Home Posts tagged Security (Page 14)

Family Plan

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Massachusetts Senate President Robert Travaglini recently introduced legislation for a bold paid family leave program that would bring the state into the 21st century of employment realities, the ones where most families tenuously juggle job and family responsibilities.

The family medical and leave insurance program would offer workers time off to recover from an illness, or care for newborn or adopted children or ill relatives. It would provide up to 12 weeks of job protected leave (after a one-week waiting period), replacing 100% of weekly earnings up to $750 per week. The program would be financed by worker contributions to a newly established Strong Families Trust Fund.

Concerns about the proposal include the program’s cost and how it might affect both workers and employers. In a forthcoming report on the costs and benefits of paid family and medical leave that I co-authored with Alan Clayton-Matthews for the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and UMass Boston’s Labor Resource Center, many of the questions are answered.

An important thing to consider about the new costs of a paid leave program is that there are costs already. People take leaves or need care. Workers have children, pressing medical needs, and/or relatives who demand their care for serious illness.

Using a simulation model that estimates the costs and usage of family and medical leave, we calculate the amount of lost wages to the estimated 360,000 Massachusetts workers who take about 442,000 family or medical leaves each year to be $1.6 million. More than two-thirds of all leaves in the state are supported with some type of employer wage replacement (usually paid sick days and vacation time) to the tune of $370 million annually.

While the total cost (employer benefits and workers’ uncompensated wages) comes to about $530 per worker of all workers in the state, the average cost to the person who takes the leave is about $3,000 annually.

We estimate the number of leaves will increase to 470,000 under the new proposed program, supporting just over 200,000 leaves. Over half of those who take leaves won’t use the new program because they are not eligible or their employer provides better coverage.

We estimate a paid leave program will cost about $132 per worker annually ($2.50 a week), assuming two-thirds of eligible workers use the program. The cost could be less depending on program outreach and employers’ and employees’ attitudes toward using the new program.

What a paid leave program will do is spread the economic risk and costs over all workers and over longer periods of time. Like other social insurance programs, this one redistributes costs and benefits. In this bill, there are two redistribution mechanisms. The first is between employer and employee. Previous research indicates that workers are more likely to stay with an employer when they take a leave that is paid, reducing turnover costs and saving employers money. Workers will use fewer sick days with access to this new program, also reducing costs to employers.

The entire cost of this paid leave program is paid by workers even though employers will benefit.

The second redistribution that will occur is among workers. While all workers will increase access to wage replacement, low-income workers have the most to gain. Currently, we estimate 40% of leaves taken by workers in households with income of less than $20,000 receive any pay. This program boosts that to 60%. Low-income workers won’t achieve parity, but this program will tilt a very uneven playing field.

Travaglini’s proposal provides a much-needed safety net for Commonwealth workers. It will create more economic security for employers and employees.

Employers are getting a great deal — at no cost to them. Employees too are getting a good deal, as they will be able to take time off for family without the fear of having no income.

Randy Albelda is a professor of economics at UMass-Boston.

Opening Remarks

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Attorneys Begley and Moriarty Make a Firm Commitment

Michelle Begley was afraid the phone simply wasn’t going to ring.

“That was my biggest fear,” she told BusinessWest, reflecting on her thoughts in the days before she and partner Tanya Moriarty opened their law firm. “I had visions of myself staring at the phone all day long, saying ‘please ring, please ring.’”

“Instead,” she continued, “there are days when I look at the phone and I feel like yelling, ‘stop ringing!’”

That’s a mild exaggeration, said Begley, who dutifully answered the phone several times in the course of her interview with BusinessWest. But both she and Moriarty agree that their first three months as a team have far exceeded the expectations spelled out in a business plan they know they must revise.

“I was a little apprehensive, too,” said Moriarty. “I pictured myself sitting at my big desk tapping my fingers and thinking, ‘now what do I do?’ But it certainly hasn’t been that way.”

Indeed, the two have melded their specialties — Begley handles personal injury, employment law, divorce, collaborative law, and Social Security disability, while Moriarty focuses on residential real estate, landlord/tenant issues and other Housing Court matters, immigration, and family law — into a venture with promise, fueled thus far by solid word-of-mouth referrals.

That’s not to say that there haven’t been some transition issues for the principals of Begley & Moriarty Attorneys at Law (the two let the alphabet dictate the name), especially for Begley. She left Bacon & Wilson, a large firm (for this market), and is making the adjustment from having a large support staff handle many tasks to doing everything herself.

“Before, if I was handling a personal injury case, the paralegals would handle all the administrative work on it,” she explained. “Now, I have to take care of all those things, like requesting medical records on individuals. I was amazed at how little I knew about those things — but I’ve learned quickly.”

The adjustment has been easier for Moriarty, who was an associate for a smaller firm — Johnson & Sclafani in West Springfield — before opting to put her name over her own door.

“As an associate with a firm that size, you have to do a lot of different things,” she explained. “I was the first point of contact with most clients; that experience has made it easier for me to make this transition.”

Solid Evidence

As she talked about her decision to leave Bacon & Wilson and start her own firm, Begley said there were several factors that went into the move, both personal and professional.

She said she has three young children, and desired a situation that provided greater flexibility. On the professional side, meanwhile, she told BusinessWest that, while she enjoyed her eight-year stay as an associate with the Springfield firm, there was an element missing from the equation — a sense of ownership.

“I considered myself at a crossroads in my career,” she told BusinessWest. “I was getting pulled in a number of directions and wasn’t really sure how to deal with it.”

At one point, she considered changing professions and becoming a teacher. But Moriarty, who had already been there and done that — she taught elementary school in England before attending law school at Western New England College — offered another option.

It was over dinner at Pintus in West Springfield about a year ago that the two, who knew each other because their husbands were lifelong friends, first started talking about creating their own firm. Over the next several months, the talks became more serious, and by last fall they concluded that they had the chemistry and shared vision needed to turn the talk into action.

On Jan. 1, the firm opened its doors on Park Avenue in West Springfield.

Both Begley and Moriarty retained many of their clients from their previous places of employment, giving them a solid base on which to build. They said they intend to grow by adding to their client list, but also by cross-selling, as they put it, to those for whom they’ve already provided services.

“When you complete a real estate closing for someone, you’re done with that work, but that individual may also need a will or a health care proxy,” Moriarty explained. “And with a divorce, often there’s the sale of a house, and most people need to have their wills reworked; we can provide a lot of different services for clients.”

Begley concurred, and said the practice of cross-selling is part of her transition process.

“Before, when I would handle a divorce for a client, that would usually be the end of it,” she said. “Now that I have my own business, I’m more focused on looking to provide additional services to clients beyond what they hired us for.”

Moriarty told BusinessWest that while the two partners do collaborate on a few cases, for the most part they manage their own workloads. In that sense, Begley & Moriarty is essentially two separate practices under the same roof.

But some decisions and business strategies must be made from the firm’s perspective, she continued, adding that these are handled at regularly scheduled Friday “board meetings” between the partners.

Among the subjects discussed recently is how the volume of work has greatly exceeded projections laid out in that business plan, a situation that presents both challenges and opportunities.

“We want to be careful, and make sure we can handle the business that is coming in,” said Begley, adding that the two partners are firmly focused on smart growth and quality service to the growing list of clients.

The two partners say they are somewhat surprised, but also pleased, that the current volumes of phone calls and business have been achieved without any real marketing beyond the phone book, word of mouth, and a recently activated Web site:www.BegleyMoriarty.com.

Moving forward, the two will continue to rely on that formula, while also working to become increasingly visible in the community through participation with various non-profit groups such as the Women’s Partnership, the Pioneer Valley American Red Cross, the YMCA of Greater Springfield, and others.

As for the partnership itself, both principals said they did a considerable amount of work preparing for their venture, taking full advantage of programs, seminars, and materials offered by the Mass. Bar Assoc. and other professional groups.

“We looked at it as a marriage — something you have to work hard at to make it work,” said Moriarty. “We have to get along personality-wise to survive; we also know there will ups and downs, good times and bad, but we believe we have the attitude to succeed through all that.

“We knew that it was going to be a challenge, and that it was going to be rough,” she continued, “but that’s part of what makes it exciting.”

Final Arguments

Returning to the subject of her ongoing transition from a large firm to a small one she co-owns, Begley said there have been some adjustments she’s had to make.
“Before, I would sign things and they would magically get filed with the court,” she said, referring to the large support staff at Bacon & Wilson. “Now, I have to handle all the forms and do a lot more things myself.”

Like answering the telephone, which, thankfully, hasn’t stopped ringing.

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

Ghost of a Chance

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A Phantom Stock Plan can be an attractive incentive option for an employer to provide a valued key employee with a financial stake in the growth of a company without actually giving the employee an actual ownership interest in the company or a vote regarding management of the company.

What follows is an overview of the basic structure of phantom stock plans as well as issues to consider with regard to creating such a plan.

Taking Stock

A phantom stock plan is a plan whereby a company gives an employee ‘phantom’ shares of stock in the company rather than real shares. Awards of phantom shares are generally given to employees based upon performance at the discretion of the employer at various times chosen by the employer. Phantom shares represent the right of the employee to cash payments upon the occurrence of a triggering event such as the employee’s death, termination of employment (in certain circumstances), retirement, or disability. The employee never actually owns stock and thus obtains no stockholder rights under the plan.

Phantom shares can typically be converted into cash payments to the employee under either of two scenarios. Under a ‘stock’ approach, the phantom share could be given the same economic value as if the employee were given an actual share of stock in the company. Thus, if the employee were given one phantom share and the value of the company never increased between the date of the grant and the date the phantom shares are ‘redeemed’ by the company, the employee would receive a payment equal to the value of one share of stock of the company.

An alternative is a ‘stock appreciation right’ approach, which values the phantom share at the date of the grant at the same value as the actual shares of the company at the time of the grant. When the phantom share is ‘redeemed’ the employee gets paid the difference between the value at the date of the grant, and the increased value, if any, at the date of redemption. Under this method the employee would only receive payment if the value of the company increased between the date of the grant and the redemption.

Phantom stock plans are not only attractive options to award key employees and retain their services by giving them a stake in the growth of a company, but they are also an attractive plan for employees and employers from a tax point of view, because the employee is not taxed upon receipt of phantom stock shares.

Rather, employees are only taxed upon their receipt of a cash payment from a phantom share award or sooner if pursuant to the plan the employee has the right to demand a cash distribution. Note that the plans are also attractive to employers as well as the company is typically entitled to deduct (as compensation) from its taxable income the payments made to employees pursuant to phantom stock plans. Payments to the employee are taxed at ordinary income tax rates.

Limitations on the Amount of Phantom Shares/Method of Granting.

Most phantom stock plans place a limitation on the number of phantom shares or percentage of the value of the company that will be granted pursuant to the plan. There are different ways in which the granting of phantom shares is structured. One method involves creating a schedule providing for a certain number of phantom shares to be granted each year for a term of years (such as 10 years) to be vested immediately upon the grant of the phantom shares.

For example, the employee would earn the right to the phantom shares for each year that he or she completes employment, subject to vesting. A twist on this approach is to grant a certain number of phantom shares each year (unvested) and provide that the shares vest after a certain term (such as 5 or 10 years or upon retirement after a certain age).

Another alternative to the grant schedule is for the employer to grant shares to the employee periodically at its discretion without a predetermined schedule but according to the employee meeting certain performance goals set each year. However, this method is less common because it typically does not provide the employee with any degree of certainty or security that his or her efforts will be rewarded, and may not have the ‘golden handcuff’ effect that most employers are seeking when establishing these plans.

One further alternative to annual grants (and which is somewhat related to the scheduled grants) is a one-time grant of a block of phantom shares, all of which vest at a certain time in the future (such as over 10 years) assuming no other triggering events occur prior to that time which would cause the shares to vest earlier or cause the shares to be forfeited.

Vesting/Other Triggering Events.

The phantom shares to be granted to an employee (irrespective of the method selected) should be vested over a term of years. Typically, if an employer chooses a term vesting plan or vesting schedule, the employee’s phantom shares are generally immediately vested under certain circumstances, including a change in control (such as a sale of the business), in the event of the employee’s death or disability, or if the employee is fired without good cause. If an employee is fired ‘for cause’ (i.e., for engaging in illegal or harmful conduct during the scope of employment), or if the employee resigns, all of the employee’s phantom shares are typically forfeited without payment irrespective of whether they are vested or not.

Payment of Phantom Share Awards.

Some phantom stock plans provide the employee with the right to exercise (cash out) their phantom share awards upon the vesting of the phantom shares. However, it is much more prudent to structure the plans in a manner in which the phantom share awards will only be payable upon certain triggering events such as termination of employment (other than termination for cause), death, disability and change of control.

Valuation of Stock.

If the phantom share award is based upon the increase in the value of the company from the date of the grant of the phantom shares until the date of the payment of the phantom share award, the plan must establish a means of evaluating the fair market value of the company. This value would be determined through a formula, which is described in the plan. The formula should accurately reflect the true value of the company and once the plan is put into effect, the formula typically cannot be changed unless both the employer and employee agree to the change. Normally, the formula takes into account the value of assets and goodwill.

Non-Competition/Non-Solicitation.

Most employers require plan participants to sign a non-competition/non-solicitation agreement in exchange for implementing the phantom stock plan for their benefit. The execution of this type of agreement is typically a condition attached to the participation in the phantom stock plan and is usually not considered to be unreasonable in light of the benefits to the employee associated with this type of plan.

In summary, phantom stock plans are very flexible agreements that may be specifically tailored to all businesses and employment relationships. They have increased in popularity over the past several years due to the fact that they provide the employer with an option to reward a valued employee with a financial stake in the success of a company and provide a means of retaining the employee without actually giving up a voting interest or stock in the company, which can help eliminate costly shareholder/member/partner disputes in the unlikely event that the employee/employer relationship deteriorates in the future.

Bruce E. Devlin, Esq. is an associated attorney at the law firm Robinson Donovan, P.C.; (413) 732-2301.

Go East

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Many times, succeeding in business means changing with the times. The Porfilio family has proven that for a half-century.

When William Porfilio Sr. launched Eastern Electronics in downtown Springfield in 1957, he specialized in antenna-based communications, from paging and intercom systems to radio repair. But when cable became the dominant mode of receiving broadcasts, Porfilio knew he had to make a shift.

That’s when he changed the company name to Eastern Electronics & Security, putting more emphasis on the security side of the business, which now encompasses a wide range of services to protect and monitor homes and businesses, as well provide tools to track the attendance and productivity of a company’s workforce.

“We had to change with the times, basically,” said William Porfilio Jr., the company’s current president. Heading into its 50th year, Eastern remains a family business, with another son, Richard Porfilio, serving as vice president and Porfilio Sr. continuing to act as CEO.

“Security will always be an important part of the business,” Porfilio Jr. continued. “Companies want to keep drivers from wandering around when deliveries are made. They want to control who’s entering the building, and they want to keep track of time and attendance.”

Those efforts not only keep companies secure, he said, but also benefit their bottom line – sometimes in unexpected ways.

This issue, BusinessWest examines how Eastern Electronics & Security, now based in West Springfield, has managed to remain ahead of the curve in the rapidly changing, increasingly technology-driven field of electronic security.

Shifting Landscape

Eastern Electronics had been a player in the Pioneer Valley for more than 20 years when Porfilio Jr. joined the business in 1979, followed by Richard Porfilio in 1982. Both have been there long enough to witness workplace security trends come and go.

For example, “right after 9/11, we were doing more in the food industry, but now we work with almost all industries, and everyone has their own needs,” William Porfilio said. “Some want to prevent people from entering the building, while some are monitoring employees or keeping an eye on production.”

Whatever the industry, Eastern tends to work with mid-sized and large companies more than smaller ones, in part because larger businesses have larger security budgets and more employees and facilities to protect.

“It is a long-term expense,” Porfilio explained. “I’m not saying smaller companies aren’t interested, but most of our growth has been with companies of 100 employees and up.”

“People want all the coverage. They want protection for their whole building,” Richard Porfilio added. “But when they find out what the bottom line is, they tend to do it in phases. It’s tough to do it all in one shot.”

Fortunately, Eastern offers an array of security options – including access control badges and biometric readers, video surveillance systems, fire and security alarms, and 24-hour remote monitoring – so that companies can prioritize them according to their individual needs. Clients can also purchase a range of communications products, including nurse call systems for health care facilities, digital phone systems, and paging and evacuation systems for industrial facilities.

In all cases, Eastern works closely with a client company to identify its security and communications needs, design a system to meet those needs, and install and service that system. It’s not a business that rewards complacency, Porfilio Jr. said, since the technology that supports these products is always changing.

“Unlike 20 or 30 years ago, most of this is computer-based,” he said. “So there’s definitely a learning curve – you have to know the software and the hardware, where years ago, it was all about the hardware.”

The march of technology has ushered in some effective tools. For example, only in recent years have employers had the ability to monitor their workplace on a laptop from a vacation spot across the country.

And certainly, GPS tracking devices for vehicles and shipped products weren’t part of the business landscape 20 years ago, but that’s yet another option for companies seeking ways to monitor their operations.

“That’s a new technology, and it’s still in its infancy stage, so it’s still on the higher end, pricewise,” Porfilio Jr. said. “But it will become more affordable. It’s the same as with any new technology – it starts out expensive, but as the technology improves, the price comes down.”

A Solid Investment

The Porfilios don’t shy away from the price factor in discussing their services. “Not everyone has the budget to do some of this,” Porfilio Jr. told BusinessWest. “There is a cost. But technology also allows us to do a lot more for the money than we could 20 years ago.”

He cited one local company that hadn’t addressed its security needs in 15 years. “As it turned out,” Richard Porfilio said, “it was more cost-effective to completely upgrade it than it would have been for them to work with the old system.”

Meanwhile, “there’s a lot of junk on the market, and you get what you pay for,” Porfilio Jr. added. For that reason, he said, Eastern deals only with high-quality vendors with proven track records, so clients can be confident they will be around five or 10 years down the road.

However, the Porfilios don’t allow costs to obscure what they believe is a financial return on investment – one that extends beyond preventing theft from outside intruders.

“There’s also theft of equipment and time” by employees, Porfilio Jr. said, which is why Eastern offers a number of workplace- monitoring products. He told of one company that discovered second- and third-shift employees hiding and taking naps over a long period of time. “That may sound funny, but that’s money,” he said. “You’re paying somebody to do the work, and they’re not producing.”

In addition, swipe cards can track the movement of employees, while GPS hookups in company vehicles can determine whether drivers are spending too much time taking breaks.

“Companies don’t realize what they’re losing,” Porfilio Jr. said. “You can track how many times someone takes a cigarette break over the course of the week, and how that affects productivity. So while this technology protects employees, it’s also there for the employer, to improve his bottom line.”

After all, a healthy bottom line is the best way to secure a successful future in business – and that’s what the Porfilio family has enjoyed for almost 50 years.

Step By Step

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Clad in bright sweatshirts and comfortable walking shoes, four of the Eastfield Mall’s veteran mall walkers list the many benefits of participating in the well-known fitness activity.

Good exercise, improved health, and free gifts top the list.

But it has taken more than the occasional chotchke to keep the nationally known phenomenon in place for decades – welcoming thousands of participants during that time.

Many people hear of mall walkers, but never see them – most arrive at the mall before the stores open to get their laps in before the hallways get crowded. Still, there are mall-walkers like those who meet each morning at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, and organized groups like the Eastfield Mall Walkers Club scattered across the country. The groups entitle members to a number of perks – many free – in addition to early-morning walking privileges.

Physicians routinely recommend mall walking as an easy, inexpensive way to improve health through regular exercise, especially for seniors, and as an alternative to pricey gym memberships or unsafe walking conditions outside.

As part of that focus on improving health, many malls have taken steps to become more involved in the promotion of mall-walking benefits. Some measure out how many laps it takes to complete anywhere between one and five miles, allowing walkers to easily gauge how much exercise they’re getting. One lap around the Eastfield Mall, for instance, is five-eighths of a mile, and each level at the Holyoke Mall is three-quarters of a mile, so walkers can start slowly and work up to the level of exercise with which they’re comfortable.

Malls also often provide an informational packet when new members register and information sessions regularly, which include tips to maximize a workout – start slowly, pace yourself, maintain good posture, talk while walking (if you’re out of breath, you’re going too fast), cool down at the end our your workout, and have fun.

Talking the Talk

Lisa Wray, marketing director for the Holyoke Mall, said mall walkers are a constant fixture.

“We open our doors early, at 6 a.m., for mall walkers, but they are in and out throughout the entire day,” she said, adding that it can be hard to pin down an exact number of how many walkers pass through each day. “I would say hundreds walk throughout the week.”

As any mall walker will tell you, however, membership in a mall-walkers club entitles one to much more than access to a safe, warm place to exercise, at no cost.

Rather, many programs have evolved to include weekly health-related presentations, mini health fairs, annual get-togethers, discounts at mall stores, free gifts, breakfasts, and more.

Members of the Mall Walkers Club at the Eastfield Mall routinely brainstorm new ideas for programs, featured speakers, or events planned around mall walking – most are health related and take place in the morning. In addition to walking, free health presentations attract hundreds of guests.

