Picture This

By
Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

 

Brrrrrr

The polar plunge and draft horse wagon rides were just two highlights of Winterfest 2024, a series of events, culminating on Feb. 11, presented by the Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee as a fundraiser for the committee’s cleanup and preservation efforts in and around the pond in Easthampton. The committee’s annual maintenance and operating costs are approximately $10,000, which is why Winterfest is so important.

Photo by Colin McGahan

 

 

Special Experience

American International College (AIC) hosted the 2024 Western Massachusetts Basketball League Tournament for Special Olympics Massachusetts (SOMA) at AIC’s Butova Gym on Jan. 21, Feb. 4, and Feb. 17. The campus community supported three weekends of games, with student volunteers assisting with scoring and timing, student-athletes interacting with players, and others cheering from the stands, creating an uplifting experience for the 79 SOMA participants.

Photo by AIC student Swastik Chuke

 

 

Welcome Home

Bluebird Estates, a Holiday by Atria independent-living community in East Longmeadow, recently completed a renovation project for capital upgrades in design and amenities. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Feb. 22 with state Sen. Jacob Oliveira, state Rep. Brian Ashe, East Longmeadow Town Manager Thomas Christensen, Deputy Town Manager Rebecca Lisi, and others, followed by refreshments, live entertainment, and community tours.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Feb. 22 with state Sen. Jacob Oliveira, state Rep. Brian Ashe, East Longmeadow Town Manager Thomas Christensen, Deputy Town Manager Rebecca Lisi, and others, followed by refreshments, live entertainment, and community tours.

 

 

Shining Stars

The Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce hosted its 39th annual Shining Stars Awards Gala, themed “The Greatest Show in Chicopee,” on March 1 at the Castle of Knights in Chicopee. Presented by Westfield Bank, this year’s event featured performers from SHOW Circus Studio in Easthampton roaming about the event.  (Photos by Michael Epaul Photography)

The evening’s hosts, Hayley Procon (left) and Jeremy Procon (right), present the Business of the Year honor to Michelle and Peter Wirth of Mercedes-Benz of Springfield

 

Citizen of the Year Ashley Kohl with her “ohana,” which is Hawaiian for family

 

a group of attendees, including Amie Miarecki and Tracey Alves-Lear from Nonprofit of the Year Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, along with Volunteer of the Year Daryl Grabowski, pose for a selfie with a stilt walker

 

 

 

Agenda

By
Agenda

Pynchon Award Nominations

Through March 31: The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts is seeking nominations from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties for the Pynchon Award, which recognizes area citizens who have rendered outstanding service to the community. To nominate an individual, submit a letter explaining why the nominee should be considered. Be sure to include biographical information, outstanding accomplishments, examples of service to the community, organizations he or she is or has been active in, and the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of at least three people who can further attest to the nominee’s eligibility for induction into the Order of William Pynchon. The Pynchon trustees reserve the right to eliminate nominations from consideration due to insufficient information. Qualifying nominees will be considered and researched by the Pynchon trustees, composed of the current and five past presidents of the Advertising Club. Nominations should be submitted to William Pynchon Trustees, Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts, P.O. Box 1022, West Springfield, MA 01090-1022 or by email to [email protected]. The 2024 recipients will be announced in June, with an awards ceremony tentatively scheduled for the fall.

 

Spirit of Girls Fundraiser

March 22: Girls Inc. of the Valley’s annual major fundraiser is back at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Spirit of Girls: Rewind // Fast Forward features co-lead sponsors PeoplesBank and the Women’s Foundation of Boston. Guests and attendees will hear the impactful stories of Girls Inc. youth, families, alumni, and more. The evening will include heavy appetizers and a cash bar. Girls Inc. of the Valley is actively seeking sponsors and volunteers to support the event. Sponsors include PeoplesBank, the Women’s Foundation of Boston, Hazen Paper Co., bankESB, BonaVita Aesthetics, the Collins Companies, Monson Savings Bank, SourcePass, UMass Amherst, Parker’s Portables, Kuhn Riddle Architects, and the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts.

 

Bay Path President’s Gala

March 23: Bay Path University announced its fifth President’s Gala, themed “Breaking Through,” will be held at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The evening will begin with a 5:30 p.m. VIP reception, followed by dinner, program presentations, and dancing. Tickets can be purchased by visiting baypath.edu/gala or calling (413) 565-1063. The gala will focus on supporting learners enrolled in healthcare degree programs, recognizing their resilience and dedication. Like many regions across the country, Western Mass. faces shortages in many healthcare professions, including primary-care physicians, nurses, and mental-health providers. Through its more than 20 undergraduate and graduate healthcare degrees, Bay Path is educating and training future healthcare workers to be on the front line of helping to keep communities safe and healthy. Proceeds from the gala will directly contribute to scholarships, resources, and initiatives that benefit learners pursuing healthcare degrees, reinforcing Bay Path University’s commitment to fostering excellence in the healthcare field, she added. Both healthcare policy and advocacy play crucial roles in shaping the healthcare landscape in Western Mass. To that end, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and Sr. Mary Caritas, SP will be honorary chairs for this event. To view a full list of gala committee members, sponsors, and additional event details, visit baypath.edu/gala.

 

Second Chance Dinner Auction

March 23: Tickets for the 25th annual Second Chance Dinner Auction are now available for purchase. This significant fundraising event marks the kickoff of Second Chance Animal Services’ year-long 25th-anniversary celebration, promising an evening of philanthropy and joy to benefit homeless shelter pets in need of veterinary care. The event will take place at the La Salle Reception Center in Southbridge. The evening will commence with a cocktail hour at 4 p.m., giving attendees the opportunity to peruse and bid on myriad silent-auction items and try their luck with raffle prizes. The main event unfolds with dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the highlight of the night, the auction. Tickets are $55 per person with the option to reserve a table of nine for $495. The success of the event relies on the generosity of sponsors and item donors. Second Chance encourages businesses and individuals to consider lending their support by becoming a sponsor or contributing items. As noted, the event features both a silent and live auction featuring hundreds of items ranging from gift certificates for local businesses and restaurants to gift baskets and everything in between. To enhance the auction experience, a selection of gift cards and small, easy-to-ship items will be available for advance online bidding March 14-21. For those interested in sponsoring, donating items, or attending the event, complete information and tickets can be found at www.secondchanceanimals.org/dinner-auction.

 

Women’s Leadership Conference

April 4: Bay Path University announced that real-estate legend, investor, best-selling author, entrepreneur, producer, and Shark Tank shark Barbara Corcoran will be the keynote speaker at the 27th Women’s Leadership Conference (WLC), taking place at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. Corcoran has been an investor/shark on ABC’s four-time Emmy award-winning show Shark Tank for 10 seasons, investing in more than 80 businesses to date. She chronicled her rise from waiting tables in a New York diner to heading a $5 billion real-estate company in her bestselling book, Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business! She’ll bring her personal brand of no-nonsense wisdom and supportive advice to the more than 1,600 attendees who are expected to attend this year’s WLC. The WLC will also feature lunchtime speaker Amy Purdy, a three-time Paralympic medalist in snowboarding for Team USA. This year’s conference will also feature breakout sessions led by business experts and authors, including Yvonne Camus, the former COO of SPINCO, Canada’s largest indoor cycling brand and the only female to outperform the Navy Seals in the multi-terrain adventure race known as Eco-Challenge. In addition, the WLC will welcome Sylvia Baffour, an author, podcast host, and emotional-intelligence coach recently ranked by HubSpot among the top 15 female motivational speakers. Additional keynote and breakout session speakers will be announced soon. For further information on the 2024 conference, sponsorship information, and ticket sales, visit baypath.edu/wlc.

 

Margarita Madness

April 4: The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce will host its largest event of the year, Margarita Madness, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Interskate 91 at the Hampshire Mall. Attendees will network and enjoy an evening of tasty margaritas and vote for this year’s fan favorite. Local restaurants showcase their culinary skills, and dozens of raffle prizes are donated by Amherst Area Chamber members. The event’s presenting sponsor is TommyCar Auto Group, and the supporting sponsor is Hampshire Mall. The cost is $35 pre-registered or $45 at the door. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s Emergency Department. Visit business.amherstarea.com/events/details/2024-margarita-madness-24121 to purchase tickets.

 

Difference Makers 

April 10: The 16th annual Difference Makers Gala will be held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Since 2009, BusinessWest has been recognizing the work of individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions through this recognition program. The 2024 Difference Makers — profiled in the Feb. 19 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com — are Matt Bannister, senior vice president, Marketing and Corporate Responsibility, PeoplesBank; Delcie Bean, CEO, Paragus Strategic I.T.; Linda Dunlavy, executive director, Franklin Regional Council of Governments; Dr. Fred and Mary Kay Kadushin, co-founders, Feed the Kids; Scott Keiter, CEO, Keiter; the staff of Rock 102; Shannon Rudder, president and CEO, Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services; and Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Springfield Chamber Players. Tickets cost $95 each, with reserved tables of 10-12 available and available now through March 29. Partner sponsors for the 2024 Difference Makers include Burkhart, Pizzanelli, P.C., Keiter, Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health, the Royal Law Firm, and TommyCar Auto Group. Supporting sponsors include the Springfield Thunderbirds and Westfield Bank. For more event details and to reserve tickets, visit businesswest.com/difference-makers/difference-makers-tickets.

 

Hooplandia

June 21-23: Registration is now open for Hooplandia, the second annual 3×3 basketball tournament and festival, at www.hooplandia.com. The three-day event includes levels of play for all ages and divisions. Hooplandia launched in 2023. Taking place in the heart of Greater Springfield, the birthplace of basketball, the event is hosted by Eastern States Exposition (ESE) in West Springfield and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Most games will be played on the ESE grounds, with special games held at the Hall of Fame. Seventy-five basketball courts will be set up to accommodate more than 650 games played by approximately 2,100 participants of all ages. Divisions of play have been created to provide an all-inclusive environment for players of all ages and playing abilities. The diverse divisions include young girls, boys, women, men, high-school-level, college-level, OGs, veterans, and more. Players are invited to build teams of four, create their own unique team name and uniforms, and register at www.hooplandia.com. Team fees range according to age, and children in the under-8 category are free of charge. Hooplandia will once again partner with Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the region as its designated philanthropic partner.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of February 2024.

AMHERST

Alkemia LLC
150 Fearing St.
Sara Russell

Alpine Commons
133 Belchertown Road
Mass Alpine Commons LLC

Amherst Grant Consulting
6 University Dr., Suite 206
Michael Wright

Amherst Guitar Works
3 Sand Hill Road
Maximo Heuck

Aspen Chase
615 Main St.
Aspen Chase Woodbridge LLC

Borges Co.
370 Northampton Road, Apt. A
Oscar Borges

Gordon’s Gardens
95 Columbia Dr.
Gordon Kaufman

Hair by Harlow
220 North Pleasant St.
Lora Gross

J&J Farms
324 Meadow St.
Michael Waskiewicz, Joseph Waskiewicz Jr.

Johnson Woodworks and Remodeling LLC
333 Strong St.
William Johnson

The Laundry Club
6 University Dr.
Peter Colt

Newmarket Dentistry
28 University Dr.
Ayad Ahmed

Nouria Energy Retail Inc.
399 Northampton St.
Tony El-Nemr

PhD Painting
151 Shays St.
Laura Quinn

PZ Home Care Solutions LLC
1175 Bay Road
Heather Monoc

Stone House Farm
649 East Pleasant St.
Candace Talley

Unique Potential Educational Consulting
48 Fairfield St.
Karen Harrington

BELCHERTOWN

Barton Beeswax Candles
72 Barton Ave.
Melissa Hibler

Cold Spring Country Club
336 Chauncey Walker St.
Xiaowei Guo

Pioneer Valley Brews Cruise
18 Pepper Ridge Dr.
Scott Beaulieu

Upright Home Improvements
241 Franklin St.
Douglas Murray

DEERFIELD

2 J’s Landscaping
60 North Main St.
Joshua Candelaria

HADLEY

Exotic Auto S&S
373 River Dr.
Paul Narus

Hadley Concrete Service
35 Middle St.
Christopher Baj

Hukowicz Farm
35 East St.
Andrew Hukowicz

Joy Bowl
344 Russell St., Unit 13
Ru Jing Zhao

Meadow Street Styles
31 Meadow St.
Heather Salvatore

Smithland Pet Center
335 Russell St.
CT Gardens LLC

Supercuts
344 Russell St., Suite 7
Peterborough Group LLC

ZHI Services
245 Russell St.
Zachary Zahradnik

HOLYOKE

Clean Queen Car Wash
185 South St.
Richard Sherwood, Nicole Stasz

Jo-Ann Stores #677
2267 Northampton St.
Jo-Ann Stores LLC

Pandora
50 Holyoke St.
Pandora Ventures LLC

Rewarding Tax Services
284 Maple St.
Lidia Rodriguez

Sabracadabra
2 Loomis Ave.
Sabrina Vaissiere

Scorpio’s Lair Creations
33 Maple Crest Circle
Sarah King

A Touch of Beauty Hair and Nails
50 Holyoke St.
Hoang Vo

SOUTH HADLEY

BSS Additive
46 North Main St.
Brainstorm Studio LLC

Fishing Hole
103 Main St.
Matthew Yacovone

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Hannah Pimenta

Hannah Pimenta

Alex LaValley

Alex LaValley

1Berkshire announced the addition of two staff members, one on the Member Services team and one on the Economic Development team. In addition, 1Berkshire has also added four new members to its board of directors. Hannah Pimenta assumed the role of Member Engagement associate. In her position, she will support the director of Member Services with membership-related initiatives, special events, and the Berkshire Leadership Program. Additionally, she will work in conjunction with the 1Berkshire business office, President and CEO Jonathan Butler, the 1Berkshire Strategic Alliance board of directors, and the 1Berkshire Foundation board. Pimenta is certified in project management and has a bachelor’s degree in English and communications from MCLA. She previously worked for Berkshire Family & Individual Resources before joining the 1Berkshire team. Alex LaValley joined the Economic Development team as Economic Development associate. In this position, he will work with both the vice president of Economic Development and the deputy director of Economic Development. 1Berkshire also announced that Ari Zorn of Devine Retail Cannabis, Christian Hanson of Balderdash Cellars, Scott St. George of Berkshire Health Systems, and Dubois Thomas of Blackshires Community Empowerment Foundation have joined the 1Berkshire board of directors for 2024.

