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

103 North St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Claire E. Johnson
Seller: John J. Mossman
Date: 01/12/23

COLRAIN

326 West Leyden Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Rhonda Wainshilbaum
Seller: Sky Blue (Estate)
Date: 01/20/23

253 West Leyden Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Jaidan Realty Property Mgmt. LLC
Seller: Alisa R. Greenbacher
Date: 01/09/23

 

DEERFIELD

33 Elm Circle
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Paul A. Windt
Seller: Monique R. Gagnon
Date: 01/18/23

ERVING

22 Central St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $219,500
Buyer: Jeffrey P. McAndrews
Seller: Margaret L. McAndrews
Date: 01/12/23

GILL

43 Ben Hale Road
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Trevor Berman
Seller: Derek P. Irvine
Date: 01/13/23

GREENFIELD

687 Bernardston Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Daniel K. Vaccari
Seller: Melvin Lawrence
Date: 01/20/23

1385 Bernardston Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $799,000
Buyer: W&A Real Estate LLC
Seller: Jeffrey L. Coulson
Date: 01/13/23

436 Davis St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Staci M. Miner
Seller: Bingnet, Christa C., (Estate)
Date: 01/11/23

17 East Cleveland St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Natashia Patria
Seller: Trevor Berman
Date: 01/12/23

51 Forest Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: Jessica L. Green
Seller: Asher Construction LLC
Date: 01/17/23

200 Hope St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $253,600
Buyer: Nicholas Constantilos
Seller: Joseph H. Nickerson
Date: 01/20/23

121 Montague City Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Corey M. Walters
Seller: Brittany Ward
Date: 01/10/23

15 Oak Hill Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Elaine Howard
Seller: David J. Attesi
Date: 01/20/23

18 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Alexis A. Silk
Seller: Valerie Walker
Date: 01/11/23

64 West St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $251,400
Buyer: Alexander Peterson
Seller: Stephanie A. Thomas
Date: 01/12/23

 

HAWLEY

4 East Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Ian N. Seaver
Seller: James R. Schaefer
Date: 01/12/23

HEATH

250 South Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Natalie M. Rodriguez
Seller: T. & Tamara Miller LT
Date: 01/09/23

LEVERETT

50 Montague Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Eric D. Donnelly
Seller: Todd C. Griswold
Date: 01/10/23

MONTAGUE

21 Crocker Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $384,700
Buyer: Jessica L. Rivera
Seller: Patricia Ann Ryan
Date: 01/20/23

8 Davis St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Nathan Davies
Seller: Barry F. Kostanski
Date: 01/13/23

54 Greenfield Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jared L. Porter
Seller: Sarah J. Hamlin
Date: 01/20/23

NORTHFIELD

13 Glenwood Ave.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Victoria Brito
Seller: Spencer W. Gowan
Date: 01/09/23

ORANGE

Flagg Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Heyes Family Forests LLC
Seller: Laurey C. Kenerson
Date: 01/12/23

94 Prospect St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Taisha Garrett
Seller: John Washiek
Date: 01/20/23

128 South Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $332,500
Buyer: Ricardo Sainvil
Seller: Brenda I. Schatz
Date: 01/20/23

121 West Myrtle St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Cynthia B. Chandler
Seller: David K. Mallett
Date: 01/20/23

ROWE

19 Ford Hill Road
Rowe, MA 01367
Amount: $258,700
Buyer: Coastline Property Renovation
Seller: Jess F. Row
Date: 01/13/23

SHELBURNE

22 Mechanic St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Richard Binns
Seller: Bragdon-Bingham Int.
Date: 01/11/23

1184 Mohawk Trail
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jesse T. Seaver
Seller: Roberts, Shirley A., (Estate)
Date: 01/18/23

SHUTESBURY

662 Pratt Corner Road
Shutesbury, MA 01002
Amount: $362,000
Buyer: Richard A. Gallo
Seller: James R. Averill
Date: 01/18/23

SUNDERLAND

118 North Main St.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Sunderland Rentals LLC
Seller: Ronald M. Rodak
Date: 01/13/23

42 Park Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Ronald Wetherby
Seller: James M. Kowaleck
Date: 01/09/23

20 Reservoir Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $323,750
Buyer: Norbert R. Kaminski
Seller: Marjorie A. Gordon
Date: 01/18/23

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

523 Franklin St., Ext
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Mauricio G. Garzon
Seller: Charlene A. Harnish
Date: 01/18/23

123 Line St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $539,000
Buyer: Guy C. Qvistgaard
Seller: Carl Nunziato
Date: 01/18/23

105 Northwood St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Pavel Kovalenko
Seller: Judith B. Losito
Date: 01/20/23

14 Oak Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Mark Chevalier
Seller: Belisa A. Chevalier
Date: 01/17/23

15 Red Fox Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Robert A. Beaulieu
Seller: Scott A. Zielinski
Date: 01/09/23

299 Walnut St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $365,625
Buyer: First Nationwide Realty LLC
Seller: Twelve Doors LLC
Date: 01/10/23

BLANDFORD

184 Otis Stage Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jeremy Reinford
Seller: Paul C. Brewer
Date: 01/10/23

BRIMFIELD

71 Dunhamtown Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Sandra Riverson
Seller: Christopher Stocks
Date: 01/09/23

79 Warren Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $456,000
Buyer: Darren A. Wiemer
Seller: Roderick W. Jensen
Date: 01/10/23

CHICOPEE

16 Atkins St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Jose Cortes
Seller: Tomroc Holdings LLC
Date: 01/09/23

34 Casino Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: Cory L. Phillips
Seller: Andrew J. Bower 2016 RET
Date: 01/20/23

3 Charles St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Charles RT
Seller: Ira Helfand
Date: 01/13/23

94 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Shatequa Watkins
Seller: Deborah A. Boulanger
Date: 01/20/23

627 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Prossy Drinkwine
Seller: Robert Bergmann
Date: 01/18/23

145 Clarendon Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $141,000
Buyer: Top Notch Transitional Services
Seller: Lisa Cerruti
Date: 01/11/23

42 Jacob St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Justine R. Jaworski
Seller: Brady RT
Date: 01/12/23

19 Marshall Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Newton F. Asaah-Achu
Seller: Matthew J. Walker
Date: 01/10/23

67 Mayflower Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $213,515
Buyer: Tony Tereso
Seller: Derwood Lifgren
Date: 01/13/23

229 McCarthy Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Noah P. Salmon
Seller: Claire M. Lacroix
Date: 01/18/23

45 New York Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $256,500
Buyer: Wilber Moreno
Seller: Nelson E. Leclair
Date: 01/09/23

44 Northwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Greyshmarie Gonzalez
Seller: Joseph G. Kane
Date: 01/20/23

18 Pickering St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Emmanuel Quinn
Seller: Gabriel M. Jaworski
Date: 01/12/23

15 Savory Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Shirley A. Leca
Seller: Leca, Allen G., (Estate)
Date: 01/19/23

EAST LONGMEADOW

78 Cooley Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Carlos U. Arcentales
Seller: Andrew A. McGrath
Date: 01/09/23

79 Maple St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Denvor Realty LLC
Seller: Henrod Holding LLC
Date: 01/10/23

81 Maple St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Denvor Realty LLC
Seller: Henrod Holding LLC
Date: 01/10/23

27 Maryland St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $419,900
Buyer: Linh K. Cao
Seller: Juan M. Garcia-Ramos
Date: 01/20/23

146 Meadowbrook Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Cory Battles
Seller: Shaleice Parris
Date: 01/10/23

238 Millbrook Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $599,900
Buyer: Sanjay Timilsina
Seller: Gregory A. Vatrano
Date: 01/11/23

562 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $1,020,000
Buyer: Rita Kohli Fitness
Seller: Orion Pro Friend SL LLC
Date: 01/17/23

HOLLAND

124 Old County Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $157,397
Buyer: Freedom Mortgage Corp.
Seller: Michael Damato
Date: 01/10/23

HOLYOKE

69 Ashley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: Haley Gaudette
Seller: Sean T. Rohan
Date: 01/12/23

70 Bemis Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $368,500
Buyer: Frank Heston
Seller: Robert C. Fuller
Date: 01/17/23

81 Bemis Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $348,900
Buyer: Damian R. Fernandez
Seller: Robin T. Lazorik
Date: 01/11/23

54-56 Brown Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Juan A. Velez
Seller: William Rivera
Date: 01/13/23

42 Clinton Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $234,500
Buyer: Jeffrey Gnatek
Seller: John P. Aubin
Date: 01/18/23

27 Concord Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Lelise R. Roberts
Seller: Celia E. Overby
Date: 01/10/23

107 Cross Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Kerry Kraft
Seller: Xinghuan Chen
Date: 01/20/23

979-981 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Angel J. Cruz
Seller: Phantom Holdings LLC
Date: 01/17/23

16 Greenwood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Gian M. Rosado-Freytiz
Seller: Peter J. McAndrew
Date: 01/17/23

154 Huron Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Sunflower Holdings LLC
Seller: Garrison J. Rivard
Date: 01/17/23

15 Nicholls Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Elizabeth A. Millay
Seller: Peter J. Moriarty
Date: 01/20/23

474 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Iglesia Bautista Quechua
Seller: DNKB Properties LLC
Date: 01/11/23

80-82 Saint James Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: George L. Vinas
Seller: Jonathan Soto
Date: 01/17/23

LONGMEADOW

105 Edgewood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $369,900
Buyer: Erik L. Borreson
Seller: Sara Caulson
Date: 01/20/23

908 Frank Smith Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Dinesh Patel
Seller: Subhash C. Grover
Date: 01/20/23

951 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $865,800
Buyer: Stassen Ft
Seller: Aaron D. Kugelmass
Date: 01/13/23

47 Ridge Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $795,000
Buyer: Mark R. Fairchild
Seller: Jerry L. Gibson
Date: 01/20/23

46 Roseland Ter.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Denisa Murtich-Nelson
Seller: Leonard S. Bell
Date: 01/17/23

103 Warren Ter.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Analy Duong
Seller: JJB Builders Corp.
Date: 01/20/23

42 Williston Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $351,255
Buyer: Lumturi RT
Seller: Dorita Henderson
Date: 01/20/23

LUDLOW

348 Alden St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Christine O’Shaunnessy
Seller: Dawn M. Scott
Date: 01/19/23

75 Heritage Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Rebecca Rondeau
Seller: Celia A. Tarasavitch
Date: 01/11/23

70 Kirkland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jeffrey T. Brousseau
Seller: Ann M. Brousseau
Date: 01/20/23

39 Michael St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $265,900
Buyer: Amy Doble
Seller: Chloe Molitoris
Date: 01/12/23

87-89 Minechoag Hts.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Peter J. Godbout
Seller: Vincent Villano
Date: 01/19/23

Turning Leaf Road, Lot 99
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Aneta Sucharski
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 01/19/23

MONSON

24 Betty Jean Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $311,000
Buyer: Alyshia M. Jensen
Seller: Thomas J. Keller
Date: 01/10/23

23 Brimfield Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Dawn A. Rogers
Seller: Heather A. Winter
Date: 01/13/23

18 Hilltop Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $267,500
Buyer: Joseph W. Goodreau
Seller: Jeffrey D. Lord
Date: 01/17/23

PALMER

194 Breckenridge St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Caar Development LLC
Seller: Betsy T. Leduc
Date: 01/19/23

4002 Church St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Wiseman Xavier
Seller: Jehoram RT
Date: 01/20/23

25 French Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Kevin Germain
Seller: Carol A. Lee
Date: 01/12/23

2191 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Katie Pilleri
Seller: Mint Realty Group LLC
Date: 01/13/23

3157-3159 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Robert M. Mileski
Seller: Robert M. Mileski
Date: 01/13/23

57 Mount Dumplin Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $152,500
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Seller: James E. Dupont
Date: 01/20/23

5 New Hampshire Ave.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Kimberly J. Nowicki
Seller: Erik Salstead
Date: 01/20/23

37 North St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $137,500
Buyer: Fumi Realty Inc.
Seller: Christopher V. Bukowski
Date: 01/19/23

RUSSELL

1441 Blandford Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Lakeview Loan Servicing
Seller: Jeffrey L. Footit
Date: 01/11/23