“There’s always someone who comes in to talk with us and the programs are great,” said Warren Hudson of Indian Orchard, one of the club’s most seasoned walkers – he and his wife Jackie have been walkers since the club’s inception 18 years ago, even walking the perimeter of the building before an expansion was completed. “We’ve heard talks on every subject you can imagine – from Alzheimer’s to nutrition, and Social Security to changes in health insurance. It’s very informative, and all geared toward health. We even get our blood pressure checked twice a month.”

Those presentations are often held in partnership with local health care providers and businesses. Wray said programs are held in conjunction with Baystate Health at the Holyoke Mall, providing speakers to educate walkers through free presentations.

And according to Carolyn Varnadore, marketing associate at the Eastfield Mall, the Baystate Visiting Nurse Assoc. and Hospice and Baystate Senior Class, both aspects of the Baystate Health system, are the primary sponsors of the free health presentations at the mall. Meanwhile, quarterly health fairs are currently sponsored by Redstone Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in East Longmeadow and Springfield’s Boston Road Stop & Shop.

“We’re very proud of our mall walkers,” said Varnadore. “They are a wonderful group of people and a great addition to the Eastfield Mall, and we are always trying to add to the program for them.”

And the walkers themselves often participate in talks regarding improvements at the mall, she said, adding that they serve as a sort of built-in market research group and sounding board. As constant visitors to the mall, they weigh in on general issues concerning mall management and security, including safety, services for customers, and accessibility for the handicapped, children, or the elderly.

Jackie Hudson said she recommended, for instance, getting an indoor entrance installed within the mall leading to the 99 Restaurant.

“Before, you had to go outside, and it wasn’t as safe,” she said, noting that the improvement had an effect not only on safety at the mall, but also patronage at the restaurant, at least among her high-stepping associates. “We go there all the time now. It’s much easier.”

Ease on Down

But one of the most valuable aspects of the program, according to Janice Jones of Springfield, a four-year veteran walker at the Eastfield Mall, is the camaraderie.

“We all come to know each other,” she said. “We may not know your name at first, but we know the face, because we pass by walking, wave, and say ‘hello.’ It’s a very friendly atmosphere.”

Jones said she began walking as part of the Mall Walkers Club shortly after retiring.
“I didn’t know what was on television during the day, so I took some time to sit and relax, and bought all of my favorite snacks,” she explained. “Sure enough, my cholesterol shot up.”

Jones’ physician recommended walking, and soon thereafter she began regularly walking at the mall, her cholesterol lowered. The new friendships and the regular programs to look forward to help keep her going, she said.

Claire Lebel of Ludlow said her doctor also recommended walking, and advised mall walking over outdoor exercise, because her neighborhood doesn’t include safe sidewalks.

Lebel said she was skeptical of mall walking at first.

“He told me I should try mall walking, and I didn’t want to go alone,” she said, “but there were some other ladies in Ludlow that were in a club of their own and they asked me if I wanted to join. I made my mind up that I was going to do this and stick to it, so I came to the mall early one morning, and never stopped.”

Lebel added that walking does more than improve her health – it takes her mind off of her problems as well.

“You come in and sometimes you’re half asleep,” she joked, “but there’s always someone to say ‘good morning,’ and that’s a great feeling. It gets your day off to a good start and that’s important, because it stays with you all day long.”

The Finish Line

The mission of the club is still the exercise component, however, and those walkers who spoke with BusinessWest are all firm believers in mall walking as a fitness regimen that promotes overall wellness of the mind, body, and spirit.

In addition to Jones’ cholesterol numbers going down, Lebel’s health has also improved, and as she looks at a photo from a recent health fair, she smiles as she spots herself and her friends.

And Jackie and Warren Hudson have slightly different evidence of the health and longevity their mall walking has helped along.

“We’ll be married 58 years in June,” they say together with broad smiles, as Jackie jokingly waves a gold-ringed fist in the air, and Warren tightens the lace on his sneaker.

Jaclyn Stevenson can be reached at[email protected]

Home Base

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With a number of recent expansion projects completed and more on the horizon, the national reach of Westover Air Reserve Base is extending rapidly. Rather than becoming more withdrawn from the community as the military steps up operations at the base, however, Westover is becoming even more integral to the Western Mass. Economy, bringing more visitors, more industrial activity, and most importantly, more jobs to the Valley.

It could be viewed as a town within a city.

Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee is the workplace of over 2,400 Air Force reservists and 600 civilian employees, including 50 active air force pilots. It’s home to the 439th Airlift Wing – capable of providing worldwide air movement of troops, supplies, equipment, and medical patients, and airdrop and combat off-load operations.

In terms of land area, Westover is the largest Air Force Reserve base in the country. In terms of staff, military and otherwise, it’s ranked third. In addition to its winding maze of internal roadways, building complexes, and airfields, Westover also features living quarters, food service facilities, and a full-scale bowling alley – it’s the only reserve base in the country with such an amenity.

It even has its own Galaxy – nickname to Westover’s fleet of 16 C-5 cargo aircraft.

But despite its breadth within the guarded gates, Westover is not an island within the Western Mass. landscape. As the base continues to grow, following a pattern that began shortly after 9/11 when the base’s importance to national security was realized more fully by the U.S. military, its relevance to the local economy has also become that much more prevalent. With a greater part to play in national security comes a greater influx of federal dollars, to fund increases in personnel, services, and facilities.

All of those initiatives lead to new jobs – both in the civilian and military sectors – and a trickle-down effect that benefits many businesses in Chicopee and across Western Mass., both directly and indirectly.

Major Patrick S. Ryan, deputy mission support commander at Westover, calls the phenomenon the “municipal-military bond.”

“The old paradigm that a military base must stand apart and separate from the community in which it functions is dead,” he explained. “Just like any other business, we need to consistently attract more and better employees, and being an active part of the Western Mass. community helps us do that.”

A Changing Skyline

Indeed, since 2001, some major additions and renovations have been undertaken at the base; some are being completed now, and others are slated to begin in the coming years.

One of the largest projects on the drawing board will be in response to the Army’s decision to constuct a three-building complex to house an Army regimental headquarters, bringing upwards of 1,000 new personnel. The details are still unclear in regard to the expansion, which is scheduled to begin in 2007, but Ryan noted that 1,000 is a cautious number in terms of additional staff and reservists.

“The Navy SeaBees will also be moving into a new facility here, and that will bring a 400-man battalion to the base,” he added, noting that change will come further on in the future, in 2008 or early 2009.

But other changes to the base are expected to begin this month, including the addition of a new base operations building, made possible by a recent surge of federal dollars following an emergency insertion by Sen. Edward Kennedy.

In addition, a new security forces building officially opened in January, after construction that began in 2003 was completed to construct a new home for the 140-member 439th Security Forces Squadron, allowing them to move out of the World War II-era building they once occupied. The base’s gym and dining hall are also both currently under construction.

Those projects are the latest in an ongoing surge of facility upgrades and additions in both staff and services at Westover that Ryan said began following 9/11, but has continued in part due to the base’s role in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“We are the closest base to Europe in the nation, so that means we can transport more cargo using less fuel,” he explained. “That becomes increasingly important during times that movements are happening on a large scale. We are also a reserve base with a large faction of seasoned, experienced personnel, some of whom have been here for 10 to 20 years and have an incredible depth of understanding in their field. People come here to tap into that experience – to tap into us when structuring movements such as Iraqi Freedom, or relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina.”

In 2001, for instance, the 2nd Lt. Michael J. Casey Reserve Training Center was constructed, moving all Marine offices at Westover into one facility, and a Military Entry and Processing Station (MEPS) was also built in 2001, replacing the former, smaller facility once located in downtown Springfield. The facility at Westover now serves as a physical and career testing and processing center for new or potential recruits, and serves not only Western Mass., but Connecticut, Vermont, and parts of New Hampshire as well. There is only one other MEPS in the state, Ryan said, in Boston.

“The MEPS is definitely busy,” he said, noting that when recruits or potential recruits visit the base for testing and processing, they’re using all of the base’s lodging, meal, and recreation services, as well as patronizing area businesses outside of the base.

Like a Good Neighbor

That’s a trend he said will continue as the base grows and expands, but the importance of the base to the local economy, as it expands on a level of national importance, is much larger than a few reservists grabbing dinner at a local eatery.

“Overall, our growth in the past four or five years has been exponential. We’ve had good luck with receiving (federal) money for construction projects, and a lot of that was driven by 9/11,” said Ryan. “At any given time, we have thousands of people living or working here, and those people are using the resources available to them in the community.”

Conversely, the base is an increasingly valuable asset to the surrounding community, as well. For one, the base provides those 600 full-time civilian jobs, ranging from maintenance crews to engineers to civilian flying operations personnel.

But the base has also been instrumental in other career-oriented arenas. Through a strong partnership with the Federal Executive Administration of Western Mass., military and civilian employees at Westover lobbied to change the locality rate – the salary awarded to employees working in a number of federal jobs, such as in Social Security offices and with the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife – to mirror that of Hartford, Conn. That meant many employees received a 10% boost in pay last year, mostly ‘general schedule,’ or salaried employees. This year, paperwork is flying to get ‘wage grade’ employees – those paid hourly – a similar increase.

David Kocot, chief engineer at Westover and a civilian employee himself, said that on a more regular basis, local firms and individuals benefit when new projects are undertaken at Westover, and are encouraged to enter the bidding process, often winning the jobs. But even if a firm based outside the area is chosen, Kocot said the area still receives a boost.

“Even when a national firm accepts a job, often local employees are hired,” he said.
On an ongoing basis, for instance, two firms – Phoenix Management, based in Austin, Texas, and Burns and Roe, based in New Jersey – oversee a number of regular base services in-house, such as property management, supply transportation, and air field management, and all of the firms’ employees at Westover were hired locally.

Kocot agreed with Ryan that the civilian/military cross-over has created a unique bond between the base and Western Mass., the city of Chicopee in particular.

“There is tremendous communication with the mayor’s office and the base, and historically, that has been the case,” he said.

Ryan added that the base also wastes no time in forging new bonds with new mayors, including current Mayor Mike Bissonnette.

“It starts with extending a hand as soon as a new mayor takes office, and the commander meets the mayor as soon as possible. The municipal/military bond is very strong – we want to participate in community efforts, and we’re happy to have them as well.”

That bond touches on a myriad of issues within the city of Chicopee. Cooperation is essential during major events such as the annual Westover Air Show, which brings more than 300,000 people to the base and the city each year.

But it’s also important during quieter times, when cooperation can augment not only military organization and safety, but that of the community as a whole.

The base recently collaborated, for instance, in a mock emergency drill in the center of Chicopee, which simulated a plane crash. That drill was staged in order to create a better understanding between military emergency procedures and those of the city’s police and fire departments.

The base also partners regularly with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and local planning boards in surrounding communities such as Chicopee, South Hadley, and Granby, to address various environmental and community planning issues that might be affected by operations at the base.

For the Birds

“We collaborate on noise studies, planning efforts, and conservation efforts,” said Kocot. “For instance, if a school is going to be built, we want the community to know if our flight patterns are going to create a noise issue. If there is a particular type of bird that is prevalent in a certain area, we want to work with the community to make sure the activity at the base isn’t disrupting its population, or that the birds aren’t disrupting our flights.”

And while keeping an eye on the local bird population is just one small aspect of Westover’s operations, it’s an important show of solidarity from the base, extended to the surrounding communities; one that underscores the fact that Westover does not stand alone, but rather alongside a wide series of community partners.

The only thing they keep for themselves is the bowling alley.

Jaclyn Stevenson can be reached at[email protected]

By
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.

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

Industrial Residential Security Co. v.
Guardian Systems Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $10,990
Date Filed: Jan. 18

Quality Care Nurse Staffing Agency v.
Northampton Nursing & Rehab
Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for services: $7,044.26
Date Filed: Jan. 20

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Anixter Inc. v.
Regenerated Resources MA f/k/a
Associated Professional Engineering Consultants Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $7,885
Date Filed: Jan. 17

The Street Lumber Co. v.
A.J. Virgilio Construction Inc. a/k/a Virgilio Construction
Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $6,354.94
Date Filed: Jan. 11

J.R. Kakley & Sons Inc. v.
CS & K Inc. f/k/a Coll, Sacchetti & Karpells Inc., Christopher C. Karpells a/k/a Christopher Karpells
Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $12,426.14
Date Filed: Jan. 11

Custom Packaging Inc. v.
TDB Inc. d/b/a Taxi’s Dog Bakery
Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for goods and services: $38,497.05
Date Filed: Jan. 12

Old Dominion Freight Line v.
Dorchester Industries Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for freight services: $3,260.77
Date Filed: Jan. 13

Granite Creations Inc. v.
Mountainview Builders Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $6,956.83
Date Filed: Jan. 13
 

By
Departments

Mercy Receives Grant To Improve Access to Health Care

SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center recently was awarded a $20,000 grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation to improve access to health care for uninsured and low-income residents. The “Connecting Consumers To Care” grant will target services to the local homeless population and Vietnamese residents. The grant will support assistance with eligibility, enrollment, primary care provider selection, and post-enrollment services. The funds will also be used to provide case management for preventative, medical and behavioral health services. In administering the grant, Mercy Medical Center will collaborate with the Mental Health Association of Greater Springfield, Vietnamese American Civic Association, and Friends of the Homeless, Inc.

Hudson United Bancorp, TD Banknorth Shareholders Approve Merger

PORTLAND, Maine — TD Banknorth Inc. shareholders recently voted at a special meeting to approve the acquisition of Hudson United Bancorp. More than 99% of the votes cast were voted in favor of the transaction. In a separate meeting in Mahwah, N.J., the shareholders of Hudson United Bancorp also voted heavily in favor of sale to TD Banknorth. More than 98% of the votes cast by Hudson United shareholders were in favor of the transaction. Pending approval by the Federal Reserve, the transaction is expected to close later in the first quarter of 2006. On a pro forma basis, the transaction creates a regional financial services company with approximately 590 branches, 751 ATMs and more than $26 billion in deposits across eight northeastern states. In other TD Banknorth news, bank officials recently said that fourth-quarter earnings per share will be 62 cents, 2 cents lower than analysts’ projections. Company officials cited the lower earnings per share because of declining net interest margins. TD Banknorth will release its fourth-quarter and year-end earnings report on Jan. 23.

Virginia Police Purchase Smith & Wesson Pistol

SPRINGFIELD — The sheriff’s department of Patrick County, Va., recently signed a deal to purchase 32 of Smith & Wesson’s new M&P 40 pistol – the first sale for the new military firearm. The new gun’s safety features, low recoil, and ease of handling were reasons cited by Patrick County Sheriff David E. Hubbard regarding the purchase. The M&P models load .40-caliber ammunition. Smith & Wesson also recently announced that the company plans to add more versions of the gun in the coming weeks. For example, new models will fire .357-caliber SIG rounds as well as 9 mm ammunition. The new handgun, with a retail price of $695, will also be available to individual customers through retail outlets.

Center For Teaching Receives High Marks

AMHERST — The Center for Teaching at UMass, Amherst has been recognized in a national survey as one of the top faculty- development programs in the United States and Canada. Nearly 500 faculty developers at 300 higher education institutions responded to the survey, which is part of a recently published study, “Creating the Future of Faculty Development: Learning from the Past, Understanding the Present.” The survey identified faculty development programs at UMass, Amherst, University of Michigan, University of Delaware and Miami University of Ohio as the four best in the U.S. and Canada. The Center For Teaching also had the distinction of being named most often as a ‘model program’ that guided best practices by developers across every institutional type – from community colleges to research universities. The survey was sent to 1,000 members of the Professional and Organizational Development Network, the oldest and largest professional association of faculty development scholars and practitioners.

Schools Benefit From Civic Action Program

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Savings Bank’s Civic Action accounts raised $10,000 in its first nine months for 11 participating school districts, according to Joan Cramer, Vice President and Marketing Officer. Launched last March, the unique civic action bank accounts give back to schools in Franklin County and in Amherst. Bank customers participating in the program use their Greenfield Savings Bank card to swipe and sign – for everything from groceries to gas. “It all adds up,” said Cramer. All revenues are spent by school districts as they deem appropriate. Participating school districts include Amherst-Pelham, Franklin County Technical, Frontier Regional, Gill-Montague, Greenfield, Mahar Regional, Mohawk Trail Regional, Orange, Pioneer Valley Regional, Four Rivers Charter and Union 28. Union 28 serves the elementary schools of Erving, Leverett, New Salem, Shutesbury and Wendell.

Insurance, LLC Becomes Encharter Insurance Group

AMHERST — Neighborhood Insurance, LLC recently changed its name to Encharter Insurance Group. Blair, Cutting & Smith Insurance, the local office of Encharter Insurance Group, will continue to be known by its local name. As a member of Encharter’s group of agencies, Blair, Cutting & Smith Insurance will continue to improve its technology, and support its staff members’ increased involvement in community service projects. Both insurance agencies offer security against loss and financial services.

By
Departments

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

 AMHERST
Esperanza International Inc.,
203 Rolling Ridge Road,
Amherst 01002. David S.
Poritz, same. (Nonprofit) To
carry out projects on
environmentally impacted
zones to aid indigent
inhabitants, etc.

BELCHERTOWN
Accurate Automotive Service
Inc., 644 Federal St.,
Belchertown 01007. Steven A.
Miss, same. Gasoline sales and automotive service.

Belchertown Family Center Inc.
, 720 Franklin St.,
Belchertown 01007. Kara L.
Drake, 10 Howe St.,
Belchertown 01007. (Nonprofit)
To provide the community with early childhood enrichment through learning
activities, support and teaching good parenting skills, etc.

CHICOPEE
Chicopee Center Chiropractic
Inc., 18 West St., Chicopee
01013, Steven Edward
Przezdziecki, 199 Ventura St.,
Ludlow 01056. To provide
chiropractic services, etc.
SAS Cable Inc., 195 Meadow
St., Chicopee 01013. Alex Sedyakin, same. Installation of cable.

FEEDING HILLS
Panda Garden Chinese
Restaurant Inc., 1340
Springfield St., #5, Feeding
Hills 01030. Qiu Ping Wang, same. Restaurant.

HOLYOKE
Yash & Aashi Inc., 615
Homestead Ave., Holyoke
01040. Sanjay Patel, same.
Sale of telecommunications services and equipment, rental of video/DVD equipment, etc.

LUDLOW
Autocraft Interiors Co. Inc.,
200 State St., Gate 3, Ludlow
01056. Anthony M. Zalucki,
395 Miller St., Ludlow 01056. Manufacturing.

NORTHAMPTON
Irokomaple Orthopedic
Surgeons Foundation USA
Inc., 351 Pleasant St., No. 7,
Northampton 01060. Bernard
Retti, MD, same. (Nonprofit)
To increase the access of Nigerian citizens to orthopedic services through the efforts of volunteer surgeons, etc.

SOUTH HADLEY
New England Playwrights
Project Inc., 44 Spring St.,
South Hadley 01075. Hillary
Rathburn, 27A Hooker Ave.,
Northampton 01060. (Nonprofit)
To produce readings of new
plays and musicals; workshop
and stage new plays; provide educational wing for young playwrights, composers, etc.

SPRINGFIELD
Allied Testing Laboratories
Inc., 115 St. George St.,
Springfield 01104. Richard
Bellucci, 236 Westerly Circle,
Ludlow 01056. Construction testing and engineering services.

Cotanak Inc.,
1383 Liberty St.,
Springfield 01104. Neset
Karaaslan, 57 Cedar St., Ludlow
01036. Restaurant business.

Rukmini S. Kenia, M.D., P.C.,
65 Springfield 01085. Rukmini
S. Kenia, same. To render
professional medical services.

WESTFIELD
H.F.P., Fire Protection
Services Inc., 32 Char Dr.,
Westfield 01085. John F. Viola,
same. To design, install, service
life safety fire protection systems including the Fire Warning and Security Systems installation, etc.

H.F.P., Fire Sprinkler Inc.,
32 Char Dr., Westfield 01085.
John F. Viola, same. To deal in
life safety fire protection
systems including the Fire
Warning and Security Ststems installation, etc.

K’s Restaurant Inc.,
318 East Main St., Westfield 01085. Rui
Zhi Wang, same. Restaurant.
Uganda Rural Fund USA
Inc., 6 Union St., Westfield
01085. Michael C. Lillpopp,
same. (Nonprofit) To provide charitable assistance to impoverished adults and
children in the rural districts of Uganda, etc.

WEST SPRINGFIELD
Victor D. Govoni, P.C., 131
Elm St., West Springfield
01089. Victor D. Govoni, same.
To engage in the practice of law.

Credit Where It’s Due

By
Doug Bowen
Sections Supplements
Checking a Personal Credit Report Is Easy – and Important
Doug Bowen

Doug Bowen says credit scores indicate how much of a risk a potential borrower will be, so it’s important that the information is accurate.

When it comes to borrowing and lending, a little information goes a long way.

And few pieces of information are more crucial than a consumer’s personal credit score and report, which can be used by lenders to approve or deny a loan, as well as greatly affect what interest rates will be charged.

“The credit score is becoming very important,” said Becky Kozaczka, vice president of Westfield Bank. “When you take a mortgage, for instance, your loan is sent through automated underwritings, and your credit score is a very mportant part of that process. Many lenders also underwrite auto loans and consumer loans based on your credit score.”