•••••

Evan Garber

Evan Garber

Evan Garber has been named senior consultant and vice president of A.L. Cignoli & Associates Inc. Garber, who received his master’s degree in public affairs from the UMass Amherst School of Public Policy, started working with the firm as an intern during his time as an undergraduate student at UMass studying political science and education. He attended Chicopee High School and found his first interest in history, theater, leadership, economics, and politics there. Throughout his time at UMass, he was able to refine those interests. While in college, he chaired the UMass Theatre Guild, got experience working in grassroots political campaigns, was on the student staff of the UMass Marching Band, and got his class B commercial driver’s license to work at UMass Transit. Garber will be responsible for oversight of all Cignoli client efforts. He works directly with company President Anthony Cignoli on all daily client operations, including drafting strategies, media monitoring, designing solutions that are customized to the firm’s unique clients, and contributing to the successful results of clients.

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Maybury Material Handling, a leading provider of industrial products and services to manufacturing, distribution, and warehousing customers throughout New England, announced a transition of leadership as John Maybury, who has served as president for almost five decades, assumes the role of chairperson, and his son, William Maybury, assumes the role of president. John established Maybury Material Handling in 1976, and the company began by making benches, stools, and cabinets. From there, it got into warehouse racks and shelving and now provides many automated material-handling products, including conveyors, conveyor systems, lift trucks, and more. Will has been involved in the business for as long as he can remember. From taking out the trash as a child to working in inventory to learning how to install warehouse equipment, to then coming back in 2015 and working in the Accounting department and serving as controller, he has learned the business from various points of view.

•••••

Christine Byrne

Christine Byrne

Eastern States Exposition (ESE) announced the promotion of Christine Byrne to the position of director of Finance. She assumes this role following the retirement of Jerry Richard in December. Byrne holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in accounting from Western New England University. Her love for numbers started in high school when she took her first accounting class, and she has never looked back. She joined the ESE team last May, initially serving as assistant director of Finance. With more than 25 years of experience in accounting and finance, she brings a wealth of expertise to her new role. Prior to joining ESE, Byrne held the position of chief financial officer at Center of Hope Foundation Inc., demonstrating her commitment to financial excellence and strategic management. Byrne has also held finance and accounting roles at the Tri-Community YMCA, Howlett Lumber Co., Wing Memorial Hospital, and Court Square Group.

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Rose Colon, chair of the board of directors of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services (MLKFS), announced the addition of the following new board members: William Davila, Byron Jones, Rania Kfuri, Dr. Yolanda Marrow, Awildo Morales, and Kimberly Robinson Williams, who will fill the Dora D. Robinson legacy board seat. Davila is vice president of Diversion, Shelter & Housing for the Center for Human Development Inc. in Springfield, as well as a licensed independent clinical social worker in Massachusetts and a licensed clinical social worker in Connecticut. Jones is a digital strategist and government contractor for the International Trade Assoc. (ITA) through Platinum Technologies (PT78) and has 19 years of business and digital strategy experience. Kfuri is a Philanthropy officer at the Baystate Health Foundation and has more than 20 years of development and related experience. Marrow is a pediatric trauma and Acute Care Surgery program manager at Baystate Medical Center and has 31 years of healthcare experience. Morales is a branch manager and Retail Banking and Security officer for Monson Savings Bank and has over 12 years of financial-services experience. Williams is Managing Partner of FDR & Associates LLC, which offers engagement with companies, organizations, and individuals committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She has more than 27 years of experience working in HR, development, alumni relations, and DEI positions.

•••••

Richard Greco

American International College (AIC) announced the appointment of Richard Greco as assistant vice president for Academic Affairs and Student Life. With his experience and proven success in leading teams that drive student success, Greco brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to the institution. In his new role, he will be leading efforts to integrate and align academic affairs and student life, ensuring a seamless support system for students. He will also spearhead innovative program development and foster community partnerships that provide meaning to students and community beyond the classroom. Bringing more than 25 years of management experience, both within and outside higher education, Greco previously served as dean of Liberal and Professional Studies at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and has been a faculty member at AIC since 2012. He holds a master’s degree in biology from the University of Saint Joseph, as well as bachelor’s degrees in human biology and biochemistry from AIC and an associate degree in general studies from STCC. He is currently working toward a doctorate in public administration at West Chester University.

•••••

The International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI) announced that La Wanza Lett-Brewington, Dora Tseng, and Jenni Greenhouse have joined ILI’s board of directors. Lett-Brewington led Old Dominion University’s Women and Gender Equity Center in Norfolk, Va. for nearly a decade. She is now Title IX coordinator and Affirmative Action officer for Greenfield Community College (GCC) and Berkshire Community College. A graduate of GCC and UMass Amherst’s University Without Walls and Graduate School of Education, she is known for innovative work in leadership development, diversity, equity, inclusion, conflict resolution, human-services administration, and crisis management. Tseng is access coordinator of Disability Services at UMass Amherst. In 2023, she celebrated her tenth year in the U.S., having arrived from Taiwan in 2013, and is now a permanent resident. She earned an associate degree from Greenfield Community College and a bachelor’s degree and master of education degree from UMass Amherst. As an immigrant, she is eager to share her experiences with newcomers and also continue her passionate commitment to social justice. Greenhouse moved from her home country of Colombia to Northampton in 2013, quickly enrolled in ILI’s intensive English classes, and studied at GCC. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Western New England University and an MBA from Boston University and is now senior manager of operations for Customer Support at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, Conn. She plans to put her business and leadership skills to use in making an impactful contribution to ILI’s growth and future.

•••••

Jacqueline Charron

Jacqueline Charron

Greenfield Cooperative Bank announced the appointment of Jacqueline (Jackie) Charron as its new senior vice president of Strategy & Implementation. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role. With nearly 40 years in the banking industry, she possesses a track record of leadership and innovation. Charron’s focus will be on navigating the evolving CRA landscape and ensuring the bank thrives under the new regulations. Additionally, she will lend her support across various initiatives within the bank. Her deep understanding of the banking industry is expected to be instrumental in driving the bank’s continued success and reaffirming its commitment to its customers and communities.

•••••

The Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce (GNCC) welcomed five new board members at its first meeting of 2024. Together, they bring to the chamber diverse experience as entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and business managers. The new board members are Jamie Cocco, Caroline Gear, Taylor Robbins, Elena Sharnoff, and Cigdem Turkomer. Cocco owns Empowered Digital Marketing and Empowered Social Media. In addition to his role on the board, he serves on the GNCC’s executive committee and chairs the ambassador committee. He brings an extensive marketing background to the GNCC, along with strong interests in building community and business development. Gear is the executive director of the International Language Institute of Massachusetts in Northampton. As executive director of a nonprofit organization, she brings to the chamber rich experience in working with a board, budgets, fundraising, and more. Robbins is a business relationship manager at UMassFive College Federal Credit Union. With a focus on commercial lending and cash management, she uses her experience in the field to offer individualized advice for business owners. Sharnoff owns B Strategic Communications and brings more than 25 years of experience in strategic communications and marketing, branding, and messaging to her role at the GNCC. She has served on che chamber’s ambassador committee for several years. Turkomer grew up in Istanbul and has spent more than 25 years creating set designs for commercial and documentary films. After studying for several years at San Francisco State University, Cigdem moved back to Northampton to open LeBonNton, which supports women artists and business owners from the U.S. and around the world.

•••••

Derick Santos

Derick Santos

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently welcomed Derick Santos as its veterans-benefits and financial-aid counselor. He joined HCC on Jan. 22. Originally from Lajas, Puerto Rico, Santos holds a bachelor’s degree in computational mathematics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., where he also worked in the Military and Veterans Services department for the university’s online campus. His father is an active-duty serviceman with the Puerto Rican National Guard. In his new role, Santos is HCC’s school-certifying official and will process all benefits for U.S. veterans and military-affiliated students. He will also counsel prospective and returning students through the financial-aid process and serve as part of the counselor on-call rotation.

•••••

Dulye & Co. founder and President Linda Dulye, who 16 years ago established a philanthropic organization to develop and connect emerging leaders in the Berkshires and beyond, has been honored for her achievements by the Zonta Club of Berkshire County. After receiving nominations from the public, Zonta Club members voted on their final choices of Berkshire County women whose outstanding work is building a better world for women and girls. Dulye joins five other women who have made significant contributions in their fields and to the Berkshire community in receiving this annual award. They were recognized at the Zonta International Women’s Day celebration dinner on March 8.

•••••

Robert Tyrol III

Robert Tyrol III

Pearson Wallace Insurance announced a new hire, Marc Membrino, and shared the achievement of current employee Robert “Bobby” Tyrol III, who has acquired his property and casualty insurance producer license. Membrino joins the team with an extensive background in the insurance industry. He moved to the Berkshires in 1979 and worked for his family-owned insurance company, which he later bought in 1989 and subsequently sold years later. Membrino’s current role with Pearson Wallace Insurance is customer service representative, in which he rates and services policies and provides help to customers. Tyrol has been with Pearson Wallace Insurance for two years. After working as an assistant golf professional at Berkshire Hills Golf Course in Pittsfield for six years, he joined Pearson Wallace Insurance in 2021 as a personal lines client manager. After receiving his insurance designation of a property and casualty producer, Tyrol has been promoted to customer service manager. He takes charge of all personal-line services for Pearson Wallace Insurance, with the goal of making customers’ experiences seamless.

•••••

AXiA Insurance Services recognizes the recent professional achievements of two employees in its West Springfield location. Aidil Cortinhas, personal lines account relationship manager, earned the certified insurance service representative (CISR) designation. The CISR program is nationally recognized with the mission to further develop insurance-related competencies for industry customer-service representatives. Cortinhas has been with AXiA since October 2017, servicing clients’ home and auto insurance coverage. She is also a current member of the company’s team and events committee, which coordinates company employee events, and an active volunteer in AxiA Charitable Fund programs. Colin Dandy, administrative coordinator, earned his property and casualty insurance license, having passed the Massachusetts state exams. This qualifies him to now sell insurance coverage, continuing his growth track at the agency and in the industry. Dandy has been with AxiA since September 2022, after graduating high school that same year. He currently is a member of a company process/procedural committee.

•••••

Advantage Truck Group (ATG) named its 2023 Pete DePina Legacy Award winners for Massachusetts, recognizing one individual from each of its locations in Raynham, Shrewsbury, and Westfield for making an impact on their fellow employees, customers, and the company. Gerry Avery received the legacy award for ATG’s Westfield facility. Employees were nominated by their peers for the award, and a winner was selected from each of ATG’s eight locations. Winners were presented with a monetary award that they will continue to receive as part of their profit-sharing bonus each year throughout their employment with the company.

•••••

Sylviana Lopez

Sylviana Lopez

Viability Inc. announced the appointment of Sylviana Lopez as its chief people officer in Human Resources. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the organization, and she is expected to drive Viability’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. For more than two decades, Lopez has been at the forefront of solving complex problems at scale across industries from the private sector to human services, blending human-resources strategy with forwardthinking creativity. She is expected to be an asset to Viability in its pursuit of building a strong, diverse culture and strengthening its resolve to build a world in which individuals with disabilities and other disadvantages realize acceptance, inclusion, and access. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico and an MBA in human resources management from the University of New Haven in Connecticut.

