BusinessWest

Alex Sepkus Jewelry Trunk Show
2017-11-03 10:00 - 2017-11-04 07:00 (America/New_York) | MA
The extended collection of renowned jeweler Alex Sepkus is back! Indulge yourself in his distinctive, award-winning wearable pieces. Select from earrings, necklaces, rings, bridal and more at this two-day event.

Can You Afford to Sell Your Business?
2017-11-13 16:00 - 18:00 | MA
“Can I afford to sell my business?” It’s the question every business owner asks in the beginning stages of the exit planning process. It’s a simple question, but as anyone in the business knows, there’s hardly a simple answer.
To help owners and advisors learn how to answer this “million-dollar question,” XPX New England will host a panel discussion on November 13 at McLane Middleton P.A. in Woburn, featuring some of Boston’s best business minds including:
• Warren J. Rutherford (Moderator) – President, The Executive Suite
• Jeffrey P. Hart – Partner, Tarlow Breed Hart & Rodgers P.C.
• Dave Poulin, CIMA, CPWA – SVP Wealth Management, The Bay Colony Group at Morgan Stanley
• Greg Rush – Partner, Dunn Rush & Co. LLC
Attendees will learn what owners and advisors need to know about the risks, obstacles, and challenges to a successful sale, what owners need from the sale, and why beginning with the end in mind is so important to maximizing business value.
Hosted by XPX New England Silver Sponsor McLane Middleton P.A., this event is your opportunity to meet likeminded professionals ready to help you navigate the business lifecycle and make 2018 your best year ever!
Seating is limited, so register today at https://exitplanningexchange.com/event-2674555.
What: Can You Afford to Sell Your Business?
When: Monday, November 13, 2017, 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Where: McLane Middleton P.A.
300 TradeCenter
Suite 7000
Woburn, MA 01801
Registration: https://exitplanningexchange.com/event-2674555/Registration
XPX Members: Free (Registration required)
NPEPC Members: $75
Non-Members: $95

AIC Hockey - LGBTQ Inclusion Night
2017-12-01 19:05 - 21:05 | MA
It is 2017 and society stull struggles to respect everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation. Join AIC in standing up & spreading respect at the AIC Men’s Ice Hockey game against Bentley.

21st Holiday Tour of Homes Event
2017-12-03 09:30 - 16:00 | MA
On Saturday, December 2nd from 9:30am to 4:00pm, the Boys and Girls Club of West Springfield will be holding their 21st Holiday Tour of Homes event. This fun, seasonal event helps to raise funds to support valuable programs, opening doors to brighter futures for youth and families throughout our community and beyond.
This year, there will be several wonderful homes on the tour all decorated in holiday style for tour-goers to enjoy. New this year, the Club is thrilled to collaborate with both the Storrowton Village Museum & the CHD Cancer House of Hope, whose homes will also be on this year’s tour.
Tickets for the event are just $20 each and can be purchased in advance in West Springfield at Durocher Florist, Flowers by Webster, Partners at the Cup, West Springfield Federal Credit Union and Sorrento Pizza; in Agawam at Cooper’s and Floral Concepts by Tom, and in Feeding Hills at Partners Restaurant. Tickets will also be available at the Pilgrim Candle Company in Westfield and we will have their candles available for sale at each of the homes on December 2nd. Tickets can also be purchased at each of the homes on Saturday, December 2nd ONLY!
During the tour, be sure to drop by the Springfield Country Club between 11am – 2pm for a buffet lunch, which includes soup, salad, a couple of Main Course options to choose from, as well as assorted desserts with tea and coffee. The cost of the lunch is $15 per person and includes tax and gratuity.
For More Information please call the Club at 413-736-1831 or visit the Club’s website at www.wsbgclub.org or visit our facebook event page at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2018241955075410/
We hope to see you on the Tour. Happy Holidays!!