923 General Knox Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Michele L. Horvath-Spear
Seller: Tanis M. Meisenhelder
Date: 01/10/23

1114 Huntington Road
Russell, MA 01050
Amount: $288,000
Buyer: Stan Properties LLC
Seller: Howard R. Noe
Date: 01/20/23

SPRINGFIELD

821 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Tam T. Nguyen
Seller: Nhuan N. Nguyen
Date: 01/09/23

35 Archie St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Eulogio T. Felix
Seller: Todd M. Bonett
Date: 01/20/23

106 Barber St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $123,013
Buyer: Federal National Mortgage Assn.
Seller: Harvey E. Councilman
Date: 01/13/23

121 Bellevue Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Roland Hope
Seller: Morin, Dolores M., (Estate)
Date: 01/18/23

463 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Padam Gajmer
Seller: Suk Majhi
Date: 01/19/23

46 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Hugh A. Harline
Seller: Veale, Rita S., (Estate)
Date: 01/17/23

95 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Robert McCarty
Seller: Joanne K. Gilmour
Date: 01/09/23

46-48 Blanding St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: James R. Foy
Seller: D. Smith Real Estate Holdings Inc.
Date: 01/20/23

32 Breckwood Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Patricia Y. Cheeks
Seller: Steven W. Lewis
Date: 01/11/23

15 Buick St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Stefen S. Welch
Seller: Walmer, Ellen K., (Estate)
Date: 01/12/23

240 Cadwell Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $840,000
Buyer: Revitalize Community Development Corp.
Seller: Home Builders & Remodelers
Date: 01/12/23

34 Campechi St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Elioenai Rodriguez
Seller: Reinaldo Bermudez
Date: 01/17/23

17 Champlain Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: Rodrigo Bustillo
Seller: Nicholas Ayala
Date: 01/12/23

81 Cherokee Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Dnepro Properties LLC
Seller: Alonzo H. Johnson
Date: 01/10/23

435 Cottage St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Centro Cristiano Emanuel
Seller: Edward L. Young
Date: 01/19/23

33-35 Crown St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Ana Figueroa
Seller: Kouadio M. Nguessan
Date: 01/18/23

107 Donbray Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jose M. Rios
Seller: Fellion, Jeffrey E., (Estate)
Date: 01/09/23

62 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Lawrence J. Shea
Seller: Daniel J. Haseaert
Date: 01/18/23

18 Fenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $231,070
Buyer: Freedom Mortgage Corp.
Seller: Haji Reed
Date: 01/10/23

181 Fernbank Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Michelle Cooper
Seller: Halina Piorkowska
Date: 01/11/23

18 French St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Abdulrazaq Abdulrazaq
Seller: Jeffery Hyde
Date: 01/13/23

15 Garford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $256,500
Buyer: Erin E. Hagerty
Seller: Jadwiga Fiszer
Date: 01/20/23

101 Genesee St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Crystal M. Valentin
Seller: Patricia D. McKenzie
Date: 01/18/23

31 Goldenrod St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: James D. Greenwood
Seller: Alicia Garcia
Date: 01/20/23

249 Gresham St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $273,500
Buyer: Nicolas A. Valentine
Seller: City Of Homes Real Estate Ventures LLC
Date: 01/17/23

19 Harkness Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $234,999
Buyer: Adam David
Seller: Jennifer L. Bifulco
Date: 01/11/23

140 Hudson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Devin Bushey
Seller: Chicklowski, Nancy, (Estate)
Date: 01/09/23

126 Island Pond Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $3,350,000
Buyer: Walgreen Eastern Co. Inc.
Seller: PJC Realty Mass. Inc.
Date: 01/18/23

50 Kenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Gr Remodel LLC
Seller: 50 Kenway Dr TR
Date: 01/13/23

29 King St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,840
Buyer: REO TR
Seller: Keren D. Barry
Date: 01/11/23

184 King St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Wicked Deals LLC
Seller: Alonzo Williams
Date: 01/13/23

86 Magnolia Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Natacha Auguste
Seller: Fyxer Up Properties LLC
Date: 01/17/23

96 Magnolia Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: 96 Magnolia Terrace LLC
Seller: Waleryszak, Marion B., (Estate)
Date: 01/20/23

92 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Adrianna M. Rivera
Seller: Martha L. Black
Date: 01/13/23

27 Malibu Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Kyra Rodriguez
Seller: Marcus Moore
Date: 01/13/23

48-50 Mansfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Gianni Cofer-Smith
Seller: Home Staging & Realty LLC
Date: 01/13/23

72-74 Maryland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Monique Osbourne
Seller: Hanh N. Pham
Date: 01/12/23

58 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Sybil Maynard-Holder
Seller: Eddie W. Leverett
Date: 01/13/23

52 Merrimac Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Ian T. Iwinski
Seller: Bryce Y. Lupien
Date: 01/18/23

543 Newbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Thembisa T. Gilgeous
Seller: 3N Property LLC
Date: 01/09/23

50 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Myrtho Lambert
Seller: Precious Williams
Date: 01/11/23

87-89 Parkside St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: James E. Phelps
Seller: Luz Diaz
Date: 01/19/23

24 Pearl Lane
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Micah Y. Feldman
Date: 01/11/23

84 Penrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Minerva Cabrera
Seller: Carol Martin
Date: 01/11/23

66 Pinta Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Amy Moore
Seller: Vaughn Irt
Date: 01/09/23

23 Puritan Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $302,500
Buyer: Jessenia Y. Dechert
Seller: Suzanne Patnaude
Date: 01/13/23

34 Revere St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Luisa M. Diaz-Marcano
Seller: Felicia R. Barber
Date: 01/09/23

53 Sherman St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Marsha X. Qian
Seller: Sonya E. Gonzalez
Date: 01/10/23

241 South Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Mohit Adhikari
Seller: Ravin S. Acharya
Date: 01/17/23

119 Slater Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Luis Alicea
Seller: Rebecca E. Lesure
Date: 01/20/23

61 Suzanne St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $134,400
Buyer: Jacob Saleh
Seller: Nationstar Mortgage LLC
Date: 01/17/23

12-14 Sylvan St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Mark Melikian
Seller: Michael G. Shepard
Date: 01/11/23

115 Sylvester St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Carline Fonrose
Seller: Manuel J. Hernandez
Date: 01/19/23

42 Thompson St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Julio C. Sanabria
Seller: Brandi M. Gamble-Eddington
Date: 01/13/23

127 Webber St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Devon King
Seller: Gertrude M. Gibbs
Date: 01/12/23

35 Wendover Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Hanna A. Baffour
Seller: Jose R. Fernandez
Date: 01/10/23

93 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Hedge Hog Industries Corp
Seller: Dnepro Properties LLC
Date: 01/20/23

29-31 Wigwam Place
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Emmanuel D. Marte
Seller: Rosa Burgos
Date: 01/10/23

1189-1191 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $230,500
Buyer: KB Estates LLC
Seller: Purchrock LLC
Date: 01/12/23

851 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: Shanique R. Green
Seller: Tuan A. Tran
Date: 01/19/23

SOUTHWICK

729 College Hwy.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Christopher Laboranti
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 01/19/23

3 Evergreen St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Wicked Deals LLC
Seller: Michael R. Laiho
Date: 01/10/23

17 Ham Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Rachel C. Foxe
Seller: Glenn F. McNeil
Date: 01/20/23

9 Tall Pines Trail
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 01/11/23

TOLLAND

58 Porcupine Point Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Yong J. No
Seller: Matthew D. Scharff
Date: 01/10/23

WEST SPRINGFIELD

621 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $359,000
Buyer: Christopher Mulcahy
Seller: Chris S. Laboranti
Date: 01/19/23

15 Avondale Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Raul Portorreal
Seller: Walter J. Palasz
Date: 01/13/23

516 Bear Hole Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Eric R. Boudreau
Seller: John Cataldo IRT
Date: 01/10/23

468 Birnie Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Ram B. Tamang
Seller: Frances Marshall
Date: 01/18/23

30 Robinson Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: William L. Siano
Seller: Bodzioch, Antoinette, (Estate)
Date: 01/09/23

117 Sibley Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Dennis Clark
Seller: Paul R. Dickey
Date: 01/09/23

WESTFIELD

46 Chapel St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Colibri Properties LLC
Seller: Douglas Fuller
Date: 01/10/23

57 Crescent Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Christopher R. Rumplik
Seller: Leslie A. Bannish
Date: 01/12/23

20 Cross St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $185,500
Buyer: Helena K. Mochak
Seller: Francis J. Simmitt
Date: 01/19/23

26 Lois St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Renee Gonnello
Seller: Robin Sheldon
Date: 01/12/23

15 New Broadway
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: John H. Thomas
Seller: Mieczyslaw Niziol
Date: 01/10/23

141 Otis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Guven Orman
Seller: Nickole Kugel
Date: 01/11/23

WILBRAHAM

49 Bartlett Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: William H. Kemple
Seller: Richard K. Eyer
Date: 01/20/23

53-55 Bartlett Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: William H. Kemple
Seller: Richard K. Eyer
Date: 01/20/23

29 Brainard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Choctaw American Insurance Inc.
Seller: Sarah Stout
Date: 01/10/23

36 Linwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Veteran Stan LLC
Seller: Jolanta E. Oleksak
Date: 01/10/23

12 Maplewood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Laura M. Findlay
Seller: Nancy L. Ryan
Date: 01/20/23

17 Shirley St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: Josette Dawkins
Seller: David R. Scudder
Date: 01/12/23

125 Soule Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Christopher Stocks
Seller: Stephen G. Cote
Date: 01/10/23

7 Surrey Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Riccardo Albano
Seller: Cynthia L. Catuogno
Date: 01/19/23

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

30 McClellan St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Historic Renovations & Real Estate
Seller: Simpson, Judy Lewis, (Estate)
Date: 01/18/23

33 Red Gate Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: Andrew R. Spielvogel
Seller: Jason J. Weakley
Date: 01/12/23

58 South Whitney St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Thomas C. Perron
Seller: Timothy W. Aldrich
Date: 01/17/23

626 Station Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Juliana Hatfield
Seller: Helen H. Grabel
Date: 01/13/23

19 Thayer St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $423,000
Buyer: Gaibrial P. Duffy
Seller: KGT Associates LLC
Date: 01/19/23

535 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $408,500
Buyer: Emad Mady
Seller: Paul A. Ita
Date: 01/13/23

BELCHERTOWN

28 Alden Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Brian Huyler
Seller: Lihui Tan
Date: 01/17/23

Bardwell St., Lot 4
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Joan Mikos
Seller: Carol A. Spellman
Date: 01/10/23

79 Bardwell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Allan P. Cote
Seller: M. & G. Land Development LLC
Date: 01/19/23

192 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Jennifer Kalmansson
Seller: Courageous Lion LLC
Date: 01/10/23

120 Kennedy Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Kyle D. Ingram
Seller: Brianna M. Lacki
Date: 01/20/23

CHESTERFIELD

East St.
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: William Bitzer
Seller: Richard Stewart
Date: 01/17/23

127 East St.
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Julie A. Roberts
Seller: June Hinton LT
Date: 01/09/23

EASTHAMPTON

17 Florence Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: 17 Florence Road LLC
Seller: Meghan J. Royal
Date: 01/12/23

8 Jones Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Maxwell T. Swisher
Seller: Barry J. Picard
Date: 01/17/23

15 Lyman St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $411,100
Buyer: Richard K. Brown
Seller: Daniel J. Noonan
Date: 01/11/23

118 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $6,000,000
Buyer: Weny Pat LLC
Seller: CPI East Hampton I. LLC
Date: 01/10/23

GRANBY

533 Amherst Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Jessica R. Law
Seller: Maia Ft
Date: 01/20/23

435 East State St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Stanley Hill
Seller: Stimpson, Steven A., (Estate)
Date: 01/13/23

145 Harris St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Heather R. Labonte
Seller: Candice L. Reynolds
Date: 01/17/23

HADLEY

333 Rocky Hill Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $1,980,000
Buyer: Stadium Realty LLC
Seller: William H. McLoughlin
Date: 01/17/23

