Page 178 – BusinessWest

Florence Bank Hires Kyle Toelken to Lead Belchertown Branch

By BusinessWest Staff July 22, 2022

Daily News

FLORENCE — Florence Bank hired Kyle Toelken to serve as assistant vice president and branch manager of the Belchertown branch.

Toelken was hired in May and has 12 years of banking experience. Committed to community involvement, he has volunteered with Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, helping present lesson plans to school-aged children. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Franklin Pierce University.

“I am very excited to join Florence Bank and the Belchertown branch team,” Toelken said. “I look forward to working with the community and ensuring customers have a great experience.”

President Kevin Day added that “we are excited to welcome Kyle to the Florence Bank team. He has a great deal of experience, and we are pleased that he will be helping to lead our Belchertown branch.”

Fourth Generation Takes the Wheel at Peter Pan

By BusinessWest Staff July 22, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Peter Pan Bus Lines’ Peter and Melissa Picknelly announced that their son, Peter Picknelly IV, has been promoted to director of Safety & Security.

While in high school and college, Peter IV has worked in both Operations and Customer Service. He recently graduated magna cum laude from Western New England University with a degree in business management. He joins his sister, Lauryn Picknelly-DuBois, who was recently named controller for Peter Pan Bus Lines.

HCC STEM Scholarship Deadline Is Aug. 1

By BusinessWest Staff July 22, 2022

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Students enrolled full-time in chemistry, biology, engineering, mathematics, physics, or other STEM fields at Holyoke Community College (HCC) have until Monday, Aug. 1 to apply for a National Science Foundation scholarship of up to $10,000 per year.

Through HCC, the National Science Foundation Scholarship offers, on average, $6,500 per year to qualified full-time students and prorated amounts for part-time students. New and current HCC students are encouraged to apply.

Students chosen for the NSF scholarship become members of HCC’s STEM Scholars 2.0 Program, also known as SCoRE (STEM Cohorts for Research & Engagement).

STEM Scholars are expected to maintain enrollment in a STEM program, be in good academic standing, complete an associate degree at HCC, and/or transfer to an accredited STEM degree program at a four-year institution. The scholarships are renewable every year students continue to meet the eligibility criteria.

Beside the financial awards, STEM Scholars become part of a learning community that fosters a sense of belonging and academic success, and includes mentoring, research, and honors experiences; community service; and internships. The application and eligibility guidelines can be viewed at hcc.edu/stem-scholarship.

STEM disciplines include biological sciences, physical sciences, math, computer and information services, geosciences, and engineering.

Housatonic Heritage Walks Announced

By BusinessWest Staff July 21, 2022

Daily News

BERKSHIRE COUNTY — The Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area announced the 20th annual autumn Housatonic Heritage Walks on five weekends: Sept. 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25; and Oct. 1-2. More than 80 free, guided walks will be offered throughout Berkshire County, Mass., and Litchfield County, Conn.

The public is invited to participate in these family-friendly, informative walks, offered in partnership with our region’s historic, cultural, and outdoor recreational organizations. The Heritage Walks are an ideal opportunity to experience and learn about this region’s rich and varied local heritage.

Historians, naturalists, and environmentalists will lead participants on explorations through historic estate gardens and town districts, behind-the-scenes cultural-site tours, nature walks, trail hikes, and tours of many of the industrial-site ruins that were once thriving local industries. There will be Native American and African-American history walks, a canoe paddling trip on the Housatonic River and a bike tour on scenic country roads.

Detailed Heritage Walks brochures will be available at libraries, post offices, restaurants, and grocery stores in the region. The schedule is also available online by clicking here. To request a brochure by mail, email [email protected].

2022 Heritage Walk participants will be subject to federal and state guidelines for safe conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Car Show and Next Step Registration Event Set for Aug. 13 at Asnuntuck

By BusinessWest Staff July 21, 2022

Daily News

ENFIELD, Conn. — Asnuntuck Community College’s (ACC) Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center will host a car show on Saturday, Aug. 13 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The day will also include a college-wide Next Step Saturday registration event beginning at 9 a.m. Tours of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center will also be held.

The car show, located in the college’s back parking lot, near the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center building, will include music by Cruisin’ with Bruce Marshall. All owners are welcome to bring their cars free of charge, with no pre-registration, and there is no charge to the public to come and view the cars. The car show has a rain date of Aug. 20, with the open house and registration day taking place rain or shine on the 13th.

Next Step Saturday helps new and continuing students apply and register for the fall semester. Advising assistance will be offered, and staff will be on campus to assist with questions regarding financial aid and registration.

Participants will also be able to learn about the college’s more than 50 academic programs, in addition to Asnuntuck’s Advanced Manufacturing program.

If you are interested in attending Asnuntuck but have not yet applied, complete the application (asnuntuck.edu/admissions/how-to-enroll) ahead of time to maximize your time during the visit.

If you would like to meet with an academic advisor during the event, an appointment is encouraged (but not required). Follow the steps for new or continuing students at asnuntuck.edu/advising and email the advising office for an appointment at [email protected].

To learn more, visit asnuntuck.edu/nextstepsaturday. The college’s fall semester begins on Monday, Aug. 29. Students do not need to wait until Aug. 13 to enroll. Registration is now open for the fall semester, and students are encouraged to apply before the event.

Florence Hearing Welcomes Two New Team Members to Practice

By BusinessWest Staff July 21, 2022

Daily News

FLORENCE — Florence Hearing Health Care (FHHC) recently hired two new team members: Susan Pepin-Phillips, practice manager; and Dr. Cassandra Falvey, audiologist. They join Dr. Jennifer Sowards, audiologist and founder; Dr. Anna Niemi, audiologist; and Robin Verteramo, receptionist.

Pepin-Phillips forged a career in marketing at two local community banks before moving into practice management at a local dental practice five years ago. She will be responsible for running the business side of the practice, but with her marketing eye, she’ll also be focused on making sure the brand is represented well in the running of the business.

Falvey came to Florence Hearing from Baystate Health in Palmer. She has always been drawn to the field of communication sciences and disorders, earning a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in communication sciences and disorders from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y. in 2015. She then returned home to Western Mass. and earned her doctorate in audiology at UMass Amherst in 2019. Falvey completed her fourth-year externship at Baystate Wing Hospital and Medical Centers, where she continued to work and serve patients until joining the team at Florence Hearing Health Care. She holds a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Assoc.

“We are pleased to add two folks to our team who are fully on board with our mission,” Sowards said. “Our team works closely together to make sure we can support our mission while providing a great place to work, including flexible work schedules. We’re excited to introduce our new audiologist and practice manager to the community.”

Massachusetts Residents Advised to Protect Public Benefits from Scams

By BusinessWest Staff July 21, 2022

Daily News

BOSTON — The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) has issued additional warnings to residents of skimming scams that have impacted some DTA clients. The agency and its investigations team became aware of banks and retailers who appear to have had their ATMs and card-processing terminals compromised. These scams are aimed at obtaining credit, debit, and electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card information and personal identification numbers (PINs). Skimming is the use of an electronic device to steal card information from a card reader and create a fake card, known as cloning, to steal money or benefits.

As a precaution, DTA strongly recommends that clients change the PIN on their EBT cards at this time and before each scheduled benefit issuance date. Clients do not need to receive a new card to safely access their benefits. The department has taken several pre-emptive steps to help protect clients’ benefits, including sending out multiple targeted text messages and creating a notice to inform clients and encourage them to re-PIN their card. The agency also created a webpage (click here) on skimming and how to protect benefits.

Clients who receive TAFDC or EAEDC cash benefits can have their benefits sent to a checking or savings account through direct deposit. Direct deposit is a safe and reliable method to receive benefits and protect against fraud. Residents can contact their case manager if they have a bank account and want to set up direct deposit.

There have also been reports of a phishing scam where individuals are receiving scam text messages that their pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits have been blocked. The message directs individuals to call a number where they are asked to provide their P-EBT card number. This message is not from DTA.

People should never provide their personal information or EBT/P-EBT card number over the phone to unidentified callers. If any DTA client believes they may have fallen victim to a skimming or phishing scam, they are encouraged to report it to DTA’s fraud hotline at (800) 372-8399.

Peter Picknelly Blueprints Another Legacy Project

By George O'Brien July 21, 2022

Cover Story

A Developing Story

An architect’s rendering of a proposed new courthouse, apartment complex, and marina for Springfield’s riverfront.

As he talked about the many real-estate development projects he’s been involved with over the years and how they’ve come to the drawing board and then off it, Peter Picknelly said simply, “they develop … and then they happen.”

That was a very simple explanation for what is often a very complex process, especially with some of the projects he and his team at the OPAL Real Estate Group have taken on over the years, many of which have involved public-private partnerships and have taken years, if not decades, to become reality.

What he meant was that each project starts with a concept, or a vision — the marriage of a location or an existing building with a new use, or uses, often with higher goals, such as sparking additional development in a given area or neighborhood, or bringing new life to dormant, sometimes historic properties.

This has been the case with many projects in the OPAL portfolio — from the transportation and education center in downtown Holyoke to the conversion of the former Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton into luxury apartments, to a similar but much more complicated effort to transform the former Court Square Hotel in downtown Springfield into market-rate housing.

Peter Picknelly says Springfield’s riverfront, and especially the stretch north of the Memorial Bridge, is an untapped resource and the ideal location for a new courthouse.

And this is the same general formula being applied to the most ambitious project yet undertaken by Picknelly and his team at OPAL Real Estate — the transformation of land on Springfield’s riverfront, north of the Memorial Bridge, into a home for a new Hampden County courthouse and, perhaps, an apartment complex and marina, a concept that comes with a price tag just under $500 million.

Plans for this concept were unveiled at an elaborate press conference last month, with Picknelly and others, including Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan, touting the proposed project as a potential economic catalyst for both the riverfront and Springfield’s North End.

And as a solution to what has become a huge health hazard in Springfield — the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse, which has been beset with problems ranging from mold and ventilation issues to alarming reports of employees getting sick and in some cases dying of cancers and other diseases linked to environmental concerns.

Indeed, a recent report by the state Trial Court’s Environmental Advisory Committee, made up of courthouse employees, said the courthouse is linked to more than 50 cancer diagnoses and five employees who have died of ALS.

Headlines announcing these reports and the state’s ongoing efforts to clean and perhaps renovate a building that people don’t want to go in — the Hampden Registry of Deeds and the district attorney’s office have relocated staff out of the building — prompted those at OPAL to create that vision that was announced last month, said Picknelly.

“It’s pretty clear to me that there is something wrong, very wrong, with that building,” he said. “There are 25,000 people who have been diagnosed with ALS; five have died in one building! That’s an amazing number. And 60 people have some form of cancer? We need a new courthouse, and anyone who cares about Springfield would have that on their radar.”

But there are very few spots in the city that can accommodate a new courthouse. Picknelly says he has one — or can assemble one.

The land in question has been considered for everything from a casino to a site for a UMass Springfield campus to the possible home for a minor-league baseball stadium. But it remains undeveloped and needs a spark to become a real asset for the city.

The proposed courthouse, a true public-private endeavor, could become that spark, he said, adding that this project, if it comes to fruition — and there are many hurdles to clear, as we’ll see — could lead to additional development along the riverfront and in the North End.

“I think this is an exciting opportunity for our city to expand its downtown area and open up the river, finally, for all sorts of activities,” said Picknelly, who called the Court Square initiative a ‘legacy project,’ and believes the same term could be applied to the courthouse endeavor. “We’ve always thought that our land on the riverfront was underutilized, and that, at some point, it should be developed, and this seemed like a great opportunity, so we’re running with it, and we think it has some legs.”