Black Issues Summit
2018-02-16 13:00 - 16:15 | MA
For Black History Month, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Elms College will host its inaugural Black Issues Summit from 1 to 4:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, in the Alumnae Library Theater. The summit will bring national scholars specializing in a range of subjects to Elms for important dialogue with the college’s students, faculty, and staff, as well as the general public, about issues affecting the Black community. The event will feature a dynamic keynote address in addition to discussions, panels, and a conference debriefing session.
The event will feature the following speakers: Christopher Doucot, founder of the Hartford Catholic Worker, adjunct faculty at University of Hartford and Central Connecticut State University, and author of the new book, No Innocent Bystanders; Joseph Cooper, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut, who will discuss Collective Uplift, a movement he founded at the university to provide resources and workshops encouraging holistic development for minority student-athletes; Joliet, Ill., councilwoman Bettye Gavin, executive director of the Forest Park Community Center, founder of Quality of Life Task Force, and executive director of the National Hook-Up of Black Women Inc., who will speak about empowering Black women; and Algerian Hart, Ph.D., associate program coordinator of sport management at Western Illinois University, who will present a talk on inclusivity on higher-ed campuses.
It is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. Visit www.elms.edu/summit for more information and to register.

Future Tense: Inaugural Event: An Unprecedented Technology Disruption.
2018-02-22 08:00 - 09:30 | MA
Future Tense: Inaugural Event: An Unprecedented Technology Disruption.Inaugural Event: An Unprecedented Technology Disruption.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Cost: $25 donation to Tech Foundry
Presenter: Delcie David Bean IV: Paragus IT, Chief Executive Officer
What’s Next in the Pioneer Valley Business World
Big changes are up ahead, and they are coming unexpectedly faster than anything exponentially faster than anything experienced in the history of the world. We’re talking 4 times bigger than the internet in a shorter time frame – with an impact that will be larger than any other cultural or business innovation of the last 100 years.
Join us for an exclusive roundtable breakfast event series open to CEOs and business owners in the region. Space is limited.

Reading by Writer Ben Hersey
2018-02-26 13:25 - 14:25 | MA
The Blue House Visiting Writers Series at College of Our Lady of the Elms will host a reading by writer Ben Hersey at 1:25 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, in the Borgia Gallery. An author reception will be held in conjunction with this reading, which is free and open to the public.
Hersey is a writer and performance artist who has performed a wide range of collaborative and solo work over the past 15 years. His solo work often melds crafted monologue and formal storytelling with live composition, vocal improvisation, and chance operations. His experimental work draws from a wide variety of sources including contemporary poetry, noise, New England colonial history, genealogy, and found texts.
Hersey’s first novel, The Autograph of Steve Industry, was published in 2016 by Magic Helicopter Press. The story, both hilarious and tender, presents a new vision of contemporary working-class New England.
The Chuckwagon nonfiction published Hersey’s chapbook This Is What We’re Up Against — a collection of monologues culled from messages his mom’s boyfriend left on her answering machine — in 2008.
Hersey teaches writing and composition at Holyoke Community College and lives in Easthampton, MA, with his wife and son. He has an MFA from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University in Boulder, CO.

How the Tax Act will impact Business Owners
2018-02-27 16:00 - 18:30 | MA
The biggest tax overhaul in more than two decades has officially hit the books, and businesses are scrambling to figure out what this means for their bottom line, workforce and more.
On February 27, XPX New England will take you beyond the headlines surrounding the Tax Act for How the Tax Act will impact Business Owners with Boston-based tax and M&A expert, Richard Weiner of Alexander Aronson Finning CPAs. Richard will cover how the Tax Act directly impacts the future success of your business, considerations for exit planning, key questions you should be asking, and what adjustments you need to make in managing your organization.
Hosted by XPX New England Silver sponsor McLane Middleton P.A., this event is your opportunity to meet likeminded professionals in Greater Boston. Whether you are an advisor or business owner, join us to hear more of what you can expect in the future with the new tax act and how to plan your exit strategy accordingly.
Refreshments and light appetizers to be served. Business owners and advisors are encouraged to attend. Seating is limited, so register today at https://exitplanningexchange.com/event-2674576.

Supported Decision-Making: Eliminating the Need for Guardianship
2018-03-06 09:00 - 12:00 | MA
Join Center for Public Representation and Nonotuck Resource Associates to learn more about the Supported Decision Making model, hear the results of their first-in-the-nation pilot program to move adults supported by DDS from a model of guardianship to supported decision making, and discuss the future of this practice. Providers with clients supported by DDS and DMH welcome.