A person’s credit score is calculated from his credit report, which is, at its heart, a record of how much debt a consumer has amassed and how responsibly he or she has made payments on those debts. It also tracks bankruptcies, actions brought by collection agencies, and other factors that paint a picture of how someone handles debt.

“Overall, it summarizes their credit worthiness,”said Doug Bowen, executive vice
president and chief lending officer for PeoplesBank. “The items in the report
include payment history, previous and present obligations, total outstanding debt, and the number and severity of late payments.”

There are two ways of looking at a credit report, depending on who’s doing the looking, Bowen said. For consumers, knowing one’s credit score gives some insight into how easy it will be to obtain future credit, and how favorable the rates and terms might be.

For a potential lender, meanwhile, the credit score simply indicates what kind of
gamble it might be taking on a potential borrower.That’s why Bowen called the credit score a ‘risk score.’

“It’s calculated according to a statistical model, evaluating many types of information in an individual’s credit file, and it uses variables from past credit history that are most likely to predict future behavior,”Bowen said. “It’s really a risk score, because it can predict the risk that the borrower will be unable to repay the loan.”

This issue, BusinessWest looks into credit reports, and why lenders say it’s important to know what’s in them.

Easy Access

The good news for consumers is that their credit report doesn’t have to be a mystery to wonder about. It’s free to access, and –thanks to the Internet – as easy as a few mouse clicks.

As part of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act signed into law in 2003, consumers are now able to receive free credit reports yearly from each of three major companies that track the information:Equifax (www.equifax.com), Experian (www.experian.com), and TransUnion (www.transunion.com).

These three sites are accessible throughwww.freecreditreport.com, where consumers may request reports from all three companies at once or spread them out over the year.In addition, anyone turned down for a loan is entitled to a free report even if they have used up their annual allotment.

“Each credit agency has its own way of calculating the credit score, so there’s no one set model,” Bowen said. “but there’s enough consistency today that the numbers come out more or less the same.”

Obtaining one’s actual credit score generally costs a small fee, but the entire contents of the credit report – open and closed accounts, payment history, who has recently made inquiries into the report, etc. – are free,and provide a thorough snapshot of what factors are considered in compiling a credit score.

“When it comes to your credit report, it’s what you don’t know that can hurt you,”said David Rubinger, media relations director for Equifax. “Credit card companies,mortgage loan companies, auto loan and “When it comes to your credit report, it’s what you don’t know that can hurt you.”insurance companies, even landlords and employers check credit reports to find out about your credit past. They figure that if you were responsible in the past, you will most likely be responsible in the future.”

Bowen said there are plenty of reasons why consumers should take advantage of this right on a regular basis, considering all the negatives of a poor credit score.

“People should check their report to make sure there are no discrepancies, no inaccurate loan information, and no erroneous reporting of late payments. You want to make sure it’s current and up to date, and that it represents you best.”

Battling the Thieves

Although it certainly helps consumers understand their own credit history – and requires lenders to be more open about thereasons for their credit decisions – the FACT Act of 2003 was aimed largely at stemming the problem of identity theft, which has gone high-tech in the past decade. Once a conartist uncovers someone’s personal account information – often over the Internet – he can wreak havoc with the victim’s accounts.

Repairing the financial damage can take years, at significant cost.Not only does the FACT Act streamline national fraud detection services, it allows consumers to place fraud alerts on their credit files that make it more difficult for identity thieves to access them. The act’s other requirements affect several groups:merchants, who must now leave most digits of Social Security numbers off sales receipts;financial regulators, who must make sure lending institutions track red-flag indicators of identity theft; and lenders and credit agencies, which are mandated to take action against suspected identity theft even before the victim is aware of it. That doesn’t lessen the importance of checking one’s own report regularly, as that is often the quickest way to be tipped off to fraudulent account activity, Kozaczka said. “Identity theft has become a hot issue, so you want to be sure there aren’t any discrepancies in your accounts.”

If a consumer disputes information on the credit report – or sees an unpaid bill he
simply forgot about – he should act right away to resolve the debt, then ask the creditor to notify the credit reporting agencies that the matter has been resolved, Rubinger said.

If a credit report uncovers accounts the consumer didn’t open or other evidence of fraud, he added, the credit agencies should be contacted directly – as well as the police.

“It’s important that people obtain their credit report at least once a year to see
what’s in there and whether they’re keeping old accounts open, Kozaczka said.

“There are many things that can adversely affect their credit score, and they need to be aware of them.”

Making Judgments

Most people are aware that potential lenders check their credit reports, but fewer know that it can impact other areas of their lives – such as landing a job.

“Employers in some cases are starting to run credit reports on applicants, and if their credit history is less than favorable, that may play a part in a hiring decision,” Kozaczka said – another example of the report being used as a sort of “risk score.”Some may dispute whether this report is a fair judge of character for that particular use, but there’s no debate on the report’s financial impact on borrowers – even if a loan is approved.

“The better the score is, the faster credit approval is, the better the rates are,” Bowen said. “A higher score indicates probable reduced costs and losses for the lender. Even with a few slips along the way, you may still have access to credit, but you might not get the best rates available – and getting the best terms on, say, a mortgage can be worth many thousands over the life of the loan.”For lenders, he reiterated, it all comes down to risk. “That’s the reason we use these credit scores – they help us decide how likely it is that we’ll be paid back on time.”That’s why, for consumers, a positive credit report is money in the bank – in more ways than one..

Facts About Retirement Planning for Women

By
Retirement planning
Sections Supplements
Because They Live Longer, Women Must Be Better Prepared
Retirement planning

Retirement planning

Retirement planning is an important issue for everyone. Unfortunately, most people aren’t as prepared as they should be. According to Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) in Washington, DC, 45% of all American workers over the age of 55 have less than $25,000 in savings. Women, especially, don’t save enough for retirement.

But, in reality, they are the ones who should be most concerned.

Women need to be even more concerned about their retirement planning than men for a number of reasons. According to the Bureau of Statistics, women live an average of four years longer than men. Seventy-one percent of women will live past the age of 85. Second, most women over the age of 65 are single, so they have to support themselves.

Because of their longer life expectancy, women should save more for retirement than men. But saving and retirement planning seem to be more difficult for women. They still bring home 76% less than men, according to EBRI. In fact, from 1983 to 1998 women, ages 26 to 59, made 38% of what men made, according to the Institute for Women’s Research.

Women also generally spend more time out of the workforce, taking care of children and elderly parents. The shorter length of time spent in the workforce, compounded by the fact that women are more likely to hold jobs that pay lower wages, means fewer retirement benefits. Social Security benefits are based on earnings and total years of employment, and a shorter lifetime of earnings translates into lower Social Security benefits.

According to the Social Security Administration, the average man received $1,008 a month while the average woman received $774 in 2003.

Pensions, like Social Security, are based on total years of service and earnings while you work at the company. Again, women are probably going to receive a lower pension benefit. According to the Women’s Institute for Secure etirement, women are half as likely as men to have pensions, and if they do, their accounts are half the size of men’s.If any of these situations sound familiar,you are robably asking yourself, “Will I have enough money?” “What happens when my savings runs out?” and “Am I prepared for the unexpected?” These questions are common for many women. In fact, the EBRI Retirement Conference Survey found that women are less assured than men that their savings will last through retirement.

The good news is you can take charge of your finances and build confidence in your retirement plans by using the following tips:

Don’t be Afraid to Invest

When women invest, they are often afraid they will lose what they have. In general,women tend to be more cautious in many areas of life. For example, women often make excellent pilots because they are less likely to take irresponsible risks. But when it comes to investing, women need to take on some level of risk to get the most out of their efforts.

The real risk of retirement is not loss of money, but rather not planning to have enough. Therefore, women need to develop an asset allocation plan that will meet their future needs. An Asset Allocation Plan is designed to suit an individual’s goals and personality. If you are a conservative investor, your financial advisor will develop a plan appropriate for you. Find a trusted financial advisor and a CPA and work with them to develop a plan.

Force Yourself to Save More

Most people like to live for today. They don’t like to think about the future and retirement. So people put off saving until they are in their 40s and realize they want to retire early, but you can’t retire unless you have money saved. Use your 401(k) or 403 (b) at work to force yourself to save for retirement. Start small and increase the percent you add every year. Your goal should be generally 10% of your income every year.

And do not forget your IRA. Even if you work from home, you can still add to IRAs.IRAs grow tax deferred, while Roth IRA s grow tax free. Talk to your financial advisor or CPA to see which works best for you.

Plan With Your Spouse

Too often women let their husbands handle all the investments. They either take the backburner on investment issues, or they don’t feel confident handling them. As a result, many women have no clue where their money is. You need to ask your husband what you are saving and where it is being invested.

When your husband retires, make sure you fully understand what he is doing with his pension and 401(k). Often men roll over their accounts with a short-term horizon.During this planning phase you should always be involved in meetings with your

Financial Advisor. When your husband is getting ready to retire, you need to consider your survivor benefit, life insurance, and your life expectancy. Does your husband have the option to choose from a survivor benefit and a single life expectancy on anannuity? If he takes the single-life-expectancy option and dies a few years later, his pension benefits will cease. You’ll be used to living off his pension with him, and be left with no income from his pension at all.

Many husbands take the single-lifexpectancy option because they get a higher income from their pension, but taking a survivor benefit option gives the wife the full amount or portion of his benefit until her death. While many couples take the singlelife-expectancy pension and supplement it with a life insurance policy, this may not be the most beneficial route. A survivor benefit is usually the better way to go.

Also, if your husband is taking a 401(k)or pension rollover, you need to know where the money is going. Women who are going through a divorce need to work with lawyers who have experience in evaluating pensions and tax consequences.The real risk of retirement is not loss of money, but rather not planning to have enough.

Plan for the Unexpected

Many people dip into their retirement savings when something unexpected happens.This can result in a 10% penalty for early withdrawal if you’re under 59 1/2 years old, plus state and federal income taxes. So don’t forget to put three to six months’ income aside in case of the unexpected,such as a job loss, divorce, or death of a spouse.

Secure the Future

While retirement requires major planning for everyone, women need to most concerned about their finances. A longer life expectancy, less time in the workforce and lower wages make it more difficult for women to save enough money to last for a retirement lifetime. However, by following prudent measures to take charge of your finances, you can help secure your future and live your retirement years with confidence.

Doug Charney is a financial advisor,with the Harrisburg office of Wachovia Securities; (888) 529-2973.

Hire Ground

By
Chris Russell, owner of AllCountyJobs.com
Sections Supplements
Online Job Searching Sites are Clicking
Chris Russell, owner of AllCountyJobs.com

Chris Russell, owner of AllCountyJobs.com, said catering to job seeker·s immediate needs is the best strategy for growth online.

Chris Russell, president and founder of AllCountyJobs.com, recently overheard an employee recruiter at a trade show remark that she had managed to knock her advertising expenses down by $24,000 in one year, by switching many of her ads for employment opportunities from print outlets to online job boards.

It was a savings that didn’t surprise Russell, who has been working within the
online job search industry for six years. But it was a comment that showed him that others – employers and job seekers alike – are becoming more receptive to businesses like his own.

“It was a good testament to the fact that people are recognizing us more and more as a low-cost alternative to print advertising,” he said, noting that he is seeing that culture change firsthand. “Year after year, I’m gaining more clients.”

AllCountyJobs.com is the parent company of several regional job search sites, including a local offering, WesternMassWorks.com. Russell said his industry has seen plenty of change since he entered the online arena in 1999, but there are some key factors to which he attributes his own success – and that of his
competitors.

“A lot of sites have come and gone,” he said. “People often try to copy other sites when they see an opportunity like this on the Web that they think will be lucrative. But like anything else, you need to have a background in this business to succeed, in Web business, in Web design. Knowledge of effective job search techniques also doesn’t hurt.

“When people are searching for a job,” he offered as an example, “their first priority is targeting the area where they want to work. The second is using a search method that is simple and easy to use.”

The Net Niche

In short, Russell said those sites catering to job seekers that are thriving are those that have paid attention to those trends and others. And one thing people definitely don’t want, he added, is to waste time sifting through hundreds of job listings in which they have no interest.

He said that’s where some job search Web sites went wrong – they tried to reach a national market with one massive site, and succeeded only in overwhelming the public.

Elaborating further, Russell said targeting an audience means focusing on smaller audiences and using the vast World Wide Web as a tool, not trying to reach everyone at once simply because you can. He said serving as a resource for a concentrated group of job searchers was, in fact, the impetus for his business, based in Trumbull, Conn.

“I noticed the Monsters of the world were lumping Fairfield County jobs in with New York City jobs,” said Russell. “So I got started there: creating a site for Fairfield County, which would only include job listings for people looking for jobs in Fairfield County.”

Using the same model, Russell gradually added other regional sites to AllCounty’s repertoire, serving the Hartford, New Haven, and New London areas in Connecticut, theWestchester, Rockland, Duchess, and Putnam
counties of New York, and, most recently, Western Mass., with WesternMassWorks. He plans to add an Eastern Mass. site as well in the near future.

The business also capitalizes on niche markets such as health care, administration, and Web jobs, through separate job boards.

Bill Cloutier, executive vice president for RegionalHelpWanted.com, said his company also began in 1999, as one small, regional job board (HudsonValleyHelpWanted.com, still in existence) in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The firm now oversees operation of sites in 293 cities across the U.S. and Canada, most of which reflect the name of the region they serve, such as the local SpringfieldHelpWanted.com (in Canada, the ‘HelpWanted’ portion of the address is replaced by ‘JobShops’).

Cloutier agreed with Russell’s assessmennt of the current online job search market.

“Our vision of the market is that recruitment is a local business for the most part,” he said. “We felt we had to do something special to reflect that. So we’ve stayed focused on providing a conduit for seekers to find what they’re looking for, plain and simple.”

Digital Diversity

The gradual expansion of both online services has proven to be a good business model, as have the gradual changes to the sites themselves, all designed to cater to the needs and wants of job seekers.

RegionalHelpWanted includes a number of helpful resources for job seekers, such as articles from their resident ‘career guru,’ Peter Weddle, résumé services, and, like most online job boards, the ability to post an entire résumé right on the site for employers to view.

Cloutier said it’s all part of effectively serving both job seekers and employers, in order to maintain a reputation for results, although he noted that RegionalHelpWanted sites will typically shy away from some of the more trendy online job-seeking tools, such as personality tests.

“We look at ourselves as a quasi-public utility,” he said, “offering what people need without a lot of noise.”

Similarly, while he said the automated systems in place on job boards have become increasingly streamlined and simple to use for both job searchers and employers posting their vacancies, Russell has made the inclusion of a diverse set of resources one of the key facets of AllCountyJobs.

To keep up with the changing face of the Internet and the businesses thereon, he maintains his own job search news and job hunting Web sites accessible through each of the county- wide and niche market sites, and writes his own blog, secretsofthejobhunt.blogspot.com, offering job-hunting tips. He’s also in the process of creating a ‘recruitment referral network,’ a new tool being used by several large corporations nationwide, such as Boeing, to secure quality employees through referrals from current employees or others in the industry.

“The old adage is it’s who you know, not what you know,” Russell said, to explain the newest trend in job hunting. “Companies are finding that their best employees are often found through word of mouth.”

He has even written a book on job hunting: Ultimate Job Hunting Secrets: Essential Tricks, Tips, and Tactics for Today’s Job Seeker, and every new addition to his business, Web-based or otherwise, has served to increase the visibility and, more importantly, the use of his services.

Show Me the Money

But another variable that is contributing to the use of Web-based job searching tools, in addition to convenience and accessibility, is cost.

“Companies using print advertising could be spending $25,000 a year on recruitment,” Russell said, harkening back to that trade show conversation he overheard, “and only about $1,000 a year online. Plus, an employer can submit a one-time post for $99, and that’s attractive to people. I think it has a lot to do with my revenues slowly increasing, year after year.”

Cloutier added that the cost difference could be the most persuasive aspect of
online recruiting for businesses, in particular those with 250 employees or fewer, which have been averse to the practice in the past.

There’s still a large print advertising aspect to recruitment, he said, and online
job boards like those controlled by RegionalHelpWanted.com have yet to eclipse those resources when it comes to the number of employers posting jobs.

However, more and more companies are using newspaper and online classifieds in tandem, Cloutier said, contributing to what is a very gradual shift from newspaper to Web, not a dramatic change in the marketplace.But it’s a change, he said, that is definitely well on its way.

“Currently, only about 20% to 25% of expenditures occur online,” he said. “There is still a lot happening in print. But the experience is so much better online, according to job seekers and employers, that the growth is happening, and we’re seeing a gradual migration of dollars.

“I think there’s a security blanket in print that people are reluctant to give up,”
he added. “But what we’re seeing more of is people holding onto that Sunday newspaper ad, for instance, and substituting the ads they would have placed in weekday editions in the past with online placements.”

Cloutier also noted that online job boards can also target some sets of employers and job seekers more effectively than print outlets.

“One area in which print advertising still works for people is when a company has 20 openings, for example, they need to fill, and they need to cast a wide net. Where newspapers fail, though, is when a company only has one or two openings to fill. Even the size of the ads is restrictive at that point … the print is so small you can hardly read it.”

In addition, Cloutier said, online job boards are increasingly adept at capitalizing on a constituency he calls “passive job seekers.”

“And that’s just about everyone in America,” he said, explaining that such individuals are those who are not currently in transition, but are still surfing online job sites to keep tabs on new opportunities within their industries – essentially, keeping their options open.

“This group of people is really key, and they’re also easier to reach online than in print,” Cloutier said. “Online, the information is right there in front of them … on their computer screen, so they can log on any time and see what’s out there, at home, on the weekends… or on their lunch break.”

The Grapevine

The heaviest traffic hour for most job search sites, in fact, is between 11 and noon, Cloutier said, suggesting that job search Web sites are achieving that goal of reaching job seekers of all types, casual or otherwise,
across the board.

Russell commented that he might have overheard that somewhere, too.
Jaclyn Stevenson can be reached at[email protected]

Is Your Business Identity at Risk?

By
Uncategorized
Personal information is not the only target for identity thieves. Criminals are targeting large and small businesses as well. Any person or entity that has a name and a tax number is at risk of becoming a victim of fraud and identity theft.

Identity thieves target businesses because the financial reward appears greater. A corporation with good credit and large assets can provide a thief with hundreds of thousands of dollars in products or services.

Business identity theft can result from the same low-tech means of obtaining information as individual identity theft. It can also be accomplished through diligent searches of corporate filings, patent filings, and other public information. Business identity thieves usually work with accomplices. These thieves are diligent, taking the time to create the illusion of authority on the part of their targeted victims.

The range of theft varies depending on the business targeted, from document theft, counterfeiting, impersonation, forgery, and theft. These acts can result in changes to the corporate structure including the principals, the company address, the corporate minutes, real estate holdings and asset transfers.

Document theft can be a big source of information. It comes in two types, corporate espionage and identity theft. Corporate espionage doesn’t need James Bond anymore. It can be accomplished by going through a company’s trash. High-tech methods are also used to obtain information as well as create false documents, corporate ID’s, or bank documents.

Business thieves can pose as legitimate representatives from your business to make large purchases or obtain credit. This could include new computers, office equipment, and corporate credit cards. Thieves establish credit with the vendors, place their orders, and have the merchandise delivered to a new location. Never having been paid for the merchandise, the vendors will eventually come to you for payment.

Companies have discovered unauthorized product purchases, unauthorized agreements to connect or disconnect services, unauthorized real estate transactions such as selling the company-owned real estate, and the unauthorized use of private client or employee information.

This could also mean that an imposter has changed your company’s current information on your accounts to redirect correspondence directly to the thieves. By doing this, the thieves establish a relationship with the vendors, and the vendors are less likely to take notice of any red flags as others proceed with their schemes to defraud your company.

Unexpected calls could be your first alert that something huge is brewing. Don’t ignore the underlying issue. Find out who authorized the change in service and the reason for the change request. The reason for given to the utility service could be the underlying target of fraud. One of the most common reasons for a change in utility service by an established company is due to the pending sale of property. This could be your wake up call to investigate deeper.

Here are some other red flags to alert you of potential problems:

• Invoices for unfamiliar goods or services;
• Unexplained or unauthorized charges on business credit cards;
• Unexpected notice from a collection agency about an unfamiliar debt;
• Unusual telephone charges;
• Unexpected or unexplained change of your address;
• Unexpected calls from new vendors;
• Unexpected calls from utility services; and
• An unexpected decrease in the number of calls you usually receive from your usual vendors or bank.

If you suspect your company is a victim of business identity theft you should obtain as much information as possible from the source of the suspected transaction. Get names, dates, phone numbers, whatever information you can as to who authorized the fraudulent activities. Make sure you keep a log containing the name and phone number contacts you talk with.

Just as in personal identity theft cases, a police report is an important first step. A police report will help to re-establish your good business name and credit with the companies defrauded by the criminals. The more information you can obtain form the source of the unauthorized activity the more complete the police report will be. Make sure the police take the time to make a full report of your incident.

Prompt action on your part can help limit the negative affects of identity theft. In the event you, an employee or your business becomes a victim follow the checklist below.