For this issue, BusinessWest looks at Picknelly’s impressive development track record and how this latest project would become an intriguing next chapter.

Right Place, Right Time

Picknelly said OPAL is an acronym, with those letters starting the names of his four children — Olivia, Peter, Alyssa, and Lauryn.

Over the years, it has become synonymous with large-scale, often difficult projects that often involve public-private partnerships. The Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center on Maple Street in Holyoke, which houses bus services on the ground floor and Holyoke Community College’s Adult Learning Center on the upper floors, is one example, while the Court Square project, which boasts an array of partners, including the state, MGM Springfield, Winn Development, and OPAL itself, is another.

“I think this is an exciting opportunity for our city to expand its downtown area and open up the river, finally, for all sorts of activities. We’ve always thought that our land on the riverfront was underutilized, and that, at some point, it should be developed, and this seemed like a great opportunity, so we’re running with it, and we think it has some legs.”

Picknelly said that he and his team at OPAL look for development opportunities across the region, often responding to requests for proposals for specific buildings and properties, as in Holyoke and Court Square, but often by being proactive, sometimes with property owned by Picknelly or Peter Pan.

Such is the case with the existing Hampden County courthouse and the need to find a solution to the ongoing health problems there.

Picknelly and his team at OPAL first became involved with the goal of perhaps finding a temporary home for the courthouse to be used while the existing property is cleaned and renovated. But amid the headlines about illness and death and the high costs of making the building safe, the thought process shifted to finding a permanent solution in the form of a new home.

“The more you looked into it, the worse it got,” he said. “So we asked, ‘where can you build a new one and keep it in the downtown area?’ Because this is important to Springfield.”

The solution that presented itself is the 14.5-acre parcel on the riverfront owned by Picknelly — as well as an adjoining parcel owned by the Republican Co., which is the planned location of the new courthouse; Picknelly is seeking to purchase that parcel.

The land owned by Picknelly is currently home to Peter Pan’s Coachbuilders repair and maintenance facility as well as a number of billboards, which are generating some revenue from lease deals.

As noted earlier, it has been considered for several different uses, including a baseball park — several different proposals for such a facility have been forwarded over the years. And Picknelly said UMass Amherst considered the site before it eventually located its downtown Springfield campus in Tower Square. It then became part of the parcel pieced together for a proposed Western Mass. casino, which was eventually built in the South End.

While the site has remained mostly idle, it has always had vast potential to bring life and business not only to an attractive stretch of the riverfront, but to the North End of the city, which has Union Station, but has long needed a catalyst that can attract different kinds of development.

A new courthouse could be that catalyst, said Picknelly, adding that, while such facilities are generally not thought of as economic development, they are worthy of that description, and for many reasons.

Start with the number 1,600. That’s how many people typically visit the Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse on a daily basis — or would visit it if they were not afraid to venture inside, said Picknelly, adding that this kind of visitation, which includes those with business in the courts, court employees, jurors, and lawyers, could spawn different types of development, from restaurants to office buildings housing lawyers who want to be close to the courthouse.

“Your development is literally right on the water. Nowhere else in Springfield’s downtown can you have that.”

“I don’t think people realize how much activity a courthouse brings to a community,” he said. “It’s an economic-development driver.”

Ultimately, Picknelly believes the courthouse and apartment complex can do for the riverfront north of Memorial Bridge what the Basketball Hall of Fame complex has done for the area south of the bridge — in short, make it a destination.

“Before the Hall of Fame, there was essentially nothing there,” he said, referring to the collection of industrial properties that stood where the Hall is now. “Now, you have restaurants and vibrancy … the courthouse can do the same for the north side of the riverfront.”

It could potentially do even more, he went on, because on the south side of the bridge operating railroad tracks stand between the Hall of Fame and other businesses and the river itself. That problem doesn’t exist on the north side.

“Your development is literally right on the water,” he noted. “Nowhere else in Springfield’s downtown can you have that.”

While the proposed site — and the project envisioned for it — makes sense on many levels, said Picknelly, a number of pieces need to fall into place, especially at the state level.

Courting Opportunity

At present, the state and its Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) is still weighing whether to renovate the existing courthouse or move into a new one; a deep cleaning of the facility is currently underway.

Sarno and Picknelly have both questioned the wisdom of investing what could be hundreds of millions of dollars in a building that has reportedly been linked to serious illness and death.

“We think cleaning it is great, but ultimately, a new courthouse is needed in Springfield,” said Picknelly, adding that there are several options moving forward for the project and this parcel, with the best, in his view, being the property developed by OPAL and then leased by the state.

“It would be much faster if that was the chosen route,” he told BusinessWest. “Just the procurement process for securing the land would take two years; we can have shovels in the ground quickly. Ultimately, we believe the project can be done, start to finish, in four years.

“Right now, they’re talking about cleaning the building and renovating the current building — that will take seven years and probably cost $200 million when you factor in the cleaning of the facility and what they would have to do to move to the courts to a temporary facility for several years. That’s 70% of building new, and even if you do clean it, people are going to be very reluctant to go into it.”

OPAL Real Estate has become part of a number of ambitious public-private development initiatives, including the ongoing work to transform the former Court Square Hotel into market-rate housing.
Photo by Joe Santa Maria, Kill the Ball Media

Picknelly noted an additional benefit to building new is that Springfield gains an additional development site — the current courthouse location, in the heart of downtown and across State Street from the MGM casino complex.

If the courthouse moves to the riverfront, you then have that property to be developed for some other activity,” he said. “There are all sorts of opportunities; it’s great land that could be developed for other public purposes.”

When asked to give a timeline for the courthouse project, Picknelly said there are many factors that will play into if it happens and when it happens, from whether the current administration wants to address this problem or pass it on the next one, to how quickly DCAM can study and then weigh the costs and benefits of building new versus renovating what currently exists.

But he expects something — he’s not sure what — to happen within the next year, because of the severity of the health concerns in the current courthouse and the need to find a solution.

Much of his development activity over the past few decades falls into that category of ‘finding solutions,’ and this would certainly be another legacy project for the portfolio.

It is a developing story — figuratively, but also quite literally.

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

Demystifying DE&I

By Contributor July 21, 2022

Law Special Coverage

Implementing Such an Initiative Can Provide a Number of Benefits

By Kylie Brown and Tanzania Cannon-Eckerle

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives are being discussed more than ever in conference rooms, boardrooms, human-resources departments, and administrative offices. This is exciting, and for companies implementing these initiatives, one of the benefits incurred will be the creation of internal processes and procedures that will mitigate perceptions of discrimination and harassment in the workplace.

Massachusetts law requires that businesses maintain a harassment- and discrimination-free workplace. The law states, in summary, that it is unlawful to discriminate or harass in the workplace because of race, color, religious creed, national origin, or sex.

According to the related laws, a Massachusetts company has a duty to maintain a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment. It would be fiction to state that it is possible for a company to ensure that it maintains an idyllic workplace for everyone. There are too many unique and diverse humans, too many variables. The good thing is the law does not require a company create an idyllic retreat.

However, it does require companies to do their due diligence to create and maintain a discrimination- and harassment-free workplace, and if something does occur that might meet the definition of discrimination or harassment, a company must address the matter in a timely fashion and implement remedial measures when and where necessary. As such, companies must prepare to manage the possibility of these occurrences. It would be most beneficial if a company did not wait to implement remedial measures in response to wrongdoing or after an incident has occurred; the programs should already be in place.

DE&I initiatives provide a multitude of benefits to an organization with returns that are both ethically and financially calculable, including assisting in the creation of discrimination- and harassment-free workplaces.

It can be difficult to calculate a financial return on prevention; however, in the realm of discrimination and harassment, prevention can be calculated by the declining costs of litigation. Creating a workplace that assures that policies are created to prevent harassment and discrimination, and that procedures are implemented to enable the consistent and equitable application of policies to all employees, will cause a decline in the appearance of harassment and discrimination and will diminish legal costs to a company — and costs to the company’s reputation.

The reason why DE&I initiatives work so well in this manner is because DE&I initiatives foster equity in the application of all workplace mechanisms and thus, once firmly established, naturally create a workplace environment free of discrimination and harassment, to the extent practicable. This is because, once DE&I initiatives are firmly established, most employees will feel a sense of belonging as they will feel heard and have a sense of empathy for their colleagues which fosters a team-oriented culture and problem-solving mindset. That not only prevents lawsuits, but it will also save money in the form of retention. Furthermore, data has shown that productivity and creativity increase, as does employee wellness.

Kylie Brown

Tanzania Cannon-Eckerle

“It can be difficult to calculate a financial return on prevention; however, in the realm of discrimination and harassment, prevention can be calculated by the declining costs of litigation.”

Unfortunately, many companies have leaders who have not identified DE&I as a cost-savings measure, or many leaders don’t know where to start. This article cannot, in the limited space provided, cover the entirety of what can be discussed in the realm of DE&I. However, we seek to plant a ‘can-do’ seed of desire to create DE&I initiatives in one’s workplace as a means of creating safe and discrimination- and harassment-free workplaces, by showing that creating such a workplace just takes a plan and a commitment to execute.

This article is one of a series that seeks to assist businesses with an inside-out approach, using existing resources to set up a sound foundation to grow a robust DE&I initiative within their company, and to create a workplace that is discrimination- and harassment-free while also becoming more ethical and more financially successful. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It can be tweaked along the way.

First, we start at the beginning. Let’s demystify DE&I.

What Does DE&I Even Mean? And What About Belonging?

Let’s broaden the concept to DE&I and B, or belonging.

Diversity means to be composed of different elements or offer variety. In application to the workplace, this translates to different people, through race, gender, and/or sexual orientation, with different cultural, social, and economic backgrounds, bringing their thoughts and ideas to the table.

Equity is the act of giving everyone in your pool of diversity fair treatment in access, opportunity, and advancement in the workplace, through processes and procedures implemented in a consistent manner. It’s recognizing we don’t all start from the same playing field and carries an idea of fairness and neutrality. That’s the difference between equity and equality.

Inclusion means being included in or involved in material decision making in the workplace at the appropriate level, and having the freedom or enterprise-level permission to weigh in on items of import that are relevant to one’s job and actually being heard. Identification of stakeholders are important here.

Belonging is what happens when a company has a strong foundation of continued diversity, equity, and inclusion processes, protocols, habits, and other customs of practice, and having a sense of being accepted as one’s authentic self at work that is supported by equity and inclusion. The goal should be to have an engrained DE&I model that is engrained in every aspect of the company so that it becomes common practice.

Where to Start?

First and foremost, focusing on DE&I must be in line with the overall business mission, values, and objectives in order to be successful. Second, there must be buy-in from all levels of the organization. Identifying what it will take to get that buy-in is important and will vary depending upon the audience. Third, identify the DE&I goals and why these are the goals. This is most likely dependent on what industry your company belongs to and how your company is structured.

Fourth, create a DE&I committee and identify who should be on the committee, and provide them with defined authority to act. This will create company accountability for continuing on with the initiatives. Fifth, do gap assessment. Where is the company now? Where does the company hope to be? What needs to be accomplished get there? What are the potential obstacles? How will they be overcome?

