Page 36 - BusinessWest February 20, 2023

“We wanted to create
a place for families. Communities need places to gather, where people can come together and have a good time. That’s what we wante”d to do here.
Steve and Jean Graham inside the old train depot they have converted into an ice-cream shop and gathering place for the community.
Leah Martin Photography
was a volunteer and eventually head coach of the wrestling team for
six years at East Longmeadow High School. In 2021, in the middle of
the pandemic amid the suspension of interscholastic sports, he worked with other coaches in the area to open (and fund) the nonprofit Grit & Gratitude Wrestling Academy, where they work with young people ages 5 and up;
• The train depot, which has a become a community gathering place, with park benches, live music, and more; and
• Support to a wide range of area nonprofits, from Link to Libraries to the Ronald McDonald House; from the Springfield Jaycees to the National Epilepsy Foundation (Steve’s brother suffered from the disease, so for him it was personal).
One Word: Plastics
Meanwhile, the Grahams have been difference makers as business owners and employers as well, providing opportunities on many levels.
As for their business, Toner Plastics, it started small, as in very
small — “we had one sale for $200 the first six months,” Steve noted
— but eventually they garnered some regular customers, first the old Woolworth’s department store and then eventually Walmart, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, and others.
Today, the company manufactures everything from point-of-purchase displays to radiator covers to filament for 3D printing equipment. It is still headquartered in East Longmeadow, but has other locations in Pittsfield, Rhode Island, and Florida. While growing the company, the Grahams have amassed a strong track record of providing not only job opportunities, but opportunities to thrive, personally and professionally, after being hired.
Frank Valazquez, operations manager at Toner Plastics, explains.
“I had never met a man like Steve, with a pure heart, humble, fair, quick to listen, patient, wise, consistent, and willing to help anyone willing to help themselves — and who genuinely enjoys helping others by doing good. And for me, a young kid with no sense of direction, 22 years old at the time from Springfield’s North End, he was a difference maker.
“All I needed was a chance,” Valazquez continued, “an opportunity for someone like Steve Graham to truly listen
and say, ‘I believe in you, and I am here to help you through the process as long as
Grahams >> Continued on page 66
Welcome them back to...
Better Than Ever.
We offer fully customized and transformative:
Show your employees and customers that you’re back to business with a new, fresh, clean and brand-centric environment.
Architectural & Window Films • Wall Coverings Feature Walls • Dimensional Logos & Icons Architectural Signage
31 Benton Drive • East Longmeadow, MA • 413.525.2244 • gographix.com
36 FEBRUARY 20, 2023
BusinessWest