•••••

Springfield College Professor of Exercise Science Samuel Headley has been accepted as a fellow in the inaugural cohort of the Clinical Exercise Physiology Assoc. (CEPA), a recognition of his outstanding service to the field of clinical exercise physiology (CEP). Headley, currently program director of the Springfield College master’s and doctoral programs in exercise physiology, is one of the founders of CEPA and previously served as its president. Clinical exercise physiology is a branch of exercise physiology that focuses on the acute and chronic responses of both healthy individuals and individuals with chronic diseases to exercise. Headley is a well-known scholar in the field, with more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, 30 peer-reviewed abstracts, and six books or book chapters in exercise physiology. His scholarship has recently focused on the impact of exercise on patients with chronic kidney disease. During his time at Springfield College, he helped develop the college’s nationally accredited clinical exercise physiology program.

•••••

William Pitt Sotheby’s announced that Richard Aldrich has joined the company. He will work with Steven Weisz to expand the company’s current market leadership role in commercial property sales and leasing. Aldrich has been in sales since 1971. As a real-estate broker in the Berkshires, he has become a leader in commercial property sales, leasing, and business brokerage. He has been involved with the sale of the Countryside Landscaping building in Williamstown, Camp Half Moon in Monterey, Country Curtains in Lee, and Patrick’s Pub in Pittsfield. He is currently representing the Fuel Coffee Shop and the Gorham & Norton Market.

•••••

Michelle Muro

Michelle Muro

Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced the addition of Michelle Muro, AIA to its staff in the role of senior architect in the Cambridge office. She holds a bachelor of architecture degree from Montana State University and is a licensed architect in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, and Kansas. She brings more than 26 years of experience to Dietz & Company, having worked for firms in Massachusetts and Colorado. Muro has worked on a variety of projects in the industrial, multi-family, commercial, retail, and sports-entertainment sectors. She has expertise in code compliance and accessibility and specializes in project management and construction administration. As such, she will be managing the construction process at the Walkling Court senior-housing development project in Medford.

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Avella, Giuseppe
Avella, Marlene B.
18 Vail St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/14/2024

Cormier, Anthony J.
59 Mary St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/15/2024

Dotson, Delores
120 Sunrise Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/12/2024

Feliberty, Natasha Lee
7 Clark St., Apt. 1
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/06/2024

Kenney, James Francis
19 Andersen Road
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/12/2024

Murard, Daril
19 Lockhouse Road, Apt. 4-1
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/08/2024

Quinones, George J.
1348 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/04/2024

Nieves, Veronica
a/k/a Rodriguez, Veronica
a/k/a Nieves-Rodriguez-Sonner, Veronica
1880 Main St.
P.O. Box 3790
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/14/2024

Ray, Miasyn
76 Northampton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/05/2024

Salazar, David
121 Brewster St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/14/2024

Skidmore, Daniel Joseph
54 Spring Hill Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/08/2024

Stasiowski, Debra A.
16 Bartlett Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/14/2024

Torres, Felix
408 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/15/2024

Valdes, Charles G.
Valdes, Maria R.
1021 Maple St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Date: 02/14/2024

Wright, Arnold Bishop
148 Arcadia Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Date: 02/09/2024

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BUCKLAND

12 Main St.
Buckland, MA 01330
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Grace A. Kennerly
Seller: McCutchen, Martha J., (Estate)
Date: 02/06/24

CHARLEMONT

2151 Route 2
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Reo T2021-NR4
Seller: Michael D. Odell
Date: 02/13/24

ERVING

11 Church St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Timothy W. Momaney
Seller: Lemieux FT
Date: 02/16/24

17 Maple Ave.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $326,000
Buyer: Cole G. Larose
Seller: Lewis Int.
Date: 02/15/24

5 North St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Kenneth A. Rounds
Seller: Michael J. Richardson
Date: 02/06/24

GREENFIELD

7 Congress St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $685,000
Buyer: Greenfield Elizabeth
Seller: 325 Canton St. LLC
Date: 02/15/24

110 Cottage St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Robyn D. McKelvey
Seller: Dauntless Path LLC
Date: 02/12/24

81 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $522,500
Buyer: Zoe D. Smith
Seller: Steven Lanciani
Date: 02/16/24

231 Hope St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Congamond Management LLC
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 02/08/24

41 Norwood St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $286,500
Buyer: Spencer Telega
Seller: Bosch, Roland, (Estate)
Date: 02/08/24

100 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Michael J. Marotto
Seller: Katherine Buttolph RET
Date: 02/08/24

200 Wisdom Way
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Mark Wightman
Seller: Damon Blake
Date: 02/08/24

LEVERETT

295 Shutesbury Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: Frederick P. Hartwell
Seller: Barbara J. Raymond
Date: 02/05/24

MONTAGUE

113-115 Avenue A
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Avenue A. Group LLC
Seller: 113 Avenue A LLC
Date: 02/05/24

7 Avenue C
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Eds Enterprises LLC
Seller: Ann Engley
Date: 02/09/24

257 Wendell Road
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Diana L. Tobin
Seller: AGT Homes LLC
Date: 02/09/24

NORTHFIELD

21 Meadow St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Joshua Willis
Seller: MW&MW Realty LLC
Date: 02/09/24

ORANGE

125 East Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Anne M. Pole
Seller: Steven S. Barnes
Date: 02/14/24

63 Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $901,000
Buyer: James B. Berry
Seller: Lorrett A. Estabrooks
Date: 02/08/24

82 Mechanic St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Schwowens Properties LLC
Seller: Mary Chapli
Date: 02/07/24

ROWE

58 Tatro Road
Rowe, MA 01339
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Joshua W. Giard
Seller: William, Albert R., (Estate)
Date: 02/15/24

SHUTESBURY

North Laurel Dr.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Thomas C. Miller
Seller: Stein, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 02/16/24

94 Pratt Corner Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $487,500
Buyer: Allen H. Pease
Seller: The Suter FT
Date: 02/09/24

SUNDERLAND

Hadley Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: 282 Hadley Rd LLC
Seller: Charles W. Smiarowski LT
Date: 02/12/24

WHATELY

282 Haydenville Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $529,000
Buyer: Nicole L. Pietraszkiewicz
Seller: Brenden J. Monahan
Date: 02/09/24

62 Long Plain Road
Whately, MA 01373
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Kathleen P. Harrington
Seller: Nicole L. Pietraszkiewicz
Date: 02/09/24

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

Doane Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: Denali Investments LLC
Seller: J. D. T. Rosati Inc.
Date: 02/08/24

174 Edgewater Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Margaret M. Cahillane
Seller: David Kutz
Date: 02/15/24

48 Fairview St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $324,000
Buyer: Sean P. Burke
Seller: Berkshire Land Co. LLC
Date: 02/06/24

210 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: NSP Residential LLC
Seller: RCF 2 Acquisition TR
Date: 02/08/24

210 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: Vincent M. Canavan
Seller: NSP Residential LLC
Date: 02/08/24

11 Randall St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Appleton Grove LLC
Seller: Michelle Amanda TR
Date: 02/16/24

77 Reed St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Colemac NT
Seller: Allyson Sacco
Date: 02/12/24

405 Silver St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $343,000
Buyer: Denali Investments LLC
Seller: J. D. T. Rosati Inc.
Date: 02/07/24

415 Silver St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: Denali Investments LLC
Seller: J. D. T. Rosati Inc.
Date: 02/08/24

431 Silver St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Denali Investments LLC
Seller: J. D. T. Rosati Inc.
Date: 02/07/24

250 South West St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $332,900
Buyer: Luis E. Aponte-Ortega
Seller: Brian D. Kibbe
Date: 02/12/24

BRIMFIELD

62 1st St.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Kevin McManaman
Seller: McManaman RET
Date: 02/15/24

1538 Dunhamtown Brimfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Erik Ramsland
Seller: Josephine R. Sears RET
Date: 02/16/24

228 Sturbridge Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $1,060,000
Buyer: Kyle Twarowski
Seller: Leszek Twarowski
Date: 02/06/24

CHESTER

110 Old State Hwy.
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Amanda N. Ursia
Seller: Watson, Susan Lynn, (Estate)
Date: 02/09/24

CHICOPEE

66 Beaudry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Peter A. Lemieux
Seller: Alfred J. Albano
Date: 02/15/24

43 Chapin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $361,000
Buyer: John R. Dimatteo
Seller: Robert J. Lefebvre
Date: 02/09/24

360 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Christopher S. Dodson
Seller: Lucas Real Estate LLC
Date: 02/14/24

158 College St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Kevin G. Ryan
Seller: Soren W. Johnson
Date: 02/08/24

25 Freedom St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Robert E. King
Seller: Lynn M. Chlosta-Menard
Date: 02/12/24

310 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $840,000
Buyer: Jonah Holdings LLC
Seller: Paf IRT
Date: 02/16/24

318 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $840,000
Buyer: Jonah Holdings LLC
Seller: Paf IRT
Date: 02/16/24

339 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Steven Hoheb
Seller: Paf IRT
Date: 02/09/24

433 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Frantz E. Laporte
Seller: BMM Realty LLC
Date: 02/14/24

37 Hajec Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Michelle L. Lancto
Seller: Roman Catholic Bishop
Date: 02/09/24

18 Harding St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Diomedes Chavez
Seller: DCL General Construction LLC
Date: 02/12/24

68 Kaveney St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Takuya Seaver
Seller: Mark S. Hager
Date: 02/08/24

499 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,802,077
Buyer: Mercury Storage 1-B LLC
Seller: UH Storage LP
Date: 02/07/24

115 Saratoga Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Azusa RT
Seller: Kimberly A. Runkle
Date: 02/13/24

6 Sesame Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $467,100
Buyer: James McInerney
Seller: Haleigh R. Scott
Date: 02/16/24

24 Walnut St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Ricky L. Cates
Seller: Hussein Hamadi
Date: 02/14/24

17 Woodcrest Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Robert Lussier
Seller: Thomas Trudell
Date: 02/12/24

EAST LONGMEADOW

5 Brynmawr Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Devan P. Summers
Seller: Mark A. Haraty
Date: 02/09/24

4 Crescent Hill
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $334,500
Buyer: Suzanne V. Weber
Seller: Russell L. Morton
Date: 02/16/24

42 Knollwood Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: 18 Knollwood Drive LLC
Seller: Donald F. Anderson
Date: 02/09/24

66 Nelson St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Ramon Tapia
Seller: Daponde, Karen M., (Estate)
Date: 02/15/24

217 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Samuel Oseibonsu
Seller: Jaclyn M. Predergast
Date: 02/07/24

HAMPDEN

15 Wilbraham Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Richard C. Gelinas
Seller: Victor B. Scibelli
Date: 02/09/24

HOLYOKE

77 Central Park Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Marcelo F. Rocha
Seller: EPB Real Estate Services LLC
Date: 02/16/24

360 Chestnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Antonia Santos
Seller: Greater Springfield Habitat
Date: 02/16/24

99 Knollwood Circle
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: John P. Larose
Seller: Richard A. Moussette
Date: 02/15/24

154 Rock Valley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Larose
Seller: John P. Larose
Date: 02/15/24

HOLLAND

8 Heritage Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: John D. Holdcraft
Seller: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.
Date: 02/16/24

LONGMEADOW

73 Bel Air Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $312,000
Buyer: NRES LLC
Seller: Janee Mays
Date: 02/16/24

166 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: David Obrien
Seller: Gary S. Veratti
Date: 02/15/24

173 Farmington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $574,750
Buyer: Steven A. Carra
Seller: Gail C. Wesson TR
Date: 02/09/24

286 Hopkins Place
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $457,500
Buyer: Usman Aslam
Seller: Anthony Aveyard
Date: 02/14/24

83 Longfellow Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Anthony P. Aveyard
Seller: HUD
Date: 02/09/24

LUDLOW

Balsam Hill Road, Lot 73
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $176,400
Buyer: Georgiy Sinigur
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 02/15/24

54 Cady St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: William Raleigh
Seller: Patricia Bernard
Date: 02/13/24

436 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $379,999
Buyer: Akhmad Abdul-Razzaq
Seller: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Date: 02/08/24

274 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Tati & Cristi LLC
Seller: Ana P. Dias
Date: 02/16/24

24 Elm St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Turan Gun
Seller: Dorothy A. Lobik
Date: 02/16/24

102 Motyka St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Diane Crane
Seller: John A. Pisarczyk
Date: 02/13/24

100 Pine St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Privilne Real Estate LLC
Seller: Sandy D. Kudla
Date: 02/09/24

7 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Michael S. Hajdamowicz
Seller: Dianne M. Easley
Date: 02/15/24

MONSON

14 Upper Palmer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $639,000
Buyer: Alexander B. Tsagaris
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 02/16/24

PALMER

2026 Cross St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $368,000
Buyer: Nicholas Tiscione
Seller: Dorcas RT
Date: 02/09/24