Gather Data

Focus on the return on the investment (know your audience). The return on investment might look different for the frontline supervisors than it does for procurement or accounting. Analyze the upfront costs, such as change in recruitment tactics, utilizing more networking forums, and potentially creating new roles to support the new business outlook

Where can we implement DE&I initiatives? DE&I can be external, by using diverse vendors, or internal, by establishing an equitable approach to handing out assignments. Every time a new business development is discussed, whether internally or externally, it creates another opportunity to include DE&I.

Identify stakeholders and talk to them. Encourage discussion on the topic of DE&I. Discuss their opinions on issues that impact them in the workplace. Gathering employee opinions and concerns will enable the company to make positive changes that will prevent issues and increase employee engagement. Hold open-forum discussions such as town-hall listening sessions — not talking sessions, where company executives talk at employees. These are great opportunities to listen to others and allow all staff to be heard.

A review of company documentation should be conducted to find existing areas where improvements may be needed. Obtaining statistical knowledge and data of the current demographics throughout the general workplace, as well as upper-level management, will help assist you in realizing where there is a need to implement DE&I.

Sell It

Make DE&I identifiable in the company mission. Make it a part of the company brand if possible. Involve company leaders in the celebration of meeting goals around DE&I initiatives. It is vital to get leadership support for the success of any DE&I initiative. Sell it to all employees. Create a well-thought-out communication plan. It is important that companies are knowledgeable about the prospective initiatives so they can answer any and all questions that may arise.

The company should support its initiatives by marketing them internally and externally to the general population, which could lead to potential exposure to overall business growth and development.

Implement It

At the core of implementing a successful DE&I program is implementing it in a manner consistent with the company mission, vision, and strategy. Including DE&I initiatives in your business model provides business growth opportunities and positive employee relations.

Implementation can start with recruitment, attracting different people from different backgrounds in order to bring new ideas to the table. Infuse DE&I in the employee-relations program by creating policies that are developed with the input of a cross-section of stakeholders and are consistently applied in an equitable manner.

Infusing all company mechanisms with DE&I approaches will be justified by the quantifiable growth and development it produces, as well as the prevention of discrimination and harassment lawsuits — and by the sense of belonging the company’s workforce maintains.

Kylie Brown is an associate attorney at the Royal Law Firm who specializes in labor and employment-law, and Tanzania Cannon-Eckerle is the firm’s chief administrative and litigation officer, who specializes in business and labor and employment law with certifications in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Workplace Investigations. The Royal Law Firm is a woman-owned, women-managed corporate law firm that is certified as a women’s business enterprise with the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office, the National Assoc. of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.

Matt Flink Takes the Helm at Appleton Corp.

By George O'Brien July 21, 2022

Commercial Real Estate Special Coverage

Building on a Solid Foundation

Matt Flink was recently named president and CEO of Appleton Corp., the real-estate and property-management arm of the O’Connell Companies. He brings with him considerable experience in this field — and the football field, as a coach. He intends to lean on both as he takes the helm of the company with a solid foundation and opportunities for growth in a number of established niches.

Matt Flink enjoys going to the office every day.

But he especially likes Thursdays. That’s the one day of the week when all employees at the O’Connell Companies are asked to be in the office, with most of them working remotely at least a few of the other four days.

“I love Thursdays — all my friends are there, my colleagues are there — there’s a sense of energy and a liveliness and a vitality that I don’t necessarily get the other days of the week,” he explained, before adding a large-sized ‘but.’

“It’s not about me and what I want, it’s about what’s in the best interest of the company and the best interest our employees,” he went on, adding that remote work is popular, it has become a benefit — and an expectation — at O’Connell, and, as he put it, “the work gets done.”

This same dynamic is playing out in businesses large and small across the region and across the country, and that’s just one of many issues and challenges Flink is facing as he takes the helm at Appleton Corp., the division of Holyoke-based O’Connell Companies that provides property-, facility-, and asset-management services, along with accounting and financial services, to managers and owners of commercial and residential properties across a wide swath of New England.

“We can’t get caught up in old-school thinking that says, ‘it’s always been this way, so it has to continue to be this way.’”

He now presides over a portfolio of managed properties that includes everything from several transportation centers, including Springfield’s Union Station, to the Springfield Technology Park, retail shopping centers, medical offices, and industrial properties. It also includes a number of residential properties, including senior-living facilities.

The broad goal moving forward, said Flink, who was named successor to the now-retired Paul Stelzer last month, is to maintain and grow that portfolio and specific niches within it, such as those transportation centers. There are now several in the portfolio, including 12 in Connecticut, he noted, and the company will aggressively work to build on its track record of success in that realm.

As for the phenomenon of remote work and what it means to office properties here and elsewhere, Flink said property owners and managers, including Appleton, must be imaginative and open to alternative uses for those facilities, because he just doesn’t see things going back to the way they were.

“We can’t get caught up in old-school thinking that says, ‘it’s always been this way, so it has to continue to be this way,’” using that phrase to describe both the office setting and remote work, and how property owners should be looking to fill their spaces.

Flink brings more than 30 years of experience to his new role, a diverse résumé that includes work in Illinois, Colorado, Florida, and 10 years with O’Connell, during which he has served in various roles, including director of Capital Project Management.

He intends to tap that reservoir of experience, which includes work in construction, real-estate development, property management, and sales and leasing, while leading O’Connell to what he expects will be continued growth in an evolving, highly competitive marketplace that is acting and reacting in response to a number of forces, everything from shifting dynamics in the workplace to a still-changing retail landscape to the aging of the population and the need for more senior housing.

He also intends to borrow from his experience coaching youth football, especially when it comes to management and helping team members “understand that they’re probably even better than they think they are,” as he put it (more on that later).

“This opportunity with O’Connell gives me an opportunity to bring all that experience to bear in one location and participate in leading not only what we do Appleton, but in the larger effort that we make with our parent company, the O’Connell Corp.,” he said. “To me, it’s the most logical place for me to land at this point in my career.”

Space Exploration

The Appleton Corp. is approaching its 50th birthday, said Flink, noting that it was launched in 1974 by the O’Connell Companies, a Holyoke fixture for more than 140 years now. The larger corporation also includes Daniel O’Connell’s Sons, a large regional general contractor; Western Builders; the O’Connell Development Group; and New England Fertilizer Co.

Appleton is the property- and facility-management company in what Flink called a “vertically integrated stack.” Appleton manages commercial properties, industrial buildings, warehouses, educational facilities, and multi-family housing properties, including many that are subsidized, especially to senior populations, although some are market-rate.

“We manage properties that we own,” he explained. “But we also manage a lot of properties for third parties that own buildings; we do a lot of management of facilities owned by government entities, such as the technology park and the rail stations.”

It’s a diverse portfolio, as he noted, and it includes everything from an Amazon ‘last-mile’ facility in Holyoke to a biotech research facility on the campus of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. There are some established niches the company has developed, he said, adding that senior housing has long been one of them.

“The things that I learned about coaching my players transfer so wonderfully to our life at the office. I learned that I can’t coach every player, and every employee, the same way; people respond to different types of motivation, different types of stimulation.”

Meanwhile, transportation-facility management has become another niche, he said, adding that there are unique qualities to managing such properties, including the “interface between the public and private,” as he called it.

“Springfield’s Union Station is a perfect example; you have users of the bus facilities here — the PVTA, Peter Pan, Greyhound — and you also have Amtrak and CT Rail bringing people in on the tracks overhead, and all the people using those facilities circulating throughout the concourse,” he explained. “At the same time, you have several businesses that function there, so you have private folks parking in the garage, walking through the concourse, grabbing something at Dunkin’ Donuts, and then going upstairs.

Matt Flink says Appleton has developed a solid niche managing transportation centers, including Springfield’s Union Station.

“Maintaining safe conditions, clean conditions, secure conditions, is an important element in managing those types of facilities,” he went on. “For us, it is a niche market, and one we will continue to pursue.”

Moving forward, and from a strategic perspective, Appleton is focused on two key areas — business development and continuous improvement of the service provided to customers.

Overall, Flink said he has inherited a strong foundation and healthy portfolio from Stelzer, so he doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel, just maintain and build what is in place, with a focus on people and giving them the tools they need to succeed.

“It comes down to keeping our current portfolio stabilized, looking for continuous process improvements along the way, making better use of technology to better serve our customers, and making better use of technology so we ourselves can become more efficient,” he said. “And, at the same time, continuing other lines of our business and, as with those transportation facilities, looking outside of our traditional windows of opportunity. I think we’re well-positioned and well-placed to do that kind of work.”

The Appleton portfolio includes a diverse mix of properties, including the Springfield Technology Park.

As he goes about all this, he will call on not only previous work experience — and there is plenty of that — but also time spent coaching, especially football, at both the youth and high-school levels.

“The things that I learned about coaching my players transfer so wonderfully to our life at the office,” he said, by way of explaining how his work on the sidelines has shaped his management style. “I learned that I can’t coach every player, and every employee, the same way; people respond to different types of motivation, different types of stimulation.

“Some just need me to sit and listen to them and hear them and not even comment much, but just know that I’m hearing them,” he went on. “Some want a really deep and intense dialogue and to take a deep dive into the issues, and want me to act as a sounding board and really spend time devoted to solving problems or envisioning problems and coming up with mitigation strategies. As much as anything, I’ll be a coach trying to help each of our employees find a better version of themselves every day, with the goal of being a little better today than I was yesterday. And tomorrow, I really hope I’m better than I am today.”

Changing Dynamics

Returning to the subject of the office market and what will happen moving forward, Flink said there are many unknowns when it comes to this issue, and it will certainly take some time for the market to fully shake out.

By that, he meant everything from whether office workers will return and when — some are back, but across the country, many are not back or are working in hybrid arrangements — to how properties might be repurposed if they are not used for offices moving forward.

It’s a complex matter, he said, using the O’Connell family of companies as an example of how businesses managed to get work done, and done well, during the pandemic with almost all employees working remotely.

“For 475 days, plus or minus a day or two, we were essentially shut down in our corporate offices with just a few of us there,” he recalled. “What we learned in that period of time is that we can do that very successfully. We can allow people to work at home, we can give them the time they need to attend to things in the middle of the day, but all of us got our work done; we paid bills on time, we responded to requests for proposals on time … we did everything we needed to.

“Our experience in that space is similar to what we’re seeing around the country in that space,” he went on. “The pandemic forced people to rethink how they deliver their work product, what vehicle they use to deliver their work product; at the same time, there began to be a demand, a desire, to stay home once the pandemic eased up and people could return to their office space.”

This concept of remote work has turned into a benefit, he told BusinessWest, much like a 401(k), a vacation, or health insurance. And there is an expectation for it among job seekers and existing employees alike.

These factors have collectively reduced the demand for office space, he went on, adding that there are a few cases within the Appleton portfolio where tenants, specifically large call centers, have contracted substantially.

In one case, space was successfully backfilled, largely with government entities, Flink noted, adding that this may prove to a blueprint for many properties moving forward.

“Repurposing some of those commercial spaces for other user groups is going to be important,” he said. “Going forward, owners and managers of commercial real estate, at least for the short term, and maybe for the long term, depending on how the market responds to this concept of remote work, are going to be clever in how they look at various user groups.”

Imaginative reuse has been the watchword in retail for some time, he went on, noting that, as more shopping is done online, there has been less need for bricks-and-mortar facilities. Larger properties such as indoor malls and strip malls have adjusted by repurposing space for bowling alleys, laser tag, trampoline facilities, and more. Meanwhile, the cannabis industry has had a profound impact on the commercial real-estate landscape, absorbing large amounts of different kinds of spaces, from old mills in Holyoke and Easthampton to storefronts in many communities to a portion of the Springfield Newspapers building.