8 Sunrise Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $675,000
Buyer: Maureen Humpage
Seller: Mark Lively
Date: 01/20/23

4 Wampanoag Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $424,500
Buyer: Sarah L. Gilleman
Seller: Dian Ossolinski RET
Date: 01/13/23

HUNTINGTON

7 Cullen Hill Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Brent L. Fox
Seller: Charlene Call
Date: 01/11/23

NORTHAMPTON

323 Coles Meadow Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Christopher A. Spagnoli
Seller: Twomarks NT
Date: 01/13/23

504 Easthampton Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $742,000
Buyer: D. A. Sullivan & Sons Inc.
Seller: Tessier FT
Date: 01/09/23

148 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $925,340
Buyer: Jeffrey D. Caird
Seller: Sunwood Development Corp.
Date: 01/09/23

67 Park St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Max Hebert
Seller: Scott C. Harlow
Date: 01/18/23

591 Riverside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $427,500
Buyer: Valerie Marcus
Seller: Michael E. Aleo
Date: 01/09/23

40 Spring St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $388,000
Buyer: Richard C. Weis
Seller: Sarah L. Gilleman
Date: 01/13/23

613 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Hailey A. Miller
Seller: Linda A. Bullock
Date: 01/20/23

96 Woods Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $577,500
Buyer: Michael B. Sharick
Seller: Daniel L. Plotkin
Date: 01/12/23

SOUTH HADLEY

31 Ashfield Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $408,000
Buyer: Victor Perpetua
Seller: Janice M. Detoma RET
Date: 01/11/23

25 Judd Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $322,900
Buyer: Abigail P. Lukasik
Seller: Kevin Garvin
Date: 01/09/23

16 Lyon Green
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $585,000
Buyer: David M. Urbanski
Seller: J. N. Duquette & Son Construction
Date: 01/20/23

41 Viviani St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Jamie-Lynn M. Overby
Seller: Gary P. Biela
Date: 01/10/23

87 Woodbridge St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: David M. Brown
Seller: Thomas S. Simpson RET
Date: 01/12/23

WARE

1 Briar Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Audra Ekmalian
Seller: Carl R. Waal
Date: 01/10/23

26 Grove St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Peter D. Harper
Seller: Upland Mtg. Loan TA
Date: 01/13/23

135 Main St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Blackrock Group LLC
Seller: JRES LLC
Date: 01/09/23

3 Pleasant St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Thomas Collins
Seller: Qingxin Tian
Date: 01/19/23

2 Quarry St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $361,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Luksha
Seller: Richard A. Anair
Date: 01/20/23

WILLIAMSBURG

84 Briar Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Matthew Bienia
Seller: Nona C. Seredynski
Date: 01/20/23

Nominations Sought for Pynchon Award

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts is seeking nominations from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties for the Pynchon Award, which recognizes citizens of this region who have rendered outstanding commitment to the community.

The Order of William Pynchon was established by the Advertising Club in 1915 to recognize and encourage individuals whose lives and achievements typify the ideals of promoting citizenship and the building of a better community in Western Mass. Past recipients include community volunteers, social activists, teachers, journalists, public servants, business leaders, philanthropists, historians, physicians, and war heroes — a diverse group united by their passion for our region.

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 must be submitted by March 31 to William Pynchon Trustees, Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts, P.O. Box 1022, West Springfield, MA 01090-1022, or by email to [email protected].

Pynchon medalists are chosen by unanimous decision of the Pynchon trustees. The 2023 recipients will be announced in June, with an awards ceremony tentatively scheduled for the fall. Recipients are presented with a bronze medal cast with the name and likeness of Springfield’s founder, William Pynchon, and bearing the inscription: “They honor us whom we honor.”

I Found Light Against All Odds to Host Celebrity Bartender Fundraiser on March 8

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — I Found Light Against All Odds announced its first annual Celebrity Bartender fundraising event will take place on Wednesday, March 8 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Plan B Restaurant in Springfield.

The event will help the nonprofit continue to support at-risk youth and families in need and assist with the purchase of a home for homeless teen girls. A silent donor has pledged to match up to $100,000 to help with the purchase of the home.

Michelle Brooks-Thompson will be performing at the event. She is an award-winning recording artist, a finalist on the third season of The Voice, a vocal coach, a motivational speaker, and CEO of MBT Music Inc. She has performed at many professional sporting events, singing the national anthem. She will perform “Never Give Up” at the I Found Light Against All Odds fundraiser.

Celebrity bartenders for the evening include Kristine Puglisi Allard (Square One), Raymond Berry Jr. (White Lion Brewing Co.), Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi, Dawn Creighton (Community Connector), state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, Springfield City Councilor Justin Hurst, Nadim Kashouh (Nadim’s Mediterranean Restaurant), Springfield City Council President Jesse Lederman, Waleska Lugo (Inclusive Strategies, LLC), Dan Moriarty (Monson Savings Bank), state Sen. Jake Oliveira, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Payton Shubrick (6 Brick’s), Alethea Stevenson (Center School After School Program), and Jeff Sullivan (New Valley Bank & Trust).

Cooley Dickinson Launches New Brand Identity

By
Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Cooley Dickinson Hospital has officially unveiled its new brand and visual identity, representing its enhanced collaboration with colleagues throughout the Mass General Brigham system.

The hospital began installing exterior signage with the name (Mass General Brigham – Cooley Dickinson) and new logo on its main campus last month; installation was completed last week.

“The signs on our building and through our hospital campus visually reinforce that Cooley Dickinson is part of Mass General Brigham, a world-class healthcare system with patients at its center,” Cooley Dickinson President and CEO Lynnette Watkins said. “Mass General Brigham is committed to delivering local expertise to Pioneer Valley residents. When we combine our resources and talents, we provide a powerful impact for patients and the communities we serve.”

Some of the services Mass General Brigham brings to the community include medical oncology, radiation oncology, and genetic counseling services through the Mass General Cancer Center; evaluation clinics for liver and kidney transplantation; and maternal fetal medicine services. “These are services that are not typically found at community hospitals,” she said. “We are so fortunate to collaborate with Mass General Brigham to make these and other services available to our community.”

At the same time, Watkins noted, Cooley Dickinson has a 137-year history in its community. “Our unique culture and our talented providers and staff make us who we are. And the generous philanthropy we receive from local businesses and individuals remains here to support projects like the renovation of our Childbirth Center and the expansion of our Emergency Department.”

In 2013, Cooley Dickinson Hospital announced its affiliation with Massachusetts General Hospital and what was then Partners HealthCare. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of that collaboration. The Mass General Brigham brand was launched in 2019, leveraging the strengths of its founding hospitals.

Over the next several months and years, Cooley Dickinson will continue to gradually transition the new brand identity to its community clinics and medical offices, employee ID badges, and more.

Paragus to Present Webinar on Automated Employee Onboarding, Offboarding

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Properly onboarding and offboarding employees is an important part of keeping a business running efficiently. It also takes a lot of time and energy. On Friday, Feb. 17 from noon to 1 p.m., Paragus Strategic IT will present a webinar demonstrating how to automate the employee onboarding and offboarding processes, ensuring simplicity and consistency every time.

This webinar will explore the various options and technologies available to improve the way employees are onboarded and offboarded. With high business turnover in the last three years, onboarding and offboarding automation can help save time, avoid mistakes, and ensure that things get done according to procedure.

Click here to register.

CitySpace Appoints Two Members to Executive Team

By
Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — CitySpace recently welcomed two new members to its board’s executive team. Nikki Beck will serve as CitySpace’s vice president, and Peggy Twardowski is the new clerk of the organization.

“We are delighted to welcome Nikki and Peggy to the executive team. Both bring exceptional professional skills, expertise, and dedication to CitySpace and the arts in the region,” said Burns Maxey, president of CitySpace. “Both are starting in these positions at a critical time for the organization as we expand programming and restore the Old Town Hall. We are fortunate to include them on our team.”

Beck has been a board member of CitySpace since 2017. She is the production manager for the Smith College Theatre Department and also works at the Academy of Music and as a freelance stage manager. She is passionate about connecting theater organizations and has been sending a weekly newsletter of theatre events (Pioneer Valley Theatre News) since 2015.

A Mount Holyoke College graduate and CitySpace board member since 2021, Twardowski is the Business Information director for the video-game industry’s largest representation agency, Digital Development Management, where she oversees research and data services. She has sought ways to actively promote the arts in the area, using her experience from top-grossing video-game crowd-funded campaigns to advise regional creators on Indiegogo and Kickstarter campaigns. Previously, she organized the Paint & Pixel Festival, a small press expo for regional children’s book illustrators, comic artists, and web comic creators.

MSB Announces $15,000 in Donations in 2023 Community Giving Initiative

By
Daily News

MONSON — The people have voted, and the results are in for the Monson Savings Bank (MSB) 2023 Community Giving Initiative. In late 2022, MSB asked its community members to cast a vote for their nonprofit organizations of choice, and nearly 6,000 votes were submitted.

This was the 13th year of the Monson Savings Bank Community Giving Initiative, and the public’s excitement to cast their vote has grown throughout the years.

“We are always so excited to see everyone’s enthusiasm for our annual Community Giving Initiative,” said Michael Rouette, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Monson Savings Bank. As a local community bank, we have a passion for supporting the local residents, businesses, nonprofits, and the overall communities we serve. Our Community Giving Initiative gives our community members the opportunity to have their voice heard and decide the nonprofits they would like to see us support. We know that the charitable organizations that have been voted on have the ability to make a difference for our neighbors.”

In total, 400 organizations were nominated to receive a donation. Monson Savings Bank is donating a total of $15,000 among the top 10 vote recipients. Monetary donations are one of the many ways the local bank stays true to its longstanding mission of supporting local communities.

The 2023 Monson Savings Bank Community Giving Initiative recipients are I Found Light Against All Odds, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Alex Cotton Memorial Fund, and Women’s Empowerment Scholarship, Springfield; Wilbraham United Players, Wilbraham Friends of Recreation, Rick’s Place, and Scantic Valley YMCA, Wilbraham; Link to Libraries Inc., Hampden; and Monson Free Library, Monson.

“All of the organizations are well-deserving nonprofits that provide extremely important resources to our communities and their residents,” said Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank. “It is evident why they were chosen by our community members to receive support from Monson Savings.”

Northfield Kicks Off 350th-anniversary Celebration Feb. 18-19

By
Daily News

NORTHFIELD — Northfield announced a full slate of activities for Kickoff Weekend of the town’s 350th anniversary.

On Saturday, Feb. 18, Northfield’s Family Fun Day begins with indoor events at the Northfield Elementary School, 104 Main St., from 9 a.m. to noon with songs and stories by storyteller Roger Tincknell, a “Birds of Prey” demonstration by raptor expert Tom Ricardi, and other activities. The school’s PTO will offer snacks for sale.

The fun continues in the afternoon with outdoor winter activities hosted by First Light Power Resources at the Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center, 99 Millers Falls Road, Northfield. Activities include horse-drawn wagon rides, a campfire, s’mores and hot cocoa, plus self-guided tours of the Visitor Center Museum courtesy of First Light Power Resources, owner of the facility.

On Sunday, Feb. 19, Northfield 350th Anniversary and Historic Deerfield will present archeologist and historian Peter Thomas, who will give a presentation on the earliest inhabitants of the land now known as Northfield, titled “The Sokoki: Their Response to Colonization and Their Role in Northfield’s Beginning.” The program takes place at 2 p.m. at Trinitarian Church, 147 Main St., Northfield.

Thomas has studied and published the complex interactions among the Native and white settler communities throughout the Connecticut River Valley in Massachusetts and Vermont during the 17th century for more than three decades. He has been a research director and consultant to the federal government. His talk is one of several programs in the 350th-anniversary calendar that focus on the indigenous people who occupied the land for 16,000 years prior to colonization. A reception will follow in the fellowship hall of the church featuring memorabilia from Northfield’s 300th anniversary in 1973.

All Kickoff Weekend events are free and open to the public. For more information and a complete list of anniversary activities throughout 2023, sponsors, and donors, visit www.northfield350.org.

