Ryan Voiland — Red Fire Farm
Erica Walch — Speak Easy Accent Modification
Catherine West — Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.
Michael Zaskey — Zasco Productions, LLC
Edward Zemba — Robert Charles Photography
Carin Zinter — The Princeton Review

Class of 2008
Michelle Abdow — Market Mentors
Matthew Andrews — Best Buddies of Western Mass.
Rob Anthony — WMAS
Shane Bajnoci — Cowls Land & Lumber Co.
Steve Bandarra — Atlas TC
Dr. Jonathan Bayuk — Hampden County Physician Associates
Delcie Bean IV — Valley Computer Works
Brendan Ciecko — Ten Minute Media
Todd Cieplinski — Universal Mind Inc.
William Collins — Spoleto Restaurant Group
Michael Corduff — Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House
Amy Davis — New City Scenic & Display
Dave DelVecchio — Innovative Business Systems Inc.
Tyler Fairbank — EOS Ventures
Timothy Farrell — F.W. Farrell Insurance
Jeffrey Fialky — Bacon Wilson, P.C.
Dennis Francis — America’s Box Choice
Kelly Galanis — Westfield State College
Jennifer Glockner — Winstanley Associates
Andrea Hill-Cataldo — Johnson & Hill Staffing Services
Steven Huntley — Valley Opportunity Council
Alexander Jarrett — Pedal People Cooperative
Kevin Jourdain — City of Holyoke
Craig Kaylor — Hampden Bank / Hampden Bancorp Inc.
Stanley Kowalski III — FloDesign Inc.
Marco Liquori — NetLogix Inc.
Azell Murphy Cavaan — City of Springfield
Michael Presnal — The Federal Restaurant
Melissa Shea — Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn
Sheryl Shinn — Hampden Bank
Ja’Net Smith — Center for Human Development
Diana Sorrentini-Velez — Cooley, Shrair, P.C.
Meghan Sullivan — Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn
Michael Sweet — Doherty Wallace Pillsbury & Murphy
Heidi Thomson — Girls Inc.
Hector Toledo — Hampden Bank
William Trudeau Jr. — Insurance Center of New England
David Vermette — MassMutual Financial Services
Lauren Way — Bay Path College
Paul Yacovone — Brain Powered Concepts
Class of 2009
Marco Alvan — Team Link Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Gina Barry — Bacon Wilson, P.C.
Maggie Bergin — The Art of Politics
Daniel Bessette — Get Set Marketing
Brandon Braxton — NewAlliance Bank
Dena Calvanese — Gray House
Edward Cassell — Park Square Realty
Karen Chadwell — Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C.
Kate Ciriello — MassMutual Financial Group
Kamari Collins — Springfield Technical Community College
Mychal Connolly Sr. — Stinky Cakes
Todd Demers — Family Wireless
Kate Glynn — A Child’s Garden and Impish
Andrew Jensen — Jx2 Productions, LLC
Kathy LeMay — Raising Change
Ned Leutz — Webber & Grinnell Insurance Agency
Scott MacKenzie — MacKenzie Vault Inc.
Tony Maroulis — Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce
Seth Mias — Seth Mias Catering
Marjory Moore — Chicopee Public Schools
Corey Murphy — First American Insurance Agency Inc.
Mark Hugo Nasjleti — Go Voice for Choice
Joshua Pendrick — Royal Touch Painting
Christopher Prouty — Studio99Creative
Adam Quenneville — Adam Quenneville Roofing
Michael Ravosa — Morgan Stanley
Kristi Reale — Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.
Amy Royal — Royal & Klimczuk, LLC
Michelle Sade — United Personnel
Scott Sadowsky — Williams Distributing Corp.
Gregory Schmidt — Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, P.C.
Gretchen Siegchrist — Media Shower Productions
Erik Skar — MassMutual Financial Services
Paul Stallman — Alias Solutions
Renee Stolar — J. Stolar Insurance Co.
Tara Tetreault — Jackson and Connor
Chris Thompson — Springfield Falcons Hockey Team
Karl Tur — Ink & Toner Solutions, LLC
Michael Weber — Minuteman Press
Brenda Wishart — Aspen Square Management

Class of 2010
Nancy Bazanchuk — Disability Resource Program, Center for Human Development
Raymond Berry — United Way of Pioneer Valley
David Beturne — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County
Maegan Brooks — The Law Office of Maegan Brooks
Karen Buell — PeoplesBank
Shanna Burke — Nonotuck Resource Associates
Damon Cartelli — Fathers & Sons
Brady Chianciola — PeoplesBank
Natasha Clark — Springfield School Volunteers
Julie Cowan — TD Bank
Karen Curran — Thomson Financial Management Inc.
Adam Epstein — Dielectrics Inc.
Mary Fallon — Garvey Communication Associates
Daniel Finn — Pioneer Valley Local First
Owen Freeman-Daniels — Foley-Connelly Financial Partners and Foley Insurance Group
Lorenzo Gaines — ACCESS Springfield Promise Program
Thomas Galanis — Westfield State College
Anthony Gleason II — Roger Sitterly & Son, Inc. and Gleason Landscaping
Allen Harris — Berkshire Money Management Inc.
Meghan Hibner — Westfield Bank
Amanda Huston — Junior Achievement of Western Mass. Inc.
Kimberly Klimczuk — Royal, LLP
James Krupienski — Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.
David Kutcher — Confluent Forms, LLC
James Leahy — City of Holyoke and Alcon Laboratories
Kristin Leutz — Community Foundation of Western Mass.
Meghan Lynch — Six-Point Creative Works
Susan Mielnikowski — Cooley, Shrair, P.C.
Jill Monson — Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding Inc. and Inspired Marketing & Promotions
Kevin Perrier — Five Star Building Corp.
Lindsay Porter — Big Y Foods
Brandon Reed — Fitness Together
Boris Revsin — CampusLIVE Inc.
Aaron Vega — Vega Yoga & Movement Arts
Ian Vukovich — Florence Savings Bank
Thomas Walsh — City of Springfield
Sean Wandrei — Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.
Byron White — Pazzo Ristorante
Chester Wojcik — Design Construction Group
Peter Zurlino — Atlantico Designs and Springfield Public Schools

Class of 2011
Kelly Albrecht — left-click Corp.
Gianna Allentuck — Springfield Public Schools
Briony Angus — Tighe & Bond
Delania Barbee — ACCESS Springfield Promise Program
Monica Borgatti — Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity
Nancy Buffone — University of Massachusetts
Michelle Cayo — Country Bank
Nicole Contois — Springfield Housing Authority
Christin Deremian — Human Resources Unlimited/Pyramid Project
Peter Ellis — DIF Design
Scott Foster — Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP
Stephen Freyman — Longmeadow High School
Benjamin Garvey — Insurance Center of New England
Mathew Geffin — Webber and Grinnell
Nick Gelfand — NRG Real Estate Inc.
Mark Germain — Gomes, DaCruz and Tracy, P.C.
Elizabeth Gosselin — Commonwealth Packaging
Kathryn Grandonico — Lincoln Real Estate
Jaimye Hebert — Monson Savings Bank
Sean Hemingway — Center for Human Development
Kelly Koch — Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP
Jason Mark — Gravity Switch
Joan Maylor — Stop and Shop Supermarkets
Todd McGee — MassMutual Financial Group
Donald Mitchell — Western Mass. Development Collaborative
David Pakman — Vivid Edge Media Group/The David Pakman Show
Timothy Plante — City of Springfield/Springfield Public Schools
MauricePowe — The Law Offices of Brooks and Powe
Jeremy Procon — Interstate Towing Inc.
Kristen Pueschel — PeoplesBank
Meghan Rothschild — SurvivingSkin.org
Jennifer Schimmel — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity
Amy Scott — Wild Apple Design Group
Alexander Simon — LogicTrail, LLC
Lauren Tabin — PeoplesBank
Lisa Totz — ITT Power Solutions
Jeffrey Trant — Human Resources Unlimited
Timothy Van Epps — Sandri Companies
Michael Vedovelli — Mass. Office of Business Development
Beth Vettori — Rockridge Retirement Community

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Briefcase

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Briefcase Departments

Big Y Acquires Louis & Clark Locations
SPRINGFIELD — Louis & Clark Drug Stores have signed an agreement to sell the assets of two of their pharmacy locations to Big Y Foods Inc. The Louis & Clark Drug Stores at 471 Breckwood Blvd. in Springfield and 459 Main St. in Wilbraham will be operated as Big Y’s Louis & Clark Pharmacies. Louis & Clark will continue to operate their remaining locations. “As a family-owned and -operated company, we are excited to be working with another family-owned and -operated company to continue to serve the needs of our local community. Through our partnership with Big Y, we are able to maintain our local roots,” said Skip Matthews, president of Louis & Clark. Through our partnership with Big Y, we are able to focus our business efforts on the growing fields of home medical equipment and specialty pharmaceutical services, while Big Y focuses on its strength in retail pharmacy.” In addition, Big Y Pharmacies and Louis & Clark will work together to develop Louis & Clark’s ongoing home medical equipment division by offering referrals and consultations to Big Y customers through Louis & Clark’s Medical Supplies and Equipment located at 309 East St. at the corner of Page Boulevard in Springfield, and the satellite Louis & Clark location at 238 Northampton St. in Easthampton. Through the years, Louis & Clark has been one of the region’s premier independent pharmacy and health care solutions providers. This new relationship with Big Y will ensure that continuity of services for these two stores. Louis & Clark Drug Stores were founded in 1965 by Louis Demosthenous and Clark Matthews. The first store, based in Chicopee, was named Airline Drug, but customers and friends commented so frequently on the opportune names of the partners, Louis & Clark, that they soon named the company after the two explorers, Lewis and Clark, who traveled across America in 1804. All current Louis & Clark employees at both locations will have an opportunity to interview for employment with Big Y.

MassCBI Updates Name
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Chamber of Business and Industry recently announced its new identity, the Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce Inc. “At the Massachusetts Chamber, we strive to represent all business interests in and around the Commonwealth,” said Debra Boronski, president and founder of the organization. “While we serve business and industry, the purpose of a statewide chamber of commerce is to increase wealth and prosperity by facilitating the growth of existing businesses and fostering new ones. Simply put, the Massachusetts chamber’s focus is the Commonwealth’s economic well-being.” The organization provides legislative advocacy, marketing, networking, educational, and informational programs for businesses in the state. The chamber also provides managerial services for local chambers of commerce and professional organizations such as the West of the River Chamber of Commerce and the Realtors Commercial Alliance of Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.masscbi.com.

Construction Industry a Lagging Indicator
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The nation’s construction industry lost jobs for a second straight month, shedding 12,000 jobs in November, according to the Dec. 2 jobs report by the Department of Labor. During the past 12 months, the construction industry has added 18,000 jobs, an 0.3% increase. The construction unemployment rate slipped from 13.7% in October to 13.1% in November, and is down from 18.8% in November 2010. Non-residential building construction employment decreased by 1,200 jobs for the month, but has added 9,900 jobs, or 1.5%, from the same time last year. Residential construction building employment decreased by 3,000 jobs for the month and has lost 400 jobs, or 0.1%, compared to the same time last year. In related news, for the week ending Dec. 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 381,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 404,000. The four-week moving average was 393,250, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week’s revised average of 396,250. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8% for the week ending Nov. 26, a decrease of 0.2% from the prior week’s unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Nov. 26 was 3,583,000, a decrease of 174,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 3,757,000.

Report: Corporations Paying Few State Taxes
BOSTON — A comprehensive new study, from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) and the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG), profiles the 265 consistently profitable Fortune 500 corporations, finding that 68 companies paid no state corporate income tax in at least one of the last three years, and 20 of these corporations averaged a tax rate of zero or less during the 2008-10 period. “Individual taxpayers and Main Street businesses end up having to pick up the tab when these corporations avoid paying their taxes,” said Deirdre Cummings, legislative director for MASSPIRG. The report, “Corporate Tax Dodging in Fifty States, 2008-2010,” was produced by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) and recently released in conjunction with MASSPIRG. It examines Fortune 500 companies that filed SEC filings with required information on total state taxes paid that year. Only companies that reported profits in all three years were included in the study. It includes EMC, Raytheon, and Staples, which are headquartered in Massachusetts. “Our report shows these 265 corporations raked in a combined $1.33 trillion in profits in the last three years, and far too many have managed to shelter half or more of their profits from state taxes,” said Matthew Gardner, executive director at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, and the report’s co-author. “They’re so busy avoiding taxes, it’s no wonder they’re not creating any new jobs.” EMC is one company covered in the report. It reported annual profits each year from 2008 to 2010, netting over $2.3 billion during the period, and paid 0.3% in state taxes across the nation. Raytheon is another example, with annual profits netting over $8 billion but paying just 2.3% in state taxes across the country. The report finds that 68 of the 265 companies managed to pay no state income tax at all in at least one year from 2008 through 2010, despite telling their shareholders they made almost $117 billion in pretax U.S. profits in those no-tax years. Some companies, such as DuPont, Goodrich, International Paper, and Intel, paid no net state income tax over the full three-year period. MASSPIRG’s own study last year on the use of offshore tax havens found that household tax filers in Massachusetts pay on average $608 in additional federal taxes to make up for revenue lost due to use of offshore tax havens. “We need to level the playing field,” said Cummings. “Companies should thrive based on how productive and innovative they are, not based on their aggressive tax lobbyists and lawyers and their ability to devise elaborate tax-avoidance schemes.”

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook Departments

Big Y Sponsors
Sack Hunger Program
SPRINGFIELD — In a chain-wide effort to help the hungry within their local communities, all Big Ys are participating in Sack Hunger, which utilizes large, green, reusable grocery bags filled with staple, non-perishable food items selected by the food banks. The sacks include corn flakes, instant rice, elbow macaroni, kidney beans, peanut butter, cut green beans, sweet peas, whole kernel corn, chunk light tuna, and quick oats. Customers purchase a pre-assembled bag of groceries for $10, and then Big Y distributes the bags to that region’s local food bank. In turn, the food banks distribute the filled sacks to area soup kitchens, food pantries, senior food programs, day care centers, as well as many of their other member agencies. All the donated sacks will be distributed within the supermarket’s marketing area so every donation stays within the local community. Big Y’s Sack Hunger campaign began in November and runs through December.

UMass, State Open
Marine Research Station
AMHERST — UMass Amherst and the Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries recently celebrated the opening of a shared marine-science research center following a $400,000 renovation. The station investment, located on an Atlantic Ocean cove in Gloucester, seeks to promote sustainable fisheries and economic development. The research station assesses the behavior of fish and the size and health of fisheries, which are vital to the state’s economy. In 2010, the commercial Massachusetts fishing industry landed 282 million pounds of seafood valued at $470 million.

AIC Breaks Ground for Eastern Gateway Project
SPRINGFIELD — The first phase of the city’s Eastern Gateway project was launched recently with a groundbreaking ceremony in front of 1168 State St. The Eastern Gateway represents a joint venture between American International College (AIC) and DevelopSpringfield, the city’s nonprofit, 501(c)(3) economic-development corporation. The project seeks to create a mixed-use development that will include appropriate institutional, retail, and commercial uses; offer a pedestrian environment at the entrance of AIC’s athletic field complex, and serve both the college and the neighborhood. Also, by revitalizing the underdeveloped section between Austin Street and Roosevelt Avenue, the project aligns with the city’s efforts to continue strengthening the State Street corridor. The redevelopment program resulted from a study commissioned in 2008 by the State Street Alliance, an affiliation of more than 60 businesses, educational institutions, neighborhood councils, faith-based organizations, and nonprofits. The study identified near-term development opportunities for revitalizing the 3.2-mile-long corridor, and recommended several projects, including a supermarket to serve the Mason Square community and market-rate residential housing at 195 State St. — a project that is underway. Eastern Gateway is a multi-phase effort; phase 1 includes acquisition, remediation, and greening of the area, and phase 2 includes refinement of a site development plan, construction, and work to transform a marginal pedestrian environment into a vibrant, contemporary urban district.

Law Firm Earns
Top Ranking
SPRINGFIELD — Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. has recently been named in the 2011-12 edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers as one of the “Best Law Firms” in America. The firm received Metropolitan First Tier Ranking for Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Corporate Law, Elder Law, Real Estate Law, and Tax Law. “While we very much value our clients, and our commitment to them is paramount, it is a thrill to have been recognized as one of the best law firms in America by our peers,” noted Gary Fentin, partner. “We have a very dedicated and talented team, and it is because of their hard work that we have been given, and accepted, this tribute.” Currently, the firm has 13 attorneys. Best Lawyers compiles lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers, according to Fentin.

Comcast Launches Xfinity Phone Service in Granby
GRANBY — Comcast recently announced that residents and businesses in town now have access to innovative and reliable voice service, according to Mary McLaughlin, senior vice president of Comcast’s Western New England region. Comcast’s Xfinity Voice and Business Class Voice services for homes and businesses, respectively, are now available and can be combined for ‘triple-play’ packages that include cable television, Internet services, and phone services. McLaughlin noted that residents and businesses can switch to Comcast without changing their current phone numbers. “We’re excited to provide Granby with access to our full product suite and to also provide a new choice in quality phone service,” she added.

Bank Celebrates Customer Appreciation Week
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank celebrated its partnership with Legacy Banks during Customer Appreciation Week on Dec. 12-16. The weeklong celebration included a variety of special events and promotions, including an Android smartphone giveaway program. Additionally, members of the community were asked to vote for their favorite nonprofit organization to win a $1,000 grant from the Berkshire Bank Foundation –Legacy Region. A total of $11,000 will be provided to 11 community organizations as part of the initiative.

Big Y Again Will Sponsor Spalding Hoophall Classic
SPRINGFIELD — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame recently announced that Big Y World Class Markets will continue its partnership as the presenting sponsor of the 2012 Spalding Hoophall Classic. The high-school basketball tournament is in its 11th year and has expanded to five days with 46 teams at Springfield College’s Blake Arena on Jan. 12-16. Seven of the nation’s top nine teams from the ESPN FAB 50 rankings will be participating. “We are extremely grateful for Big Y’s commitment to the Hall of Fame and the Spalding Hoophall Classic,” said John L. Doleva, president and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “Big Y has been a major participant in the Springfield community, and their support will continue to make an impact on hundreds of aspiring basketball players from New England and around the country.” Tickets are on sale at the Basketball Hall of Fame for $15 for adults and $10 for youths/students (18 and under). All patrons who present a Big Y World Class Market Savings Card will receive a $1 discount on each ticket purchased. For more information on the event, visit www.thehoophallclassic.com.

Northeast Realty Chooses Egan, Flanagan and Cohen
SPRINGFIELD — Northeast Realty Associates LLC, owner of a 152-acre parcel of land in Palmer where Mohegan Sun is proposing to develop a destination resort casino, has retained the law firm Egan, Flanagan and Cohen, P.C. The firm will offer a range of services for Northeast Realty, with attorney Stephen E. Spelman serving as lead counsel relating to the Palmer project. Spelman previously served as an assistant district attorney at the Hampden County District Attorney’s office, and has also worked for Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York City.

Set in Stone

By
James Simoncini
Construction Sections
Raymond James Restoration Has This Art Down to a Science

James Simoncini

James Simoncini says his company specializes in matching original work with such quality that observers wouldn’t know a restoration project was undertaken.

A century ago, craftspeople spent endless hours doing intricate work on the exterior of buildings that is seldom replicated today.
So, when an old structure such as a museum, library, or brick apartment complex needs restoration, many people believe it will be impossible to reconstruct portions of the original façade or match it exactly without spending a lot of money, especially since colors of brick and mortar change and fade over time.
But Raymond James Restoration Inc. of Worcester and Springfield has been debunking that notion for 15 years. “Restoration work is an art, and a lot of projects can be expensive. But restoration is all we do and because of our background, experience and knowledge, our repairs match so well no one ever knows they were done,” said Raymond James Simoncini, who founded the business. He added that although perfect matches take extra time, the company’s well-honed methods allow them to complete projects at reasonable prices.
Details are important to Simoncini, and like the craftsmen of yesterday, he has dedicated his career to restoring buildings to their former grandeur so people can continue to enjoy their original beauty for generations to come.
“I want things to look right. I love old buildings and their history,” he said. “Appearance is very important to me and it doesn’t take that much more time to do something correctly, which is one of the secrets to my success.”
Simoncini grew up in the construction business and sharpened his skills under the tutelage of a dedicated mason who had taught the craft at a vocational high school and loved restoration work. Since that time, he has gone from working for others, to operating a one-man operation, to managing a business which employs eight people with services that range from masonry restoration of building facades, to historic revitalizations, to the many aspects of masonry repair, masonry cleaning and protection services, and maintenance consultation services. His roster of services also encompasses concrete precast repair and replacement and waterproofing coating and painting.
The majority of the work is done in the commercial arena. Currently, the company is engaged in the first phase of a project on one of the buildings that make up Stockbridge Court in Springfield.
“It’s made of concrete, and some of the material was falling off,” Simonici explained, adding that water had seeped in behind the façade. The job involves treating the steel frame, which has rusted, and re-coating the entire structure with waterproof paint.
However, many of his projects are far more challenging and range from sites in Worcester and the Boston area to UMass Amherst. And since some sites are large and the work must be done in stages to accommodate budgets, Simonici also does consultation work and develops plans that prioritize the importance of repairs that need to be done.
“They can range from safety issues to cosmetics,” he explained. “So, I fine tune the jobs so people know where to spend their money.”

Concrete Examples
Simoncini’s introduction to the construction business came at a young age when he began working for his father. He studied business in college, and although he continued working for his dad, he began taking on jobs of his own. In time, he was hired by a masonry-restoration company whose work included many high-end projects in Boston, on Newbury Street, Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue.
While employed there, he was mentored by Michael McCarthy, a mason and teacher who cared deeply about restoration work. “He taught me how to match bricks and mortar, which has allowed me to separate myself from my competitors,” Simoncini said. “He sculpted me into restoration.”
During that time, Simoncini gained two clients who had so much for him to do, the time he spent on their projects soon equaled the 40 hours he was putting in at with his employer.
When the firm’s business began to slow, Simoncini did some work for other companies, as he had joined the local mason’s union. But at age 24, he made the decision to go into business himself, and quickly became extremely busy due to word-of-mouth referrals, which to this day is how he gets most of his work.
“I can find any brick and make it look old, and can match any mortar in a wall,” he said, adding that his company has doubled the amount of work it has done each year for the past three years.
Simoncini has never shied away from a challenge, and has faced many during his career. A good example is the historic Edgell Memorial Library in Framingham, which was built in 1872 to commemorate the service of Civil War soldiers.
The slate roof was being replaced, and that meant the library’s two stone chimneys needed to come down and put back up exactly the way they had been built.
“Every stone had to come off and be labeled; we took photos and made a diagram, but putting something like that back together is not foolproof,” Simoncini explained. “The biggest challenge was that the mortar joints had to be exactly the same size as they had been and had to line up perfectly.”
The crews were able to accomplish the painstaking job to Simoncini’s standards, which he said are often higher than those expressed by the clients who hire him.
And that’s one of the reasons why there are many similarly challenging assignments in the company’s portfolio. Another example is the work undertaken at the   Worcester Historical Museum.
Crews from Raymond James tore down its chimney, and, while rebuilding it,  discovered that 100 of its 300 bricks were not salvageable. Rather than putting all of the new bricks in one section, they carefully mixed them into the design so they were not visible.
Simoncini said it would have been easier to put them all at the top or bottom of the chimney, but his focus has always been on restoration that is not visible.
It was also difficult to match the 50-year-old mortar, but the ability to do such detailed work is what sets him apart, he said, adding, “I am very, very particular in everything I do.”
Another assignment that came complete with a number of challenges was the courtyard of the Rhode Island Federal Courthouse, where some of the pillars needed brick-replacement work. Simoncini explained that water had gotten between the bricks and the steel supporting rods and had pushed the bricks out. In order to get an exact match for 300 bricks, he purchased 1,600 so he could carefully pick and choose among them. “When you order bricks, they come in cubes of 500, and the shades are different colors,” he explained.
But he wasn’t content until he had found a perfect match. “I believe that the work I do is a direct reflection of me, and I won’t use something that isn’t right,” Simoncini said.
“Some people have been told that a certain color brick doesn’t exist anymore,” he told BusinessWest. “But it’s not true. In 15 years, we have never run into a brick we couldn’t find.”
He added that he does a good deal of work for property managers. “They are always trying to save dollars, but they want things to look right, and the reason I have been successful is because that is exactly what I do.”
His company also did brick-replacement, repointing, and sealant work on the Student Union at UMass Amherst. “The sealant was challenging because we were removing mortar in between the capstones and replacing it with the sealant and it had to match the original mortar that we removed. But the project engineer for UMass told us it was the best caulking job he had seen during his career,” Simoncini recalled with pride.

A Full Slate
By utilizing its own team members, Raymond James Restoration is able to control quality as well as project timelines and budgets, since it doesn’t have to wait for subcontractors, which means there no scheduling delays.
And although Simoncini said he could choose to take on more-costly projects in large cities such as Boston, his goal has always been to use his expertise to restore old buildings at rates that people could afford — providing a perfect match even when others have said it cannot be done.
And that has helped him cement a reputation that is, well, rock solid.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of November 2011.

AGAWAM

Grooming with Jenna & Matt
1325 Springfield St.
Jenna Scully

M.J.D. Renovations
55 Highland St.
Michael Drisdelle

Nanny’s House
67 Monroe St.
Choan Hermans

Scentational Marketing
350 Meadow St.
David J. Girard

Swift Roofing
71 High St.
Josh Swift

CHICOPEE

Blue Marble Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
16 Amherst St.
Julie M. Murphy

Kelly Liberty Photography
47 Abbey St.
Kelly Liberty

Martinelli, Martini, and Gallagher Real Estate
1643 Memorial Dr.
Paul R. Gallagher

Transformations
12 Center St.
George Walden-Baez

GREENFIELD

Cherry Rum Laundry
343 Federal St.
Jung Yu

C.L. Keniston Home  & Yard Improvement
259 Log Plain Road
Carl A. Keniston

Hair by Lindsey
41 Bank Row
Lindsey Gilbert

Mattress Outlet
142 Main St.
Harry Foster Jr.

Roberto’s Pizzeria
80 Federal St.
Rhina Naranjo

The GRC Inc.
12 Lakeview Dr.
Peter L. Kramer

Yankee Realty
74 Mohawk Trail
Cheryl A. Ingersoll

HADLEY

Kentucky Fried Chicken
3 South Maple St.
Michael Houston

M. Jolly Trucking
45 Knightly Road
Matt Jolly

HOLYOKE

Amedeo’s Restaurant & Pizzeria
8 North Bridge St.
Antonio DiBenedetto

Apple Inc.
50 Holyoke St.
Terry Ryan

C & J PC Repairs
98 Suffolk St.
Yelfry Torres

James W. McCann
1353 Dwight St.
James W. McCann

Lindo Landscaping & Construction
227 Pine St.
Felix Rodriguez

Rayzor Sharp Images
118 Maple St.
Raymond Rodriguez

Sporting Change Inc.
50 Holyoke St.
Rick Gileau

The Whole Donut
187 South St.
Jagdish Patel

Vivian’s Craft & Art
254 Maple St.
Vivian Feliciano

Zee Convenience Store
132 High St.
Mohamed Nagooradumai

LUDLOW

Affiliated Construction Services
123 Center St.
Craig Orn

Balance Professional
77 East St.
Lori Miller

Hair West Services
322 West Ave.
Christine Percy

Ludlow Golden Seniors Club
37 Chestnut St.
Francis Krzanik

NORTHAMPTON

Comfort Heating & Cooling
7 Hinckles St.
Dale R. Simmons

KBH Enterprises
183 Main St.
Karin I. Muller

Misty River Ballooning
82 Bliss St.
Donald A. LaFountain

Mobile Design Lab
38 Henry St.
Lisa Depiano

My Garage
109 Bridge St.
Diane Todrin

Qi Internetics
241 King St.
John Zebrun

River of Grace Yoga
176 Crescent St.
Carole Bell

SOUTHWICK

Killiney Floor
1 Lexington Circle
Erick Serna

M.M. Automotive Repair
39 West Road
Michael Massai II

SPRINGFIELD

Premier Lifestyle
148 Jamestown Dr.
Kyle Griffith

Primo Ticket Sales
1113 Main St.
Jose M. Santiago

Resources and People
29 Ridgecrest St.
Elizabeth Hogan

Ruth Sweet Tooth Booth
125 College St.
Sherrie A. Burrell

S & B Motors
1608 State St.
Jorge L. Ortiz

Saludy Vida Hoy II
2660 Main St.
Blanca Nieves

Sandra’s Accessories
318 St. James Ave.
Diana C. Alsina

Smily’s Spot
471 Boston Road
Fazul U. Rehman

Smith’s Landscaping
25 Foxwood Dr.
Gary Smith

Surgery Center of New England
55 St. George Road
Wendel M. Wainner

Valdes Construction
52 Loring St.
Victor Valdes

Vinh Chau Restaurant
409 Dickinson St.
Phuong Nguyen

Walther America
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
John Dineen

Windowshopshop.com
170 Main St.
Michael Opeyemi

WESTFIELD

Antique Cars
21 Charles St.
Ivanov Kostyantyn

Dave’s Auto Sales
256 Union St.
David Allen

G4 Graphics
1 Arch Road
Justin Glaze

Lilley Pro Cleaner
4 Linda Dr.
Cindy Locklear

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Bertucci’s Brick Oven Ristorante
847 Riverdale St.
Bertucci’s Restaurant Corp.

C.M. Jenkins Property Service
59 Verdugo St.
Corey M. Jenkins

Firestone Tire & Service Center
501 Memorial Ave.
BFS Retail and Commercial Operations Inc.

Friendly Hair Salon
553 Union St.
Tatyana Yermakov

Rite Aid
99 Westfield St.
Matthew Schroeder

Shri Ghanshyam Subway LLC
356 Memorial Ave.
Navin Patel

Sky’s the Limit
257 Cold Spring Ave.
Patrick S. Brown

S.T.A.N.
791 Piper Road
Stanley J. Zalewski

The Packing House
1434 Memorial Ave.
Howard A. Goldberg

Verizon Wireless
1123 Riverdale St.
Cellco Partnership

Whiting Appraisals
112 Partridge Lane
Debra Whiting

Briefcase

By
Briefcase Departments

Ameristar Casinos Announces Agreement to Purchase Former Westinghouse Site
LAS VEGAS — In anticipation of the legalization of casino gaming in Massachusetts, Ameristar Casinos Inc. (NASDAQ-GS: ASCA) announced last week it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase land in Springfield, Mass., with the intent to apply for the sole casino license for Western Mass. and, if awarded, build a luxury hotel and entertainment resort. “This is a great opportunity for Ameristar to build on a one-of-a-kind site within the city limits of Springfield, a city that would greatly benefit from an economic development project of this magnitude,” said Gordon Kanofsky, Ameristar’s CEO. “There are not many attractive new-market growth opportunities for casino companies, and this one in particular fits squarely within the Ameristar business model as an upscale regional destination casino operator.” Ameristar has agreed to purchase the 41-acre site at Page Boulevard and Interstate 291 (the former Westinghouse complex) for $16 million from an affiliate of the O’Connell Development Group Inc., which had anticipated a large-scale retail project on the site. Since Westinghouse vacated the property in 1970, it had been utilized for light industrial purposes, but more recently had been vacant. The buildings on the site are being razed, and the property will be delivered to Ameristar substantially ready for construction. Ameristar’s development plans are preliminary but are expected to include a state-of-the-art casino continuously updated with the newest and most popular slot machines and a variety of table games, a luxury hotel, a diverse offering of dining venues, retail outlets, entertainment and meeting space, and structured parking. “As with all of our other properties, we look forward to partnering with the city and community to ensure our project visually complements the surrounding neighborhood and suitable street improvements are made to accommodate increased traffic in the area,” said Kanofsky. Subject to the satisfactory completion of Ameristar’s due diligence, the closing of the purchase is expected to occur in January 2012. Ameristar Casinos  has eight casino hotel properties primarily serving guests from Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska and Nevada.