An Evening with Gerard Doherty, Advisor to the Kennedys
2018-03-15 17:30 - 19:30 | MA
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, College of Our Lady of the Elms will host an evening with Gerard F. Doherty, author of They Were My Friends – Jack, Bob & Ted: My Life in and out of Politics, at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in Elms College Veritas Auditorium. This event, one of a series of events around the region during the week of St. Patrick’s Day, is free and open to the public.
Doherty, an attorney, was a trusted political adviser to President Kennedy, Sen. Robert Kennedy, Sen. Edward Kennedy, President Johnson, and President Carter. They Were My Friends offers a rare, firsthand account of the behind-the-scenes work that led to some of the most influential moments of the Kennedy brothers’ political lives — and how the son of a Boston firefighter became the only man with a seat at the table with all three Kennedy brothers. The book takes the reader through the history of Massachusetts politics and the golden age of the Kennedy political dynasty.
For more information about this event, contact Barbara Mulcahy at 413-265-2448.

Reading by Writer Khadija Queen
2018-03-22 16:15 - 17:15 | MA
The Blue House Visiting Writers Series at College of Our Lady of the Elms will host a reading by writer Khadija Queen at 4:15 p.m. Thursday, March 22, in the Borgia Gallery. An author reception will be held in conjunction with this reading, which is free and open to the public.
Queen is the author of five books, most recently I’m So Fine: A List of Famous Men & What I Had On. Her poetry and prose have appeared in Fence, Tin House, Gulf Goast, Memoir, DIAGRAM, Buzzfeed, and widely elsewhere. In 2015, her verse play Non-Sequitur won the Leslie Scalapino Award for Innovative Women’s Performance Writing and was produced off-Broadway for a 10-day run. Queen teaches in the Mile-High MFA program at Regis University, and is the visiting scholar in creative writing at University of Colorado at Boulder. She is also raising a teenager.
Queen has been named a finalist for the 2015 National Poetry Series for I’m So Fine: A List of Famous Men & What I Had On; winner of the 2014 Leslie Scalapino Award for Innovative Women Performance Writers; winner of the Noemi book award for poetry 2010 (Black Peculiar, also a finalist for the Gatewood Prize at Switchback Books); and a Cave Canem fellow in 2007, 2008, and 2011.

Difference Makers
2018-03-22 17:00 - 20:30 | MA
Honorees Announced in the Jan. 22, 2018 issue of BusinessWest
Join us as we honor the 2018 Difference Makers with a celebration of their contributions to the community we call Western Massachusetts. Through their hard work to improve the quality of life of everyone in this region, these individuals are motivating others to understand that they too, can make a difference. Come get inspired!

TICKETS ON SALE JANUARY 2018!

"Swish Night" hosted by Make-A-Wish® Massachusetts and Rhode Island
2018-03-24 19:00 - 23:00 | MA
Make-A-Wish® Massachusetts and Rhode Island is hosting the 7th annual Swish Night, an evening of wishes and college championship basketball at Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm Street, West Springfield on Saturday, March 24, 7 – 11 p.m. Watch the magic happen on the court on large screen TVs and enjoy food and beverages in luxurious surroundings, while helping to create life-changing wish experiences for children with critical illnesses in western, Massachusetts. For details and tickets, contact Peg Wheble, pwheble@massri.wish.org, 413-733-WISH or visit massri.wish.org/swishnight.

Reading by Writer Sarah Blake
2018-04-25 16:15 - 17:15 | MA
The Blue House Visiting Writers Series at College of Our Lady of the Elms will host a reading by writer Sarah Blake at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, in the Borgia Gallery. An author reception will be held in conjunction with this reading, which is free and open to the public.
Blake is the founder of the online writing tool Submittrs and a recipient of an literature fellowship from the NEA. Her debut novel, Naamah, is forthcoming from Riverhead Books, and is a provocative imagining of the story of the wife of Noah.
Blake’s poetry books, Let’s Not Live on Earth, and Mr. West, were both published by Wesleyan University Press. Her chapbook, Named After Death, is out from Banango Editions. Her poetry has appeared in Boston Review, Drunken Boat, FIELD, and The Threepenny Review. She lives outside Philadelphia.

