Page 73 - BusinessWest November 28, 2022

Difference Makers Nominations
Through Dec. 10: BusinessWest is now accepting nominations for its Difference Makers class of 2023. This program, initiated in 2009, is a celebration of individuals, groups, organizations, and families that are positively impacting the Pioneer Valley and are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. As previous classes have shown, there are many ways to do this: through work within the com- munity on one or many initiatives to improve quality of life; through success in business, public service, or education; through contributions that inspire oth- ers to get involved; through imaginative efforts to help solve one or more societal issues; or through
a combination of the above. Nominations for the class of 2023 are due by Saturday, Dec. 10, and can be submitted at businesswest.com/difference-makers- nomination-form. For more information, call Melissa Hallock, Marketing and Events director, at (413) 781- 8600, ext. 100, or email [email protected].
LumiNAMA Holiday Lights
Nov. 23 to Jan. 1: The North Adams Chamber of Commerce announced the first citywide LumiNAMA holiday lights initiative. LumiNAMA is intended to brighten up the city, give residents and visitors a memorable experience, and encourage foot traffic during the holiday season. All businesses, not just downtown businesses, in North Adams are encour- aged to create a window display and illuminate their windows with holiday lights from 4 to 8 p.m. daily, coinciding with the city’s tree-lighting ceremony on the evening of Nov. 23. The LumiNAMA downtown holiday lights route will run along Marshall, Holden, Main, and Eagle streets, and Route 2 between Big Y
Realty
Continued from page 65 he believes is just one
of the company’s attributes as it works to expand its portfolio and grow market share.
Others include the staff itself. It is young, with
the average age of the brokers being in the 30s, and diverse, with brokers coming from different back- grounds in business, he said, adding that these vari- ous attributes are beneficial in this market and many others where demographics are changing.
“Not one person in this company had commercial real-estate brokerage experience prior to joining,” he said, adding that the different work experiences have brought fresh perspectives on how to do things.
Also beneficial, he said, is the high level of involve- ment, and communication, with clients, that has been the company’s MO.
“A broker is, by definition, someone who intro- duces two parties to consumate a relationship of a deal,” Casey explained. “But we’re very involved ...
Crypto
Continued from page 8
you may be a long-term investor and want to hold onto the investment believing that there will be future gains. There is an opportunity to reduce your tax lia- bility by selling cryptocurrency that has decreased in value for a capital loss and then buy the same cryp- tocurrency immediately after the sale. This would
not violate the wash-sale rules since cryptocurrency is not viewed as a stock or security. The capital losses generated by this strategy could be used to offset any capital gains that you may have.
and behind 85 Main St. Many downtown businesses have already committed to participating in the ini- tiative, including MASS MoCA, MCLA, and Gallery 51. The city of North Adams will also assist in install- ing lights along Route 2. Additionally, the chamber
is connecting commercial real-estate owners with local artists and community groups to activate unoc- cupied storefronts. Businesses interested in par- ticipating in LumiNAMA are encouraged to register their display by Nov. 18 at nachamber.org/luminama. Those who register will be considered for the follow- ing awards: Brightest Lights, Best Window Display, and Best Art Installation. Voting begins on Nov. 23 and ends on Dec. 14. Winners will be announced on Dec. 16.
Women of Impact Gala
Dec. 8: BusinessWest has long recognized the contri- butions of women within the business community and created the Women of Impact awards in 2018
to further honor women who have the authority
and power to move the needle in their business, are respected for accomplishments within their indus- tries, give back to the community, and are sought out as respected advisors and mentors within their field of influence. The class of 2022 features Latoya Bosworth, program officer at Mass Humanities; Sr. Mary Caritas of the Sisters of Providence; Jodi Falk, executive director of Rachel’s Table; Anika Lopes, Amherst town councilor and president of Ancestral Bridges; Laurie Raymaakers, president of J.L. Ray- maakers & Sons Inc.; Hilda Roqué, executive director of Nuestras Raíces Inc.; Ashley Sullivan, president of O’Reilly, Talbot & Okun; and Aelan Tierney, president of Kuhn Riddle Architects. Their stories are told in the Oct. 31 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.
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hands-on, white-glove experience with transaction coordination and transaction management; we work with clients so they truly get the experience they want.
the staff that we have here act like paralegals, so our deals don’t fall apart. We like to say that we provide
a hands-on, white-glove experience with transac- tion coordination and transaction management; we work with clients so they truly get the experience they want.”
Are there some risks with tax-loss harvesting? Of course there are. There is usually a transaction fee associated with buying and selling cryptocurrencies that some exchanges (such as Coinbase, Kraken, or others) charge. This fee could be as high as 4%. Does the cost of the transaction outweigh the tax savings that could be generated from this strategy? As men- tioned previously, there are talks of pulling crypto- currencies into the wash-sale rule, so this should be monitored if you are thinking about this strategy.
Lastly, while tax-loss harvesting defers your capi- tal gains, it does not eliminate them forever. This is
com. The fifth annual Women of Impact Gala will take place at the Sheraton Springfield, One Monarch Place. Tickets cost $85 per person, and tables of 10 are available. Visit businesswest.com/blog/women-of- impact-event-tickets to purchase tickets. The event’s presenting sponsors are Country Bank and Tom- myCar Auto Group, and the supporting sponsors are Comcast Business, Granite State Development Corp., and Smith Executive Education.
Agenda
‘A Holiday Musicale’
Dec. 11: MOSSO, the Musicians of the Spring-
field Symphony Orchestra, will present “MOSSO
and Friends: A Holiday Musicale” at 4 p.m. at First Church of Christ, 763 Longmeadow St., Long- meadow. The family-friendly concert showcases the talents of violinist Marsha Harbison, cellist Boris Kogan, pianist Sofya Shainskaya, and baritone John Thomas. The program features selections from Bach, Beethoven, Beach, Broadway, and holiday favorites. The full program will be announced from the stage. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased in advance by visiting www.eventbrite.com/e/mosso-and-friends-a- holiday-musicale-tickets-456534696567. Tickets may also be available at the door one hour prior to the performance.
Signs of the Times
Like the lobbies of most all commercial-real estate firms, the one at SR boasts photos of properties it handles or has handled.
Casey pointed to framed aerial images of Thornes Marketplace, a section of downtown Hartford, and the Channing Beete property in Deerfield, before it was transformed by Treehouse.
The goal moving forward, obviously, is to build on this collection and fill more walls with pictures.
This can be done by focusing on the proverbial big picture, he went on, referring, again, to the com- pany’s focus on listening to customers, hearing what they’re saying, and responding accordingly.
By continuing to do that, this growing company can make even more noise in this highly competitive industry. u
George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]
a strategy based on the time value of money where tax savings now can be used to invest in more capital assets that will generate income in the future.
As with any tax article, the famous last words: as always, you should see your tax professional advisor if you have any tax questions or concerns. u
Sean Wandrei is a senior lecturer in Taxation at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst; [email protected]
We like to say that we provide a
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