Poll: Palmer Resort Casino Favored Over Springfield Venue
WILBRAHAM — By a margin of 61.4% to 42.5%, residents of four Western Massachusetts counties who have visited a casino during the past two years would prefer visiting a Palmer destination resort casino over a Springfield venue, should gaming become legalized. Market Street Research of Northampton conducted the survey from Oct. 20-26. The survey included 350 residents of the four counties with a margin of error between 3.1% and 5.2%, according to Julie Pokela, principle of Market Street Research. “We interviewed those who have visited a casino, and who don’t live in either Palmer or Springfield, determining preference in Western Massachusetts between a possible Palmer or Springfield resort casino,” said Pokela. The survey also found that a large majority of residents of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire, 75.8%, have visited a resort casino, while 23.9% have never visited a casino. Of those who have visited a casino during the past two years, nearly half, 48.5%, have visited two or more times. The Mohegan Sun has proposed a resort casino for Palmer on 152 acres of land owned by The Northeast Group, and Penn Gaming recently announced interest in a Springfield casino venue. “One of the considerations was to determine if the public prefers venues ‘in the woods’ such as Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods or in urban areas such as Springfield,” said Paul Robbins, public relations consultant to Northeast. “The survey was designed to determine preference among those in Western Mass. who are located within an hour’s drive of both Palmer and Springfield.”

October Employment “Stable”
WASHINGTON — The nation’s labor market posted stable growth in October, according to Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “The economy added 104,000 private sector jobs last month, and we also added 102,000 more jobs than had previously been reported in August and September,” said Solis in a statement. The unemployment rate dropped to 9%, its lowest level in six months. “The number of long-term unemployed — defined as Americans out of work for 27 weeks or more — fell by 366,000 in October, the biggest drop since 1948,” she said. Additionally, the jobless rate for African-Americans dropped a percentage point to 15.1%, its lowest level since August 2009. “We’ve now created 2.8 million jobs over 20 consecutive months of private sector growth, including more than 1 million jobs this year alone,” she said. GDP growth in the third quarter was 2.5% — the fastest rate in more than a year and nearly twice that of the previous quarter. Businesses reported significantly fewer layoffs in October. Consumer and business spending are both up, reflecting Americans’ increased confidence in our recovery progress. “Unfortunately, we continue to see job losses in government and construction, both areas where passage of the American Jobs Act would have a direct and immediate effect on job creation,” said Solis. Overall, non-farm payroll added 80,000 jobs in October, reflecting the loss of 24,000 government jobs and 20,000 jobs in construction. “The policies this administration has pursued have added jobs back into the economy, but the pace of our recovery continues to be influenced by the failure of Congress to pass legislation to put Americans back to work,” she said. In the week ending Oct. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 397,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 406,000. The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Oct. 15 was 6,781,960, an increase of 103,117 from the previous week. Extended benefits were available in Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin during the week ending Oct. 15.

Census: Re-Emergence of Concentrated Poverty in Local Cities
SPRINGFIELD — As the first decade of the 2000s drew to a close, the two downturns that bookended the period, combined with slow job growth between, clearly took their toll on the nation’s less fortunate residents, according to a new report, The Re-Emergence of Concentrated Poverty: Metropolitan Trends in the 2000s, by the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. Over a 10-year span, the country saw the poor population grow by 12.3 million, driving the total number of Americans in poverty to a historic high of 46.2 million. By the end of the decade, more than 15% of the nation’s population lived below the federal poverty line — $22,314 for a family of four in 2010 — though these increases did not occur evenly throughout the country. An analysis of data on neighborhood poverty from the 2005-09 American Community Surveys and Census 2000 reveals that: After declining in the 1990s, the population in extreme-poverty neighborhoods — where at least 40% of individuals live below the poverty line — rose by one-third from 2000 to 2005-09. By the end of the period, 10.5% of poor people nationwide lived in such neighborhoods, up from 9.1% in 2000, but still well below the 14.1% rate in 1990. For the Springfield metropolitan area, which includes Holyoke, a total population of 520,801 included 58,565 classified as “poor” while 16,311 were classified as “poor in extreme poverty.” The extreme poverty areas in Springfield cited in the report included the neighborhoods of Brightwood, Memorial Square, McKnight, Old Hill, Six Corners, Lower Liberty Heights and the South End. In Holyoke, tracts considered in extreme poverty were bordered by Interstate 391, Beech Street and the Connecticut River. Local officials have cited the weak economy and job losses as reasons for these extreme poverty neighborhoods. The report noted that in the past decade, the Springfield Metropolitan Area has seen a 2% increase in concentrated poverty neighborhoods.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

Easthampton Savings Bank Surpasses $936M in Assets
EASTHAMPTON — At the end of the third quarter, Easthampton Savings Bank had total assets of $936 million, according to William S. Hogan, Jr., president and CEO. Assets were up more than $86 million from a year ago, an increase of 10%. Also, over the past year, total loans increased 8% or almost $49 million, an increase of almost $18 million over the last quarter. Total loans now stand at $635 million. Hogan noted that the bank’s deposit growth was more than $87 million or 13% from a year ago. Deposits were up almost $11 million for the quarter. Total deposits now stand at $755 million. “This past quarter has been another successful one,” said Hogan in a statement. “We achieve this level of success with exceptional employees and support from all of the communities we call home.” Hogan added that bank officials look forward to completing the year on an “up note” with strong performance.

Big Y Foods Opens
Store in Lee
LEE — Big Y Foods opened a 45,900-square-foot World Class Market at 10 Pleasant St. on Nov. 3, at the site of the former truck stop Diesel Dan’s. The new Big Y reflects today’s modern supermarket standards along with an in-store pharmacy, prepared meals section and eat-in cafe, according to store director Steve Gigliotti. Additionally, there is 5,000 square feet of retail space that is available for a future tenant. Cocca Development of Boardman, Ohio, served as general contractor for the expansion in conjunction with several local subcontractors for the completion of the $15 million development. Gigliotti and his team has hired approximately 150 employees to operate the store. The hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Big Y’s pharmacy will accept most major insurance plans and will be managed by Darice Taxter, R.Ph., along with John Graham, R.Ph. Wellness services include flu shots, total cholesterol and blood pressure, glucose and body fat and osteo with blood pressure. Pharmacy hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays. As part of Big Y’s grand opening celebration, the four schools in Lee each received $500 as part of the company’s longstanding commitment to education.

MassMutual Plans $1.33B Dividend Payout for Policyholders
SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) recently announced it has approved payment of an estimated $1.33 billion in dividends to eligible participating policyholders in 2012, an increase of $105.5 million over the prior year, representing an 8.6% increase. The annual dividend, which MassMutual has paid to policyholders consistently since the 1860s, is one of the key benefits of purchasing a participating policy from a mutual company that is operated for the benefit of its policyholders, according to Roger Crandall, chairman, president and CEO, MassMutual. “The value of doing business with a mutual company has never been more abundantly clear, and MassMutual is proud to deliver on that enduring value by continuing our legacy of strong dividend payouts,” said Crandall in a statement. “Our increased dividend payout in 2012 demonstrates our longstanding commitment to mutuality, financial strength, and those who matter most to us, our policyholders.” The total dividends for 2012, approved by MassMutual’s Board of Directors, include a dividend interest rate of 7.0% on all eligible participating life insurance policies. This announcement comes at a time when MassMutual maintains among the highest financial strength ratings in its industry and is reporting record levels of surplus ($11.2 billion as of Sept. 30) and total adjusted capital ($13.4 billion as of Sept. 30), which are key indicators of the company’s overall financial strength, added Crandall.

Carrazza Financial Merges with St. Germain Investment Management
SPRINGFIELD — Michael R. Matty, CFA, CFP president, of St. Germain Investment Management announced the merger of his company with Frank Carrazza Financial Planning. Frank A. Carrazza Jr. assumes the position of director of Financial Planning for the firm. He will oversee the financial planning services of St. Germain while continuing his responsibilities of managing client assets and providing financial and insurance planning advice to individuals and small business owners. Carrazza brings a broad range of knowledge and experience in areas of investments, income and capital preservation.  Since 1976, he has been an independent professional since leaving a senior position at IBM in Boston. As a financial advisor, he offered securities through Commonwealth Financial Network, a broker/dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. He has served as president of the Estate Planning Council of Hampden County as well as president of the Western Mass Chapter of Financial Service Professionals. Because of his expertise in financial planning, business succession planning, insurance and estate planning, Carrazza holds the following certifications: certified financial planner [CFP], chartered life underwriter [CLU], chartered financial consultant [ChFCA], accredited investment fiduciary [AIF] and registered investment advisor [RIA]. St. Germain is a privately held company specializing in investment management for individuals and institutions. Founded in 1924, St. Germain services national and international clients from two offices, one in Springfield,  the other in Hartford.

UMass Amherst Police Have New Station
AMHERST — The UMass Amherst Police Department recently conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new building at 585 East Pleasant St. At the ceremony, speakers included Robert C. Holub, UMass Amherst chancellor, Henry Thomas III, UMass trustee from Springfield, who represented the UMass Board of Trustees and the UMass Building Authority, and Johnny C. Whitehead, UMass Amherst police chief. During the festivities, the department opened the building for tours and had specialty units, including the police horses and motorcycle officers, available. The $12.5 million facility is located at the intersection with Tillson Farm Road, across from the Amherst Fire Department’s North Fire Station. The department began full-time use of the new building in April. The building, designed by the firm Caolo & Bieniek Associates, is also the first new construction on campus to meet leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) certification standards. Whitehead noted in a statement that the new station provides the department with all of the tools that a highly professional police force needs.

Center of Attention

By
Mike Crowley, left, and Bob Schwarz
Commercial Real Estate Sections
Holyoke Project is a Study in Perseverance

Mike Crowley, left, and Bob Schwarz

Mike Crowley, left, and Bob Schwarz in front of the Holyoke Transportation Center, a unique project that overcame innumerable hurdles.

The concept initially came together nearly a decade ago. It was a unique and ambitious plan — to combine a transportation center with adult basic education programs and a childcare facility — but it made sense on many levels. So much so, that the Holyoke Transportation Center was able to withstand myriad challenges, many of them capable of scuttling the initiative. The end result is what one of the private-equity investors calls “a one-stop shop to improve your life.”

Mike Crowley says that from a strict bottom-line perspective, the initiative that became known as the Holyoke Transportation Center never really made complete sense, and always came complete with a large amount of risk.
Indeed, when asked when and if this unique commercial real estate venture will become a financial success, Crowley laughed and then offered an expression that seemed to say, ‘who knows?’ — a reaction that essentially told the story. Well, not really.
That’s because this project was never about economics — or all about economics, said Crowley, a commercial real estate consultant, developer, and eventual partner with members of the Picknelly family and a host of public entities in this initiative that transformed the old central fire station on Maple Street in Holyoke into a transportation and education complex that those involved say should become a model for other communities.
Instead, it was about fulfilling a commitment made by Peter L. Picknelly more than a decade ago to create a groundbreaking public-private partnership that would blueprint and then build a unique facility that would become both a transportation hub and center for adult basic education programs — two passions for Picknelly, who was still conceptualizing the facility when he died in 2004.
And it was essentially the unwavering desire on the part of his son, Peter A. Picknelly, to honor this commitment that enabled the project to overcome a lengthy laundry list of challenges and the temptation on the part of any or all of the various players — the Commonwealth, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, the Federal Transportation Administration, Holyoke Community College, and other entities — to say that this project just wasn’t doable.
“Every time we were faced with a 10-foot wall with barbed wire on top, we somehow found a way get over it,” said Crowley, who has a number of successful real estate ventures, including several medical offices, on his portfolio, and has worked with the Picknelly family on several of its projects over the years.
He said the barriers in Holyoke were both bureaucratic — an inevitable scenario when one considers the alphabet soup of federal, state, and local agencies involved (from HCC to the PVTA to the FTA), as well as the leadership changes that took place within some of these agencies— and construction logistics he summed up neatly and succinctly when he joked, “they told us this building had great bones; well … they lied.”

The Holyoke Transportation project

The Holyoke Transportation project was a complicated endeavor that involved a number of federal, state, and local agencies.

Indeed, detailed inspections revealed serious problems ranging from asbestos in the flooring (originally thought to be concrete), removal of which added $500,000 to the pricetag, to greatly deteriorated steel under the main floor, where the weight of fire trucks and the corrosive effects of road salt took their toll.
Eventually, state funds were secured to cover some of the additional costs, imaginative solutions were found for each of the construction challenges, and the parties involved essentially drew their own map for navigating uncharted waters in the form of an unprecedented public-private collaboration to create the center.
“We were essentially paving new ground; this was the first joint-development agreement undertaken in the country under the new FTA rules and regulations,” said Bob Schwarz, executive vice president of Communications for Peter Pan Bus Lines, and an individual Crowley credited with keeping the project on the rails during the innumerable times it appeared to heading off the tracks. “So we had nothing to go on; no one had ever done this before; we were laying the road.”
And as result of all this imagination and determination, the participatinbg parties were able to cut the ribbon last fall on a facility that Picknelly says makes a great deal of sense for the community.
“It’s a one-of-a-kind concept that has received national attention,” he said. “The components come together naturally — adult basic education, transportation to take people to those programs, and a childcare center for those with children.
“This is a one-stop shop to improve your life,” he continued, referring specifically to the many programs taking place in the Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center, named for his father. “It’s a place where people can make connections that can change their life.”
For this issue, BusinessWest chronicles the Holyoke Transportation project, a triumph over adversity in many respects, and now a working model that other communities may be looking to emulate.

Route of the Problems
As Crowley retold the story of how the center eventually came to fruition, he said that by the time Picknelly called him in 2006 and asked him to get involved, the project had been effectively dormant for some time.
There had been a memorandum of understanding inked between the Picknelly family and the PVTA in 2003 that outlined the partnership and the main battle plan for building the center, said Crowley, and many additional partners, from HCC to Head Start, to the city of Holyoke (which provided the real estate), had come on board, and thanks to the ardent support of U.S. Rep. John Olver, the various components of the project, and needed funding sources, were coming together nicely.
“They visualized a multi-modal transportation facility that would link inter-city and intra-city bus services involving carriers like the PVTA and Peter Pan, that would provide superior transportations services for the people ot Holyoke and the surrounding communities,”Crowley explained. “But what they also recognized was an absence of critical adult basic education services in the community, and looking at the demographics, this was a glaring problem — the fact that none of these services were being provided in a cohesive fashion.”
“What Peter (Picknelly), Bob (Schwarz), and Congressman Olver realized was that many of the people who needed adult basic education needed transportation to those services,” he continued. “Further, they understood that many of them also had kids, and in most cases, couldn’t leave those children to receive these education services — so Head Start became another critical element in the equation.”
This apparently solid game plan gained the support of the FTA and the state Executive Office of Transportation), which together had committed grants covering two-thirds of the project’s cost, and HCC had agreed to become anchor tenant and provide the adult basic education services.
But due to a series of circumstances — from the death of the elder Picknelly, who was providing the private equity for the project ($1 million) to turmoil at the PVTA and a subsequent change in leadership at the agency — the ambitious plans had been effectively back-burnered, although certainly not forgotten, said Crowley.
Indeed, by 2006, the PVTA, then being led by Mary MacInnes and determined to upgrade its facilities in Holyoke, one of the larger communities served by the agency, generated some dialogue about getting the initiative back on track.
But the landscape had changed considerably since 2003, said Crowley, noting that by then, the commercial real estate market was booming and construction costs were soaring, which meant that that the agreements between the parties would have to be renegotiated.
“When I looked at the development proposal that Peter had agreed to, and looked at the agreements that Head Start and Holyoke Community College had agreed to as tenants, and looked at the agreement that the PVTA had, it was evident to me that the project was financially unfeasible, and I indicated that (to the younger) Peter,” he explained. “But Peter, who recognized and appreciated that this was one of his father’s principle goals in life — to create this adult basic education center — didn’t want to give it up.”
Fast-forwarding a little, Crowley said the various agreements with the parties involved were revisited, and those leading the initiative went to Olver in the hopes of securing additional funding from the FTA to cover those escalating costs; a revised budget from the architect had moved the pricetag from the $7.5 million in 2003 to roughly $9.3 million (for both the building and an adjoining parking garage that was never built).
However, by this time (late 2006), the country was starting to slide into recession, and the federal government was putting the brakes on a number of projects, including many that were transportation related. So the parties involved with the Holyoke project agreed to essentially move forward knowing that there was a significant funding gap, said Crowley, adding that this was only one many serious problems lying in wait for this initiative.
“There were a number of points in the JDA where I think all the stakeholders, at one point or another, and for various reasons, almost threw in the towel,” he explained. “It was a daunting, daunting process. There was a ton of agencies involved — at the federal level, the state level, the city level … it was incredibly complex.”

Miles to Go …
Meanwhile, close inspections of the old central fire station revealed that those claims of ‘great bones,’ were untrue, or at least greatly exaggerated, and this meant that the recently revised budget was certainly imperiled.
For starters, the building, vacated at the start of the decade but still used for some training programs, had been exposed to the elements for seven years before construction was due to begin. This led the developers to do their own structural and environmental analyses — earlier reports indicated that the building was ‘clean’ — that found a number of large and costly problems.
Chief among them was the asbestos-based coating on the floors on the second, third, and fourth levels, a material applied 70 years earlier. “Everyone thought it was concrete, and we planned to just skim-coat over it,” Crowley explained. “And there was no way to get it up, other than with jackhammers and hand demolition.
“We had two options — encapsulating it, or removing it,” he continued. “But knowing that we were going to have Head Start and their children, and knowing the level of traffic this building was going to get from the general public, we made the decision to remediate it in its entirety, and if we couldn’t remediate it, we were going to scrap the plan.”
A subsequent inspection revealed that the deterioration of the I-beams that were carrying the first floor was so significant that they would have to be replaced, adding another $250,000 to the project’s cost.
“So now, we’re $770,000 behind the 8-ball, and this is before we’ve gone to bid to find out what it’s going to cost us to do the building,” he went on. “So that delayed us probably four months, because we, as the private-equity investors said, ‘we’re not going forward this — this is crazy; there are just too many unknowns.’”
But eventually, the many delays in negotiating agreements, securing the needed funds, inspecting the building, and resolving construction issues, turned out to be a blessing, because the rapidly deteriorating economy served to bring down the constructions costs associated with the project — and in a dramatic fashion.
“In most cases, time is you enemy with projects like this; in this instance, it was our friend,” said Schwarz, adding quickly that even with the attractive bids that would eventually be recived, the project would likely have been scuttled if state legislators had not secured a $750,000 grant from the EOT to handle the asbestos-removal efforts and floor replacement.
Construction wound up coming in two phases — demolition, handled by Kurtz Inc., in Southampton, and then reconstruction, undertaken by Western Builders in Granby, a subsidiary of Daniel O’Connell’s Sons in Holyoke — and there were myriad challenges in both cases.
Indeed, demolition of the floors proved to be a formidable obstacle, said Crowley, noting that due the composition of the concrete under the asbestos coating (sand mixed with large stones), the demolition efforts left a scarred, pitted surface that “looked like the surface of the moon.”
Rectifying the situation would require roughly three inches of new concrete, he continued, but the structural steel wouldn’t support that much weight. So a silicon-based substance, five times more expensive than concrete, had to be used.
Eventually, officials at HCC were able to secure a $550,000 federal grant that effectively enabled the developers to absorb ballooning expenses from the construction challenges and bring the project to completion, said Crowley, who stressed repeatedly, that there many figurative 10-foot walls with barbed wire that appeared to be insurmountable barriers, but solutions were ultimately found.
As they provided BusinessWest with a tour of the center, Crowley, Schwarz, and George Kohout, who directs the System for Adult Basic Education Support (SABES) for Holyoke Community College, at the Picknelly Center, all implied on numerous occasions that the facility was certainly worth all the aggravation, and that the unique model is working as those who blueprinted it intended.
Kohout said there are a number of programs conducted on the third and fourth floors of the facility, involving a number of agencies, from HCC to the New England Farmworkers Council; from the HALO (Holyoke Adult Learning Opportunities) Center to the Community Education Project; from the Holyoke Public Schools to CareerPoint.
Together, these partners offer services that include English as a Second language classes, GED testing, MCAS preparation, career counseling, “fast-track math,” English writing and composition, and computer training.
The central location, coupled with the accompanying transportation and childcare elements, not to mention the modern facilities, have all contributed to high enrollment and attendance levels that are certainly not coincidences, Kohout continued.
“Attendance has gone off the charts,” he explained. “And part of the reason for that is that many of these programs have been offered in places like the basements of churches or in other buildings with used furniture; when people come here and see the modern facilities, the state-of-art technology, bright colors, and the clean walls, it really ramps up what we call their ‘persistence’ in classes.”
In the big-picture perspective, that’s a word that can be applied to every aspect of this project.

Passing the Test
Looking back on all that transpired since that conversation with Peter Picknelly back in 2006, Crowley shook his head and said, “had I known then, what I know now …”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was certainly clear enough, and if it wasn’t, he then made it so by adding, “was this a labor of love? Maybe, but mostly, it was a just a labor.”
And mostly because all the parties involved didn’t know then what they know now, this unique project was able to come to fruition, bringing transportation, adult basic education, childcare, and even a coffee shop, together in an historical and improbable setting.
And so, the Holyoke project has become a study in perseverance — in more ways than one.

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

Doing Business in: Hampden

By
Fred Shea
Features
Business Owners Here Say This Town Is Ideal

Joe Hickson

Joe Hickson enjoys working in Hampden alongside his wife and children — and often his grandchildren.

There’s no town water and no sewer systems. Yet, somehow, a business class has emerged in Hampden that echoes the words of one business person in town: “I wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else, really.”
Those are the sentiments of Rich Rediker, creator and owner of Rediker Software. From his large, contemporary clapboard structure he built behind Monson Savings Bank in the center of town, he joked that, to build such a building as his, “not many would make a business decision like this in Hampden.”
“When you get to a certain square footage, you need fire sprinklers,” he explained, “and as there’s no town water, we had to spend an incredible amount of money to bury a tank to keep the water pressurized. To build this building in this town was many times more expensive than anywhere else I could have gone — more than I ever could have imagined, but worth it.”
Pointing out the window to the woods in autumn colors, he added, “look out there at the view — we’re in a beautiful spot. I like it here. It’s home.”
Rediker Software is a pioneering leader in school administrative software, and when Rediker said he wouldn’t imagine putting his business in any other location, he wasn’t the only one in this semirural town of 4,000 of that mind.
Joe Hickson’s Private Garden, recognized across the continent as the resource for greenhouse and agricultural glass buildings that are, in his words, “the crème de la crème,” also makes the conscious decision to stay home, as in hometown.
“We’re not the cheapest, and, in fact, we’re the most expensive,” he said of the glass buildings his company has built to clients’ specifications as far away as Europe. “But if you want something that’s going to stand out and make you money, that’s what you get.”
Fred Shea

Fred Shea says people who work for him tend to stay with his company for many years.

Just across the road, yet a little closer to heaven, is Stained Glass Resources Inc., owned and operated by Fred Shea. He graduated with a degree in English back in the mid-1970s, but he was unsure about taking a job in the rat race. “I had done stained glass as a hobby previously,” he said. “Rather than work some job that I didn’t enjoy, I’d try my hand at stained-glass repair.” After a short while passing out his business cards to churches and private institutions, it wasn’t long before he established a reputation as one of the region’s leading restorers of this ancient art.
When asked why he chose Hampden as the place for his work and home life, he said it just happened that way. But, as the years passed, the town became the place he wanted to stay. “It’s not crowded, close enough to the city, suburban in some ways, rural in others,” he said. “It’s like being out in the country.” And that, combined with these companies’ reputations in the world beyond, makes doing business in Hampden continue to be the ideal place that they all choose to call home base.

Nobody Does It Better
Shea went on to say that he moved to a few different locations within town before finally settling in the workshop that now contains all operations for complete stained-glass restoration, from the smallest of windows to full cathedrals.
At the height of his business, there was another outpost in the Pittsburgh area and, adjacent to the building in Hampden, a full millworking studio. The economic downturn, however, dimmed those operations. “We were one of the three or four largest studios in the country, right around the time the economy fell,” he said.
Describing some noteworthy jobs that his firm has overseen, Shea described the restoration of a cathedral in Pennsylvania with windows all designed by Tiffany Studios, but also cited several projects in the Pioneer Valley, like all windows at St. Mary’s Parish in Longmeadow, and in Springfield, the Bethesda Evangelical Lutheran church on Island Pond Road and the brownstone Sacred Heart on Chestnut Street, to name but a few.
In the airy space behind his office, the colorful panels from a church nearby await restoration. Shea explained how the cames, the lead support systems, deteriorate over time, along with the waterproofing becoming brittle. From careful dismantling to repair to fabrication of new panels that are indistinguishable from the old, it’s all done in his shop.
Hampden will always be the home base for this operation that has a strong national presence and continues to thrive despite the hard economic reality faced by his clients. “Endowments have been destroyed by this economy,” he said. “Schools, chapels, universities — all completely dried up. You get in touch with your contact people at those places, and they tell you that we have no money to spend on this work.
“Stained-glass windows last around 100 years,” Shea continued, “and sometimes the deterioration can go from moderate to severe in the course of a decade. So people might be postponing it as long as they can; it’s not like plumbing or the roof, or if the organ doesn’t play, then you couldn’t hold services. If the window falls out, it’s still a discretionary purchase.”
He has faith, however, that the current financial climate will eventually improve. “As the economy picks up, I’m sure our business will also,” he said.
“We love what we do here,” he added, “and everyone who works here stays here for a long time — 10, 15, 20-plus years. We provide ourselves on providing the highest quality. There are others, two or three other studios in the country, who also do high-quality work, but there isn’t anyone who’s doing it better.”
Across the street, Hickson’s business has been built on that same business credo.
He and others in the office threw out some client names that would be familiar to readers of Architectural Digest. Private Garden has an exclusive contract with the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and is also responsible for the largest hydroponic tomato grower in the Northeast, with many acres under glass. He displayed some plans for another installation, called GlassPoint, which comprises 500 acres under glass with concave mirrors. “It’s like a magnifying glass,” he explained, “turning water into steam, pumping the steam into the ground, to liquefy solid oil in the Bakersfield oil fields.”
The business that became Private Garden has a backstory that exemplifies how Hickson has earned the reputation his firm has built over the past few decades. As the regional manager for a company that sold greenhouses 28 years ago, he admitted that, at that time, fresh out of a career in the National Park Service, “I knew nothing then about greenhouses.
“In the first six to eight months, we sold $1.5 million in greenhouses,” he continued, “but nothing was happening … we were getting deposits, but no work was being delivered. As it happened, the parent company went into Chapter 11 and told me that they weren’t going to perform. The customers that you sold to, they were done. That went against everything in my grain — I had made a commitment with these people.
“I left the company, and soon thereafter, they went into Chapter 7 bankruptcy,” he went on. “When everything of theirs was liquidated, I sat down with each of my customers, all throughout New England. I went to the auction and bought all of the materials I needed to fulfill all of those obligations. I was just a young kid at the time, 28 years old, with no substantial money, but we did co-checks with the owners, and after all was said and done, we were late with fulfillment, but we performed. And from there we never looked back.”
These days, Hickson’s wife, Kathy, and their children are all part of the family business, and that means his grandchildren are also part of the daily operations. That, he said, is what makes it all worthwhile. He agreed that the economy is tough out there for an industry like his — it is the construction business, and clients have just as much trouble with bank financing — but that staying close to one’s roots makes it all worthwhile at the end of the day.
“Let’s face it, it’s been a tough economy, and in my opinion, it has transformed the way people do business,” he said. “But the grandkids are here four days a week all over my office. How many owners of a business can say they love having the place a mess?”

Setting the Record Straight
Rediker said he has a long commute to work each day — if he rides his bike. “It’s only about 20 minutes, but then much longer on the way home. It’s all uphill.”
That last statement wouldn’t be used to describe his business career or the success enjoyed by his software systems, used in all but one of the 50 states and in 115 countries. And in true entrepreneurial fashion, it all began because he saw a need and invented the means to address it.
“I kid my customers that I was a chemistry teacher back when they were adding carbon to the periodic table of elements,” he said of his backstory. “Sometimes people respond by asking, ‘in the 1980s, you mean?’”
As a teacher in high school, he wrote a program to take attendance. “To make a long story short,” he explained, “it just expanded. I was the class advisor and responsible for kids’ tardy letters. I was keeping track of it with pencil on a daily list every day. I figured out how to do it a lot more efficiently, quickly, and I figured there had to be a market for this.”
There was, and continues to be. He was on his way the next morning to a month of meetings from Bangkok to Portugal, and he said that the company was branching out from primary- and secondary-school administrative software to admissions programs for schools, replacing the pen-and-paper method of the application process.
Of his modern, yet traditional headquarters in town, he told of the many features designed into the building, all specific to the needs of Hampden: a $50,000 natural-gas generator, the aforementioned water system, and the ‘cloud’ of servers on the premises for his worldwide clients.
“I could have built an ugly building here, but together with the bank out closer to the street, we made it look the same,” he explained. “We didn’t have to, but we wanted it to be an attractive corner in town. When you live here, you don’t want to save a few hundred thousand dollars and put up an ugly building.”
Meanwhile, just as important to his hometown is the ability to create much-needed jobs at a time when they are the foundation of every financial-recovery plan. “These are my friends and neighbors here, and if there’s one single thing that this country needs right now, it’s jobs,” he said.
Rediker Software continues to be a business with a strong market share, and is the largest employer in town. The man himself just smiled and said he’s happy to be able to continue to run his business.
“Many businesses like this end up selling out to a larger company,” he said, “and once they do, they’re owned by some giant investment bank; then you have to grow by so many percent every year. To me, if I don’t grow, so what? And yet, we’ve still been profitable for 31 years.”

Building Permits

By
Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of October 2011.

AGAWAM

Coopers Commons, LLC
159 Main St.
$77,500 — Interior and exterior renovations

Southgate Properties, LLC
830 Suffield St.
$200,000 — New roof and steel decking

Suffield Street Partners, LLP
62-64 Gold St.
$32,000 — Interior upgrade for warehouse use

CHICOPEE

Curry Realty, LLC
765 Memorial Dr.
$3,819,000 — Construction of a 12,454-square-foot addition and renovation of existing

Jeffrey J. Campbell, Inc.
649 Meadow St.
$21,000 — Storage addition

John Salema
751 Meadow St.
$85,000 — Renovate interior of sales area and restrooms

Main Street Property
340 McKinstry Ave.
$13,500 — Interior renovation for new tenant

LUDLOW

Oak Tree Inn
782 Center St.
$5,000 — New deck

NORTHAMPTON

Billmar Corporation
330 North King St.
$104,000 — Addition and renovations

Leachate Treatment Facility
170 Glendale Road
$30,000 — Mount radiator and reinstall engine

SPRINGFIELD

Diocese of Springfield
405 Boston Road
$148,500 — New roof

Humra Nseem
806 Main St.
$3,000 — Exterior repairs

Robert Flanagan
67 Allen St.
$42,000 — New roof

Mark Patel
154 Island Pond Road
$15,000 — New roof

Phoenix House of New England
15 Mulberry St.
$54,000 — Install replacement windows

SHA
20 Lafrance St.
$100,000 — Renovate community room at Moxon Apartments

Tom McCarthy
357 Cottage St.
$20,000 — Install 35 replacement windows and roof repairs

WEST

Aldo Bertera F.L.P.
40 Larone Ave.
$625,000 — Erect a 7,140-square-foot auto detailing shop

380 Union Street Inc.
380 Union St.
$105,000 — New roof

United Methodist Church
802 Main St.
$150,000 — Repair tornado damage

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of October 2011.

