Page 47 - BusinessWest July 7, 2025

COMPANY NOTEBOOK>>
SSO, Local 171 Announce
Two-year Labor Agreement
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Symphony Orches-
tra (SSO) and Local 171 of the American Federation
of Musicians jointly announced they have reached
a new two-year collective bargaining agreement.
The new contract starts in the upcoming 2025-26
season and extends through the 2026-27 season.
The new agreement contains a minimum of eight
symphonic concerts and an education concert for
the upcoming two concert seasons. The agreement
also includes the addition of a second musician seat
on the SSO board, which will expand from 15 to 17
seats, and wage increases for musicians over each
of the two years. The agreement also calls for an
average of 64 contracted musicians, remaining the
same from the previous two-year agreement. This
new agreement gives the Springfield Symphony
Orchestra greater flexibility to design seasons that
both honor tradition and embrace innovation. Start-
ing with the 2025-26 season, the SSO will present
a minimum of four classical concerts each year,
down from six in previous seasons. This change
allows room to explore new formats and creative
programming. In addition, the season will feature
two pops concerts and two hybrid performances
that blend classical repertoire with popular music
to engage broader and more diverse audiences. In
the past two seasons, the SSO has made efforts to
diversify its musical offerings and brought talent
from around the world in the form of both guest
conductors and guest artists to Springfield Sym-
phony Hall. The concert seasons have featured Latin
jazz ensemble the Mambo Kings, Bugs Bunny at the
Symphony, annual MLK Jr. celebration concerts,
Fearless Women Awards honoring local women
leaders in the community, Juneteenth concerts at
no cost to the community, and more. In the 2024-
25 season, internationally acclaimed conductor
Mei-Ann Chen joined the SSO as artistic advisor,
helping to curate programs, select guest soloists,
and facilitate other artistic needs.
Nourish Wellness Café
Expands to Eastworks
EASTHAMPTON — Nourish Wellness Café,
known for its 100% organic, plant-forward menu,
announced the opening of its second location at
Eastworks, the creative and commercial mill build-
ing in Easthampton. Founded in 2015 and now led
by owner Casey Flaherty, Nourish has earned a loyal
following in Northampton for its menu, welcom-
ing space, and commitment to sourcing sustain-
able ingredients. Located in Suite 137 on the first
floor of Eastworks, at the Marketplace entrance, the
new café offers a seasonal menu of organic juices,
smoothies, grain bowls, soups, and specialty lattes,
all made with organic, locally sourced produce. The
Eastworks location also features grab-and-go offer-
ings and a full espresso bar. It will be open Monday
through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sun-
days from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Masuda’s Cafe in Amherst
Hosts Grand Opening
AMHERST — Masuda’s Cafe, a new culinary desti-
nation in downtown Amherst, celebrated its grand
opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony, hosted
in partnership with the Amherst Area Chamber of
Commerce and the Amherst Business Improvement
District (BID), on June 20 at 17 Kellogg Ave. Blend-
ing the warmth of North American breakfast and
lunch classics with the vibrant flavors of South Asian
cuisine, Masuda’s Cafe promises a bold new addi-
tion to the local food scene. Whether it’s a quick
grab-and-go, a cozy brunch, or a midday meeting
over coffee, Masuda’s offers a welcoming space
with both indoor and outdoor seating options. The
cafe features coffee from Rao’s Coffee Roasting
Co., a local institution known for its high-quality,
micro-roasted beans.
Pittsfield Cooperative Bank
Opens New Lending Office
PITTSFIELD — Pittsfield Cooperative Bank
announced the opening of its new lending office
at 322 Main St. in Great Barrington, expanding its
presence and commitment to serving the South-
ern Berkshires. The new office is home to a dedi-
cated team of experienced lenders ready to assist
customers with their borrowing needs. The team
includes mortgage lending officers LouAnn Harvey
and Spring Burke and commercial lender Sierra King
Watson. The Great Barrington lending office is now
open and ready to welcome customers seeking
home and personal financing, commercial lending
services, and more.
bankESB Wins Three Awards
for Workplace Culture
EASTHAMPTON — bankESB recently received three
Top Workplaces Culture Excellence awards in the
areas of work-life flexibility, compensation and
benefits, and purpose and values. Top Workplaces
People >>Continued from page 46
Country Bank announced the appointment of
David Thibault as first vice president, Institutional
Banking. In this newly created role, he will focus
on serving municipalities and nonprofit organiza-
tions throughout the bank’s footprint, bringing
nearly three decades of experience in commercial
and institutional banking. Thibault joins Country
Bank with 26 years of industry experience from
PeoplesBank, with a well-established track record
of success in serving commercial, nonprofit, and
government clients. He holds a bachelor’s degree in
environmental science and engineering and an MBA
from Western New England University. He is also
a graduate of the American Bankers Assoc. Stonier
Business W est School of Banking. He holds multiple professional
certifications, including accredited ACH profes-
sional (AAP) and national check professional (NCP).
Throughout his career, Thibault has demonstrated
a passion for leveraging technology to improve
customer outcomes. He has led initiatives such as
the implementation of online banking platforms,
positive pay systems, lockbox services, and remit-
tance capture. His expertise in cash management
and payment systems, combined with a strong
commitment to customer service and employee
development, make him an asset to the Country
Bank team. Thibault is also an active community
member, currently serving as secretary of the board
<< DEPARTMENTS >>
Culture Excellence awards from Energage cel-
ebrate organizations that are dedicated to building
an exceptional, people-first culture. The work-life
flexibility award celebrates organizations that pro-
vide options to their employees in how and where
they work and that have managers who care for
their employees’ concerns. The compensation
and benefits award recognizes organizations that
provide employees with both material rewards and
appreciation for their work. The purpose and val-
ues award celebrates organizations that have suc-
cessfully embedded their mission and values into
their culture. Winners are chosen based solely on
employee feedback gathered through an anony-
mous, third-party employee engagement survey,
administered by Energage, a leading provider of
technology-based employee engagement tools.
More than 42,000 organizations across the country
were invited to participate in the survey. Results
are calculated by comparing the survey’s research-
based statements, including 15 culture drivers that
are proven to predict high performance, against
industry benchmarks.
Cedar Chest, GFN Partner on
Campaign to Fight Hunger
NORTHAMPTON — For the fourth year in a row,
Grow Food Northampton (GFN) and Cedar Chest,
the anchor store in Thornes Marketplace in down-
town Northampton, announced their partnership to
fight hunger in Northampton. Cedar Chest is con-
ducting the “Give $10, Get $10” campaign to raise
funds for GFN’s SNAP Match program. Launched
on June 15, the promotion allows Cedar Chest cus-
tomers to donate $10 to Grow Food Northampton’s
SNAP Match program and, in turn, receive a $10
gift card to spend at Cedar Chest. Customers can
just stop in at Cedar Chest to make the donation
and get a gift card in return. At GFN’s year-round
farmers markets, Tuesday market, and winter mar-
ket, the SNAP Match program doubles SNAP users’
benefits so they are able to buy healthy local foods
at the farmers markets, with the idea that everyone,
no matter their income level, should be able to eat
nutrient-dense produce and other products from
local farms.
of directors for Access Care Partners and trustee
for the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation. A dedicated
volunteer, he supports organizations such as 4-H
and the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce. He
has participated in programs like Leadership Pioneer
Valley and Leadership Springfield, serving as both
mentee and mentor.
•••••
UMassFive College Federal Credit Union
announced that Christina Reynolds has been
promoted to assistant vice president of Account
People
Continued on page 48 >>
JULY 7, 2025
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