Page 12 - BusinessWest June 13, 2022

Editorial
CAOVID Eases, but Challenges Remain
BusinessWest
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John Gormally [email protected]
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Christine Longhi [email protected]
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EVENTS MANAGER
Melissa Hallock [email protected]
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Cindy Sears [email protected]
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s spring prepares to turn to summer, there are many business will tell you that navigating a restaurant through the pan- positive signs for the region’s economy as it moves ever demic of the last two years has been a monumental task.
closer to the normal that we have all been seeking since “We have always been successful because of our staff, managers,
we first heard that word ‘COVID’ back in early March of 2020. Indeed, the tourism sector seems poised for a strong summer
(see page 31) as those who have been shut in, to one degree or another, for the past 27 months, are poised to make up for some lost time. Couple that with soaring gas prices, soaring prices to fly, and soaring prices to stay in a hotel, and many will be opting for day trips and staying closer to home, which also bodes well for our local tourism and hospitality economy, which is geared toward those types of visits.
But amid the many promising signs, there are many stark reminders that, if what we’ve been in for the past two years could be considered the woods, we are certainly not out of them — not by a long shot.
And we need look no further than Northampton and the now shuttered Sylvester’s restaurant for ample proof of that sobering fact.
The owners of that establishment were nearing 40 years of ser- vice to the Pioneer Valley when they decided, in their words, to “simplify their lives.’ By that, they meant that they would focus on their other restaurant, Roberto’s, also in Northampton, and close Sylvester’s, which focused exclusively on breakfast and lunch and was a favorite of many in this region, a landmark in every sense of the word.
“Our hearts are heavy as we make a difficult announcement,” they wrote on FaceBook. “After 39 years of serving the Pioneer Val- ley, we have decided to close our doors at Sylvester’s. Anyone in the
Opinion
and family,” they went on. “Many of our staff had come back to us after being laid off twice in the past year. They’ve endured a mask mandate in a steamy kitchen, endless challenges, labor shortages, and the struggles and worries brought on by COVID-19.”
Slicing through all this and reading between the lines, it’s clear that, while the pandemic has loosened its grip on the region and its business community, this fight is far from over. And it’s likely that Sylvester’s will not be the last casualty.
Indeed, businesses of all kinds, but especially those in hospital- ity, retail, and other service businesses, are still struggling to turn back the clock to 2019. In fact, most have realized there is simply no returning to the way things were.
Wages have skyrocketed and myriad other costs have risen in ways that could not have been imagined two years ago. Some busi- nesses can pass along these higher costs, but others have a much harder time doing so. Meanwhile, it has become painfully clear that the workforce crisis, like inflation itself, is not temporary — or any- where near as temporary as we all would like.
Finding help, even at the going, much-higher rates seen today, is a daunting task, and for some, it has proven too daunting.
As we mourn the loss of Sylvester’s and the traditions it
spawned, we are reminded that, while the skies are certainly brighter in this region and the pandemic has eased its grip, COVID and its many side-effects are still a considerable force to be reck- oned with. v
Building on Records of Accomplishment
In 2015, BusinessWest decided to add a new layer of intrigue to its popular 40 Under Forty Program.
The new wrinkle involved a separate
award that would be presented to the 40 Under Forty honoree who, in the minds of a panel of independent judges, had most impressively built on their resume of both excellence in their chosen field and work within the community. We call it the Alum- ni Achievement Award, or AAA for short.
And over the years, this award has become one of the most coveted that we present each year because of what it rep- resents — specifically a deep and ongoing commitment to this region.
Indeed, it has become a symbol of excel- lence, but actually much more than that. It has become a symbol of caring about this region we call home and a passion for mak- ing it a better place to live, work, and oper- ate a business.
Which brings us to this year’s three finalists for the AAA award (see stories, starting on page 6), all of whom exemplify the reasons we created it in the first place. Only one will take home the award at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 16, but all of
them are very worthy:
• Amanda Garcia was vice president
of Operations for Junior Achievement when she became a 40 Under Forty hon- oree in 2010. At that time, she had recently launched her own accounting firm. In the ensuing years she has moved into higher education, as a professor of accounting and finance at Elms College. At Elms, she has helped launched and build the MBA program and create new initiatives such as a program in Entrepreneurship.
Meanwhile, she has grown her business — it now boasts three employees — and remained committed to JA and other non- profits in the region. She has also become a mentor and coach to many entrepreneurs and young people looking for guidance on college and life in general;
• Anthony Gleason II was also part of the 40 Under Forty Class of 2010. Back then, he was 24, but already a successful businessperson, especially with his own venture, Gleason Johndrow Landscap- ing. In the ensuing years, he has grown that venture into one of the largest snow- removal companies in the country, while also building an impressive commercial
real estate portfolio.
In the community, Gleason and his
company have become strong support-
ers of the Spirit of Springfield and its many initiatives, especially its annual pancake breakfast and Bright Nights, but it also sup- ports many other nonprofits and specific fund-raising efforts;
• Amy Royal became a 40 Under Forty honoree one year earlier than her co-final- ists. Since 2009, she has grown her law firm and diversified its roster of services, adding national and international clients ranging from Google to Macy’s to Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Meanwhile, in the community, she con- tinues to lend her time and talents to a number of nonprofits, from the Center for Human Development to the Springfield Ballers.
Overall, these three finalists are shining examples of why BusinessWest created the Alumni Achievement Award and why this honor has become so coveted. There are now more than 600 women and men with 40 Under Forty plaques in their offices; these finalists represent the best of the best. v
12 JUNE 13, 2022
OPINION
BusinessWest