2158-2160 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Derek R. Beaulieu
Seller: Joseph Sawicki
Date: 02/15/24

4 Meadow Lane
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Joseph E. Messer
Seller: Christopher Welsh
Date: 02/16/24

51 Squier St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $334,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Serio
Seller: Samuel Cobb
Date: 02/06/24

RUSSELL

501 Woodland Way
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $409,000
Buyer: Andrei Filistovich
Seller: Judith M. Stolfo
Date: 02/14/24

SOUTHWICK

17 Castle St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Sergey Domnenko
Seller: Robert, John E., (Estate)
Date: 02/12/24

21 Sterrett Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Kimberly Hatch
Seller: Randy Wessels
Date: 02/14/24

SPRINGFIELD

500-508 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: 500 Armory Street LLC
Seller: C. & A. Realty Co. Inc.
Date: 02/07/24

1 Balboa Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Leo Best
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 02/08/24

164 Balboa Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $319,900
Buyer: Jack Palladino
Seller: Federal National Mortgage Assn.
Date: 02/14/24

167 Berkshire St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $214,900
Buyer: Manuel M. Morocho
Seller: Bonita Amtmann
Date: 02/13/24

476 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Unlimited Property Services LLC
Seller: US Bankruptcy Court
Date: 02/08/24

39 Blanding St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Christian Hegland
Seller: Manchester Enterprises LLC
Date: 02/16/24

469 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Pinkal & Hiral LLC
Seller: 469 Boston Road RT
Date: 02/13/24

212 Breckwood Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Teresa F. Young
Seller: Ronelson Lovaincy
Date: 02/09/24

28 Burke St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Evelyn S. Sanchez
Seller: Round Two LLC
Date: 02/14/24

6 Carlos St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Aaron D. Roberson
Seller: Margaret M. Pilon
Date: 02/07/24

23 Catalpa Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Joselyn Arroyo-Lopez
Seller: John P. Doty
Date: 02/14/24

72 Chesterfield Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: DS Group Investments LLC
Seller: Mary Fitzgerald
Date: 02/16/24

11-15 Clantoy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: B-9 Industries Inc
Seller: 11-15 Clantoy St. TR
Date: 02/09/24

261 Connecticut Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Josentt Thompson
Seller: Patrick O’Neil
Date: 02/08/24

77 Daviston St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Richard Abankwah
Seller: Equity Trust Co.
Date: 02/16/24

60 East Alvord St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $337,750
Buyer: Cindy Tai
Seller: Adolphus P. Christian
Date: 02/16/24

25-27 Eagle St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Inas S. Alitbi
Seller: Ian A. Riley
Date: 02/16/24

199 Eastern Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Wagner B. Soto
Seller: Grace M. Melendez-Riva
Date: 02/12/24

48 Enfield St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Ming Tsang
Seller: JPS Realty LLC
Date: 02/09/24

30 Farnsworth St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Sophia N. Samms
Seller: Roberto Rivera-Negron
Date: 02/12/24

80 Fenimore Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Cynthia J. Mulcahy
Seller: Kathryn A. Mulcahy
Date: 02/14/24

12-14 Foster St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Robert A. Fournier
Seller: Brvsa Associates LLC
Date: 02/16/24

44 Georgetown St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Xavier Cody
Seller: Stebbins, Jennie A., (Estate)
Date: 02/14/24

67 Harmon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $297,500
Buyer: Paul D. Arrighi
Seller: Michael P. Whitehead
Date: 02/08/24

25 Huntington St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Muhammad M. Taqi
Seller: Jaime J. Melendez
Date: 02/13/24

82 Jardine St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Catrina M. Hamilton
Seller: Janusz Lecko
Date: 02/16/24

25 Laurence St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $379,900
Buyer: Christa Nunez
Seller: Laurie T. Lauture-Best
Date: 02/08/24

61 Leslie St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Eduardo A. Ramos
Seller: Katherine M. Nogiec
Date: 02/16/24

44-46 Lexington St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: Yongyao Cai
Seller: 44 Lexington Street RT
Date: 02/16/24

60 Lexington St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Israel Calderon
Seller: Citizens Bank
Date: 02/09/24

79 Mandalay Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jill K. Barlow
Seller: Barbara M. Barlow
Date: 02/08/24

103-105 Maryland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: MDDO LLC
Seller: Lisa M. Martin
Date: 02/09/24

8 Maxwell Place
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Alcimar R. Dasilva
Seller: Mary F. Auldridge
Date: 02/09/24

136 Maynard St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Tyrus T. Ferguson
Seller: Ferguson, Classie, (Estate)
Date: 02/09/24

Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Preferred Property Management Inc.
Seller: Courageous Lion LLC
Date: 02/12/24

171 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Preferred Property Management Inc.
Seller: Courageous Lion LLC
Date: 02/12/24

93-95 Middlesex St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Justin C. Ching
Seller: Junior R. McKenzie
Date: 02/16/24

83 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Jose R. Garcia-Sanchez
Seller: Rejuvenate Real Estate LLC
Date: 02/15/24

78 Pennsylvania Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Michelle Urban-Flores
Seller: Mary K. Miller
Date: 02/16/24

Pine St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: MA Pine Street LLC
Seller: Brvsa Associates LLC
Date: 02/16/24

123 Pine St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: MA Pine Street LLC
Seller: Brvsa Associates LLC
Date: 02/16/24

40 Price St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $175,200
Buyer: Valery E. Nater-Pagan
Seller: Julie Kamrowski
Date: 02/15/24

20-22 Rutledge Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Paul S. Roberts
Seller: Paul D. Calder
Date: 02/15/24

893 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Bryan E. Negron
Seller: Tony E. French
Date: 02/16/24

136 Samuel St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $168,795
Buyer: Javed Shah
Seller: Rmtp TR Series Bkm-Tt-V
Date: 02/09/24

78-80 Shamrock St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $175,923
Buyer: Phoenix Development Inc.
Seller: Chuong Truong
Date: 02/09/24

Switzer Ave.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Daniele Manzi
Seller: Secretary Of Veterans Affairs
Date: 02/06/24

82 Temple St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: Cassi Stewart
Seller: Temple G3 Realty NT
Date: 02/09/24

61 Victoria St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Preferred Property Management Inc.
Seller: Courageous Lion LLC
Date: 02/12/24

208-210 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Julian Solano
Seller: Daniel Cruz
Date: 02/15/24

283 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $188,182
Buyer: Cascade Funding Mortgage TR Hb4
Seller: Shirley L. Richard
Date: 02/12/24

61-63 Woodlawn St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Livingwater Capital LLC
Seller: Jason Gobin
Date: 02/07/24

38 Worthy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Brandon Garey
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 02/09/24

WALES

12 Church St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Anthony R. Felix
Seller: Scott M. Carrigan
Date: 02/08/24

100 Stafford Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Bradley Arcoite
Seller: James R. Reilly
Date: 02/09/24

98 Stafford Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Bradley Arcoite
Seller: James R. Reilly
Date: 02/09/24

WEST SPRINGFIELD

46 Fox St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Jared M. Longley
Seller: Disantis, Lindsay D., (Estate)
Date: 02/09/24

189 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Ansh Arya Inc.
Seller: Paul R. Seymour
Date: 02/16/24

107 Nelson St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: James Roberts-Manning
Seller: Goodhind, Susan M., (Estate)
Date: 02/16/24

146 Nelson St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Steven Thompson
Seller: CIG4 LLC
Date: 02/06/24

45 Piper Cross Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $910,000
Buyer: Ansh Arya Inc.
Seller: Paul R. Seymour
Date: 02/16/24

68 Plateau Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Lawanda Cox
Seller: Deepon Realty LLC
Date: 02/13/24

379 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $1,210,000
Buyer: Lakshmi Bhula Inc.
Seller: Thirteen Views Realty NT
Date: 02/14/24

WESTFIELD

23 Clinton Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Coalie RT
Seller: Champion, Richard G., (Estate)
Date: 02/12/24

52 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Baypoint Real Estate LLC
Seller: Flowers By Webster LLC
Date: 02/16/24

Falcon Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Raymaakers Properties LLC
Seller: Koziar Capital LLC
Date: 02/06/24

67 Farnham Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Brandon L. Mobrice
Seller: Brian P. Barnes
Date: 02/14/24

88 Glenwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Sandra A. Stevens
Seller: Andrew J. Martindell
Date: 02/07/24

85 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Frankie Cortes
Seller: Surprenant, Hilda, (Estate)
Date: 02/14/24

21 Mainline Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $1,020,000
Buyer: Brennan & Sons LLC
Seller: 21 Mainline LLC
Date: 02/13/24

135 Meadow St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Lismary P. Ortiz
Seller: Kmak LLC
Date: 02/16/24

49 Roosevelt Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Steven R. Rosinski
Seller: Brandon L. Mobrice
Date: 02/14/24

14 Stuart Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: No Limit Assets LLC
Seller: Progulske, Doreen, (Estate)
Date: 02/16/24

WILBRAHAM

117 Bartlett Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $286,500
Buyer: Jon T. Kurowski
Seller: Joseph Belanger
Date: 02/12/24

2391 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $975,000
Buyer: D&V Property Holdings LLC
Seller: KS Diner Inc.
Date: 02/09/24

4 Hillcrest Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Wilson & Family Real Estate LLC
Seller: Tony Vital
Date: 02/16/24

939 Monson Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Joshua D. Easley
Seller: BP LLC
Date: 02/16/24

1 Old Bay Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Jason Cochran
Seller: Clonmacnoise Realty LLC
Date: 02/16/24

6 West Colonial Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Andrew Croteau
Seller: Ronald B. Hale
Date: 02/15/24

8 West Colonial Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Andrew Croteau
Seller: Ronald B. Hale
Date: 02/15/24

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

166 College St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Aews Partnership LLC
Seller: Railroad St Partners LLC
Date: 02/15/24

684 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $603,000
Buyer: Benjamin H. Detenber
Seller: Anke Voss
Date: 02/05/24

41 Fairfield St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $264,408
Buyer: Lindsay G. Read
Seller: Gerald G. Guider Jr. FT
Date: 02/05/24

176 Flat Hills Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Gary Toth
Seller: Dja-Maa Shepp
Date: 02/05/24

129 Lindenridge Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $1,030,020
Buyer: Helen Wang
Seller: Bercume Construction LLC
Date: 02/15/24

16 South Whitney St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Aews Partnership LLC
Seller: Belchertown Road Partners LLC
Date: 02/15/24

486 Sunderland Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $545,000
Buyer: Christopher Croteau
Seller: John G. Reid
Date: 02/09/24

241 Sunset Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $447,000
Buyer: Sunset Partnership LLC
Seller: Good Ol Daves LLC
Date: 02/15/24

15 Sunset Court
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $499,000
Buyer: 289 East Pleasant St. LLC
Seller: Lincoln Ave. Partners LLC
Date: 02/16/24

BELCHERTOWN

656 North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $489,000
Buyer: Stephanie C. Bonafini
Seller: M. & G. Land Development LLC
Date: 11/30/23

37 Old Sawmill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $542,000
Buyer: Jaroslaw Larskarzewski
Seller: Mark T. Jaszek
Date: 02/15/24

20 Pine St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $635,000
Buyer: Michael Kane
Seller: Robert A. Morra
Date: 01/26/24

171 South Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $649,900
Buyer: Jeffrey M. Charron
Seller: Gary G. Decoteau
Date: 12/06/23

30 Summit St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Arpc LLC
Seller: Ronald E. Lakota
Date: 02/12/24

CHESTERFIELD

309 Ireland St.
Chesterfield, MA 01084
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Jordan H. Jaquess
Seller: Rauscher, Laura M., (Estate)
Date: 02/16/24

 

EASTHAMPTON

5-15 Adams St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $1,100,000
Buyer: SGS Holdings LLC
Seller: Krupalu LLC
Date: 02/06/24

422 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $570,000
Buyer: NB Main Realty LLC
Seller: A-Z Storage & Properties LLC
Date: 02/06/24

63 Phelps St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Lindsay N. Dubols
Seller: Silver Snake Prop LLC
Date: 02/05/24

13 Sterling Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Timothy A. Graham
Date: 02/07/24

GRANBY

127 Maximilian Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $835,000
Buyer: Brett R. Diamond
Seller: Kotowicz Custom Homes LLC
Date: 02/09/24

161 South St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Duane C. Noyes
Seller: Laura A. Noyes
Date: 02/06/24

 

HADLEY

6 Kozera Ave.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: James N. Sullivan
Seller: Robert E. Leveille
Date: 02/15/24

NORTHAMPTON

81 Autumn Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Adam Gladstone
Seller: Walter Warchut
Date: 02/09/24

300-A Elm St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Arthur C. Edelstein
Seller: Antil, Robert E., (Estate)
Date: 02/09/24

8 Swan St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Sasha Statman-Weil
Seller: Karen A. Normand
Date: 02/16/24

SOUTH HADLEY

150 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Seller: Joanne I. Delong LT
Date: 02/15/24