AGAWAM

Alex Zmaczynski
604 North Westfield St.
Alex Zmaczynski

Joan M. Luchini
299 Walnut St.
Joan M. Luchini

Sullivan Property Preserve, LLC
146 Adams St.
Alexander Sullivan

CHICOPEE

KNT Computer
1880 Memorial Dr.
Tue A. Bui

New England Blend
192 Montgomery St.
Richard F. Freitag Jr.

New Image Construction & Remodeling
17 High St.
Jeremy Dion

LUDLOW

Bernard Cabinetry
330 Ventura St.
James Bernard

Hair West Designs
322 West Ave.
Christine Peacey

Ludlow Travel Agency
176 Wenson St.
Maria Malaguias

NORTHAMPTON

360 Background Solutions
209 Cardinal Way
David Reinhart

Dan Gough Painting
69 Bridge Road
Daniel McGough

J.D. Powers Property Management, LLC
92 Glendale Road
David Powers

Pawjamas
557 Easthampton Road
Debra Wysock

Shiva Shakti Power Vinyasa Yoga
17 Strong Ave.
Brandon Compagnone

Silver Impressions
98 Pleasant St.
Anna King

The Taxi Inc.
One Roundhouse Plaza
Chester Krusiewski

SPRINGFIELD

5th Avenue Jewelry
1655 Boston Road
Hyun C. Kim

Adam Beshara Inc.
479 Breckwood Blvd.
Adam J. Beshara

Alice McGrath
52 Canterbury Road
Alice J. McGrath

BWF Inc.
354 Main St.
Joseph M. Pafumi

Byte Bak Computers
20 Dartmouth St.
Kimberly J. Gavin

Christian Brothers Builders
195 Arcadia Blvd.
Gary W. Pippin

Cotto’s Power Washing Inc.
16 Tyler St.
Alexander Cotto

Defy Dravity
1655 Main St.
Raul Roman

East Coast Advertising
106 Pasco Road
Jason Avezzie

Ebony Hill Web Design
111 Florida St.
Derrick A. Hill

El Mariachi Loco
607-609 Page Blvd.
Reyna Farnham

Envy Nails
1777 Boston Road
Loan Nguyen

Gamers Galaxy, LLC
494 Central St.
Otto W. Anthony

Le’Buddies Helping Hands
62 Whittier St.
Althea Carter

Lucky 7 Cleaner
1003 St. James Ave.
Young Y. Choi

WEST SPRINGFIELD

BCS Performance
161 Wayside Ave.
Jason Brazee

Bertera Flat
657 Riverdale St.
Bertera Foreign Motors Corporation

Debron’s Full Service Salon
242 Westfield St.
Deborah L. Scharmann

Law Office of Gerard B. Matthews
1252 Elm St.
Gerard B. Matthews

Montessori Children’s House
118 Riverdale St.
David Ruggiera

New England Estate Sales and Service
38 Neptune Ave.
Peter Zaitz

Online Fabric Store
333 Park St.
Mayer A. Kahan

Ralph’s Express
1900 Westfield St.
Ralph E. Figueroa

Red’s Towing and Service Center
1528 Riverdale St.
Gary B. Sheehan

Wag’n Tails Doggy Daycare
91 Westwood Dr.
Marylynn C. Murray

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

Mercy Joins HNE’s Medicare Advantage Provider Network
SPRINGFIELD — Health New England (HNE) recently announced that Mercy Medical Center has become a part of its Medicare Advantage provider network. Any HNE member, regardless of product, can now access the services available at Mercy Medical Center. The hospital and physicians of the Sisters of Providence Health System (SPHS), which Mercy is a part of, have been in HNE’s commercial and Mass Health product networks for several years, and HNE is the health-insurance provider for the employees of SPHS. “HNE is excited about the extension of our partnership with SPHS,” said Peter Straley, HNE president and CEO. “We know that one of the most important components of any health-insurance product is the network of hospitals and physicians available to the members. This addition to our Medicare Advantage provider network enables us to be a viable option for all Medicare beneficiaries in our region.” Daniel Moen, SPHS president and CEO, echoed those sentiments. “Mercy Medical Center welcomes this opportunity to further our relationship with HNE,” he said. “Mercy’s participation as a member of the HNE Medicare Advantage provider network ensures that Medicare beneficiaries in our region are able to access the high-quality, high-value care at Mercy, no matter which Medicare plan they choose for health care coverage.”

Hampden Bank Offers Second Chance Mortgage
SPRINGFIELD — Hampden Bank has announced the availability of a new mortgage product specifically designed for those whose credit has been adversely affected by the recession. Robert Michel, senior vice president of retail lending, noted that the Second Chance Mortgage is a viable solution for those deemed ‘not bankable’ during these difficult economic times but who are working conscientiously to rebuild their credit. “Whether it’s directly due to the recession, job loss, bankruptcy, reduction of income, or other life events, such as divorce or illness, we know there are many good, hardworking people out there who, for one reason or another, have taken a serious hit in recent times,” he said. “We also know that many of these same people have been working hard to re-establish their credit, and we feel they at least deserve a second look and perhaps a second chance.” Michel added that the Second Chance Mortgage “could be the solution to get them back into home ownership.” Specific underwriting criteria must be met, and qualification will be determined on a case-by-case basis, with previous strong credit history and current ability to repay being major considerations.

Monson Savings Bank Wins SBA Award
MONSON — The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced that Monson Savings Bank has won the Lender of the Quarter Award for the third quarter of fiscal year 2011. The award was given to the bank in recognition of its “excellent” SBA activity for the quarter, according to Steven Lowell, president of Monson Savings. The bank had six SBA loan approvals from April 1 through June 30, which ranked it in the ‘Top 15 SBA Lenders in the State’ category. Additionally, the bank tripled its overall SBA activity since 2010 with 18 loans through the first three quarters of the SBA fiscal year. “We are very pleased to be able to help so many customers by leveraging the SBA lending programs,” said Lowell. “I’m not surprised we are ahead of so many larger banks statewide in this arena, because we specialize in working with small and mid-sized businesses.”

Companies Partner to Provide Cobiax Product for Miami Art Museum
LUDLOW — Meredith-Springfield Associates Inc. recently announced its partnership with Barker Steel, LLC to provide high-tech materials for the new, $220 million Miami Art Museum (MAM). Meredith-Springfield is a plastic-extrusion blow-molding manufacturing and engineering company that manufactured thousands of spheres from recycled plastic which were set into steel wire cages for Barker Steel, the licensed distributor for the Cobiax voided concrete system, headquartered in Milford. The wire cages and spheres were shipped in tower-crane-ready bundles for use in concrete slabs in the construction of the MAM. With Cobiax building units, the building slabs are up to 35% lighter than solid flat concrete slabs, and present up to 15% less load on foundations, which allows increased freedom for structural conception. “This type of building system also allows for up to 20-meter spans with no obstructing beams, which amounts to 40% fewer columns,” said Mel O’Leary, president and CEO of Meredith-Springfield. “By using spherical-resin products, strategically encased in concrete with reinforcing steel, one can leave out as much concrete as possible while maintaining the full flexural strength of the slab and allowing a biaxial load transfer. The result is overall weight reduction, increased seismic performance, cost reduction, and environmental sustainability.” The MAM design involves large spans of floor and ceiling without the typical number of columns so that the view from sea to land or vice versa is not completely obstructed. The museum building itself, totaling 120,000 square feet at the core, includes a wide stair connecting the platform to the sea and a promenade. The hanging gardens from ceiling to floor are not interrupted by numerous columns, and the building becomes part of the shoreline and helps visitors gradually transition from Miami’s tropical climate to the museum’s more regulated interior.

Study Rates MassMutual #1in Satisfaction
SPRINGFIELD — In Boston Research Group’s 2011 Defined Contribution Plan (DCP) Retirement Advisor Satisfaction and Loyalty Study, MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division earned the number-one overall satisfaction rating from retirement-plan advisors among all 17 record keepers in the study. MassMutual scored 13 points higher than its nearest competitor and 28 points above the industry average overall. MassMutual placed in the top quartile in every category ranking and garnered the most number-one ratings among all record keepers in the study, clinching the top rating in each of the following: overall satisfaction, wholesaler accessibility/availability, wholesaler expertise in the retirement services industry, thought leader in the 401(k) industry, partners with you (advisor) for success, marketing assistance (proposals, presentations, seminars), internal wholesaler ability to resolve problems, and making it easy to do business with them. The nationwide survey of retirement advisors was conducted from February to April 2011, and the results of the recordkeeping portion represent 17 leading defined-contribution retirement-plan providers. Findings are based on the percentage of advisors who were ‘very satisfied’ with the record keeper.

Heart of the Matter

By
The facade of the soon-to-be-opened expansion along Chestnut Street.
Health Care Sections
Baystate’s Hospital of the Future Set for Spring Opening

The facade of the soon-to-be-opened expansion along Chestnut Street.

The facade of the soon-to-be-opened expansion along Chestnut Street.

Baystate’s quarter-billion-dollar expansion project, known since its announcement several years ago as the Hospital of the Future, is precisely that, creating new, cutting-edge space for the Heart and Vascular Program and the Emergency Department, yet reserving vast areas of shell space for future needs, which can often be unpredictable in the fast-moving world of health care. The project is on track for its planned 2012 opening; here’s a look inside.

When the Hospital of the Future opens to the public in March, only about half of the newly constructed building will be usable.
But without the hundreds of thousands of square feet of shell space included in the project, Baystate Medical Center might as well dub it the hospital of today, said Stanley Hunter, project executive. And that would miss the point.
“We call it the Hospital of the Future because we’ll be able to respond to the changing needs of health care in the coming years,” he said while taking the BusinessWest on a tour of the floors that will be bustling with patients this spring.
“The building itself is 640,000 square feet, which we’re fitting out in phases,” Hunter explained. “The first phase, just under half the building, will house our Heart and Vascular Program.”

Stanley Hunter

Stanley Hunter, outside what will eventually be the hospital’s new main entrance, says heart and vascular employees will start moving into the expanded space this fall.

The construction itself is within a month of completion, and patients will be able to use the facility in March, Hunter said. “The time period in between is for fitting out the building with equipment, training of staff, and Department of Public Health approvals in preparation for the opening. There are a lot of logistics to consider over the next four months in those areas.
“We’re excited that we’re on schedule,” he added. “We’ve always had that [March] date in mind, so it’s exciting that we’ll be able to keep to that. Construction started in mid-2008, and now, just over three years later, construction is still on track.”
What will follow, in late 2012, is the creation of a much larger, state-of-the-art Emergency Department in the new building, replacing a current ER that was designed to handle much less traffic than it does. Beyond that is deciding what will come of that aforementioned shell space.
But that’s a discussion for down the road. For now, Baystate officials are excited to unveil the results of this ambitious, quarter-billion-dollar investment in the hospital’s — and community’s — future.

Heart of the Matter
As Hunter walked through the new Heart and Vascular space — an ICU floor for more serious patients, two regular inpatient floors, space for outpatient procedures, and a spacious operating suite — he pointed out technology such as the large monitors that loom above the surgical tables.
“Recent technology has improved our ability to do procedures on heart and vascular patients, and that includes a lot of image-guided surgery, which is being able to see the images on the screens as physicians are doing the surgery itself,” he explained.
Most people, however, will first notice the patient rooms, all of them single-occupancy.
“Our current rooms are all double-occupancy,” Hunter said. “But studies show that single-occupancy rooms create an environment for better care and promote patient healing, so that’s going to be one large advantage for patients.
“There are also a lot more opportunities for family interaction with patients, family involvement in care, and making that transfer of care from the doctor and the clinical team to the family, so that when they leave they’re able to have a lot more insight into the care of the patient. There’s also a family area in each room, and family members will be able to stay overnight.”
The hospital is also installing the latest in telemetry and monitoring equipment, as well as the advanced electronic systems already in use to streamline drug prescribing and reduce medication errors.
Outside those hallways, Hunter said, “another thing we’re doing is remodeling the entry to the hospital. It’s sized and configured in a way that, when people come into the hospital, it’s a much clearer entry,” one that funnels patients from a central information desk to either the Daly building or the new structure. Parking has also been reconfigured, with much of Baystate’s north-side employee parking moved off-site to make room for more spaces for patients and visitors.
The second phase of the Hospital of the Future expansion, set to open in the fall of 2012, is a new Emergency Department.
“That was really a response to what our senior leadership heard from the community, from donors, and from staff — that the Emergency Department was greatly in need of upgrading,” Hunter said.
“We’ve been working with clinicians to design a contemporary space that meets the needs of patients,” he continued, adding that the hospital is also working to upgrade the technology and telecommunications systems used in that space.
“The Emergency Department will be three times bigger than it is now, with a dedicated children’s area and new trauma rooms where the most severe patients will be handled right away,” he explained. “The current Emergency Department was built in the ’80s for a much lower patient volume than what they’re experiencing now, so this will be built to the current patient volume.”
Baystate is still trying to determine what to do with space in the current hospital that will be vacated when the Heart and Vascular Program, ER, and other services move to the new building. In addition, the Porter building, which had been used most recently for administrative offices, was torn down to make room for the Hospital of the Future expansion, which looms over Chestnut Street.

Lean and Green
The new building is modern in more ways than one. In addition to how it meets the needs of patients, Baystate engineered several ‘green’ touches. Skylights will bring plenty of natural daylight to interior spaces, reducing energy requirements.
In addition, energy-efficient lighting will be used. Sensors will rely on daylight wherever possible, and lower lighting levels at night. Patient rooms and family areas will be located along exterior walls to maximize access to natural light.
Meanwhile, high-quality window systems will assist with insulation, and the building’s cooling and air-handling systems will be energy-efficient. Baystate has also scheduled large tree plantings along the main road and is constructing a green roof accessible at the third floor but visible from dozens of rooms on higher floors as well.
“It’s an outdoor space between the buildings with a walking trail and benches so that patients, family members, and staff can get outside and get refreshed,” Hunter said. “It’s an amenity to be able to get out there in the sun on nice days.”
Even for those rooms that only overlook the area, “it’s an attractive feature to look out on instead of having a black rubber roof,” he noted. “And there are also environmental aspects; it helps us with temperature control and water conservation, because we collect the water for irrigation.”
Hunter said the project has injected some green of another kind into the area’s construction industry, with between 250 and 300 workers on site daily — about 70% of them based in Springfield or the Pioneer Valley.
“We’ve been able to keep these jobs local because, especially in these times, we know there’s an interest in keeping work local in such an important project for the area.”
That work will eventually slow down, however, and a brand-new building will begin to fill with furniture, equipment, and hospital staff — and the future of Baystate Medical Center will begin in earnest.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Stories Worth Telling

By
Features
Region’s Business Successes Will Be Feted on Oct. 28

Formerly called the Fabulous 50, the Super 60 — a celebration of successful and growing businesses — has become an annual tradition in Western Mass. This year’s Super 60 lunch, slated for Oct. 28 at Chez Josef, will honor individual companies, but also recognize the diversity and vibrancy of the entire local business community — a worthwhile message as the economy continues its slow recovery.

Jeffrey Ciuffreda says the annual Super 60 luncheon is more than a recognition of individual achievement in business, although it is definitely that, too.
It’s also a celebration of Western Mass. as a whole.
“I believe this program is a great showcase of our region and truly shows the diversity of our employment base, our businesses, which is our strength,” said Ciuffreda, president of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, which sponsors the event. “The list of winners includes human-services providers, manufacturers, institutions of higher education, technology, environmental firms, insurers, and more.”
And that’s a positive message at a time when the economy continues to slog toward some semblance of forward momentum. The Super 60, Ciuffreda said, is an opportunity to honor some of the success stories being written across Western Mass. during these uncertain times.
For 23 years now, the luncheon at Chez Josef in Agawam has toasted the chamber’s top 30 companies in the total revenue and revenue growth categories (there are actually 53 businesses being honored this year, as seven overlap both lists). This year’s event is scheduled for Oct. 29, and will feature as a keynote speaker Paul Kozub, president of V-One Vodka.
“The two categories allow one to see businesses in a couple of important ways,” Ciuffreda said. “Revenue speaks for itself oftentimes in the size of a company or in its longevity. The Revenue growth category oftentimes includes newer companies who have solidified their base and are beginning to show real growth, or companies that have been around for some time and continue to do the right things and therefore grow in our area.
“The program has always been well-received and attended by more than 500 people,” he added. “Oftentimes the winners use this award in their marketing and advertising, and the public realizes the significance of it.
The companies being honored represent virtually every sector of the economy, from financial services to education; from human services to manufacturing; from health care to retail.
The top finisher in the total revenue category is Savage Sports Corp. in Westfield, followed by Springfield College (which made the top three last year as well) and Hannoush Jewelers. NUVO Bank & Trust, chartered four years ago, is the top company in the revenue growth category for 2011, followed by Convergent Solutions in Wilbraham (last year’s top growth company) and Samuel’s in Springfield. Those six companies alone demonstrate the diversity of the Super 60.
Average revenue for the top 30 companies in total revenue exceeded $28 million in 2010. In the growth category, the average growth for the top 30 companies was 23%, and half of them recorded revenue growth in excess of 30%.
The luncheon will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The keynote speaker, Kozub, is a classic example of the entrepreneurial spirit running through the Pioneer Valley. His father ran a successful family business, and his grandfather produced and distributed his own vodka during the 1930s. Inspired by those stories, Kozub started making vodka at home, visiting Poland several times to perfect the recipe.
Six years ago, V-One Vodka made its debut in 10 liquor stores and five restaurants. In the first year, Kozub spent all of his time visiting restaurants and liquor stores with samples of his product. Today, V-One is widely distributed and considered one of the top vodkas in the world.
Ciuffreda called Kozub “a businessperson who fits the mold of an entrepreneur and started his own company within the last 10 years and has met with great success, not just regionally but nationally and internationally. It is safe to assume that many of the award winners started as Paul did: with an idea, with a product, and with great determination.”
For more information on the Super 60 luncheon or to order seats ($50 for chamber members or $70 for non-members), call (413) 787-1555. n

TOTAL REVENUE

American International College
1000 State St., Springfield, MA 01109
(800) 242-3142
www.aic.edu
Vincent Maniaci, President
Launched in 1885, AIC is a private, co-educational, four-year institution in the geographic center of Springfield. Liberal arts serves as the core in all its academic offerings, and the college is organized into schools of Arts, Education, and Sciences; Business Administration; Health Sciences; and Continuing and Extended Studies.

Associated Electro-Mechanics Inc.
185 Rowland St., Springfield, MA 01107
(413) 781-4276
www.aemservices.com
Elayne Lebeau, CEO
Associated Electro-Mechanics Inc. is the largest independent industrial service center in the Northeast, providing industry with services that cover electrical, mechanical, machining, welding, and field services. Its multi-faceted field service crews and a staff of electrical and mechanical engineers complement the departmentalized staff operations.

City Tire Co. Inc.
25 Avocado St., Springfield, MA 01101
(413) 737-1419
www.city-tire.com
Peter Greenberg, President
With 11 locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire, City Tire offers quality tires from a number of top brands, while its service department specializes in alignments, oil changes, brakes, suspension, and more.

Delaney Restaurant Inc. / The Log Cabin
500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke, MA 01040
(413) 535-5077
www.logcabin-delaney.com
Peter Rosskothen, President
The Delaney House restaurant offers 13 private-themed rooms for any special occasion, with seating for up to 260. It offers two dining options — fine dining and the more casual Mick. The Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House offers quality banquet facilities for weddings, showers, anniversaries, engagement parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, business meetings, holiday parties, and more.

The Dennis Group, LLC
1537 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 746-0054
www.dennisgrp.com
Tom Dennis, CEO
The Dennis Group offers complete planning, design, architectural, engineering, and construction-management services. The firm is comprised of experienced engineering and design professionals dedicated to excellence in the implementation of food-manufacturing processes and facilities.

Disability Management Services Inc.
1350 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 523-1126
www.disabilitymanagementservices.com
Robert Bonsall Jr., President
Founded in 1995, DMS is an independent, full-service third-party administrator and consulting firm, specializing in the management of individual and group disability products. DMS is headquartered in Springfield, with an additional office located in Syracuse, N.Y., and employs more than 200 professional associates.

Environmental Compliance Services Inc.
588 Silver St., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 789-3530
www.ecsconsult.com
Mark Hellstein, CEO
For more than 25 years, ECS has specialized in environmental site assessments; testing for asbestos, lead, indoor air quality, and mold; drilling and subsurface investigations; and emergency response management.

Hannoush Jewelers Inc.
1655 Boston Road, Unit B7, Springfield, MA 01129
(888) 325-3935
www.hannoush.com
Norman Hannoush, CEO
Since it opened its first store in 1980, Hannoush Jewelers has grown its network to more than 50 company-owned and franchised locations throughout the U.S. The chain operates under a philosophy of family ownership and personal attention to detail, and boasts more than 400 professionally trained employees.

Insurance Center Of New England
1070 Suffield St., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 781-2410
www.icnegroup.com
Dean Florian, President
In operation since 1866, Insurance Center of New England Group (ICNE Group) is a locally owned, independent insurance agency, providing full-service insurance solutions for individuals and businesses. It operates six locations throughout Massachusetts.

Jet Industries Inc.
307 Silver St., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 781-2010
Michael Turrini, President
Jet Industries manufactures aircraft engines, parts, and equipment, as well as turbines and turbine generator sets and parts, aircraft power systems, flight instrumentation, and aircraft landing and braking systems.

The Gaudreau Group
1984 Boston Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095
(800) 750-3534
www.gaudreaugroup.com
Jules Gaudreau Jr., President
The Gaudreau Group is an insurance and financial-services agency serving neighboring families and businesses since 1921. It offers a consultative approach to assessing needs and risks and then offering a custom solution.

Joseph Freedman Co. Inc.
115 Stevens St., Springfield, MA 01104
(888) 677-7818
www.josephfreedmanco.com
John Freedman, president
Founded in 1891, the company provides industrial scrap-metal recycling, specializing in aluminum, copper, nickel alloys, and aircraft scrap, and has two facilities in Springfield — a 120,000-square-foot indoor ferrous facility, and a 60,000-square-foot chopping operation.

Kittredge Equipment Co.
100 Bowles Road, Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 304-4100
www.kittredgeequipment.com
Wendy Webber, CEO
Serving a variety of establishments and institutions for more than 80 years, Kittredge is a one-stop, full-service equipment and supplies dealership for the food service industry, with three showroom locations — in Agawam, Natick, and Williston, Vt.

Marcotte Ford Sales
1025 Main St., Holyoke, MA 01040
(800) 923-9810
www.marcotteford.com
Bryan Marcotte, President
The dealership sells new Ford vehicles as well as pre-owned cars, trucks, and SUVs, and features a full service department. Marcotte has achieved the President’s Award, one of the most prestigious honors given to dealerships by Ford Motor Co., on multiple occasions over the past decade.

Maybury Material Handling
90 Denslow Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028
(413) 525-4216
www.maybury.com
John Maybury, President
Since 1976, Maybury Material Handling has been designing, supplying, and servicing all types of material-handling equipment throughout New England. Maybury provides customers in a wide range of industries with solutions to move, lift, and store their parts and products.

Mental Health Association Inc.
995 Worthington St., Springfield, MA 01109
(413) 734-5376
www.mhainc.org
Linda Williams, Executive Director
The Mental Health Assoc. Inc. provides residential and support services to enhance the quality of life for individuals challenged with mental impairments. Affordable quality housing, advocacy, and public education are part of the agency’s dedication to empowering individuals to develop their fullest potential.

Rocky’s Hardware Inc.
40 Island Pond Road, Springfield, MA 01118
(413) 781-1650
www.rockys.com
Rocco Falcone II, President
With locations throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, the family-run business founded in 1926 is a fully stocked, convenient source for not only typical hardware-store items but also a line of goods for the home, yard, and garden.

Sarat Ford Sales Inc.
245 Springfield St., Agawam, MA 01001
(888) 254-2911
saratford.dealerconnection.com
John Sarat Jr., CEO
Founded in 1929, Sarat has grown to become the largest Ford dealership in Western Mass. The third-generation business sells a wide variety of new and used vehicles and boasts a 24-bay service center with a $1 million parts inventory, and has received Ford’s Distinguished Achievement Award for excellent customer service multiple times.

Savage Sports Corp.
100 Springdale Road, Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 568-7001
www.savagearms.com
Albert Kasper, President
Founded in 1995, Savage Sports Corp. designs and manufactures center-fire rifles, rim-fire rifles, shotguns, and muzzleloaders for the hunting and shooting sports industries. It also offers firearms, ranges, bullet traps, and accessories.

Specialty Bolt & Screw Inc.
235 Bowles Road, Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 789-6700
www.specialtybolt.com
Alan Crosby, CEO
Founded in 1977, Specialty Bolt & Screw Inc. is a distributor of innovative fastener solutions. The company has engineering resources on staff to help determine the optimum fastener for each application, and utilizes state-of-the-art technology along with more than 30 years of experience to help clients achieve their objectives.

Spectrum Analytical Inc.
11 Almgren Dr., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 789-9018
Dr. Hanibal Tayeh, CEO
For more than a decade, Spectrum Analytical Inc. has provided quantitative analysis of soil, water, and, more recently, air samples, as well as petroleum products. Consulting firms, industries, municipalities, universities, and the public sector are among the constituencies that make up the client list.

Springfield College
263 Alden St., Springfield, MA 01109
(413) 748-3000
www.springfieldcollege.edu
Dr. Richard Flynn, CEO
Founded in 1885, Springfield College is a private, independent, coeducational, four-year college offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs with its Humanics philosophy — educating students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.

Tighe & Bond Inc.
53 Southampton Road, Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 562-1600
www.tighebond.com
David Pinsky, President
Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2011, Tighe & Bond specializes in environmental engineering, focusing on water, wastewater, solid-waste, and hazardous-waste issues, and provides innovative engineering services to public and private clients around the country and overseas.

Titan USA Enterprises Inc.
140 Baldwin St., West Springfield, MA 01089
(888) 482-6872
www.titanman.com
Ralph Colby, CEO
For almost four decades, Titan USA Enterprises has served industrial distributors as a manufacturer of premium-quality, solid-carbide, high-speed steel, and cobalt cutting tools.

United Personnel Services Inc.
1331 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 736-0800
www.unitedpersonnel.com
Mary Ellen Scott, President
United provides a full range of staffing services, including temporary staffing and full-time placement, on-site project management, and strategic recruitment in the Springfield, Hartford, and Northampton areas, specializing in administrative, professional, medical, and light-industrial staff.

Universal Plastics Corp.
75 Whiting Farms Road, Holyoke, MA 01040
(800) 553-0120
www.universalplastics.com
Joseph Peters, CEO
Since 1965, Universal Plastics has been a leading force in the custom thermoforming industry. It specializes in precision custom thermoforming, a plastic-manufacturing process that converts a sheet of plastic into a highly detailed finished product with less tooling investment than other plastic molding processes.

Valley Communications Systems Inc.
201 First Ave., Chicopee, MA 01020
(413) 592-4136
www.valleycommunications.com
Edward Tremble, President
Valley is a diversified communications company serving New England with broadband TV distribution systems, satellite-dish installations, data and voice cabling, computer interactive whiteboards, data/video projection equipment and systems, videoconference room design, telephone systems, sound systems, security systems, and AV equipment.

W.F. Young Inc.
302 Benton Dr., East Longmeadow, MA 01028
(800) 628-9653
www.absorbine.com
Tyler Young, CEO
This family-run business prides itself on offering a variety of high-quality products that can effectively improve the well-being of both people and horses with its Absorbine brands.

Whalley Computer Associates Inc.
One Whalley Way, Southwick, MA 01077
(413) 569-4200
www.wca.com
John Whalley, President
WCA is a locally owned family business that has evolved from a hardware resale and service group in the 1970s and 1980s into a company that now focuses on lowering the total cost of ownership of technology and productivity enhancement for its customers. Whalley carries name-brand computers as well as low-cost performance compatibles.

YMCA of Greater Springfield Inc.
275 Chestnut St., Springfield, MA 01104
(413) 739-6951
www.springfieldy.org
Kirk Smith, CEO
The YMCA focuses on youth development, with child-care, educational, and enrichment programs; on healthy living, with programs in exercise, fitness, and nutrition; and on social responsibility, with scholarships and social-services programs. Also includes the Scantic Valley Y Family Center in Wilbraham.

REVENUE GROWTH

ABIDE INC.
P.O. Box 886, East Longmeadow, MA 01028
(800) 696-2243
www.abideinc.com
Frank Tilli, CEO
With more than 14 years of experience, Abide is an environmental contracting and restoration firm using the latest equipment and technology. It provides abatement services to remove environmental hazards, as well as general contracting services to rebuild and restore facilities following remediation.

Acme Metals & Recycling Inc.
64 Napier St., Springfield, MA 01104
(413) 737-3112
www.acmerecycling.com
George Sachs, President
For more than 70 years, Acme Metals & Recycling has been a leader in state-of-the-art recycling services,  offering consultations, on-site evaluations, plant dismantling, demolition services, and more. It also provides steel mills, paper mills, foundries, and overseas markets with valuable materials recycled from its facilities.

American International College
1000 State St., Springfield, MA 01109
(800) 242-3142
www.aic.edu
Vincent Maniaci, President
Launched in 1885, AIC is a private, coeducational, four-year institution in the geographic center of Springfield. Liberal arts serves as the core in all its academic offerings, and the college is organized into schools of Arts, Education, and Sciences; Business Administration; Health Sciences; and Continuing and Extended Studies.

Benchmark Carbide
572 St. James Ave., Springfield MA 01109
(413) 732-7470
www.benchmarkcarbide.com
Paul St. Louis, President
A manufacturer of carbide end mills and reamers, Benchmark (a division of Custom Carbide Corp.) sells its products to distributors throughout the continental U.S. and Canada. Its extensive line of products includes its best-selling aluminum series and its patented variable-helix end mills.

Braman Chemical Enterprises Inc.
147 Almgren Dr., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 732-9009
www.braman.biz
Gerald Lazarus, President
Braman has been serving New England since 1890, using state-of-the-art pest elimination procedures for commercial and residential customers. The company has offices in Agawam, Worcester, and Lee, as well as Hartford and New Haven, Conn.

Complete Healthcare Solutions Inc.
1497 North Main St., Palmer, MA 01069
(800) 250-8687
www.completehealthcaresolutions.com
Michael Penna, CEO
Founded in 1994, CHS provides affordable software solutions for small to mid-sized health care practices.  The company helps customers with electronic medical records, practice-management software, medical billing, document management, data security, and a host of other services.

Consolidated Health Plans Inc.
2077 Roosevelt Ave., Springfield, MA 01104
(413) 733-4540
www.consolidatedhealthplan.com
Kevin Saremi, President
Established in 1993, Consolidated Health Plans is a leader in providing third-party claims administration of medical, dental, disability, flex, accident, and life insurance programs for employees and college students throughout the country.

Convergent Solutions Inc.
9501 Post Office Park, Wilbraham, MA 01095
(413) 509-1000
www.convergentsolutions.com
Arlene Kelly, CEO
A health care billing solutions provider founded in 2006, Convergent Solutions provides hardware and software products that help eliminate human error in medical billing processes, thus helping bring down the cost of health care.

