Page 9 - BusinessWest December 26, 2022

ter, and even more of a connection between the region and its pro hockey team.
Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade Returns
After a long, as in very long, two-year absence, the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade and road race returned in full force in March. The twin events have always been part of the fabric of the region and a huge contributor to the Greater Holyoke economy, and that became clear in interviews with parade organizers, city officials, and individual business owners in the weeks leading up to the parade for a story in Business- West that carried the headline: “The Return of a Tradition: For Holyoke, the Parade Brings Busi- ness — and a Sense of Normalcy.”
Business owners told BusinessWest that the parade and race account for large amounts of annual revenues, and that losing the events for two years due to COVID was devastating. But beyond business and vibrancy, something else went missing for those two years. Marc Joyce, president of the parade for the past three years, put it all in perspective.
“It’s in the mindset and emotions of people who have grown up here,” he said. “It’s a home- coming; people come back to the city, and you see people you haven’t seen since perhaps last year. It’s a wonderful, family-oriented event.”
Latino EDC Opens Its Doors
The Latino Economic Development Corp. opened its doors to considerable fanfare in September, and with good reason. The agency,
called the Latino EDC, or LEDC, has a broad mission and a unique business model, one aimed at helping businesses, especially Lati- no-owned businesses, open their doors and keep them open.
The LEDC, located on Fort Street in Springfield, is a place where more than two dozen coaches, experts in many aspects of business, will make themselves available to business owners and share what they know. Executive Director Andrew Meledez says the agency will focus on what he calls the three ‘Cs’ of helping business owners get
where they want to go — coaching, capital, and connections. Overall, its goal is to turn employees into employers, and the agency is already capturing the attention of economic- development leaders in this region — and well beyond.
New College Presidents Take the Reins
College and university presidents are in many ways key regional voices, shaping public perspec- tives on issues through programs and initiatives they spearhead. And in 2022, that exclusive pool of influencers saw some significant ripples.
In April, Hubert Benitez, vice president for Strategic Initiatives and Academic Innovation and acting chief Inclusion officer at Rockhurst University, took the reins at American Interna- tional College, replacing Vince Maniaci, who had been president there for 17 years.
Then Michelle Schutt, previously vice presi- dent of Community and Learner Services at the College of Southern Idaho, began her tenure as president of Greenfield Community College in July, replacing Richard Hopper, who had been interim president since the summer of 2021.
Also in July, Smith College announced that Sarah Willie-LeBreton, provost and dean of fac- ulty at Swarthmore College, will replace Kathleen McCartney, who has served as president since 2013, starting in July 2023.
Finally, in June, UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy announced he will retire in June 2023 after serving in that role since 2012, and the following month, Christina Royal, presi- dent of Holyoke Community College since 2017, announced she will retire in July 2023; searches are on to replace both.
Year
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The LEDC has a unique model featuring coaches on matters ranging from accounting to mental health.
BusinessWest
FEATURE
DECEMBER 26, 2022 9