Future Tense: What Got You Here Might Not Get You There: Mistakes Business Owners Make Before and After Retirement
2018-05-17 08:00 - 09:30 | MA
Future Tense: What Got You Here Might Not Get You There: Mistakes Business Owners Make Before and After RetirementThursday, May 17, 2018
8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Cost: $25 donation to Tech Foundry
Presenter: Amy Jamrog: The Jamrog Group, Wealth Management Advisor

Feel like you’re doing a good job running your company, but wonder if you should be doing more?
Are you as prepared as you could be for the eventual sale of the business?
Are you willing to delay some tax gratification now for a more efficient retirement later?
Are you focused on accumulation, but forgetting about the equally important decumulation strategy when it comes to your wealth?
How do you take care of yourself, impact your community, and provide legacy for the family—is it possible to do it all?
Hear about proactive strategies to align your team of advisors and get you best equipped for your future.

BusinessWest's 40 Under Forty
2018-06-21 17:30 - 20:30 | MA
40 Under Forty is a celebration of 40 young business and civic leaders in Western Mass. The 40 Under Forty Gala is a lavish cocktail party featuring butlered hors d’oeuvres, food stations and entertainment. The event will begin with a cocktail hour, open food stations and networking. This will be followed by an exciting awards presentation and conclude with deserts and more networking. Join 600+ professionals, business, civic, and non-profit leaders as we toast the region’s rising stars on Thursday June 21. Also, the second Continued Excellence Award honoree will be announced.
This is an event not to be missed!
Date: Thursday, June 21, 2018
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: The Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke, MA 01040
Cost: Tickets Price: $75 per person (tables of 10 available) TICKETS ONE SALE IN APRIL 2018
For more information: Call (413) 781-8600 x100 or email at peters@businesswest.com

Future Tense: Change Considerations: An Examination of Lean Process, Market Disruption and The Future of Your Business
2018-09-20 08:00 - 09:30 | Tech Foundry
Thursday, September 20, 2018
8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Cost: $25 donation to Tech Foundry
Presenter: Mark Borsari: Sanderson MacLeod, President
Join us for a limited leadership series exclusively forbusiness owners, CEOs, and CFOs in the region.
Mark Borsari, president at Sanderson MacLeod, will discuss change and innovation through lean concepts, and focus on resulting cultural considerations. With increasingly automated business processes, AI and machine manufacturing, lean concepts will be more important than ever in terms of staying competitive. the presentation will also address already active market disrupters that will effect business processes in various industries.

Thanks for the Feedback (dinner forum of Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley
2018-10-16 17:00 - 20:30 | Delaney House
THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK: THE SCIENCE AND ART OF RECEIVING FEEDBACK WELL
Join us at an evening with SHEILA HEEN, the bestselling co-author of the classic Difficult Conversations, who will teach how to turn evaluations, advice, criticisms, and coaching into productive listening and learning.
We swim in an ocean of feedback. Bosses, colleagues, customers—but also family, friends, and in-laws—they all have “suggestions” for our performance, parenting, or appearance. We know that feedback is essential for healthy relationships and professional development—but we dread it and often dismiss it. That’s because receiving feedback sits at the junction of two conflicting human desires. We do want to learn and grow. And we also want to be accepted just as we are right now. Thanks for the Feedback is the first book to address this tension head on. It explains why getting feedback is so crucial yet so challenging, and offers a powerful framework to help us take on life’s blizzard of off-hand comments, annual evaluations, and unsolicited advice with curiosity and grace. The business world spends billions of dollars and millions of hours each year teaching people how to give feedback more effectively. Stone and Heen argue that we’ve got it backwards and show us why the smart money is on educating receivers— in the workplace and in personal relationships as well. Coauthor of the international bestseller Difficult Conversations, Sheila Heen has spent the last ten years working with businesses, nonprofits, governments, and families to determine what helps us learn and what gets in our way. With humor and clarity, she blends the latest insights from neuroscience and psychology with practical, hard-headed advice. This event will make a huge impact on you and your organization’s ability to turn feedback into gold.
also:WHO ARE YOU? WHO, WHO, WHO, WHO? YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY NEED TO KNOW!
Why is it important for people to know their leaders? Even if you’re not all ‘kumbaya’ on the inside, there is a huge upside to bringing people into your world. A paycheck will only motivate someone so much. When we’re invested in our leader, and their vision, we understand our connectedness to the overall mission – we’re a part of something! Solid relationships inspire people to go above and beyond; leading to a dedicated, action-oriented, workforce. What leader wouldn’t want to lead that? One of the best ways to help your people get to know you is by providing them with a ‘User Manual’ – a document letting them know everything they need to know about YOU. In this mini-workshop, Family Business Center strategic partner and board member ROSS GIOMBETTI, and his GIOMBETTI ASSOCIATES colleagues walk you through their User Manual process which includes reflecting upon your personality and behavior, drafting insightful commentary as to how you interact with the world, and refining your guide to ensure it contains impactful information.