“Whether it’s that [cannabis] or seeking government entities where you may have looked to place a private tenant before, all this speaks to the need to be clever and really think outside the box and be open to other possibilities in that commercial marketplace,” said Flink, noting that the tech park at STCC is an example of this dynamic. A large call center has moved out, but over the next few years, he expects those spaces to fill back to something close to pre-pandemic levels.

Goal to Go

Getting back to football coaching and how it influences how he manages people, Flink summoned that often-used saying — among coaches and business owners alike — about people needing to give 110%.

“You don’t have to be a math major to know that this is literally impossible — you can’t give more than 100%,” he told BusinessWest. “What it comes down to, whether you’re coaching young athletes or spending time with senior-level executives on our staff, is redefining for people what their true capacity is. Very rarely do we operate at our true capacity; we’re blocked at times by our own negativity or the negative thinking of others. But we’re all capable of being more than we think we are, and helping people to understand where their 100% exists, and how they can live in a world that touches on that more often, is something that I’m passionate about.”

That’s one of many passions, and lessons, from past experiences that Flink will bring to his challenge, one that, as he said, is the logical place for him to be.

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

Today’s Tech Devices Emphasize Convenience, Wellness, Fun — and Power

By Joseph Bednar July 21, 2022

Special Coverage Technology

The Future Is Here

It’s striking to think that many young professionals entering the workforce today have never known a world without high-tech devices, many designed to be used on the go, that address every possible work and leisure need. And those devices have only become more powerful over time, with a wider array of options and price points. In its annual look at some of the most intriguing devices available, BusinessWest dives into what the tech press is saying about some of 2022’s hottest products for the home or … well, anywhere else.

Connecting and Computing

Among this year’s crop of smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra ($1,199) has been getting plenty of raves. In fact, Spy calls it “the first true flagship phone to beat for 2022.” The site praises Samsung for bringing back the S Pen stylus, a popular feature with Samsung’s Galaxy Note series. “It’s also a beast when it comes to capturing photos and videos with its quadruple camera system, offering excellent image quality and low-light performance. You’ll have plenty of versatility with this package because you can get very close with its 100x space zoom telephoto lens.”

You’ll find no shortage of love for Apple’s newest models as well, the iPhone 13 Pro ($999) and 13 Pro Max ($1,099), which, boast the best cameras and battery life of any iPhone to date, CNET notes, as well as high-end features like the ability to record ProRes videos. “By packing the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max with features many of us have wanted for years, including a display with a high refresh rate, Apple further defined the difference between its Pro and non-Pro phones. Three years ago, by comparison, the word Pro seemed more of a marketing term than an indication that the phone was any more professional than a regular iPhone.”

In the laptop world, the Dell XPS 13 Plus (starting at $1,449) “is a sleek computer that’s built around the latest and most powerful Intel Core processors,” Business Insider notes. “In lieu of click buttons, it uses a seamless glass touchpad surface and replaces the function keys with a top row of touch-sensitive function buttons.” In addition, Dell’s updated RapidCharge Express 2.0 technology can charge the battery up to 80% in under an hour. “Innovations like this,” the publication noted, “can benefit users and keep Dell ahead of rivals.”

Among today’s monitors, BBC Science Focus raves about the Samsung M8 smart monitor ($579). “With an affordable price tag, and an overkill of connection options, the Samsung M8 could be the perfect monitor for a lot of people. It doubles up as a TV and monitor, offering smart TV with Netflix, YouTube, and most streaming platforms, as well as connection options for most laptops, AirPlay for Apple products, and even DEX to connect your Samsung smartphone as a computer. Not enough? It also has built-in speakers, a 4K display and an added webcam.”

Need to keep your devices charged in the car? The Baseus USB-C Car Charger ($19) is an inexpensive device with a 65-watt USB-C port that can power up most laptops, according to bestproducts.com. A USB-A charging connector with a maximum power output of 18 watts is also included. “The product has a sleek design with translucent housing, a built-in voltage display, and onboard illumination. It has built-in tech to protect the connected devices from overcharging and overheating.”

That’s Entertainment

There’s no doubt that the explosion of entertainment choices we can stream on dozens of services has transformed the way we watch TV. At the same time, smart TVs have grown larger and less expensive over the past few decades. Among today’s models, Esquire praises the LG Electronics C1 65-inch OLED HDTV ($1,379). “With a beautiful picture and a sleek, stylish design, LG’s OLED TV is one of the best on the market. Plus, it can connect to Amazon Alexa devices so your whole house is hooked up.”

Most TVs aren’t built to survive the elements, but the SunBriteTV Veranda Series 3 ($2,899) is specifically designed for the outdoors. “In addition, it offers a few key advantages over previous Veranda models, including a brighter and much more colorful picture with support for Dolby Vision, as well as a full suite of Android TV features such as streaming media services, Google Assistant voice control, and the ability to mirror your phone,” PC Magazine notes, adding that, while the price tag is high, “you’re paying a premium for a TV you can use outside without worry.”

Gamers have more options than ever before as well, but for many, PlayStation still reigns supreme. Calling it “the best plug-and-play gaming platform available,” Digital Trends says the PlayStation 5 ($499), boasts “lightning-fast load speeds, a new controller, and a phenomenal lineup of launch titles (including fan favorites and new exclusives).” In fact, the magazine noted that the PS5 not only easily bests the Xbox when it comes to game selection, Sony has now brought backward compatibility into the fold, so the PS5 will be able to play most PS4 games. “The PS5 simply has the best game library out there right now.”

Speaking of new ways to play, “virtual reality might take its time to have its ‘iPhone moment,’ but it is still very much the next big thing for the coolest gadgets,” Spy notes, and no VR device flashes that promise more than the Meta Quest 2 ($299). Without the need for a powerful computer or special equipment, users can simply strap the Quest 2 (formerly Oculus) to their head, pick up the controllers, and move freely in VR space, thanks to its inside-out technology, which uses cameras placed outside the headset to track the users’ movement in the space around them.

Then there’s the Samsung Freestyle ($799), a new portable entertainment device that combines a projector and smart speaker into one compact package. It supports 1080p projection at up to 100 inches, offers access to a wide variety of streaming apps, and delivers 360-degree sound with built-in Alexa voice control. “The Freestyle stands out from other compact projectors thanks to its rotating cradle that makes it look like a portable spotlight,” Business Insider notes. “It also has automatic picture adjustments that could make it a breeze to set up virtually anywhere. It can even plug into an overhead light socket so you can project onto the floor or a table.”

Life on the Go

Smartwatches are all the rage, and the Apple Watch Series 7 ($329) ranks highly across most rating sites. With a bigger case and a larger screen than its predecessor, “the product also has best-in-class health-, fitness-, and wellness-tracking capabilities, powered by accurate heart-rate and blood-oxygen sensors, according to bestproducts.com. Apple offers the Series 7 with a 41- or a 45-millimeter case in a multitude of finishes, optional cellular network connectivity is available, and wearers can customize the timepiece with a wide selection of bands. “New year, new Apple watch,” Esquire adds. “The 20% larger screen makes all the difference.”

In the category of hybrid smartwatch, which combines connectivity with traditional watch mechanics, bestproducts.com chooses the Everett Hybrid Smartwatch ($179), calling it a feature-packed device with a built-in, always-on display and heart-rate sensor. “We like that, instead of looking like a tech product, it resembles a classic chronograph timepiece with mechanical hands and a three-button layout.” The stainless-steel timepiece is waterproof up to 30 meters, and it is available in several finishes, with an easy-to-replace band or bracelet.

Need a pair of quality headphones and don’t want to splurge on Apple AirPods? Then the clunkily named but sleekly built Sony WH-1000XM5 ($399) may be the way to go, BBC Science Focus notes. “These, like their predecessors, are some of the best headphones around. In terms of specs and audio, these are extremely similar to Sony’s renditions from before. They offer market-leading audio across the lows, mids, and highs, excellent noise cancellation, and you get an array of smart ambient features.” The site also praises the lighter, more minimalist design.

In the market for a drone? “Every year,” BBC Science Focus notes, “the DJI’s Mini series gets smaller and yet more powerful, cramming high-end specs into a lightweight drone that you can chuck in your bag. But with all those improvements comes an eye-watering price, and an increasing fear for your financial status if you crash it.” The DJI Mini 3 Pro ($759) offers advanced obstacle avoidance features, a rotating lens to film in portrait or landscape, 4K video, smart flying features like automatic tracking, and the ability to follow a subject, the site notes. “Despite its higher price, this feels like the perfect drone for beginners, those who like to travel, or really anyone in the market for a lightweight, high-tech drone.”

At the end of an active day, why not wind down by grilling dinner — wherever you are? The BioLite FirePit+ ($249) is a small, efficient fire pit that burns charcoal and wood. More than 50 air jets deliver oxygen to the fire for a uniform temperature and reduced smoke, while a rechargeable battery runs a built-in fan for controlling the fire up to 30 hours, according to PC Magazine. “You can cook on top of the included grill grate for direct contact with the flames or pick up a cast-iron griddle accessory. Bluetooth lets you control the flame intensity and fan speed with your phone, for a smart grilling experience no matter where you are.”

Around the House

Home security systems are nothing new, but if you’re looking for an extra layer of security, the Ring Glass Break Sensor ($40 for one, $70 for two) can detect break-in attempts through glass windows and doors from up to 25 feet away, Wired notes. Users will need a Ring Alarm or Ring Alarm Pro to use it, and the sensor can be configured the sensor to trigger a siren when it detects broken glass.

Sometimes home security means being prepared when the power goes down. The Anker 757 PowerHouse generator ($1,399) is powered by a lithium iron phosphate battery, which is the same type of battery used to power various electric vehicles, and “it’s a beast,” Gear Patrol notes. “Its multiple ports and outlets allow will allow you to simultaneously charge various gadgets, including your laptop, smartphone, and tablets, as well as power larger appliances like a refrigerator, a TV, or multiple outdoor lights.”

Air purification is a different kind of home safety product, and Gear Patrol touts the Wyze Air Purifier ($135), which can be purchased with one of three different filters, among the best on the market. “The air purifier works with the Wyze app, and, once set up, it can send you real-time status updates and alert you as to when it needs cleaning.” According to the company, each purifier is capable of cleaning 500-square-foot room more than three times an hour.

Wired has some ideas for making life easier as a pet owner, like the Smarty Pear Leo’s Loo Too Litter Box ($600). “Veterinarians say automatic litter boxes, while convenient, make it tough for owners to keep tabs on their cat’s bathroom trips — which can be useful for flagging any potential illnesses. The Leo’s Loo Too solves this with a built-in sensor that tracks how often your cat goes, along with its weight, and syncs the data to a companion app on your phone.” The device comes with additional features like UV sterilization and radar to keep the box from self-cleaning while the cat is nearby.

Speaking of animals, Wired also recommends the Bird Buddy Bird Feeder ($200), which “gives new meaning to bird watching. Not only does this cute little home feed birds, but its battery-powered camera offers a live feed via the connected app. If that’s not entertaining enough, it’ll snap photos of said birds, identify the species, and present a ton of facts about each one.”

FORGE Continues to Connect Innovators and Manufacturers

By Joseph Bednar July 21, 2022

Manufacturing

Meetings of the Minds

Kevin Moforte says entrepreneurship helps build prosperous communities, and FORGE’s work is a big part of that.