Dietz & Co. Architects Inc.
17 Hampden St., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 733-6798
www.dietzarch.com
Kerry Dietz, CEO
Dietz & Co. provides a full range of architectural services in the public and private sectors, including work in housing, education, heath care, commercial facilities, historic preservation, and sustainable projects. The firm seeks to bring the benefits of integrated design into all its projects, from individual buildings to entire neighborhoods.

Duval Precision Grinding Inc.
940 Sheridan St., Chicopee, MA 01022
(413) 593-3060
Ronald Duval, CEO
Since its inception in 1988, Duval Precision Grinding has specialized in precision grinding, metal coating, and engraving.

EOS/Proshred
75 Post Office Park, Suite 7401, Wilbraham, MA 01095
(413) 596-5479
www.proshred.com
Joseph Kelly, CEO
Proshred is a paper-shredding company providing secure on-site document shredding and recycling services for safeguarding private information, maintaining legislative compliance, and protecting public image.

The Futures Health Group, LLC
136 Williams St., Springfield, MA 01105
(800) 218-9280
Peter Bittel, CEO
The Futures Health Group provides special education and clinical services and management to 25,000 students and individuals. Bittel has more than 35 years of clinical and executive leadership experience in the areas of special education, rehabilitation, and developmental disabilities.

Gandara Center
147 Norman St., West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 736-8329
www.gandaracenter.org
Dr. Henery East-Trou, CEO
Focusing on the Latino/Hispanic community, Gandara Center provides substance-abuse recovery, mental-health, and housing services for men, women, children, adolescents, and families throughout the Pioneer Valley.

Kittredge Equipment Co.
100 Bowles Road, Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 304-4100
www.kittredgeequipment.com
Wendy Webber, CEO
Serving a variety of establishments and institutions for more than 80 years, Kittredge is a one-stop, full-service equipment and supplies dealership for the food service industry, with three showroom locations — in Agawam, Natick, and Williston, Vt.

Litron Inc.
207 Bowles Road, Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 789-0700
www.litron.com
Mark Plasso, President
Litron was founded in 1997 as a laser welding and laser systems company, but has grown to incorporate four distinct, yet interrelated, divisions: open-air laser welding, laser systems, microwave electronic packaging, and glovebox hermetic sealing. The company services the aerospace, medical, and industrial markets.

Marcotte Ford Sales
1025 Main St., Holyoke, MA 01040
(800) 923-9810
www.marcotteford.com
Bryan Marcotte, President
The dealership sells new Ford vehicles as well as pre-owned cars, trucks, and SUVs, and features a full service department. Marcotte has achieved the President’s Award, one of the most prestigious honors given to dealerships by Ford Motor Co., on multiple occasions over the past decade.

The Markens Group
1350 Main St., Suite 1508, Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 686-9199
www.markens.com
Ben Markens, President
Markens has guided hundreds of businesses toward excellence since 1988. It provides services in strategic management, profit planning, sales and marketing, mergers and acquisitions, and more.

Moriarty & Primack, P.C.
One Monarch Place, Springfield, MA 01144
(413) 739-1800
www.mass-cpa.com
Jay Primack, CEO
While audit and tax services continue to be a dominant aspect of the accounting firmís business, practice professionals also provide a wide range of services in the areas of tax-planning and tax-compliance services.

NetLogix Inc.
181 Notre Dame St., Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 586-2777
www.netlgx.com
Marco Liquori, President
NetLogix offers a wide range of IT services, including equipment sales; managed network services and remote monitoring; network design, installation, and management; network security and firewalls; disaster-recovery and business-continuity services; VoIP; wi-fi; and more.

NUVO Bank & Trust Co.
1500 Main St., Springfield, MA 01115
(413) 787-2700
www.nuvobank.com
M. Dale Janes, CEO
Chartered in 2007, NUVO is an independent, locally owned bank that provides loans, deposits, and cash-management services for both personal-banking and business-banking needs.

O’ConnelL CARE AT HOME & HEALTHCARE STAFFING
14 Bobala Road, Suite 1B, Holyoke, MA 01040
(413) 533-1030
www.opns.com
Francis O’Connell, President
For more than two decades, O’Connell Care at Home and Healthcare Staffing has grown to deliver the a wide range of home health care and staffing services across the Pioneer Valley. Services range from nursing care and geriatric health care management to advocacy and transportation.

PC Enterprises / Entre Computer
138 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 736-2112
www.pc-enterprises.com
Norman Fiedler, CEO
PC Enterprises (d/b/a Entre Computer) assists organizations with procuring, installing, troubleshooting, servicing, and maximizing the value of technology. In business since 1983, it and continues to evolve and grow as a lead provider for many businesses, health care providers, retailers, and state, local, and education entities.

Pioneer Spine & Sports Physicians
271 Park St., West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 785-1153
www.spinesports.com
Dr. Scott Cooper, CEO
The practice specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of neurologic and musculoskeletal disorders. While best-known for expertise in sports medicine and spine care, it treats a wide variety of conditions. In addition to routine non-operative care, the practice also provides the latest in minimally invasive and reconstructive surgery of the spine.

Robert F. Scott Co., Inc.
467 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow, MA 01106
(413) 567-7089
Leonard Rising III, President
Robert F. Scott Co. Inc. (known as Longmeadow Garage) is a locally owned and operated full-service gasoline and automotive service station. Its staff includes ASE-certified technicians well-versed in all makes and models.

Samuel’s
1000 West Columbus Ave., Springfield, MA 01105
(413) 732-7267
www.samuelstavern.com
Edward Grimaldi, CEO
Located at the Basketball Hall of Fame, Samuels is a sports bar that takes as its motto “It’s better to eat in a bar than to drink in a restaurant,” and backs it up with a menu strong on new American cuisine, seafood, tapas, and an extensive selection of wine and other drinks.

Sarat Ford Sales Inc.
245 Springfield St., Agawam, MA 01001
(888) 254-2911
saratford.dealerconnection.com
John Sarat Jr., CEO
Founded in 1929, Sarat has grown to become the largest Ford dealership in Western Mass. The third-generation business sells a wide variety of new and used vehicles and boasts a 24-bay service center with a $1 million parts inventory, and has received Ford’s Distinguished Achievement Award for excellent customer service multiple times.

Springfield College
263 Alden St., Springfield, MA 01109
(413) 748-3000
www.springfieldcollege.edu
Dr. Richard Flynn, CEO
Founded in 1885, Springfield College is a private, independent, coeducational, four-year college offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs with its Humanics philosophy — educating students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.

United Personnel Services Inc.
1331 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 736-0800
www.unitedpersonnel.com
Mary Ellen Scott, President
United provides a full range of staffing services, including temporary staffing and full-time placement, on-site project management, and strategic recruitment in the Springfield, Hartford, and Northampton areas, specializing in administrative, professional, medical, and light-industrial staff.

Valley Communications Systems Inc.
201 First Ave., Chicopee, MA 01020
(413) 592-4136
www.valleycommunications.com
Edward Tremble, President
Valley is a diversified communications company serving New England with broadband TV distribution systems, satellite-dish installations, data and voice cabling, computer interactive whiteboards, data/video projection equipment and systems, videoconference room design, telephone systems, sound systems, security systems, and AV equipment.

YWCA Of Western Massachusetts
One Clough St., Springfield, MA 01118
(413) 733-7100
www.springfieldy.org
Mary Johnson, Executive Director
The YWCA is a worldwide organization seeking to bring women of diverse backgrounds together to work toward a common vision of peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people. The YWCA of Western Massachusetts is a private, not-for-profit charitable corporation and a certified woman-owned business.

Lending a Hand

By
Westfield Bank President and CEO James Hagan
Banking and Financial Services Sections
Westfield Bank Keeps the Focus on Community

Westfield Bank President and CEO James Hagan

Westfield Bank President and CEO James Hagan

Westfield Bank has long embraced its role as a community institution, and it does so in a number of ways, from being a charitable force in the cities and towns it serves to promoting economic development through ambitious lending, and even bolstering ongoing improvements in Westfield by renovating and moving into a second building downtown. Overall, it’s been a good year for the bank, which continues to see its bottom line expand while making a difference in the lives of people whose year has not been so good.

Early in the year — well before the unexpected summer of storms in Massachusetts — the American Red Cross was soliciting donations for an emergency-response vehicle to serve communities in and around the Pioneer Valley.
“They came to us and talked about a particular need in Western Mass. — a medical facility on wheels,” said James Hagan, president of Westfield Bank.
It’s not an ambulance, he noted. Red Cross volunteers man this vehicle and use it to support disaster victims in several ways — for example, providing them with credit cards to help purchase food, clothing, shelter, and bedding, as well as temporarily housing and feeding disaster victims and volunteer responders alike.
“Volunteers go out, often in the middle of winter, with different provisions to help folks who may have suffered a fire or flooding from ice melting, that kind of thing, when they were out of their house and out in the cold,” Hagan said. “The Red Cross came up with a traveling medical facility which people could utilize to come out of the cold, have a warm meal, do paperwork, deal with their emotions, and have some immediate counseling, if you will — to let them know somebody cares about them.”
It was precisely the type of community need that appealed to Hagan and bank employees who make decisions about charitable giving.
“With the economic climate, the Red Cross was falling short with what they needed to secure the vehicle,” he explained. “We thought we should support them in this endeavor. They asked us to fund a certain dollar amount, and we said, ‘what if we just give you the rest of the money you need?’
“That’s just being part of the community,” he continued. “And we can make those decisions independently; we don’t have to go a board. We just said, ‘this is a great cause; let’s support it and get the vehicle on the road for them.’”
Obviously, the rest of the weather year — which saw everything from persistent ice damage in the winter to tornadoes and tropical-storm flooding in the spring and summer — demonstrated the need for what the Red Cross does, and Westfield Bank, like most of the area’s financial institutions, poured plenty of money into its disaster-relief work. In the case of the tornado, again, “we were able to act quickly,” he said. “Being a community bank, we can make those decisions right here in the office.”
It’s all part of being a true community institution, Hagan said, but that ethic goes beyond donating money to worthy causes. In this issue, we’ll examine how WB has strived to weave itself into the fabric of the cities and towns it serves, and how it’s marketing some innovative products to attract more business and remain a significant entity on the regional financial scene.

Stepping Up
According to Cathy Jocelyn, Westfield Bank’s marketing manager, being a community bank means actively working to improve the environment, economic and otherwise, in the towns under the bank’s umbrella.
To that end, she said, Hagan recorded a commercial with Westfield’s mayor promoting the massive town green project and other improvements that will benefit the city, targeted at residents who right now see only construction and traffic when they drive through downtown.
“And we put our money where our mouth is, too, when we opened our consumer loan center right here,” Jocelyn added. “We took a vacant building directly across the street from the bank and redeveloped the property. That helps with economic development in the business corridor. So, yes, we did the ad, but we also took a building; it wasn’t just lip service.”
The bank itself, while it hasn’t added any new branches in the past three years, is clearly riding high, with developments such as a $56 million increase in loans from August 2010 to August 2011, an 11.5% increase.
“That’s tremendous growth,” Hagan said. “We’ve seen growth in commercial real-estate loans and residential loans, and we’re still lending. We have a lot of capital — we’re extremely strong in terms of our capital base — and we’re looking for ways to deploy that in the community.”
While he credits the bank’s well-capitalized status, he says that success also reflects its simple position as a high-profile community lender.
“I think it reflects the fact that people are coming back to community banks,” he told BusinessWest, and moving away from the national institutions that were pummeled by the toxic-loan crisis of 2008 and 2009.
“People want to work with someone they trust in the local community,” he continued. “And we’ve worked really hard from a marketing and advertising perspective, and also created seminars for people to attend. We’ve gotten the word out that we’re ready and able to lend — it’s a combination of our strength and being in the local communities and having the positive reputation we have.”
Deposits tell a similar story, with volume up by $40 million over that same August-to-August period.
“One of the things we’ve done over the past year is, we’ve taken a look at all our products and services and repackaged them, and added some free products, so we can meet the needs of all customers,” Jocelyn said.
The bank has aimed many of its services at specific demographics; for instance, a product called WB 18-25 Checking is targeted to that age group and features free checking and savings accounts and rebated ATM fees. There’s also a basic free checking account, as well as the interest-bearing WB Investment Checking and WB Performance Checking, which adds a few extra services for customers who can keep a higher balance.
Mobile banking, accessible on smartphones and other devices, has taken off as well, Hagan said.
“I think mobile banking is great for the 18-to-25 generation, and we’re seeing a lot of activity from them,” added Jocelyn. “It can give them balance alerts; if their checking or savings account gets down to a certain amount, they get a text on their mobile device.
“It’s the wave of the future,” she continued. “People want to be able to see information very quickly. Instead of calling a number, they can check a mobile device to check their balance, or do account transfers if they’re signed up for that. We’re told that most banks have been slow to do this, but we’re putting so much energy into establishing relationships with people that age, and the results are starting to show.”
This emphasis on youth — from continued support of bank-at-school programs to teach financial literacy to kids to more ATMs at Westfield State College and American International College to make the bank’s services more accessible there — is part of an overall effort to attract and cater to younger customers and strengthen WB’s future.
“A lot of wealth is going to be transferred from the aging Baby Boomer population to the up-and-coming generations,” Hagan said, “and we want to make sure Westfield Bank has products and services to meet their needs as they continue to evolve.”

Hitting Their Targets
The bank’s specialized services continue on the commercial side, with accounts targeted specifically for municipalities and nonprofits, among other customers with specific needs. And the targeted products have paid off.
“There’s a comfort level in having their accounts here; it’s much easier to work with us than a large institution,” Hagan said. “Our commercial checking and consumer checking are up 18% combined; we’ve been able to grow in the categories we wanted to grow in.”
Meanwhile, the bank will continue its emphasis on community involvement, particularly focusing on education and youth development through its nine-year-old Future Fund. WB has supported organizations such as the Westfield High School band, the West Springfield Boys and Girls Club, East Longmeadow libraries, and other youth-oriented endeavors, as well as launching a scholarship program two years ago. This year, the bank gave out 10 such scholarships, covering all the communities where it has a presence.
As for its own future, branch expansion is always a possibility. “We’re looking at a number of sites as we speak, and we’re certainly looking to grow our branch network. There are a number of communities we’re looking at and evaluating,” Hagan said.
“The good news,” he added, “is that all community banks in our region continue to thrive and do well, and we’re proud to be a part of that.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at  [email protected]

Explore Your Options

By
Gary G. Breton
Banking and Financial Services Sections
Many Alternative and Supplemental Financing Sources Exist for Business

Gary G. Breton

Gary G. Breton

So, you’re looking for financing for your business to allow it to remain viable through these difficult and volatile economic times. But you find that all your traditional sources of financing have dried up. What can you do, and where can you look for such needed funding?
There are several non-traditional avenues of obtaining needed business capital that can be complementary to any existing financing that you may already have in place for your business. These alternative sources may include quasi-public bond financing, several federal and state tax-credit programs, and private financing. They each have certain advantages, but in order to receive them, you must relinquish something in return.
In the area of quasi-public bond financing, the Mass. Development Finance Agency (MassDevelopment) has a number of available programs that can be utilized to provide financing for both for-profit and not-for-profit business entities. For example, tax-exempt bonds, which are exempt from federal taxes and, in certain cases, state taxes, can provide the lowest-interest-rate option for certain types of projects, including real-estate development and new equipment purchases. In better economic times, these bonds were traditionally bundled into large-denomination packages and sold on Wall Street to institutional investors.
The more likely scenario in today’s marketplace is that such bonds would be purchased directly by your company’s current bank or possibly another area financial institution. The fact that the interest income received by the holders of these bonds is exempt from federal and (in many cases) state tax allows for a lower-than-market interest rate to be offered, which, depending on the amount of such bonds, can provide a substantial savings over the life of the bond.
According to information contained on MassDevelopment’s Web site, such financing must be eligible for tax-exempt financing under the federal tax code, which can include 501(c)3 nonprofit real estate and equipment, affordable rental housing, assisted living and long-term-care facilities, public infrastructure projects, manufacturing facilities and equipment, municipal and governmental projects, and solid-waste recovery and recycling projects.
Additionally, MassDevelopment has other available loan and guaranty programs, as well as specialty programs, that include financing for companies that either currently export or will be exporting their products or services internationally, and technology companies that may be commencing or expanding their business operations in Massachusetts; visit the Web site for further information.
A second alternative source of non-traditional financing is in the area of available federal and/or state tax-credit programs, which are available for certain projects and industries. For example, Low-income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) are dollar-for-dollar tax credits benefiting developers undertaking affordable-housing investments. This program was created under the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which provided incentives for the utilization of private equity in the development of affordable housing aimed at low-income Americans, and it accounts for the majority of all affordable rental housing created in the U.S. today. Tax credits are more attractive than tax deductions because they provide a dollar-for-dollar reduction in a company’s federal income tax, whereas a tax deduction provides only a reduction in its taxable income. In Massachusetts, LIHTCs are administered by the state Department of Housing & Community Development.
A second type of tax-credit program that has seen increased activity over the past several years is the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program, which was established in 2000 as part of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000. The goal of this tax-credit program is to spur revitalization efforts of low-income and impoverished communities across the U.S. The NMTC initiative provides tax-credit incentives to business investors for equity investments in certified Community Development Entities, which have a primary mission of investing in projects located in low-income communities. The scope of the NMTC program can include the development of projects that could provide funding for project components, including real-property acquisition, building construction, and machinery and equipment purchases.
A third type of tax-credit program, which has provided fertile ground for available alternative financing, is the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program, which has been the largest, most successful, and most cost-effective federal community-revitalization program in recent memory. It seeks to preserve historic buildings, stimulate private investment, create jobs, and revitalize communities. This program has leveraged more than $58 billion in private investment to preserve and reuse more than 37,000 historic properties nationwide since 1976. This program is administered by the National Park Service and the Internal Revenue Service in conjunction with the Mass. Historical Commission.
Each of the above programs can provide either needed alternative financing or real incentives that will attract the necessary funding to undertake various types of projects. These projects, by their very nature, will generate activity for a multitude of allied businesses, such as general contractors, subcontractors, equipment vendors, insurance agents, accountants, attorneys, appraisers, and so on.
Finally, a company can seek the infusion of private capital, which will generally be provided as a mezzanine-type loan or equity investment. Depending on the nature of your business, you can seek out and, in many instances, obtain a private investor or group of investors that will provide what is essentially a commercial business loan normally secured by a junior lien position on certain specific collateral behind the company’s primary senior lender. Since taking a junior position results in a greater degree of risk for such investors, the rates of interest charged on such credit facilities is generally higher than a commercial business loan from a conventional bank lender, and any applicable financial covenants are more stringent.
Alternatively, such a private investor may elect to contribute its funds by way of an equity injection into your company so as to provide additional working capital, in return for which the investor will require an equity/ownership interest in the company. This equity interest may require certain perquisites, such as a preferential return on its investment to be made prior to any distribution to the holders of non-preferential equity interests; or perhaps take the form of a stock option, which will allow the investor, in its discretion, to convert such options to an equity/ownership interest at a future date; or an option whereby the investor has the right to require the company to repurchase its equity/ownership interest at a time of its choosing, based on an agreed-upon repurchase price formula.
The bottom line in undertaking such private financing is that it traditionally results in your relinquishing a certain degree of sovereignty in your control of your company.
One final suggestion is that, while it behooves you to research and fully evaluate any number of possible sources of alternative financing, once you have determined which you feel would be most beneficial for your company, you need to ask for it. Many times, business owners are reluctant to initiate a request for credit based on what they perceive are insurmountable obstacles to obtaining a favorable response, when in fact many such alleged obstacles may be able to be satisfactorily addressed and overcome by working in concert with professional advisers who can provide you with sophisticated counsel and bring both creative and fiscally responsible alternatives to the table.

Gary G. Breton, Esq. is a partner with Bacon Wilson, P.C. and a member of its banking and finance department. His major emphasis of practice includes representation of financial lending institutions, as well as both individual and business borrowers. He also represents numerous business clients in startup and ongoing business operations as well as the purchase and sale of businesses; (413) 781-0560; [email protected]

A Green Report Card

By
Bill Woolridge
Green Business Sections
Initiatives Strive for Success Far Beyond the Classroom

Bill Woolridge

Bill Woolridge says the management curriculum at UMass has become more attuned to green issues.

As the chief coordinator of Greenfield Community College’s Renewable Energy/ Energy Efficiency Program, Teresa Jones told BusinessWest that these are exciting times to be in higher education.
Speaking to the ‘community’ component of her school, where she is also an associate professor, Jones said that “our economy in Greenfield and the surrounding area is a step ahead of many other areas with regard to sustainability and green thinking.
“But as an educator,” she continued, “I think the question I always go back to is, how does a community college contribute to job growth and economic development?”
GCC is one of the Pioneer Valley’s green beacons in developing student programs that strive for a role not just in the evolving green economy, but also in the much-needed pragmatism of job creation.
UMass Amherst has embraced sustainability on all levels, from the administration to the student body. The university has set a goal to become carbon-neutral by the year 2050, and over the last decade has reduced greenhouse-gas emissions by 30%. Within the academic departments, a notable example is the Green Building program in the Department of Environmental Conservation, which has been actively involved with students and the region’s construction sector.
At the Isenberg School of Management, Bill Woolridge is the chair of the Management Department, and he told BusinessWest how the class he teaches has evolved over the years to become more attuned to the changing priorities of green consciousness.
He carefully stressed the Amherst campus’s thorough approach to sustainability. But his department is aware of what he called “the bigger picture.”
“In most schools’ management curriculum,” he explained, “there’s that course that speaks to the role of business in the broader social environment.
“I hadn’t taught that in quite a while,” he went on, “and about six years ago decided that I would. As I started to become reacquainted with that material, I realized that addressing sustainable issues is really the challenge of the current generation of students.”
Keith Hensley

Keith Hensley says green-business programs, at their most effective, will drive job opportunities in the regional economy.

The area’s ivory towers don’t envision a role in a green economy that is relegated only to the classroom, however. At Holyoke Community College, Keith Hensley is the executive director of Workforce and Economic Development, and he has designs on nothing short of transformative educational roles for both the school and its students.
HCC has partnered with two organizations to broaden the school’s certificate and training programs within a green economy — with both real-time results for jobs in the marketplace and opportunities for businesses to embrace sustainable practices that also help the bottom line.
For this article, BusinessWest asked people within these schools to explain their own green report cards. Jones was speaking of her own school specifically, but could just as easily been including the goals of her colleagues at other colleges, when she noted that “GCC, above all, serves as a convener for the community. We bring together diverse interests, talents, energies, concerns, ideas, and insights.” It’s that type of thinking that’s making this green curriculum as successful in the job market as it is in the classroom.

Certifiably Green
Hensley said that HCC’s current roster of green programs took root a few years back.
“About two years ago, we partnered with the Hampden County Regional Employment Board,” he explained. “They had applied for a workforce grant from the state for energy conservation — for certain types of training, such as weatherization and insulation, solar-boiler technician training, and energy-auditor training.”
The projected outcomes for the grant were job placements, he said. While the school charted the most success of any institution in the Commonwealth also receiving those funds, “it still wasn’t as much as I would have liked to see.
“What that told us, when everything shook out, is that there currently are not enough jobs in those particular occupations in the state,” he said. “And what we did was take a look at the entire sustainable, energy-efficiency, renewable-energy field as it stands right now, and we homed in on a few things.”
The Green Communities Program, from the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs, strives for signatory cities and towns to reduce their overall carbon footprint. Among 72 others, Holyoke and Springfield have signed on. Hensley cited that legislation, as well as an overall environmentally minded population in the Pioneer Valley, as two factors in HCC’s redesign of its green programming.
“And we also looked at the economy as it stands right now,” he said. “Unlike other parts of the country, our manufacturing base is still there. So, with decreased product demand that comes from a bad economy, it’s pushing manufacturing employers to think innovatively, figure out how they can cut costs.”
To meet these needs, HCC has forged partnerships with two organizations: HospitalityGreen LLC, a New York-based consulting firm, and the Energy Conservation Training Co., which specializes in numerous aspects of professional training and certification.
With HospitalityGreen, there are four short yet intensive courses: “Green Facilities Training for Managers,” “Introduction to Green Purchasing,” “Getting to Sustainability Through Changes in Waste Contracting,” and a “Green Custodial and Janitorial” course.
“Participants get a ton of online tools when they go back to their own facilities,” Hensley added. “And we also advise them on how to approach owners and managers of the company, to get their suggestions through.”
Also with HospitalityGreen are two full-day classes for the restaurant and hospitality industries. A core of information will tell participants what it means to be green, and how sustainability affects business.
“The attendees from the companies will get a few days of training, and they go back out to their employers and start doing their audit,” he said. “The bottom line here is to save the businesses money, but also to get a designation as a green restaurant or a green hotel. That has huge implications, especially in this area, where people are environmentally conscious.”
With ECONTC, Holyoke Community College has implemented a series of courses for the building trades. Using metrics set by the Building Performance Institute, a national organization for energy-efficient standards, the classes include “BPI Building Analyst/Envelope Training,” “BPI Heating Professional Training and Certification,” and “Residential Energy Services Network and Home Energy Rating Systems Rater Training and Certification.”
“For all this new programming,” Hensley said, “our mission is twofold. It’s to help companies save money, or make more money, in the case of green-lodging and green-restaurant certification. We expect that those companies who get certified will get more business. And on the other hand, it’s to help companies and homeowners who will be impacted by these trained people, to be included in what it means to be a green community in this region.”

Talkin’ ’bout an Evolution
Back in the 1970s, Woolridge said, when he was the age of his students now, environmental issues were an academic niche in business schools.
“We would talk about EPA rules and so forth,” he said. “It was seen as a compliance issue — an obligation. One of the costs of doing business was to adhere to these government strictures. But that has all moved to the front burner. It’s something we can’t put off anymore.”
Meanwhile, the class he has been teaching is constantly evolving. “The way I teach the course, and the way many others around the country do, is that it’s more an opportunity than an obligation,” he explained. “This is a challenge for this generation and the next generation of business leaders as to what is going to fuel economic growth over the next decades — solving our social and environmental problems on a global scale.”
When asked the name of the class, Woolridge laughed. “Even that’s in flux. It has officially this year been called ‘Social Responsibility and Sustainability.’ This semester on the syllabus, I’m tweaking it, though, looking for the right label. Some of us are calling this ‘Sustainable Enterprise.’
“It has some historic analysis,” he explained, “but it has more of what I would call an examination of sustainable business practices. We use something known as the Socrates database that has 2,500 large businesses profiled, and they have done pretty comprehensive analysis in many areas, particularly with regard to the natural environment, social issues, their governing structures, and so forth. So we look there to get a sense of how industries are doing, relative to these dimensions, and how specific businesses within those industries are doing.
The other important component in the class is to identify the business opportunities presented by these challenges, he added. “This is the challenge for the next generation of business leaders.”
Ideally, Woolridge envisions a certificate program in the undergraduate Business school for Sustainable Practices. “Fairly soon,” he said. “Maybe at the beginning of the next academic year.”
Add to that a class in social entrepreneurship. “This concept is generally about creating new enterprises to solve social issues. Overall, our goal here is to give students perspective, skills, and, for those students going on to small business or entrepreneurship, a sense of the opportunities that do exist.”
UMass Amherst has the critical mass of demand for classes in this field, he said, and a labor market which will support this in future job placements. “It’s impossible to quantify in any real numbers,” he said, “but I know, if we build it, they will come.”

Community Action Plan
An important aspect of GCC’s green classwork translating into actual jobs, Jones said, is that those same employers were part of the original team helping to create the program.
The RE/EE Program at GCC originally started as a $372,000 Workforce Competitive Trust Fund grant, in partnership with the Franklin/Hampshire Regional Employment Board. However, more than 40 regional organizations, from nonprofits to small businesses, also collaborated on the course design for certificate and degree programs.
“The businesses know the program intimately, but also the people that are coming through it,” she explained. “My husband is a small-business owner, and I know for a fact that this is absolutely critical. Here, a business knows who they’re getting, what they know academically, and what their capacities are. A lot of businesses in our area are pretty small, so in the hiring of even one employee, you want to make sure that the match is pretty good.”
Jones cited two examples of substantial outcomes from the GCC program. NorthEast Solar Design Associates in Hatfield started out, she said, with “a really smart husband-and-wife team.” They were one of the businesses involved in developing the school’s curriculum and, in short time, hired students from the program. In the last five years they have expanded to six full-time workers.
“Prior to their involvement here,” Jones said, “they were an established solar company, but not really growing. They are doing major commercial photovoltaic installations. And when in short time you grow to six employees, that is huge growth for a small company. Even though it may be small for some people, this amounts to a massive repositioning of their company.” And the business is expected to hire three more in the near future.
Another key partner with GCC has been the 82-year old Sandri Companies, based in Greenfield. A number of GCC students have gone on to work for Sandri, and Jones cited the company as an example of keeping up with the changing face of a traditional industry.
“They are adding whole new divisions to their enterprise, from wood-pellet burners, weatherization, and solar to energy audits,” Jones explained. “When a company of their size looks into the future to determine how they will continue to stay relevant, this is how you do it. You bring people into your company who know these technologies. You don’t just pay lip service, but get people who can manage these technologies and continue to expand your market.”
And that same logic, she said, applies to her department at GCC. “As we head into the future, it’s a much broader market than I think anyone could have thought.”
Expanding on the role her school plays in the realm of sustainable practices and green initiatives, Jones gives GCC good marks. But the work continues to evolve, and to stay successful and viable in the unfolding green economy, schools need to be as responsive as the business community.
“We listen for where there are places we might contribute directly, for ways that our faculty, staff, and administration can catalyze the creative and entrepreneurial energy that resides in our region,” she said. “Our program is a reflection of that vibrant energy, and continues to respond and change with the rapidly emerging green industries of the 21st century.”

Greener Pastures

By
Green Business Sections
In Its New Home, EcoBuilding Bargains Models Its Mission

For the past decade, the ReStore has been an increasingly popular source of recycled building materials, saving money for professional contractors and do-it-yourselfers alike, all while easing the burden on landfills. The store, now renamed EcoBuilding Bargains, has outgrown that space and will soon move into a much larger building nearby. And the way that structure is being renovated provides an effective case study in the value of green construction and energy efficiency.

John Majercak wants to lead by example.
And when EcoBuilding Bargains — formerly the ReStore — opens its vastly expanded retail center in Springfield later this fall, he’ll have the ideal showcase to demonstrate how homeowners and contractors can make profitable use of recycled materials and save money through energy efficiency.
Because that’s how the new store is being built.

The building in question — a century-old structure on Warwick Street that was originally home to the National Biscuit Co., then Steiger’s, and most recently a warehouse for Kavanagh Furniture — is being expanded and renovated from top to bottom, eventually tripling the retail space of the ReStore’s original Albany Street site and quadrupling its total area.
“When we purchased this property,” said Majercak, executive director of the Center for EcoTechnology in Northampton, which operates EcoBuilding Bargains, “we undertook an environmental remediation process. It was built at a time when energy costs were not a big deal, but were an afterthought. Now, it’s a modern building that’s going to use, by the time we’re done, about a third of the energy a building this size would normally use.”
That feat will be accomplished with an array of improvements — encompassing roofing and siding materials, insulation, and the systems that heat, cool, and illuminate the space — that promote cost savings through energy efficiency. Those strategies, combined with the copious use of recycled materials throughout the building, effectively turn it into an educational model of the store’s very mission.
At the Center for EcoTechnology, a 65-employee, 35-year-old nonprofit that provides practical solutions for going green at home and work, “our motto is, ‘we make green make sense,’” Majercak said. “And this is one example of that. By lowering our own operating costs and teaching people who come through here why we made these green improvements — and what they can do in their own homes — we’ve made this a teaching store as well.”