  • Contact the credit bureaus. For business identity theft contact Experian PO Box 2104 Allen, TX 75013 www.experian.com and Dun & Bradstreet 103 JFK Parkway, Short Hills, NJ 07078www.dnb.com
  • For personal identity theft contact the three major credit agencies. Equifax 1-800-685-1111www.econsumer.equifax.com, Experian 1-888-397-3742 www.experian.com and TransUnion 1-800-888-4213www.transunion.com
  • File a police report and contact the Federal Trade Commission. 877-IDTHEFT (438-4338);
  • Contact your creditors. All credit card companies, mortgage companies or banks. Any company where you have loans, credit cards or lines of credit. This includes vendors;
  • Stop payment on any stolen checks and close unauthorized or compromised accounts;
  • Contact your state’s public utilities commission and remove fraudulent cell phone charges. Federal Communications Commission 888-CALL-FCC (225-5322);
  • Report stolen Social Security numbers to the Social Security Administration 800-772-1213;
  • Notify your local department of motor vehicles (DMV) to make sure someone doesn’t attempt to get a driver’s license or register a car using your identity or your business identity.
  • Obtain copies of corporate filings from the Secretary of State where your business is registered. Look for any new filings or amendments which may contain information which could lead to the discovery of the criminals involved.

Business identity theft is a growing crime. It may be more prevalent than we think. No business wants the public to know their information has been compromised. Loss of time and money to recover, loss of integrity and client trust could all be side effects of being a victim of business identity theft.

Cindy Schroeter Graham is an author, speaker and expert on identity theft prevention, providing secure information handling evaluations and implementations to businesses nationwide. Her book, “Who Else is You?” outlines strategies on reducing the risk of becoming an identity theft victim;www.whoelseisyou.com.

Baystate Ob/Gyn.

By
Jackie Bouchard (left) and Virginia Vogt Pisano
Sections Supplements
Medical Practice Expands its Horizons
Jackie Bouchard (left) and Virginia Vogt Pisano

Jackie Bouchard (left) and Virginia Vogt Pisano of Baystate Ob/Gyn

For months, Virginia Vogt Pisano, practice administrator for Baystate Ob/Gyn Group Inc., and assistant administrator Jackie Bouchard, have been inundated by new terminology, technology, and their share of headaches as they work to unroll a new electronic medical records (EMR) system at the practice.
It’s just one cog in the works that make Baystate Ob/Gyn a successful business as well as medical practice in Western Mass., but it serves as an excellent example of how those two sides of the company must work together at all times in order move forward as a thriving, progressive, and, above all, safe health care business serving women of all ages across the region. Baystate Ob/Gyn has been recognized and lauded for that growth by the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce Super 60 program, which put the practice among the top 10 – number nine – for revenue growth.

“As we expand,” explained Vogt Pisano, “new technology – and the issues implementing that new technology can present – is just one thing that drives us to continue to focus on providing quality care to our patients. It forces us to figure out the best way to implement new procedures, to learn everything we can about them and to value the input of everyone here, and it is one reason why we are providing great care, growing as a business, and can also be recognized for that growth by something like the Super 60.”

Indeed, several changes have been in the works in addition to the introduction of the EMR system at Baystate Ob/Gyn, which will create a paperless office and represents the first step in regional, clinical integration, according to Vogt Pisano, which will likely be ongoing in Western Mass. for the next 10 to 15 years.

Fast Facts :

Company:Baystate Ob/Gyn
Address:Administrative offices; 246 Park Street, Suite 202, West Springfield, MA 01089
Phone:(413) 794-4744; Fax: (413) 787-5277
Web site:www.bogg.com
Products/services:obstetric and gynecological practice service women in Western Mass

New health care providers have also joined the company in order to focus on the specific needs of women at different stages of life, such as the teenage years, childbearing age, and the golden years. The practice’s suite of outpatient and minimally invasive surgeries has broadened to offer more comprehensive and convenient care to its patients, including a progressive sterilization procedure called Essure, only available locally through Baystate Ob/Gyn. Bouchard noted that the practice has also begun to focus more on alternative health options for women, in order to provide not only more convenient and comprehensive care, but more holistic care as well.

“For us, better care equals better business, and vice versa,” said Bouchard.

And she and Vogt Pisano agreed that Baystate Ob/Gyn has seen definite signs of that business improvement over the past two years.

“We have no complaints,” Vogt Pisano said. “We increased our business size in 2003, and our provider base increased. What I’ve seen since then is the same high level of care for our patients and the same high level of organization within the business, but on a larger scale.”

Examining Culture

That expansion in 2003 included a new location, creating a five-office network in Springfield, West Springfield, South Hadley, and East Longmeadow, and necessitating, Vogt Pisano said, a “very intentional culture change” within the business, which now employs about 75 people.

“It has been challenging but enjoyable putting this group together,” she said. “We worked hard to create that new culture because of the specific goals we wanted to achieve; many practices, as they get larger, tend to centralize, but our growth has been very different. Because women’s health is so community-based, we have expanded across the region, and yet still understand that it is of the utmost importance to maintain community involvement and a small-practice feel in order to be successful.”

Part of creating a new corporate culture that would preserve the practice’s accessibility for all types of patients and also grow and change within the increasingly technology-based industry of health care, Vogt Pisano explained, is to recruit physicians, midwives, and other health care providers specializing in a variety of areas within obstetrics and gynecology. That allows the practice to appeal to many age groups – teens, the elderly, and women of child-bearing age, for instance – and allows each physician to concentrate on his or her own specialties, thus improving the quality of care their patients will ultimately receive as they progress in their own careers and professional interests.

“It’s also a real draw for physicians that they will be able to focus on their specialties, rather than stretch themselves across a wide gamut of services,” she added, noting that anything that attracts new providers to Massachusetts is a boon for both the economy and the quality of care available in the Commonwealth.

“It’s hard to recruit physicians to Massachusetts, particularly in ob/gyn, she said. “We can’t ignore the issues surrounding malpractice liability; it’s a huge issue that will continue to be a challenge. I do believe, however, that the collaborative model we have developed here is helping us to attract the best providers as well as helping us achieve the needed balance between clinical and business issues.”

Model Employees

That model also takes into account several other issues surrounding ob/gyn, including the need for female providers and employees, who relate well to patients, and further diversify the profession, and the inclusion of all employees at all levels within the organization when formulating plans for the future or when problem solving.
Bouchard said she views the businesses’ model for staff involvement one if its keys for success.

“Everyone has a piece of the pie,” she said. “We’re firm believers in understanding first how people do what they do, then asking for their input on issues that they are involved with every day.

“You have to listen to people and appreciate their insights and ideas,” she continued. “That is one way that we balance the clinical and business sides of things, and keep the entire practice in balance.”

And Bouchard added that no other area is affected more by the crossover between clinical and business concerns that technology upgrades at Baystate Ob/Gyn. The practice’s EMR system, for instance, will be rolled out in stages and is expected to be fully operational and in use by the practices’ clinical professionals by January. The system will have a notable effect on the streamlining and accessibility of patient information, not to mention the fulfillment of HIPAA privacy and security requirements. But implementing the system has been no easy feat, requiring not only the introduction of a system foreign to all of Baystate Ob/Gyn’s employees, but also a new, broader way of doing things on an every day basis that employees will have to adjust to.

It’s attention to the smaller things that many administrators would otherwise not think of when implementing the system that Vogt Pisano thinks will ultimately make the change a successful one.

Nurses, for instance, were able to collaborate with others to voice their concerns and to rectify them. They told Vogt Pisano they didn’t want a system that required a lot of navigation just to get to one portion of a patient’s record, because that would affect the quality of patient care. They were also concerned about the overall size of the electronic equipment they would be using; both of those concerns, and others, were taken into account when choosing a system and a method of introducing the new procedures.

Technically Speaking

“I think we’ve done a good job of it,” Vogt Pisano said. “Everyone has had training. This has been a lot of work, but EMR has become a huge part of our practice, and will be part of our ultimate success. But people are reinventing the wheel constantly when it comes to health care technology, and I think our model is one that will allow us to embrace those new challenges and move forward with positive growth and excellent care.

“I’m excited about continuing to offer excellent care to our patients during challenging times.”

Jaclyn Stevenson can be reached at[email protected]

By
Departments

Stephen M. Quink has returned to the Lending Department of North Brookfield Savings Bank as Vice President/Lending.

•••••

Ernestine “Tini” Sawicki, a broker and owner of Realty World Sawicki in Amherst, has been named recipient of the Mass. Association of Realtors® (MAR) Milton H. Shaw Distinguished Service Award for 2005. The award is presented annually to one Realtor® member or staff executive who has demonstrated leadership abilities and volunteered countless hours of personal time to serve on state association committees and participate in MAR activities.

•••••

The Bank of Western Massachusetts in Springfield announced the following:
• Tracy L. Fleming has been promoted to Business Services Officer, with responsibility for the development of new business services accounts, including payroll, merchant processing and cash management and the servicing of existing accounts.
• William A. Fontes has been promoted to Senior Vice President/Commercial Loan Officer, with responsibility for administering an existing portfolio of commercial loan accounts as well as acquiring new business in Hampshire County.
• Gail A. Goraj has been promoted to Business Services Officer, with responsibility for the development of new business service accounts, including payroll, merchant processing and cash management and the servicing of existing accounts, and
• Antonios D. Liberopoulos has been promoted to Senior Vice President/Commercial Loan Officer, with responsibility for administering an existing portfolio of commercial loan accounts as well as acquiring new business in Hampden County.

•••••

Nathan Winstanley, founder and president of Winstanley Associates in Lenox, was the guest speaker at the Western Mass. Ad Club’s Sept. 28 luncheon. Winstanley is also president and founder of Lenox SoftWorks, a software development company.

•••••

Gary E. Rosentreter, Ed.D., has been appointed Executive Director, Connecticut Quality Council (CQC), located at Rensselaer’s Hartford (Conn.) campus. CQC is associated with Rensselaer’s Centers for Professional Development.

•••••

Moriarty & Primack, P.C., Certified Public Accountants, in Springfield announced the following:
• Melissa English has been promoted to Senior Associate, and
• Stacey St. Pierre has been promoted to Senior Associate.

•••••

Attorney Dorothy Varon of Robinson Donovan, P.C., with offices in Springfield and Northampton, has been selected by the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as an “Up and Coming Lawyer.” She joined the law firm in 2002 and concentrates her practice in the areas of federal litigation, civil rights, health insurance law, publishing law and civil litigation.

•••••

 

Jeremy Redmond has recently joined Innovative Business Systems, Inc. in Easthampton. Redmond holds CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications, as well as being a Microsoft Certified Professional, Systems Administrator, and Systems Engineer (MCP, MCSA and MCSE).

•••••

Bobbi Pitkin has joined Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage of New England as a Realtor in the Longmeadow office.

•••••

Jill T. Lyons has been appointed an Associate at Morrison Mahoney in Springfield. She will concentrate her practice in health law and defense of medical malpractice claims.

•••••

Matthew McDonough, formerly of Holyoke, has joined Yale-New Haven Health System as Administrative Fellow for the 2005-2006 program year.

•••••

Richard T. O’Connor has been named Legal Counsel at Holyoke Medical Center.

•••••

Karen E. Eaton has joined Martinelli, Discenza & Hannifan in Longmeadow as an Associate. She will practice in estate planning, real estate development and finance law, municipal law, and general business practice, securities law, and investment management law.

•••••

Jacqueline McNinch has joined the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency’s Home Ownership Business Development Group as a regional Business Development Officer for Western Massachusetts.

•••••

Jane E. Fountain has joined the faculty of the UMass Amherst in its Center for Public Policy and Administration and the Department of Political Science.

•••••

Christopher Camerlin has been appointed Manager of William Raveis Real Estate and Home Services in East Longmeadow.

••••••••••

Banana Publishing Inc. of Springfield announced the following:
• Christine Cox has been named Art Director;
• Bruce Beard has been named Sales Manager;
• Samuel O’Connor has been named to the Sales Team;
• Ronny Sinn has been named to the Sales Team;
• Mark Villano has been named to the Sales Team;
• Sarah Clark has been named Office Manager, and
• Donna Fein has been named Sales Representative.

By
Departments

St. Germain Opens Hartford Office

HARTFORD — St. Germain Investment Management, with offices in Springfield at 1500 Main St., has opened a new office in downtown Hartford. Company president, Paul Valickus, CFA, said a steady increase from Connecticut investors requesting more of St. Germain’s financial management services has prompted the firm to open the new facility at 100 Pearl St. in Hartford.

MicroTest Laboratories To Expand

AGAWAM — MassDevelopment recently announced an $800,000 Emerging Technology Fund loan and a $370,000 mortgage insurance guaranty to MicroTest Laboratories Inc. and MicroTest Properties, LLC for expansion plans. The company, which provides laboratory and environmental testing services to the medical device, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries, will use the funds to expand its manufacturing and new virology laboratory facility, upgrade utilities, and purchase equipment to accommodate its growth into the biopharmaceutical product testing and manufacturing business. MicroTest employs 89 and expects to create an additional 49 jobs when the expansion efforts are completed. Administered by MassDevelopment, the state’s $25 million Emerging Technology Fund provides loans and guarantees for facilities and specialized equipment for technology-based companies.

Rocky’s Ace Expands to Norwood

SPRINGFIELD — A new Rocky’s Ace Hardware Store will open in Norwood in November. The new store is part of Rocky’s Ace Hardware’s and Ace Hardware Corp.’s progressive strategy to spark growth and expand customer service by opening additional stores in New England. Since 1999, Rocky’s Ace has grown from eight stores in Western Massachusetts, to 26 stores across New England.

VPT Consulting Opens Springfield Office

SOUTH DEERFIELD — Vincent P. Traina Jr., founder and principal of VPT Consulting, has announced the company’s expansion with new offices at 1441 Main St., TD/Banknorth Center, in downtown Springfield. VPT Consulting offers a full range of marketing, advertising and business development services.

PIP Printing Receives Industry Awards

SOUTH HADLEY — PIP Printing and Document Services recently received a “Top 25” award for sales performance during the PIP Annual Convention in Tampa, Fla. This is the fifth time that owners Dorene and Wendell Pennell and John Bledsoe have received the annual award. Also, PIP Printing has received a “Franchise of the Year” Award by the International Franchise Association. The annual award is given as a symbol of recognition for the brightest and best leaders in franchising.

Berkshire Bank Opens N.Y. Branch

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Berkshire Bank, recently announced the opening of a full-service branch in Shoppers World Plaza in Clifton Park, N.Y. This is the bank’s second branch opened this year in the Albany region and its third in New York.

UMass Amherst Construction Projects Exceed $40M

AMHERST — As students returned to UMass Amherst this month, the campus is sporting some $40 million in new construction projects and improvements. Ongoing projects include the deck replacement at the DuBois Library, which began last year. The $6.35 million state-funded effort involves the installation of a new, waterproof membrane and concrete deck over an underground section of the library. Also taking shape is a $3.1 million athletic track facility, located near the softball and soccer fields at the north end of Stadium Drive. The new Llewellyn Derby Track, which is expected to be ready by the end of September, replaces an outmoded facility on the site of a planned central heating plant for the campus. Several health and safety projects were also completed or are continuing. These include new fire alarm systems in Goessmann Laboratory, Morrill Science Center, Fernald Hall and Goodell at a cost of approximately $3 million. Construction efforts also include security cameras, health and fire safety-related projects, roof replacements and work in residence halls.

Monson Savings Bank Opts For New Structure

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank is in the process of converting to a two-tiered mutual holding company structure that will create Monson Financial Services Mutual Holding Co. and Monson Financial Services Corp. The Monson Financial Services Corp. would be a stock bank owning Monson Savings Bank. The bank has three branches in Hampden, Monson and Wilbraham, with total assets of $177 million.

Internet service providers

By
Sections Supplements
Provider Contact Charges Services
Ashton Services
1 Federal St., Bldg. 101, Springfield, MA 01105
(413) 746-9661;www.ashtonservices.com		 David Flaherty $165/quarter Web-site hosting for commercial accounts Hosting services include dial-up, DNS, E-mail accounts, and
automated site registration; real-time statistics are also available; T3 lines
BerkshireNet
126 Fenn St., Pittsfield, MA 01201 (413) 442-7805;www.berkshire.net		 Michael Bathrick $19.95/month standard dial-up;one-time $19.95 set-up fee Dial-up locations throughout Mass. and N.H.;multiple phone lines; full-time system administrator
Choice One Communications
1 Federal St., Bldg. 111, Springfield, MA 01105
(413) 732-6336;www.choiceonecom.com		 N/A $19.95/month dial-up Dedicated Internet access; dedicated DSL; fractional and T1access; speeds from 128k to 1.54 megabytes; serving the (413) Greater Springfield area
Conversent Communications
1441 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103 (413) 732-5088;www.conversent.com		 Nicholas Capman $19.95/month standard dial-up Basic business lines; Centrex; local and long distance plus DSL; Web hosting and E-mail; 24/7 supervision through operations
center
Create-A-Website
P.O. Box 993, Wilbraham, MA 01095 (413) 596-4321;www.createawebsite.net		 Jim DeForest Web-site hosting starts at $14.95;
all other services are priced based
on content		 Full-service Web site company; design, hosting, E-commerce, database, and marketing solutions
Crocker Communications
P.O. Box 710, Greenfield, MA 01302 (413) 772-1800;www.crocker.com		 James Crocker Accounts start at $9.95/month;
corporate accounts assessed and
quoted through free consultation		 Full-service provider with local dial-up; electronic commerce;
high-speed DSL connections; T1 service; 33.6k & 56k modems;
frame relay; ISDN networking security; intranet/internet
Eclectechs
26 Market St., Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 584-8600;www.eclectechs.com		 Victoria White $18/month unlimited access;
no hook-up fee		 56k dial-up access; full-time connections; ISDN; free unlimited
tech support; nationwide service; high ratio of lines
per user; Web hosting
Excell.Net
P.O. Box 983, Wilbraham, MA 01095-0983 (413) 525-0770;www.excell.net		 Patricia Shaw As low as $12.50/month for
personal account; $15 and up
for domain, Web hosting		 Full-service Internet service provider; dialup access; DSL;
Web site design; Web site hosting
HGE.net 998 Suffolk St., Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 536-9444;www.hge.net Todd Taupier Rates start at $125/month High-speed fiber optic internet access; T-1, frame relay, metropolitan wireless internet
Lightship Telecom 583 East Columbus Ave., Springfield, MA 01105 (877) 548-7447;www.lightship.net John Johnston Free E-mail and Web hosting;
dedicated Internet priced by client solution ing services; E-mail services; voice mail		 Products include dedicated high-speed digital Internet services;
telephone service; integrated digital T1s; frame relay services; digital DID service; PRI service with DID and DNIS; Web host-
MAP Internet Inc.
One Federal St., Springfield, MA 01105 (413) 788-2000;www.map.com		 Mark Morgan $19.95/month unlimited access; $19.95/month ISDN Full-service Internet provider; 33.6k and 56k dial-up access;
frame relay; dedicated ISDN; Web hosting for individuals
or businesses; tech support; DSL
MicroTest
104 Gold St., Agawam, MA 01001 (413) 786-1680;www.mtlinternet.com		 Tony Douglas Customized with each customer’s needs Domain registration; Web design; E-commerce; routine Web updates; full-site programming capabilities; CD business cards;
CGI script; Web hosting; full Web maintenance and manage- ment; E-mail support; search engine registration & optimization

Rubberneck.Net P.O. Box 21, Northampton, MA 01061 (413) 527-8520;www.rubberneck.net

 Jeff Mackler Hosting & E-mail services starting at
$150/year; development & mainten-
ance services starting at $50/hour		 Web-site development, graphic design, hosting, marketing; spe- cialize in small- and medium-business sites, database develop-
ment, shopping carts; discounted rates for non-profits & startups
SAMnet
2785 Boston Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095 (413) 596-2050;www.samnet.net		 Tony Iannarelli $19.95/month standard dialup;
$25/month standard hosting;
high-speed DSL starting at $40		 Dialup; DSL; T1s; Web site design; Web site hosting
Skytech Communications Inc.
20 Maple St., Springfield, MA 01103 (413) 731-5500; Fax: (413) 737-9222 Web site:www.skytechinfo.com		 Mike Dod Customized for the needs of each business Providers of wireless, Internet, and broadband services; servicing the Greater Springfield area
Springfield Web Design
340 Cooley St., #303, Springfield, MA 01128
(413) 297-2522www.springfieldwebdesign.com		 Chris Marion Priced according to customer’s needs, with hosting starting as low as $10/month Web design; E-commerce; graphics; hosting; E-mail; full range
of creative services
Thelix Internet
401 Main St., Amherst, MA 01004 (413) 253-7700;www.thelix.net		 Nicole Perron Basic E-mail and Web-site hosting
starting at $24/month. Corporate
E-mail systems and Web site hosting
starting at $24/month		 Web hosting, design, development, and security with custom-
ized support services; Internet presence provider from standard
Web sites to large-scale Internet operations such as corporate
E-mail systems and dedicated servers; DIY packages available
Tortus Tek
1686 Riverdale St., W. Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 788-5080;www.tortus.com		 Larri Cochran Business connection $25/month;
residential connection $12.99/month		 Design; connectivity; hosting; end-to-end solutions; Web hosting available
Togather LLC
51 Summit Ave., Longmeadow MA 01106 (413) 364-1224;www.togather.com		 Len Bertelli Based on system and data bandwidth Standard and custom business systems with services to centralize data; collect and merge data from multiple offices, manage inventory; automatically updates Web sites

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The New Era of Export Compliance

By
Sections Supplements
New Regulations Will Change How many companies Do business.
Whether you export circuit boards or cranberries, your exports are under the uspices of U.S. export control laws. These regulations known as the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) affect every product in every company in every industry.