2nd Annual Healthcare Heroes
2018-10-25 17:30 - 21:00 | Starting Gate at GreatHorse
BusinessWest and Healthcare News have created Healthcare Heroes to honor those who live up to that word’s definition. This region’s health and wellness sector is large, diverse, and dominated by heroes of all kinds. They’re on the front lines, in the administrative office, the research lab, the neighborhood clinic, the family dentist’s office, the college health and science building. They’re making real contributions to the quality of life in our communities, and it’s time to recognize their efforts!
Event Date: Thursday, October 25, 2018
Event Time: 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Location: Starting Gate at GreatHorse, Hampden
Nominations can now be submitted for the 2018 Healthcare Heroes awards. Deadline for nominations is Friday, June 15 at 5 p.m., NO EXCEPTIONS. Winners will be profiled in the September 3 issue of BusinessWest and the September issue of Healthcare News. Winners will be invited to attend the “Healthcare Heroes” Awards gala scheduled for Thursday, October 25, 2018.
Click on one of the following categories to submit a nomination:

Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider
Innovation in Health/Wellness
Community Health
Emerging Leader
Collaboration in Health/Wellness
Health/Wellness Administration/Administrator
Lifetime Achievement

Leaders OnBoard Fall Board Conference
2018-10-28 08:30 - 14:00 | Greenfield Community College, 1 College Drive, Greenfield, MA, 01301, United States
Join us for Leadership Pioneer Valley’s Leaders OnBoard Program’s 3rd Annual Fall Board Conference on Saturday, October 27, 2018 from 8:30am to 2:00pm at Greenfield Community College, 1 College Way, in Greenfield MA. The theme of the conference is “Leading in a Time of Disruption”
Boards and staff of non-profits come together each year to learn about current non-profit trends and best practices with a series of workshops, a keynote speaker, and networking opportunities. The sessions are designed for folks with a range of board experience– from those who have never served to those with lots of board experience. Both staff and board members will benefit– and encouraged to attend together.
Attendees will learn from local experts about how to provide strong board and community leadership, including fundraising, board governance, and board diversification. The conference will prepare guests with the skills and confidence to provide nonprofits and local municipalities with steady leadership so that they are prepared for changes, ranging from funding to changing community needs.
Breakfast and lunch are included in the registration fees. To register please visit https://leadersonboardconference.eventbrite.com.

Alex Sepkus Jewelry Trunk Show
2018-11-02 11:00 - 2018-11-03 18:00 | dmg (Don Muller Gallery Inc.)
Date of Event

November 2nd & 3rd

Time of Event

11/2 11am-7pm & 11/3 10am-6pm

The extended collection of renowned jeweler Alex Sepkus is back! Indulge yourself in his distinctive, award-winning pieces. Select from earrings, necklaces, rings, bridal and more at this two-day event.