Do It Yourself

John Majercak

John Majercak says the store will be lined with cutting-edge insulated panels that seal in air, one of many facets of the building’s energy retrofit.

In the decade since it opened, the ReStore — which, at its core, trades in recycled building materials, with the twin goals of saving contractors and do-it-yourselfers money and reducing the burden on landfills — has become increasingly popular, to the point where it has outgrown its space on Albany Street.
“The store sells low-cost building materials so people can fix up their homes,” Majercak said. “We get all kinds of stuff from other people’s homes and remodeling jobs; they donate it or hire us as a contractor to do the deconstruction ourselves.
“Over the years, we’ve just seen an incessant demand for what we do,” he continued. “Our store is now so stuffed, you can barely walk through. We know we can serve more people in a bigger facility and do more of our mission. Customers are going to be much better served by this building, which will have more parking and wider aisles. And with a new, computerized inventory system, we know what we have; it’s much easier for the customers and donors who work with us.”
The efficiency improvements — part of a $900,000 energy retrofit, a significant portion of the total $3.1 million project cost — begin on the exterior of the building, including a white roof to deflect heat and insulated panels lining the building that interlock in a way that seals out all air leakage. EcoBuilding Bargains will also “superinsulate” its roof, Majercak explained, using insulation donated from MassMutual when that company installed a solar array on its roof.
“They took their old insulation off because they needed to use a different system, but it’s fine, and they donated that to us, saving us at least $40,000 in insulation costs, and it’s helping us save a lot of energy,” he said. “There are all kinds of different details that all tie together to make the building really well-insulated.”
In addition, the 3 million-BTU, oil-fired boiler in the basement is being replaced with a 500,000-BTU gas unit, while infrared tube heaters located throughout the structure will heat building occupants but not the air.
“Say you’re in the sun, with the radiant heat — that’s what this feels like, the sun hitting you,” Majercak said. “For a big, open space, it’s very efficient because it allows the air temperature to be lower even though you feel comfortable. And in the offices, we’re using heat pumps to take advantage of the difference between outside and inside air.”
That model of efficiency extends to lighting as well; much of the store will feature sensor-controlled lights that maintain a low level when no one is around them, but become brighter when someone walks in. “That saves energy, too,” Majercak said.
In addition, “we’re using reused materials everywhere — we reused timbers, sliding glass door panels, the flooring is recycled … these are all examples of reuse, and that’s what we’re all about.”
The goal, besides reducing costs while greatly expanding floor space, is to demonstrate the types of changes people who visit the store can make in their own homes.
“It’s been a lot of fun, actually,” Majercak said. “We can walk around and talk to people and show them it is possible, and there are benefits to it. We use household examples, too — no one uses infrared tube heaters, but for homeowners, we have workshops and examples of products they can use in their homes, as opposed to stuff used at the commercial level.”

Dollars and Sense
The simple fact that the ReStore needed a new home testifies to the growing popularity of its ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ model.
“People who shop here do so because of the great deals, or they believe in the mission of keeping stuff out of landfills, or both,” Majercak said. “When we opened this up 10 years ago, there were maybe a dozen or two stores like it in the country. There are about 800 now, and we have our own association; I’m on the board of it.
“It just makes sense on so many levels,” he continued. “People — we Yankees, especially — are frugal and don’t want to throw something out if someone else wants to use it, but they also don’t want it sitting around their basement, either. What’s caught on is the whole concept of going green and the fact that there are societal benefits to doing those things. That’s exciting to me because, at the Center for EcoTechnology, we have a host of green services we can offer people, and now we can showcase them and tell people about them using this facility.”
Majercak expects the business to continue to grow, both through public awareness of the store and in its deconstruction efforts, which have “really taken off” in recent years.
“We’ve worked with Kent Pecoy, R.J. Chapdelaine, Dan Roulier, and some the other big builders around the area. They’ve used us for deconstruction, and we’re working throughout Southern New England and New York now, doing jobs,” he told BusinessWest.
“I think it’s something whose time has come. People shouldn’t just crunch up their house and throw it away. That’s catching on, and will be a big source of material for us over the next couple of years.”
EcoBuilding Bargains is reaping more than just new business, however. About one-third of the $3.1 million building rehabilitation is being funded by a capital campaign, while another third has come in the form of a low-cost mortgage from Westfield Bank; government funding covers a little less than one-third as well.
“The amount of support we’ve gotten to do this project is pretty phenomenal,” Majercak said. “We’ve always tried to operate this store as a self-sufficient nonprofit, so we can cover our costs through the revenue we generate.”
In addition to the capital-campaign support, “a number of businesses have contributed monetary resources or products or in-kind services — lawyers, architects, all kinds of vendors,” he noted. “All the gas pipe was donated from local pipe suppliers. People have been very kind and very supportive.
“When we knew we were going to expand,” he continued, “we chose purposely to stay in Springfield because this is our target market, and it’s also mission-consistent to fix up an older building — but also because we have such great support from the community, the government, and residents. It’s just a great place to do business.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Time is Money

By
Environment and Engineering Sections
Environmental Compliance Can Come at a Steep Price

John Prenosil

Massachusetts has adopted numerous laws and regulations to protect the quality of its natural resources. These laws provide a baseline of protection and are bolstered by municipal regulations that provide supplemental protection to state laws.
I think we all agree that environmental protection is paramount. However, this protection often comes at a significant monetary cost. Why? Compliance with environmental laws and regulations can require a significant outlay of capital and time and is reflected in the price of land. It is the role of the land-development consultant to address these laws and regulations and assist developers through the permitting process.
This article is not meant to suggest that environmental laws should not be levied or provide less protection, and does not provide a comprehensive outline of environmental regulations. It should provide, however, a basic primer on typical environmental-development constraints and their respective roles in driving up land-development costs.
Let’s consider a theoretical parcel of land purchased by XYZ Land Development. XYZ believed it could save money and decided not to hire a land-development consultant prior to purchasing its parcel. XYZ purchased an exceptional parcel encumbered by a slew of environmentally related development issues. The parcel is interspersed with wetlands, located within an area identified by the Commonwealth as containing rare species, located predominantly within the 100-year flood plain of a nearby river, and is downgradient from a gasoline-storage facility. If we consider an identical parcel of land without these issues, you will see how these constraints drive up the development costs for this parcel.

Wetlands
Wetlands in Massachusetts are protected under the state’s Wetlands Protection Act and, in many cases, by additional municipal bylaws. Municipal bylaws are more restrictive and often impose no-build zones and/or additional requirements beyond the Wetlands Protection Act. Let’s assume our parcel is also subject to a municipal wetland bylaw that stipulates a 50-foot no-build zone from wetland boundaries.
By the time XYZ hired a consultant to identify wetlands on the property, leaves had fallen, and most vegetation was dead. Let’s assume it’s late November. Although a competent wetland scientist can identify the edge of most wetlands in late November, most conservation commissions require wetland boundaries to be verified when vegetation is actively growing. It should be noted, however, that certain types of wetland boundaries cannot be accurately identified without vegetation. And yes, you guessed it: the wetlands on our parcel can’t be accurately identified without vegetation.
Because identifying accurate wetland boundaries is one of the first critical steps in developing the parcel, XYZ must now wait at least five months before an accurate and defensible wetland boundary can be determined. Wetland issues (assuming the regulating agencies have no other concerns) have cost XYZ at least an additional five months of wait time, carrying costs, and potential lost revenue.

Rare Species
Concurrent with preliminary identification of wetland boundaries, the consultant filed an information request with the Mass. Natural Heritage Program (NHESP), the state agency tasked with enforcing the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. A response letter from NHESP typically takes 30 days and provides only basic information on the identity of the species thought and/or known to occur on the parcel.
To provide a response, NHESP must understand the major components of the proposed development to determine if impacts to rare species may occur. This response requires the consultant to prepare a site plan illustrating, at a minimum, the proposed development, development limits, and other major site improvements. Upon initial review of the site plan, NHESP may request additional information, including the type of soils on the parcel, forest type, and other environmental characteristics.
A formal investigation of the parcel, called a Habitat Assessment, may also be required. For the sake of discussion, say a rare turtle and rare plant species occur on the parcel. It’s late November, and the turtle is snuggled down in the ground, and the plant is dormant for the winter and unidentifiable. Rare-species issues have cost XYZ a minimum of five months and up to one year of additional wait time, resulting in increased carrying costs and potential lost revenue.

Flood Plains
Although the parcel is not immediately adjacent to a river, more than 95% is located entirely within the 100-year flood plain. In Massachusetts, work within the 100-year flood plain has specific regulations and requires that the flood plain not be filled in. Generally speaking, fill within the flood plain, from grading, site work, and construction, results in displacement of floodwaters (at altered elevations) downstream at those same elevations.
This is a difficult concept to grasp. But let’s think of our flood plain as a cup of water. Imagine the cup is two-thirds full before you pour in a half-cup of sand. The water will overflow because it is displaced by the sand. A flood plain is no different. If you fill it in, its capacity to store a given volume of flood water is decreased.
This issue can be addressed more easily when a parcel has areas located outside (upgradient of) the flood plain. To meet the regulatory criteria for working within the 100-year flood plain, ‘compensatory storage’ must be provided. If you fill in 100 cubic yards of a flood plain, you need to offset this by providing 100 cubic yards of storage. This is accomplished by digging a hole at the same elevation to create what is referred to as compensatory storage.
The XYZ parcel does not have sufficient land located outside the 100-year flood plain to provide compensatory storage, and, unfortunately, the proposed development will require significant amounts of fill to be placed within the flood plain. If compensatory storage cannot be provided on the parcel, it must be provided at the same elevations on an adjacent parcel. To locate compensatory storage on an adjacent parcel requires additional surveying, engineering, and, obviously, landowner approval. Obtaining off-site compensatory storage cost XYZ six months.

Hazardous Waste
XYZ did not perform correct due diligence when purchasing its parcel, and decided to finance the sale privately. An environmental site assessment was not conducted, and XYZ assumed that, because the parcel was never developed, there would not be any hazardous-waste-related issues. XYZ did not consider the possibility that underground storage tanks on the adjacent, upgradient gasoline-storage facility may have leaked.
Well, guess what? They leaked. A lot. The extent of the leak was determined by installing a test well, sampling soil and groundwater, and performing laboratory analysis for contaminants. A significant volume of contaminated soil had to be removed, and long-term monitoring systems had to be installed to meet regulatory criteria. The legal costs of coordination with the owners of the storage facility cost tens of thousands of dollars and took almost a year. Disposal of contaminated soils was also expensive due to a particular type of contaminant.
This example clearly illustrates that compliance with environmental regulations can result in significant outlays of capital and time. I should note that the XYZ property actually exists and was successfully permitted. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

John Prenosil is a land-development consultant with more than 14 years of experience. His company, JMP Environmental Consulting Inc., provides an array of land-development services throughout Massachusetts; (413) 272-0111; www.jmpec.net

Doing Business in: Enfield

By
Michael Monteforte and Jay Bellamo
Features
Easy Access to Highways Drives Business Success

Kathy Miro

Kathy Miro says she was impressed by how supportive the business community is, and how loyal customers are, after opening a pizzeria in Enfield.


Several months ago, Michael “Monte” Monteforte and Jay Bellamo opened Bellmont Kitchen and Bath in Enfield, Conn.
“This location is perfect,” Monteforte said as he stood in their gleaming new showroom on Hazard Avenue, otherwise known as Route 190, explaining that they looked at sites in Windsor Locks, East Windsor, and Enfield before finding exactly what they wanted in the former Video Galaxy Plaza.
“This is a key location because we wanted to be right off a highway,” Monteforte said. “Enfield has four exits off of Route 91, there are plenty of stores and restaurants which draw customers here, and Route 190 gets all of the traffic going to and from Somers.”
Ray Warren, Enfield’s director of Development Services, agrees that the town’s location makes it an excellent spot to own and operate a business. Since it is bordered on the north by Longmeadow and East Longmeadow, it draws traffic from Massachusetts as well as from Somers to its east, East Windsor and Ellington to its south, and Suffield and Windsor Locks to its west.
“Enfield has a population of 45,000 people, which makes it a good-sized small town. We have more than 1,200 small businesses along with many large operations. Lego, Hallmark, MassMutual, and the headquarters for Brooks Brothers are all here,” Warren said.
The majority of the retail sector is located along two main corridors, although Route 5 also has its share of entrepreneurs. They are Hazard Avenue and Elm Street, thoroughfares that run parallel to each other. “Our retail sector is in a very concentrated area with shopping on both sides of the streets,” said Mayor Scott Kaupin.
The town’s biggest constraint in terms of new development is lack of land. “We have turned away businesses due to lack of space,” Warren said. But there are still a number of businesses under construction, and the many stores in Enfield Mall and the adjacent shopping centers represent substantial investments.
“This year, we issued more than $43 million in construction value of building permits,” Warren said. “In FY 2011, the town estimated it would take in $350,000 in building-permit fees. But we took in more than $700,000.”

New Horizons
Although the town has little commercial land available, there is space available for renovation of existing properties and property zoned for industrial development.
Enfield has also seen growth in the professional sector, and both Hartford Hospital and St. Francis Hospital recently built medical offices there.

Michael Monteforte and Jay Bellamo

Michael Monteforte and Jay Bellamo say Enfield’s location alongside I-91 and Route 190 was a factor in locating there.

Larger companies are also expanding. “Lego did a 75,000-square-foot renovation to expand their operations. And Eppendorf Manufacturing, which is an international company that specializes in biosciences, has chosen Enfield as its growth center and made a $25 million investment here,” Warren said.
When Eppendorf moved to the town several years ago, it purchased a large campus. “They are just about to complete their first expansion, and we are already in conversation about a second expansion,” Kaupin said.
The company had access to a large, professional labor pool in New York, but executives have told Warren they found an equally capable and educated workforce here.
“We are part of what is known as the Knowledge Corridor,” Kaupin said of the stretch of land running from the Northampton/Amherst area past Hartford that contains a plethora of colleges and universities, which results in a large pool of well-educated people. In addition, Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield is a leader in the field of machine technology and has forged great relationships with local companies.
Warren said 30,000 people from Massachusetts work in Enfield, and most companies employ workers from the north and south. “The fact that there is a supply of labor which stretches from Springfield to Hartford in a two-state region makes this a very attractive place to do business.”
Enfield has been chosen as a stopping place on the proposed New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter-rail line. Its station will be located in the village of Thompsonville, an old mill area of Enfield which is in need of a great deal of revitalization.
Kaupin is hopeful that, when the project is complete, it will lead to a rebirth in the village, boosting demand for housing as well as for new businesses and restaurants that will be needed to provide service to commuters.

Helping Hands
Kathy and Michael Miro opened Mama Miro’s Pizzeria and Restaurant in January after spending $90,000 and eight months gutting and remodeling a building on Hazard Avenue that had sat empty for about two years.
Kathy said they have been impressed by how friendly other business owners have been since they opened their eatery. “Business owners here help each other,” she said, adding that the pizzeria is their first venture. They have also been surprised by how quickly they gained loyal customers. Although business was slow at first, their weekend breakfast offering has proved so popular, they recently expanded it to seven days a week.
The couple, who moved to Enfield from Brooklyn, N.Y. the fateful week of Sept. 11, 2001, said people come from as far away as Chicopee and Manchester, Conn. to enjoy their thin, New York-style pizza. “Our customers have become our friends, and we have made a lot of them since we opened. One woman comes here three times a day, three days a week, and we have a group of widows who met here and continue to come here for comfort,” Kathy said.
Although they could have located closer to the mall, they chose the site because it has its own parking lot and they will be able to hold fund-raisers there if and when they choose.
Kaupin said the Miros’ experience is not unusual, as the town has a very strong chamber of commerce which serves Enfield, Somers, Suffield, and East Windsor. “The North Central Chamber of Commerce is heavily weighted towards small business. Other chambers in the state are very large, but the members here are very good at networking and share their challenges as well as solutions to problems,” he explained.
Town officials are also doing all they can to encourage economic development, which has included freezing the tax rate for four years in a row. “This was a very deliberate effort which occurred without any reductions is essential services,” Kaupin said. “In the past, the town had been on the higher end of the tax structure, but now we are very competitive.”
The town also created an Administrative Review Team to expedite the permitting process. Team meetings bring everyone to the table who will be involved with a new business. “We meet with business owners, review their plans, and offer advice,” Warren said, adding that money and time are saved by identifying issues and addressing them in the planning stage. “And if they are on a tight timeline, they can go through the Land Review and Building Department simultaneously, which shortens the whole review process. It’s very important, as this is New England, where development is governed by a large body of rules, and we want people to succeed.”
Kaupin said their team approach provides “proverbial one-stop shopping” for new business owners, which is critical in this community, since there are five fire districts and a regional health district independent of the town. The retail arena continues to grow, and available space is always filled quickly. “First and foremost, we are known as a regional shopping area.”
And one that attracts businesses with a pitch that is very appealing — a location that literally drives customers right to their doors.

Doing Business As Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of September 2011.

AMHERST

Center for Pelvic Physical Therapy
24 North Pleasant St.
Carolyn Bentley

Johnny’s Tavern
30 Boltwood Walk
The Amherst Restaurant Group, LLC

CHICOPEE

A.F. Carosella
485 Broadway St.
Michael Leary

Castle Properties
140 Leona Ave.
Michael Tarrant

Mechanical Expert Service
57 Clarendon Ave.
Yeugeniy Bukhantsov

GREENFIELD

Bicycles Unlimited
322 High St.
Robert G. Perry

Family Vacuum
28 Chapman St.
Tory Groth

Franklin First Credit Union
57 Newton St.
Martha Richardson

Frosted
43 Lincoln St.
Shelly A. Phillips

Greenfield High School Alumni Association
22 Bouker St.
Cynthia Bompastore

Maurice’s Inc.
233 Mohawk Trail
Ann Fleming

Treasure Mountain Mining
40 Church St.
Jeanne A. Greene

West Winds Inn
151 Smead Hill Road
Sandra L. Waskewicz

Woodland Forest Soap
99 Lunt Dr.
Catherine Couta

HADLEY

Cash in Rush
367 Russell St.
Bunyod, Inc.

Happy Valley Pet Service
108 East St.
Jennifer Parry

Here We Grow
123 Russell St.
Michael W. Lodge

Liquors 44
458 Russell St.
Andrew Morrison

Tj Maxx
454 Russell St.
TJX Companies

Valley Dentists
138 Russell St.
Peter Cinner

HOLYOKE

Arete Performance Solutions
28 Bassett Road
Debra Gerard

Auto Zone
2231 Northampton St.
Stephanie Forbes

Beaner Beer Company
108 Cabot St.
Jay Hebert

BZD Dental Associates
610 South St.
Badri Z. Debian

Solstice Marketing Concepts
50 Holyoke St.
John Judge

PALMER

Palmer Counsel Center
1085 Park St.
Margaret Warrington

Rising Tide Consultant
320 Flynt St.
Brian Kraft

VCA Palmer Animal Hospital
1028 Thorndike St.
Healthy Pet Corp.

SOUTHWICK

Fresh Fields Deli & Café
326 College Hwy.
Craig R. Samuelson

Prototype Services
10 Industrial Road
Vity Stankis

SPRINGFIELD

4DGlenns Consultancy
203 Wilbraham Road
Devere K. Glenn

A & U, Inc.
882 Sumner Ave.
Gazanfer Kurtulus

A to Z Auto Clinic
11 Front St.
Angel Zaragoza

Affordable Property Management
109 Pennsylvania Ave.
Franklyn E. Dailey

Aspen Contracting Inc.
784 Bay St.
Pat Nussbeck

Baystate Visiting Nurse
50 State St.
Ruth Odgren

Bella Luna Accessories
24 Olmsted Dr.
Nicole Ariekke

Beliz Ecotech Cleaning Services
185 Hickory St.
Vickie Denise

Best Decorative Concrete
82 Darling St.
Craig A. Miller Jr.

C & R Handyman Services
167 Longhill St.
Carmen B. Morales

CW Price
1522 Boston Road
Morris Cohen

Computech Solutions
47 Sumner Terrace
Jerrard Sylvester

Crystal Barn Interiors
124 Gillette Circle
Kerry L. Shorrock

Davila’s Auto Performance
279 Mill St.
Jose L. Davila

Elephant For a Dollar II
1690 Boston Road
Liselot Walker

Eli Clothing
318 Bay St.
Bernadina Ramirez

Finest Candy’s
400 ½ State St.
Angel L. Castillo

Gafney Real Estate
122 Santa Barbara St.
David P. Gafney

Gamestop 233
1655 Boston Road
Michael Nichols

Hbookz
12 Mattoon St.
Ibn-Husein Muhammad

High Class Society
74 Lamont St.
Kassim S. Manzi

Int Sabor Latino
17 Grimaldi St.
Rafael A. Dominguez

J. Lo Home Improvement
21 Standish St.
Jorge I. Lopez

J.T. Builders
278 Denver St.
Jack Tardy

Jahsette’s Hair Salon
63 Hollywood St.
Vinette Byfield

Jewelry Arch
141 Aldrew Terrace
Carol A. Gallagher

Johnny Mac Liquors
1949 Wilbraham Road
John J. McCarthy

Kool Smiles, PC
1070 St. James Ave.
Tu Tran

WESTFIELD

CADCAMZ
37 Florence St.
Peter Lupien

Creative Expressions
74 Putnam Dr.
Linda L. Coffin

L & M Construction
33 Gifford Ave.
Luis Morales

Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant
11 Heggie Dr.
Michal Harling

R.J. Amusements, LLC
11 Radisson Lane
Marc P. Herbert

Solid Ground
27 Susan Dr.
David L. Guilbert

The Groomer
77 Main St.
Tracy Durkee

Westfield Action Sports Photography
1417 East Mountain Road
John J. Sharon

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Bertera Collision Repair Center
160 Westfield St.
Bertera Chrysler Corporation

Discount Office Furniture Inc.
2131 Riverdale St.
Kenneth F. Wytas

Fringe and Flourish
7 Upper Church St.
Ashley Sovinski

Manchester Home Improvement
209 Rogers Ave.
Barry Manchester

Manners and More
7 Beauview Terrace
Dianne Provost

New England Estate Sales & Service
38 Neptune Ave.
Peter Zaitz

O & M
1658 Memorial Ave.
Marina L. Shah

Oleksii Delivery Service
261 Union St.
Oleksii Nerovnia

Parks Academy Tae Kwan Do Inc.
632 Kings Hwy.
Chong K. Park

S & P Deli
246 Elm St.
Hillenbrand, LLC

Salon Blue
470 Westfield St.
Shaun Drugan

Stop N’ Save Smoke Shop
2011 Riverdale St.
Muhammad T. Abbasi

Tomasko Electric
848 Elm St.
Green Energy Sol Inc.

West Side Hypnosis
12 Railroad St.
Louise E. Jahr

BANKRUPTCIES

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

Allard, Christopher J.
639 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11

Almonte, Ricardo B.
Almonte, Maria M.
55 Greendale Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11

Anderson, Stephen M.
49 Cherry St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Andrews, Jesicca L.
57 Armstrong St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Bergeron, Lawrence E.
Bergeron, Tammy J.
137 Lancaster Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11

Bertini, Michael A.
129 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Blake, Sophia T.
87 Maryland St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11

Borden, Grover L.
582 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11

Bou, Angel L.
1237 Burts Pitt Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11

Bouchard, Dennis Joseph
57 G St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/11

Boutin, Michelle A.
40 Holyoke St., Apt 1
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11

Bruneau, Helga A.
3 Federal St.
Millers Falls, MA 01349
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/11

Bubar, John J.
119 White Oak Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/10/11

Candello, Antonio P.
Candello, Angela Dawn
506 Brattleboro Road
Bernardston, MA 01302
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11

Castonguay, Mark R.
Castonguay, Ruth A.
87 Oakridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/11

Christensen, Mildred Christine
#92 Village Park Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11

Clegg, Shannon Rose
a/k/a Paquette, Shannon Rose
a/k/a Boyle, Shannon Rose
228 River Road
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Colon, Wilberto
Colon, Sandra M.
1447 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11

Conniff, Robbin A.
a/k/a Ryan, Robbin A.
a/k/a Barlow, Robbin A.
153 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11

Cruz, Anna M.
a/k/a Bartley, Anna
61 Beverly St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11

Deacon, Mark E.
11 Brookline Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/11

Demary, Karen M.
a/k/a Adler, Karen
1029 West St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Deraleau, Aaron D.
192 Brook Road
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/01/11

Duffy, James B.
Duffy, Sandra J.
1094 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/31/11

Durham, Glenn E.
Durham, Katie C.
427A Belchertown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Emery, John A.
Emery, Denise A.
84 Mattawa Circle
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11

Ferreira, Maria A.
1031 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/10/11

Fischer, Todd H.
442 Warren Wright Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11

Gagne Brothers Home Improvement
Gagne Brothers, Inc.
Gagne, Brett R.
Gagne, Erin M.
638 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Gardner, Justine L.
16 Congress St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11

Gauthier, Margaretha F.
38 Colorado St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11

Giza, Chester J.
134 Yale St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Glenn, Sherri-Lyn
a/k/a Hill, Sherri-Lyn
a/k/a Berube, Sherri-Lyn
68 Aster Ct.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11

Goodell, Sr. Douglas M.
Goodell, Andrea L.
227 Franklin St.
Building 13, Apt. D
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11

Graham, Dawn L.
Graham, Ian M.
218 Upper Valley Road
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/11

Grenier, Eric A.
Grenier, Sara M.
570 Cottage St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11

Grosse, Danielle L.
29 Lehigh St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11

Hagelstein, Patricia Roxanne
104 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Hamer, Ann P.
55 Florida St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11

Hatfield, Thomas Ross
Hatfield, Dolores Carolyn
485 West Cummington Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Jacobs, Frankie Dale Vernail
Jacobs, Erica Naa Morkoh
121 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11

James, Emma Jean
79 Crescent Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Johnson, James F.
260 Garvey Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Kennedy-Cawley, Roxine M.
1087 South Washington St.
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11

Kohlenberger, Lee A.
Kohlenberger, Amy M.
a/k/a Bowman, Amy
P.O. Box 4221
Pittsfield, MA 01202
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11

LaPointe, Forrest Dale
LaPointe, Rosibel Maria
5 Gatewood Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Lester, John C.
23 Joanne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Lopez, Edgardo
Lopez, Norma I.
a/k/a Martinez, Norma I.
50 Miller St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11

Lynch, Stacy M.
143 Wilbraham Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11

Macutkiewicz, Alec E.
129 West Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/05/11

Madden, Bridget
17 Chickering St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Maiorino, Alfonse F.
6 Eagle St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Martin, Gary S.
Tessier-Martin, Linda J.
270 East Main St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Martin, Mary W.
27 Morin Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11

Mason, Albert R.
Mason, Dorothy E.
99 Elmar Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11

Matthews, Edward James
Matthews, Marie Alma
21 Franklin St.
Millers Falls, MA 01349
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11

McCann, Christy L.
40 High St.
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11

McCann, Thomas W.
40 High St.
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11

Medeiros, Clifton
25 Gardens Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Meehan, Mary J.
P.O Box 164
Cheshire, MA 01225
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11

Meyer, Kathleen Ann
a/k/a Rogers, Kathleen
52 Shattuck St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Miller, Starr A.
643 Newton St., Apt 9
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/14/11

Mitchell, Penny
25 Abbe Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/12/11

Montes, Carmen L.
1237 Burts Pitt Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11

Morey, Jerry W.
Morey, Tina S.
221 Alum Hill Road
Ashley Falls, MA 01222
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Moson, Olivia S.
77 High St., Apt 4
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11

Mueller, Marie T.
P.O. Box 592
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11

Nelson, Christopher J.
1295 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Nepomnyashiy, Yuriy
189 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11

O’Connor-Allyn, Kelly A.
2 Hawthorne Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Olson, Nancy E.
1389 West Housatonic St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Ortiz, Steve
Ortiz, Elizabeth Kristen
a/k/a Chapin, Elizabeth Kristen
871 Country Club Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Papananias, George
16 Captain Lathrop Dr.
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11

Pendergast, Sheila
114 Warren St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Pereira, Cesar M.
Pereira, Lisa M.
35 Redstone Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028-1244
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Perry, Russell
Clark-Perry, Celma
196 King St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Politis, Garrett A.
Politis, Nancy Q.
51 Willshire Dr.
Williamstown, MA 01267
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11

Pollard’s Tavern & Grill
Szydlo, David Walter
25 Florence Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11

Raymond, Timothy D.
202 Rolf Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Raynor, Jamie K.
32 Ellington St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/11

Rinault, Philip J.
242A State Ave.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Robitaille, Carol Ann
P.O. Box 874
Chicopee, MA 01021
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11

Rokhkind, Dmitriy
Rokhkind, Yana
48 Braeburn Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/11

Sevigny, Jean Louis
Sevigny, Carol E.
791 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11

Smith, Lakyna C.
207 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Smith, Nikki S.
a/k/a Smith-Skubel, Nikki
33 Mountain St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11

Soucie, Mark J.
Soucie, Ann M.
238 Dorset Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11

Spencer, Betty A.
739 Daniel Shays Highway
86 Earle Dr.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11

Stebbins, Gerald W.
P.O.Box 32
Bernardston, MA 01337
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11

Sunn, Michael G.
Sunn, Carol A.
1095 Mohawk Trail – Lot 2
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Surreira, Peter F.
135 Higher Brook Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11

Talbot, Kathleen M.
287 Notre Dame St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11

Tharaldson, Shaun Edwin
159 Park St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11

Tintin, Giovanny P.
54 Housatonic St.
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11

Vo, Kim Chi
a/k/a Le, Chi
14 Crystal St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11

Welch, Douglas E.
10 Rosedell Dr. Ext.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/07/11

White, Richard A.
73 Hall Road
P.O. Box 493
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

Girls Inc. Benefits From Comedy Night
HOLYOKE — The Women Business Owners Alliance of the Pioneer Valley (WBOA) recently presented Girls Inc. of Holyoke with a check for $2,950, proceeds from a Women’s Night of Comedy. The spring fund-raiser featured comediennes Tina Giorgi, Julie Barr, and Jenny Zigrino. “We are delighted to receive this gift,” said Suzanne Parker, executive director of Girls Inc. “In addition to the generous donation from the WBOA, some members of our board of directors were so inspired at the check presentation that they made additional gifts of their own as well. These donations will help us to continue to offer the cutting-edge, educational, and fun programs that inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold.”

United Bank Aids
Tornado Relief
WEST SPRINGFIELD — With its partnership in the ABC40/FOX6 Tornado Relief Fund as well as grants awarded by its foundation, United Bank recently announced that a total of $89,500 in donations has supported local tornado relief and recovery efforts. The amount is in addition to the bank’s earlier gift of $25,000 to the Red Cross immediately following the June 1 tornado. The ABC40/FOX6 fund raised $40,000. Individual grants of $10,000 each were awarded to the American Red Cross, Pioneer Valley Chapter; the Salvation Army, Springfield Corps; the Community Foundation of Western MA Tornado Relief Fund; and United Way of Pioneer Valley Tornado Recovery Fund. Also, the United Bank Foundation awarded $49,500 to nine organizations that were impacted by the tornado and those providing immediate relief to the community. The recipients were: Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, $2,000; DevelopSpringfield Corp., $10,000; Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start, $4,000; Pioneer Valley Montessori School, $2,500; Rebuilding Together Springfield, $10,000; South End Community Center, $2,500; Springfield Rescue Mission, $2,000; Square One, $12,500; and Westfield Public Schools, $4,000.