United Way of Pioneer Valley to Offer Free OnBoard Training on March 2

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) is partnering with Inclusive Strategies to offer a free OnBoard training session for newly-elected nonprofit board members as well as potential nonprofit board members.

The purpose of the OnBoard training is to learn how to build and retain relationships for inclusive board opportunities while gaining a better awareness on how to align one’s experiences with a local mission.

The training will be held on Thursday, March 2 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., with a social hour directly following the training. Registration is required to attend. Training topics include how to play an active role on a board, how to be an effective leader, how to enhance cross-cultural communication, and more. A panel of seasoned board members will be guests of the program to share their perspectives and experiences.

“Since incorporating the OnBoard program into the UWPV family of programs, it has been our intent to provide relevant training for new board members in the region,” said Jason Newmark, president of the UWPV board. “We believe this is a significant way for UWPV to support our fellow nonprofit organizations. The content in this session is stellar, and we invite new and potential board members to take full advantage of the abundant, shared knowledge that will be in the room.”

Space in the program is limited, so UWPV encourages people to register soon. To do so, contact Jennifer Kinsman at (413) 693-0212 or [email protected].

BusinessTalk with Carlo Bonavita, owner of the Springfield Wine Exchange

By
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 149: February 13, 2023

George Interviews Carlo Bonavita, owner of the Springfield Wine Exchange

Carlo Bonavita, owner of the Springfield Wine Exchange is the guest on the next installment of BusinessTalk. In a lively discussion with BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien, he has a lot to say about wine, the business of wine,  what buyers are looking for today, and even some thoughts on a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day. It’s all must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

 

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Florence Bank Pledges $100,000 to Hampshire Regional YMCA’s $1.5 Million Campaign

By
Daily News

FLORENCE — Florence Bank has pledged $100,000 to Hampshire Regional YMCA to support its $1.5 million mission-expansion campaign to expand available program space by developing an outdoor exercise ‘airnaseum,’ or open-air gymnasium.

Julie Bianco, CEO of the YMCA, said campaign leaders are still gathering corporate sponsorships in this early phase of the project, and so far, $361,000 has been pledged. The YMCA hopes to break ground on the project in the spring and evolve it over several years, as funds are gathered. The airnaseum and other improvements will benefit both children and adults.

“Florence Bank has been a longtime supporter of the YMCA,” Bianco said. “We really appreciate the bank’s commitment to the community. They always show up when they are needed.”

She added that Florence Bank’s support was critical during the pandemic. “They were there to offer opportunities to get us through. They understand the community because they live and work here. They understand the community’s needs.”

The pandemic was the ultimate inspiration for the airnaseum project. Prior to 2020, the YMCA had begun planning capital improvements as member activity had greatly increased over the years. “We were always looking for space for classes,” Bianco said. “Program space was a valuable commodity.”

The idea was to create more indoor space for programming, and then COVID made it impossible — and later, uncomfortable — for people to gather and exercise indoors, in close quarters. People still wanted to exercise and socialize, though, so Bianco said the Y held its classes outdoors in the upper parking lot, which was not in demand, as few members were using the building at that time.

“Then we began researching other ways to expand our program space outdoors and came upon the idea of an airnaseum,” she explained. “That concept is popular in warmer climates and is getting more popular in the Northeast. We have a wonderful property here, and people still want to exercise outside.”

Leaders of the YMCA worked with Berkshire Design Group to research and study all options, as well as create the project design, which has been approved by the Northampton Zoning Board of Appeals. Keiter Builders will be the contractor.

The outdoor exercise space will be located underneath a pavilion outside the gymnasium, where a grouping of picnic tables sits now. Equipment containers, called container gyms, will be purchased from Beaver Fit to hold the necessary gear for group classes and will be installed at one end of the airnaseum.

Installation of the outdoor space will happen in phases, with the first kicking off in the spring, when the floor of the space will be poured. “We hope to also put on the pavilion roof,” Bianco said, noting that the space’s sound and lights will be conducive to the neighborhood.

Future phases will involve updating and expanding the outdoor sports courts, improving the parking lot, and installing fencing and permanent shade sails that can be raised or lowered to provide cover from the sun.

“These spaces will provide more opportunities for families to connect and be together in a safe outdoor space,” she said. “We’re going to be able to expand the footprint of the space we have available to offer programming.”

Matt Garrity, president and CEO of Florence Bank, said he is thrilled to be able to support the YMCA’s campaign because the improvements will benefit children and families across the region.

“At Florence Bank, we like to take care of the community and help where help is needed,” he said. “We were founded in 1873 on the principle of neighbors helping neighbors, and 150 years later, we still see that as our primary mission. We keep our focus on the customers, the community, and our employees.”

Bianco explained that the bank and the YMCA have a long partnership. Bank employees sit on various YMCA committees, and the bank has offered financial support to the nonprofit organization for many years.

“For a community to thrive, we need places like the Y, where people can make social connections and take care of their health and wellness,” she said. “You see all ages, demographics, and backgrounds together at the Y. We’re a reflection of our community, and the reason we’re here is to bring people together. For a community to be healthy, we need that, and Florence Bank understands our mission.”

Pioneer Valley Conference for Women Slated for May 4

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Conference for Women will host its first in-person event on Thursday, May 4 at the Marriott in downtown Springfield. Leading the speaker lineup are Paulette Piñero, social entrepreneur, writer, and leadership coach, and Yvonne Williams, author of Tested Faith and It’s All About the Shoes. Each will provide a keynote address to an expected audience of more than 300 attendees.

The conference highlights topics that were chosen by the women of Western Mass., based on current trends and interests. Alison Maloni, owner of Alison May Public Relations, news anchor for a national network, and bestselling author of Breaking in the News: Build Buzz for Your Brand, will emcee the conference. Local comedian Jess Miller will entertain attendees during a VIP Comedy Kick-off the evening before the conference; tickets cost $35.

The cost to attend the Pioneer Valley Conference is $52, which includes breakfast, lunch, a swag bag, and an afternoon celebration with a female DJ and complementary wine and hors d’oeuvres following the full-day conference. The lunch sponsor is M&T Bank. The panel sponsor is Westfield Bank. The network sponsors are Smith Executive Education and USI Insurance. The small-business sponsors are Lovelace Design and Rooted Flowers.

“Paulette Piñero and Yvonne Williams will grab the hearts and souls of attendees with their bravery and openness,” said Jen Maseda, founder and CEO, of She’s Local and the Pioneer Valley Conference for Women. “These women, along with the over 30 local experts on our panels, have inspirational and compelling stories to share that every woman and man in the room will be able to relate to. By providing this affordable opportunity, we are effectively eliminating the gap in access to inspiration and social currency, one local conference at a time.”

Keeping with the goal of accessibility, the conference will also be available virtually for those who are more comfortable watching through a screen. Sessions will be taped for future viewing.

“The theme for our second conference in Western Mass is ‘Let Go,’ and its message will be the power of letting go of what holds us back or what no longer serves us in our lives,” said Meghan Hibner, community board chairperson for the Pioneer Valley Conference for Women. “This conference is our way of saying that we are here for you, wherever you are in your life, and we believe in you. We have an amazing group of volunteers who are committed to making this an experience attendees will not soon forget.”

For more information on keynote speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and panelists, visit sheslocal.org/pioneer-valley-conference-for-women.

bankESB Promotes Heather Dameworth, Lora Thayer to Officer

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EASTHAMPTON — bankESB recently announced that two of its employees have been promoted to officer.

Heather Dameworth has been promoted to cash management and government banking administrator officer. Dameworth joined bankESB in 2021 as cash management – government banking administrator. She has more than 18 years of banking experience, including roles in accounting, call centers, and retail. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from UMass Amherst.

Lora Thayer has been promoted to commercial loan administrator officer. Thayer joined bankESB in 2003 as a teller and was promoted to loan servicing specialist in 2006. She joined the commercial team as commercial loan administrator in 2017 and was promoted to senior commercial loan administrator in 2021. She is also a member of the Hometown Financial Group checking acquisition team.

TommyCar Auto Group Launches Relief Effort Following Earthquake in Turkey

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Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — A powerful earthquake struck Turkey earlier this week, causing widespread destruction and leaving many families displaced and in need of assistance.

TommyCar Auto Group announced that one of its own sales consultants, Halil Kuzo of Northampton Volkswagen, has been deeply affected by the devastating earthquake, which hit his town, where his entire family is living. His mother, father, brother, sister, aunts, uncles, and friends are all currently living through this tragedy. They, along with many others, have lost everything.

TommyCar is collecting donations of essential goods: tents, heaters, blankets, coats and jackets, diapers, baby wipes, winter clothes, winter gloves, power banks, and flashlights, to be delivered directly to those in need.

“To have this tragedy affect one of our very own is devastating to the entire TommyCar Auto family,” said Carla Cosenzi, president of TommyCar Auto Group. “Our thoughts and condolences go out to all those affected by the earthquake in Turkey. We are committed to helping in any way we can and hope to make a positive impact in the lives of those affected by this tragedy.”

Donations can be dropped off to Northampton Volkswagen, 361 King St., Northampton. All contributions will be used to directly support relief efforts in Turkey.

Greenfield Community Preservation Committee Seeks Project Funding Input

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Daily News

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is seeking public input on the 14 projects under its review to help it determine which will receive funding this year. The CPC will hold a meeting on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the John Zon Community Center specifically to collect public input on the proposals. The public may also provide feedback at any CPC meeting during the public comment period. In addition, the committee has developed an online survey to gather comments until the end of February at forms.gle/d7xPzJm2kadqJYwr5.

Applications were received for one affordable-housing, three historical-preservation, and 10 outdoor-recreation projects, totaling more than $967,000 in requested funding. Over the last few months, the CPC has been meeting with applicants to delve deeper into their proposals. Recordings of those meetings are available for review on Greenfield Community Television’s website at gctv.org/show/community-preservation-committee. All applications are available for review on the Community Preservation Committee’s page on the city website at greenfield-ma.gov/cpcfunding.

This year, the committee has approximately $335,000 to allocate to Community Preservation Act (CPA) projects. The CPA funds were generated through the city’s participation in a state program that allows a 1% surcharge on property taxes to be dedicated to these priorities. The program was approved by Greenfield voters in November 2020.

“The Community Preservation Committee is hoping the public can help us determine which projects are the most urgent to receive funding this year since there isn’t enough to fund every project,” Community Preservation Committee Chair Travis Drury said. “We are pleased and appreciative that so many groups submitted applications. Any project that isn’t funded this year is eligible to reapply in future years.”

Following the public input process, the Community Preservation Committee will meet on Thursday, March 9 to discuss the community feedback that was received. On Thursday, March 23, the CPC will meet to decide which projects to recommend to the City Council for funding.

Those interested in learning more about the process are encouraged to attend an upcoming meeting or contact Grant Program Assistant Christian LaPlante at (413) 772-1548, ext. 4 or [email protected].

HCC Announces Free Cannabis Training Classes

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — For a limited time, the Cannabis Education Center at Holyoke Community College (HCC) will offer its two-day, introductory cannabis course for free on a first-come, first served basis. “Cannabis Core: Foundations of the Industry” typically costs $599 and is a prerequisite for career-specific cannabis training programs.

The next Cannabis Core program runs Feb. 11-12. All classes meet over Zoom on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Additional Cannabis Core programs are scheduled for March 11-12, April 22-23, and May 20-21.

The spring calendar also includes multi-week, career-track training programs for cultivation assistants (Sundays, March 19 to April 16), and extraction technicians (Saturdays, April 22 to May 13).

“Any student who completes Cannabis Core can apply for a scholarship for career-track programs through our partners, Elevate and Mass CulitivatEd,” said Lanre Ajayi, director of Education and Corporate Learning at HCC.

The Cannabis Core program provides an overview of the cannabis industry in Massachusetts and is geared for people looking for general knowledge as they consider a cannabis career. The program is a foundational course and a prerequisite for career-track courses.