Later this year, the new regulations will be effective. The Bureau of Census will issue new regulations (ETA Oct. 1) which will hold exporters, forwarders and carriers more accountable for complying with the export laws. According to Paul Devecchio, Devecchio & Associates, “significant changes to the regulations will impact companies currently doing business in China and will tighten controls and enhance enforcement of technology transfers to foreign nationals.

The Mass. Export Center, part of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network, serves as the state’s one stop resource for export assistance. Part of that assistance is educating companies across the Commonwealth on a variety of issues including compliance and regulatory policies. The center’s Partners for Trade publication is forwarded to more than 13,000 individuals semi-annually and in 2004 the Center held over 30 training sessions. Many of those seminars involve logistics and compliance.

Export controls help protect our country and it is the obligation of every company and individual involved in international trade to adhere to them. The changes that have already been made and those that are forthcoming affect all exporters, freight forwarders and other parties involved in the process. Finally, when the new regulations become final later this year all exports will have to be filed automatically through the Automated Export System (AES). This change makes it a lot easier for U.S. Customs, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), formerly the Bureau of Export Administration (BXA), and other federal agencies to track exports.

The Shipper’s Export Declaration (SED), as we know it, will cease to exist. Instead, the exporter will either submit directly to census through AES or ensure that comprehensive and accurate information is submitted to the freight forwarder by a Shipper’s Letter of Instruction for AES entry. For those products found on either the Commerce Control List (CCL), or the U.S. Munitions List, or for shipments of rough diamonds, companies are already obligated to file through AES. The CCL is controlled by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Munitions List through the U.S. State Department.

Other changes in the regulations include much higher penalties for individuals or companies found in violation of the regulations. If your fine would have been $10,000 under the old regulations, it will be $100,000 with the new. According to Paula Murphy, director of the Center in Boston, “violations may include failure to file, filing late, and errors in AES entries.” The regulations also provide for greaterscrutiny of transactions and broadening of enforcement authority through BIS and the Department of Homeland Security. Prior to new regulations, things were done by hand, but now with the touch of a button any one of several agencies can check on your exports. AES gives the agencies a much greater chance of identifying violations. The agencies will be working more closely toensure that detections are dealt with swiftly and that agencies such as the Office of Export Enforcement will be able to penalize companies for a variety of violations including those dealing with AES. Certain areas of AES are going to be much easier to track, so exporters should be more careful when importing data that it is correct. Some areas include:

Classification

If the product is a controlled product, make sure it has the correct Export Commodity Control Number (ECCN) and Schedule B number. Whatever you do, do not allow the freight forwarder to decide what these should be. Do the research necessary and make the decision in-house. If you are having trouble determining this information, assistance is available through a variety of sources.

In one instance, a routed freight forwarder was using the wrong Schedule B using the wrong Schedule B number for a product and after he was provided with the correct one, he did not want to correct the previous documents for fear it would send out an error message and his company might receive a violation. In order for the exporter of the product to protect themselves, it was suggested that they write the forwarder a letter requesting the change. If something does happen they have done due diligence on their end.

Valuation

Overseas custom officials have always kept a close eye on the valuation of imports, but with everyone now reporting through AES, U.S. Customs will also be able to better track the data. Companies have always been advised that if this request to undervalue merchandise being shipped is received that the exporter should explain to their customer that U.S. laws forbid them to undervalue a shipment.

License Information

Authorities will be looking for inconsistencies in licensing for products. Make sure if your product is controlled either by ECCN or ITAR that the information is listed correctly.

U.S. Principal Party of Interest (USPPI)

The USPPI shall be reported as the address or street location (no post office box number) from which the goods actually begin the journey to the port of export.

For shipments with multiple origins, report the address from which the commodity with the greatest value begins its export journey.

Ultimate Consignee Information

The ultimate consignee is the party that the exporter knows to be the end user. This is an area that is going to received greater attention in the future. If you know the name of the end user, even if it is being shipped from a subsidiary or distributor, make sure you indicate it on your AES entry Also, make sure that you put the Destination Control Statement on all your commercial invoices. The statement reads as follows: e.g,

These commodities, technology, or software were exported from the United State in accordance with the Export Administration Regulations. Diversion contrary to U.S. law is prohibited.h

Record keeping Requirements

Current regulations indicate that the exporter needs to maintain copies of their SED, airway bill, or bill of lading, purchase order, commercial invoice, and any related licensing information for a period of five years. The new regulations, while doing away with the SED, now requires you to keep the ITN number for that same period of time. advised keeping everything as it relates to a particular shipment. If you gave the forwarder a Shipperfs Letter of Instruction, I would keep it to show anyone questioning an AES entry what was the actual information that was given.

While not required, it is recommended that companies develop an Export Management System (EMS). This process will assist companies in making sure that their exports and export decisions are consistent with the EAR. The more a company exports, the greater the need for the system. If a company has more than one division, it is highly recommended in order to make sure that everyone understands the importance of the regulations and that various departments are consistent in record-keeping and documentation.

Again, this fall the Mass. Export Center will be holding a variety of seminar related to compliance, regulations and AES. For information on upcoming Partner for Trade seminar, go to ww.mass.gov/exports/pft.htm.

P. Ann Pieroway is program director of the Western Mass.
Massachusetts Export Center;(413) 552-2316;[email protected]

Financing: It’s Not All About Interest Rates

By
Features
There Are Many Factors that Determine if a Loan Package Works for You
Obtaining a commercial loan from a financial institution can be complicated, and it requires substantial consideration.

A bank traditionally proposes terms that are necessarily protective of its own best interests, so the borrower must be very careful to do the same. Unfortunately, many borrowers make their decision to sign on the dotted line by a sole factor, the interest rate.

Basing one’s decision on this sole criterion can be a dangerous mistake. Many other factors should be carefully considered before a commitment letter is signed, sealed, and delivered, as many of the terms may be negotiable.

First and foremost should be a careful evaluation of the loan officer, who should be someone with whom you are comfortable and share an open and honest mutual respect. He or she must have the ability to understand and the desire to care about your business. The lines of communication must be strong between the two of you, and if you find that you are not comfortable with him or her during the loan application process, you may want to consider asking for another representative or, if necessary, consider another financial institution.

Collateral is also an important consideration when evaluating loan terms. Whenever possible, it is recommended that business assets be utilized before personal ones. In the event that business assets cannot substantiate the loan amount requested, personal assets may have to be pledged as additional security. Items such as equipment, furniture, fixtures, inventory, accounts receivable, and related real estate should be considered. It is also important to note that the definition of what constitutes eligible accounts receivable and eligible inventory can vary from one financial institution to another.

Carelessly crafted loan terms can leave the borrower without options in the event that the borrower needs additional financing.

For example, one financial institution may look to a specific percentage of a business’s inventory as eligible collateral, specifically excluding old or obsolete collateral. Accounts receivable can also be utilized as collateral, but again, what constitutes eligible accounts receivable must be defined. For example, must they be earned less than 30 days, 60, days or 90 days? These conditions vary among financial institutions, so it is paramount to clarify them at the onset of the agreement.
Another factor that may be negotiable is marshaling. This ensures that business assets be utilized first rather than personal assets, in order to pay any indebtedness incurred, in the event that your business encounters future problems and a liquidation proceeding is necessary. Marshaling can designate the order of liquidation of assets, leaving any personal assets intact as long as possible. The failure to discuss this issue at the outset of the loan process will give the bank the option to elect which assets it will first proceed against when the borrower defaults.

Still another significant aspect of a loan is the covenants designated within the loan-commitment letter. These covenants, which may be both affirmative and negative, govern specifics that the borrower can and cannot do throughout the term of the loan. They may run the gamut from predetermined salary limitations for the company’s principals, to prohibitions on future acquisition of capital assets, and also prohibitions on additional borrowing from third party lenders. Carelessly crafted loan terms can leave the borrower without options in the event that the borrower needs additional financing, and is prohibited from obtaining it, which may tend to preclude a company’s ability to expand.

Covenants, such as maintaining a minimum net worth, or loan balance to fair market collateral value, i.e. equipment or real estate, effectively provide a report card for the business. They establish financial expectations that must be met on an annual basis as a condition of the loan. Therefore it is important to include an accountant who will be able to review these covenants in order to provide reasonable assurance that they can be complied with on a timely basis.

An attractive interest rate may initially be very seductive for a borrower; however, evaluating a business loan upon any single standard may tend be dangerous because this provides the potential that the loan may not be advantageous to you on an overall basis. By focusing on a lower interest rate you may be overlooking other critical aspects of the loan, which may be far more harmful than an extra point or percentage of a point. One key factor to keep in mind is that virtually all terms and conditions of the loan commitment may be negotiable. No business should enter into a loan commitment with a financial institution without the benefit of professional advisors, who will work to protect its best interests.

Gary Fialky is chairman of Bacon and Wilson’s Corporate Department. His practice is concentrated in Business and Banking Law, with an emphasis on business formations,as well as the purchase and sale of businesses and the representation of financial lending institutions; (413) 781-0560;[email protected]

Gary Breton is a member of Bacon & Wilson’s Banking and Finance Department whose major emphasis of practice includes representation of financial lending institutions,as well as both individual and businessborrowers. He also represents numerous business clients in the startup, purchase and sale of businesses; (413) 781-0560;[email protected]

Silence isn’t Golden

By
Uncategorized

They say silence is golden. Not in this case.

Since the abrupt firing of MassMutual chairman, president, and CEO Robert O ’Connell earlier this month, and the subsequent termination of two high-ranking women executives, the company has provided virtually no information on what led to this stunning turn of events.

It has provided only minor hints, through use of the words ’conduct ’ when referring officially to O ’Connell ’s termination. The only reference to the other terminated officials, executive vice president Susan Alfano and senior vice president and co-general counsel Ann Lomelli, was the rather weak comment that the new president and CEO, Stuart Reese, has the right to pick his own people. Right!

Other clues as to the cause of the O ’Connell ’s firing could be garnished from E-mails sent to employees (and published by the local newspaper) that talked about the need for "transparency," "accountability," and a "meritocracy" at the company, and that these traits start at the top. We can assume, then, that these corporate qualities were missing during O ’Connell ’s tenure.

But we shouldn ’t have to make assumptions, and we should have more than vague hints. Why? Because when people don ’t have the answers they tend to come up with their own. Indeed, the information vacuum that has resulted from the company ’s tight-lipped approach has served only to feed an already hungry rumor mill. And this isn ’t good for the community, the company, its employees, and especially its customers who have entrusted their investments to the firm. They deserve better.

But there ’s another reason why MassMutual should be forthcoming: Because it is, after all, MassMutual. It is a Fortune 100 company and now the largest business in the Commonwealth and one of the 10 largest insurance companies in the country. But in the Pioneer Valley, MassMutual is the company that everyone looks to for stability, community involvement, and employment opportunities. We shudder to think of what Springfield and its inventory of office space would be like without the company.

The region deserves to know what ’s happening with this corporate pillar, and it certainly needs to now why three top-level executives were abruptly terminated, with one of them escorted from the premises by security.

To be fair, MassMutual doesn ’t legally have to tell us anything. It is a mutual insurance company, which means it is not publicly held. The business is accountable, strictly speaking, only to its owners — the millions of policy holders around the world. We believe there is a higher accountability, however — to the company ’s employees and to the community at large.

We are told that the company and its various subsidiaries are fiscally healthy and that these terminations will not impact its overall financial health. This is somewhat assuring, although lacking. Also comforting is the fact that the company ’s board looked beyond MassMutual ’s strong bottom-line performance and decreed that ethical conduct unbecoming a CEO would not be tolerated.

Indeed, by firing a popular and, by all accounts, effective CEO in the manner it did, MassMutual sent a strong message to its 4,000 employees about what it expects from everyone and what it won ’t accept from anyone ‚ although it won ’t explain what that is — at any rung of the ladder or salary level.

The importance of MassMutual to this region and the stunning nature of these terminations are reflected in the fact that, for days after the announcement, these events were all anyone could talk about.

Unfortunately, the talk was all about rumors and innuendo. In time (how much time, we don ’t know) the talk will stop and MassMutual — and this region in general — will get on with business. That might have happened sooner, and with more conviction, had the company been forthcoming about its actions and the conduct that led to them.

For now, though, people are left to merely say, ’what ’s going on at MassMutual? ’ Sadly, we don ’t know and the company isn ’t telling.

By
Departments

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

AMHERST

New Paradise Inc., 87 Main St., Amherst 01002. Tarlochan Singh, 279 Amherst Road, 37B, Sunderland 01373. To operate a restaurant.

BELCHERTOWN

Fabbo Enterprises Inc., 11 Martin Circle, Belchertown 01007. Frederick P. Fabbo, same. Retail/wholesale garden center and landscaping.

CHICOPEE

KOA Inc., 574 Chicopee St., Chicopee 01013. Richard S. Buffum, 48 Holy Family Road, No. 220, Holyoke 01040. Food service.

LBI Trucking Inc., 1081 Montgomery St., Chicopee 01013. Peter Burkovsky, same. Trucking.

Susan A. Birkner, CPA, P.C., 21 Old Chicopee St., Chicopee 01013. Susan A. Birkner, 1181 Amostown Road, West Springfield 01089. Professional accounting services.

EASTHAMPTON

Optical Communication Interconnect Inc., 193 Northampton St., Easthampton 01027. Ray Desanti, 29 Valley Forge Circle, West Boylston 01583. To manufacture and deal in fiber optic components and systems, etc.

HOLYOKE

Auction N Sold Inc., 395 Maple St., Holyoke 01040. Jonathan G. Giannone, 734 Franklin Ave., Garden City, NY 11530; Jonathan Giannone, 395 Maple St., Holyoke 01040, registered agent. Auction sales via E-bay

Cold River Realty Corp., 330 Whitney Ave., Suite 400, Holyoke 01040. Yves Demers, 9455 108th Ave., Vero Beach, FL 32967. Edward Mrozinski, 138 Slate Road, Chicopee 01020, treasurer. To deal in real estate.

New England Radiation Therapy Management Services Inc., 5 Hospital Dr., Hoyloke 01040. Dr. Michael Karin, same. To provide management services in connection with the provision of radiation therapy services.

LUDLOW

Castle Homes Inc., 202 Woodland Circle, Ludlow 01056. Alan J. Coulombe, same. To remodel and build homes.

NORTHAMPTON

BGHP Inc., 150 Main St., Northampton 01060. Philip Hueber, same. Retail sales.

Pioneer Heating and Cooling Inc., 23 Hooker Ave., P.O. Box 531, Northampton 01061. Timothy F. Gochinski, same. To install and repair heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration, etc.

Sabin Starlock Security Inc., 16 Crafts Ave., Northampton 01060. Scott Phaneuf, same. To install and repair locks, security devices, safes, etc.

The Taxi Inc., 1 Roundhouse Plaza, Suite 5, Northampton 01060. Chester L. Krusiewski, same. Taxi service.

PALMER

Andcole Inc., 1037 Thorndike St., Palmer 01069. William P. Michaud, 10 Pheasant Lane, Charlton 01507. To own and operate a restaurant.

SPRINGFIELD

1060 Wilbraham Road Corp., 1060 Wilbraham Road, Springfield 01109. Thomas Dineen, 2 Buckley Road, Wilbraham 01095. To operate a pub/tavern/cafe.

51-59 Taylor Street Inc., 57 Taylor St., Springfield 01103. James
Santinelli, 582 Pinewood Dr., Longmeadow 01106. To deal in real estate.

ACARI Inc., 1795 Main St., Springfield 01103. Kevin Coughlin, same. To manage ACAEI Cranial & Facial imaging LLC.

H.P.G. Enterprises, Ltd., 1 Monarch, Springfield 01144. Ed Borowsky, same. (Foreign corp; DE) To conduct theme and promotional sales in the retail industry.

M G Mortgage Inc., 135 State St., Springfield 01103. Michael S. Amaral, same. Mortgage origination.

Mama’s Retirement Inc., 234 Chestnut St., Springfield 01103. Lynn Marie Merkel, 1115 Page Blvd., Springfield 01104. To own and operate one or more bars, traverns, cabarets, restaurants, etc

Scorpion Enterprises Inc., 91 Fresno St., Springfield 01104. Gregory S. Moran, same. Delivery of packages service.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Kuras Gardens Inc., 961 Morgan Road, West Springfield 01089. Richard M. Kuras, Jr., same. Producer and manufacturer of agricultural products.

WESTFIELD

Country Club Grille Inc., 129 Glenwood Dr., Westfield 01085. Thomas J. Dirico, same. Restaurant.

Hope For Limpopo Inc., 351 West Road, Westfield 01085. Vaughn Churchill, 116 Pleasant St., Easthampton 01027. (Nonprofit) To support educational opportunities, training, services, etc., for the Limpopo Province of South Africa, etc.

North East Sand and Stone Inc., 162 Union St., Westfield 01085. John W. Johnson, same. To deal in sand, stone, and gravel.

SFCC Inc., 866 Shaker Road, Westfield 01085. Daniel P. Kotowitz, 66 Zephyr Dr., Westfield 01085. To own and operate a golf course, golf shop, etc.

WILBRAHAM

Cantalini Holdings Inc., 3 Belli Dr., Wilbraham 01095. Christopher
Cantalini, same. To deal in real estate.

WHG Inc., 3 Seneca St., Wilbraham 01095. William H. Goodnow Jr., same. To own and operate a tavern or salon.

By
Departments

The following incorporations in Hampden and Hampshire counties were filed between mid-February and mid-March, the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGAWAM

John G. Molta Real Estate Inc., 117 Park Ave., Ste. 152, Agawam 01001. John G. Molta, 21 Blairs Hill Road, Agawam 01001. To deal in real estate.

AMHERST

BBTech Corp., 181 Pondview Dr., Amherst 01002. Susan E. Corkill, same. Advanced software research, development, consulting and training services.

BELCHERTOWN

Sweet Music International Inc., 708 Federal St., Belchertown 01007. Adam Sweet, same. Import/export of music-related supplies, instruments, equipment and services.

CHICOPEE

Lance Berneche Construction Inc., 48 Fletcher Circle, Chicopee 01020. Lance N. Berneche, same. Construction, carpentry, electrical, roofing, etc.

Izzy’s Garage & Shop Inc., 564 Chicopee St., Chicopee 01020. Isaiah A. Salloom, 40 Cleveland St., Holyoke 01040. To deal in real estate, operate automotive service/repair shops.

Vendor Associates Inc., 20 Pendleton Ave., Chicopee 01020. Richard A. Burns, same. Vendor cooperative association.

EASTHAMPTON

Webster Hook Inc., 11 Ashley Circle, Easthampton 01027. Daniel J. Webster, same. To operate a restaurant, delicatessen, lunch and dining room.

EAST LONGMEADOW

WLC Consultants Inc., 296 North Main St., East Longmeadow 01028. James E. Walsh, 374 Pinehurst Dr., East Longmeadow 01028. To provide consulting on real estate permitting and related construction.

HOLYOKE

Advanced Orthopedic Products Inc., 92 Allyn St., Holyoke 01040. Stuart G. Lempke, same. Retail sales of orthopedic devices and products.

Springfield Pallets Inc., 25 Pinehurst Road, Holyoke 01040. Mary Jo Allen, same. Pallets sales and recycling business.

LONGMEADOW

Smily Inc., 641 Converse St., Longmeadow 01106. Satish Kumar, same. To deal in real estate.

Zephyr Imports Inc., 18 Homestead Blvd., Longmeadow 01006. Tahir Malick Sheikh, same. To import and sell rugs and various art objects.

LUDLOW

C. Lemek & Son’s Construction Inc., 49 Wood Dr., Ludlow. Christopher J. Lemek, same. Excavating, grading, landfill and earth moving operations, etc.

Direct Auto Promotions Inc., 90 Southwood Dr., Ludlow 01056. David J. DiCienzo, same. To deal in automobiles, power boats, bicycles, etc.

RUSSELL

DAS Alarm Systems Inc., 1029 Blandford Road, Russell 01071. Sharon M. Schenna, same. To deal in fire alarm and fire suppression systems, security and closed circuit television monitoring, etc.

SOUTH HADLEY

Danni and Me Boutique Inc., 15 College St., South Hadley 01075. Rita Choi-Boyer, 15 San Souci St., South Hadley 01075. Retail clothing sales.

SOUTHAMPTON

CHI Associates Inc., 8 Golden Circle, Southampton 01073. Craig Issod, same. Business consulting.

SOUTHWICK

Andy Terzian Home Improvements Inc., 5 Great Brook Dr., Southwick 01077. M. Andre Terzian, 5 Great Brook Dr., Southwick 01077. Home improvements.

SPRINGFIELD

DML Business Services Inc., 250 Albany St., Springfield 01105. Denise LaBelle, 164 Windsor St., West Springfield 01089. Financial and accounting activities.