13 Lyon Green
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $585,900
Buyer: Ahmed Elmogy
Seller: JN Duquette & Son Construction

28 Saybrook Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Jaydon G. Diamond
Seller: Eric C. Jimmo
Date: 02/08/24

SOUTHAMPTON

8 Cold Spring Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $234,500
Buyer: DLJ Mortgage Capital Inc.
Seller: Kimberley F. Coffin
Date: 02/16/24

27 Mountain View Circle
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $323,000
Buyer: Nicole Leadenham
Seller: Kate S. Kelly
Date: 02/09/24

WARE

4 Barnes St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $254,000
Buyer: Kristen A. Foster
Seller: Anthony M. Lapete
Date: 02/07/24

5-7 Bellevue Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Brandon Andrews
Seller: Joseph M. Garbiel
Date: 02/15/24

23-25 Dale St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $155,505
Buyer: Bezviner Real Estate Inc.
Seller: First Landing Investments LLC
Date: 02/16/24

23-25 Dale St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: First Landing Investments LLC
Seller: Virbrant Ventures LLC
Date: 02/16/24

230 Greenwich Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Michael Sadoval
Seller: Donald F. Bullock
Date: 02/09/24

33 High St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Travis Brown
Seller: Blaise P. Berthiaume
Date: 02/16/24

31 Meadow Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: G&W New Construction LLC
Seller: Palano 3rd, Antonio J., (Estate)
Date: 02/14/24

82 North St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: First Landing Investments LLC
Seller: Virbrant Ventures LLC
Date: 02/16/24

82 North St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Veloz & Associates LLC
Seller: First Landing Investments LLC
Date: 02/16/24

160 Osborne Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Drew J. Lavalley
Seller: William J. McCloskey
Date: 02/07/24

121 River Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $472,500
Buyer: Amanda L. Lapete
Seller: Nicole Nesbit
Date: 02/07/24

123 River Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $472,500
Buyer: Amanda L. Lapete
Seller: Nicole Nesbit
Date: 02/07/24

WILLIAMSBURG

26 Mountain St.
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $453,600
Buyer: Keely S. Sexton
Seller: Sharon A. Loomis
Date: 02/12/24

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of February 2024.

CHICOPEE

City of Chicopee
0 Front St.
$409,500 — Remove exterior doors, windows, existing MEP equipment, concrete slab in basement; asbestos abatement

Dow Jones & Co. Inc.
200 Burnett Road
$107,970 — Roofing

Steve Hoheb
339 Front St.
$28,000 — One window replacement, drywall patchwork, fix fascia trim and soffit on roof, repair slate roof tiles, minor brick repointing, exterior painting

Jerad Ostrowski
50 Orchard St.
$15,000 — Remove old siding and install new siding, remove front porch windows

EASTHAMPTON

Julia Gawle
90-106 Union St.
$22,000 — New plumbing and electrical

Patel Harnish
47 Cottage St.
$4,000 — Erect dividing wall in retail space with two doors

Norwich Properties LLC
17 East St.
$24,700 — Insulation, outlet installation, and siding

HADLEY

Jerry Rybczynski
26 Russell St.
N/A — Finish existing second floor into three-room, two-bath conference room

To Your Health LLC
270 Russell St.
N/A — Roofing

Walter Wanczyk Jr.
180 Russell St.
N/A — Install 12 new construction windows

LEE

Edward Willins, Alison Dick
880 East St.
$15,000 — Remodel kitchen

LENOX

MRG CRW Holdings LLC
55 Lee Road
$412,000 — Roofing

Toole Properties Inc.
461 Pittsfield Road
$100,000 — Replace floor tile, vanity countertop, shower pan, and shower surrounds in 36 guest bathrooms in main building

Toole Properties Inc.
461 Pittsfield Road
$20,000 — Install 33 vinyl windows

PITTSFIELD

Clock Tower Partners LLC
73 South Church St.
$39,000 — Tenant space build-out

Patriot Suites Inc.
8 Dan Fox Dr.
$180,000 — Roofing

Carlo Petrucci Jr.
108 East Housatonic St., #10
$25,330 — Remove and replace four windows and one patio door

Sonal Patel LLC
360 Pecks Road
$10,000 — Construct three baths and one office

SPRINGFIELD

Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Springfield
27 Pendleton Ave.
$2,500 — Remove and replace ceiling tiles

Caring Health Center Inc.
1235 Boston Road
$2,800,000 — Alter interior space for build-out for medical office use

City of Springfield
1435 Carew St.
$122,808 — Alter auditorium stage for four new breakout classrooms at Mary O. Pottenger Elementary School

City of Springfield
141 Washington St.
$98,000 — Repair/replace water-damaged plaster ceilings in basement

City of Springfield
300 White St.
$11,500 — Assemble and install prefabricated shade pavilion at White Street Elementary School

Fathima LLC
263 Hancock St.
$11,500 — Close off existing openings on front and back of building, create new opening in interior

FB Development LLC
1537 Main St.
$25,000 — Demolish interior only for future build-out on first floor of Fuller Block

Mari Real Estate Corp.
1781 Page Blvd.
$12,000 — Demolish non-structural wall and install sheetrock to bathroom ceiling at United Rentals

Nalani Capital LLC
494 Belmont Ave.
$60,000 — Demolish three-story portion of former funeral home building, including foundation and canopy

Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
665 Cottage St.
$1,933,400 — Alter interior space for replacement of six electric bus chargers and associated electrical work and upgrade fire protection and structural steel at PVTA bus operations and maintenance facility

Sumner Avenue 473-477 LLC
475 Sumner Ave.
$23,000 — Repair section of failing foundation wall

Unifirst Corp.
295 Parker St.
$180,369 — Roofing

Western New England University
1215 Wilbraham Road
$263,865 — Alter interior space on ground floor of Deliso Building for Marketing Department offices

Baystate Health Names Peter Banko Its Next President and CEO

By
Daily News

Peter Banko

SPRINGFIELD — The Baystate Health board of trustees announced it has appointed Peter Banko as Baystate Health’s new president and CEO. He succeeds Dr. Mark Keroack, who previously announced his plans to retire after serving as the system’s leader for 10 years.

An executive experienced in leading multi-faceted health systems in markets throughout the country, Banko was chosen after an extensive national search by the board of trustees. Banko will officially join Baystate Health at the beginning of June.

Banko most recently served as president and CEO of Centura Health in Centennial, Colo., which was part of the national CommonSpirit Health system. The $3.8 billion hospital and health-services system comprised more than 20 owned and affiliated tertiary and rural hospitals, an extensive network of physician partners, and numerous community-based services and clinics across Colorado, Kansas, and Utah.

“Among a slate of high-qualified candidates, Peter stood out for both his commitment to our community-based healthcare mission and decades of experience leading complex health systems in diverse and competitive markets. He offers a proven track record of strengthening programs and services, growing revenue and market share, improving operations and operating discipline, and serving as a workforce champion,” said Harriet DeVerry, chair of the Baystate Health board of trustees. “We look forward to him joining the organization.”

Banko, a native of New Jersey, started his calling in healthcare as a junior volunteer and has served in CEO-level roles for several health systems for nearly two decades. He has an industry reputation of leading innovation, transformation, integration, and partnerships with hospitals, physician groups, and health plans. He earned his bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Notre Dame and his master of health administration degree from the Sloan Program in Health Services Administration at Cornell University.

“Baystate Health has a stellar reputation around the country, and I greatly appreciate the immense responsibility that comes with joining such a truly mission- and values-driven team,” Banko said. “I am beyond excited to embark on an exciting new era of healthy growth with my fellow 13,000 caregivers — in care for our patients, in community, in business, and in spirit. The possibilities for us together are endless in redefining health and healthcare in Western Massachusetts and beyond.”

In his role, Keroack was a leading voice during the COVID-19 pandemic for the region, offering public-health information and partnering with public-health officials to address the crisis. A native of Springfield, he joined Baystate Health in 2011 as chief physician executive and president of Baystate Medical Practices and was appointed to the CEO role in 2014. He has had a long career in both medicine and health administration, serving in leadership roles at UMass Memorial Medical Group and the University HealthSystem Consortium.

“We are immensely grateful for the contributions of Dr. Mark Keroack as an exceptional leader and clinician who has successfully led the organization for the last 10 years with a deep commitment to Baystate Health and to our community,” said Colleen Holmes, vice chair of the Baystate Health board of trustees. “We congratulate him on his upcoming retirement.”

Monson Savings Bank Promotes Shannon Ortona to Ware Branch Manager

By
Daily News

Shannon Ortona

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank announced the recent promotion of Shannon Ortona to Ware branch manager. In addition to her new role, Ortona will continue to serve as the bank’s IRA administrator. She is now based out of the Ware branch, located at 136 West St.

“We are pleased to share the news of Shannon’s much-deserved promotion,” said Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank. “Her dedication and pursuit of excellence have earned her this new position as a branch manager. Watching her professional development over the past 11 years she’s been with our team has been a pleasure. I am certain she will continue to deliver value to Monson Savings Bank and aid our clients in reaching their goals.”

Prior to joining the Monson Savings Bank family 11 years ago, Ortona began her banking career with Chicopee Savings Bank. After five years there, where she held the positions of full-time teller, senior teller, and head teller, she accepted the position of customer service associate supervisor in Monson Savings Bank’s Ware branch.

During her tenure with the bank, Ortona has earned positions of increasing responsibility. She became the assistant branch manager of the Ware branch and became a certified IRA specialist through Ascensus. Prior to her most recent promotion, she worked as the Wilbraham assistant branch manager.

In her new role, she will draw on her extensive experience and knowledge of retail banking. She will be responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the Ware branch’s operations. She will also aim to foster an environment of teamwork within the branch and provide her team with a high level of leadership. She will work with customers to conduct various banking transactions and help them reach their financial goals.

“I am excited to be back at our Ware branch. It’s where I started with Monson Savings Bank, and it’s nice to be back home where I started my journey with such a great team,” Ortona said. “The Monson Savings Bank team has offered me so many opportunities to grow over the years. The people I work with want me to grow and push me to be the best version of myself, and in turn, I hope I strive to do the same for them. I am thrilled to be a part of our team’s growth.”

Ortona is a lifelong resident of Western Mass. and is enthusiastic about being part of the community. She is currently a board member with the Ware Business Civic Assoc.

“In my new role, I am most looking forward to helping our customers and getting to know the Ware community a little bit better,” she said. “One of my passions in life is helping others. This can mean simply holding a door for someone or opening a bank account for a small business just starting out.”

YWCA Board to Host Golf Tournament on May 6

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Kim Casineau, board chair of the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, announced that the YWCA Golf Tournament will be held at Springfield Country Club in West Springfield on Monday, May 6, with registration now open online at ywworks.org.

Proceeds of the charity golf tournament will support the Children Who Witness Violence program, which offers therapy for children who have witnessed or experienced abuse and violence. The Healthy and Empowering Relationship Education program of the YWCA, which helps Springfield middle- and high-schoolers learn about healthy relationships and friendships, will also benefit from proceeds raised at the tournament.

According to Casineau, the organizer of the event, “the leadership work the YWCA is doing in addressing domestic and sexual violence is critically important. These two youth-oriented programs are providing much-needed support and resources in our community. I encourage all who are interested in supporting our event to contact me at [email protected] or register on the website. We need golfers, cash donations, and donations for our raffle. My goal is to raise awareness to all the great work the YWCA does for our community in a fun way. Please join us on May 6 in support of these very worthy programs.”

Cost per golfer to participate in the tournament is $155, which includes golf, cart, lunch, dinner, and a quarter-zip jacket. There will be a raffle and cash bar at the country club. Individuals or organizations interested in registering or sponsoring the event can visit ywworks.org.

Headquartered in Springfield, the YWCA also provides services and offers programming to children and women in crisis in Northampton, Westfield, Belchertown, and Holyoke.

Advertising Club Seeks Scholarship Applications

By
Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts scholarship committee announced that applications are now available for a $1,000 scholarship to be awarded to a deserving Western Mass. high-school graduate pursuing higher education in the communication arts in 2024.

Guidelines and an application form can be found at www.adclubwm.org/scholarships or by contacting David Cecchi, scholarship committee chairman, at [email protected] or (413) 786-3236.

Western Mass. high-school seniors who plan to attend an accredited college or technical school to study advertising, communications, marketing, or graphic design and will be attending school this September are encouraged to apply. The scholarship must be applied against tuition and fees at the school. Candidates will be judged on academic performance; extracurricular activities; community service and/or work experience; a demonstrated interest in advertising, communications, marketing, or graphic design; personal recommendations; and a letter of introduction outlining future plans.

Completed scholarship applications and all support materials must be submitted to the Ad Club and postmarked by April 15. The scholarship will be awarded in May.