Cultivation assistants provide the daily care of the crops from seed to harvest and may be involved in cracking seeds, soil mixing, potting, defoliation, watering, pest control, and trimming. Extraction technicians work in labs assisting production managers in all aspects of extraction, purging, oil manipulation, winterization, distillation, solvent recovery, and quality control.

To register, visit hcc.edu/cannabis-core or contact Lanre Ajayi at [email protected] or (413) 552-2324.

MCLA Green Living Seminar Series to Present ‘GDP Is Gross, Well-being Is Better’

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Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — Eric Miller, director of Ecological Footprint Initiative at York University in Toronto, will give a talk titled “GDP Is Gross, Well-being Is Better” on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the MCLA Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, Room 121. The presenter will attend via Zoom. As part of MCLA’s Green Living Seminar series, this event is free and open to the public.

Miller is director of the Ecological Footprint Initiative, Footprint Data Foundation secretary-treasurer, and course director at York University. He manages multiple projects and partnerships of the initiative, including the production of the National Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts. He teaches the footprint-related courses and supports students and project staff. His prior work as a consulting economist has informed governments, industry, think tanks, and non-governmental organizations. His earlier career in public service had him leading the team of economists in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, after he had worked for the Ontario Ministry of Environment and for Environment Canada.

MCLA’s annual Green Living Seminar series continues through April 19, presenting a series of lectures on the theme of “Capitalism and the Environment.” Every semester, the Green Living Seminar series centers around a different topic that is timely and relevant to current sustainability issues. Seminars take place on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.

The 2023 series is a presentation of the MCLA Environmental Studies Department. Podcasts will be posted online following each presentation at www.mcla.edu/greenliving.

Applications Open for Third Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Grants

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Daily News

WESTBOROUGH — The Center for Advanced Manufacturing at MassTech Collaborative launched the third round of its Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program (MMAP), which aims to co-invest in small to medium-sized manufacturers across the state. MMAP aims to help manufacturers that are looking to increase their competitiveness, upskill their workforce, and meet the demands of ‘Industry 4.0’ by incorporating innovation-driven technologies such as automation, robotics, and connected devices into their production lines.

“The Healey-Driscoll administration is committed to supporting small businesses statewide, particularly the Massachusetts manufacturers that are critical to the Commonwealth’s economic success,” said Secretary Yvonne Hao of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED). “Through MMAP, we’re helping these manufacturers upgrade their operations by incorporating 21st-century technologies that update old production lines. These new tools help these companies address customer demands, increase efficiency and sales, and hopefully grow their workforce.”

This is the third MMAP funding round launched by the Commonwealth, following the announcement of $2.1 million in grants to 13 Massachusetts companies in January 2022 and the awarding of $3.4 million to 15 companies during the statewide Manufacturing Mash-Up event last September.

“We’ve seen a strong interest in MMAP from every part of our state, which speaks to the geographic reach of this sector,” said Christine Nolan, director of the Commonwealth’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing. “Manufacturing is increasingly driven by innovation, but high-tech tools can be cost-prohibitive for smaller shops, which is the challenge the state is looking to solve through this program. With these new tools, our MMAP grantees will increase efficiencies, train and upskill their employees to more financially stable careers, and in turn be more competitive against global challengers.”

Massachusetts companies interested in applying to the program can find full details on the MMAP webpage at cam.masstech.org/mmap.

Mount Holyoke College Appoints Danielle Ren Holley Its 20th President

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Daily News

SOUTH HADLEY — Danielle Ren Holley, noted legal educator and social-justice scholar, will become the 20th president of Mount Holyoke College on July 1. The board of trustees unanimously elected Holley following a thorough and inclusive search process.

Holley is the first Black woman in the 186-year history of Mount Holyoke College to serve as permanent president, and the fourth Black woman in history to lead one of the original Seven Sisters colleges.

Since 2014, Holley has served as dean and professor of law at the Howard University School of Law. She is widely viewed as having renewed Howard’s historically important law school and raised its stature and visibility as a leading educator of social- and racial-justice lawyers.

“In addition to her exceptional leadership and ability to cultivate shared purpose, President-elect Holley brings a strong vision for what Mount Holyoke is and, more importantly, what our college can become. She has a strong track record of strategic growth and innovation, which will serve us well,” said Karena Strella, who chairs the board of trustees. “President-elect Holley is widely recognized for her broad intellectual interests and curiosity, as well as for her rigorous advancement of racial and social justice in the legal field and beyond. We look forward to welcoming her to the Mount Holyoke community, particularly as we continue our work together to create and maintain a culture of belonging and a society that advances the dignity of all.”

Prior to joining the Howard School of Law in 2014, Holley served as distinguished professor for Education Law and associate dean for Academic Affairs at the University of South Carolina. Earlier in her career, she served on the faculty of Hofstra University School of Law and practiced law as an associate at Fulbright & Jaworski in Houston. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School, and she was a law clerk to Judge Carl Stewart on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Holley currently serves as co-chair of the board of directors of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She also sits on the boards of the Law School Admissions Council and the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science. She is a Liberty Fellow through the Aspen Global Leadership Network and was also a fellow with the American Council of Education at Brown University in 2021-22, and currently serves on the board of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta.

“It is an understatement to say I am excited to join the vibrant and dynamic Mount Holyoke community; in truth, I am ecstatic and exhilarated,” Holley said. “My personal and professional endeavors reflect my commitment to create educational opportunities for talented and deserving students, including those who may encounter doors that are closed or unwelcome. Mount Holyoke shares this vision — here, I have found students who want to break down barriers and create lasting, equitable change for all, and faculty, staff, and alums dedicated to helping these students strive for a brighter and bolder tomorrow. My own liberal-arts education helped me find my path forward, and what Mount Holyoke gives to its students will stay with them long after they graduate.”

Berkshire Bank Foundation Contributes More Than $2.8 Million in 2022

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Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank, a leading socially responsible community-dedicated bank with financial-center locations in New England and New York, announced more than $2.8 million in foundation philanthropic investments during 2022.

During the fourth quarter of 2022, more than $764,000 was contributed to help the communities Berkshire Bank serves. The grants awarded cover a wide range of projects that help foster upward economic mobility, support overall well-being, and enhance opportunities for individual and small-business success, particularly for underrepresented populations. The investments also support the company’s BEST Community Comeback, which includes a planned $15 million in community contributions by the end of 2024.

In total, Berkshire’s foundation assisted 155 nonprofit organizations during the fourth quarter of 2022 through grants supporting a wide range of critical projects like food insecurity, health, wellness, homelessness, educational advancement, arts, culture, diversity, and inclusion. The Berkshire Bank Foundation is committed to supporting programs that work toward providing equitable opportunities for economic prosperity. In addition, the foundation supports programs that align with the bank’s Center for Women, Wellness, and Wealth to provide opportunities for women to build a future enriched with financial stability, balance, and growth.

“We are so proud of the impact we have made collectively at Berkshire Bank through our financial support and volunteer service,” said Lori Gazzillo Kiely, director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation, adding that, “during 2022, Berkshire Bank employees donated more than 23,000 volunteer hours to help our communities. We are pleased to continue to support nonprofits doing great work to positively impact individuals, families, and small businesses within our Berkshire Bank footprint.”

Craig Shrimpton Joins Cohn & Company Real Estate

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Daily News

GREENFIELD — Earlier this month, Cohn & Company Real Estate added Craig Shrimpton to its team of real-estate professionals. He brings more than 25 years of service in information security and technology consulting.

“Real estate is an industry that requires close attention to detail, accuracy, and especially confidentiality,” the company said in a statement. “With Craig’s experience, it is easy to see why he is excited to be turning that expertise toward real estate. With a passion for service in the Greenfield area, Craig is ready, willing, and able to help you with all your home buying and selling needs. As a proud member of the Cohn & Company family, Craig carries the values of hard work, integrity, and outstanding client service into everything he does.”

Shrimpton is a veteran and a member of the Realtor Assoc. of the Pioneer Valley and the National Assoc. of Realtors.

40 Under Forty Nominations Due on Feb. 17

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest is currently accepting nominations for the 40 Under Forty class of 2023. The deadline for nominations is Friday, Feb. 17.

Launched in 2007, the program recognizes rising stars in the four counties of Western Mass. Nominations, which should be as detailed and thorough as possible, should list an individual’s accomplishments within their profession as well as their work within the community.

Nominations can be completed online at businesswest.com/40-under-forty-nomination-form. Nominations will be weighed by a panel of judges, and the selected individuals will be announced and profiled in the May 1 issue of BusinessWest and honored at the 40 Under Forty Gala on June 15. Event sponsorship opportunities are available.

Whittlesey Hires Alanna Madsen as Tax Manager

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Daily News

HARTFORD, Conn. — Whittlesey, an assurance, advisory, tax, and technology firm, recently welcomed the newest manager to its team. Alanna Madsen, CPA is the latest tax professional to join the firm’s growing leadership team.

Madsen has more than 14 years of public accounting experience and expertise in tax, accounting, and advisory services for closely held businesses, nonprofit organizations, and high‐net‐worth individuals. She holds a bachelor of business administration degree and a master’s degree in accounting from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She is a member of the American Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Nominations Open for 2023 Ubora and Ahadi Awards

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums is seeking nominations for the annual Ubora Award and Ahadi Youth Award. These prestigious awards — conferred by the African Hall Subcommittee — are awarded to African-American people from Greater Springfield who have demonstrated commitment, above and beyond, to fields of community service, education, science, humanities and/or the arts. The nomination deadline for both awards is March 31.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to honor the pioneers of our community who go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others,” said Terry Powe, chair of the African Hall Subcommittee.

True to the Swahili word that comprises its name, the Ubora Award recognizes an adult of African heritage who exemplifies excellence in their commitment to creating a better community through service. In 2022, the Ubora Award was given to Dr. Gerald “Bruce” Cutting and Carol Moore Cutting.

Named for the Swahili word for promise, the Ahadi Youth Award is presented to a young African-American who excels in academics and performs admirable service to the Greater Springfield community. Eligible candidates must be age 19 or younger, live in or have strong ties to the Greater Springfield area, and be currently enrolled in grades 10, 11, or 12. In 2022, the Ahadi Award was given to Kayla Staley.

The African Hall Subcommittee is a volunteer group comprised of educators, businesspeople, and community leaders from the African-American community. The group has administered this annual award since 1992. A full list of the awardees can be found on the Springfield Museums website.

The Ubora and Ahadi awards will be presented at a ceremony at the Springfield Museums in the fall. Nomination forms are available at springfieldmuseums.org/ubora. In addition to the electronic form, nominations may be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to African Hall Subcommittee, Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards St., Springfield, MA 01103.

The museums are also accepting donations to the Ahadi Scholarship Fund. Click here to donate.

Monson Savings Bank Coordinates More Than $8,000 in Donations to United Way

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Daily News

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank (MSB) has long held that one of its main responsibilities as a community bank is to be a virtuous corporate citizen by giving back to the communities where it conducts business. One of the many ways MSB gives back is with its annual efforts to support the United Way of the Pioneer Valley.

Every year, the bank’s Human Resources department organizes a donation and pledge drive to benefit the United Way of Pioneer Valley. The annual campaign and online pledge drive runs for two weeks. During this time, employees are invited to donate to the United Way via a one-time donation or pledge a reoccurring deduction from their payroll for the upcoming year. During the recent campaign, Monson Savings’ employees donated and pledged a total of $5,242.

Beyond the annual pledge drive, this year, Monson Savings Bank employees raised an additional $1,175 through a fun, but competitive, internal bingo game and $700 through the Bank’s TGIF Dress Down Program. The community bank also provided United Way’s Chicopee Food Cupboard with a $1,000 sponsorship, non-perishable food donations made by employees, and volunteers for its Thanksgiving meal distribution. In total, Monson Savings has helped to donate more than $8,000 to United Way this year.

“The challenges of the past several years have been enormous for many of our neighbors,” said Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank. “We have an amazingly generous team of employees at Monson Savings Bank who are committed to supporting our communities. I am proud of their contributions to United Way, and it is our heartfelt honor to help.”