Structuring a Deal: Common and Uncommon Issues in an M&A Transaction
2018-11-06 16:00 - 18:30 | McLane Middleton P.A
You have built the value of your business over many years, but how do you know when it is the right time to consider an M&A transaction? Now may be the time.
On November 6, join XPX New England for a conversation with M&A experts who can help you identify key considerations, terms and pitfalls that can impact your ability to complete a successful transaction.
During this roundtable discussion focused on Structuring a Deal: Common and Uncommon Issues in a M&A Transaction, our panel of experts will help define the right roadmap for you from strategy to structure. With the right advisors comes good advice, and this event will ensure that you understand:
• What’s the right exit strategy for you?
• What are the Reps, Warranties and other legal issues that really matter?
• When do you get the cash?
• Your hands are tied post-closing, why?
• It’s not the purchase price that matters, it’s what the IRS lets you keep!
Moderator: Rudi Scheiber-Kurtz, Author of “Stop Compromising” and CEO of Next Stage Solutions, Inc.
Panelists:
• Laura Kevghas, President, Seed to Harvest
• William Rodgers, Partner, Tarlow, Breed, Hart and Rodgers
• Jack Finning, Partner, AAFCPAs
Business Owners and M&A professionals will have the opportunity to explore different road maps for an exit strategy, engage in a Knowledge Exchange discussion around deal structure, and listen to experts who operate, invest or advise in the same industry verticals.
Hosted by XPX New England Bronze sponsor McLane Middleton P.A., this event is the perfect opportunity for Business Owners and Professional Advisors who advise them. Refreshments and light appetizers to be served. Seating is limited, so register today at https://exitplanningexchange.com/event-3090442.

Future Tense – Power of the Pause
2018-11-08 08:00 - 09:30 | Tech Foundry
The Fourth Installment of BusinessWest’s Future Tense Lecture Series!
Future Tense – Power of the Pause
Thursday, November 8, 2018
8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Cost: $25 donation to Tech Foundry
Presenter: Susan O’Connor, Esq.: Health New England, Director & General Counsel
It’s not easy managing in today’s fast-paced, complex, dynamic work environments. Leaders are required to remain focused in the face of a myriad of commitments, to have clarity of mind, to ensure they are doing the right things (not just doing ‘things’), and maintain calm in the midst of daily storms. But what if we as leaders could hit the “pause” button during our day, step back, and meet challenges with a sense of space, clarity and focus? What if there was a way to not just “get things done,” but ensure that what does get done connects us with ourselves, with the people we work with and ultimately, with our organization’s deepest values? Mindfulness is a compelling tool for performance, teamwork and effectiveness as well as presence, kindness and balance. Moira Garvey, Senior Consultant and Facilitator with the Potential Project, will share why mindfulness is relevant in the workplace and why companies around the globe are incorporating mindfulness to support workplace performance and employee well-being.
In this session you will hear how Springfield-based Health New England brought mindfulness training to its Associates. In 2015, HNE ran a pilot to enhance their high performance culture – 30 leaders participated in a 4 month course. HNE leadership knows the key to success is the ability to work at a high level of mental effectiveness, while also remaining resilient in the face of stress. In many industries including health care, the velocity of change, competition and complexity are constant challenges. Since the successful 2015 pilot HNE has continued to invest in Mindfulness training as a way to fortify a culture of high performance that is focused and intentional. In 2017, 63% of the participants held leadership positions
In the foundational session Moira will provide an overview of the nature of the mind and attention, while sharing information on the most recent scientific findings regarding how the brain works and how it can be rewired to enable us to be more focused, calm and effective at work every single day. She will teach a basic mindfulness practice and offer a focus strategy for immediate application.
Presenters:
Moira Garvey, Senior Consultant and Facilitator, Potential Project
Susan O’Connor, Esq., Vice President and General Counsel, Health New England

Future Tense: Important Healthcare Update
2018-11-08 08:00 - 09:30 | MA
Future Tense: Important Healthcare UpdateThursday, November 8, 2018
8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Cost: $25 donation to Tech Foundry
Presenter: Susan O’Connor, Esq.: Health New England, Director & General Counsel
More information to follow.

Effective Conflict Resolution Strategies: What Do I Try Now
2018-12-04 09:00 - 15:30 | La Quinta Inn & Suites
Dealing with conflicts between employees? Ineffective supervisory relationships? Teams not working well together? Workplace conflict can harm relationships, reduce productivity, increase costs and decrease a team’s effectiveness. One study found that an average workplace conflict eats up to three hours a week! In this workshop we’ll explore the range of conflict resolution tools available, including one-on-one communication strategies, conflict coaching, mediation, and larger group processes. Together we’ll identify circumstances which may make one approach work better than others, steps we can take to ensure better success with the techniques we choose, and ways to combine various strategies to deal with challenging workplace dynamics.