Kevin Moforte has traveled an intriguing road to his new role as Western Mass. director of FORGE.

Before serving as executive director for EforAll Lynn, a nonprofit that mentors entrepreneurs on Massachusetts’ North Shore, he taught classes about entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development at colleges in Chile. He spent his early career working in community development and emergency housing in slums across Latin America, particularly in Colombia and the Caribbean. And in 2015, he founded Esperanza Soaps, a company based out of Las Malvinas in the Dominican Republic, bringing good jobs to the women of a impoverished community.

So he’s well-versed in entrepreneurship, education, community development, and the links between them. And since October, he’s brought his connection-making skills to FORGE, which, since 2015, has connected innovators and startups with manufacturers in an effort to grow both ecosystems in Massachusetts.

“We’re really helping the success rate on the innovation side, and we’re driving a tremendous amount of economic value to the manufacturing side locally.”

“I love entrepreneurship. I think it plays a key role not just in building wealth, but in building healthy, prosperous, stable communities. So being engaged with entrepreneurs at different stages has always been a passion of mine,” Moforte told BusinessWest. “I started a business myself, and I understand the ins and outs of how difficult it is to build a business, how dependent you are on a community, and how much fun it is to have connections with people who will help you get to the next step, people who really cheer you on.”

And those connections are critical, he went on. “With startups, it’s a real pitfall when you transition to manufacturing. That’s why the work we do is really important.”

FORGE, the sister organization of Greentown Labs in Somerville, was formed because, according to its mission statement, startups making physical products are solving some of the world’s toughest problems, but face roadblocks to scale. By connecting them with right-fit manufacturers, FORGE addresses crucial gaps and accelerates the path to market for these startups’ products.

Laura Teicher says the survival rate of startups taking advantage of FORGE is more than 90%, a staggering improvement over the national average.

“There are over 7,000 manufacturers right here in Massachusetts. A lot of people don’t recognize that,” said Laura Teicher, executive director of FORGE, adding that the innovation economy has also long been one of the Bay State’s strengths. “Right here in Massachusetts, two of our economic powerhouses are innovation and manufacturing. And FORGE is really the first organzation to focus on bringing the two together to work collaboratively, which has a lot of fantastic impacts for both the innovator and the manufacturers.”

She was quick to clarify what she means by ‘startup,’ however. These aren’t solo inventors with a drawing scribbled on a napkin. In fact, the average startup FORGE works with has a prototype, a manufacturing budget, and, on average, eight employees and about $900,000 in funding. But that next steps — starting production and scaling up — are tricky.

“We help them get ready to manufacture; we educate around getting their materials together, look through their specs, and make sure they have the appropriate amount of funding before they’re connected with any manufacturers,” Teicher explained. “On the other side of the equation, we develop just as deep a relationship with the manufacturers themselves. So we’re able to educate both sides on preparing to work together and then make right-fit connections between the two.”

To date, FORGE has served more than 500 startups and innovators and has more than 450 manufacturers and suppliers in the network — and is always looking for more local shops.

The results of connecting the two parties has been striking, as the startups working with FORGE have more than a 90% survival rate, as opposed to the national average of around 10%.

“So we’ve essentially flipped the script,” Teicher said. “We’re really helping the success rate on the innovation side, and we’re driving a tremendous amount of economic value to the manufacturing side locally. We know of over $34 million in contracts resulting from our direct connections to manufacturing, and that’s definitely a tip-of-the-iceberg number. We’re serving about 300 startups and innovators annually at this point, so we’ve really accelerated.”

Forging Connections

FORGE was essentially created to help entrepreneurs building products to create prototypes and find manufacturers that can build the products they’ve developed and specific components for them — specifically, manufacturers in Massachusetts.

In doing so, Teicher said, FORGE has supported 4,500 jobs in innovation and manufacturing, providing unique, manufacturing-focused support across all sectors, including robotics, medical devices, cleantech, advanced materials, transportation, and much more. About 75% of the innovators FORGE has helped return to the organization as they scale for new and further support, and 20% are in full-scale production and deployment. Meanwhile, more than 40% of the startups are minority-led, and 28% have female or non-binary leadership.

Kevin Moforte

“How you design and manufacture your product can really make or break your product. There are a million pitfalls. So getting the right connections, getting the right advice, getting the right people on your side, is critical.”

“How you design and manufacture your product can really make or break your product. There are a million pitfalls,” Moforte said. “So getting the right connections, getting the right advice, getting the right people on your side, is critical. And that’s where FORGE comes in, with critical connections and really specialized knowldege.

Many entrepreneurs have no idea how to go about looking for a manufacturer, he added. “China is always in the back of their minds. They don’t realize Massachusetts is a powerhouse in manufacturing. There are things we make in Massachusetts that you can only make in a few other parts of the world, because that’s the depth of the specialty and expertise we have. Part of our role is showing them that someone 40 minutes down the road may be able to make this for you, and you don’t have to make a 40-hour trip across the world to find a manufacturer.”

On the flip side, Moforte said, the startup world isn’t on the mind of many manufacturers when it comes to procuring business.

“They’re used to working with long-term contracts, steady customers, when there’s so much innovation coming out of Massachusetts that could represent a new, steady stream of business for them,” he noted. “Those relationships just need a little greasing. We help these two groups that normally wouldn’t encounter each other, and we ease those conversations into something fruitful.”

FORGE’s role is especially relevant these days, Teicher added, specially since the pandemic and the resulting, and still ongoing, disruptions in global supply chains, which have caused some manufacturers to bring their production and material sourcing back home. That’s good for startups looking for a local manufacturing option.

“Global supply-chain disruptions have just been rocking the world, and that’s why we’ve seen such acceleration in demand to engage with us,” she said. “Sometimes innovators just assume they have to go overseas, and that may make sense for certain commodities, but there is such a wealth right here.

“On the flip side, the manufacturers that are thriving and getting creative in terms of new, forward-looking business opportunities are taking a closer look at innovation and realizing, ‘hey, if I work with FORGE, I can work with innovators who are prepared to engage with me, they’re right-fit for me, and they’re low-risk because they have this incredible survival rate.’ We are opning doors on both sides in a very timely way.”

Localizing the supply chain also reduces costs and carbon footprints, while driving jobs and economic value to the region, Teicher said. “There are so many benefits to making these connections.”

From the Ground Up

Moforte said he has been “completely blown away” by both the manufacturing capacity and innovative ideas emerging from Western Mass.

“We get all the crazy innovators — they come to us because they’re inventing the next solar technology, the next water treatment-technology; they have this new gadget that nobody’s thought of making before, and it has this complicated piece that connects with this little tube, and it’s made of this material, and getting that wrong can really tank their business, but getting it right can represent huge benefits.”

Indeed, the world is full of such ‘crazy’ ideas. With the right manufacturing connection, though, some of those can become the very smart next big thing. Like the UMass student who worked with FORGE to develop his idea for an insulin-delivery device, or the startup that created a new technology to pull toxins out of wastewater.

FORGE has helped hundreds of good ideas like those find fertile manufacturing ground, and only sees more opportunity in the future.

“During the pandemic, everyone was just in their shops, so we were calling and nudging and banging on doors and really re-establishing relationships,” Moforte said. “We want to understand what they do, how they work best, and how we can connect them with local innovators to bring more business into the region.”

UMass Researchers Study Sustainability of Lithium Mining

By Contributor July 21, 2022

Technology

How Old Is the Water?

Dr. LeeAnn Munk collects water samples in Salar de Atacama.

A groundbreaking new study recently published in the journal Earth’s Future and led by researchers at UMass Amherst in collaboration with the University of Alaska Anchorage, is the first to comprehensively account for the hydrological impact of lithium mining. Since lithium is the key component of the lithium-ion batteries that are crucial for the transition away from fossil fuels and toward green energy — as well as necessity in many of today’s high-tech devices — it is critical to fully understand how to responsibly obtain the precious element.

Previous studies have not addressed two of the most important factors in determining whether lithium is obtained responsibly: the age and source of the water the lithium is found in. This first-of-its-kind study is the result of more than a decade of research, and it suggests that total water usage in the Salar de Atacama, a massive, arid Chilean salt flat encompassing approximately 850 square miles, is exceeding its resupply — though, as the team also points out, the impact of lithium mining itself is comparatively small. Lithium mining accounts for less than 10% of freshwater usage, and its brine extraction does not correlate with changes in either surface-water features or basin-water storage.

Lithium, said David Boutt, professor of Geosciences at UMass Amherst and one of the paper’s co-authors, is a strange element. It’s the lightest of the metals, but it doesn’t like to be in a solid form. Lithium tends to occur in layers of volcanic ash, but it reacts quickly with water. When rain or snowmelt moves through the ash layers, lithium leaches into the groundwater, moving downhill until it settles in a flat basin where it remains in solution as a briny mix of water and lithium. Because this brine is very dense, it often settles beneath pockets of fresh surface water, which float on top of the lithium-rich fluid below. These freshwater lagoons often become havens for unique and fragile ecosystems and iconic species such as flamingos.

More than 40% of the world’s proven lithium deposits are located in the Salar de Atacama, the site of the research. The Salar de Atacama is host to a number of ecologically unique wildlife preserves and is also the ancestral home of several Atacameño indigenous communities, with whom the UMass team worked. Because the salt flats are so ecologically sensitive and depend on scarce supplies of fresh water, the use of water in the Salar de Atacama runs the risk of disturbing both the ecological health of the region and indigenous ways of life.

Yet, up until now, there has been no comprehensive approach to gauging water use or lithium mining’s impact in the Salar de Atacama.

“To understand the environmental effect of lithium mining,” says Brendan Moran, a postdoctoral research associate in Geosciences at UMass Amherst and the lead author of the paper, “we need to understand the hydrology in the region the lithium is found. That hydrology is much more complex than previous researchers have given it credit for.”

To illustrate the complexity, and the previous misconception about the Salar de Atacama’s hydrology, Moran and Boutt drew on the metaphor of a bank account. Imagine that you get a paycheck every month; when you go to balance your checkbook, as long as your monthly expenditures don’t exceed your monthly income, you are financially sustainable. Previous studies of the Salar de Atacama have assumed that the infrequent rainfall and seasonal runoff from the mountain ranges that ring it were solely responsible for the water levels in the salt flats, but it turns out that assumption is incorrect.

Using a variety of water tracers that can track the path that water takes on its way to the Salar de Atacama, as well as the average age of water within different water bodies, including surface waters and sub-surface aquifers, Moran and his colleagues discovered that, though localized, recent rainfall is critically important, more than half of the freshwater feeding the wetlands and lagoons is at least 60 years old.

“Because these regions are so dry, and the groundwater so old,” Moran said, “the overall hydrological system responds very slowly to changes in climate, hydrology, and water usage.”

At the same time, short-term climate changes, such as the recent major drought and extreme precipitation events, can cause substantial and rapid changes to the surface water and the fragile habitats they sustain. Given that climate change is likely to cause more severe droughts over the region, it could further stress the area’s water budget.

To return to the accounting metaphor, the paycheck is likely getting smaller and isn’t coming monthly, but over a period of at least 60 years, which means researchers need to be monitoring water usage on a much longer time scale than they currently do, while also paying attention to major events, like droughts, in the region.

Complete hydrological monitoring requires additional tools paired with these geochemical tracers. The UMass and UAA teams used water usage data from the Chilean government and satellite imagery, which allowed them to assess the changing extent of wetlands over the past 40 years, as well as rain gauges and satellite measurements to determine changes in precipitation over the same period.