Springfield Symphony Orchestra to Present New Orleans Jazz Pops Concert on Feb. 25

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) will celebrate “Mardi Gras!” on the Symphony Hall stage at its second Pops concert of the season on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature New Orleans jazz music led by conductor and trumpet virtuoso Byron Stripling.

Tickets are on sale, starting at $15, on the Springfield Symphony Orchestra website, www.springfieldsymphony.org. Attendees are encouraged to dress up for the Mardi Gras theme and wear Mardi Gras colors (purple, green, and gold).

Stripling, who is a conductor, trumpet virtuoso, singer, and actor, has led orchestras throughout the U.S. and Canada, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and has soloed with more than 100 orchestras around the world. Stripling currently serves as principal pops conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and artistic director and conductor of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra.

Music of New Orleans natives such as Fats Domino, Mahalia Jackson, and Louis Armstrong will fill Symphony Hall on Feb. 25. According to the program, “from street parades in the French Quarter to late-night jams in the city’s famed clubs, this party transforms into an unforgettable Mardi Gras celebration with Byron Stripling leading the parade.”

As a soloist with the Boston Pops, Stripling, who lives in Ohio, has been the featured soloist on the PBS television special Evening at Pops with conductors John Williams and Keith Lockhart. He has also been a soloist on the worldwide telecast of the Grammy Awards, and his trumpet and voice have been heard on television commercials; TV theme songs, including 20/20 and CNN; and movie soundtracks. He has also performed with artists such as Tony Bennett and Whitney Houston.

Along with the orchestra, Stripling will also perform with his band during the performance, which includes Bobby Floyd, a jazz pianist and Hammond B3 organ player, and drummer Reggie Jackson.

“Springfield’s historic Symphony Hall will be rocking with Mardi Gras and French Quarter jazz tunes and sounds that will move our audience,” said Paul Lambert, president and CEO of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. “Trumpet virtuoso Byron Stripling will bring New Orleans to Springfield. This pops concert will appeal to all people and all ages, and we encourage concertgoers to come dressed up for Mardi Gras. We look forward to this fun, unique performance.”

Business Confidence Slips to Begin 2023

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Daily News

BOSTON — A strong performance by the Massachusetts economy during the fourth quarter of 2022 was not enough to stem a two-month decline in business confidence among employers still concerned about a slowdown in 2023.

The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index lost 0.8 point to 53.2 during January. The Index began the new year 2.7 points lower than its level of January 2022 but still at a level that signals overall optimism.

Employers remain wary even though the Massachusetts economy grew at a 3.1% annual rate and the U.S. economy grew at a 2.9% annual rate during the fourth quarter. Companies are concerned that efforts by central banks to moderate inflation by raising interest rates might push the economy into recession.

At the same time, labor remains in tight supply despite high-profile layoffs at technology companies. U.S. employers added a staggering half-million jobs in January, and job vacancies remain at historic highs, with two openings for every unemployed person.

“The good news is that 12-month consumer price inflation moderated to 6.5% in December from a high of 9.1% in June 2022,” said Sara Johnson, chair of the AIM Board of Economic Advisors (BEA). “However, measures of core inflation — excluding food and energy — remain well above rates that are consistent with the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target. While the Fed slowed the pace of interest rate increases to just a quarter-point last week, it signaled that further rate hikes are coming.”

The AIM Index, based on a survey of more than 140 Massachusetts employers, has appeared monthly since July 1991. It is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative.

The constituent indicators that make up the Index were mostly lower during January. The confidence employers have in their own companies fell 0.7 points to 56.5, ending the month 2.1 points below January 2022.

The Massachusetts Index assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth declined 2.4 points to 50.2, down 5.1 points from a year earlier. The U.S. Index measuring conditions throughout the country gained half a point to 46.7 but remained in pessimistic territory for the fourth consecutive month.

The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, fell 0.1 points to 55.6. The Future Index, measuring projections for the economy six months from now, lost 1.5 points to end the month at 50.9.

The Manufacturing Index tumbled 4.5 point to 50.8 compared to a 54.8 reading among non-manufacturing companies. The Employment Index edged down 0.6 points to 56.3 as employers continued to scour a tight labor market for qualified workers. Large companies (53.9) were more optimistic that medium-sized companies (53.5) or small companies (52.1).

Michael Goodman, professor of Public Policy at UMass Dartmouth, noted that both the state and national economies ended 2022 on a strong note, but the outlook is for slowing growth in 2023.

“While the economic outlook is clouded by significant economic, national-policy, and geopolitical uncertainty — absent some unexpected negative development or ‘economic shock’ — the most probable trajectory for the national and state economy is for what Moody’s Analytics has described as a ‘slow-cession,’ a period of much slower growth in economic activity and employment,” Goodman said.

AIM President and CEO John Regan, a BEA member, said employers are encouraged that new Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is committed to making the Commonwealth an attractive place to do business by addressing taxes, housing costs, and the shortage of workers.

“We face a unique challenge because workers in the post-COVID world are making different choices, many based on improving their quality of life,” Regan noted. “If workers and employers face skyrocketing housing, energy, and healthcare costs on top of transportation challenges and lack of child-care and elder-care support, they will begin to look to new locations to work and raise a family.”

The Literacy Project’s Judith Roberts Announces Retirement

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Daily News

GREENFIELD — Judith Roberts, executive director of the Literacy Project, announced her retirement at the end of June 2023 after 16 years at the helm of the educational nonprofit. The Literacy Project opened its doors in Franklin County in 1984 with co-founder Lindy Whiton.

“I am honored to have worked with our courageous adult students who show up every day and work hard to make a better life for themselves and their families,” Roberts said. “I am deeply grateful to the Literacy Project teachers, advisors, volunteers, community partners, foundations, and individual donors all working collaboratively together for student success. It has been a labor of love to serve as executive director.”

The Literacy Project classrooms in Greenfield, Orange, Northampton, Amherst, and Ware are places of respect, belonging, hope, and grit. Classes offer a warm and welcoming community for adults and out-of-school youth who need another chance at success.

During Roberts’ tenure at the Literacy Project, the program has consistently been among the top three adult-education programs in the state in terms of achieving successful outcomes for more than 200 students per year. These outcomes include passing the High School Equivalency Test (also known as the HiSET or GED), moving on to community college, job-training programs, and better jobs. The Literacy Project has expanded to provide more classes during the day and evening, creating online and in-person options to meet the changing needs of the local communities it serves in Franklin and Hampshire counties.

“At the Literacy Project, we believe that education transforms lives,” Roberts said. “It has transformed my own life to be part of this rewarding work. When students read a book cover to cover for the first time, master a math equation, or write a poem, my heart leaps for joy.”

The Literacy Project is looking for qualified applicants to fill the executive director position. To find more information about the search and hiring process, visit literacyproject.org.

bankESB Donates $56,700 to United Way

By
Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB and its employees recently made donations of more than $56,700 to the United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region.

Employees pledged more than $31,000 of their own funds in support of the bank’s United Way workplace campaign. Combined with the bank’s direct contribution, the campaign total of $56,714 will be donated to the United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region. The campaign provides employees with the opportunity to donate and direct funds, advocating for causes that are most important to them.

As a longtime contributor to the United Way, bankESB and its employees have donated more than $640,000 to United Way organizations in Western Mass. in the last 10 years alone. The United Way is a volunteer-driven organization that serves residents through its own programs and services as well as those of its partner agencies. The organization works to advance the common good by focusing on the building blocks for a good life — education, financial stability, health, and basic needs.

“United Way has a tremendous impact on improving the quality of life for our neighbors throughout Western Massachusetts,” bankESB President and CEO Matthew Sosik said. “bankESB and our employees are proud to support the organization and the work they do to help people unlock their full potential.”

WSU Athletic Training Program Receives Lengthy Reaccreditation

By
Daily News

WESTFIELD — Westfield State University’s (WSU) Athletic Training program has earned the maximum reaccreditation duration after a recent review by the Committee on Accreditation for Athletic Training Education (CAATE). It is common for reaccreditation of three- or five-year periods. The 10-year reaccreditation recently earned by WSU Athletic Training program extends through the 2032 academic year.

WSU has been accredited by CAATE since 2001, and the curriculum has undergone considerable changes due to evolving practices in the field. The reaccreditation process now details compliance in 109 profession-specific standards.

Recent events, such as Buffalo Bill Damar Hamlin collapsing on the field due to cardiac arrest and a severe neck laceration suffered by an Army men’s hockey player, highlight the vital need for athletic trainers in many settings.

The extensive coordination of athletic-training education with other healthcare professions on campus prepares WSU students for interprofessional strategic planning, communication, and implementation in emergency and non-emergency healthcare situations. In addition to their rigorous academic coursework, athletic-training students are required to participate in a variety of graded clinical settings to assure a high level of technical proficiency before their graduation. Additionally, the WSU coursework emphasizes advanced, evidence-based clinical research strategies by undergraduates. This has resulted in WSU’s undergraduate students publishing articles in professional journals and presenting research at national and regional conferences over the last six years.

WSU graduates are working as athletic trainers in high schools, universities, and clinics throughout the region. Alumni are also employed in professional baseball, professional ice hockey, industrial settings, and leading research hospitals. Recent graduates have also furthered their professional knowledge by adding graduate degrees in related fields to extend their impact on healthcare delivery.

BusinessTalk Megan Burke with president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Western Mass.

By
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 148: February 6, 2023

George Interviews Megan Burke, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Western Mass.

Megan Burke says listening to the BusinessTalk podcast featuring Katie Allan Zobel, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Western Mass., certainly helped her when she interviewed to succeed Zobel in that position. Now, she’s in that job, and it’s her turn to be the guest on the podcast. She talks with BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien about everything from her varied background to her vision for the community foundation moving forward. It’s all must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

 

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Two Finalists Selected in UMass Amherst Chancellor Search

By
Daily News

AMHERST — The UMass Amherst chancellor search committee has selected two finalists: Javier Reyes, interim chancellor at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC); and Paul Tikalsky, dean of the College of Engineering, Architecture & Technology at Oklahoma State University (OSU).

Since last July, Reyes has led UIC as interim chancellor. UIC is Chicago’s largest university campus, with more than 33,000 students. The university, which holds the R1 research status in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, is classified as a Minority Serving Institution, a Hispanic Serving Institution, and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution.

With more than $440 million in research awards, the institution ranks among the top 65 out of more than 650 national universities in federal research funding. Reyes is responsible for a $3.6 billion budget, 13,000 faculty and staff, and 16 academic colleges, including one of the nation’s largest medical schools and Chicago’s only public law school.

Prior to his service as interim chancellor, Reyes was provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at UIC. As provost, he advised on matters of academic policy, strategic direction, enrollment management, and academic resource planning. He was responsible for all academic affairs and for fulfilling the mission of providing students with inclusive access to academic excellence and opportunity. As chief academic officer for UIC, he worked to support and retain close to 3,000 faculty and recruit the next generation of diverse scholars, researchers, and medical professionals for the institution.

Tikalsky is completing his 11th year as dean of the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology at OSU. A leading scholar in the development of long-life sustainable materials, Tikalsky is also known as an advocate for the public and land-grant university’s role in higher education, engaging diverse students in experiential learning and resourcing large-scale innovation in trans-disciplinary research.

Tikalsky has spent more than three decades as an award-winning professor and academic leader at public R1 and land-grant universities, raising more than $250 million for student success and scholarships, faculty support, and building world-class facilities for teaching and research. He successfully engaged state regents, industrial leaders, legislators, and public agencies to create the case that increased higher-education funding by more than $125 million over the next 10 years through the Oklahoma Engineering Initiative. At OSU, he has transformed the college with initiatives that finish more degrees in four years, provide pre-college bridge and STEM programs for students from economically disadvantaged communities, elevate academic standards, and increase the diversity of the students and faculty.

Previously, Tikalsky was chair of Civil & Environmental (Nuclear) Engineering at the University of Utah and the deputy director of the Larson Transportation Institute at Penn State University.

Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C. Announces New Firm Shareholders

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C. (DWPM) announced that the firm has elected Kathryn Crouss and Erin Meehan as new shareholders.

