Page 12 - BusinessWest June 10, 2024

Meet the Alumni Achievement Award Judges
Ashley Bogle is assistant general counsel and director of Legal Services for Health New England, where she manages the day-to-day operations of HNE’s Legal Department, from reviewing contracts to providing regulatory guidance and maintaining licenses and accreditation. A 40 Under Forty hon- oree in 2021, Bogle is a founding member of HNE’s diversity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) committee, which strives to embed DEIB and health equity into HNE’s strategic plan, mission, operations, commu- nity outreach, and member community. She currently serves as president of Art for the Soul Gallery’s board of directors in addition to working on other commu- nity projects.
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Recipient of the 40 Under Forty award in 2009, Corey Murphy is president of First American Insur- ance Agency and CMS Associates, second-generation businesses started in 1986 and 1994, respectively. First American has two locations, in Chicopee and Brimfield. A veteran of the U.S. Marines who served four years of active duty and 16 years in the Reserves, Murphy has served on the boards of the Greater Chi- copee Chamber of Commerce and Soldier On Inc., including stints as chair of both boards. He currently serves on the Holyoke Community College Founda- tion Board, recently completing three years as board chair.
Craig Swimm (center) with Dina McMahon and Chris Kellogg from the WMAS Kellogg Krew.
coming up with new and innovative ideas to encour- age donations and volunteers. And he is the first to say after the event, ‘OK, let’s meet and come up with new ideas for next year.’”
Lucie Rubba, sales planner and administrator at Audacy Springfield, had this to say: “Craig possesses an exceptional resourcefulness, consistently navigat- ing through challenges with adeptness and resilience. His ability to improvise effectively when faced with obstacles underscores his leadership prowess, dem- onstrating fairness and astuteness in all his endeav- ors. He embraces every challenge with open arms, whether it’s a 3K run/walk, a food drive, or particu- larly an event for children. He is invariably present, ready to lend his support in any capacity needed.”
For his part, Swimm said his job comes down to leading Audacy Springfield through the myriad chal- lenges now facing all radio stations and groups — and all media outlets, for that matter — and also making sure that Greater Springfield, one of the smaller mar-
Amy Royal is the founding owner and principal of the Royal Law Firm LLP, a boutique, woman- owned corporate law firm headquartered in Western Mass. with additional offices in Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Royal is a 2009 40 Under Forty recipient and the 2023 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award winner. She is a trial attorney specializing in management-side labor and employment law and commercial litigation. Active in the community, she is a volunteer and board officer at several area nonprofits, including the Springfield Ballers and the Center for Human Development.
kets in the huge Audacy portfolio, is heard loud and clear. And while doing that, he’s always looking for new ways to make an impact within the community.
“Every day is a little different,” he acknowledged. “But I’m always focused on our two clients — the lis- teners and our advertisers. Every one of my decisions involves making sure we’re putting out a good product and that we’re connecting to the community.”
He points to numerous success stories, but espe- cially the CMN radiothon and the job fairs, conducted in conjunction with MassHire Springfield, that are staged at the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The job fairs have changed and evolved as the economy has, he told BusinessWest, noting that, most recently, they’ve become a way for employers strug- gling to fill openings to become visible and tell their stories to those looking to enter the job market or take their next career step.
“We started during the Great Recession, and I think we’ve found jobs for 10,000 people since we started this,” he explained. “Back then, we had three companies and 5,000 people show up; now we have 40 companies and 300 people show up. I’m super proud of it because we’ve found so many people jobs; people have walked out of these expos who were hired on the spot. They’re walking through the Hall of Fame, and they’re saying, ‘I got hired.’ They’re happy, there’s tears, and ... you’re part of that.”
He’s been part of a great many things since he joined the 40 Under Forty club 17 years ago, and he’s continously looking for ways to add to that list, while continuing to be an effective manager and mentor. This is the very definition of the Alumni Achievement Award and the reason why Swimm is now a finalist for that honor. BW
—George O’Brien
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Swimm
remains live and local, at a time when far fewer sta- tions can make those claims; and especially the sta- tions’ commitment to the community.
That commitment, through Swimm’s direction, now includes everything from book drives to job fairs to the hugely successful radiothon to benefit Baystate Children’s Hospital, which, in many ways, eptoimizes the station’s commitment to the community and Swimm’s own desire to use its impresssive reach to make an impact.
“We’ve raised more than $4 million since we started this,” he said, adding quickly that the station’s efforts have also yielded books, winter coats, bike hel- mets, and much more.
Those who nominated Swimm for the Alumni Achievement Award — and there were several from Audacy Springfield that did so — described him as a caring and effective manager, but also a mentor.
“Success to Craig is watching his team become better versions of themselves,” wrote Chris Duggan, an account executive. “That can be said for current employees, but also past employees who have gone on to new careers. They all will say that they owe their success to Craig for the type of manager and mentor he was.”
Dina McMahon, an on-air personality and member of the Kellogg Krew, agreed, and talked about some- thing she called Swimm’s ‘1% philosophy.’
“Craig has strongly supported many local organi- zations, but he is always looking to make something bigger, better, stronger,” she wrote. “His philosophy is always do 1% better today than the day before, and he lives by that motto.
“One of our biggest community efforts is the 94.7 WMAS Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Radiothon for Baystate Children’s Hospital,” McMahon added. “Each year, Craig spearheads the station’s effort, encouraging more sponsors to support the cause,
12 JUNE 10, 2024
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