Given how long it takes for groundwater to move within the basin, “the effects of water overuse may still be making their way through the system and need to be closely monitored,” Moran said. “Potential impacts could last decades into the future.”

Ultimately, this comprehensive framework, which was funded by BMW Group and BASF, is applicable far beyond the Salar de Atacama. “It’s a modern approach to water management,” Boutt said.

Forging a Stronger Economy

By Editorial July 20, 2022

Opinion

Editorial

When Laura Teicher was hired as director of Greentown Learn in 2018, one of the first things she did was push for a rebrand, a new name that better represented what the enterprise — an offshoot of Greentown Labs in Somerville that connects startups with manufacturers — is all about.

The team tried to get some variation of the word ‘connect’ into the name, almost calling it KINECT before realizing that was the name of a failed Super Nintendo app, as well as too close to K’Nex building toys.

What they eventually settled on was FORGE, which isn’t an acronym; the capital letters are used for emphasis. It was simply, elegant, and forceful, speaking to the way the agency forges relationships between innovators looking to produce and then scale up their big ideas, and manufacturers looking for new, local lines of business.

And that’s exactly what it has done, helping more than 500 startups since 2015, currently engaging more than 450 manufacturers, and supporting more than 4,500 jobs in innovation and manufacturing along the way. The startups in the program boast more than a 90% survival rate; the national average is around 10%.

But, in some ways, FORGE’s name took on a new meaning during the past two and a half years of economic upheaval churned up by the pandemic. It reflects the way this agency forged on, not only continuing to make connections, but re-emphasizing the importance of what it does.

Take the supply-chain crisis. The disruptions of those global production and shipping networks, which continues today, caused many manufacturers to localize their supply chains as much as possible, at the same time that startup companies were increasingly looking to manufacture their products close to home. In that sense, FORGE has become an even more valuable part of the innovation and manufacturing ecosystem.

But even in more stable times, an enterprise like FORGE is simply a good idea, on many levels. So many startups with good ideas fail because they don’t have this kind of resource to guide them into the production and scaling phases that are critical to a business success story. And so many manufacturers aren’t aware of the potential new lines of business sprouting up in their own backyards.

The greatest beneficiary is the regional economy itself. These connections are not only helping businesses grow and thrive, but do so in Massachusetts, and in many cases Western Mass., and that’s good economic news for everyone.

FORGE’s Western Mass. director, Kevin Moforte, told BusinessWest that he loves entrepreneurship, partly because of the role it plays in building not just individual wealth, but prosperous, stable communities. That’s something to celebrate during an era that has been anything but stable.

Use Common Sense with Marijuana

By Contributor July 20, 2022

Opinion

By Pam Thornton

The legalization of marijuana across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and now Rhode Island has further increased the complexity of how we manage drug use in our workplaces. Employers are being forced to re-evaluate their position and practices around maintaining a safe and drug-free workplace.

Although employers may need to revise their drug-testing and accommodation policies, no state law requires employers to tolerate on-the-job drug use, intoxication, or impairment. Communication with your employees, a solid workplace drug policy, and enforcement of your practices can go a long way to keeping your workplace drug-free.

The recent mindset of some employees has really surprised many leaders and HR practitioners. Employees have always known that they can’t come to work under the influence of alcohol or any other controlled substance, for that matter, but with the sweeping legalization of recreational marijuana, employees are taking liberties and showing up to work impaired because “it’s now legal.”

It’s important for employers to educate and overcommunicate. Putting it out there, that even though it’s legal, it’s not acceptable to possess or use in the workplace, really needs to be said from the top down, across all functions and in multiple ways. Practically speaking, this means even having conversations to confirm that marijuana isn’t allowed in the workplace smoking area or at the outdoor company picnic, for instance. Clear communication with some specific examples can really help to get everyone on the same page.

Employers are trying to get qualified employees in the door to do the work in this tight labor market and are thinking long and hard about whether or not they really need to drug test for marijuana. They are weighing the upside of drug testing with the multiple requirements varying by state, with the downside being the risk of not being able to attract or retain talented people. Marijuana is still illegal under federal law, however, and companies that have these specific requirements still need to adhere to these standards.

Developing and implementing a policy that outlines the specifics of the law required by your state and clearly defines use and possession parameters is critical. Properly training managers to be able to identify the signs of impairment will assist in the applicability and enforcement of the policy and can protect everyone. These are different times that we are living in and complicated at best when it comes to this subject, but the employer still has the right to require a drug-free workplace. The burden of outlining and reinforcing common-sense guidelines is one that the employer will bear, but the advantages are sure to be beneficial in the long run.

Pam Thornton is director of Strategic HR Services at the Employers Assoc. of the Northeast. This article first appeared on the EANE blog; eane.org

Picture This

By BusinessWest Staff July 20, 2022

Picture This

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

Sharing the Wealth

Berkshire Bank recently presented a total of $205,000 in funding last month to Springfield nonprofit organizations, including $75,000 to the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, $25,000 to Revitalize CDC, $5,000 to Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School of Excellence, and $100,000 to Common Capital, a subsidiary of Way Finders (pictured).

From left: Jason Niles, My Banker team lead at Berkshire Bank; Nitin Mhatre, CEO of Berkshire Bank; Raymond Lanza-Weil, president of Common Capital; Callie Niezgoda, vice president of Lending at Common Capital; Keith Fairey, CEO of Way Finders; and Ellen Stenfield and Rosemary Morin of Berkshire Bank.
Photo courtesy of Berkshire Bank.

Community Support

Florence Bank announced that it recently donated $50,000 to the Easthampton Community Center through its Florence Savings Easthampton Branch Charitable Foundation Inc.

Pictured, from left: Robin Bialecki, executive director of the Easthampton Community Center; Nancy LaBombard, Florence Savings Easthampton Branch Charitable Foundation board member; Anita Sedlak, vice president and branch manager of Florence Bank’s Easthampton office and a foundation board member; and Virginia Smith, also a board member.

Preserving a Moment in Time

As part of an ongoing commemoration of Monson Bank’s 150th anniversary, employees joined together to bury a time capsule that will be excavated and opened in 25 years at the bank’s 175th anniversary in 2047. Some of the items included were photos, business cards, brochures, a piggy bank, letters, deposit slips, 150th-anniversary articles, and, of course, Monson Savings branded masks and hand sanitizer.

Dan Moriarty, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank (pictured), led the crew to the time capsule burial location for a brief ceremony.

Agenda

By BusinessWest Staff July 20, 2022

Agenda

Healthcare Heroes Nominations

Through July 30: In the spring of 2017, the Healthcare News and its sister publication, BusinessWest, created a new and exciting recognition program called Healthcare Heroes. It was launched with the theory that there are heroes working all across this region’s wide, deep, and all-important healthcare sector, and that there was no shortage of fascinating stories to tell and individuals and groups to honor. That theory has certainly been validated. Nominations for the class of 2022 are due July 30, and we encourage you to get involved and help recognize someone you consider to be a hero in Western Mass. in one (or more) of seven categories. For details on each category and information on how to nominate someone, visit businesswest.com/healthcare-heroes/nominations.

Hoophall Hangouts

All Summer: The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced the return of Hoophall Hangouts, which will replace “60 Days of Summer,” the museum’s annual summer program featuring family-oriented fun. Running through Aug. 31, the Hall of Fame will host various appearances from basketball players, personalities, and Hall of Famers. On Aug. 12, Bob Hurley Sr. (Hall of Fame class of 2010) will accompany his son, Dan Hurley, head coach of UConn’s men’s basketball team, for a special father/son appearance. Throughout the summer, museumgoers will also have the opportunity to hear from class of 2022 inductees Tim Hardaway, Bob Huggins, and George Karl, as well as Hall of Famers Grant Hill from the class of 2018 and Jay Wright from the class of 2021. Head coach Frank Martin from UMass will also be making an appearance. Hoophall Hangouts appearances are free of charge to museum guests; however, some appearances will have select VIP opportunities. Hoophall Hangouts will be scheduled throughout the summer and will occur at 1 p.m. For more information, visit www.hoophall.com/hoophallhangouts or follow @hoophall on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

MOSSO Celebrates John Williams

July 21: MOSSO, the Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, will celebrate the film music of John Williams at 7:30 p.m. in Springfield Symphony Hall. Under the direction of Maestro Kevin Rhodes, MOSSO will perform excerpts from Williams’ scores to ET, Schindler’s List, Superman, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and more. Some popular classics, including Rossini’s “Overture to The Barber of Seville,” Massenet’s “Meditation from Thaïs,” and Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” will open the program. Rhodes was music director and conductor of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra for 20 seasons before the pandemic. He returned to Springfield to conduct his musicians last October in front of a packed house at Symphony Hall, featuring many musical highlights from his tenure as their music director. Tickets for the concert, a MOSSO benefit, are priced at $60, $45, $25, and $10, and are on sale at springfieldsymphonymusicians.com. MOSSO sponsors include BusinessWest and the Healthcare News, the Republican/MassLive, WWLP-22News and the CW Springfield, the Sheraton Springfield at Monarch Place, New England Public Media, and the Bolduc Schuster Foundation. MOSSO is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, which is not a subsidiary of nor affiliated with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Inc.

Friday Night Summer Concerts

July 22 to Aug. 12: The Amherst Business Improvement District announced the lineup for the second annual Friday Night Summer Concert Series on the South Common. The series is sponsored by Encharter Insurance. On July 22, the BID presents local artists Dawn Lepere and Jeff Starns opening for blues singer-songwriter Eric Lee. On July 29, UMass will return to the Common for the second year of Jazz in July in downtown Amherst, an event featuring UMass staff, students, and a couple of ‘ringers.’ On Aug. 5, Grammy-winning children’s performer Mister G will take the stage before the Soul Magnets appear. Wrapping up the series on Aug. 12 will be the classic country act the Rosie Porter Trio, followed by the pop-rock Maxxtones. These events will be free for all, starting at 6 p.m. These evenings will also host local brewery White Lion Brewing, local cider maker Artifact, and wine from Black Birch Vineyard for over-21 guests. CremeBru.LA will be joining the fun, and there will be a charcuterie station as well.

New Year’s Eve Party (Take 2!)

Aug. 5: The pandemic may have canceled its planned New Year’s Eve celebration last year, but local comedians are having the last laugh. Happier Valley Comedy is throwing a New Year’s Eve Party (Take 2!) and annual fundraiser where people are invited to come ring in the improvised New Year. Tickets include entry to the party, two tickets to the raffle, finger food, and something fizzy to toast. The festivities take place at Happier Valley Comedy’s Next Door Lounge in Hadley, where partygoers can choose from a curated selection of mostly local alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Ginger Love Cafe Food Truck will be on site, and raffle prizes include goodies from Bueno Y Sano, Animal Alliance Dog Training School, Ecstatic Rabbit Tarot, the Ekus Group, Home Depot, Trader Joe’s, and more. To purchase tickets to the event and raffle, visit www.happiervalley.com.