Crouss joined the firm in May 2022. She has extensive experience in both family law and employment matters. She is a certified mediator and represents family-law clients both in court and through alternative dispute resolution methods. She is currently president-elect of the Hampden County Bar Assoc., serves on the board of Community Legal Aid, and has chaired Community Legal Aid’s Access to Justice fundraising campaign for the past two years. While a student at Western New England University School of Law, she served as editor-in-chief of the Western New England Law Review.

Meehan concentrates her practice in general civil litigation and municipal law. She joined DWPM as an associate in 2014. She is a member of the board of directors of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. She earned her juris doctorate from Suffolk University Law School and her bachelor’s degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

“Katie and Erin are very valuable members of the firm and the Springfield legal community,” said W. Garth Janes, managing partner at DWPM. “Katie is a leading family-law attorney in Western Massachusetts and also provides depth to our employment law practice. Erin continues our dedication to a strong civil litigation and municipal practice. We look forward to having them continue to serve clients throughout Western Massachusetts as shareholders of the firm.”

Country Bank Donations and Sponsorships Top $1.3 Million in 2022

By
Daily News

WARE — Country Bank reported that its donations and sponsorships for 2022 totaled more than $1.3 million. The bank’s philanthropic efforts supported local nonprofits throughout its communities; more than 350 organizations received grants in 2022. In addition, the bank’s team members volunteered 1,091 hours of service, and 64 team members served on 33 nonprofit boards and committees throughout the region.

Recognizing the importance and overwhelming need to help organizations that address hunger, in addition to the $1 million, five-year pledge it made in 2021 to the Worcester County Food Bank and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Country Bank provided an additional $100,000 in donations to food programs throughout the region.

Other organizations receiving donations included Behavioral Health Network, the Hanover Theater, Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp., Revitalize Community Development Corp., Springfield Rescue Mission, the Children’s Trust, Juniper Outreach, United Way of Central Massachusetts, Ronald McDonald House, and YWCA.

During its annual “Season of Difference” campaign, Country Bank supported more than 1,000 local individuals with gifts of toys, blankets, hats, and other essential items for those in nursing homes, shelters, local YMCAs, and Boys and Girls Clubs.

“As a community partner, we care deeply about the sustainability of our communities,” said Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank. “We are honored to support many organizations through donations and volunteerism to help them with their work. Supporting and enriching our communities is not only a part of our mission; it’s who we are as an organization, and we know that it makes a difference for so many.”

MassMutual Named to Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Company List for 2023

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual has been named a World’s Most Admired Company by Fortune magazine, placing second in the life- and health-insurance industry category and leading among mutual company peers.

Notably, MassMutual ranked first for innovation in its industry category, the fifth time in the past six years the company has received this honor. The company has been named to the Fortune World’s Most Admired Company list 20 times since 2000.

“We are delighted to be named a World’s Most Admired Company again this year and to be recognized as the most innovative company in our industry,” said Roger Crandall, chairman, president, and CEO. “Accolades like this demonstrate the talent and dedication of our employees and network of financial professionals who work hard each day to reach people on their terms and deliver holistic financial solutions that bring stability and security in an uncertain and rapidly changing world. While we are honored by this recognition, we’re especially proud of what it reflects: the progress we’re making toward helping millions more Americans secure their future and protect the ones they love.”

The 2023 Fortune World’s Most Admired Company survey was conducted in the fall of 2022 among executives, directors, and analysts in 52 industries. The annual poll assessed nine reputation drivers considered to be crucial to a company’s global success: innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment value, quality of products/services, and global competitiveness. The full list of recognized companies and survey methodology can be found at fortune.com.

Amid Enrollment Challenges, Colleges Stress Culture, Support

By
Hubert Benitez
Education

It’s Not Simply Academic

Hubert Benitez

Hubert Benitez says AIC strives to create a sense of belonging for students.

With high-school graduation numbers down in the U.S. and college enrollments following suit, Hubert Benitez says higher-education institutions must take a multi-pronged approach to enrollment management and their “overarching value proposition.”

“The academic portfolio of all our institutions across the region are very strong. So the students have options: wherever they will go, they will receive a sound education,” said Benitez, who began his tenure as president of American International College (AIC) last spring. “So, having said that, what truly differentiates one college from another?”

To answer that question, he pointed to a report called “AIC Reimagined 2022-2027,” which considers how to rethink strategies in six different pillars, including academics; student life, engagement, and support; fiscal growth; internal and external community engagement and development; diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and athletics.

Take the first pillar, academics. “We realized, post-pandemic, that we have to reimagine our academic enterprise and what the collegiate experience is all about,” Benitez told BusinessWest. “We have to rethink how we offer education. Students learn differently, and they want to attend college in a different way. We have a lot of non-traditional students coming back to education, people who, post-pandemic, want to retool themselves for a career change — adult learners, students who have family commitments. If we are to address their needs, we really have to rethink how we offer our academic portfolio.”

Colleges and universities everywhere are having similar conversations about how to attract, and then shepherd to graduation, a smaller pool of potential college students than in past decades, due largely to changing demographics.

“The return-on-investment case has been made over and over again. The economics have been quite clear for a long time: people with a college degree earn over a million dollars more over their lifetime than those who don’t have one.”

According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, undergraduate enrollment at U.S. colleges fell by 1.1% in fall 2022 compared to 2021, a pace of decline that’s nearly returned to pre-pandemic rates. In between was a year, 2020, when enrollment dropped 3.4%, followed by 2.1% in 2021. The net effect of those years is an enrollment total that’s down close to 7% from 2019.

“The trend for higher-education enrollment had been on the decline, but this was certainly exacerbated by the pandemic years,” Elms College President Harry Dumay said. “But things are coming somewhat back to normal these days for us.”

That’s reflected in some healthy numbers for Elms’ various segments, including first-time freshmen, traditional transfer students, and especially graduate students; the only segment that has seen some erosion is transfers from community colleges, which were hit hard by the pandemic.

A stabilization of enrollment makes sense, despite the high cost of college, Dumay said. “The return-on-investment case has been made over and over again. The economics have been quite clear for a long time: people with a college degree earn over a million dollars more over their lifetime than those who don’t have one.”

What Elms and many other schools are now doing is providing more flexibility for adult and non-traditional students, such as stackable, short-term certificates that ease the way to gainful employment and accumulate toward a degree down the line.

However, he noted, beyond the economics, what shouldn’t be undervalued is the formative aspect of college, especially for the shrinking 18-22 age demographic. “Whether you go full-time or part-time, whether residential or commuter, there is something that happens in those years — forming character, learning to think critically — which affects the value.”

Benitez said culture is a key element of AIC’s message to prospective students and their parents.

“One differentiator is how we create a sense of belonging for the students. It’s very important to today’s students,” he explained. “When they arrive on campus, they need to feel like they belong. I truly believe AIC provides that value to any student from any background because we have intentionally created an environment where every single student feels like they belong.”

Once enrolled, he added, “we follow the student along their educational journey, providing support services at every single stage of their academic journey.”

“If any students are struggling for any reason that would keep them from persisting and staying enrolled at college, we have a whole team dedicated to helping them work through that.”

Darcey Kemp

Darcey Kemp

In fact, that’s a key element of one of the six pillars, and it’s important, especially for first-generation college students, to have the peace of mind offered by such supports.

“For a parent who did not have the opportunity to attend college, leaving his or her child in an environment where they don’t know if they’re going to feel right has to be daunting,” Benitez said. “We try to approach parents and students alike, making them understand that’s important to us. I hope they are relieved when they come here and feel the caring environment.”

 

Support System

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), whose enrollment figures are up slightly from last spring, is also heavily focused on culture and student support, said Darcey Kemp, vice president of Student Affairs.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all approach,” she added. “Our students are individuals, with individual experiences.”

The support starts early, with outreach to high-school students to help them with applications, placement testing, financial aid, choosing class schedules, and more. “We come to you,” Kemp said, noting that STCC also invites guidance counselors to campus so they can gather information to bring back to their schools.

Aware of the impact the pandemic had on men of color, who dropped out disproportionately during that period, STCC also created the Male Initiative for Leadership and Education (MILE), a program that provides inclusive academic support, mentoring, and community-engagement opportunities to male students, particularly Black and Latino students. Participants connect with professionals who serve as mentors throughout the student’s time at the college, helping them stay on track to reach their degree goals.

That can be a challenge at many institutions. The Education Data Initiative reports that first-time undergraduate freshmen have a 12-month dropout rate of 24%. Among first-time students in bachelor’s-degree programs, almost 26% do not earn their degree; among all undergraduate students, around 40% drop out.

The economic impact can be significant; the same report notes that college dropouts make an average of 33% less income than those who hold bachelor’s degrees, and college dropouts are almost 20% more likely to be unemployed than any degree holder.

That’s why student advisors at STCC work closely with students to make sure they’re taking the classes they need to achieve their degree goals, and why the college regularly looks back five semesters and reaches out to anyone who has paused their education and not returned during those two and a half years, to talk about what supports they might need to continue, and what steps to take to re-enroll.

“We need, in higher education in general, to invest time and energy into resources that help students reach their personal and academic goals,” Kemp said. “It’s an individualized conversation for each student.”

Dumay said 44% of Elms students are Pell-eligible, meaning they come from low-income families, so it’s important that they succeed. “You don’t want to come to Elms and not graduate, whether with debt or without debt, because of the investment of time. It’s really important we help our students graduate.”

With a student graduation rate and a first-year retention rate higher than the national average, that effort has paid off, he added. “There are a variety of things we put in place to ensure we help students be successful, including a physical Center for Student Access, but also supports like coaching.”

Benitez said 50% of AIC’s student body is Pell-eligible, and many are the first in their family to attend college. “We have a number of programs for first-generation college students that include very basic things like time management, how do you learn, how do you study, how to you financially plan? This is often new to them, so helping them navigate their college experience is very important to us.”

STCC’s Center for Access Services helps students tackle issues such as homelessness and food insecurity that could hinder their ability to get an education and climb the economic ladder.

“If any students are struggling for any reason that would keep them from persisting and staying enrolled at college, we have a whole team dedicated to helping them work through that,” said Kemp, adding that the STCC website also has a ‘chat now’ feature for student questions on anything from admissions to financial aid to understanding the Blackboard learning-management system. “It’s another way to demonstrate to students that we will engage with them in any way they want to engage with us.”

 

Rolling with the Changes

In short, Kemp said, “it’s important that we continue to share with students that there are opportunities to manage all the things they have going on. If a working parent wants to go to college, they can; they don’t have to choose between taking care of the family and obtaining a degree.”

That proposition is easier now, she added, with the program flexibility — in person, hybrid, or fully online — that emerged during the pandemic.

Benitez believes academic institutions today need to serve as engines for workforce development, and in AIC’s case, the impact is local, as most of its students hail from the region, and many stay and work here after graduation.

“We ask our business partners, what do you need in a graduate? What is the skillset, the competency set? And how are we going to revise and reimagine our academic offerings so it’s responsive to the workforce needs of this region?”

Because young people today plan to change jobs many times, one role of colleges is to teach them to be lifetime learners, he added, so they can easily adapt to their changing environment; in some cases, they’re training for jobs that don’t even exist yet. “We should prepare the groundwork for them to learn as they grow,” Benitez said.

Dumay told BusinessWest that the past few years have been a difficult time for all colleges, one in which they’ve had to be prudent financially. But he believes those efforts to tighten up and adapt are worth it.

“We’re providing a tremendous service to the general public — not just Elms, but all colleges like us — by helping the citizenry, both young people and not so young, get a foot on the economic ladder. That benefits all of us,” he said.

“If higher education struggles, the entire economy struggles,” he went on. “We are certainly staying strong, and the help that has been provided by the federal and state government helped a lot of colleges remain strong. But it is still a challenging time for higher education, and we want to remain healthy and strong so we can serve our students.”

To do that, Benitez said, requires a willingness to do things differently — in other words, to reimagine a college education. He believes the alternative, stagnation, is unsustainable.

“Academic institutions must be able to adapt to the current times, to meet the student where they are,” he said. “That’s critically important in these times.”