Gazebo Opens Second Store in East Longmeadow

By
Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Gazebo, the lingerie, bra-fitting, and swimsuit store in downtown Northampton, has expanded with the opening of Gazebo Too in the location of the former Coughlin’s Place restaurant at 182 North Main St., East Longmeadow. A grand opening is slated for Tuesday, March 26 at 3 p.m.

Gazebo was founded in 1978 by Judith Fine and sold to employees Donna McNeight and Amy Dickinson in 2016. McNeight will run Gazebo Too, and Dickinson will run the original Gazebo in Northampton.

Gazebo prides itself on full-service bra, binder, and cup-sized swimsuit fittings, with cups ranging from AA to N. Gazebo is a proud ally of the LGBGTQ community and is wheelchair- and service-animal-friendly.

Tech Foundry Announces New Slate of Board Members

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Tech Foundry, the regional leader in IT workforce development and training, announced the appointment of 12 new members to its board of trustees. Hailing from a wide variety of professional backgrounds and including an alumnus of the organization’s 18‐week IT support training program, the new slate of directors represents the diversity of the communities served by Tech Foundry.

The organization welcomes Paul Nicholson (treasurer), Finance director at Wellfleet Insurance, and Briana Dawkins (clerk), associate attorney at Litchfield Cavo LLP in Simsbury, Conn. They join veteran officers Mike Walker (chair), retired financial-services professional at MassMutual Financial Group, and Delcie Bean (founder and immediate past chair), CEO of Paragus Strategic IT.

New directors include Jay Ash, CEO of Mass Competitive Partnership; Everton Chin, director of IT at Travelers; Damon DePaolo, director of Human Risk Management at MassMutual; Samalid Hogan, CEO and principal consultant at Greylock Management Consulting; Xiaolei Hua, first vice president at PeoplesBank; Cindy Knowles, Strategy & Change Management lead at MassMutual; George Timmons, president of Holyoke Community College; and Hector Toledo, commercial lender and vice president at New Valley Bank

Patrick Streck, president and founder of Estli Consulting, returns to Tech Foundry after serving on the original board of advisors from 2013 to 2021.

Salam (Sam) Zebian, Information Protection senior advisor at Cigna, graduated from Tech Foundry in 2017 and has been volunteering with the organization as a guest speaker since then.

They join veteran board members Greg Bialecki, principal at Redgate; Ann McFarland Burke, owner of Ann McFarland Burke Consultancy; Dawn Creighton, Community Outreach officer at Liberty Bank; and Dianne Fuller Doherty, one of the original founders of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts.

“It’s incredibly exciting and humbling to have such a diverse and impressive group of professionals leading Tech Foundry during this time of innovation and growth,” said Tricia Canavan, CEO of Tech Foundry. “We look forward to the board’s continued leadership as we celebrate 10 years of impact in Massachusetts, both on a small and large scale.

“Tech Foundry connects individuals to technical training for quality, living‐wage jobs, but we also support the very foundation of the Massachusetts economy,” she added. “We do this by filling critical employment gaps throughout the Commonwealth with diverse talent who have been historically marginalized from the IT field. Our expanded board will be critical in ensuring that our next 10 years of operations — and beyond — drive equitable workforce and economic-development goals throughout Massachusetts.”

Retrofit Program to Expand High-speed Internet Access in Affordable Housing Statewide

By
Daily News

WESTBOROUGH — The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) at MassTech announced the launch of the Residential Internet Retrofit Program, a $22 million statewide initiative to equip public and affordable-housing units across the state with high-speed internet for current and future residents.

MBI will bring together internet service providers (ISPs) and property owners to upgrade in-building telecommunications wiring, equipment, and infrastructure within older housing developments to provide residents with the necessary network capabilities to fully utilize high-speed internet service essential for daily activities such as communicating with friends and family, remote work, online educational opportunities, and telehealth appointments.

“Our economic future depends on high-quality internet access for all, especially for low-income populations who have been historically overlooked and disproportionately impacted by the digital divide,” Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao said. “The Retrofit Program takes an equitable approach to addressing the root causes of low-quality internet service in public and affordable housing. This program makes direct investments that will lead to enhanced connectivity for residents, helping them engage fully in 21st-century activities.”

MBI Director Michael Baldino noted that a substantial portion of public-housing buildings are more than 50 years old. “Low-income families in these buildings face barriers to accessing the speeds offered by broadband service if the wiring in their apartments predates the internet ageThe Retrofit Program will lead the charge to engage with property managers and then to engage internet service providers, who will work together to build out cutting-edge infrastructure that fully connects public and affordable housing units to high-speed internet.”

The effort will involve updating the wiring infrastructure of approximately 22,000 units in affordable-housing developments across the state.The funding for the Retrofit Program comes from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund (CPF), a program launched as part of the national American Rescue Plan Act. The project is part of $175 million in total CPF funding overseen by the Executive Office for Administration and Finance to address the digital divide in Massachusetts, which includes the ongoing Gap Networks Grant Program launched by the MBI in October.

Housing operators interested in joining the program should submit an expression of interest via MBI’s online form (click here), which collects basic organizational information, along with the addresses of eligible properties the operator wishes to submit to the program. In spring 2024, the MBI will launch a request for information (RFI), which will help inform the launch of a formal request for proposals (RFP) later in 2024. The MBI will then issue quarterly RFPs with an updated list of eligible locations statewide, based on the submissions of interest from housing operators.

Massachusetts Unemployment Down Slightly in January

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Daily News

BOSTON — The state’s January total unemployment rate was 3.0%, down 0.2% from the revised December estimate of 3.2%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced. The Massachusetts unemployment rate was 0.7% lower than the national rate of 3.7% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down by 0.5%.

The labor force grew by an estimated 400 from the revised estimate of 3,749,900 in December, with 8,000 more residents employed and 7,600 fewer residents unemployed over the month. The state’s labor-force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — remained at 64.9% over the month. Compared to January 2023, the labor-force participation rate was down 0.1%.

Annual year-end revisions and updated population controls from the U.S. Census Bureau resulted in changes to the labor-force estimates from 2019 to 2023, with the most notable revisions in 2023. The revisions in 2023 resulted in an increase in the unemployment rate from previously published estimates, ranging from 0.1% to 0.7% during the months of April to November, with the largest revision of 0.7% occurring from June to September. Compared to previously published estimates in 2023, the annual revisions showed an increase in the labor-force estimates for all months, ranging from 0.2% to 1%, with the highest revision occurring in September.

The BLS preliminary job estimates indicate that Massachusetts gained 18,300 jobs in January. This follows December’s revised gain of 4,600 jobs. The largest over-the-month private-sector job gains were in professional, scientific, and business services, leisure and hospitality, and education and health services. Employment now stands at 3,739,400. Massachusetts gained 675,900 jobs since the employment low in April 2020.

From January 2023 to January 2024, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 25,800 jobs. The largest over-the-year gains occurred in education and health services, leisure and hospitality, and government.

Holyoke Community College to Offer Free Hotel and Front Desk Training

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) is running a free, five-week hotel training program starting Tuesday, March 19 for anyone interested in jump-starting a career in the hospitality industry.

The hands-on, in-person classes for hotel front-desk workers and hotel-room attendants will take place in HCC’s hotel training lab on the second floor of the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute on Race Street in downtown Holyoke.

The program runs on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 8 p.m., March 19 through April 18. Each of the 10 class sessions runs two and a half hours for a total of 25 hours of class time. A second spring training program will run from May 7 to June 6.

The course will provide students with up-to-date knowledge of the hotel industry, hands-on experience for front-desk and/or room-attendant roles, workplace skills, résumé building, interviewing, job-search assistance, and connections to local employers.

HCC’s hotel lab is set up like a hotel reception area, with front desk and adjoining guest room, and equipped with the most modern technology and software. The hotel lab gives students the ability to learn in a model hotel room and reception lobby, gain knowledge about key-card access systems, and understand point-of-sale technology.

No high-school diploma or GED/HiSET test is required for admission. Offered as part of HCC’s Business & Workforce Development division, the hotel training course is free to qualifying applicants.

BusinessTalk with Greenfield Business Assoc. director Hannah Rechtschaffen

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Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 204: March 11, 2024

Joe Interviews Hannah Rechtschaffen, director of the Greenfield Business Association

Hannah Rechtschaffen

Hannah Rechtschaffen has long been passionate about the intersection between the arts, economic growth, and community building, and she’s found a place for all that and much more as director of the Greenfield Business Assoc., which promotes the city and region and works to elevate the local business community. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Hannah talks with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about the previous career stops that have shaped her work, the challenges of doing business in Massachusetts’ most rural county, but also about the opportunity this region — pocketed by cultural treasures, stunning outdoor recreation, and a vibrant, resilient business community — poses for employers, residents, and visitors alike. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

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Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts Executive Director Sheds Interim Tag

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The board of directors of Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts (DFSWM) announced that Jessica Roncarati-Howe is the organization’s new executive director, effective March 1.

Candidates were vetted by a volunteer hiring committee and the board of directors. After four years with DFSWM, most recently as director of Programs and Operations before taking on the interim executive director role, Roncarati-Howe has an intimate understanding of the work of the organization.

“Jess has excelled as interim executive director since she stepped into the role on January 1, and the board is confident that her vision and passion will take DFSWM to the next level,” the board noted in a statement.

Before joining DFSWM, Roncarati-Howe held several leadership roles, including executive director of both the AIDS Foundation of Western Massachusetts and the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce. She has dedicated her career to promoting dignity and quality of life in the community and has 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, focusing on program development, management, board governance, and leading mission-based organizations toward maximum community impact.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and fine arts from Elms College and a master’s degree in nonprofit management and philanthropy with a certificate in fundraising from Bay Path University.

Caolo & Bieniek Principal Bertram Gardner Honored by Boys & Girls Club

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Daily News

CHICOPEE — Caolo & Bieniek Associates Inc. announced that Principal Bertram Gardner has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Donald & Lois Prescott Founders Award by the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee. This recognition is awarded annually to individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the youth, community, and mission of the club.

Each year, the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee carefully selects community members who exemplify dedication and support toward the club’s vision. Gardner has been chosen as this year’s recipient in acknowledgment of his inspirational commitment, vision, courage, enthusiasm, and leadership.

“Principal Bertram Gardner’s steadfast dedication to the club and its young members over the years truly embodies the spirit of this prestigious award,” the architecture firm said in a statement.

The Donald & Lois Prescott Founders Award, initiated at the Centennial Gala in 2012, honors the legacy of Lois Prescott and the late Donald Prescott, a longstanding member of the club’s board of directors.

AIC Launches Center for Sport Physiology and Exercise Testing

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — What if you, your child athlete, or your sports team could use data-backed physiological testing services to improve health and athletic performance? With the help of American International College’s (AIC) Center for Sport Physiology and Exercise Testing (CSPET), that’s now possible.

The state-of-the-art human-performance laboratory, located in the AIC Colaccino Center for Health Sciences, is the only one of its kind in the Greater Springfield area. CSPET features sophisticated testing equipment used to provide advanced exercise assessments and analyses in all aspects of health and performance, including BOD POD body composition testing, resting metabolic rate testing, and VO2 max testing.

Susie Lachowski, director of the AIC Division of Exercise Science and founding director of CSPET, explained that, with repeated testing over time, the center’s team can track an individual’s progress and highlight areas of improvement that may need to be addressed. “I am excited to provide individuals, athletes, and coaches with exercise testing opportunities to enhance their performance, fitness, programming, and overall health-related goals.”

However, Lachowski added that the CSPET program is not limited to athletes. It’s also open to AIC faculty and staff as well as members of the public who can access the same exercise testing services and education about their results. “The data from the various tests we offer gives individuals a baseline sense of where they are, no matter their health or fitness goals.”

Working in the testing center benefits AIC students in the allied health professions, providing them with learning opportunities to advance their practical knowledge in exercise science. After being trained by faculty, students gain experience administering exercise testing protocols and educating participants on their results, setting them apart from others as they enter their careers.

“Providing applied learning experiences to our students where they can take the content they have learned within our courses and apply it to real-world scenarios is one of the most exciting components to all of this,” Lachowski said.

The CSPET is now open to members of the college and Greater Springfield community by appointment. AIC student-athletes, coaches, faculty, and staff may sign up for testing at a discounted rate. To request information or to make an appointment, visit www.aic.edu/lp/sport-physiology.

Despite Reports, Founder of Steve’s and Herrell’s Ice Cream Alive and Well

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Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — On March 4, the website obitshighway.com published an article wrongly claiming that Steve Herrell, founder of Steve’s Ice Cream and Herrell’s Ice Cream, had died. Another site, indianhausa.com, picked up the story on March 5.

Judy Herrell, president and CEO of Herrell’s Ice Cream, publicly announced that the reports are not true. “Steve Herrell is in good health, active, and will be celebrating his 80th birthday on April 2,” she said. “It is believed that these websites, where these obits were published, are phishing sites and are attempting to increase their online traffic.”