Brew at the Zoo

Aug. 6: After a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Zoo in Forest Park is bringing back its popular Brew at the Zoo, presented by PDC Inc., from 1 to 5 p.m. The 21+ event features beer samples from local craft breweries, a home-brew competition, food trucks, live music, games, a raffle, and animal interactions. Attendees can choose from four ticket types: VIP, VIP Designated Driver, General Admission, and Designated Driver. Attendees with a VIP ticket will enjoy an extra hour of sampling beginning at noon, the opportunity to participate in up-close animal encounters, and grain to feed the animals. All attendees must be age 21 or over. The current list of breweries attending the event include Loophole Brewing, One Way Brewing, Vanished Valley Brewing Co., Broad Brook Brewing Co., Connecticut Valley Brewing Co., Berkshire Brewing Co., Rustic Brewing Co., Iron Duke Brewing, Two Weeks Notice Brewing Co., Brew Practitioners, and New City Brewery, in addition to nine home brewers. The zoo will be closed to the public on Aug. 6. Advanced tickets are required to attend this event, and IDs will be checked at the door. Tickets are limited and on sale at www.forestparkzoo.org/brew.

Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival

Aug. 12-13: The Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival will be staged over two days this year with a broad mix of music; arts activities; talks on arts, culture, and social justice; and local pop-up crafts, food, and beverages. The internationally heralded festival features national stars and local talent playing jazz, blues, funk, Latin, and African music. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. This year’s full musical lineup can be found at springfieldjazzfest.com. The festival will also offer a sneak peek (or an unveiling, depending on its progress) of the iconic Worthington Street mural project celebrating Springfield history. The mural is being painstakingly restored by Springfield artist John Simpson, who has studied old photographs of the building’s wall in an effort to accurately recreate as much of the original mural as possible. Musical performances on Aug. 12 feature soul and R&B legend Shor’ty Billups, valley legends FAT with Peter Newland and special guest Scott Murawski from Max Creek, Valley blues/rock icon Mitch Chakour and friends, popular Valley blues rockers the Buddy McEarns Band, and soulful blues belter Janet Ryan and her band. The festivities on Aug. 13 commence at 12:30 p.m. with a parade led by New Orleans ensemble the New Breed Brass Band starting from the Wood Museum of Springfield History, where attendees will have free access to the “Horn Man: The Life and Musical Legacy of Charles Neville” exhibit. The parade will end at the stage for the kickoff performance of the Saturday shows. In addition to the musical performances, the multi-faceted festival will feature various arts activities and presentations and workshops. Puerto Rican jazz trombonist William Cepeda will lead a workshop about traditional Afro-Puerto Rican music on Aug. 12 at 5 p.m. at the Hispanic American Library. Cuban jazz vocalist Dayme Arocena, will lead a workshop about traditional Afro-Cuban music on Aug. 13. Attendees can also participate in a mural paint party (a separate mural project from the one on Friday) and a presentation by Puerto Rican mural artist Betsy Casanas, and conversations connecting arts with food and climate justice.

People on the Move

By BusinessWest Staff July 20, 2022

People on the Move

Kevin Day

Florence Bank announced that president and CEO Kevin Day will retire on Nov. 25, and a focused search is underway for a new leader. Day took over as president in January 2020 and became CEO in May of the same year. When Day took the helm at age 64, he promised that nothing would change at the bank. Little did he know he’d be called upon to usher Florence Bank through some of the most tumultuous times in history, including a pandemic and the resulting financial strife. Day led the bank in ensuring that countless homeowners and businesses were able to defer their payments during the pandemic and in helping business customers connect to grants and other available funding. These measures helped customers navigate the financial turmoil and gave them much-needed time to adjust to new financial situations. The bank also expanded over these past two years, opening a branch in Chicopee, creating a work-from-home program for employees, and granting hundreds of thousands of dollars to nonprofit organizations in the Valley. Day joined Florence Bank in 2008 as chief financial officer, responsible for finance, facilities, and risk management. His responsibilities expanded to include compliance in 2013, residential lending in 2014, and retail banking in 2016. He was also promoted to executive vice president in 2016.

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Aieshya Jackson

Karon Forde

The board of directors of Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services has elected Aieshya Jackson as president, and the organization announced that Karon Forde has been appointed director of Youth Programs. Jackson is a business manager for the Springfield Library Department and has more than 15 years of financial-services experience. She is a graduate of Bay Path University, where she earned a master’s degree in healthcare management. She also attended the Connecticut School of Finance and Management. Forde had served as the Community Center director for the Police Athletic League in Brooklyn, N.Y. She has more than seven years of experience working directly with youth as well as serving as an administrator of after-school programs. She earned a bachelor’s degree in values, ethics, and social action from Allegheny College.

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The Dowd Agencies announced the promotion of Jack Dowd from account executive to vice president of Personal Lines. Dowd has been with the agency since 2016 and represents the fifth generation to join the family business. He graduated from Saint Michael’s College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and received his MBA from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business. A licensed property and casualty insurance producer, he achieved his certified insurance counselor (CIC) designation in 2019. In addition, he has participated in the 18-month Agents Sons & Daughters Training Program for underwriting at Quincy Mutual Insurance. In his community, he serves on committees for the Brightside Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He is also a member of the board of directors for Boys Scouts of America, Western Massachusetts Council, where he serves as the risk management chair.

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Lisa Wray-Schechterle

Holyoke Medical Center announced the appointment of Lisa Wray-Schechterle as the hospital’s director of Community Benefits. Wray-Schechterle joins the hospital from Pyramid Management Group, where she served as the marketing director of the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside for more than 20 years. She holds both a master’s degree in communication and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western New England University. She serves as a marketing committee member for Girls Inc. of the Valley, a board member of the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, and an advisory board member for the Holyoke Community College School of Business. Holyoke Medical Center Community Benefits provides programs and services to improve health in communities and helps to increase access to healthcare. Wray-Schechterle succeeds Kathy Anderson as director of the department following Anderson’s retirement.

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William Burke III

The Springfield College board of trustees recently announced the outcome of its 2022-23 board election results during its annual spring meeting. William Burke III was re-elected as chair of the board of trustees. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola College and an MBA from Loyola College Sellenger School of Management. Other trustees elected to the board include Mark Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia in Alpharetta, Ga.; Pia Flanagan, chief of staff to the CEO at MassMutual in Springfield; Peter Pappas, a wealth management associate at Morgan Stanley in Springfield; Suzanne Robotti, founder and president of MedShadow Foundation in New York, N.Y.; Terry Powe, principal of Elias Brookings School in Springfield; Anthony Sarage, a podiatrist and partner at Western Massachusetts Podiatry Associates in East Longmeadow; Denise Alleyne, retired vice president for Student Services at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill; Douglass Coupe, retired vice president of State Street Global Investor Services of Boston; Samantha Hourihan, student trustee and a physical therapy major; Gizzelle Abanador, student trustee-elect and a biology major; and David Henke, student trustee-elect and a secondary education major.

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Tiffany Appleton has been named president of the board of directors at Dakin Humane Society in Springfield. Appleton joined the board in 2017 and served as its secretary from 2020 to 2022. She is currently the associate director of Employer Relations at UMass Amherst, a position she has held for the past two years. Prior to that, she was a director of the Accounting and Finance Division at Johnson & Hill Staffing Services in West Springfield from 2016 to 2020. Appleton earned both a master’s degree in science education and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at UMass Lowell. She previously served as a board member at the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley from 2018 to 2020.

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Adam Hogan

Adam Hogan has joined Bulkley Richardson as the firm’s controller. In this management role, Hogan will execute all financial and tax-related activities for the firm, including development of the annual operating budget; partnership reporting; successful collaboration with his team for billing, payables, and receivables; and working closely with firm leadership to contribute to the growth and overall success of the firm. Previously, Hogan held the positions of CFO, controller, and staff accountant at several area businesses. He holds both a master’s degree in accounting and financial planning and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Elms College.

•••••

Elizabeth Hillis

The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS) welcomed Elizabeth Hillis, Business Development associate at WWLP-22 News, to its board of directors. “I’m excited to share my skills with the board and learn new things about the area,” Hillis said. “I’m thrilled to be able to help with the amazing events our organization has to offer. Being a Springfield YPS member is a great way to develop your network, meet other professionals, and become more involved in your community. I can’t wait to get started.”

•••••

Evan Collins joined Lee Bank as a mortgage originator and will be working out of the Pittsfield branch. Collins was previously employed as a sales associate at Piretti Real Estate and Stone House Properties. He has been involved in real-estate sales in Berkshire County for seven years and said he is looking forward to exploring a different side of the local real-estate market in his new position.

•••••

BK Investments Hotel Group announced the promotion of Karen Warren to regional director of Operations. Warren will be responsible for the management of the hotel portfolio. She will have responsibilities for a range of brands, including Residence Inn Chicopee, Hampton Inn Chicopee, Tru by Hilton Chicopee, and Holiday Inn Express in Brattleboro, Vt. Vickie Maryou has been promoted to general manager of Residence Inn Chicopee to succeed Warren.

•••••

Gisenia Stewart

ServiceNet’s diversity coordinator, Gisenia Stewart, will join a group of experts, leaders, and community members to spearhead the Baby Bonds Task Force, a group charged by the state treasurer, Office of Economic Empowerment, and Economic Empowerment Trust Fund to provide recommendations for creating a Baby Bonds initiative in Massachusetts. Baby Bonds is an initiative that provides government-supported trust funds for children. When account holders reach adulthood, they can access their fund and spend it on assets that can grow over time or generate wealth (e.g., higher education, buying a home, starting a business, etc.). Studies show that Baby Bonds can help close the racial wealth gap. The Task Force’s diverse, cross-sector group includes people who have expertise and lived experience in racial wealth equity, community engagement, child welfare, and asset-growth initiatives. The Task Force will be chaired by former Massachusetts State Treasurer Shannon O’Brien.

Company Notebook

By BusinessWest Staff July 20, 2022

Company Notebook

Bay Path Gets High Marks for Online Master’s in Cybersecurity

LONGMEADOW — Bay Path University has been ranked as one of the top online cybersecurity master’s degree programs by Fortune magazine. Fortune, which covers global business topics, ranked Bay Path 11th in the nation for its online master’s program in cybersecurity. Rankings were determined by a program’s selectivity score, which measures the undergraduate GPAs and years of work experience of its students, along with the program’s acceptance rate. In addition, Fortune evaluated retention and graduation rates, as well as the size of each graduating class. In addition to its cybersecurity graduate program for men and women, Bay Path offers a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity to undergraduate women. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for cybersecurity professionals is expected to grow by 33% over the next decade, more than four times faster than the average for all occupations. In 2020, the median annual salary for cybersecurity analysts in the U.S. was approximately $104,000.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Expands with New Location

EAST LONGMEADOW — Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, a global residential real-estate brokerage franchise network, announced its further expansion in the state of Massachusetts with the addition of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Realty Professionals. This addition marks the brand’s continued growth in the region with its 48th franchisee, led by President Robert Molta, who has been an industry leader in the market for more than 30 years. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Realty Professionals is a full-service real-estate brokerage serving Western Mass. and Northern Conn. By joining the network, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Realty Professionals agents gain access to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ active referral and relocation networks and its FOREVER Cloud technology suite, a powerful source for lead generation, marketing support, social media, video production and distribution, and more. The brand also provides an exclusive Luxury Collection marketing program for premier listings. Its Prestige magazine showcases network members’ premium listings with a strong lineup of feature stories covering topics that appeal to high-end real-estate clients.