The Inaugural Women of Impact Awards
2018-12-06 11:00 - 13:45 | Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel
BusinessWest has consistently recognized the contributions of women within the business community and has now created the Women of Impact awards to honor women who have the authority and power to move the needle in their business; are respected for accomplishments within their industries; give back to the community; and are sought out as respected advisors and mentors within the field of influence. Nominees can be high-level executives, entrepreneurs, leaders of a non-profit organization, business owners, volunteers, or mentors: any inspirational woman, at any level in her career, who is doing remarkable things.

SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT COMES TO SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
2018-12-08 14:30 - 20:30 | TechSpring – The Baystate Health Technology Innovation Center
Co-op Power along with a number of local organizations have organized a Sustainability Summit in Springfield, MA on Saturday, December 8, 2018.
Co-op Power’s Annual Sustainability Summit is a great opportunity to share ideas with like-minded people on topics from green business development and community finance to grassroots activism and social justice.
We expect vibrant discussions about our society and our environment centered around our theme, “Energy Democracy”, with two keynote speakers and workshops throughout the day. If you are passionate about the environment and social justice then you have a place at the Summit to add to the excitement and expertise!
Highlights are two keynote presentations: Denise Fairchild, President of Emerald Cities Collaborative, who works to green our cities, build resilient local economies and ensure equity inclusion in both the process and outcomes of a new green and healthy economy. Sandra Steingraber — Biologist, author, and cancer survivor — speaks about climate change, ecology, and the links between human health and the environment.
Features include a tour of Wellspring Harvest, a quarter acre hydroponic greenhouse in Indian Orchard growing greens and herbs and information about Wellspring Cooperative a non-profit that is building a network of worker-owned co-ops to provide jobs and wealth building opportunities in Springfield’s underserved communities. Workshops will take place on worker co-ops and how they are key to the solidarity economy, a hands-on workshop on how to talk about our changing climate effectively, and a workshop on how communities can use the concept of “community energy aggregation” to secure energy efficiency and renewable energy generation services for everyone within their town.
The Sustainability Summit is being presented in collaboration with Springfield Climate Justice Coalition, Climate Action Now, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Wellspring Cooperative, ARISE for Social Justice, and The Energy Democracy National Tour 2018.
Co-op Power is a decentralized network of Community Energy Co-ops (CEC) organized to to build a multi-class, multi-racial movement for a sustainable and just energy future. It has raised $10M in tax equity to finance solar for non-profits and community solar projects across New York and New England. They have been awarded a competitive bid for 2MW of low-income community solar in NYC and and have an 8 MW pipeline of solar projects under development. In a time of climate crisis and economic disparity, this network of Community Energy Co-ops is making a difference.
Join us at TechSpring, 1350 Main Street, 5th Floor, Springfield, MA on Saturday, December 8, 2018 from 2:30-8:30 pm.
Registration is free. Donations are accepted to offset the cost of the meal.
For more information or to RSVP call 413-772-8898 or toll free 877-266-7543, or email olive@cooppower.coop

Island Hopper Beer Dinner
2019-01-17 18:00 - 21:30 | The Student Prince & The Fort Restaurant, 8 Fort Street, Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Anyone looking for an entertaining evening in Springfield, MA can attend the Island Hopper Beer Dinner on Thursday, January 17, 6 pm at the Student Prince and The Fort Restaurant, 8 Fort Street. Corporate Chef Zachary B. Shuman will prepare six island-inspired courses that will be paired with six beers from six different brewing companies. It’s a wintertime dining experience and a taste of paradise for Springfield-area adults who are looking for something to do on a January night.

Job Fair
2019-02-05 11:00 - 18:00 | Hadley Farms Meeting House
Pioneer Valley Hotel Group is hosting a job fair for our brand new Homewood Suites by Hilton property in Hadley, MA. We will be conducting interviews at the job fair on February 5, 2019.
Positions Available Part Time and Full Time
Front Desk Agents, Housekeepers, Breakfast Attendants, Evening Social Attendant, Laundry Attendants, and Houseman