Johnson & Hill Donates to Link to Libraries
PIONEER VALLEY — Johnson & Hill Staffing Services and Link to Libraries Inc., have joined forces for its inaugural Welcome to Kindergarten “Read Together” Literacy Bag Project. The newest initiative for Link to Libraries is the donation of more than 2,000 literacy kits to children entering kindergarten in Springfield and Holyoke public schools. The literacy bags include new bilingual books, bookbags, bookmarks, and parent educational materials supplied by the Irene and George Davis Foundation. “It is most important that our local children have the tools they need to start the school year on the right foot and to help them achieve their intellectual potential,” said Susan Jaye-Kaplan, co-founder of Link to Libraries. “We hope that these literacy kits will stimulate interest in reading and provide books to begin their own home library. We greatly appreciate the support of Andrea Hill-Cataldo and the staff of Johnson & Hill Staffing. It is community partners like this that help us reach our goals.”

Big Y to Eliminate
Self-checkouts
SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Foods Inc. has announced it will eliminate all self-checkout lanes in all its stores by the end of the year. Big Y first implemented self-checkout lanes in 2003. After extensive research, Big Y noted that the self-checkout lanes not only do not save customers time, but usually take them even longer to check out than customers in standard checkout lanes. Big Y concluded that the self-checkout technology could neither improve nor replace the value of a friendly cashier who is able to personally help each customer in their lane, according to Michael Tami, vice president for information resources and technologies. “Our self-checkout technology could not deliver on the service needs of our customers,” he said. “In short, we were not able to provide the exceptional customer service through them that has made Big Y what it is today.”

ACC Bistro Open for Cooking Classes
ENFIELD, Conn. — Hands-on cooking experiences are available to students this fall at Asnuntuck Community College (ACC), led by chef Bill Collins. Collins, a personal chef in Western Mass. and a professional chef for more than 18 years, provides a variety of course options to students looking to enhance their culinary prowess at ACC’s Bistro. Experience in the kitchen is not a prerequisite for the classes. The only requirements are that students bring a chef’s knife, a paring knife, a dish towel, and storage containers to bring home leftovers. All classes will include copies of the recipes Collins will be teaching. Classes are being offered at a variety of lengths ranging from one to four evenings. For more information on classes, visit www.acc.commnet.edu or call (860) 253-3034.

TNR Global to Attend UMass Career Fair
AMHERST — Karen Lynn, director of business development, and Natasha Goncharova, co-founder and managing director of TNR Global, will be representing the firm at UMass Amherst’s Career Fair for Engineering, Natural Sciences & Technology students on Sept. 28. “The University of Massachusetts offers a comprehensive computer science program where students emerge strong candidates for the kind of technical work required of TNR software developers,” said Michael McIntosh, vice president of search technologies. TNR Global is a systems design and integration company focused on enterprise-search and cloud-computing solutions for publishing companies, news sites, Web directories, academia, enterprise, and SaaS companies.

Banks Announce
Merger Plans
ADAMS — Adams Co-Operative Bank and South Adams Savings Bank, both headquartered in town, have agreed to combine their two institutions to form a new community bank serving Berkshire County. A joint announcement of the plan was made recently by Joseph Truskowski Jr., president and CEO of Adams Co-Operative Bank, and Charles O’Brien, president and CEO of South Adams Savings Bank. The combined bank will consist of seven full-service offices located in Adams, Cheshire, Lanesboro, Lee, Williamstown, and North Adams. Truskowski and O’Brien emphasized that both banks are committed to creating jobs in Berkshire County, and no jobs will be eliminated as a result of the merger. The two bank headquarters, which bookend downtown Adams, will also remain fully used. The new bank will be formed under a Massachusetts savings bank charter, with Truskowski serving as president and O’Brien as CEO. The managing boards of the two banks will be merged to create a new board of trustees. In addition, all deposits will continue to be insured in full at the new bank through a combination of coverage from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Depositors Insurance Fund of Massachusetts. The merger is subject to approval by the depositors of Adams Co-Operative Bank, corporators of South Adams Savings Bank, and regulatory agencies. The merger is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2012.

United Rentals Supports Extreme Makeover
SPRINGFIELD — United Rentals in Ludlow worked around the clock in early September providing construction equipment and services to the latest project in Springfield chosen by the ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (see related story, page 36). The build benefits Sirdeaner Walker, who has become a national voice against bullying in schools after surviving the loss of her son. The build is also part of United Rentals’ fifth year of partnership with the award-winning television show, which has relied on the company for equipment and volunteers on more than 80 new-home constructions. “Over 80 projects and more than 5,000 pieces of equipment, United Rentals has come through for us every time,” said Diane Korman, senior producer of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. “Even in remote locations, United Rentals always has a branch close enough to arrange all the equipment we need, ensure its reliability, and deliver it within a three-hour window. Most importantly, they share our ‘safety first’ philosophy.” The episode featuring the Walker family will air on ABC on a date to be announced.

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
Daniel Leblanc v. Travelers Insurance of MA
Allegation: Refusal to pay benefits arising from motor-vehicle accident: $25,000
Filed: 7/28/11

Kathleen Riebesehl v. Elliot Beals & Sons General Contracting Inc.
Allegation: Defendant took payment from plaintiff for construction services and never performed: $15,000
Filed: 8/3/11

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT
Ace Fire and Water Restoration Inc. v. the Box Car Restaurant
Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered: $37,081.13
Filed: 8/11/11

Joann E. Rees v. D.H. Enterprises and Daniel Hescock
Allegation: Breach of contract for home improvement services: $400,000
Filed: 8/11/11

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Kirk C. Bryant v. Crossglobe Transport, LTD
Allegation: Breach of employment contract: $100,000
Filed: 8/1/11

Laurie A. Vadnais, administratrix of the estate of Judith A. Moran v. Marc Linson, M.D.
Allegation: Medical malpractice in the death of a 64 year-old woman following surgery: $25,000+
Filed: 8/3/11

Ted Ondrick Co., LLC v. Patriots Environmental Corporation
Allegation: Non-payment of services and materials: $52,496.07
Filed: 8/10/11

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
Alberto Cruz v. Save-a-Lot
Allegation: Plaintiff sustained injuries while shopping when an employee transporting boxes of goods negligently caused boxes to fall on plaintiff: $4,405
Filed: 5/16/11

The Darcy Co. v. Prism Builders Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $8,310.10
Filed: 7/1/11

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
United Rentals Inc. v. Lunus Construction Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of materials, equipment, and services for a construction project: $12,135.74
Filed: 6/30/11

Vion Holdings LLC v. Mastex Industries Inc. and Jeffrey Stream
Allegation: Non-payment of monies loaned: $5,096.53
Filed: 7/13/11

Westfield Bank v. Protemps Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of monies loaned: $10,158.28
Filed: 7/14/11

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Barbara A. Cohen v. Tip Top Nails
Allegation: Negligence in cutting the skin around a nail causing a fungus to be introduced in the bloodstream and subsequent hospitalization: $24,999.99
Filed: 7/19/11

The Court is Now in Session

By
Commercial Real Estate Sections
Historic Building Has a New Lease on Life

Opal Real Estate Group and city officials want to turn a neglected space into a vibrant, mixed-use facility.

For the partners at Opal Real Estate Group, the historic block in Springfield known as Court Square is more than just another real-estate redevelopment opportunity. Before the passage of years, they say the building and its surroundings were one of the most vibrant developments in the city. The Springfield Redevelopment Authority, which owns the site, is hopeful that the players, funding, and vision are in place to return Court Square to that status once again.

Hanging on the wall behind Demetrios Panteleakis’ desk is a large painting of 31 Elm St. in Springfield, a building that most know simply as Court Square.
This historic block across from City Hall and Symphony Hall has remained vacant for decades. While the city has been diligent in keeping the property secure, time and nature have taken their toll on the elegant structure. Two other smaller buildings, Byer’s Block and the brownstone on the corner of Elm and Main known as the Chicopee Bank Building, are also part of a larger project that in recent months has city officials excited for the future of Springfield’s center.
Panteleakis is the managing partner of Opal Real Estate Group, the preferred developer for the site. The company, owned by Peter Picknelly, was one of the finalists back in 2008 to redevelop the property, but lost the bid to Connelly and Partners from Boston.
However, when that developer’s plans fell through, only a couple months old and a fast and furious victim of the economy, Opal was asked if it would like a second chance at bat.
The property is owned by the Springfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA), and in June of this year, Opal was named the preferred developer at Court Square. It was granted 120 days to come up with plans for funding and redevelopment, by all accounts a comprehensive and laborious process which examines every system of the structures, their history, and their potential future.
It’s an interesting moment of happenstance how Panteleakis came upon that painting, by the same artist responsible for the murals in the elevator lobbies of the very same building. Because, in many ways, the chance encounter with that work of art in an antique store is a metaphor for the larger forces now underway in the revitalization of the property. It’s a story of the right people in the right place at the right time.
Recently, BusinessWest had a chance to sit down with both Panteleakis and Brian Connors, the city’s point person for the property from the Office of Planning and Economic Development. The story they told is not one that has an easy answer. As Connors said, “if this project were a simple fix, it would have been done long ago.”
The difference this time is that, for Picknelly and his partners at Opal, the building is more than just another real-estate redevelopment opportunity. “Court Square was once the most vibrant part of the city,” Picknelly told BusinessWest. “Today, this is the best of New England — the grandeur of the historic buildings married to the modern structures nearby. Springfield is our home, and this building is at its core. In order for our city to be revitalized, this building can’t be abandoned.
“I believe, if done correctly, Court Square can be an important part of our city’s future,” he added. “Springfield simply cannot completely rebuild itself with this grand building left vacant.”

Center of Attention
Connors called the location “one of the most significant civic spaces in the entire Commonwealth,” and of the Court Square buildings themselves he simply said, “buildings that look like this just aren’t built anymore.”
The SRA also owns Union Station just a few blocks away, and he called both these sites key properties for Springfield’s future. Opal had been committed to the Court Square project for months before their preferred status, he said, and meets with city officials on a weekly basis to hammer out the ongoing issues that arise with a project of this scope.
“You don’t just hand over the keys and start construction,” he said. “It’s really a lot of due-diligence work. Opal, meanwhile, is getting all their applications in, their historic tax credits, their financing. We’re very excited to have a private partner advancing this as quickly as they can, with the best of all their expertise. They know Springfield, and they’ve worked on historic redevelopment.”
Patting his hand on a ream of Opal’s paperwork, only a fraction of the documents and reports that will chart the project’s course, Connors added, “this is already making far more progress than ever before.”
But he acknowledged the hard work ahead for both his office and the people at Opal. Between environmental and structural assessments, neither of which is tossing any unforeseen obstacles, and the funding sources, all parties involved will be kept busy before a hammer or shovel hits the site.
Funding is a crucial piece of the puzzle. “A project like this requires every sort of alphabet soup of incentives that are possible — federal, historic, and state tax credits,” he said. “And these are all competitive funds, so those applications are going in now. In a financial environment like there is today, funding is difficult. Banks aren’t loose with their money. City governments don’t have a lot of money.”

Family Ties
Although Connors said that Opal’s preferred 120 days ends in November, if the SRA board is satisfied by the developer’s efforts, the agreement will be extended.
“I can say from our experience, on a staff level we’re working with Opal on a weekly basis, and we’re very satisfied with the progress that’s been made,” he added.
Right now, Panteleakis said, the biggest obstacle his office faces is time.
“We’re in a race to take all the knowledge we’ve accumulated and verify it,” he said. “Because there’s been an RFP for the last ten years, there’s been a lot of study on the building. But for our grant purposes we need to go back and reassess all of it — mechanical, electrical, environmental.”
Opal is no stranger to historic redevelopment; currently it is at work on an historic property in the center of Westfield destined to be student housing for the state university there. At Court Square, Panteleakis said that a careful look at the past success of the buildings can indeed map out a bit of their future.
“You have to look at it less than conceptually,” he said, “and realize that, 25 to 30 years ago, this building had a viable commercial population. And that has a lot to do with location, location, location.”
The plans as they exist now aren’t to reinvent the uses of the building. Although the top floor is presently envisioned as market-rate housing, with apartments of up to four bedrooms, the first floor will remain retail- or service-oriented, with amenities that would cater to a residential or professional population that lives and works in the area. Middle floors are to be mixed commercial use, and there has been great interest in that space, both Panteleakis and Connors said.
Panteleakis, in fact, said the response has been “tremendous.”
“The development process that takes place in a building this size clearly has a point before hammers start to swing where you get a minimum level of commitment in order to have an economically viable project,” he explained. “We are in those conversations now, and we’re trying to firm up some of those commitments by January.”
Responding to criticism of what some may perceive as a surfeit of vacant office space in the city, Panteleakis waved off the possibility to naysay. “There’s a larger philosophical issue that needs to be examined. Anyone can say, ‘there’s too much office and retail space already,’ but it’s the quality of the product that brings people to the downtown. The bottom line is that, when you improve the quality of the product and create competition in that product, it forces everyone to get better.”
Here, he credited the redevelopments that the Dennis Group has made downtown, and how they raised the bar for those sections of Springfield where their historic buildings have been renovated.
Like Picknelly, Panteleakis said that Court Square resonates in his own remembrance of Springfield’s history. And that connection to the past is an important aspect to rebuilding for the future.
“If you have any commitment at all to the city of Springfield, or if you’ve been in the real-estate business and owned property in Springfield,” he said, “you’d know how important this location is. To come to what is probably the most architecturally significant building in the heart of the city, and to see it in disrepair, it makes an immediate statement to visitors to the city, and that has to be reversed.”
This is the type of project that comes along once in one’s career, he said.
“This is Springfield’s legacy,” he went on. “If buildings like this aren’t preserved, future generations are only going to see them in photographs.”
Pointing to the painting over his head, he added, “this is one that will be saved.”

Green Building Considerations

By
Construction Sections
There Are a Number of Financial Pros and Cons

Dennis G. Egan

Dennis G. Egan

Going green is all the rage lately. Political correctness almost dictates that waste be minimized and consideration be given to energy alternatives in most situations.
So, under what circumstances might “green” not be an attractive option for a business owner? When might going green have you seeing red?

Budget Considerations
While green buildings can result in significant energy efficiency and corresponding cost savings down the road, the upfront cost of green building materials can be significant. While cost is commonly greater in a green building project than the same costs associated with a traditional building project, the average increase is often less than traditionally believed.
For example, one recent study by the U.S. Green Building Council puts the average green building cost premium at slightly less than 2%, or $3 to $5 per square foot. Those on a tight budget might not be able to afford this increase, however, despite the prospect of lower energy costs in the future.
Additionally, it has been found that, with an increase in the number of green building projects, there is a corresponding reduction in the green-building cost premium. Obviously, the green-building cost premium can be, and often is, offset by the increased energy efficiency of green buildings and resulting reduction in energy costs. So you’ll have to pay more upfront to see the payoff later on.

Tax Credits and Financial Incentives
Recently, several tax credits, deductions, and other financial incentives have become available. For example, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 created the Commercial Building Tax Deduction, which provides an accelerated tax deduction aimed at reducing the initial cost of investing in energy-efficient building components. Under this program, owners of commercial buildings (or their tenants, if applicable) can deduct all or a portion of the cost of installing lighting, HVAC and hot-water components, windows, and building shell components in the year in which the new components are placed in service, up to a maximum of $1.80 per square foot.
Alternatively, partial deductions are available (up to a maximum of $0.60 per square foot) for improvements in any one of the energy-efficient components listed above. The deduction can be claimed for all qualifying projects as long as they are completed prior to January 1, 2014.
Additionally, the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 expanded the business energy investment tax credit, which provides credits equal to 30% (with no maximum credit) of the cost of solar, fuel-cell, and small wind-turbine power systems, and 10% of the cost (with no maximum credit) for micro-turbines, geothermal power, and combined heat and power (CHP) systems. Minimum- and maximum-capacity requirements apply in some cases, so those wanting to take advantage of this credit should consult a professional to determine the project’s eligibility.
Alternatively, eligible taxpayers may receive a grant from the U.S. Treasury Department in lieu of taking a tax credit. Generally, to be eligible for the credit, the original use of the equipment must be made by the taxpayer, or the equipment must be constructed by the taxpayer. In addition, the tax credit is available only if the energy property is operational in the year in which the credit is taken.
For all of the above programs and incentives, you’ll have to shell out the money upfront, but if you can afford to do so, you may receive credits for the work and also enjoy reduced energy costs down the road.

Certification
One of the most recognized certifications that can be attained by builders, developers, building owners, and landlords is Leadership in Environment and Energy Design (LEED) standards set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council, which awards points based on building specifications. LEED certification can be achieved in a number of different areas, including but not limited to existing buildings (operations and maintenance), commercial interiors (leases/tenant improvements), core and shell (design for new core and shell construction), schools (construction of K-12 schools), retail (retail design and construction), and health care (planning, design, and construction for health care facilities).
LEED certifications are being recognized and adopted as the green benchmark in ever-increasing numbers by federal, state, and local governments. As such, many government entities are requiring that government buildings, both new and existing, as well as owned and leased, comply with LEED standards.
LEED-certification programs are pricey, though. A recent check online resulted in several different programs ranging from $595 to $2,500 for specific certifications. In addition, there are registration fees and credential-maintenance programs that can add up significantly. But as LEED certification becomes more mainstream and expected, contractors may find themselves obligated to make the investment to fulfill credentialing requirements.
Another available certification is Energy Star for commercial buildings, which is a government program administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. This certification differs from LEED certification in that Energy Star’s certification is relative to a building, rather than a person. The goal is to reduce the use of energy through energy efficient practices and products, and Energy Star uses a points-based system that awards points on a scale of 1 to 100.
Buildings must be verified by a professional engineer or registered architect, and associated costs must be paid, then buildings receiving a score of 75 or more receive the Energy Star designation. While there is no direct financial benefit from Energy Star certification, there is an implied status enhancement, and research shows that people generally prefer to do business with companies that are committed to doing their part to help the environment.

Dennis G. Egan Jr. is an associate with Bacon Wilson, P.C., concentrating in special education, business, and corporate law; (413) 781-0560; [email protected]

Extreme Challenge

By
Nick Riley, president of N. Riley Construction
Construction Sections
Nick Riley Builds His First House — in One Week

Nick Riley, president of N. Riley Construction

Nick Riley, president of N. Riley Construction, during the build week at Sirdeaner Walker’s home.

Nick Riley launched his construction company about five years ago, focusing on residential remodels but eager to move into total home builds. He’s not likely to forget the first house he finished from the ground up, because he — and a large crew of volunteer builders and tradespeople — managed to complete it in one week. Riley said the opportunity to tear down and rebuild a house for ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is one he’s glad he didn’t pass up — not only for the experience, but for the chance to impact the lives of a very deserving family.

Kate Riley said her husband had a few goals when he planned his career — “to have his own business, to have his name get big, and to build houses. This is his first house.”
She — along with several other Riley family members and dozens of area builders and tradespeople, all volunteering their time — stood on Springfield’s Northampton Avenue, absorbing what had happened in the first few days since Ty Pennington and his team of designers from ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition knocked on the door of Sirdeaner Walker and informed her she would have a new house by the following week.
“The Extreme Makeover producer contacted me about four weeks before we started the project,” said Riley, president of N. Riley Construction in Chicopee, noting that he was recommended by the Home Builders Assoc. of Western Mass. and other contractors. “I ended up meeting with them the day after. I sat down and spoke with them, and they told me the story of this family.
“That’s when I made my decision,” he continued. “Being able to do this for this family … you never get a chance like this, to be able to do a project like this. It’s not too often that you can say you were able to gather an entire community to help one family.”
Walker is no stranger to the spotlight, but it’s a light she never would have asked for, obviously. Her 11-year-old son, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, took his own life in 2009 after being incessantly bullied by peers at the New Leadership Charter School in Springfield.
In the months following the tragedy, Walker became a strong advocate against school bullying, successfully pushing for anti-bullying legislation in Massachusetts, meeting with federal lawmakers and President Obama, and establishing a foundation in her son’s name that raises awareness of the bullying issue and scholarships for area students.

Nick Riley’s wife, Kate, and mother, Lisa

Nick Riley’s wife, Kate, and mother, Lisa, were among many family members pitching in with Extreme Makeover.

Her house, in the Upper Hill neighborhood close to Springfield College, was run-down and riddled with plumbing and electrical issues, according to ABC producers. She lives there with two daughters, a sister, her mother, and her grandmother.
“We started planning about four weeks before the build week,” Riley said. “I approached a couple of good friends of mine in the trades to help me. I also started planning right away as far as gathering materials, manpower, and tradespeople. The Extreme team sent in a couple of project managers to help us do that, but it was ultimately my responsibility to provide the help.
“I had, at the beginning, some very good responses. I had a lot of people who wanted to participate, but didn’t think they could at the time because of how everything has been” with the economy, he told BusinessWest. “So it was a little bit of both: I had people who were very positive about it, saying, ‘yes, we’ll do it,’ and on the other hand some who wanted to do it but couldn’t afford to at the time, or were just too busy.”
Riley’s glad he wasn’t too busy, though, calling the experience one of the most rewarding of his life.

From the Ground Up
Riley corrected his wife’s first-house assertion to a point, noting that he’s currently building a house in Chicopee, and his company, which he launched about five years ago, has done some major home renovations that were very close to whole-home jobs. But this month’s makeover was, indeed, the first house he has completed from the ground up.
The build week itself was every bit as long and intense as viewers of the show might imagine. “On Sunday, we knocked on the door and surprised the family, and on Monday we ripped the house down. On Tuesday we started the foundation,” Riley said.
By midweek, a newly framed house had gone up in its place, followed by repaving of the driveway, complete landscaping of the yard, and of course, all those personal touches the designers are known for. “On Sunday, they brought the furniture in and surprised the family with their new home.”
The days, not surprisingly, were long. “We had 12-hour shifts set up, but the nighttime shifts started to roll into the daytime shifts,” said Riley. “The demolition of the house went really well, and when we dug out the foundation, that went really well,” he recalled. “Framing went pretty well, too. We had framers there for 40 hours, then we started losing them, and it was a challenge to get people back there.”
Inclement weather, always a concern on these one-week builds, wasn’t a factor; temperatures were mild all week, with a little rain passing through on Wednesday, but nothing to slow down the progress, as the house was weathertight by that point. But the occasional unexpected challenge emerged during construction.
For example, “when we started to set the concrete walls, we noticed that we hit a little bit of water. That caused a bit of a problem; we had to set up a pump and pump out the water while we were setting these concrete walls.”
But any problems encountered during the build paled in comparison to the joy the Walker family felt at receiving so much community support. In addition to the army of volunteers and dozens of companies — in the construction trades, home supplies, marketing, and other fields — who lent their time and resources, Walker had more surprises coming at the reveal. Notably, UMass presented her with four-year scholarships — tuition, room, board, and fees at any of the four campuses — for each of her youngest children, now age 7 and 8.
Details about the home’s interior will have to wait until the show airs, at the request of ABC. But Riley said the designers came up with some special touches to match the work he and his crew did on the house itself.
“Seeing people come together to help other people in such a big way, giving up their days and money to help people they don’t even know, it was an amazing experience,” he told BusinessWest. “It just shows how good people are. And just seeing the faces of the family when they moved that bus — it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
He said he was also fortunate to meet many people from different businesses he might not otherwise have met, and the participation of his own family members was another personal highlight.
“I asked a couple people in my family to help me out with the planning process, and before I knew it, the whole family was helping out in some way,” particularly helping at the various support tents set up around the neighborhood. “That was rewarding.”
His wife agreed. “This is unbelievable,” Kate said that afternoon midway through the project. “It’s amazing to be able to help a family like this.”

Making a Name
If Riley’s goal was to make a name for his business, he’s well on his way. He started out in the construction business working for his uncle, Andrew Crane, president of A. Crane Construction in Chicopee.
“I ended up leaving because I wanted to start my own company, and things have been great the whole time,” Riley said. “I haven’t had one minute of downtime — it’s been amazing.”
That’s a striking account of success in what has been a decidedly downbeat atmosphere for builders, many of whom have struggled to keep employees busy during the past few years of recession and sluggish recovery. But Riley, most of whose work is residential, has focused largely on home remodels and renovation work, one of the few sectors of construction that has consistently shown some life.
“Right now, because of the recent disasters, we’ve done a lot of insurance repairs, from the ice damage from the winter to work from the tornadoes and the microburst.”
And he’s looking forward to plenty more work as the economy improves — with the experience of that one-week build under his toolbelt.
Still, “we don’t want to grow too big,” he said. “We want to stay a smaller company and keep it personal, make sure we continue to provide a quality product.
“I like the hands-on work of going into someone’s home and putting a smile on the face of the owners,” Riley continued. “There aren’t a lot of other jobs where you can do that, where you can go in make an impact by changing their homes.”
Or, in extreme cases, their lives.

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 August 2011.

AGAWAM

From Dust Till Gone
15 Ley St.
Bridget Alaimo

Gary Polacco Mason Construction
75 Highland St.
Gary Polacco

Majestic Tile Restoration
1132 North St.
Aaron Musa

The Landlocked Dog, LLC
1325 Springfield St.
Ulrike Colonna

AMHERST

Blazers Natural Stove Co.
170 East St.
Lijing Zhang

Mom’s House Chinese Food Market
318 College St.
Fred Wang

Weld Communications
746 Bay Road
Eric Weld

CHICOPEE

Econolodge
357 Burnett Road
Dinesh Patel

LHH & T, LLC
185 Dale St.
Leslie Charles

Salon Jade Hair & Nails
450 Memorial Dr.
Jasmine Reyes

HADLEY

Burger King
359 Russell St.
F.P.S. Inc.

R & S Landscaping
21 Campus Road
Enrique Ortiz

HOLYOKE

Baby Crochet & MB More
254 Maple St.
Dezirez L. Bermudez

Fini’s Ice Cream
2 Fini Road
Dianne M. Sutherland-Fini

Holy Oak Tattoo
1735 Northampton St.
Brendan J. Kennedy

Lyman Laundry
228 Lyman St.
Chi-Ping Pan

Residential Mailboxes Online
575 Pleasant St.
David P. Lavigne

NORTHAMPTON

CDT Construction
158 North Maple St.
Eugene Tacy

Mystical Thrift and Consignment
30 Maple St.
Christa Hilfeis

Skyline Recovery Service
376 Easthampton Road
Frank Fournier III

SOUTHWICK

Angel Wings Couriers
23 Congamond Road
Margaret Tichy

Delreo Home Improvement
131A North Lake Road
Gary Delcamp

Pioneer Valley Martial Arts
320 College Highway
Christopher Miltimore

Red Riding Hood’s Basker Inc.
108 Congamond Road
Marjorie Secora

Stonehedge Farms
56 Kline Road
Donald Corey

SPRINGFIELD

2 Dog Art
71 Midway St.
Gail A. Konopka

Best Home Improvements
39 Algonquin Place
David A. Collins

Chic Afrique African Hair
494 Central St.
Sheila Coly

CQ Talk
351 Bridge St.
Leonard Weitz

Craig Masonry
67 Arden St.
Christine M. Howe

Crickets Corner
414 Chestnut St.
Christine M. Howe

Crystal Bubbles
175 Spring St.
Joseph L. Ridley

DT Paint & Improve
1655 Main St.
Daniel J. Torres

Every Body Needs a Massage
6 North Chatham St.
Sheila Prevost

Expose
21 Dunhill St.
David Noel Maynard

Federici Property Service
164 Carol Ann St.
David N. Maynard

Hispanic Mark Inc.
1145 Main St.
John D. Perez

Irie Designz Custom Silk
80 Sunset Dr.
Paul A. Wilson

Lysak’s Academy
1492 Allen St.
Walter Lysak Jr.

La Campesina Sea Food
2550 Main St.
Maria V. Cardona

WESTFIELD

All-Stars Dance Center
209 Root Road
Kim Starsiak

Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail
55 Franklin St.
Don Podolski

Gregory
356 Valley View Dr.
Grigoriy Ruge

LTW Custom Cosmetics
32 White St.
Lyn Wegiel

Main Street Hair Company
32 Main St.
Nancy Whittier

Mama Cakes
31 Elm St.
Kimberly McNutt

New Corner Variety
2 Crown St.
Laura Parker

Northeastern Exterior Makeovers
2 Klondike Ave.
Michael Forrett

Professional Handyman
20 Old Feeding Hills Road
Keith Meyer

Swayger Plumbing & Heating
18 Llewellyn Dr.
Michael Swayger

Tiny Paws
362 Montgomery Road
Eileen M. Scully

Union Mart
420 Union St.
Meet Patel

Wizard Cycle Supply
8 Schumann Dr.
Paul E. Jaeger

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Amokatrade
60 Mercury St.
Tiba Tiangbe

Bee Clean Services
753 Union St.
Olga Pchelka

Century Buffet Inc.
247 Memorial Ave.
Xue L. Ye

Fireside Designs
1759 Riverdale St.
Jean Peloquin

GBS Brows
1313 Riverdale St.
Shiva P. Neupane

Jerry Rome Nissan
500 Riverdale St.
Balise JRN Inc.

JMR Welding and Fabrication
33 Allston Ave.
Jason R. Moore

Longoit.com
56 Hillside Ave.
Kevin J. Longo

Michael’s Arts and Crafts
1081 Riverdale St.
Michaels Stores, Inc.

Metro PCS
935 Riverdale St.
Jamie Woodruff

Naea Energy Massachusetts, LLC
15 Agawam Ave.
Kim C. Marsili

Price Rite of West Springfield
1106 Union St.
Corpo PRRC Inc.

R and B Auto Repair Shop
2296 Westfield St.
Fahid Ranjha

Rolandini Brothers Westside Maso
127 Harwich Road
Chris Rolandini

Starlift Equipment Inc.
36 Roanoke Ave.
Raymond Picarillo

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
William Leahy v.Wal-Mart Inc.
Allegation: Negligent maintenance of premises causing slip and fall: $45,717.18
Filed: 4/5/11

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Cherokee Enterprises v.Northeast Contractors Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract: $25,000
Filed: 6/6/11

Ernie Hernandez v.Poolman Pool & Spas
Allegation: Negligence in pool installation: $34,194
Filed: 3/30/11

Edward T. Koczur v.Daniel J. O’Connell and Plumb & Mackinnon, P.C.
Allegation: Employment retaliation: $25,000+
Filed: 6/10/11

Pioneer Valley Concrete Services v.
AM Lithography Corp.
Allegation: Non-payment of materials and labor on a construction project: $25,414.50
Filed: 4/15/11

Standard Plating Co. v.Specialty Loose Leaf Inc.
Allegation: Failure to pay for services: $80,850.75
Filed: 4/11

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT
Kapiloff’s Glass Inc. v.Ralph’s Blacksmith Shop
Allegation: Breach of contract against subcontractors for labor and materials: $69,733.37
Filed: 7/12/11

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
C&S Trucking Inc. v.Northeast Mesa, LLC
Allegation: Breach of contract for failure to pay amounts due: $21,745
Filed: 7/6/11

Nadim Kresmid v.C&S Wholesaler Inc.
Allegation: Plaintiff was run over by a forklift at C&S Wholesaler: $229,815.76
Filed: 6/28/11

Paul Bacon v.Lockwood Construction
Allegation: Breach of contract for failure to pay purchase price: $15,000
Filed: 7/6/11

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Chase Glass & Allied Products Inc. v.Miller Development and US 1 Construction, Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract for labor and materials on a construction project: $12,591.30
Filed: 6/1/11

Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Co. v.Mula Materials Corp.
Allegation: Non-payment on two workers’ compensation policies: $11,147.73
Filed: 6/20/11

Meravic Inc. v.Floral Fantasies by Lois Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract and unjust enrichment: $5,385.20
Filed: 6/17/11

Optimum Building & Inspection Corp. v.Lizotte Glass Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract for labor and materials on a construction project: $13,198.67
Filed: 6/20/11

The Professional Agency Protective Services v.HP Waterford Inc. and Waterford Hampden, LLC
Allegation: Breach of contract for security services: $14,083.50+
Filed: 6/17/11

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Western Mass Electric Co. v.Sander Family, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of utility services: $14,084.79
Filed: 5/17/11

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

JFBH Business Consulting Inc., 54 Colonial Ave., Agawam, MA 01001. James Hansmann, same. Business consultation services.

