Page 38 - BusinessWest March 17, 2025

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Holyoke
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Current Events
As noted earlier, there are several projects in vari- ous stages of development in Hoyoke, and many con- verging storylines.
One of the most intriguing involves new-business development, especially in green energy and related sectors, where a cluster is emerging as companies eye Holyoke for location, available and relatively inex- pensive real estate, and, especially, its lower-cost, clean electricity, said Jim Lavelle, general manager of Holyoke Gas & Electric (HG&E), which provides that energy.
“We’ve been trying to promote not only the lower utility rates here, but the clean energy that customers can promote with their products and hopefully help with sales,” said Lavelle, adding that Sublime Sys- tems is just one of many businesses, large and small, that have chosen Holyoke for that reason, among others.
As an example, he cited Simple Pack, a company now located in Open Square that manufactures green food packaging to restaurants, schools, hospital caf- eterias, and food distributors. Being able to say such products are produced with clean energy, in this case hydropower, is important to the company’s mission and a strong selling point with its clients, he said.
There are several similar examples, said Lavelle, who will gain a different title in a few days — grand marshal of Holyoke’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
While his father served in that role decades ago, Lavelle never expected to wear that hat himself because, while he’s long been somewhat involved in the parade, he has never served on its committee.
He considers the honor a nod to HG&E’s impor- tant role in the city, and is enthusiastic about fulfilling the many duties of grand marshal, including atten- dance at myriad events and, in accordance with tradi- tion, responsibility for parade-day weather.
“I have a much greater appreciation for the effort that goes into all these different events that the
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“In Holyoke, we want to be among
the first communities to adapt and implement that opportunity for on-site consumption. If we can bring people into our city to spend money, that’s a plus.”
parade committee puts on,” he said. “And I have a much greater appreciation for how strong a regional collaboration exists between the different communi- ties’ parade committees and other civic organizations and the sponsors; they really work hand-in-hand on all these different events that happen across Western Mass.”
Putting his HG&E hat back on, figuratively if not literally, Lavelle said Sublime Systems, which he believes should be ready to starting building its facil- ity later this year or early next, will soon become the utility’s largest customer, with 10 to 12 megawatts
of demand. That’s a huge draw, but one it can easily absorb thanks to transmission-system upgrades, he went on, adding that the HG&E has the capacity to attract several more large users and dozens of small- er ones.
Attracting these businesses is one of many priori- ties for the city, said Vega, noting that there have been a steady volume of meet-and-greets in recent years, and more are on the schedule.
Many of these sessions involve early-stage com- panies, many of them in green-energy or green-man- ufacturing ventures, he said, adding that, in addition to city officials, the leaders of companies like Clean Crop, which uses electricity to revolutionize food safe- ty, are often in the room to discuss Holyoke and its many selling points.
“If they’re a little further along and they have spe- cific questions, we’ll bring in Holyoke Gas & Electric to talk about the energy portfolio they can provide,”
“When you’re managing employees, you must play the long game. You must be consistent with the application of company rules and policies and provide continuous training, especially manager trainings.”
she said. “I tell people all the time, ‘I can’t control how you feel inside.’ However, when you walk into
the workplace, I can set the expectation of what is appropriate conduct and what’s acceptable and what we expect here at our company and the vision and the mission that we have.
“You bring your true self to work. And we want you to bring your true self, your authentic self, to work. That’s why they hired you,” she went on. “But you need to be civil with everyone else’s true self, too.”
the mayor went on. “We’re on people’s radar — we just need to put the package together to bring them in.”
Which brings him back to that ongoing challenge of offering them spaces that are ready to move into. There aren’t many of them in the city, but he’s in dis- cussions with some building owners about possibly partnering with the city to develop co-work, start-up, or innovation space.
“That’s a direction we want to go in,” he told Busi- nessWest. “We want to keep these small businesses local; we want to keep them here and give them an opportunity to grow their business.”
Bottom Line
As for businesses already growing in Holyoke, there are many in the cannabis sector, which, while it is experiencing strong growing pains, remains a force in Holyoke, Garcia said.
He noted that social consumption, or so-called cannabis cafés, constitutes the next frontier for this industry — the Cannabis Control Commission is tak- ing up regulatory reforms on such facilities — and for some establishments in Holyoke, it could be a real lifeline in this time of growing challenge.
“In Holyoke, we want to be among the first com- munities to adapt and implement that opportunity for on-site consumption,” he said, likening these estab- lishments to bars and restaurants in the sense of attracting people to the community. “If we can bring people into our city to spend money, that’s a plus.”
With cannabis, as with many of the other story- lines unfolding in Holyoke, Garcia said he remains a “glass-full leader.”
That means he’s optimistic, but also realistic. It means he understands that, while much has been accomplished, there’s still much to do, and on many fronts.
It means he’s more bullish on his hometown than ever. BW
Playing the Long Game
Speaking of unpleasant interactions, Cannon also counsels employers on how to discipline and, if neces- sary, terminate difficult employees.
“Many employers are walking on eggshells around their employees; they are afraid to say or do anything to upset them out of fear that they will get sued, even if the employee is a toxic employee. But it doesn’t have to be that way,” she explained. “You can’t control who goes down to the courthouse to sue, but if you do it right, set the stage for a proper defense, you don’t have to tiptoe.
“When you’re managing employees, you must play the long game,” she added. “You must be consistent with the application of company rules and policies and provide continuous training, especially manager trainings. I can assist with that. I can team up with
an employer to implement a strategy over the long haul that will benefit the company and keep their staff happy, too. That is what I do. It’s what I love to do.” BW
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Cannon
for years, and I think we’ve all just gotten used to it. “Now, I do believe that there will be some narrow- ing. I think they’re doing it with a sledgehammer, and
it shouldn’t be done that way, but I do think some of the fallout will lessen. And what remains will get built back up when it needs to be.”
That said, some of the regulations that could be loosened are safety regulations, which were put in place to create better workplaces.
“If you’re a good business and you have best prac- tices, you’re not doing it just because the regulators tell you to,” Cannon noted. “You’re doing it because it’s a good way to do business. If some of these regu- lations go by the wayside, but it’s going to hurt your business, or it’s just not a good ethical way to do busi- ness, then I’m going to counsel you to continue on with this.”
One major discussion in HR and employment-law circles is the topic of civility in a fiercely divided politi- cal climate.
“I do train for that as well. How do we maintain our authentic selves but still be civil to other people, to someone who may not have your same belief set?”
38 MARCH 17, 2025
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