International Food Market Inc., 921 Belmont Ave., Springfield 01108. Toqur Kurbanov, 60 Manor Ct., Springfield 01108. Retail sales.

Lokapala Organization Inc., The, 1296 Summer Ave., Springfield 01118. John Curtis Mertzlufft, same. (Nonprofit) To provide sustainable solutions for communities to create growth, etc.

Peskin, Courchesne & Associates, P.C., 101 State Road, Suite 301,
Springfield 01103. Judd L. Peskin, same. The general practice of law.

Sul-Lab Inc., 315 Cottage St., Springfield 01109. Linda Labranche, 36 Braywood Cir., Springfield 01009. Bar and restaurant.

Weiner Law Firm, P.C., 95 State St., Ste. 918, Springfield 01103. Gary M. Weiner, 259 Deepwoods Dr., Longmeadow 01106. To practice the profession of law.

WESTFIELD

B & K Landscaping Inc., 61 Woodcliff Dr., Westfield 01085. Brad Kreikamp, same. Landscaping services.

Center of Endless Possibilities Inc., 8 Pleasant St., B, Westfield 01085. Warren J. Savage, same. (Nonprofit) Spiritual consulting/coaching.

Gagnon DiPietro Inc., 635 Southwick Road, Westfield 01085. Gary J. DiPietro, 23 Maple St., Chester 01011. Restaurant.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

American Environmental Inc., 380 Westfield St., W. Springfield 01089. Jose Julio Bermejo, same. To engage in environmental contracting.

By
Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of January 2005.

AGAWAM

Chemex New England
54 Ramah Circle North
Anita Hoyle

Country Boutique
150 Country Road
Florence Pelletier

Crystal Ice and Fuel
343 Main St.
Albert Grimaldi

D & G Suffriti Construction Co.
228 Adams St.
Gary Suffriti

Gemini Therapeutic Massage
664 Main St.
Donna Chartier

Gorgo’s Kitchen
858 Suffield St.
Alex Attman

Greenright Design
9 Alfred Court
John Hollywood

The Hair Salon at Quail Run
50 Cardinal Dr.
Karen Mitchell

Lido Graphics
46 Sequoia Dr.
John Rioni

M & M l Inks
541 Springfield St.
Maureen Abdullah

Mark’s Auto Detail Service
9 Alfred Circle
Mark Kuralt

McCarthy’s Liquors
430 Main St.
John McCarthy

Michael’s
324A Springfield St.
Vananh Huynh

Quality Life Systems
20 Logan Place
Brian Knowles

Red Coach Transportation of Western MA
449R Silver St.
Linda Polep

Sapphire Art & Photo
107 Franklin St.
Peter Karanysh

Sasha Speaks Seminars
210 Beekman Dr.
John Zebryk

Segway of Western MA
396 Main St.
Walter Meissner Jr.

Steve’s Home Improvement
77 Walnut St.
Stephen Kiforishin

Vannah Hair & Nail Techniques
324A Springfield St.
Vananh Huynh

AMHERST

After Five Silver Jewelry & Accessories
6 University Dr.
Teeom Williams

Amherst Computersmith
19 Justice Dr.
Andrew Berg

Casimir Kocot
79 South Pleasant St.
Terri Kocot

Gladius
134 East Hadley Road
Justin Viens, Jeffrey Costigan

Jane Taylor Jewelry
382 Middle St.
Jane Taylor, Jeffrey Fischer

Jones Properties LP
15A Pray St.
Gerald Jones

Love Myself Toys
15 Jeffrey Lane
Tiffany Johnson

Painting Unlimited Co.
18 Hunters Hill Circle
Alvaro Ramos-Jaco

Red Barn Music
409 Main St.
Kevin Collins

Whirlwind Fine Garden Design
29 Hartman Road
Christopher Baxter

CHICOPEE

AJ Chimney Services
161 Grattan St.
Adelph Andormenis

DeMatos Enterprise
9 Boisvert St.
Lee DeMatos

8 Wire Mall
17 Goodhue St.
Richard Sliski

Hair of the Dog
279 Montgomery St.
Paula Dane

HRS Trading
25 Highland Ave.
John Bellenoit

No Bones About It
62 White St.
Mary Apicella

No Heat Call Tommy
213 Bemis Ave.
Thomas Fregean

Robert Bernash Electrician
38 Ducharme St.
Robert Bernash

Royal Cigars
115 Front St.
Shahzao Ahmad

EAST LONGMEADOW

Crystal Nails Salon
613 North Main St.
Linh Ai Lam

Hampden Capital Funding
240 Parkerview St.
Ronald Fuller

Holistic Health Center
280 North Main St.
Alice Shabunon

James Scanlon Insurance
280 North Main St.
James Scanlon

Salon Karma
511 North Main St.
Jennifer Picard

HOLYOKE

Aurylius the Salon
74 Cabot St.
Margot Lugo

Desert Moon
50 Holyoke St.
Koang Yam

Downtown Delight
285 High St.
Carolann Stewart

Elegant Affairs
233 Easthampton Road
Margaret Boxold

Holyoke Sporting Goods
1584 Dwight St.
Elizabeth Frey

Jackson Hewitt Tax Service
515 High St.
Yogesh Patel

Phantom Security Service
15 Main St.
Samuel LaFleche

Project Works
64 Bemis St.
Deborah Long

Silvana Net
324 Homestead Ave.
Silvana Gravini

Specialized Security Service
15 Main St.
Samuel LaFleche

3B’s Variety
2014 Northampton St.
Randy Goldberg

Tuty Mini Mart & Restaurant
368 High St.
Margaro Crespo

LONGMEADOW

Bri McCarroll
136 Dwight Road
Bri McCarroll

Creative Edge
7 Edgewood Ave.
Cynthia Bixby

Edward Joseph Bauchiero
80 East Greenwich Road
Edward Bauchiero

Firehouse Entertainment
156 Barrington Road
Dean Godfrey

Mortgage Giver
1650 Longmeadow St.
Daniel Edwards

Today’s Window Fashion
468 Frank Smith Road
Edward Comini

NORTHAMPTON

Bacon & Wilson P.C./Morse & Sacks
31 Trumbell Road
Bacon & Wilson P.C.

Claytopia
157 Main St.
Jennifer Wiseman

Curran & Berger
53 Gothic St.
Joseph Curran

KC Consulting
130 Cardinal St.
Kimberly Cook

Mindful Touch Bodyworks
13 Old South St.
Tammy Pease

Seeds of Transformation
25 Main St.
Susan Lellamo

Snook & Mohan Insurance Agency
149 Jackson St.
Owen and Lisa Snook Mohan

Youth Development Consultant: Guidance/College Counselor
241 King St.
Michelle Letendre

 

Zuzzy’s
186 Main St.
Joseph Jeresaty

SOUTH HADLEY

Home Facelifters
249 Brainard St.
Philip Stefanelli

SPRINGFIELD

A Cut Above the Rest
186 State St.
Nelson Davila

A Cut Above the Rest II
2662A Main St.
Nelson Davila

All Service
25 Groton St.
Michael Allegrezze

Al’s Used Cars
17 Newhouse St.
Alfred Hicks

Austin Auto Sales
15 Austin St.
George’s Auto Body Inc.

Beautiful Nails
1130 State St.
Ut Van Vo

Cleaning Galore
75 Narragansett St.
Brian Kenney

DA-V Delivery
39 Montrose St.
Andrae Davey

Double Door
60R Congress St.
John Smith

El Behio Rest 809 Liberty St.
Miguel Martinsen

El Mayimbe Barber Shop
28 Fort Pleasant St.
Milagros Guerra

Fabricated Computers
20 Marquette St.
Jesse Rushlow

Family Floor Sanding
73 Appleton St.
Shawn Schipper

Fancy Nails
1655 Boston Road
Mai Du

Harry Van Wart Painting
160 Cambridge St.
Harry Van Wart III

Home Image
57 Leyfred Ter.
Nathen Bloors

Jeh Pro & Co.
92 Ramblewood Dr.
Olusela Urhiafe

Kimmy’s Quality Cleaning
29 Bowden St.
Kimmy Brown

The Lions Den
312 Locust St.
Genaro Sarno

New York Pizza
161 Boston Road
Nazar LLC

Official Lifestylez Clothing 68 Federal St.
Keola Perry

Office Enterprise
23 Castlegate Dr.
Anna Jordan

Phones-n-Such
121 Hartford Ter.
William Clow

Quality Disc
1127 Main St.
One Sound Place Inc.

Seafood Market
260 Hancock St.
Jorge Severino

Springfield Nails
682 Belmont Ave.
Omari Doctor

Sunny Day Communications
68 Merideth St.
Kenneth Smith

Torres Insurance Agency
2652 Main St.
David Torres

Total Property Maintenance
88 Butternut St.
Daniel O’Brien

Ultimate Anime
26 Mounton St.
Amber Frazier

Vintage International
91 Ramblewood Dr.
Olusela Urhiafe

W.T.C. Williams Training Center
29 Howard St.
J.S. Williams

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Ace Beauty Systems
1053 Westfield St.
Beauty Systems Group Inc.

Advantage Staffing Associates Inc.
131 Elm St.
Patricia Connors

Affordable Decks-Beautiful Decks
29 Clara St.
Jerome McCarthy Jr.

Alkhabi Custom Installations
954 Westfield St.
Mohammed Alkhabi

Angelo Bertelli’s Liquor Mart Inc.
726A Main St.
Harold Passerini

Army Barracks
1053D Riverdale St.
Stephen Lopilato

Convenient Cards LLC
8 Sean Louis Circle
Jack Clemente

Dean Auto Sales
6 River St.
CEDT Corporation Inc.

Duquette Electric Co.
395 Morgan Road
James Dusquette

E-Zee Mart
662 Kings Hwy.
Fawad Khawaja

E-Zee Mart
83 River St.
Arshad Iman

First Choice Brokerage Corp.
117 Park Ave.
Michael Martin

Greenough Paper Co. Inc.
54 Heywood Ave.
Greenough Packaging and Maintenance Supplies Inc.

Gokul LLC
2260 Westfield St.
Sunil Patel

K & M Auto Sales
697 Union St.
Kyle Shoemaker

The Kid’s Place Inc.
915 Memorial Ave.
Scott Petersen
Martin Insurance & Financial Service
117 Park Ave.
Michael Martin

Mike’s Heavy Hauling
770 Prospect Ave.
Michael Vazquez

Pak Grocery
470 Main St.
Muhammad Sultan

PAKD
23 Longfellow Dr.
Ashlee Picard

Professional Acoustics
2119 Riverdale St.
Professional Drywall Corp.

SSK Construction
43 Day St.
Sergey Petlyakov, Sergey Karnaukh

S.S.R. Construction
84 Maple Ter.
Peter Slivka

Summerwood Construction
34 Cass Ave.
Scott Harvey

Totally Floored
36 Second St.
Justin David

Trane
132 Myron St.
Jack Borgschult

United Sureties Fugitive Task Force
44 Exposition Ter.
Angus Rushlow

US Construction
26 Irving St.
Maksym Shalypin

WESTFIELD

A.G.E. Electric
77 Mill St.
Alexander Bielunis

Accounting Associates
92 Little River Road
Antonio Castro

Construction Unlimited
241 Main St.
Andrew Clough Sr.

The Hairport
148 Elm St.
Susan Austin

Hartley Brothers Landscaping
542 Montgomery Road
Daniel Hartley

LABA Dry Cleaners
51 Southwick Road
Aleksandr and Tammy Bolchunas

Magic Tan Western MA & Vermont
280 Russellville Road
Barbara and Stacie Phetteplace

Mohan Home Improvement
45 Parker Ave.
Aleksandr Monan, Ivan Mohan

Opportunity Knocks
74 King St.
Julianne Krutka

Republic Iron Work Inc.
84 Christopher Road
Gary Visconti

Western Parish Orchards
1780 Granville Road
Paul Tarnauskas

By
Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of December 2004.

AMHERST

E.V. Realty Trust
106 North Pleasant St.
$10,500 — Repair termite damage, repair roof

CHICOPEE

City of Chicopee
650 Front St.
$82,358 — Install 40-foot telecommunications pole

Colucst Group
620 Memorial Dr.
$310,000 — Build Starbucks Coffee Shop

EAST LONGMEADOW

Aditus Inc.
11 Glendale St.
$30,000 — Interior alterations

HOLYOKE

BPS Realty Corp
26 Hadley Mills Road
$16,800 — Construct accessible entrance, new toilets, interior renovations

Greek Orthodox Church
410 Main St.
$19,000 — Re-roof

Richard Cooper/Cooper Masonry
5 Canal St.
$20,000 — New shingles

St. Jermain Catholic Association
169 Hampden St.
$28,846 — Install steel fence

NORTHAMPTON

Atwood Drive LLC
23 Atwood Drive
$16,240 — Install new rafters, decking, re-roof and side on loading dock roof

The Coca Cola Company
45 Industrial Dr.
$6,500 — Erect guard house

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$34,500 — Reconfigure rooms to create new office area

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$27,324 — Renovate emergency radiology room

Danrich Realty Trust Co.
225 King St.
$2,500 — Construct walls

Danrich Realty Trust Co.
225 King St.
$8,000 — Remove walls, add windows and skylight

David Pelis & S. Szawlowski
Bridge Street
$3,400 — Replace panels, Webster’s Fish Hook

Edwards Church of Northampton
297 Main St.
$24,600 — Replace rubber section of roof

George Goodridge
574 Haydenville Road
$76,000 — New commercial building

Glandore LLC
766 North King St.
$60,000 — Build-out for medical suite

Lloyd Tarlin and Jacob Rabinov
238 King St.
$26,000 — Install roof

Lloyd Tarlin and Jacob Rabinov
238 King St.
$3,000 — Replace existing Stop & Shop sign

Northampton Co-op Bank
8 Main St.
$1,693,674 — Construct new retail building

Pookydink LLC
33 Main St.
$115,000 — Interior demolition and renovation for restaurant

293 Northampton Realty LLC
293 King St.
$2,893,579 — Construct car dealership (foundation only)

SPRINGFIELD

Ali Mousa
942 Worthington St.
$10,000 — Alterations to laundromat

Berkshire Auto & Truck
850 Berkshire Ave.
$22,400 — New insulation

Eastfield Mall
1655 Boston Road
$130,000 — New tenant improvements

Frank Newman
67 Liberty St.
$19,000 — Interior renovations to restaurant

John Salema
1228—1236 Main St.
$150,000 — Renovate existing building for Dunkin Donuts store

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$54,000 — Install security doors

Picknelly Family LLC
1414 Main St.
$44,340 — Create offices

Springfield Industrial Center
665 Page Blvd.
$326,000 — Major rehab of building

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Lower Pioneer Valley
Educational Corp.
174 Brush Hill Road
$562,823 — Erect addition

WESTFIELD

Angy’s Food Products
771 Servistar Way
$300,000 — Addition

General Dynamics
33 Ellis St.
$67,868 — Addition

Heather Real
East Main Street
$394,000 — Build KFC

Patrick Boland
385 Southampton Road
$165,000 — Remodel

Building Permits

By
Departments

The following building permits were issued during the months of June and July 2004.

AGAWAM

Agawam Silver
630 Silver St.
$110,000 — Convert warehouse to clean-component assembly

BankNorth
40 Springfield St.
$40,000 — Renovate interior

Microtest Lab
630 Silver St.
$110,000 — Renovate interior

Palatium Realty
1359 Springfield St.
$400,000 — Bank with drive-thru

Palatium Realty
1349 Springfield St.
$100,000 — Construct building

Raymond Lucia
777 Silver St.
$100,000 — Build showroom

AMHERST

Amherst College Trustees
Jenkins Dormitory
$150,000 — Demolish south section and rebuild south wall

Amherst College Trustees
Chapin Hall
$288,494 — Renovate Room 101 creating two classrooms, renovate Room 210

Amherst College Trustees
Chiller Plant
$500,000 — Construct addition to existing plant. Phase 3 expansion

Amherst College Trustees
James Dormitory
$7,850,500 — Construct new dormitory

Amherst College Trustees
Stearns Dormitory
$7,850,500 — Construct new dormitory

Amherst College Trustees
New Geology
$18,000,000 — Construct New Geology, academic building and museum

Cooley Dickinson Hospital
170 University Dr.
$112,000 — Renovate existing rooms

Filion Leasing Inc.
150 College St.
$22,330 — Replace roof

Jeffrey Eisman
650 Main St.
$90,000 — Construct addition to dental office

Trustees Hampshire College
Enfield House 63 & 64
$175,780 — Renovations

Trustees Hampshire College
Dakin House
$14,000 — Renovations

CHICOPEE

Chicopee Falls Lodge 1849
244 Fuller Road
$20,000 — Build enclosed pavilion with storage

Chicopee Savings Bank
229 Exchange St.
$30,000 — Construct three offices

City of Chicopee/Telecom Facility
816 James St.
$112,600 — Re-roof

Diocese of Springfield
30 College St.
$10,400 — Exterior repairs

Litwin Elementary/City of Chicopee
165 Litwin St.
$350,00 — Re-roof

Stefanik Elementary/City of Chicopee
720 Meadow St.
$300,000 — Re-roof

Streiber Elementary/City of Chicopee
40 Streiber Dr.
$239,000 — Re-roof

The Westmoreland Co.
140 Lonczak Dr.
$2,482,000 — Build Fedex facility

EAST LONGMEADOW

Peoples Bank
201 North Main St.
$603,000 — Erect building

HOLYOKE

Cruz Rosario
497-499 High St.
$9,000 — Install handicap bathrooms in tavern

O’Crossroads LLC
600 Kelly Way
$1,390,000 — Erect office building

Pyramid Co. of Holyoke
50 Holyoke St.
$42,000 — Alterations to security offices

Pyramid Co. of Holyoke
50 Holyoke St.
$20,000 — Remodel Nailque

West Holyoke Plaza LLC
250-274 Westfield Road
$33,500 — Construct office partitions

Westfield Bank
1642-1650 Northampton St.
$19,000 — Repairs to drive-up

NORTHAMPTON

Chamisa Corporation
29 Main St.
$82,000 — Interior renovation for restaurant

City of Northampton
178 Florence Road
$83,600 — New roof

City of Northampton
212 Main St.
$6,000 — Renovations

City of Northampton
274 Main St.
$473,847 — Install new heating system and upgrade sprinkler system

Continental Cablevision
790 Florence Road
$65,000 — Erect pre-fab building, remove dishes

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$16,000 — Convert shower area to office

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$70,115 — Relocate switchboard & volunteer space, create new offices

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$20,000 — Install 3 temporary above-ground seated trailers

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$607,243 — Renovate lab, first-floor buildings C&D

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$1,191,883 — Install two generators

Easthampton Savings Bank
297 King St.
$14,000 — New roof

First Congregational Church
129 Main St.
$37,350 — Renovations

Florence Savings Bank
81 Main St.
$21,000 — Canopy revisions

The Fugo Group
32 Industrial Dr.
$83,007 — Interior and exterior renovations

Hampshire Regional YMCA
286 Prospect St.
$75,000 — Renovate first and second floors

Hess Realty Corporation
215 King St.
$21,700 — Renovate interior for Blimpie Sub Shop

James and Maureen Cahillane
375 South St.
$260,320 — Renovate showroom and office areas

Laurel Ridge Realty Associates
312 Hatfield St.
$22,000 — New roof, buildings 2 & 3

Norma Lee Realty Trust
90 King St.
$30,500 — Sheetrock and replace ceiling tiles

Northampton Co-operative Bank
67 King St.
$12,000 — Install footing drain

Northampton Co-operative Bank
67 King St.
$35,000 — Install replacement windows

Northampton Housing Authority
96 Bridge St.
$18,800 — New roof

Northampton Terminal Associate
Old South St.
$10,865 — Interior partitions

Pramukh Corp.
117 Conz St.
$57,560 — Construct indoor pool and spa

Service Properties Inc.
82 Conz St.
$54,889 — Expand showroom

Smith College
College Lane
$25,000 — Demolish walls, new interior windows

Smith College
33 Prospect St.
$765,741 — HVAC replacement and upgrade

Star Northampton Inc.
36 King St.
$12,000 — Repair front stairs

State Street Twenty-Five Inc.
31 State St.
$53,500 — Replace existing roof, renovate

State Street Twenty—Five Inc.
31 State St.
$50,000 — Complete repairs and alterations

Stephen Cahilland and W. Wood
267 Locust St.
$154,101 — New walls for medical offices

Trident Realty Corp.
76 Main St.
$105,000 — Interior renovations for
ice cream parlor

Valley CDC
3 North Main St.
$1,298,000 — Renovate structure

SPRINGFIELD

Baystate Medical Center
759 Chestnut St.
$39,060 — Renovations

Clark & Demosthenais
490 Page Blvd.
$48,500 — Remodel for office and bathroom

Cobalt Realty Trust
155 Maple St.
$53,900 — Expand office, renovate

Final Markdown Inc.
88 Birnie Ave.
$90,725 — Renovate

Greater New Life Christian Center
1323 Worcester St.
$49,800 — Interior renovations

Keystone Seniors LLC
942 Grayson Dr.
$185,000 — Foundation for three-story residential building

Laundry Capital LLC
315 Boston Road
$135,000 — Renovate, new washers and dryers

Maria Ricardo
906 Carew St.
$17,000 — Repair sagging foundation

Mark Simonds
1219 Parker St.
$92,400 — Interior and exterior renovations

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$20,000 — Alterations

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$98,811 — Alterations

P & P Realty
235 Chestnut St.
$72,000 — Demolish and build out first and second floors

Pearson Liberty Dev. Co.
95 Liberty St.
$25,000 — Renovate office space

Picknelly Family LLC
1 Monarch Place
$55,470 — Renovate for new tenant

Praise & Glory Church of God in Christ Inc.
145 State St.
$63,800 — Renovations

Realty Income
65 Sumner Ave.
$69,500 — Interior and exterior renovations

Sprint Spectrum L.P.
1060 Wilbraham Road
$50,000 — Ad antenna

WP Realty
1377 Liberty St.
$32,000 — Install handicap bathroom, split space

Warren Smith
90 Memorial Dr.
$57,000 — Renovations

WEST SPRINGFIELD

C’Jack Realty Assoc.
1053 Riverdale St.
$50,000 — Renovate facade of commercial property

Fountain Prospect Realty Corp.
492 Prospect St.
$943,597 — Addition

Kam Mistri
1329 Riverdale St.
$30,000 — Renovate interior of Subway

Louise Noel
87 Norman St.
$325,000 — Erect building for dance studio

McDonald’s Corp.
352 Riverdale St.
$325,000 — Construct restaurant

Pearson Group
138 Memorial Ave.
$22,000 — Renovate office space

West Springfield Council on Aging
128 Park St.
$12,000 — Addition

WESTFIELD

Bargain Outlet ’B’
101—103 East Main St.
$209,994 — New store interior renovations

Daniel B. Peters
131 Servistar Lane
$146,000 — Building renovations

Dollar Tree Space ’C’
101-103 East Main St.
$85,196 — New store interior renovations

Business Certificates

By
Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of June and July 2004.