Independent Connections Expands Footprint to Downtown Pittsfield

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Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Independent Connections (IndyConn), an IT-solutions company in the Berkshires, announced the grand opening of its Pittsfield office. The new building will serve as the company’s Massachusetts branch and will house its growing team of skilled professionals dedicated to providing innovative technology solutions to businesses across the region. The company has other office locations in Hartford, Conn. and East Greenbush, N.Y.

The grand opening will take place on Thursday, March 7 from 3 to 5 p.m. at 579 Fenn St., Pittsfield. The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours of the new facility, refreshments, and networking opportunities with industry professionals, local business leaders, and city officials. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn more about IndyConn’s IT solutions and how they can benefit their businesses.

“I couldn’t be more excited about Indy’s future and the impact our services will have on local businesses,” said Christa Proper, CEO of Independent Connections, adding that Indy continues to expand its enterprise products and services by offering full-service IT and cybersecurity solutions for all types of businesses. “We are very committed to Pittsfield, and we feel it is the perfect place for Indy to expand and maintain a local presence for our local customers.”

Three Bulkley Richardson Attorneys Named Super Lawyers for 20 Straight Years

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Francis “Sandy” Dibble, John Pucci, and Jeffrey Roberts, attorneys at Bulkley Richardson, have been recognized by Super Lawyers for 20 consecutive years, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Massachusetts Super Lawyers.

According to Super Lawyers, there are 42,635 attorneys registered with the Massachusetts state bar, but only 264 attorneys selected to Super Lawyers all 20 years, making this an elite group of 0.6% of attorneys in the state.

Dibble, partner, has been recognized in the area of business litigation. He has tried and won, or favorably settled, significant cases for a wide range of clients throughout the U.S.

Pucci, partner, has been recognized in the area of criminal defense: white collar crimes. He is one of Massachusetts’ top trial lawyers, representing individuals and companies in complex civil and criminal litigation of all kinds in both state and federal courts.

Roberts, counsel, has been recognized in the area of estate & probate. He has handled many sophisticated estate-planning matters throughout his career, as well as corporate work and business transactions, primarily for closely held companies.

“Twenty years of being recognized as a Super Lawyer is a testament to the solid reputations that these lawyers have earned within their respective fields of practice,” said Dan Finnegan, Bulkley Richardson’s managing partner. “Their contributions to clients across Massachusetts and beyond are noteworthy.”

Super Lawyers is a rating service of lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. A patented attorney-selection process is peer-influenced and research-driven, selecting the top 5% of attorneys to the Super Lawyers list each year.

Market Mentors Welcomes Heather Rush as Associate Creative Director

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Daily News

Heather Rush

SPRINGFIELD — Market Mentors LLC recently welcomed Heather Rush to its team as associate creative director. She arrives with more than 20 years of experience in everything from graphic design, photography, and copywriting to creative direction, art direction, and brand development.

“Heather brings a wealth of creative energy and expertise to our agency,” said Michelle Abdow, president and CEO of Market Mentors. “She provides a holistic perspective to all aspects of the creative process and oversees our entire creative team, including copywriting, design, photography, and web design and development.”

In her previous roles, Rush has been immersed in all things creative, from storyboarding, strategizing, and conceptualizing to brand development and implementation, photography, and video shoots. Over the past six years, she managed a marketing team of designers and project editors and launched campaigns and products through digital and print channels.

A graduate of Elms College with a degree in commercial arts, Rush is a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. She has received the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award for book-cover design and layout, and several awards for book-series design from BookBuilders of Boston, which also awarded her the 2017 iPad App UX/UI design award. An avid painter, she recently spent two weeks in Italy on a watercolor painting intensive.

Active in the Hampshire County community, Rush is a team captain and team organizer/top-50 fundraiser for the Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage, a member of the Easthampton Farmers and Makers Market committee, and a volunteer with Easthampton Arts.

Three County Fair Announces 2024 Food Drive

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Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — The Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden Agricultural Society, the nonprofit organization that manages the Three County Fair and fairgrounds, will conduct its 2024 Food Drive on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside of its main office at 54 Fair St., Northampton.

The fair is seeking non-perishable foods such as canned fruit, vegetables, and tuna, plus cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, and peanut butter for area food pantries that have partnered with the fair. This year’s recipients include Providence Ministries’ Margaret’s Pantry in Holyoke, the Easthampton Community Center, the Franklin County Community Meals Program in Greenfield, Helping Hands Cupboard Food Pantry in Belchertown, and the Westhampton Congregational United Church of Christ food pantry.

“Food insecurity continues to negatively impact so many individuals and families throughout our region,” said Tom Smiarowski, president of the society. “The pantries that we partner with are doing heroic work helping those in need due to the increased demand for assistance they experience every day. And the Three County Fair is pleased to play a role in supporting their efforts.”

Each vehicle that donates a minimum of 10 in-date items will be supplied with a pair of complimentary tickets to the 2024 Three County Fair, running Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. The fair requests that donations be compiled in disposable bags or boxes for volunteers to easily accept them from vehicles.

1Berkshire Launches Campaign in New York City’s Grand Central Station

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Daily News

PITTSFIELD — 1Berkshire announced that, as part of its official Berkshire marketing plan for FY 2024, it will will bring the Berkshires to New York City’s Grand Central Station (one of the busiest transit hubs in the country) starting this month.

Back in the mid-2000s, a campaign of this magnitude was successfully conducted in Boston. The intent of this branding campaign is to give Manhattanites a pause and to encourage a respite in the Berkshires. The campaign does not end there, though — it will continue through late spring in the form of a digital retargeting wraparound campaign and into the summer.

“The campaign will be three large, visually impactful triptychs with four sets of Berkshire imagery rotating through, along with three large single boards with six sets of imagery in rotation,” said Lindsey Schmid, senior vice president of Tourism and Marketing for 1Berkshire. “By having this campaign run in the station for a month, the commuters will be able to see Berkshire imagery time and time again, with a variety of locations and seasons. This is done to instill a Berkshire wanderlust, which we hope will make the viewers of the campaign into actual Berkshire visitors.”

The theme of this campaign is “Soar, Restore, and Explore in the Berkshires.” The idea of running this thematic campaign in the spring is to make New Yorkers aware that the Berkshires is not just a summer and fall destination, so as to entice visitation in the shoulder seasons.

The campaign will run from early March through early June and include inspirational Berkshire imagery, plus a dedicated landing page on berkshires.org (the official Berkshire tourism site, managed by 1Berkshire), along with a digital retargeting and lookalike campaign. It is set to garner more than 14.5 million impressions.

1Berkshire is supported by MASS MoCA and Shakespeare & Company in this campaign. The 1Berkshire marketing team has also worked to weave the theme of this campaign into other advertorial opportunities in New York City, Boston, and Eastern Canada, and it will be the focus of its spring and summer video campaigns.

“We were excited to learn that 1Berkshire was including this branding campaign in their Berkshire marketing plan this year,” said Jaclyn Stevenson, director of Marketing and Communications for Shakespeare & Company. “Being part of this campaign allows us to tie into the work they are doing to promote this region, while also shining a light on Shakespeare & Company in the New York City market.”

Eversource Tests New Mobile Batteries for Backup Emergency Power

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — As part of Eversource’s commitment to advancing clean technologies and exploring innovative ways to help the Commonwealth achieve its decarbonization goals, the company is testing a mobile battery energy storage system (MBESS) as a zero-carbon backup power source.

As part of its MBESS pilot program, the energy company now has two mobile batteries that it is strategically deploying across its Massachusetts service territory, including in environmental-justice communities, to provide power to customers while its crews make upgrades or repairs to the electric system that would otherwise require a power outage. Eversource is also charging one of the batteries using a solar array at its Springfield Area Work Center, further enhancing the clean-energy applications of the technology.

“The mobile batteries are passing our tests with flying colors, and we are excited about the many benefits it will provide to our customers as a quiet, carbon-free solution to ensure reliable service while we conduct critical work on the system,” Eversource Director of Distribution Engineering Umair Zia said. “We’ve field-tested the MBESS, bringing it to a site where we’d previously used diesel-power generators for backup power, and the mobile battery provided power for 18 hours at a time, quietly, with no emissions. It can also be recharged using our solar panels at our area work centers, making this a truly sustainable solution to enhance service for our customers.”

Mobile batteries produce no exhaust fumes, and, unlike diesel generators, the MBESS operates virtually silently. Also, by eliminating noise, batteries can facilitate clearer communication between workers on construction job sites or disaster-relief efforts. The MBESS can also be swapped out for recharging and save money previously spent on diesel fuel to power generators. One new 500 kilowatt-hour mobile battery can, for example, charge a 50-home neighborhood for four hours. The current plan is to have two mobile batteries at the Springfield Area Work Center for deployment.

Dietz & Company Architects Welcomes Michelle Muro

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Daily News

Michelle Muro

SPRINGFIELD — Dietz & Company Architects Inc. announced the addition of Michelle Muro, AIA to its staff in the role of senior architect in the Cambridge office. She holds a bachelor of architecture degree from Montana State University and is a licensed architect in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, and Kansas. She brings more than 26 years of experience to Dietz & Company, having worked for firms in Massachusetts and Colorado.

Muro has worked on a variety of projects in the industrial, multi-family, commercial, retail, and sports-entertainment sectors. She has expertise in code compliance and accessibility and specializes in project management and construction administration. As such, she will be managing the construction process at the Walkling Court senior-housing development project in Medford.

Freedom Credit Union Accepting Donations in Support of Griffin’s Friends

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Freedom Credit Union is collecting cash donations through March 30 at its branches throughout Western Mass. to benefit Griffin’s Friends, a volunteer-led group dedicated to providing relief and support to children with cancer and their families.

“This is a cause we support annually because it is near and dear to the hearts of our members and staff,” Freedom Credit Union President Glenn Welch said. “Griffin’s Friends is committed to helping ease the hardships of children in treatment for cancer and the families who love and support them.”

All funds raised throughout the March Month of Giving campaign will benefit the Griffin’s Friends Children’s Cancer Fund at Baystate Health Foundation Inc. Established in 1994, Griffin’s Friends is named for Griffin Kelleher, who passed away from cancer when he was 14 months old. This fund is his legacy, supporting children in treatment for cancer and their families by providing small acts of kindness. Examples include trips to stage performances and sporting events; in-hospital and outpatient entertainment; massage therapy; and activities such as art, computers, and games.

“We encourage our employees, members, and community to donate to this worthy cause at any Freedom branch this month,” Welch said. “Together, we can help ease the all-consuming burden of a child’s cancer diagnosis for local families by providing them with moments of comfort and happiness.”

Judy Herrell Honored as Northampton’s 2024 Local Businessperson of the Year

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Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Alignable, an online networking platform for business owners, invited its more than 8.7 million members to shout out local business leaders who have gone above and beyond guiding peers and supporting entire communities amid challenging economic conditions.

The network announced that Judy Herrell of Herrell’s Ice Cream has again been elected Northampton’s 2024 Businessperson of the Year.

Alignable’s 2024 Local Businessperson of the Year contest reached unparalleled participation levels, logging more than 309,000 votes, more than 64,000 recommendations, and more than 5,100 local winners across the U.S. and Canada. It was most popular competition Alignable has hosted in more than five years, marking a 40% jump in participation over 2023.

Winners were commended for helping their peers and communities through a year with many challenges, including rising interest rates and rents, not to mention skyrocketing supply costs.

“In our local business community, we look out for each other to help make everyone in town as successful as possible, and the challenges we’re all encountering compel many of us to offer counsel to peers fighting to keep their businesses afloat,” Herrell said. “While I’m thrilled to receive this award, it’s really a testament to our entire Northampton business community.”

Three Local Nonprofits Partner to Deliver Pet Food to the Elderly

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Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — In partnership with the Berkshire Humane Society Pet Assistance Program, BFAIR and Elder Services of Berkshire County are helping elders feed their pets in conjunction with Meals on Wheels, which provides hot lunchtime meals for people age 60 and older.

The Pet Assistance Program kicks off today, March 5, at 10:30 a.m. at the Berkshire Humane Society in Pittsfield. BFAIR’s Community Based Day Services (CBDS) program participants will fill a vehicle at Berkshire Humane Society before embarking on a journey through Pittsfield and Dalton to deliver pet food to more than 20 elders in the Berkshire community. The program will run monthly, and BFAIR program participants will continue to deliver this much-needed resource.

BFAIR’s Community Based Day Services program helps adults with disabilities participate in their community and improve their skills by providing access to regular, meaningful social contact and stimulating activities. Services are designed to maximize a person’s ability to manage everyday life activities in their community.

According to Kayla Brown-Wood at Elder Services of Berkshire County, “for us at Elder Services, we’re excited to be able to offer this to the people receiving Meals on Wheels while also strengthening our community partnerships and helping people with disabilities make an impact through this experience.”