AMHERST

Local Links Inc., 36 Hallock St, #2, Amherst, MA 01002. Katie Byrne, 50 Castle Hill Road, Westfield, MA, 01085. Nonprofit organization designed to promote volunteerism and create opportunities for people to volunteer with various charitable organizations.

BELCHERTOWN

RBN Construction Inc., 38 Cedar Glen, Belchertown, MA 01007. Roman Nowakowski, same. Construction services.

CHICOPEE

New Amazon Foods Corp., 96 Chestnut St., #2, Chicopee, MA 01013. Luis Tavares Junior, 22-19 74th St. East Elmhurst, NY 11106. Frozen foods distribution.

GRANVILLE

Houston Enterprises-CT Inc., 43 Dickinson Dr., Granville, MA 01034. Thomas Houston, same. Pizza Hut franchise.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Lux Boutique Inc., 632 North Main St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Patrizia Anna Liquori, 35 Cross Meadow Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Clothing and accessories retail store.

EASTHAMPTON

Music and Poetry Synchronized Inc., 116 Pleasant St., Suite 328, Easthampton, MA 01027. Thomas Willits, 39 Massasoit St., Northampton, MA 01060. Nonprofit organization developed to provide music and poetry educational programs to children.

FEEDING HILLS

Responsible Driver Inc., 547 Springfield St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Gerald Smith, Jr. 52 Clematis Road, Agawam, MA 01001. Driving school.

GREENFIELD

Just Roots Inc., 97 Shelburne Road, Greenfield, MA 01301. Ted Wat, 87 Oakland St., Greenfield, MA 01301. Nonprofit organization.

HAMPDEN

La Cucina Express Inc., 4 Allen St., Hampden MA 01036. Geri Ann Cimmino, same. Restaurant.

HOLYOKE

HIM Tech Inc., 62 B Lower Westfield Road, Holyoke, MA 01040. Sirjana Lamichhane, same. IT consultation services.

LEE

Sullivan Station Restaurant Inc., 109 Railroad St., Lee, MA 01238. Darleen Marie Zradi Miss, 3 Vin Bebert Blvd., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Restaurant.

MONSON

Suffield Lumber Company Inc., 202 Palmer Road, Monson, MA 01057. David Kenniston, same. Lumber sales.

NORTHAMPTON

Wilde Investment Corp., 126 Vernon St., Northampton, MA 01061. Will Carswell, same. Investment holding services.

SPRINGFIELD

G.R.A.M.M. Corporation, 62 Kirk Dr., Springfield, MA 01109. Terrelle castle, same. Distribution of finished goods.

Hampden Entertainment District Inc., 11-13 Hampden St., Springfield, MA 01103. Heriberto Flores, 833 Chestnut St., Springfield, MA 01107.

Iglesia Pentecostal La Senda De La Vida En Cristo Inc., 312 Locust St., Springfield, MA 01118. Jose De Jesus, 1144 Summer Ave., Springfield, MA 01118. Church.

Jablonski Devriese Architects Inc., 29 Elliot St., Springfield, MA 01105. Stephen Jablonski, 22 Green Lane, Springfield, MA 01107. Architectural design firm.

New England International Chaplaincy Inc., 39 Groton St., Springfield, MA 01129. Religious ministry.

Northstar Recycling Company Inc., 89 Guion St., Springfield, MA 01104. Seth Goodman, 47 Academy Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Materials Brokerage.

Roebuck Investment Corporation Inc., 1331 Main St., 2nd Floor, Springfield, MA 01103. John Santanella, same. Investment company.

Tropical Food Marketing Deli Inc., 343 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01109. Antonio Jimenez, same. Deli.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

OGI Trans Incorporated, 39 Colony Road, West Springfield, MA 01089. Zdenko Dosen, same. Trucking and freight transportation services.

WESTFIELD

First Slavic Pentecostal Church of Springfield Inc., 64 Kennsington Ave., Westfield, MA 01085. Pawel Lubanski, same.

Genesis Spiritual Life and Conference Center Inc., 53 Mill St., Westfield, MA 01085. Frank Irr, 18 Huntington Lane, Norwich, CT 06360. Retreat and educational conference center for individuals and groups.

Briefcase

By
Briefcase Departments

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Coming to Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — A deserving family in Springfield will have their dreams come true in just a few weeks thanks to ABC’s Emmy-winning reality show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. That family will learn of their good fortune with a knock on the door on Sept. 11, when the show’s team of designers will surprise them with the news that their home will be completely renovated. The build is a race against time involving a team of designers, contractors, and several hundred workers who have just seven days (one week for the actual construction) to rebuild an entire house — every room, the exterior, and landscaping. Normally, a project of this scope would take months, not days. Chicopee-based N. Riley Construction was selected by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s producers to be the lead builder on the project. The Home Builders Assoc. of Western Mass. has also signed on to collect donations and help coordinate volunteer contractors. “We look for builders with big hearts, great skills, and a strong connection within their own community,” explained Milan Vasic, the show’s senior producer. “Nick and his crew at N. Riley Construction were the perfect fit.” The build officially kicked off with an announcement by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno on Aug. 19. A kickoff pep rally is scheduled for Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. (location TBA) with work beginning on Sept. 11, and continuing around the clock until Sept. 18. “We are thrilled to be part of this project and already have tons of support from the community,” noted Riley. “But we need your help and donations. So please go online and sign up to volunteer and donate.” Organizations and companies that have already signed on include: the city of Springfield, Abide, Ingram and Associates, Southampton Environmental, Durkee, White, Towne, and Chapdelaine, Ondrick, Kohler, Kitchen Encounters, Kraftmaid Cabinets, Silestone, Emtek, Dki, John Pelland Electric, Fontaine Bros., Galen and Sons, Superior Walls, Mvg Home Improvement, Crystal Brook Decorative Concrete, Sherwin Williams, Masterpiece Finishes, Shubee, Contemporary Structures, USG, ABC Supply, Daltile, Baystate Rug and Flooring, Bouchard, Pro-Tech, Select Blinds, Lumber Liquidators, Garvey Communication Associates Inc., James Langone Photography, and Viz-Bang. To donate, volunteer, or for more information, visit www.joinextreme.com/mass. Several families are being considered, and the recipients will be announced on the door-knock date. Local information, including the most up-to-date sponsors’ lists, behind-the-scenes photos, and news flashes, will be posted at facebook.com/emheSpringfield.

State’s Jobless Rate Holds Steady
BOSTON — Massachusetts continues to outperform the nation in job growth, according to the latest statistics from the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. Employers in the state added nearly 13,000 jobs in July, building on strong gains in the first half of the year, the agency reported. The state’s unemployment rate held steady in July at 7.6%, well below the national rate of 9.1% in July, the office reported. Massachusetts has added more than 50,000 jobs since the beginning of the year.

HCC Plans ‘Working Green’ Training, Certification Programs
HOLYOKE — This fall, the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College will introduce new training courses that provide technical skills and a framework for developing sustainable facilities. “Green Facilities Training for Managers” is an introductory course that focuses on practical ideas and a plan of action for businesses to immediately save money. In addition, HCC will offer “Introduction to Cleaning Green,” “Getting to Sustainability Through Changes in Waste Contracting,” and “Introduction to Green Purchasing.” Also, a “Facility Team Green” program is designed for restaurant and lodging establishments. For more information on programming, visit www.hcc.edu/bcs or contact Rachel Bishop-Cook at (413) 552-2730 or [email protected].

Kindergartners to Receive Literacy Packets
SPRINGFIELD — Children entering the Springfield Public School kindergarten programs this fall will receive a special gift thanks to Link to Libraries Inc. Welcome to Kindergarten, the newest initiative by Link to Libraries, will include a bookbag, new book, bookmark, and educational materials that are bilingual. It is hoped that the selected youths participating in the test pilot program will have the opportunity to read their book with their parents or guardians at home. Classroom teachers will be asked to generate discussion among their pupils to gauge if the sharing of the book occurred at home between the parents or guardians and the youths. It will be requested of each teacher to return a brief survey to Link to Libraries to help determine the success and effectiveness of the program. Link to Libraries has donated more than 26,000 books to schools and nonprofit organizations throughout Western Mass. and Northern and Central Conn., and more than 10,000 books to Springfield public elementary schools since its inception in 2008. For more information, visit www.linktolibraries.org.

NH, Maine Join FastLane/E-ZPass Pacts
BOSTON — The Mass. Department of Transportation recently announced agreements with New Hampshire and Maine enabling all three states to impose sanctions on FastLane/E-ZPass toll violators across each other’s state lines. Enforceable penalties now include registration suspension (Maine) and denial of vehicle registration renewal (New Hampshire and Massachusetts). The tri-state reciprocity agreements are the first such agreements in the nation and mark an important step in ensuring toll equity by addressing revenue losses caused by motorists without FastLane or E-ZPass transponders or whose electronic accounts perennially have insufficient funds. “Electronic tolling accounts accounts for about 70% of our toll revenue,” said Jeffrey Mullan, MassDOT secretary and CEO. “These first-in-the-nation agreements allow us to continue to collect tolls more efficiently, to address toll equity issues, and to collect tolls from out-of-state violators.” The agreements will be in force for one year. After that, the agencies have the option to extend the term of the pilot program for up to two additional one-year periods or create permanent agreements. For more details, visit www.mass.gov/massdot.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

HNE Files for Decrease in Premium Rates
SPRINGFIELD — Health New England (HNE) recently filed for a decrease in rates effective Oct. 1, 2011. HNE is the only plan in the state to have filed for a decrease. Juan Campbell, vice president of sales, noted in a statement that, over the past 16 months, HNE has experienced a “slowing in the rate of increase in costs and lower utilization of services which has lowered the overall medical trend.” Campbell added that medical trends drive approximately 90% of costs, while 10% covers administrative costs. “We are pleased to be in a position to pass on a reduction to individuals and employers,” he said. HNE, a provider-sponsored plan, is majority-owned by Baystate Health (approximately 97%), and the remaining 3% is held by independent practicing physicians in Western Mass. “We believe that to be successful in controlling health care costs requires a partnership between the health plan, the health care delivery system, and engagement with the member/patient,” added Peter Straley, HNE president and CEO.

Mercy Medical Center Scores High in Two National Rankings of Hospitals
SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center has been ranked in U.S. News Media & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” rankings, available online at www.usnews.com/besthospitals. The rankings, annually published by U.S. News for the past 22 years, will also be featured in the U.S. News Best Hospitals guidebook, which will go on sale August 30. The latest rankings showcase 720 hospitals out of about 5,000 hospitals nationwide. Each is ranked among the country’s top hospitals in at least one medical specialty. Mercy ranked as high-performing in urology. “At Mercy Medical Center, we continuously strive for clinical excellence through the delivery of high-quality care. The U.S. News and World Report’s ranking of Mercy Medical Center among the nation’s best hospitals provides additional validation of our team’s success in providing the highest quality of patient care,” said Daniel Moen, president and CEO of the Sisters of Providence Health System. In other news, Mercy Medical Center has once again been recognized as a Top 100 Community Value hospital by Cleverley + Associates of Columbus, Ohio, a leading health care financial consulting firm specializing in operational benchmarking and performance-enhancement strategies. Mercy’s designation  is noted in the independent organization’s recent publication, State of the Hospital Industry — 2011 Edition. “The concept of health care value has become increasing important to payers, employers, and individuals, not just here in Massachusetts, but also across the country,” said Moen. “Mercy Medical Center’s reputation for providing high quality care at a reasonable cost has again been independently validated by the presentation of both the Community Value 100 and Community Value Five Star Awards. At  Mercy Medical Center, we believe that providing high-quality care is the right thing to do for our patients. As experts in medical economics have demonstrated, high-quality care actually costs less.”

Baystate Medical Center Recognized as a ‘High-performing Hospital’ in Report
SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Medical Center is recognized as Massachusetts’ top hospital outside of Boston based on the most high-performing specialties, according to the latest edition of the U.S. News Media & World Reports 2011-12 Best Hospitals rankings. The rankings, annually published by U.S. News for the past 22 years, listed Baystate Medical Center as “high-performing” in the following specialties: cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, geriatrics, gynecology, nephrology, orthopedics, pulmonology, urology, and ear, nose, and throat. The latest rankings showcase 720 hospitals out of about 5,000 hospitals nationwide. Each is ranked among the country’s top hospitals in at least one medical specialty and/or ranked among the best hospitals in its metro area. “We are proud to be recognized by U.S. News and World Report for the quality of care we provide to patients right here in Western Mass. Baystate Medical Center has invested significantly in our quality and safety programs, and we are gratified by this recognition,” said Dr. Evan Benjamin, the hospital’s senior vice president of Healthcare Quality.

Big Y Opens New Store in Meriden
SPRINGFIELD —  State and community officials attended a cake-cutting ceremony Aug. 25 as Big Y Foods opened its newest World Class Market at 533 South Broad St. in Meriden, Conn. The 55,500-square-foot market was completely refurbished after being vacated by its former operator. The new Big Y reflects today’s modern supermarket standards along with an in-store pharmacy, prepared meals section, and eat-in café. Bowdoin Construction of Needham served as general contractor for this expansion in conjunction with several local subcontractors for the completion of the $3 million project. As part of Big Y’s grand reopening celebration, 15 schools in Meriden will each receive a check for $500 as part of the company’s longstanding commitment to education.

WMECo, Employees Assist Tornado Victims
SPRINGFIELD — Western Massachusetts Electric Co. (WMECo) and its employees recently contributed $28,600 to the American Red Cross Pioneer Valley Chapter and the Salvation Army to assist victims of the severe storms and tornado that struck Western Mass. on June 1, and for future disaster relief initiatives. “Many of our customers experienced unprecedented losses and disruptions to their lives,” said Peter Clarke, WMECo president and CEO. “We’re privileged to be able to help those organizations that are providing such essential services to the residents of the affected communities.” A check for $13,600 will be presented to the Red Cross, and $15,000 will be donated to the Salvation Army. The contributions are from WMECo employees; members of the Greater Springfield Reliability Project team, including its contractor, Burns & McDonnell; and corporate donations.

Chicopee Savings Bank Awards Scholarships
CHICOPEE — The Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation recently awarded six scholarships, each for $3,000, to eligible high-school students attending one of eight participating high schools within the market area. Scholarships were awarded to Amanda Pierce, graduate of Ware Jr./Sr. High School; Allison O’Shea, Chicopee High School; Kyle Benoit, Ludlow High School; Kaitlyn Baranowski, South Hadley High School; Trent Domingos, Chicopee Comprehensive High School; and Alyssa Sawyer, West Springfield High School. For the fifth year, this program replaced the Chicopee Savings Bank Medallion Scholarship Program, which was established in 1976 in conjunction with the nation’s bicentennial celebration. After 30 years in existence, an estimated $80,000 was awarded to high-school students residing in Chicopee.

Credit Union, CES Create Partnership to Assist Students
AMHERST — The UMass Five College Credit Union and the Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) have formed a unique partnership to provide loans to eligible students enrolled in the CES educator licensure and graduate programs. The collaborative offers programs leading to initial licensure in a wide variety of subjects, including high-need areas such as special education, English as a second language, science, and math. The loan offers a variable interest rate and terms up to seven years. Payment deferments are also available. The maximum loan amount is $20,000. Students enrolled in any CES program are eligible to join the credit union and apply for the financing opportunity. “Over the next few years, many teachers who are Baby Boomers are going to retire, opening up a lot of jobs in the educational field,” said Phyllis White, director of programs for the Franklin Hampshire Career Center. “With the new loan program, students enrolled in the collaborative’s licensure programs can get the financial help they need to enter teaching or school administration careers.” For more information on the loan program, visit www.umassfive.org/ces_student_loan. For more about the CES licensure program, visit www.techinmass.org.

MassMutual Webcast Attendance Up
SPRINGFIELD — More than 800 retirement-plan advisors and sponsors attended the recent “Plan Health and Retirement Readiness” webcast hosted by PLANSPONSOR magazine and sponsored by MassMutual Retirement Services. The informational webcast addressed two key challenges facing the retirement industry today — the importance of measuring plan health and helping plan participants prepare for retirement. Presenters reviewed the critical characteristics of the new retirement plan and discussed ways that plan advisors and sponsors can help improve overall plan health, prepare participants for retirement, and fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities. An integral part of this framework, the MassMutual PlanSmart Analysis report, allows advisors and sponsors to gauge the health of a plan by assessing the percentage of employees likely to have enough income in retirement. And for participants, the RetireSmart Ready tool provides a simple way to assess their personal level of retirement readiness. “The outstanding attendance of this webcast signifies how important the topics of plan health and retirement readiness are to the retirement services industry today,” said Elaine Sarsynski, executive vice president of MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division and chairman and CEO of MassMutual International LLC.

Central Scores High in Ranking of High Schools
SPRINGFIELD — The Washington Post recently recognized Springfield Central High School among the top of all academic high schools in the United States, citing the school’s strong commitment to preparing students for college as a key factor in its rating. Principal Thaddeus Tokarz said the school is elated by the good news. “This is a huge accomplishment and a testament to all of the tireless hours our students and staff put in every day,” said Tokarz, adding that the ranking places Central in the nation’s top 5% of high schools. “It affirms we are on the right track toward our goal to be one of the top high schools in the country by 2015. This is a terrific step along the way.” The ranking by the Post places the school as one of the top 1,900 academic high schools in the country, and identifies the school as a national leader in college preparation. Over the past five years, the number of Central High School students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses more than doubled going from 222 to 517. And Central High School students’ performance on Advanced Placement examinations outpaces the national average. Advanced Placement classes are college-level courses that earn high school students college credit upon successful completion.

People on the Move

By
Nicolle Cestero
Departments People on the Move

Nicolle Cestero

Nicolle Cestero

has been named Associate Vice President of Human Resources at American International College in Springfield. Her role includes overseeing recruitment, employment relations, compliance with governing regulations, HR process and procedures, classification and compensation services, and performance management. Cestero will also focus on benefits administration, training and development, and contract negotiations.
•••••
Big Y Foods Inc. in Springfield announced the following:
Guy McFarlane

Guy McFarlane

• Guy McFarlane has been appointed Senior Director of Fresh Foods.
Gary Bolduc
Gary Bolduc

Gary Bolduc

• Gary Bolduc has been appointed Director of Meat and Seafood.
•••••
Allan Costello has joined Berkshire Bank as Senior Vice President and Audit and Compliance Manager. He will lead the internal audit and compliance teams throughout the company.
•••••
Fallon Community Health Plan has named Attorney Gerard Campbell as Privacy Officer and Compliance Manager at its Worcester headquarters. He will serve as the company’s primary resource for questions related to privacy and confidentiality as they pertain to FCHP and its employees, customers, vendors, and business partners.
•••••
Chicopee Savings Bank announced the following:
Anthony Antonopoulos

Anthony Antonopoulos

• Anthony Antonopoulos has been promoted to Vice President of Compliance and serves as the bank’s Security Officer;
Henry Downey

Henry Downey

• Henry Downey has been promoted to Vice President of Commercial Lending; and
Elizabeth Maroney

Elizabeth Maroney

• Elizabeth Maroney has been promoted to Vice President of Loan Administration.
•••••
The Western Mass Wellness Center in West Springfield announced the following:
Kelley Hamaoui

Kelley Hamaoui

• Tai Chi instructor Kelley Hamaoui has begun offering tai chi classes;
Bonnie Coopersmith

Bonnie Coopersmith

• Bonnie Coopersmith, LMFT, a licensed Individual and Relationship Therapist, has begun offering consultation services;
• Carleen Eve Fischer Hoffman, owner of the Clutter Doctor, has formed the Western Mass. Clutter Support Group through the wellness center; and
Lynn LaDuke

Lynn LaDuke

• Lynn LaDuke has joined the wellness center as a presenter and speaker on holistic options for pain relief for fibromyalgia sufferers. Her program is titled Restoring Quality of Life.
•••••
Bevan Brunelle has been appointed Marketing Manager at CityStage & Symphony Hall in Springfield.
•••••
MassMutual Retirement Services in Springfield announced the following:
• Garrett Carlough has joined MassMutual as Sales Director. He is based in New York City and is providing additional coverage for New York City, Long Island, Westchester County, Rockland County, and Northern New Jersey; and
• Andrew Hanlon has been appointed Sales Director. He is based in Boston, increasing coverage for eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine.
•••••
Danielle Goldaper has been named Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at American International College in Springfield.
•••••
Best Tile of Springfield announced the following:
•  Walt Sawa, Manager, has announced his retirement after 44 years of service with the company.
• Karen Belezarian-Tesini has been promoted to Branch Manager. She has served as Showroom Manager since 1996.
•••••
Mark Haynes, President and Chief Operating Officer of Environmental Compliance Services in Agawam, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts  Chamber of Business and Industry.
•••••
Karen Stonehouse has been invited by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime to take part in establishing a national curriculum to train new protective-service caseworkers. This initiative is part of a nationwide pilot program to develop standardized competency trainings that can be used as a framework by other states to adapt to fit their regulations. In most states, the protective-service caseworkers are the first responders to report elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. Stonehouse will conduct a course titled “Working within the Criminal Justice System” in September. She is a Supervisor in the Protective Services Unit at Greater Springfield Senior Services Inc., based in Springfield.
•••••
Wayne Budd, a longtime member of AAA Southern New England’s Board of Directors and most recently the Vice Chairman of AAA’s National Board of Directors, will now serve as Chairman of the national board. A Springfield native, Budd is a Senior Counsel at the Boston law firm of Goodwin Procter, and is a former U.S. attorney and former U.S. associate attorney general.
•••••
Michael Tucker, President of Greenfield Co-operative Bank, has been elected Treasurer of the Mass. Bankers Assoc.
•••••
Keith G. Roy Construction of Westfield announced the following:
• Keith Roy, President, has completed the Vinyl Siding Institute’s certified installer program; and
• Joshua Roy, Crew Leader, has also completed the certified installer program.
The firm has been in operation since 1946 and is a second-generation, family-owned company that provides siding and roofing installation and repair as well as other home-construction services.
•••••
Linda Carfora has been named Assistant Director of Educational Services for the Willie Ross School for the Deaf in Longmeadow. She is responsible for coordination of the school’s two campuses, the management of the center-based home campus in Longmeadow as well as the partnership, mainstreaming campus in the East Longmeadow Public Schools.
•••••
Shanda Reynelli has been appointed Clinical Director of Children’s Services for the Center for Human Development, based in Springfield. Reynelli, a licensed mental health counselor, will oversee clinical services for all CHD programs serving children and adolescents.
•••••
Thomas Devivo has joined the Charter Department sales team at Peter Pan Bus Lines in Springfield. Devivo handles outside charter sales business for Peter Pan throughout the Greater New York and Northeast areas.
•••••
Western New England University in Springfield recently announced new members of its Board of Trustees. They are:
∙ Stephen J. Rourke, Vice President of System Planning for ISO New England.
∙ Neville S. Bogle, Senior Financial Consultant with Travelers Insurance Co. in Hartford, Conn.
∙ Robert W. Dobek, Pharmacist, in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

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
Tayisha Guzman v. Chicopee Village Townhouses
Allegation: Negligent maintenance of property, causing slip and fall: $3,389.33
Filed: 6/30/11

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Edwin Diaz v. CSX Intermobil Inc.
Allegation: Defendant misclassified as an independent contractor instead of employee, transferring numerous costs unlawfully from the defendant to the plaintiff: $495,463.91
Filed: 4/25/11

Geodesign Inc. v. Purcell Associates and the Town of West Springfield
Allegation: Collection of outstanding fees for design services rendered on a construction project: $1,090,295
Filed: 4/20/11

Peter Mayberry v. Allcare Dental Management Inc.
Allegation: Medical malpractice: $50,000+
Filed: 4/27/11

Ted Ondrick Company, LLC v. Green River Development, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of paving services rendered: $25,350.30
Filed: 5/6/11

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT
Rose P. Gamin v. Five Star Aviation Inc.
Allegation: Crash of aircraft due to negligence of maintenance facility: $65,000
Filed: 7/18/11

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
JP Elastomerics Corp. v. Soltech Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract and failure to pay commission: $16,646.80
Filed: 6/14/11

Shawn Mineau and Kevin Mullen v. Decosino Construction and Five Star Building Construction
Allegation: Failure to pay prevailing wages: $25,000
Filed: 6/9/11

Michael Elbery v. City Tire Inc.
Allegation: Unfair and deceptive trade practices and fraud: $10,000
Filed: 6/27/11

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Advanta Bank Corp. v. Alpha Builders Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment on credit account: $10,533.95
Filed: 6/19/11

Arthur C. Lamb Co. Inc. v. National Maintenance and Service Corp.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $8,417.37
Filed: 6/3/11

Beacon Sales Co. v. Keith G. Roy Home Improvement and Construction
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $10,629.76
Filed: 6/19/11

BSI, LLC v. Tigar Refrigeration Co., LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $9,123.72
Filed: 6/19/11

Catherine Nguyen v. Faces of Phobia
Allegation: Plaintiff was injured after being struck in the face by another patron who was startled and trying to flee: $24,999.99
Filed: 6/6/11

Concord Electrical Supply Limited v. Precision Electric Enterprise, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $22,243.99
Filed: 6/24/11

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Industrial Air Solutions v. Creative Hardware Floors Inc.
Allegation: Enforcement of a previous judgment: $5,488.54
Filed: 6/3/11

Pic This

By
LibbosTeam
Departments Picture This

Send photos with a caption and contact information to:  ‘Picture This’ c/o BusinessWest Magazine, 1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103 or to [email protected]

Kids Safety Event

LibbosTeamClownFireTruck1At left, the staff and family members of the Law Offices of Thomas M. Libbos, P.C. hand out hundreds of free bike safety helmets to children at the 3rd Annual Kids Safety Event staged recently at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. From left, are: attorney Thomas Libbos, Samantha Wrinkle, Catherine Wrinkle, Melissa Cintron, and attorney Katherine Lamondia-Wrinkle. Below left, Shriners Clown Lenny Horowitz, a.k.a. “Paintbrush,” waves from a Springfield Fire Department Fire Truck during the event, which was produced by Market Mentors LLC of West Springfield.







Extreme Makeover

Extreme-Makeover-Home-EditionExtreme Makeover: Home Edition is coming to Springfield. That announcement was made recently in front of City Hall, with dozens of city officials, volunteers, and builders in attendance. Here, Brad Campbell, left, executive director of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Western Mass., standing with Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, thanks Western New England University students for volunteering their time to help with the project, which will kick-off with the ceremonial “door knock” at the home of the lucky family on Sept. 11. At right is Nick Riley, owner of N. Riley Construction and lead builder for this project. Visit http://www.joinextreme.com/mass to register as a volunteer or donate to the project. For behind the scenes photos and videos visit http://www.facebook.com/emheSpringfield.

Questions and Answers

By
Jeffrey Fialky
Entrepreneurship Sections
, entity

Jeffrey Fialky

Jeffrey Fialky

Individuals forming new business enterprises, or perhaps those whose business enterprises have matured to the standpoint of pursuing the next level, often approach their accountants and attorneys when considering whether or not to incorporate.
Really, the term ‘incorporate’ is euphemistic for whether an individual, and in some cases multiple business partners, should proceed (or continue to proceed) on their own behalf or, alternatively, form a limited-liability entity pursuant to the laws of the respective jurisdiction. The question of whether to engage in business operations in an individual capacity or to form a limited-liability entity within which to conduct business operations is generally a question answered by a thorough analysis of the respective liabilities and tax implications.

Sole Proprietorship
The simplest manner of doing business is in the form of a sole proprietorship. That said, a sole proprietorship is a bit misleading by name, in that it is not a business entity, but rather the absence of a business entity.
There are no registration or filing requirements, and simply engaging in the business operation commences the sole proprietorship, in the individual’s own name, or on their own behalf. As a result, an individual who engages in a business practice as a sole proprietor personally exposes himself to any liabilities that could arise as a result of such business operations without any legal protection from same.
While an individual doing business as a sole proprietor may register a fictitious name in which to conduct his or her business by filing a DBA certificate in the community in which the business operates, from a legal standpoint, the fact that the business operates pursuant to a fictitious name has no bearing or legal effect relative to liability. By way of example, assume Joe Smith, d/b/a XYS Construction, is named in a lawsuit as a result of an injury occurring to a third party on a job site. A judgment against Joe, personally, could certainly result in a lien against Joe’s personal residence, subject to subsequent sale in order to satisfy such judgment.

General Partnership
Another form of business operation is a general partnership. This consists of essentially two or more individual sole proprietors engaging in business operations in a joint capacity. Often, a general partnership will be governed pursuant to the terms of a partnership agreement; however, such as with a sole proprietorship, there is no formal legal registration requirement.
Additionally, as with a sole proprietorship, the general partnership does not protect the individual partners from personal liability arising out of the business operations. Worse, partners pursuant to a general partnership are not only liable personally for their own acts or omissions relative to the ongoing business venture, but, additionally, each individual is personally liable for the acts of other partners in the partnership.

Corporation
For many reasons, including avoiding the personal liability attributed to sole proprietorships and general partnerships, parties are often counseled to consider forming limited-liability legal entities, which provide a barrier of protection for the business owners.
Among the host of legal entities available for formation, the most commonly used in contemporary business are the corporation and limited-liability company (LLC). That said, the term ‘corporation,’ as generally used, often includes two specific types of corporations ­— subchapter ‘C’ corporations (C corps) and subchapter ‘S’ corporations (S corps), the distinction between which arises pursuant to the respective subchapter of the IRS tax code.
Generally speaking, a corporation is a legal entity that is formed by the filing of articles of organization, is governed by its bylaws, and which is owned by its stockholders. Corporations are managed by their board of directors, with day-to-day operations overseen by their officers. Unlike a sole proprietorship or general partnership, a corporation is an independent legal identity, which is independent from that of its stockholders. Accordingly, a substantial degree of protection is afforded to owners of the corporation relative to liabilities arising as a result of the ongoing business operations of the corporation. The tax treatment of a corporation, including the potential tax effect on individual stockholders, varies in accordance with the nature of the corporation formed, specifically whether it is a C corp or an S corp.

C Corporations
Subchapter C corporations, or C corps, enjoy the benefits of limited liability for stockholders, and are operated pursuant to the traditional corporate formality of being governed by their directors and officers. One significant potential tax disadvantage to C corps, however, is the potential for double taxation of corporate earnings. C corps pay tax on income at the corporate level, and in the event that earnings are distributed to stockholders as dividends, the dividends are often subject to tax at the individual shareholder level upon distribution. This so-called potential for ‘double taxation’ can often be avoided by forward thinking and anticipatory tax planning.