AGAWAM

A & J Drywall
583 Springfield St.
Andre and Jean Turgeon

AAA Signs & Rentals Div. of
Advertising Products
33 Tom St.
Inge Henderson

Aardvark Tent Rentals
96 Strawberry Road
Mark Thomas

Advance Telemessage Service Inc.
850 Springfield St.
Morando DeFronzo

Agawam Landscaping
396 Main St.
Walter Meisser III

American Classics Restaurant
740 Springfield St.
Carlos Silva

Annalees’s Sweet Creations
339 North Westfield St.
Laurie Fountain

Bambi Nursery School
22 Vernon St.
Sylvia Molta

Blackwells Beds & Borders
10 Stillbrook Lane
Robyn Kononitz

Bob Lareau Remodeling
115 South West St.
Bob Lareau

brivers.com
426 North Westfield St.
William Rivers

Business Promotional Ideas
390 North St.
William Gowdy

Chicago Hair Company Inc.
674 Springfield St.
David Strange

E. Wayne Smith Used Cars
1016 Springfield St.
Wayne Smith

Easterntronics
312 Springfield St.
Dang VanHuynk

Five Star Transportation Inc.
384 Shoemaker Lane
Theresa Lacrenski

Gail’s Cleaning Service
221 Regency Park Dr.
Gail Richard

The Homeowner’s Handyman
6 Hope Farms Dr.
Patrick Devine

J.R. Sweeping Service
28 Moylan Lane
James Rico

Jay Morin Liner Replacements
258 North West St.
Jason Morin

Joslad & Associates
15 Marlene Dr.
Joseph Aimua

Kit and Kaboddle Inc.
152 South Westfield St.
Lyle Pearsons

Leaflitter of New England Inc.
1325 Springfield St.
Robert Bushey Jr.

Low Temp Refrigeration
332 Regency Park Dr.
Michael Robertson

M & S Painting
23 Katherine Dr.
Jeff O’Keefe

Malkoon Motors
1039 Springfield St.
Paul Malkoon

Maria’s Pizza & Restaurant
605 Silver St.
Maria Cuccovia

Nemil’s Subway
840 Suffield St.
Navin Patel

Park Place Realty
545 School St.
Carl Breyer Jr.

Patriot Marketing Services
21 Patriot Lane
Suzanne Schutt

Poolman Pools
297 Springfield St.
Kelly Peucker

R C Construction
80 Howard St.
Ryan Kane

Royal Air/Rainbow Vacuum
46 Suffield St.
Peter Moskvitch

S.G.M. Quality Products
103 Valentine St.
Sherrie McKinnon

Shear Illusions
497 Springfield St.
Valerie Mulka

Silver Leasing Associates
325 Silver St.
Philip Chmura

Six Flags New England
1623 Main St.
Riverside Park Enterprises Inc.

Six Flags New England
1477 Main St.
Riverside Park Food Services Inc.

Southgate Liquors
842 Suffield St.
Agawam Liquors

Suff Telephone &
Communications
195 Clover Hill Dr.
James Safarik

Super Models Unlimited
1 South End Bridge Circle
Kim Lawrence

Top Shelf Entertainment
112 Monroe St.
Jeffrey Schumann

Yankee Mattress Factory
314 Springfield St.
Joseph Noblit

AMHERST

Amherst Nails
9 Pleasant St.
Hang Le Thi Nguyen

Amherst Nutrition Center
800 Main St.
Lorraine Chavinard

Amherst Office Park
463 West St.
Donald Verdiere

Atlas Computer
22 Harlow Dr.
Brian Sloffer

Atticus Glass
211 Grantwood Dr.
Atticus Robbins

Christine Enterprises
Village Park Road #109
Christine LaFountain

Direct Financial Aid Professional Services
19 Jason Court
Paul Baker

The Early Childhood Center for Teaching & Learning
867 North Pleasant St.
Dotty Meyer

Fat Lady Productions
38 Trillium Way
Loren Christiansen

Hair East
103 North Pleasant St.
Dawn Eichorn

Hawkins Meadow Apartments
370E Northampton Road
Amherst Association

Helping Hands
120 Pulpit Hill Road
John Porcino

Law Office of Patricia A. McChesney
22 Ussey St. #37D
Patricia McChesney

Market America
95F Southpoint Dr.
Chunlung Zhu

Mary Miller Baskets
84 Chestnut St.
Mary Miller

Massachusetts Space Exploration Systems
15 Blue Hills Road
Robert Hyers, Abhijit Deshmukh

Middle Ridge Design
902 North Pleasant St.
Diane Russell

Old Friends Farm
416 Bay Road
Melissa Bahret

Random Element Music
488 South East St.
Gregory Aldrich

Roy Young Interior/Garden
998 East Pleasant St.
Roy Young

Smart Cat Media
1040 North Pleasant St. #248
Gordon Morehouse

Twinkle Import & Export
153 Village Park Road
Xiauchuan Hu

ZX Inc.
135 Belchertown Road
Xiasda Xias, Xiasyang Tang

CHICOPEE

A-1 Pizza
486 Springfield St.
Ugur Kus

Bee Happy Homes
175 Beauregard Terrace
Kurt William Pressey

Berkshire County Enterprises
269D College St.
Colleen Coyte

C & C Lamination
34 Pajak St.
Carol Cataldo

Chicopee Food Saver
505 Front St.
Muhammad Sabir

Chicopee Wireless
245 Tolpe Circle
Scott Kerkhoff

Cruise Genies.com
52 Wheatland Ave.
Anne-Marie Williams

I.D. Gourmet Coffee House
137 Wheatland Ave.
Louise Ingram, Jodi Delude

Interstate Towing
1745 Donahue Road
Jeremy Procon

Jak-of-All-Trades
10 Atwater St.
Kieth Lussier, Jason Knightly

Lavender Nails Salon
196 East St.
Giang Thai

Lidiya’s Floral Creations
21 Grove St.
Lidiya Ionkin

Lukasik Construction
63 Goodhue St.
Timothy Lukasik

Marty’s Real Estate
23 White Birch Plaza
Martin Dietter

Multiline Warehousing & Transportation Inc.
181 Kendall St.
Agnes Ruszczyk

On Route Services
48 Rimmon Ave.
Kelly Conroy

PJT Productions
125 Chateaugay St.
Patrick Tobin

Penwise
71 Mary St.
Chanah Wizenberg

Print & Packaging Recruiting
295 Toplar Circle
Myron Sanford

Rivervalley Woodworking
253 Fairview Ave.
Karl Nawskon

Scissorsmith
974 Chicopee St.
Nicholas Diaz

TechDoneRight.com
98 Doverbrook Road
Scott Haselkorn

YourDentalTech.com
98 Doverbrook Road
Scott Haselkorn

EAST LONGMEADOW

A&L Holistic Health Spa
280 North Main St.
Alice Shabunin

Bosworth Landscaping
6 Maynard St.
Richard Bosworth

Civil Engineering Association
10 Crane Ave.
Robert Cafarilli

Ferrero Property Management
333 North Main St.
Joseph Ferrero

Lussier & Sons Construction
43 Breezyknoll Road
Steven Lussier

White Stone Marketing Group
246 Canterbury Circle
James White, Gary Stone

HADLEY

Dwight Home Improvements
27 Maple Ave.
Thomas Dwight

Fancy Nails
Hampshire Mall
Buu Van Trinh

Mojoe’s
48 Russell St.
David Faytell

Old American Antiques and Renovation
36 Lawrence Plain Road
Glenn Paquette

HOLYOKE

Al’s Daily Grind Cafe
415 Main St.
Nathaniel Davis

Commercial Auto Sale
52 Commercial St.
Antonio Espiritu Santo

Contemporary Auto Sales
63 Shawmut Ave.
Stephen Stathis

D & M Painting
42 St. James Ave.
Douglas Riel

Dean’s Mini Mart
848 Main St.
Majid Nizam Din

Fashion Nails
223 Maple St.
Kieu Dao

Greenfield Stamp & Coin
1 Martin St.
T. David Heffron

Ingleside Gift Baskets
1781 Northampton St.
Jane Lefebvre

JMC Auto Detailing
184 Suffolk St.
Claudio Perez, Joshua Acevedo

Kirkland’s
50 Holyoke St.
KirklandÌs Inc.

Lechonera Bavamon
107 High St.
Luis Perez

Lucky Footwear Inc.
354 High St.
Han Kang

Manny’s Auto Sales
736 High St.
Elisandro Cuevas

MA Career Development Institute Inc.
100 Front St.
Gaetano DeNardo

Mr. Bill’s Parts & Cycle Service
2 Cabot St.
William Wohlers

T & T Variety
362 High St.
Margarita Herrera

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

NORTHAMPTON

Accurate Dispersions
312 King St.
The Sherwin-Williams Co.

AkiAnn LLC
46 Columbus Ave.
Camille Nelson

Baboon Productions & Chaffee Weddings
96 Coles Meadow
Rufus Chaffee

Bobbie Turnbull
204 Fairway Village
Barbara Turnbull

Carla A Bernier, MA, CCC-SLP and Abigail B. Jaffee, MA, CCC-SLP
1 Roundhouse
Carla Bernier and Abigail Jaffee

Century Message
16 Center St.
Tora Swinchatt

Conco Paints
312 King St.
The Sherwin-Williams Co.

Cornerstone Builders
25 Phillips Place
Colin Hoffmeister

Correctional Billing Services
Hampshire Jail, 205 Rocky Hill Road
Evercon Systems Inc.

Delong Construction
76 Bancroft Road
Edmund Lennihan

Essentials
88 Main Street
Jin-Kyoo Inc.

Glidden Drywall
23 Plymouth Ave.
Mark Glidden, Sr.

Graphic Leesign
14 Strong Ave.
Sidney Lee

In Home Handyman Services
137A Damon Road
Ink Black Inc.

JB Auto
605 North King St.
Joseph Barker Jr.

Lia Honda
171 King St.
Lia Northampton Inc.

Luna Pizza
88 Pleasant St.
Luna Pizza Corp.

LV Style
1361 Westhampton Road
Lilian Valiunas

Nature’s Creations
176 Turkey Hill Road
David McCaflin

Northampton Home Improvement
61 Kensington Ave.
Henry Souza

Northampton Marketing
108 Main St.
Jonathan Podolsky

Northampton Oriental Rugs
92 King St.
Sweta Asghar

Northampton Veterinary Clinic LLC
227 South
Eleanor Shelburne, Lori Paporello

Nuva Medi Spa
163 Conz St.
Roger Allcroft

Quezno’s Sub
235 Main St.
Northampton Quez LLC

Pioneer Therapeutics
39 Main St.
Andrew Arneson

Roger Menard Insurance Agency
241 King St.
Rober Menard

Sew Good Tailoring
137D Damon Road
Sug and Soome Oh

Student Initiative Gallery of Hampshire College
114 Main St.
Lauren Van Haaeften-Schick, Christopher Madok, Cory Sahifi

T.W.C. Towing
52 Main St.
Juan Figueroa

The Townhomes at Hathaway Farms
73 Barrett St.
Hampton Associates Nominee Trust

Valley Fabrics
271 Pleasant St.
Francesca McClellan

VIA Development
87A Prospect St.
Joseph Brescia

Yankee Matress Factory
104A Damon Road
Thomas Parnell

Zoomshot
49 Williams St.
Cory Barnes

SOUTH HADLEY

NBP Roofing, Siding & Windows
77 Hildreth Ave.
Nick Peters

Superior Shed Works
4 Doane Terrace
John Mielnikowski

SPRINGFIELD

A & P Computer Design
30 Scott St.
Ernest Audet Jr.

Abrantes Remodeling Kitchens & Baths
82 Lyons St.
Antonio Abrantes

AC Siding
88 Biltmore St.
Alecsei Cherkashin

Accurate Despersions
67 Boston Road
The Sherwin-Williams Co.

Acres Dental Care
1954 Wilbraham Road
James Maslowski, D.M.D.

Adam’s New Age Construction &
Home Remodeling
101 Samuel St.
Adam Bousquet

Advanced Nutrition
451 Dickinson St.
Sean Mulka

Affordable Home Improvements
21 Eloise St.
Mike Wilson, Greg Flechsig

American Construction Co.
14 Mazarin St.
Jennifer Bradley

Arzola Cleaning Co.
52 Wait St.
Jose Arzola

Balance Massage Therapy
1739 Allen St.
LeeAnn Williams

Bass Pond Press
1305 South Branch Parkway
P. Ann Pieroway

Bella’s Massage
1039 Worcester St.
Anabela Canvalito

Bongos Studio
140 Chestnut St.
Ilan Amouyal

Branch Security Co.
48 Parallel St.
Calvin Branch, John Muise

CSR Wire LLC
250 Albany St.
Emilio Sibilia Jr.

Chestnut Park Dairy
135 Dwight St.
Farman Elahi

The Church of Jesus Christ Inc.
24 Eastern Ave.
Donovan and Marcia Hart

Cindy’s Modern Style
90 Parker St.
Cynthia Diaz

Conco Paints
670 Boston Road
The Sherwin-Williams Co.

Cost Less Electronics & Machinery
20 Florence St.
Marcel Smith

Crown Fried Chicken
1208 Main St.
Mohammed Asif

D. Melody Records
62 Bacon Road
Dulee Gumlow

Dad’s Variety Store
1081 State St.
Earl Watson

Dallas & Sons Automotive Center
118 Armory St.
Anthony Dallas

Devon Farrell Association
154 Westford Circle
Devon Farrell

Drive USA
510-520 Boston Road
Drive USA2 Inc.

El Campo Market
288 Locust St.
Aris Planco

First Time Hospitality
137 Albemarle St.
Kristie Hosey, Brenda Clark

Forest Park Mini Flea Market
451 Dickinson St.
Bridget Finn

Freedom Wireless
83C Mill St.
Scott Lubarsky

G & J Home Improvements
32 Palmyra St.
Jose Colon

Gold Coast Market
253 Bay St.
Nana Dark LLC

Have Not Entertainment
170 Buckingham St.
Kalord Lee, Lamont Stuckey,
Richard Henry, Chris LeValle

Hong Kong Garden Restaurant
475 Breckwood Blvd.
Zhou Hua Ni

Hummingbird Restaurant
347 Orange St.
Errol Campbell

Industrial Control Solutions
48 Olmstead Dr.
Daniel Mattoon

J & B Woodcrafters
15 West Laramee Green
James Brown

Jan Reynolds Design
1 Greenleaf St.
Jan Reynolds Ziter

Jantize of Springfield
69 Andrew St.
Michael Lambert

Joy’s Creations Lawncare
24 Moebeth St.
Miguel Franqui

Just B.
878 Sumner Ave.
Banca Jackson

K.C.’s Vac All
93 Grochmal Ave.
Kenneth Cross

Law Offices of Jonathan R. Goldsmith, Esq.
1350 Main St.
Jonathan Goldsmith

Lee Nails
8 Orange St.
Chuong Nguyen

Line Up Barbershop
72 Bankcroft St.
Hairol Tejada

Little Angels Child Enrichment
153 Savoy Ave.
Melissa Petreshock

Lopez Multiservice
247 Central St.
Jose Lopez

Los Monchys
906 Carew St.
Angelique and Bienvenido Lopez

Martinez Towing
279 Main St.
Agapito Martinez

Meadowbrook Lane Capital
250 Albany St.
Emilio Sebilia Jr.

Media Copiers
43 Flower St.
Scott Noyes

Media Group International
26 Hanson Dr.
Vadim Valnikov

Merit Security
155 Woodland Road
Robert Martin

Millennium Nails
1655 Boston Road
Rhung Cao

Monique Heavenly Braid Shop
344 Bay St.
Delia Brown

Mortgage Services
671 Dickinson St.
Reuben Hudson

Nancy’s Transportation
26 Huntington St.
Wanda Figueroa

One Shrimp
889 Carew St.
Thomas Bertz, Tom Grassetti

PD Auto Sales
26 Redden Road
Pierre Dovesius

Palm Tech
23 Cindy Circle
Jason Palmeira

Paradise Pizza
30 Ft. Pleasant St.
Ilyas Koc

Professional Handyman Service
25 Barnet St.
Robert Tyler Jr.

RYJ Enterprises
197 Florida St.
Rosemary Sandlin, Yasir Osman,
Jody Wright

Rapid Locksmith
433 White St.
Morris Reid

Reggae Vibes
8 Parker St.
Alfraido Wray

SK Stores
145 Manchester Terrace
Svetlana Korobkov

Smile Hair Plus Beauty Supplies
1232 Main St.
Young Man Kim

Smily’s Handy Variety Store
477 Boston Road
Darshak Convenience Inc.

TLC Vending
108 Carol Ann St.
Robert and Christine Cooley

Timmak Clothing Company
140 Chestnut St.
Timothy Thomas

Tom James of Springfield
191 Chestnut St.
Lewis and Thomas Saltz Inc.

Traveling Hands Massage
116 Westminster St.
Susan Cadwell

The Underground
172 Main St.
Tonya Claiborne, Deadrea Williams

Uniquely Gifted
439 White St.< R>Betel Arnold, Joy Quinn-Mavredakis

Victor Carpet Cleaning
537 Main St.
Victor Carmenatty

Waynerworks
357 Roosevelt Ave.
Suzanne Wayner

Zhen Bo House
762 Boston Road
Gao Fei Lin

WEST SPRINGFIELD

AJ Kendall
49 River St.
Andrea Ruest

Able Caning
15 Highland Park Dr.
Alice Zuvers

Abound Inc.
34 Fox St.
Joseph Werner

All About Va
1096 Memorial Ave.
Tania Neff

Andrey’s Home Painting
40 Windor St.
Andrey Gut

Beautiful Rooms
42 Myron St.
Gary Okun

Breast Care of Western
Massachusetts
371 Park St.
Nancy Weiss

The Car Place
47 Bradford Dr.
Anthony Ricco

Champ Computers
96 Garden St.
Tony Champagne

Countrywide Home Loans Inc.
138 Memorial Ave.
Countrywide Home Loans Inc.

The Cozy Cricket
148 River St.
Linda Vigliano

Dana’s Cleaning Service
1230 Morgan Road
Svetlana Zhuk

Di’s Daycare
39 Bonnie Brae Dr.
Diane Bonneville

East Coast Tooling
283 Elm St.
Michelle McCarthy

First Emmanuel Assembly of God Church
664 Union St.
Cicero DeSantiago, Albertina DaPenna

FishFrenzy.net
2001 Riverdale St.
Edward Pecord

Flower Design
100 New Bridge St.
Irina Lapik

Game Hunters II
683 Riverdale St.
Tuyet Diep

Hair East Inc.
8 Chestnut St.
Jennifer Gamelli

Hiland Group Inc. of
Massachusetts
23 New Bridge St.
Anthony Hill, David Saenz

Katrina’s Flowers and More
62 Union St.
Katrina Vasilchenko

The Loft
201 Westfield St.
Ann Marie Walts

Mama Mias Pizzeria
60 Park St.
Mama Mias Pizzeria Inc.

