Page 12 - BusinessWest July 21, 2021
P. 12

 Editorial
BSetting the Standard ack in 2015, those of us at BusinessWest decided it was
time to build on what was already a pretty good thing —
our annual 40 Under Forty compilation of rising stars in this region.
That decision was to add another layer of recognition, and another layer of intrigue, to the equation by creating a new award, one that would acknowledge a previous 40 Under Forty honoree who has continued to build on the accomplishments that earned them membership in one of the region’s more prestigious clubs.
Originally, we called this the Continued Excellence Award, which works, but doesn’t tell the whole story. So in 2019, we changed it to the Alumni Achievement Award, which does a better job of explain- ing what this is about.
It’s about achievement — in one’s profession and with work in the community to address the many issues and challenges facing those who call this region home. And sometimes, one’s profession is addressing those aforementioned challenges.
Such is the case this year, with at least two of the five finalists for the 2021 Alumni Achievement Award, but we’ll get to them in a minute. First, more about the award and what it’s about.
It’s about calling attention to people who are setting the stan- dard when it comes to making a difference and serving as role models for other young people in this region — individuals who continue to find ways to impact quality of life for the better.
There can be only one (or two) winners of this award annu- ally, but we call attention to all the finalists — and really all those nominated for this award — because of the way these stories can, and should, inspire everyone to keep reaching higher and find new ways to give back.
The five finalists this year (see profiles starting on page 7) are:
• Tara Brewster, the “recovering entrepreneur” (former co-own- er of the clothing store & Connor) who is now the vice president of Business Development at Greenfield Savings Bank and extremely active within the community, with groups ranging from the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce to the YMCA to the Down- town Northampton Assoc. And she’s recently added another line
Editorial
TNew Challenges for Employers
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 to her résumé — radio personality, as the new host of the Western Mass. Business Show on WHMP;
• Gregg Desmarais, another banking executive — he’s vice presi- dent and senior private client relationship manager for TD Private Client Group, a business of TD Wealth — who has made it his busi- ness to get involved in the community. Much of that involvement
is with Revitalize Community Development Corp., which he has served as chair and helped bring to new levels of success with revi- talizing area neighborhoods;
• Anthony Gulluni, district attorney for Hampen County, who has introduced a number of new programs since first being elected to office in 2015, initiatives that include everything from a cold- case unit to an addiction task force; from a campus-safety sym- posium to a human-trafficking task force; from a youth-advisory board to one of the nation’s first courts focused specifically on high-risk young adults;
• Eric Lesser, the state senator representing the communities that comprise the First Hampden and Hampshire District. Since first being elected in 2014, Lesser has worked tirelessly within the broad realm of economic development, but especially toward the goal of leveling the playing field between east and west in Massa- chusetts and bringing new opportunities to those who live, work, and own businesses in the 413; and
• Meghan Rothschild, president and owner of Chikmedia, who has steadily built on a résumé of success of business and giving back to the community. In addition to growing her company, she has become an advisor and mentor to many women in business while also donating time and her considerable talents to a num- ber of area nonprofits, volunteering for everything from help with social-media marketing to emceeing an event.
The winner of the 2021 Alumni Achievement Award will be announced at the 40 Under Forty Gala on Sept. 23 at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. But in our view, all five of this year’s finalists are truly winners. They exemplify all that this award is about, and, more importantly, they set the standard when it comes to being a leader in this region. v
  he pandemic, or at least the ified applicants to fill them. working conditions and are in no hurry to worst of it, appears to be behind But employers are being confronted return to their cubicle. Meanwhile, having us in Western Mass. As we’ve by more than just a labor shortage. As the everyone return all at once is complicated
been reporting for several weeks now, the business community has moved on, in most respects, from battling the pandemic to returning to something approaching normal.
But ‘normal’ isn’t exactly what we remember in 2019, and there are new and daunting challenges facing businesses in virtually every sector.
At the top of that list is finding some way to navigate what has become an extremely challenging labor market. Indeed, just as many businesses are look- ing to bounce back from the pandemic and return to pre-COVID levels of vibrancy — and revenue — they are running into
a buzzsaw on the employment front. In short, businesses — from restaurants to landscapers; golf courses to machine shops — have job openings, but not enough qual-
story on page 26 reveals, there are other forces at work.
Indeed, a good number of workers used the time they had to think during the pan- demic to contemplate their employment situation, with many ultimately deciding they wanted and needed something differ- ent and, hopefully, better.
These sentiments are reflected in his- torically high ‘quit rates,’ with people leav- ing their jobs for reasons ranging from dis- content with the pay scale to a disconnect when it comes to corporate culture.
While this is going on, the simple mat- ter of returning to the office is proving to be, well, not so simple. Companies in many sectors are finding they can’t simply flip a switch and return to early March 2020.
Many employees who have been work- ing remotely have grown fond of those
by a host of matters ranging from who’s vaccinated and who isn’t, to whether com- panies can or should require vaccinations, to the logistics of simply returning to the office setting after 16 months of toiling alone at home.
Many employers have dealt with the problem by ... well, deciding to deal with
it later. But most are realizing they need to address it, and they are, with most offering flexibility in the form of hybrid schedules, with a few days at the office and a few days at home. Others are still trying to figure it all out.
Suffice it to say that, while the worst
of the pandemic is over, many issues and challenges remain for area employers. And they will need the same creativity and per- sistence they used to weather COVID to deal with these new problems. v
 12 JULY 21, 2021
OPINION
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