S Corporations
Unlike C corps, subchapter S corporations, or S corps, while providing many of the advantages of the limited liability corporate structure as provided by a C corporation, have the added advantage of not being subject to the potential for double taxation. In fact, income and losses from the business flow through to the individual stockholders and are reported on their personal tax returns. That said, S corps are subject to their own specific limitations and potential disadvantages, most notably the fact that they are limited to a maximum number of stockholders, that stockholders generally must be individuals as opposed to other legal entities, that the S corporation may not have more than one class of stock (e.g. common vs. preferred), and that distributions must be in direct percentage to ownership interest.

LLC
Another commonly utilized business entity is the limited liability company (LLC), which is an entity that shares many characteristics of sole proprietorships and general partnerships, but with the limited liability protection afforded to corporations. The LLC, much like a corporation, is formed by the filing with the secretary of the respective state jurisdiction, with a simple certificate of organization filing, and payment of the respective registration fee. Unlike a corporation, which is owned by its stockholders, LLCs are owned by its member or members, as opposed to directors and officers, and managed by their manager or managers.
LLCs afford a great degree of flexibility in that most states have enacted a limited-liability company act permitting LLCs to be owned by a single member, to have multiple classes of membership (e.g. common vs. preferred), and to determine the capital structure, ownership, and management, all as determined by the business owners. Additionally, unlike S corps, profits and losses may be allocated in a manner that is disproportionate to direct percentages of ownership interests.
Unlike a corporation, which is operated pursuant to its articles and bylaws, LLCs are operated pursuant to a document called an operating agreement, which is a recitation of the respective rights and obligations of each member and manager of the LLC.
Members of an LLC have additional flexibility relative to taxation in that members can be taxed much like a sole proprietor or like a partnership, although distributions to members may be subject to self-employment taxes.
As a result of the flexibility of LLCs and the avoidance of the potential for double taxation, they provide ideal entities for the purposes of taking title to real-estate holdings and investments. For similar reasons, LLCs are additionally valuable tools for estate-planning purposes.

In Summation
As you can see, the determination of whether to form a limited liability entity and, if so, the choice of entity itself, is a fact-dependent analysis. Naturally, consultation with legal and tax professionals is recommended to ensure that you may enjoy the maximum level of liability protection and the most favorable tax consequences for your situation.

Jeffrey Fialky is an associate with the regional law firm Bacon Wilson, P.C, specializing in business, corporate, municipal, and real-estate law. A former assistant district attorney in Hampden County, Fialky joined the firm after a decade of holding senior attorney positions with some of the country’s most prominent telecommunications and cable television companies, where he negotiated large-scale licensing, acquisition, and distribution agreements; (413) 781-0560; baconwilson.com/attorneys/fialky

Profile in Business

By
Jack Dill, President and Principal, Colebrook Realty Services
Features
Jack Dill Successfully Manages Time and Space

Jack Dill, President and Principal, Colebrook Realty Services

Jack Dill, President and Principal, Colebrook Realty Services


Jack Dill was asked about the currently slumping commercial real estate market, and, more specifically, how this prolonged downturn compares to the one from two decades ago, and if this sector has finally hit bottom and started back up.
He paused and offered a few facial contortions that conveyed the message that this would be an exercise in basic futility, one not really worth his time or energy. And, speaking broadly, he said that while there have been times when the market is more subdued than others, there are few, if any, occasions when conditions in this realm could actually be called ‘good.’
“How do you know what the bottom is until you’re past it?” he asked. “I said this to someone the other day: ‘I never remember a period of time when I was picking up the financial news and reading that we were in a great economy.’
“If you go back and find the high points of the metrics and read the contemporary business literature at the time,” he continued. “I think you’ll see more things that are concerns, worries, and negative comments about the economy; I don’t think you’d see too many articles saying we’re in the tall grass. It is what it is, and you just have to come to terms with it.”
So rather than discuss about how bad things are, or how bad they are now compared to the recession of the early ’90s, Dill talked instead about a sign that he hung in the offices of Colebrook Realty Services — the former wholly owed subsidiary of what is now TD Bank that he acquired in 1998 — during that slump 20 years ago.
“It said, ‘No Whining Zone,’” he recalled, adding that this became a basic operating philosophy for the firm, which has both brokerage and property-management divisions that have grown steadily over the years.
“I had observed to someone at that time that we tried whining as a strategy and it just wasn’t very productive,” he noted, adding that while the sign is long gone, the attitude prevails. Indeed he told BusinessWest that while the current market is slow, the company continues to search out — and find — opportunities to expand its portfolios and gain market share.
The ‘no whining apparoach’ is an attitude that Dill takes with all aspects of his work at Colebrook — and within the community as well. It was much in evidence during his recent, and ongoing, efforts to assist the diocese of Springfield in its efforts to bounce back from the June 1 tornado, especially with regard to the comprehensive search for temporary quarters for Cathedral High School (see related story, page 19). That search ended with the selection of the former Memorial Elementary School in Wilbraham, after a spirited attempt to place the school on two floors of a building at Springfield Technical Community College failed to materialize due to logistics and time constraints.
“That was a fascinating project in and off itself,” Dill said of the relocation efforts, which were both typical in some respects and atypical in many others, of the site-selection work the company handles for clients. “We spent a lot of time on STCC because there was a lot of sentiment to try to keep things in Springfield.
“We had great cooperation from STCC, FEMA, the congressman’s office, the mayor’s office, and from our contractors and architects,” he continued. “It was a full-court press, and we spent four weeks in intensive analysis … at the end of the day, we just ran out of time. We had the elements in place to pull that off, but when we ran the critical paths schedule from that point forward, we would have been starting school Oct. 19, which really doesn’t work.”
Meanwhile, within the community, Dill has spent years on the board at Baystate Health, and was chairman as that institution blueprinted its $250 million Hospital of the Future, and more recently, he’s become involved with efforts to promote early childhood education as an economic development strategy as important to the region as building a new industrial park.
Looking at the sum of everything he’s doing these days, it’s clear to see that his focus is squarely on what’s down the road, and not what’s in the rear-view mirror.
For this, the latest in its profile series, BusinessWest talked with Dill about everything from the state of the real estate market to the importance of child literacy programs. The common denominator in each case is the passion with which he approaches all matters he’s involved with.

Signs of the Times
Dill leaned back in his chair and glanced toward the ceiling, as if the answer might be written there.
He was asked how many times the signs had changed on the building at 1441 Main St.  — where Colebrook, which manages the property, is headquartered — since the brand SIS (Springfield Institution for Savings) disappeared from the local landscape.
“Had we known how the banking business was going to change in the’90s, we would definitely have gone into the sign business,” he started, displaying his trademark dry wit before starting to list off the names that have appeared over the front entranceway, from Peoples Heritage to First Massachusetts, to TD Bank.
Much has changed for Colebrook over the past several years as well, but the same basic operating philosophy hasn’t, said Dill, referencing the ‘No Whining Zone’ without actually saying the words.
Tracing his career path, Dill said he essentially grew up in the real estate financing realm — his father was in the mortgage business on a national level.
“From a very early age, I traveled with him and met his business associates and contacts, said Dill, “and from the age of about 14 on, I could calculate mortgage and bond yields.”
He maintained his interest in finance and real estate, and upon graduating from Williams College in 1974, went to work for SIS, even with opportunities to go to larger institutions in much bigger cities.
“I was sitting in the Friendly’s (in what is now known as Tower Square) on interview day, looking across the street at the bank building, and wondering ‘what am I doing here?’” he recalled. “My offers at the time were in New York and Boston. But SIS had a reputation for a really good management-training program that got people very quickly into the stream of doing things, as opposed to a multi-year credit training program that other people were offering.”
And rise quickly he did. Dill neventually become executive vice president of the bank’s Colebrook Corp. and affiliates, and thus actively engaged in commercial real estate development, finance, brokerage, and consulting work.
“It was highly unusual for a bank to do direct development, rather than just passive financing, so every chance I had when I was in my early career here, I would arrange to be lent to Colebrook, to do consulting work, survey work, or project work,” he said. “I spent time migrating back and forth between the bank and Colebrook.”
Projects initiated by SIS fell into the broad category of community development, he said, adding that initiatives included the Stockbridge Court and Armory Commons apartment projects in downtown Springfield, but also direct investment in high-tech office-park development in the Boston market.
Fast-forwarding a little, he said that over the years, the Colebrook Group, as it came to be called, underwent a steady course of evolution, and is today a multi-faceted service business, with diversity being its strongest asset.
Its individual service areas include brokerage work, property management, asset management, development services, and construction management, he explained, adding that the operating philosophy in each case is to “look at client business like it’s our money.”
The company has enjoyed steady growth across the board, especially in the property-management realm, where a trend toward outsourcing that began in the late ’80s continues in earnest today. As the pictures in the lobby of the Colebrook office attest, the portfolio of managed properties is diversified, including everything from the PeoplesBank building in Holyoke to the the Basketball Hall of Fame complex in Springfield, a contract the company earned last year.
“Our label on a building means something, even if we don’t own it,” Dill continued, “because we’re the day-to-day contact for people.
“That’s part of our value-added, because one thing we’ve learned in 30 years of developing, owning, and managing buildings is that you really cannot afford to lose tenants,” he went on. “A rational owner will try to avoid losing a tenant at all costs, because it’s very hard to make up that cash flow; in an economy like this, good tenants are hard to find.”

Success Stories
Like most people who were in or near the path of the tornadoes on June 1, Dill has little trouble remembering where he was and what he was doing that fateful afternoon.
After the first tornado tore through downtown Springfield — missing 1441 Main St. by just a few hundred yards — he remembers trying to get updates on several clients that were more in harm’s way, such as the Hall of Fame and the Community Music School, for example, and heading out, first on foot and then by car, for some first-hand accounts.
He remembers being “embargoed” at the Hall of Fame as reports of a second tornado approaching from the Northeast starting coming in, and essentially waiting it out there until the skies cleared.
Starting on June 2, however, most of his energies have been directed toward assisting the diocese of Springfield, which had many facilities damaged by the twister, and specifically the efforts to find temporary quarters for Cathedral, as well as the   middle school and a pre-school facility all located at the Surrey Road complex.
“It took 48 hours for people to understand how serious that damage was,” he explained. “The tornado hit on a Wednesday, and by Friday afternoon we were working on solutions. We surveyed the market, and eventually identified about 30 buildings sorted by various criteria that we developed with the diocese.
“About six or eight buildings into the tour, it occurred to me that with the new building codes, adoptive reuse of non-school buildings was going to be a problem,” he continued. “So we shifted gears, with the aphorism I was credited with developing that ‘schools make good schools,’ and that limited the inventory of things that we were considering to schools or buildings that had been schools.”
That list included STCC and the MacDuffie, the latter of which was also extensively damaged by the tornado, he said, adding that for logistical reasons, the former Memorial School made the most sense. And while conducting the search for new quarters, Dill said he’s become inspired by the energy and momentum the Cathedral community has created as it has forged ahead from the disaster.
“This will focus people,” he said of the recovery efforts,” and what I hope it will do is bring the alumni out and get people thinking about how important Cathedral is to this community, and bring resources to bear on this. And I think it will.”
While he admitted that education is not one of his areas of expertise, Dill has nonetheless become involved in many education- and community-oriented endeavors during his career.
In addition to his work with real estate-related groups, such as the Mass. Housing Investment Corp. and the Councilors of Real Estate and its New England and Upstate New York chapter, Dill’s resume includes work (past and present) with the Springfield School Volunteers, Mass. Business Alliance for Higher Education, Greater Springfield YMCA, Community Music School, Springfield Library and Musems Assoc., American International College, for former StageWest, and even the Springfield Parks Commission.
Many of these assignments date back to when he was an SIS employee, he said, adding that in recent years he has scaled back his community work, but remains quite active, especially in the broad realm of education. One current passion is promoting early childhood education and, especially, the importance of literacy, through a project undertaken in conjunction with the Irene E. and George A. David Foundation called “Effective Reading by the Fourth Grade.”
“The research is really clear that if you’re not an effective reader by the fourth grade, the chances of a successful outcome, meaning graduation from high school, are much slimmer,” he said. “The Davis Foundation has reversed engineered education reform in some sense and come to the realization — and they’ve convinced me, at least — that early focus is absolutely critical; the earlier the better.”

The Lease He Can Do
Although somewhat reluctantly, Dill offered some commentary on the state of the local commercial real estate market.
“It’s been a tenant-driven market for 28 of the 30 years I’ve been doing this,” he said. ‘There have been a few very brief periods when landlords had leverage, but for most of that time, it’s been tenants that have had leverage. And in a way, that’s good, because it has a positive impact on the cost of doing business here, and that’s been helpful to growing service businesses and smaller providers of services, and that’s good for the economy.
“We’ve talen some hits with major tenant relocations and consolidations,” he continued. “It’s always great to be dealing with one big transaction with a few hundred employees, but if that goes away, the market has a bigger program. We’ve seen some pretty good growth among smaller, flexible firms, and I think that gives us a better-integrated economy.”
Which led him to again borrow from Bill Bellichick: “it is what it is.”
And with that, he returned to what is still the ‘No Whining Zone,’ even if the sign identifying it as such is gone.

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

Building Permits

By
Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of August 2011.

AGAWAM

Kathy Ayre
644 Main St.
$40,000 — Interior renovations to office space

Mushy’s Golf Center, LLC
369 Main St.
$40,000 — Install 6 new antennas

AMHERST

Amethyst Farm, LLC
89 Northeast St.
$1,500 — Install new stairway to basement

Amherst Cinema, LLC
28 Amity St.
$9,000 — Converting existing space to GoBerry

Yosrex Limited Partnership
266 East Hadley Road
$3,000 — Repair roof

CHICOPEE

Callaway Golf Sales Co.
425 Meadow St.
$90,000 — Enclose room

Chicopee Housing Authority
28-100 Debra Dr.
$64,000 — Repair brick facade at Memorial Apartments

JND Property
107 South St.
$8,000 — Insulate existing walls and attic

Chicopee Village Limited Partnership
149-155 Eastern Dr.
$11,200 — Strip and re-shingle roof

HADLEY

Lancomb Holdings, LLC
191 Russell St.
$19,800 — new roof

W/S Hadley Properties, LLC
353 Russell St.
$30,000 — Replace existing HVAC rooftop units

HOLYOKE

Holyoke Mall
50 Holyoke St.
$100,000 — Remodel existing Spencer’s Store

LUDLOW

Oak Tree Inn
782 Center St.
$30,000 — Repair fire damage

NORTHAMPTON

Evert N. Fowle
20 Center St.
$17,000 — Install replacement windows

Florence Fire Station
69 Maple St.
$10,500 — Replace windows

Gandara Mental Health Center
25 Graves Ave.
$3,500 — Exterior renovations

Northampton Sewerage Treatment Plant
33 Hokanum Road
$10,000 — Install flat plate solar thermal collectors

Robert G. Curran Jr.
244 Main St.
$65,000 — Renovate interior

SOUTH HADLEY

Mount Holyoke College
50 College St
$7,000 — New roof

Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corp.
87 Canal St.
$13,000 — Install new hood and exhaust fans

SOUTHWICK

Mount Tekoa Group
7 Veteran St.
$10,000 — Remodel store

Southwick Historical Society
86 College Highway
11,000 — Remodel bathroom

SPRINGFIELD

Cityview2 Limited Partnership
102 Armory St.
$150,000 — Exterior renovations

WESTFIELD

City of Westfield
28 West Silver St.
$1,976,000 — Erect two stair towers and elevators

Frank Demarinis
217 Root Road
$139,000 — Construction of 2,950-square-foot addition

North Elm Realty Inc.
55 North Elm St.
$17,000 — Interior renovations

Rocky’s
2 Free St.
$1,540,000 — New construction

Shell Oil Company
259 North Elm St.
$80,000 — Remodel interior

Westfield Alpine Company, LLC
1029 North Road
$10,000 — Repair fire damage to Nino’s Pizza

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Center for Human Development
332 Birnie Ave.
$137,000 — Renovate 3,088 square feet of office space

Fred L. Aaron
1472 Riverdale St.
$237,000 — Renovate 4,193 square feet in existing retail space

Fred L. Aaron
1472 Riverdale St.
$99,765 — Renovate 2,050 square feet in existing retail space

Hayden Corp.
333 River St.
$17,000 — Repair tornado damage

Hofbrahaus
1105 Main St.
$47,000 — New roof

Taco Bell
298 Memorial Ave.
$60,000 — Interior renovations

Doing Business As Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of August 2011.

AGAWAM

Bonavita Law Office
1775 Main St.
Anthony Bonavita

Jack Patterson Medical Sales
77 Debra Lane
Jack Patterson

Pondside Garage
704 Springfield St.
John Warren

Pure Power RF
50 Witheridge St.
Fred Stefanik

Silver Leaf Enterprises, LLC
36 Danny Lane
Bradley Wright

AMHERST

Game Central Station
220 North Pleasant St.
Younis Ghulam

Minuteman Cleaners Inc.
5 Pray St.
Moon J. Chang

V.I.D. Nail
181B University Dr.
Huy N. Thai

Winsome Smiles
50 Autumn Lane
Danielle Intile

CHICOPEE

Accounting Solutions
64 Robin Ridge Road
Traci Hopkins

Cosmo Cut & Style Salon
1890 Memorial Dr.
Viet N. Nguyen

Royal Coach Limousines, LLC
658 Fuller Road
John Garcia

HADLEY

Easy Mattress Stores, LLC
206 Russell St.
Paul Neto

Gomes Homes Health Care
18 New Lane
Ester Gomes

HOLYOKE

All in One Plus
92 Suffolk St.
Javier Rosa

B & V Automotive
101 North Bridge St.
Robert S. Vogel

M & L Car Audio & Clothing Accessories
119 High St.
Miguel A. Vega

Points East Accupuncture and Herbal Medicine
4 Open Square Way
Mark Mamuszka

The Hair Place
103 Chapin St.
Ronald E. Holland

NORTHAMPTON

L & T Respess Books
136 West St.
Linwood Respess

Pilar’s Cleaning Service
51 Con St.
Pilar Serpa

Kelli @ Continuous Creations
30 North Maple St.
Kelli Richardson

SOUTHWICK

Dang Shades
45 Rosewood Lane

Jimmy’s Pizza
81 Point Grove Road
K & S Restaurant Group, LLC

NWST, LLC
267 Hillside Road
Ralph Depalma

Silvercrest Farm
233 Mortvining Road
Paul Gregoire

Splatter Room
108 Congamond Road
Jeffrey Caron

SPRINGFIELD

M & P Cleaning Services
49 Ranney St.
Michely Acevedo

Omar’s Fashion
469 Main St.
Djibrilla Bonkano

Orchard Medical Associate
835 Worcester St.
Kevin Epstein

P & J Rentals
31 Florida St.
Jack Rodrigues

Pea Soup Catering
183 Emerson St.
Dianna Lemieux

Quick Pic Convenience Store
1343 Carew St.
Amir M. Paracha

Radiance Wellness Center
108 Dartmouth St.
Will G. Llewellyn

Santos Home Repair
76 Edgement St.
Jesus M. Santos

Smartalk
351 Bridge St.
Leonard Weitz

The Onlinebiz
55 Revere St.
Ormond Husbands

Town Pizza
459 Main St.
Waqar S. Khokhar

Travel Adventures
26 Hanson Dr.
Yelena Vatnikova

Wicked Tan
1760 Boston Road
Anna M. Major

WESTFIELD

DAS Alarm Systems Inc.
845 Airport Industrial Park Road
David Schenna

Debbie Reynolds Dance Academy
132 Elm St.
Debbie Reynolds

Guidance for Inner Peace
509 Southwick Road
Janice Pagano

Mayflowers at Pilgrim Candle Market Place
16 Union Ave.
Melissa Fouche

Menard Construction & Design
46 Stuart Place
Dennis Menard

P & C Group
50 Castle Hill Road
Paul Byrne

Patriot Freightliner Western Star, LLC
910 Southampton Road
Deborah Barss

Real China
116 Elm St.
Bizhen Zhu

Roberts Construction
31 Valley View Dr.
Jeffrey Roberts

Salvador’s Engraving and Awards
22 North Cherry St.
Bernadette Salvador Toomey

Shaker Farms Country Club
866 Shaker Road
Daniel Kotowicz

Tina Escalante Cleaning Service
80 George St.
Tina F. Escalante

TSC International
20 Camelot Lane
Todd S. Cieplinski

Western Mass Alliance
21-25 Montgomery St.
Brandon Palmer

Yellow Stonehouse Farm
354 Root Road
Constance Adams

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Absolute Transportation
59 Day St.
Ismat Niyazov

Agawam Melody Band
181 Park Ave.
George W. David

Anthony Wheeler Real Estate
116 Cedar Woods Glenn
Anthony Wheeler

Avada Hearing Care Center
459 Riverdale St.
Edbar Corporation Inc.

Capital Enterprises
172 Harwich Road
Arthur A. Arena

Discount Medical Depot, LLC
70 Windsor ST.
John Crean

Entre Computer Center
138 Memorial Ave.
P.C. Enterprises Inc.

HGL Transport
59 Lowell St.
Latipsha Kaimov

Kozar Realty, LLC
70 Greystone Ave.
Steven Kozar

LTG, Inc.
41 Oleander St.
Rachel L. Aibee

Mass Trans Insurance Agency
54 Oleander St.
Roman Shtetan

Music Tuitions
66 Irving St.
Mera Goroshit

Quality Appraisal Company
73 Rogers Ave.
Donald C. Pinkerman

The Friendly Barber Shop
90 Elm St.
Daniel V. Dineen

The Klassic Beauty Spot
2003 Riverdale St.
Sukhpal Kaur

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
The Levato Supply Co. v. Theroux’s Plumbing & Heating Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of plumbing and heating goods: $6,755.67
Filed: 3/17/11

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT
Paula Denton v. Northeast Foundation for Children Inc. and Roxanne Kriete
Allegation: Breach of contract for employment: $84,307.75
Filed: 5/25/11

Stephanie Nace and Jordan Carriere v. Salon 107 and Debra Mathey
Allegation: Breach of employment contract for services, labor, and materials: $30,000
Filed: 6/8/11

GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Capital One Bank v. Piano Service
Allegation: Monies owed for credit advanced: $12,405.90
Filed: 4/7/11

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Geodesign Inc. v. Purcell Associates, et al
Allegation: Collection for the value of design services rendered on a construction project: $1,090,295
Filed: 5/16/11

Imedicor Inc. v. MassMutual Life Insurance Co.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $520,000
Filed: 4/18/11

Peter Mayberry v. Allcare Dental Management, LLC
Allegation: Medical malpractice: $50,000
Filed: 4/27/11

Six Flags New England v. Air Shield Inc.
Allegation: Defendant designed, constructed, and erected a canopy structure, which later collapsed: $66,000
Filed: 5/5/11

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
Barbara Stone v. Macy’s at the Holyoke Mall
Allegation: While shopping at Macy’s, plaintiff was thrown to the ground by two Macy’s employees, causing personal injury: $2,479.43
Filed: 5/3/11

PALMER DISTRICT COURT
Sentry Services Inc. v. RB Enterprises
Allegation: Non-payment of loam and fill supplied: $24,611.77
Filed: 5/24/11

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Bradco Supply v. CDC Custom Exteriors and Home Improvement Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $7,049.51
Filed: 4/28/11

Capital One Bank v. Craftsmen’s Corner
Allegation: Monies owed on credit account: $5,196.90
Filed: 5/11/11

Capital One Bank v. Bannon & Ferrari Granite Inc.
Allegation: Monies owed for credit advanced: $18,278.56
Filed: 5/2/11

Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v. RPM Restoration & Waterproofing Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment on two workers’ compensation policies: $44,615.88
Filed: 4/28/11

Doing Business In: Belchertown

By
Bill Terry
Features
Progress Is Defined by Big Projects, Small Businesses

Bill Terry

Bill Terry says communication with residents is crucial to moving big projects, such as the proposed assisted-living facility, along.

Kenneth Elstein, newly appointed chair of the Belchertown Board of Selectmen, said that, with so much going on in town these days, it can be difficult to see the forest for the trees.
While two large, long-running projects — the ongoing saga involving redevelopment of the former Belchertown State School and long-overdue realization of the Cold Spring Golf Course on Route 21 — are the buzz from Town Hall to the coffee shops, this community remains a fertile field for small business.
“These smaller shops opening up aren’t making headlines the way those other two are,” Elstein told BusinessWest. “But they are certainly affecting the shape of the business sector here.”
In what he called “news falling under the radar,” Elstein said that new business has grown to the extent that it has markedly affected the town’s tax revenues. “Since the mid-’90s,” he explained, “not only has business real-estate tax revenue gone up, but it has gone up hugely as a proportion of the overall tax collections. It’s something on the order of 4% to 8% over the past 15 years. We have the fastest-growing town in Western Mass., so you’d expect it to go up as a straight dollar amount. But to go up as a percentage amount is enormously important. It helps relieve the rest of the tax burden for residents.”
Elaborating, he cited figures from the town’s Community Preservation Committee. “Between 2001 and 2008, businesses increased by 36%, and jobs by 29%.’”
So small-headline operations are clearly making a marked impact in this town of 15,000. But those aforementioned signature projects are still the talk of the town, and there is apparent progress with both.
Town Planner Doug Albertson told BusinessWest that, after numerous false starts, the golf course, now owned by Qianlong (US Boston) LLC, a Chinese business with an office in the Boston metropolitan area, is seemingly ready for prime time.
“Of course, this property has been through a few hands in the last 13 years,” he said. “This time, though, people are confident. Qianlong has put a lot of money into this project.”
Indeed, since acquiring the property from Southbridge Savings Bank, which owned it through foreclosure, Qianlong has invested large sums on top of the $2.3 million purchase price. And the course, which is described as a high-end, destination layout, is finally completed, and set to open in 2012.
Meanwhile, concerning the state school property, Bill Terry, chairman of the Belchertown Economic Development and Industrial Corp. (BEDIC), said that stages of the project are moving forward, and the partnership with Weston Solutions to develop the beleaguered site is solid, with an auspicious future.
But a lot now depends on the town’s voting population, he continued, noting that votes at a series of town meetings will ultimately determine the fate of the property.

Linked In
Just over a decade ago, the property on Chauncey Walker Street, a.k.a. Route 21, was an apple orchard, said Albertson, adding that its evolution into a golf course has been a slow and (for town residents) painful process of evolution and business calamity.
The original developers of the project petitioned for a golf course special permit in 1998, and as part of that development also planned a 150-unit residential development, typical of similar high-end golf initiatives.
“They made errors, shall we say,” he explained, “and lost the property. The next investor did finish the golf course, but they, too, lost the property to foreclosure.”
The golf course that Qianlong purchased in August 2009 was basically complete, but not fully finished. According to materials distributed to local press, Qianlong has finally made the finishing touches needed to make it a high-end destination course.
“Qianlong has already spent a few million in infrastructure,” Elstein said. “Roads, paved cart paths, drainage … to complete the project, the final numbers that have been bandied about are along the lines of $40 million in total investment. A couple weeks ago, the latest that came to us was a special permit for the main public building on the site, which will be a catering hall and restaurant.
“The developer is throwing out numbers like 190 employees,” he continued, “probably not all full-time due to the nature of catering types of jobs. But unmistakably it is a facility the likes of which we don’t have here. It would be a big place, in the context of our town. And this developer has a keen interest in attracting foreign tourists. Qianlong has a lot of plans for this site. There has been talk about doing retiree housing there, also.”
According to Lawrence Tuttle, one of the principals and owners of Architectural Insights in Palmer, architect for all structures at the course, the clubhouse will be the first of the formal, public buildings to be completed. Tee times should expect to follow sometime in May 2012.
“The clubhouse will be prominent up the hillside and highly visible upon approaches to the property,” he said. “It’s a cross between a traditional and craftsman-style of construction — fairly informal, but with some rich detailing.
“The owners have made a reinforced effort and determination to make this a thoroughly quality development,” he continued. “That is apparent with the money already spent at the golf course, and also, pulling back, in reviewing the overall master plan, and their acquisition of other property adjacent to the original golf course.”
A critical component to that master plan is the number of residential units ultimately to be built at the course. While earlier developments had projected more than 150 apartment-style units, the current design calls for 75 duplex residences, to be landscaped into the property while maximizing views out over the course and the surrounding valley.
Ultimately the market will dictate the completion date for the full complement of residences, but Tuttle said that, with the current pace, it’s possible to see the start of construction as soon as next year. But for now, it’s all about the links.
“We are delighted at the scope and quality of this project,” he said. “We’re putting quite a bit of energy into the project, but so are the owners. A lot of local craftspeople and trades are involved in this project, so it’s good for many around here.”

Some Assistance, Please
As for the state school property, which has been closed for more than a decade, Elstein said that quite a few people who have expressed interest to the BEDIC in doing business on that site. And Terry said the same thing.
However, before that can happen, a project needs to get underway, something that will generate momentum and turn interest into activity.
Weston Solutions, the enterprise committed to the revitalization of the state school property, has identified an assisted-living developer who is, in Terry’s words, “ready to go” on a 170,000-square-foot facility that could provide such a spark.
Weston has asked the BEDIC to sell it a 10-acre parcel for this purpose off Berkshire Avenue, a town road that needs to be improved. Such a first step would signal the beginnings of the larger redevelopment and, in Terry’s words, “would identify to the world that we are for real, and the number-two deal would be forthcoming.
“So our task here in town now is to figure out how to make it happen,” he added.
The BEDIC would need to upgrade the road, and Weston has agreed to the subsequent expenditures necessary for the assisted-living development, to the tune of some $2 million, said Terry. In order to pull its end of the agreement, the BEDIC is putting together a DIF (district improvement financing) package, which would allow the town to vote on a real-estate tax flow, which would allocate funds for a bond to complete the road repair.
And the paper chase doesn’t stop there. “We’re also in the process of pulling together a second grant application that looks at other infrastructure work,” Terry explained, “because it appears that this is something the BEDIC can do.
“But we’re also doing a third thing,” he went on, “which is working with our legislative team on discussions to see what the Commonwealth would like to do in cleaning up the rest of the state school property. The bottom line is, because of the contamination on the site — asbestos, lead paint, and more — it’s more expensive to clean the site up than the absolute value of the property once cleaned. So we have to take that case to the Commonwealth and see if, in fact, they will consider funding some of those bonds to clean up the rest of the site. And then we would turn around and sell those pieces of property at fair market value.”
The immediate deal that needs to begin, however, is the project for the assisted-living facility, and it is here that Terry said the full participation of Belchertown’s voters is essential for the future of their town. The first vote will be to set up a DIF for the 10 acres, and pending that approval, the second vote would be to sign the real-estate tax flow with the project’s developer, in order to pay off the bond for the infrastructure repair.
“Anything we do is going to be brought to the town meeting,” Terry emphasized. “Obviously there will be public meetings, and these things will also be discussed in front of the Channel 5 public access. People can track along the entire way.
“And once we get the hearings scheduled,” he added, “we’re hoping the townspeople take the time to understand how these things happen. Because if we’re not successful at town meeting, we’ll have no project, and no way to move forward because there aren’t funds available otherwise to do what has to be done.”
He gives top marks to all the local participants working diligently — on a volunteer basis — to see this successfully to fruition. And Weston, he added, is fully committed to the project.
A lot depends on the people in town, however, and Terry admitted that these tougher financial times mean that an initial opportunity such as the one presented by Weston needs to happen procedurally, all the while taking a bit more time than would be the case during a more robust economy.
But there are other businesses in the wings awaiting the fate of the assisted-living project. And while it’s too soon to tell who these parties might be, the fact stands that Belchertown itself is on the radar.

School of Thought
“We’ve done a lot of due diligence, and we’re seeking advice and counsel on all fronts,” Terry said, explaining the stages before these crucial decisions at the ballot box.
“I’d say it’s like moving a chain uphill with your nose,” he said with a smile. “That’s exactly what we’re doing.”