Mike Gentile Auto Sales
74-80 Baldwin St.
Michael Gentile

Murphy’s Carpentry
22 Worcester St.
Michael Murphy

Murphy Construction
22 Worcester St.
Michael Murphy

Northern Granite
380 Union St.
Vgachesav Katko

Patriot Towing and Recovery
77 Windsor St.
Rosalee Williams

Paul’s Auto Repair
17 Bosworth St.
Paul Traska

Quality Inn
1150 Riverdale St.
Shubham LLC

R. Hudson Painting
84 Day St.
Raymond Hudson Jr.

St. Jean’s Plumbing & Heating
28 Squassick Road
Arthur Jean

Town Line Flea Market
260 Westfield St.
Town Line Flea Market LLC

Venckai Consulting
43 Russell St.
Genevieve Saxton

Western Mass. Compounding Center & Palliative Care
138 Memorial Ave.
Janina Cirillo

Zykan Distribution
1596 Memorial Ave.
Kelly Doull, Arsen Dzhavadyn

WESTFIELD

Affordable Flooring
66 Montgomery St.
David Minchuk

Belleview Billing Services
55 Belleview St.
Deborah Beaudry

Brian S. Whitehall
42 Loomis Ave.
Brian Whitehall

Century 21 Home Town Associates
350 Elm St.
Victoria Minella

Colors Galore
416 North St.
Timothy Morin

Colors of the Future
93 South Maple St.
Daniel Dionne, Diana Cruz

Cummings & Cioch Home Inspection Inc.
559 Montgomery Road
Daniel Cioch

Electronics to the Max Corp.
30 Schumann Dr.
Brian Plante

European Headlines
190 East Main St.
Heli Withrow

G & E Seafood
241 East Main St.
Gregory Ramos

Hartwell Concrete & Masonry Systems
38 Ridgecrest Dr.
Bill Hartwell

Ken’s General Repair
1198 East Mountain Road
Kenneth Gamelli

King’s Cleaners
282 Southampton Road
Sook Kyung Kim

L & L Pools
26 East Glen Dr.
Terrence Lamb

L.J. Electric
1198 East Mountain Road
Louis Ganelli

Linda Nails
205 Elm St.
Nguyet Nguyen

MA Career Development Institutes Inc.
102 Elm St.
Gaetano Demardo

Musical Beginnings
16 High St.
Donna Omega Liese

Nu-Style Records
81 Main St.
Jose Bergollo

Professional Freight Carrier
43 Apple Orchard Height
Joseph McCarthy

Sara’s Organizing Solutions
41 Maple Terrace
Sara Hampton

Sneakel Jam
51 Union St.
German Flex

Specials Inc.
103 Mainline Dr.
Robert Silver

Useful Things
205 Elm St.
James Valentine, Armand Beaumier

White Services
404 Granville Road
Leslie White II

Zanto
190 East Main St.
Z3W Inc.

TAKING FLIGHT

By
Uncategorized

The Longmeadow firm Holland & Bonzagni has developed a national and international reputation for expertise in all facets of intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and, increasingly, cyber law. The firm’s principals describe this specialty as rewarding work that requires a blend of law and science — and healthy doses of patience.

It’s called the kempshall welt.

That’s the term that has come to describe the buildup of plastic that occurs when the two hemispheres of a golf ball cover come together during the manufacturing process.

The method of removing the welt and creating a virtually seamless golf ball is a process — one that is protected from use by competitors by a patent, said Donald Holland, a principal with the Longmeadow firm Holland Bonzagni, which specializes in intellectual property law and helped secure the patent for the client.

Holland told BusinessWest that when most people think of patents, they think of landmark inventions, the formula for Coca Cola, or the mix of herbs and spices in Kentucky Fried Chicken. In fact, patents can be used to give individuals exclusivity on any new, useful, or unobvious process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter — or a new and useful improvement to any of the above.

"That includes the kempshall welt and the method for removing it," said Holland, who told BusinessWest that trademark protection extends well beyond the name a corporation puts on a product, and that a copyright can protect everything from a literary work to a storefront design — but many people in business don’t know these things.

Protecting that which the client needs to protect is at the heart of intellectual property law, said Holland, who described his field — one that boasts some 11,000 lawyers in private practice or working for the government — as an intriguing blend of law and science that he and partner Mary Bonzagni both find extremely rewarding.

That’s because much of their work involves helping entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground. And they have helped several people in the Pioneer Valley and beyond navigate the rigorous course required to turn an idea into reality.

The firm has also represented clients in cases where a product, a name, or even a look was being used improperly by another party. One such case involved Deerfield-based Yankee Candle, which had watched competitor New England Candle Company essentially copy the look of the front of Yankee’s retail outlets at its Enfield store.

This may sound like a case of Goliath squashing David, and the press portrayed it that way, said Bonzagni, but protecting what is yours is part of doing business.

"That was important to Yankee Candle because they wanted to expand their mall stores without being afraid that other people would copy the design and dilute their reputation," she said. "What prompted them to take action was the fact that so many customers were confused; one customer even went into New England Candle and, when making her purchase, wrote out a check to Yankee Candle — which the defendant cashed!"

Other customers were taking New England Candle products back to Yankee Candle, claiming they were inferior and wanting their money back, said Bonzagni, adding that any time a company’s reputation is on the line, it has to take steps to protect it.

If there is any downside to work in the field of intellectual property, said Holland, it is watching so many of the companies that the firm becomes involved with fail to reach maturity. "That’s the frustrating part … maybe one in 10 small businesses actually makes it," he said. "There are a lot of good things we’ve seen that just don’t succeed because people don’t know how to delegate — they don’t know how to let go.

"When we do get that one client that makes it," he added, "it’s a lot of fun."

Holland, who opened his practice 22 years ago, says the firm has enjoyed steady growth over the past several years as its reputation has grown internationally. Like other fields within the law, this one has its ups and downs depending on the state of the economy, and at the moment, business is booming overall — if not locally. But he expects the region, which is about a year behind the rest of the country in terms of recovery, by his estimate, to rebound in the year ahead, bringing more new products and startups into the pipeline.

BusinessWest looks this month at this unique firm and the work it does to help move ideas forward.

Down to a Science

When asked how she ventured into the world of patents and trademarks, Bonzagni said she was working with the solid waste management products firm Camp Dresser and McKee on a sludge-recycling project in Detroit when it occurred to her that there might be something else she could do with her degree in organic chemistry.

She enrolled at Western New England College School of Law and, while there, was encouraged by a professor to take her background in science and apply it to patent law.

Holland also took an intriguing route to his current profession. He earned a degree in statistics from Colgate University, but decided soon after graduating that he did not want to keep track of batting averages or chart trends in mortality.

He actually convened a group of professionals in various trades to gain input on possible career paths. One of the people he invited to lunch happened to be a patent attorney. "He fascinated me the most," said Holland, who told BusinessWest he first earned an Aerospace Engineering degree from UConn, and later his Law degree from the University of Miami.

He worked for several years at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office working on rotary pumps and turbines for jet engines before creating Holland & Associates in 1981. Bonzagni joined the firm in 1989, and an associate, John Kramer — who holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and a master’s in Intellectual Property, joined the company in 1999. The firm also has two legal assistants — Cari Mazza and Karen Alberts — who conduct research and provide other forms of assistance to the lawyers and their clients.

The Holland & Bonzagni team specializes in all facets of intellectual property law, and has helped a number of entrepreneurs take concepts off the drawing board and into the marketplace.

Bonzagni has done a good deal of work for paper companies, including one area firm that makes security threads for currency. She has helped secure patents for not only the threads, but the processes for embedding them in the bills. She has also worked recently with a Pittsfield-based venture — New Energies Solutions Inc. — that is moving forward with its development of fuel cells.

Holland, meanwhile, has represented individuals who have developed products ranging from golf ball dimple patterns to mufflers for jet engines, hand tools to security blankets for children called "Taggies." The engine mufflers, known as "hush kits," help plane owners keep older models in the sky longer, and they actually enable a plane to fly faster and more efficiently. The mufflers, selling for $1.6 million each, went on the market last month after several years of development and testing.

Holland has done quite a bit of work for those in the sporting goods industry, primarily golf. He has represented a company called Big Bend Inc., which has developed golf balls that reduce slices and hooks. He also worked with Chicopee-based Hoppe Tool on securing patents for new golf ball molds and the kempshall welt-removal process. He later did work for Wilson and Spalding on golf ball and club innovations.

The firm’s clients are generally industrial corporations, both foreign and domestic, and include manufacturers of aircraft, food, paper products, medical equipment, computer software, chemicals, electronic components, and other high-tech items. It also services chains of restaurants, hospitals, and other businesses to protect their products — and their reputations.

Indeed, roughly half the firm’s work is in the category of stopping counterfeiters and unauthorized copies of products, or knock-offs, as they’re known.

The Yankee Candle case was perhaps the most high-profile example, said Holland, but there have been many others.

Several years ago, he represented a manufacturer of printed placemats, towels, and other household items in an action against the Christmas Tree Shops chain of discount retail stores, which had commissioned Asian manufacturers to create cheaper knock-offs.

"I worked with eight teams comprised of sheriffs and employees of the client," he said. "We went in and seized 117,000 infringing units from Christmas Tree Shops. We first did some investigation into which of their stores were selling the products, and then we went to court to file a complaint. In the meantime, we had sheriffs in the stores with clickers counting the units sold so we could figure out what kind of damages we had.

"Christmas Tree Shops bought seconds from our client one year, and they sold out in no time," he continued. "The next year, they wanted firsts at seconds prices, and when our client said ’no,’ Christmas Tree Shops admitted under oath at a deposition that they took the client’s catalog, took it to two sources in India, and said, ’reproduce this.’ Within six weeks, the chain had written the plaintiff a six-figure check and become its best customer."

Getting a Rough Idea

Ferreting out knock-off artists and helping clients recover damages is among the most rewarding work in this field — "it makes it fun to come to work," said Holland, who told BusinessWest that both he and Bonzagni have worked with national corporations that make some of the most recognizable products in business.

Recently, for example, Holland mediated a case involving Ben & Jerry’s and its ice cream product known as "Chunky Monkey." A woman claimed the name was hers — she had put it on a children’s book — and sought damages. (He was not at liberty to reveal the nature of the settlement.)

However, most of their work would be considered much more mundane — although no less important — such as trying to help a client or potential client determine if a product or process has already been invented, and if an idea is "patentable."

This can be a fairly involved process — and a potentially expensive one — because a number of steps and government agencies are involved. Thus, the firm is committed to having clients and potential clients spend time, energy, and money only when it is warranted.

Much of the work that the firm does falls into the category of education, said Bonzagni, who told BusinessWest that most entrepreneurs, young or old, are too involved with the development of a product or service, and then the day-to-day operations of the venture they’ve created, to focus on protecting their rights and their trade secrets.

Thus, the firm gives tailored seminars on a wide variety of subjects, such as: Managing and Expanding Your Trademark Portfolio; Trade-secrecy Protection; Seizing Counterfeit Goods; Protecting Your Product’s Color and Packaging; Licensing Technology; Cyber-piracy; and Protecting Software.

The firm also posts regular newsletters on its Web site, www.hblaw.org. This fall’s edition, for example, has articles on the recently enacted Madrid Protocol (see page 72) — which dramatically reduces the costs of international trademark protection — and tips for deterring would-be copiers.

Holland has also authored a booklet — used by many major corporations — titled Corporate Guide to Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, and Trade Secrets, now in its fourth edition.

These educational endeavors are components of the firm’s larger efforts to partner with clients and potential clients, said Holland. He told BusinessWest that, in that role, Holland & Bonzagni works to help companies and individuals avoid some of the costly mistakes and missteps they can make while trying to get a venture off the ground or protect a product, name, or trade secret.

The processes for obtaining a patent, trademark, copyright, or even a domain name, while not necessarily complicated, are more easily navigated when individuals or corporations have the right information, and this is what the firm provides.

Ideally, the firm would like to help improve a venture’s odds of succeeding, said Holland, adding that this starts by gauging the commitment of the party involved and its willingness to do the grunt work necessary to take an idea to the marketplace. This starts with a patent search and a determination of whether a product is actually new. Holland & Bonzagni can conduct that search, but it would rather the potential client do it.

"When people come to see us, we give them a homework assignment to try and weed out those who aren’t serious," he said. "We don’t want people to spend their money needlessly.

"We want them to invest emotionally, and we want them to invest time," he continued. "If we’re going to spend our time, we want to make sure they have the organizational skills to make their product fly. If they won’t commit to that amount of time, their business isn’t going to make it."

No Secret to Their Success

Holland told BusinessWest that his firm has a framed copy of the check made out to Yankee Candle by that confused customer years ago.

It’s a symbol, he said, of the importance of protecting that which identifies a product or a company — be it a name, a label, a color, or, in this case, a storefront design.

This is the essence of intellectual property law, he said, and it is both an art and a science.

For more information, visit the Holland & Bonzagni Web site atwww.hblaw.org

Blazing a Trail

By
Sections Supplements

C2C Systems, a Reading, England-based company with an American subsidiary based in Springfield, recently added NASA to its client list. The space administration was looking for help trying to track a flow of E-mails among engineers in the days before and after the Columbia disaster. C2C is making a name for itself in this emerging technology field, and that reputation is leading to dramatic growth.

Jon Brown follows the scandals closely.

Enron. Tyco. ImClone and Martha Stewart. Worldcom. Even the demise of the Space Shuttle Columbia. As those stories broke, he waited for his phone to ring. Usually, it did, because where there’s scandal, there’s usually a paper trail or, in this day and age, an electronic trail. And Brown’s company, C2C Systems, can help a client uncover that trail or, if the customer so chooses, make it disappear.

C2C Systems Inc., the American subsidiary of Reading, England-based C2C Systems, Ltd., is headquartered in the Springfield Enterprise Center (SEC) in the STCC Technology Park. The local company sells and services software programs that help companies, government agencies, and other entities manage their E-mail. And that word manage can take on a number of definitions, said Brown, director of the Springfield operation. Sometimes it means capacity management or archiving. It can also mean controlling E-mail, everything from identifying and eradicating inappropriate or unauthorized E-mailing to tracking down specific correspondences.

And it can also mean deleting E-mail — and when Brown says delete, he means DELETE.

"We provide people with the tools to discover the mail and, when appropriate, to destroy it," he told BusinessWest. "People want us to help them find mail and in some cases delete it. And when they say delete, they don’t mean mark it for deletion; they mean ’make it go away.’

"We make some proprietary technology that goes deep into the bowels of an exchange to get rid of the mail," he said, opting not to be more specific about exactly how the software works. "We can make it so it’s nearly impossible to find."

NASA called on C2C not long after the Columbia disaster because it wanted to track some of the E-mail correspondences between engineers after the shuttle went down, said Brown, adding only that the agency apparently found what it was looking for.

The space administration contract wasn’t large — maybe $10,000 — but having NASA as a client brings benefits beyond the check, said Brown, who told BusinessWest that there have been some discussions with the agency about using it in some promotional material.

If those endorsements do come to fruition, they will likely help the company as it enters what Brown believes will be a strong growth phase. C2C will soon expand within the SEC, effectively doubling its space and adding several new employees as it does so. And Brown believes the venture can move from its current $2 million in sales to $10 million and beyond with more aggressive sales and marketing and new product development.

Indeed, he said work with companies with scandal problems constitutes a very small percentage of sales. Real growth is expected to come in the wake of new regulations regarding when entities must keep and destroy documents, as well as a new global focus on IT security.

Meanwhile, virtually every company and government agency is struggling to keep its E-mail under control, said C2C President David Hunt.

"Capacity has become a huge issue … companies are struggling to find ways to reduce their volume of E-mail," he told BusinessWest from the company’s headquarters in England. "But E-mail is becoming the center of the knowledge flow, or information flow, of a company, so people can’t really be expected to reduce the amount of E-mail; what they have to do is develop a better form of management of it, and that’s where we come in."

Virtual Reality

Brown refers to this niche as the developing specialty of "E-mail life-cycle management." In short, the company helps clients keep their E-mail legal and affordable through a variety of tools and consulting help to implement those tools.

Its products fall into two main categories, said Brown: compliance and discovery — specifically, compliance with laws and corporate policies regarding retention and other issues, and discovery of items that are lost or deleted — and mailbox-size management. This latter series of products helps mid- and large-sized companies deal with the volume of E-mail.

Specific products include, on the capacity side of the ledger, Archive One Capacity, an E-mail archiving and capacity-management solution for Microsoft Exchange; and MaX Compression Enterprise, a family of products that transparently zips and unzips attachments sent and received with Microsoft Outlook, thus saving bandwidth and storage space.

On the E-mail risk-control side of the operation, the company’s main products include Active Folders Content Manager, which controls content and protects an organization from legal liability; and Exchange Security Risk Auditor, a tool that keeps unauthorized individuals from reading one’s E-mails.

The company has provided software to some 3 million users at more than 3,000 organizations worldwide, including national and multi-national corporations and government offices, and believes it is only scratching the surface of the industry’s vast potential.

"I think we’ve carved out a good niche for ourselves in the marketplace," said Brown. "Our goal is to expand that niche and grow the company."

How Brown came to run C2C’s American operation is an intriguing story. A biology and Spanish major at Amherst College, he joked that it wasn’t those courses of study that prepared him for a career in telecommunications. "Instead of a car, my parents bought me an IBM PC, and I locked myself in my room for a month trying to learn how to do something with it," he explained.

He was tending bar at an Amherst alumni party and wound up pouring scotch for an executive with a top-10 software company called Pansophic. "He offered me a job, and I went off to Chicago, without knowing anything about the company or what I was going to do with it."

Brown wound up becoming a product manager for the firm, but was squeezed out after the company was bought by Computer Associates. He then went into sales for System Software Associates (SSA) in Chicago, but left at 25 to pursue an MBA at UMass.

His first stop after earning his degree was a New Hampshire start-up called Tally Systems, where he was a "product manager with no products." But he helped develop one after witnessing a shouting fit by the company’s controller.

"She was screaming about the E-mail bill because, at that time, you had to pay 10 cents a message for MCI to deliver your E-mail over the Internet," he said. "And our E-mail had gone from $300 a month to $1,000 a month in no time.

"I sat outside her office and thought, ’if we’re this little 40- to 50-person company and we’re having this problem, then big companies must be having a huge problem with this,’" he continued. "I went out and talked to about 100 companies, big ones and small ones, and came up with some specs for a product that would help them manage their growing E-mail volume."

Brown put together a company, which became a subsidiary of Tally, and raised $3 million in venture capital to start an operation that essentially allowed companies to put in place an E-mail charge-back and reporting process, similar to what is done with long-distance phone calls.

The company did well, but it was never a core function for Tally, which saw its fortunes plummet when the Y2K craze ended, and eventually gave Brown’s company the axe in a cost-cutting move in early 2000.

That’s when Brown approached C2C, a maker of similar E-mail management software products that was then his largest distributor in Europe, and asked if that growing company would like to fund his venture. Instead, C2C asked Brown to direct its American subsidiary and become a partner in the parent company. "They said, ’you bring us to America.’"

Net Results

For the past three years, Brown has been doing just that.

He ran C2C Inc. out of his home for a while before being introduced in late 2000 to the Springfield Enterprise Center, the recently opened small-business incubator that was housing a number of startup ventures.

"It was a really nice fit for us," he said. "We were looking for a place in which to get settled and commence the growth process, and that’s just what we’ve done."

Brown said his obvious mission is to grow sales of C2C products in North and South America, and to do that he must raise awareness of E-mail capacity and risk issues, and then sell businesses and government agencies on the company’s various solutions to those problems.

And while the scandals that have dominated the business pages in recent years have led to some high-profile clients, Brown and Hunt both stressed that everyday capacity and security issues will drive most of the growth for the company.

When he first opened C2C’s American subsidiary, Brown identified 22,000 potential target customers, which he described as businesses or agencies that use Microsoft Exchange, have 500 or more employees, and have three or more locations.

That number probably hasn’t changed much in the past three years, he said, but there are now certainly more reasons why those potential customers should be interested in C2C products — starting with capacity.

"That’s becoming an issue for everyone," said Brown. "The volume keeps growing every month as more and more people make E-mail their preferred method of communicating information. Companies are going to need ways to keep that volume under control."

Meanwhile, on the risk-control side of the equation, there are a number of new laws regulating the dissemination, safe storage, and ultimate destruction of information, said Hunt. He cited HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), which regulates information about patients and ensures that such data remains private, as one example of greater regulatory control of information — including E-mails. Similar measures are, or soon will be, in place for the financial services industry and other business groups.

"There are new laws requiring entities to retain E-mails for a certain period of time," he said. "This could be two years or seven years after an employee leaves, for example. And there are also more regulations about what is to be kept — or not kept, as the case may be — and companies are going to have to deal with them."

All this will add up to new opportunities for C2C Inc., which Brown believes can double or triple in size in each of the next several years. And in anticipation of a bulked-up sales and marketing initiative, the company will double its space in the SEC and remain there as a tenant for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, Hunt anticipates expanding C2C’s American operation and adding more offices over the next few years. The headquarters will remain in Springfield, however.

Tracking Growth

Brown told BusinessWest he was somewhat surprised C2C didn’t get a call when the ImClone scandal broke last year. "That’s one we missed," he said.

There haven’t been many such incidents in that category, thanks to a growing reputation for helping companies and agencies find what they are looking for.

What C2C is looking for is additional growth — on both sides of the Atlantic — and it would certainly seem to be on the right track — literally and figuratively.