Laura Baran, recently appointed senior director of CBDS and Employment at BFAIR, added that “our CBDS program adds value to our local community in multiple ways, providing an opportunity for participants to interact in the community, and with that comes wonderful volunteer service in the Berkshires to help those in need.”

John Perrault at the Berkshire Humane Society noted that “it’s impressive how three very different nonprofit organizations can come together in this way to provide a meaningful service to people, and pets, in our community.”

To be eligible to receive pet assistance through this program, the individual must receive services through Elder Services’ Meals on Wheels program. For more information on how to get started, visit esbci.org or call (413) 499-0524.

bankESB Promotes Seth Clark to Wire Transfer Officer

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Daily News

Seth Clark

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB recently promoted Seth Clark to wire transfer officer, based in the 36 Main St., Easthampton office.

Clark has 11 years of banking experience and has held a variety of positions since joining bankESB in 2013, including wire transfer manager, assistant branch manager, personal banker, and senior teller. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State College. Outside of work, he has been a part-time church organist in Westhampton and Holyoke for 20 years.

UWPV’s Dora D. Robinson Women’s Leadership Council to Hold Kickoff Event

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) will hold a kickoff event for the Dora D. Robinson Women’s Leadership Council on Friday, March 8.

The Dora D. Robinson Women’s Leadership Council is an affinity group of the United Way of Pioneer Valley, modeled on United Way Worldwide’s Women United program.

Robinson co-founded the council in 2014, when she served as president and CEO of UWPV. As the first woman to serve the century-old organization in that role, she championed opportunities for women to fulfill their philanthropic endeavors by sharing their talents, treasure, time, and leadership through the United Way.

After a period of inactivity, the council is ready to begin anew, re-established to honor Robinson’s spirit and legacy and to continue her visionary work on behalf of women and girls. A 13-member steering committee guides the strategic development of the council, and the March 8 kickoff event, which coincides with International Women’s Day, will serve as both a public reintroduction and a membership drive.

“As a beneficiary of Dora’s care and phenomenal leadership example, it is an honor to be a part of her legacy of empowerment for women of all backgrounds,” said Latoya Bosworth, co-chair of the steering committee and decades-long mentee of Dora.

Bosworth is joined by co-chair Giselle Gaines, who added that “it’s a privilege to be part of the Dora D. Robinson Women’s Leadership Council, celebrating a trailblazer’s legacy. In our commitment to women’s health, education, and financial empowerment, each woman on the committee brings unique gifts and leadership. Together, we build on Dora’s foundation, creating a lasting legacy of empowerment.”

The sold-out event will be held at Penthouse 650 at 1500 Main St. in Springfield. It will feature luxurious hors d’oeuvres, a DJ, and a cash bar.

BusinessTalk with Kitchens by Curio owners Curio and Frank Nataloni

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Business Talk Podcast

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 203: March 4, 2024

Joe Bednar talks with Curio and Frank Nataloni, owners of Kitchens by Curio

Curio and Frank Nataloni

Fifty years ago, Curio Nataloni was laid off from a construction job and started doing solo kitchen projects. Ten years after he launched that business, his brother, Frank, joined him full-time, and just this past month, Kitchens by Curio celebrated 50 years in business. On the next episode of BusinessTalk, Curio and Frank talk with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar about surviving and thriving through various economic shifts and the many changes in home renovation over the years, from high-tech advances to the way people shop to evolving tastes in kitchen and bath styles — and also about Curio’s son, Michael, who plans to eventually be the company’s second-generation leader. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

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Monson Savings Bank Announces New Wilbraham Branch Management Team

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Daily News

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank announced that Vicki Baldyga, former Ware branch manager, and Amber Messer, former assistant Ware branch manager, have transferred to the bank’s Wilbraham branch to take the helm as the new management team of the 100 Post Office Park location.

“At Monson Savings Bank, we strive to offer our team members new opportunities. Whether it be a transfer to a new location, a role in a different department, or something else that better suits their professional goals, we’re happy to support our team members throughout their journey with us,” said Dan Moriarty, Monson Savings Bank president and CEO. “I am confident in Vicki and Amber’s leadership based on the years of dedication and support they have provided our customers up to today. I know that they will help to make this a smooth transition and provide our customers with the same amazing service as the previous management of the Wilbraham branch.”

Baldyga has 25 years of experience in the banking industry, 17 of which have been in branch management. She has been employed with Monson Savings Bank for five years. Committed to expanding her knowledge and skill set, she is currently enrolled in the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. New England School for Financial Studies and holds several diplomas and certificates from the Center for Financial Training.

In her role as Wilbraham branch manager, Baldyga will be responsible for planning, organizing, and directing branch operations. She aims to foster an environment of teamwork and provide a high level of leadership to her team, as well as provide a high level of customer service with a positive, respectful, and courteous attitude.

Baldyga is very involved in the local community, volunteering at Crossway Community Clothing Outreach, serving on the board of the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce, and donating blood to the Red Cross.

“I have always strived to help others grow and achieve their goals, both personally and professionally. I have a servant’s heart and do my best to help others,” she said. “Whether it is a new couple looking for their first home, a small-business owner looking for the best products and services, a teen going off to college that needs financial literacy, or an elderly person that has just lost their spouse and needs help navigating their bank accounts, I truly love to help others and see them smile as they achieve their goals. I am so grateful for this opportunity to help people in the Wilbraham community reach their banking goals.”

Messer began her banking career as a customer service representative and teller at Monson Savings Bank six and a half years ago. Throughout her career, she has proven to be an asset to the bank and has achieved several promotions, ultimately attaining the position of assistant branch manager.

In 2023, Messer was a nominee for Monson Savings Bank’s President’s Award. She was recognized by a peer for her commitment to customer and community service, teamwork, and excellence. She has also received several customer-service excellence awards during her time with the bank for going above and beyond.

As the assistant Wilbraham branch manager, Messer will support Baldyga to manage the branch. She will also assist customers with their banking transactions, drawing on her extensive knowledge of bank products and services, while promoting an atmosphere of positive staff morale by inspiring trust and respect.

“As I continue my career journey with Monson Savings Bank, I am looking forward to becoming an active member of the Wilbraham community and forming deeper relationships with our Wilbraham customers,” she said. “I have enjoyed advancing my leadership skills and contributing to our overall team efforts. Through my patient and empathic personality, I can provide the highest level of customer service to help individuals achieve their financial goals. I like looking for opportunities to provide our customers with products and services that will make their banking easier. I am excited to expand on my skill set and continue to do my part to lead the bank to success.”

Country Bank Welcomes Clare Ladue to Customer Care Center

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Daily News

WARE — Country Bank announced the appointment of Clare Ladue as the assistant vice president of the Customer Care Center. With 30 years of financial-service experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to her new role.

Ladue graduated from Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. New England School of Financial Studies. She has a commercial lending certificate from the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. and numerous professional leadership certifications.

Throughout her career, she has gained extensive experience in banking, including retail banking, deposit operations, commercial lending, and regional management, making her the ideal candidate to lead Country Bank’s Customer Care team.

Her connection to the local community is evident through her previous involvement as an executive committee member of the Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce. She has also participated in numerous charitable initiatives, including the Walk of Champions, Junior Achievement, Rays of Hope, Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen, and Link to Libraries. Her dedication to making a positive impact aligns with Country Bank’s core values.

“I am thrilled to join Country Bank and utilize my leadership skills and experience to support our valued customers,” Ladue said. “I will focus on their financial wellness, ensuring a superior customer experience from our exceptional Customer Care team, and I am eager to make a difference and contribute to the continued success of Country Bank.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Clare to the Customer Care Center team; her experience in retail and commercial banking, combined with her leadership roles, make her a perfect fit for Country Bank,” bank President Paul Scully said. “We look forward to Clare’s enthusiasm and dedication representing Country Bank, and supporting our iSTEP corporate values of integrity, service, teamwork, excellence, and prosperity, and we are pleased that she has chosen Country Bank to be her employer of choice.”

Aaron Lansky of the Yiddish Book Center Announces Retirement

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Daily News

AMHERST — Aaron Lansky, founder and president of the Yiddish Book Center, announced he plans to retire in June 2025.

Lansky founded the Yiddish Book Center in 1980 as a 24-year-old graduate student, and since then, the organization has rescued more than 1.5 million Yiddish books, created educational programs that bring the language and culture to new audiences, documented the oral histories of more than 1,300 narrators, created a publishing imprint devoted to Yiddish translation, and much more.

Susan Bronson, who has been the center’s executive director for 14 years and holds a doctorate in Russian and Jewish history, will succeed Lansky as president.

Common Threads to Celebrate Women Supporting Women on April 11

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Common Threads, the signature event of Dress for Success Western Massachusetts (DFSWM), is coming up on Thursday, April 11 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Tickets are on sale until April 1.

Common Threads will feature networking, a sit-down dinner, and a silent auction leading into a program that will highlight multiple local women who have made significant strides toward financial stability and personal goals.

Award-winning weeknight evening anchor Ciara Speller of WWLP 22News will be the emcee for the event. LaTonia Monroe Naylor, school committee representative, small-business entrepreneur, gunshot survivor, author, nonprofit founder, wife, and mother, will serve as the keynote speaker.

During the event, Sarai Arroyo of West Springfield Public Schools and a student at Holyoke Community College will be given the Distinguished Alumna Award, Tammy Hickey will be honored as Volunteer of the Year, and Jessica Dupont of Alliant Health Plans, a DFSWM past board president, will be recognized as an Outstanding Contributor.

“The program will honor our awardees and five participants who have changed their lives while in our programming,” said Jess Roncarati-Howe, DFSWM interim executive director. “It’s inspirational to see how much these women have overcome — including poverty, abuse, addiction and more — to provide a better future for themselves and their families.”

All proceeds support DFSWM’s mission to provide women and non-binary people in the community with the tools and network of support to achieve financial independence. Local programs include the Foot in the Door workforce-readiness program, the Margaret Fitzgerald Mentorship Program, the Professional Women’s Group, a digital-literacy program, and the suiting program. The event will feature opportunities to donate to the work of Dress for Success Western Massachusetts.

Tickets, which cost $75 each, are available at www.dfswm.org.

A.L. Cignoli & Associates Inc. Names Evan Garber Senior Consultant, Vice President

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Daily News

Evan Garber

SPRINGFIELD — Evan Garber has been named senior consultant and vice president of A.L. Cignoli & Associates Inc. Garber, who received his master’s degree in public affairs from the UMass Amherst School of Public Policy, started working with the firm as an intern during his time as an undergraduate student at UMass studying political science and education.

“Day one, as an intern, we knew Evan had every skill necessary, and more, to help serve our diverse clients, from crisis communications to event-plan execution to navigating the halls of local and state governments, as well as the wild waters of Washington D.C.,” said Anthony Cignoli, president of A.L. Cignoli & Associates Inc.

“Evan jumped right into several significant corporate client challenges for us, handled some very delicate political campaign issues, and had the compassion and background to assist several of our social-service clients, all from the start of our relationship with him. We are grateful that this exceptionally talented and energetic young man decided to accept our offer, to continue with us and stay here in our home base of Western Massachusetts,” Cignoli added. “It is important to me that young people with Evan’s skill remain in our region. Though our firm’s clientele reaches beyond the region, keeping someone with Evan’s talent here is a big win for us. And on top of all that, we’ve had a lot of great success with Eagle Scouts on our team over the years.”

Garber attended Chicopee High School and found his first interest in history, theater, leadership, economics, and politics there. Throughout his time at UMass, he was able to refine those interests.

“It’s amazing how those five things I was really into cross over and reinforce each other. The skills I learned from pursuing them are ones that I very much use every day in the government and public-relations field,” he said.

While in college, Garber chaired the UMass Theatre Guild, got experience working in grassroots political campaigns, was on the student staff of the UMass Marching Band, and got his class B commercial driver’s license to work at UMass Transit.

“When I began my first internship in 2019, I had been thinking of a different career path,” he recalled. “I knew I needed some real-world experience in public and media relations for that initial path. Working with Tony and the amazing people who are the firm’s clients and associates, I realized that the impact and difference I hope to make could be achieved through this specialized profession. The charitable and pro bono work we do is gratifying and exhilarating.”

Garber is thankful for the opportunity to work with clients both in Western Mass. and around the world.

“Every day working for our clients is unique,” he said. “From some of the biggest names on the planet in manufacturing to Western Mass. food cooperatives, farmer’s groups, healthcare, retail cannabis, entertainment industry, and social-service organizations, it is a great mix of economic impactors that make a difference in real people’s lives. And when we add in the excitement of challenging political campaigns, there are no dull moments.”

Garber will be responsible for oversight of all Cignoli client efforts. He works directly with Cignoli on all daily client operations, including drafting strategies, media monitoring, designing solutions that are customized to the firm’s unique clients, and contributing to the successful results of clients.