Women’s Leadership Luncheon Series
Starting March 22: Women leaders of prominent area institutions will be featured speakers at a spring Women’s Leadership Luncheon Series hosted by the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute. The four-part, monthly “Leadership in Your Future 2019” series kicks off Friday, March 22 and continues on April 26, May 24, and June 28. Each of four presenters will sit at a different table and speak on a subject of their choosing. Over the course of the four-session series, they will rotate among the tables so guests have the opportunity to hear all the presentations. The four presenters are Ashley Allen, vice president of Marketing for Health New England (topics: “What Is a Career?” and “Designing Your Career Destiny”); Beth DeGray, managing partner at the Log Cabin, Delaney House, and D. Hotel Suites & Spa (“Mentoring & Being Mentored”); Christina Royal, president of Holyoke Community College (“Authentic Leadership in an Age of Disruption”); and Shannon Rudder, executive director of Providence Ministries Inc. (“Building Your Coalition”). The luncheons will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 164 Race St. in Holyoke. Lunch will be prepared and served by students in the HCC Culinary Arts program. The series will provide an opportunity to learn from women leaders of area institutions and a chance for participants to network with their peers and gain insights on building their own careers. The cost is $150 for all four sessions. Seats are limited. To reserve a spot, contact Jordan Hart at (413) 534-3376 or [email protected], or register online at holyokechamber.com under ‘Events.’
ACC Open House
March 26: Asnuntuck Community College (ACC) will hold an open house starting at 5:30 p.m. The open house will feature information about ACC’s academic programs, including healthcare and manufacturing, and credit-free options. Attendees will learn about the admissions and financial-aid process and be able to take a campus tour, including the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center. Walk-ins are always welcome, but reservations are recommended. RSVP at www.asnuntuck.edu/admissions/visit-us to reserve a spot. Refreshments will be served. Students can apply on the spot, and one prospective student from Connecticut will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship for the 2019-20 academic year. To qualify for the scholarship, an application for the fall semester must be completed on or before March 26, and they must attend the open house. Registration for the fall semester will open on Monday, April 1. Visit www.asnuntuck.edu for information on how to register.
Difference Makers
March 28: BusinessWest launched its Difference Makers program in 2009 to celebrate individuals, groups, organizations, and families that are positively impacting the Pioneer Valley and are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. The class of 2019 were profiled in the Feb. 4 issue and will be feted at the Difference Makers Gala at 5 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Tickets are on sale now for $75. To reserve a spot, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail [email protected]. The presenting sponsor is Baystate Health/Health New England, and other event sponsors include Royal, P.C., Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C., Development Associates, TommyCar Auto Group, and Viability Inc.
Women’s Leadership Conference
March 29: In celebration of women everywhere knocking down doors and breaking through glass ceilings, Bay Path University will host its 24th annual Women’s Leadership Conference (WLC) at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. This one-day event, which has become the region’s prime women’s leadership event for professional networking and enrichment, will challenge women seeking to make career or life changes to look at the power within to make their dreams a reality, and to dare to ask “why not me?” instead of “why me?” Delivering the keynote address will be award-winning actress, dancer, and singer Rita Moreno. For further information on the conference and its many presenters, and to register, visit www.baypathconference.com.
Social-work Career Panel
March 30: The School of Graduate and Professional Studies at Elms College, in partnership with Berkshire Community College (BCC) and 1Berkshire, will host a social-work career panel from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the cafeteria at BCC. The event will feature panelists — Elms faculty, BCC faculty, and Elms alumni — with experience in criminal justice, youth service, guidance counseling, senior services, mental health, private practice, addiction and recovery, and more. The panelists will illuminate the array of options available to those who have a bachelor’s degree in social work. The moderator will be Maureen Holland, director of Social Work at Elms. Panelists will include Tom Verdi, Department of Youth Services social worker, Social Work academic advisor, and adjunct faculty in Social Work for Elms College Off Campus at BCC; Pam DiGrigoli, Lee Council on Aging and Senior Center director; Jonathan Schnauber, adjunct faculty for Elms College Off Campus at BCC Social Work and doctoral candidate at the University of Southern California; Kari Dupuis, BCC associate professor of Human Services, program advisor for Social Work transfer concentration/associate’s degree, and licensed therapist in the Berryman Professional Building; and Pamela Coley McCann, BCC assistant professor of Human Services and licensed therapist in the Berryman Professional Building. A continental breakfast will be served. For more information, e-mail Kelly Zieba at [email protected].
EANE Leadership Conference
April 4: The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE) will stage its annual Leadership Conference at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place with a focus on measuring success while motivating and inspiring one’s team to improve performance. The program will feature Jim McPartlin, vice president of Leadership Development for Forbes Travel Guide. McPartlin’s keynote will challenge attendees to bring integrity to their leadership responsibilities, even when times get tough. A second keynote will be presented by Tim Hebert, a perennial entrepreneur, innovator, author, speaker, and adventurer. Hebert will ignite the leadership spark in attendees in a keynote focused on the choices of leadership and techniques to help live life by design, not by default. Between keynote presentations, conference attendees will have access to dozens of breakout session topics ranging from performance management to diversity and inclusion, to perfecting ‘C-suite speak,’ and more. The cost for the program is $360 per person with discounts for three or more. Register at www.eane.org/leadership-2019 or by calling (877) 662-6444. The program will offer 5.75 credits from the HR Certification Institute and SHRM.
Riverside Industries Silent & Live Auction
April 5: Riverside Industries’ 15th annual Silent & Live Auction, featuring more than 250 silent-auction items and a live auction full of experiences from the Valley and beyond, will be held at One Cottage St. in Easthampton from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Attendees can expect plenty of food, casual attire, and a cash bar. Tickets cost $30 in advance. Securely register online at rsi.org. The presenting sponsor is bankESB; the associate sponsor is Harvard Pilgrim; the table sponsors are Finck & Perras Insurance Agency and Mutual of America; and the collaborator sponsors are A-Z Storage & Properties, Helping Hand Society, SBI Benefits Consulting Group, Ruth and Spencer Timm, Whittlesey & Hadley P.C., and Williston Northampton School.
Springfield Art Stop
April 26: The Springfield Cultural Partnership (SCP) announced the return of Art Stop, a pop-up gallery/street festival hybrid, from 5 to 8 p.m. The SCP is partnering with venues downtown to open galleries in unexpected spaces simultaneously. Additionally, several existing Springfield art galleries along this year’s route will also participate as stops along the Art Stop. Between the galleries, which will have the typical artist talks and receptions, there will be street performances. Art Stop was designed to activate underutilized community spaces with colorful art, create economic opportunity for artists, and bring communities together. Galleries will all be located in downtown Springfield. Each individual gallery opening will have an reception with the artist on site to both sell and talk about their work. This year, the SCP has also partnered with several downtown restaurants that will offer a discount on food to Art Stop attendees who present their Art Stop ‘passport’ on April 26. The SCP, along with organizing the curation of art in the pop-up spaces, is hiring unique buskers to encourage attendees to walk from place to place. Guides will be strategically placed to guide attendees along the Art Stop route. The performers will showcase an array of dance, music, and entertainment. All locations are within a walkable area.