New Bay State Cannabis Entities Must Revisit Their Plans

By Contributor
Holyoke’s mill district
Cannabis

Beyond ‘If You Build It, They Will Come’

By Meg Sanders

 

The local cannabis industry is overflowing with weed.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s open data platform reports 95 cultivators were operational and licensed as of Dec. 8, 2022. Hot on those heels, another 180 provisional licensees are seeking approval that would bring the state up to somewhere around 3.6 million to 4.98 million square feet of canopy for flower cultivation within the Bay State cannabis market’s roughly 250 cannabis stores. 

If your operating and business plan is based on an outlook written for investors in the previous presidential administration, or during the halcyon days of the great green rush of the past, it’s time to face the truth: Massachusetts is well beyond the point of “if you build it, they will come.” 

So those Massachusetts cannabis businesses still in the queue or just getting open need to revisit their market overviews for investors and operators. They need to do so today. Not tomorrow, not if a market event happens — right now.

“Those Massachusetts cannabis businesses still in the queue or just getting open need to revisit their market overviews for investors and operators. They need to do so today. Not tomorrow, not if a market event happens — right now.”

Meg Sanders

Meg Sanders

Take a very hard look at what needs to be rethought, or what needs to be immediately addressed, in regard to budgeting, SOPs, and overall market impact strategies for launch — and for long-term survival. Roughly 37% of all cannabis operators in the U.S. are not profitable, and too many businesses are unaware they are launching only to be licensed to lose money and fail.

For Massachusetts, the danger zone is already here. 

 

New Markets = New Consumers

As more retailers and brands emerge online, operators just now getting their operational licenses are typically doing so using plans they wrote when originally fundraising months or years back, often without taking into account how business plans and projections need to be tweaked, updated, or overhauled in the realities of the Massachusetts cannabis industry in 2023.

Canna Provisions is the ninth-largest independent cannabis company in the Commonwealth, has won multiple ‘Best Dispensary’ awards for selection and customer service, and has been named one of the best companies to work for in the nationwide industry. And even we are reworking our plans. 

Surviving the current market constriction and correction from the imbalance of supply and demand — something that has happened in other markets that came online, though it arrived faster here in Massachusetts — is a challenge of smart maneuvering and business forecasting. Ultimately, those businesses with clear eyes, that are as responsible with every dollar moving in and out of the business, will be the ones that make it out. That’s also why, to me, 2023 isn’t all doom and gloom, despite the headlines. 

Price compression has been on the industry’s collective mind for the past year, which makes it all the more important to create new strategies at the retail level. Differentiation for brands will come down to matters of quality of product, a consistent and predictable retail experience, and the education level of the consumer. 

What we know for sure, as seen from my experience in cannabis stretching back to the dawn of the legalized market in Colorado more than a decade ago, is that, when new markets flanking legalized states come online, it helps everyone in the existing legal retail market. But ultimately, the ones that really come out ahead are those with a key differentiating advantage and a realistic, thoughtful approach to the business. Many small first-time operators do not have the forward-looking business modeling abilities needed in the current market, especially when their average day-to-day will be spent just trying to stay afloat. 

 

Smart Business Savvy Is the Key to Success

As experience has shown, the sky doesn’t fall in an existing market when competition is tight and the supply is in surplus, but businesses do need to be responsible. For those that need a reminder, thanks to IRS Code 280E, the effective tax rate for cannabis companies is roughly 70%. Meanwhile, cannabis companies cannot deduct normal business expenditures. Our three biggest line items, in order, are inventory, payroll, and taxes (the statewide total collected for 2022 was roughly $284 million, to paint the picture).

“Surviving the current market constriction and correction from the imbalance of supply and demand — something that has happened in other markets that came online, though it arrived faster here in Massachusetts — is a challenge of smart maneuvering and business forecasting.”

In some instances, the towns themselves are waking up to the runaway nature of the market glut. Last month, Northampton city councilors set a new limit on local cannabis dispensaries allowed to open (capped at 12 retail locations now) for a municipality noted for having the most licensed dispensaries in the state. 

Even with our collective experience in retail cannabis operations and strategy, it’s still a massive challenge to make it work with so many ways our hands are tied or restricted compared to traditional industries. When the revenue numbers generated by legal cannabis in the state seem to defy the crunch-time feeling of the market, all businesses and consumers need to remember the lion’s share goes directly to the government instead of back to the business. That’s another reason why it’s important to be more careful than ever about how and where dollars are spent, and how we are utilizing the investor capital we raise for our ongoing expansion and scaling plans.

 

Best by Definition

Competition is already at a fever pitch in the state, and in cannabis, getting there first sometimes just makes you best by definition in the market’s eyes. At the retail level, look at any new cannabis state — say, New York — and what happens when the first stores open: lines around the block and product (or what variety there is at first) flying off shelves at steep prices that make investors smile and consumers wince. But when the market becomes more savvy and educated about the products and value system of a brand-new industry, first is no longer best. 

As challenging as this time and sector is, it’s as important for the turbulent tenor of the day to subside as much as it is important for it to simply succeed at a functional level. In fact, it must succeed for the greater industry to thrive.

There is no shortage of stories about widespread layoffs and restructuring for asset consolidation on a large scale with bigger companies, primarily multi-state operators (MSOs). But in comparison to the trials of new, very small operators that found it a matter of survival just to get to the doors-open phase, MSOs have it much easier. They can bleed money in a way small independent shops cannot. If they have operational experience already, they may still not have the ability to see the forest through the trees if they are not actively responding to the business climate of an ever-changing, statewide industry.

You will need more money — from either increased sales or investor dollars for market expansion. There will continually be massive restrictive aspects to operating as long as no new banking reform measures or full-scale legalization measures are enacted. So plan on enduring such aspects as much as you should plan to be noble and focus on what is a differentiating aspect of your business.

And don’t plan on having a future in the business until you get your business plan reflective of the industry we have versus the one we want. For those new or inexperienced operators that don’t get those lessons under their belt, theirs will be a back aching for the lash of “don’t say you weren’t warned.”

 

Meg Sanders is the CEO of Canna Provisions, which operates cannabis dispensaries in Holyoke and Lee.

Amherst College Names Michael Thomas Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

By
Daily News

AMHERST — Amherst College named Michael Thomas its new chief financial and administrative officer (CFAO). On the finance side, he will be responsible for all finance functions of the college, including budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, long-range financial planning, and asset, liability, and risk management. On the administrative side, Thomas will oversee facilities, health and safety, and business services (dining and auxiliary), among key operating functions.

He joins Amherst from Middlebury College, where he was vice president for Administration and chief risk officer for the past two years and vice president for Finance and assistant treasurer for the previous four and a half years. He will report to and serve as a strategic partner to President Michael Elliott. His appointment is effective March 27, and he succeeds former Amherst CFAO Kevin Weinman, who became the president of Marist College in the fall of 2021.

In his more than nine years at Middlebury, Thomas led all aspects of financial matters, including accounting, financial systems and reporting, budgets, debt and cash management, and endowment reporting, as well as risk evaluation, campus safety, environmental health and safety, emergency management, and land and property management. He led several critical initiatives for the Middlebury enterprise, including the institution’s COVID-19-related operations; a student safety coalition initiative at the college; the acquisition, financing, and renovation of a residential housing facility of Middlebury’s Institute of International Studies at Monterey in California; the implementation of an enterprise resource planning system for a consortium of higher-education institutions, for which he serves as secretary of the board; and a major long-term financial-sustainability plan.

Before that, he was the controller and director of financial resources for Skidmore College (2006-13); the controller, manager of Financial Systems and Accounting, and a financial analyst for General Electric Silicones, Americas (1999-2006); and an associate at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (1995-98). He graduated from Union College with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and from the University at Albany with a master’s degree in accounting.

“I am excited to be joining Amherst College as the CFAO,” Thomas said. “I look forward to working with President Elliott and getting to know and work with the students, faculty, and staff to support the mission of the institution. Supporting Amherst College in the education of some of the brightest minds from around the world is an honor.”

Peter Pan Bus Lines Announces Next Generation of Leaders

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Pan Bus Lines is planning for the future and creating a new generation of leaders to drive the 90-year-old bus company to new levels. CEO Peter Picknelly recently announced five major promotions in management, including a promotion to chief operating officer awarded to an employee who started as a bus driver 18 years ago. Other promotions include vice president of Operations, vice president of Planning and Revenue, senior director of Marketing, and senior director of Maintenance.

“We’re planning for the next generation of leaders at Peter Pan,” Picknelly said. “These are very well-deserved promotions.”

Frank Dougherty started as a bus driver and has now been promoted to chief operating officer. According to Picknelly, Dougherty sent him a 20-page letter about everything that was wrong at Peter Pan Bus Lines more than 18 years ago. Picknelly asked him to join the team to help correct the situation. Dougherty was a driver, and he will now be leading the company.

Don Soja has been named vice president of Operations. He has been with Peter Pan for more than 20 years. According to Picknelly, Soja knows all aspects of the bus company, including charters, line runs, finance, and technology. Picknelly hopes he will lead the way for decades to come.

Timothy Grabowski has been promoted to vice president of Planning and Revenue Management. Picknelly said Grabowski brings a skill set that allows Peter Pan to continue strategic growth, and that he makes Peter Pan stand out among other bus companies and keeps Peter Pan moving forward.

Danielle Veronesi has been promoted to senior director of Marketing. If there’s a special project, Picknelly said, Veronesi is the one to rely on, and she’s always the one to volunteer. He added that Venonesi has made a big difference in the company.

Joseph Picknally has been named senior director of Maintenance for Peter Pan. Picknelly said Picknally has done an exemplary job in realigning the Maintenance department, and that he has big shoes to fill in the company; Picknally’s father, Thomas, was the company’s vice president of Maintenance for decades until his passing in 2021.

Springfield Symphony Orchestra Names Paul Lambert President and CEO

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) announced the appointment of the interim Director Paul Lambert to the position of president and CEO, removing Lambert’s interim status.

Lambert joined the SSO as interim director in January 2022. He came to the SSO after serving for many years as vice president of Enshrinement Services & Community Engagement at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Since his appointment to the interim director position, Lambert has overseen the return to the stage of the SSO with six classical and two pops concerts in the current 2022-23 season, the first in more than two years as a result of the pandemic. He has been instrumental in adding new individuals to the SSO board, hiring key new staff, re-engaging with the corporate and philanthropic community, and launching a comprehensive communications and marketing program to support the current season.

Lambert succeeded interim Executive Director John Anz, who left the SSO to take a position at another organization.

“I am truly honored and humbled to serve in this position and appreciate the trust invested in me by the SSO,” Lambert said. “I am a longtime subscriber to the SSO and know how important the symphony is to the cultural landscape of Springfield and all of Western Massachusetts. I am passionate about the symphony and what it represents to all of us who love symphonic music and the arts. A successful Springfield Symphony requires the engagement of the entire community, and I welcome this new position in leading the collective efforts to see the SSO succeed.”

Lambert’s professional experience includes nearly 20 years with the Basketball Hall of Fame, initially as vice president of Guest Experience and Programming, and more recently as vice president of Enshrinement Services & Community Engagement. His work transformed the Hall of Fame Enshrinement into a nationally recognized celebration and media event that has served as the bedrock of the Hall’s development and outreach efforts.

Prior to the Hall of Fame, Lambert served as director of Event Production for the National Basketball Assoc. (NBA), working on the development and execution of live programming, grassroots initiatives, and international events, including the NBA Jam Session program, numerous All-Star Games, and successfully staged events in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Before working in the basketball industry, Lambert enjoyed a career in the professional theater, including roles as general manager of the Cape Playhouse in Dennis for seven years and as executive director of the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Conn. He also served as a production stage manager for many years.

Lambert serves on a number of local boards and community organizations, including the National Conference for Community and Justice, New England Public Media (where he was a board chair), the Loomis Communities, and the boards of Cape Cod Center for the Arts, the South Hadley Cultural Council, Longmeadow UNICO, and the Springfield Rotary. He is a graduate, cum laude, of Boston College, with a bachelor’s degree in English and theater.