Tighe & Bond Earns Two Awards for Coonamessett River Restoration

WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond, Inter-Fluve, the town of Falmouth, and project partners have been recognized with two awards for the Coonamessett River Restoration and John Parker Road Bridge project. The project team received the Bronze Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts and the Nicholas Humber Outstanding Collaboration Award from the Environmental Business Council of New England. The awards recognize the successful transformation of 56 acres of abandoned cranberry bogs, which established a thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem supporting wildlife, increasing coastal resiliency, and providing educational opportunities. Numerous barriers to fish passage were removed, and 5,560 feet of the river were reestablished to closely match the historic natural flow of the river. Project partners spanning local, state, and federal organizations collaborated with the technical engineering and construction teams to successfully complete this project. The restoration serves as an example for other Cape Cod communities transforming former cranberry bogs across the region into thriving wildlife habitats and educational and recreational opportunities.

MassDevelopment Puts 1550 Main St. on Market

SPRINGFIELD — Colliers Capital Markets announced that it has been retained by MassDevelopment to sell 1550 Main St., the 128,900-square-foot office building in Springfield’s downtown corridor. Colliers Executive Vice President Jeanne Pinado will lead marketing efforts of 1550 Main, with Vice President Rob Schlesinger providing additional support, and the firm will issue a call for offers in mid-July. The five-story office building is 97% leased and underwent a complete $9 million renovation in 2010. Capital improvements included creating a high-quality building entrance with an open atrium with 70-foot ceilings, as well as building an outdoor plaza and improving landscaping, elevators, restrooms, and more. Formerly a federal courthouse, 1550 Main St. is home to tenants such as the administrative offices for Springfield Public Schools, the U.S. General Services Administration, and Baystate Health. The building has a 103-space below-grade garage and connects via a pedestrian skywalk to the 28-story Tower Square. MassDevelopment purchased 1550 Main from the federal government in 2009 and revitalized the campus to position it as a Class A office building with an expansive public plaza as part of an economic-development initiative.

BankESB Commits $30,000 to Girls Inc. of the Valley

EASTHAMPTON — Matthew Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, announced that the bank has pledged $30,000 over three years to Girls Inc. of the Valley. The money will be used to help support the organization’s “Her Future, Our Future” campaign, a $5 million fundraising effort designed to help the organization better meet the needs of girls from under-resourced communities in Hampden County and beyond. Through this campaign, Girls Inc. seeks to triple the number of elementary and teen girls served, reaching more than 1,000 girls annually. Efforts include renovating a state-of-the-art headquarters and program center in Holyoke; expanding geographic reach in public schools in Springfield, Chicopee, and beyond; and supporting the innovative Eureka! STEM program that prepares girls for college and career. The donation was made as part of the bank’s charitable giving program, the Giving Tree, which reflects the roots the bank has in its communities, its commitment to making a real difference in the neighborhoods it serves, and the belief that everyone’s quality of life is enhanced by working together to solve communities’ biggest problems.

Lee Bank Foundation Distributes $70,700 in Second Grant Round

LEE — Lee Bank Foundation has awarded $70,700 to 13 Berkshire-area organizations in its second round of 2022 community funding. Recipients were awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $12,500 to support local programming. Included in the awards are a series of Arts Access Grants for arts and culture organizations to expand access to programming for underserved audiences. Organizations receiving funding from Lee Bank Foundation include Berkshire Black Economic Council, Berkshire South Regional Community Center, Berkshire Bounty, Community Health Programs, Construct, Elizabeth Freeman Center, Flying Cloud Institute, Goodwill of the Berkshires and Southern Vermont, Link to Libraries, and South Community Food Pantry. Additionally, Arts Access Grants of $1,000 each were awarded to Berkshire Theatre Group, BODYSONNET, and Norman Rockwell Museum. The deadline for the next round of 2022 foundation funding is Sept. 1. The application and more information can be found at www.leebank.com/community-impact/donations-sponsorships.html. To be considered for grant awards, an applicant must be a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The foundation is focused on funding programs that work to bridge income and opportunity gaps.

T-Birds Earn Award for #WeAre413 Campaign

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Thunderbirds were recognized for their business excellence in a variety of departments at last month’s AHL team business meetings. For their season-long #WeAre413 campaign, the Thunderbirds organization took home the league award for Marketing Campaign of the Year. The Thunderbirds returned to the ice in 2021 after opting out of the 2020-21 shortened season. This campaign’s messaging goal was to speak to the pride felt by every resident of the Greater Western Mass. region, as well as the longstanding hockey history of the city. The club also received the award following the 2018-19 season for its #RiseUp campaign. In addition to Marketing Campaign of the Year, the Thunderbirds achieved a pair of milestones in both ticket sales and corporate sales. As part of the award recognition at the team business meetings, AHL member clubs that hit benchmarks pertaining to tickets sold and corporate sponsorship revenue were honored.

Six Flags New England Fulfills Bet Against Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

AGAWAM — Six Flags New England and its sister park Six Flags Discovery Kingdom located in San Francisco set a friendly wager for the recent NBA Finals series. While both parks are proud of their local Celtics and Warriors going head to head, the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Championship game series. Six Flags New England begrudgingly fulfilled its wager against its sister park, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom this past weekend, renaming its iconic New England SkyScreamer to the Golden State SkyScreamer. “We tip our hats to our friends and colleagues at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and the recent win of their beloved Warriors,” said Park President, Pete Carmichael. “We New Englanders are all too familiar with being crowned champions (17 titles) and welcome a rematch between the two coasts very soon.”

Monson Savings Donates $2,250 to Shriners Hospitals for Children

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank recently presented a $2,250 donation to Shiners Hospitals for Children – Springfield as a part of the 2022 Monson Savings Bank Community Giving Initiative, in which the public casts votes to support their favorite local charitable organizations. “Monson Savings Bank is extremely proud to donate to the Springfield Shriners Hospital for Children,” President and CEO Dan Moriarty said. “We know that our donation will support the patient care, medical research, and education that directly benefits children living in local communities. It is essential to have a nearby hospital that parents and guardians can turn to when their child needs specialty care.”

Incorporations

By BusinessWest Staff July 20, 2022

Incorporations

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

AMHERST

The World Dialectical Behavior Therapy Association Inc., 26 South Middle St., Amherst, MA, 01002. Shelly McCain, 115 Ava Road, Toronto, ON M6C, 1W2 Canada. Non-profit organization organized for the advancement of education and science in the field of dialectical behavior therapy.

BELCHERTOWN

Raingutter Specialists Inc., 421 West St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Stephen Rehbein, same. Installation and repair of rain gutters.

Sailors of Old Ironsides Association Inc., 70 South Liberty St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Jeff Lawn, 805 Degree Court, Virginia Beach, VA 23462. Non-profit organization.

CHICOPEE

Pridextended Inc., 659 Prospect St., Apt. C4, Chicopee, MA 01020. Mercedes Loving-Manley, 238 Shadybrook Lane Springfield, MA 01118. Non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to black transgender individuals.

Sweet Babu’s Inc., 821 East Main St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Chelsea A. Beaudry, same. Sale of baked goods.

GREAT BARRINGTON

DHB 7 & 23 Inc., 892 Sheffield Egremont Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230. Daniel J Bell, same. Motor vehicle service, sales, repair & consulting.

HADLEY

Aclarity Inc., 220 Russell Street, Suite 200, Hadley, MA 01035. Julie Bliss Mullen, same. Development of water-purification systems.

HAYDENVILLE

Sam Chaplin Psychotherapy Inc., 4 Mountain St., Haydenville, MA 01039. Samantha Chaplin, same. Psychotherapy services.

INDIAN ORCHARD

Lumsden Convenience and Beauty Inc., 49 Pinevale St., Indian Orchard, MA 01151. Garrett George Lumsden, 107 Oak St., Indian Orchard, MA 01151. Sales of convenience products and beauty products.

LONGMEADOW

Bruuer Inc., 24 Knollwood Circle, Longmeadow, MA, 01106. Rick Theberge, same. Film production supervisor and payroll supervisor.

LUDLOW

Tony Nails Inc., 263 East St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Anh Tran, 14 Scarsdale Road, Springfield, MA 01129. Nail salon.

NORTH ADAMS

CJ Tremblay Electric Inc., 57 Harris St., North Adams, MA, 01247. Christopher Tremblay, same. Electrician.

PITTSFIELD

Milbornn Corp., 471 West St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. George Bornn, same. Landscaping and property management.

National Association for The Acceptance Of Gay People Inc., 90 West Union St., Suite 101, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Thomas Andrew Keeler Jr., 178 Columbus Ave., New York, NY 10023. Non-profit organization designed to act as a social justice organization, bringing awareness to the lgbtqia+ community around the world.

Oakland Business Bootcamp Cooperative Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Rani Langer-Croager, 2323 Broadway Oakland, CA 94612. Provides business consultation, educational and advising services to entrepreneurs.

Shepard Painting Inc., 48 Thomson Place, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Paul Shepard, 44 Andover St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Painting contractor.

Stem Hub For Industry/Innovation Networking And Exchange Inc, 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Donmonique Leronda Chambliss, 7828 Day Creek Blvd., Apt 136 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739. Provide mentoring and networking relationships for underrepresented students in higher education that enable them to overcome barriers in STEM careers in industry and develop mentee mentor networks that improves employee retention.

SOUTH HADLEY

2086 South Hadley Corporation, 2086 Memorial Dr., South Hadley, MA 01075. Rajeshkumar K. Patel, 6 Danforth Farm Road Wilbraham, MA 01095. Package store.

SPRINGFIELD

KC Sign and Graphics Corp., 196 Dickinson St., Springfield, MA 01108. Thi M. Tai, same. Signage and graphics products and services.

Kibbe House Restoration Inc., 1030 Worthington St., McKnight Historic District, Springfield, MA 01109. Elisha Colgram, 1105 Worthington St., Springfield, MA 01109. To preserve and restore the historic George Kibbe House in Springfield, Mass.

Mo & Drew’s Billiards Inc., 391 Plumtree Road, Springfield, MA 01118. Maureen Snook, same. Own and operate a pool hall.

Reflections Ink Corp., 35 Willow St., Suite 110, Springfield, MA 01103. I Am Tasha Jones, same. Social services writer.

Reparadores De Portillos, 147 Santa Barbara St., Springfield, MA 01104. Merilyn Bermudez, same. Nonprofit corporation organized exclusively for spiritual (religious) purposes.

Roblero Construction Inc., 86 Ranney St. Apt 2, Springfield, MA 01108. Leodan Roblero Lopez, same. Carpentry and siding business.

Rubio S Construction Corp., 138 Davinston St., Springfield, MA 01108. Agustin Rubio Suarez, same. Home-improvement services.

Western Mass Youth Basketball Organization Inc., 1570 Plumtree Road, Springfield, MA 01119. Randolph H Lester III, same. Nonprofit organization dedicated to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

Western Massachusetts Black Nurses’ Association Inc., Ms, Khadijah Tuitt, 273 Naismith Road, Springfield, MA 01104. Khadijah Tuitt Ms., P.O. Box 90246 Springfield, MA 01139-0246. Professional association organized to teach and educate black consumers for optimum quality of care; act as a change agent in restructuring existing institutions to meet the needs of our community and serve as the local nursing body to influence legislation and policies that affect blacks.

Worthy Living Inc., 32 Gladstone St., Springfield, MA 01109. Alasia Burton-Estrada, same. Charitable youth group designed to undertake projects to benefit needy and the community to encourage leadership, character, compassion, and good citizenship.

WEST HATFIELD

R & R Farm Inc., 183 Linseed Road, West Hatfield, MA 01088. Richard Parasiliti, Jr., same. Tree services.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Kenetic Transport Inc., 47 Wilder Ter., West Springfield, MA 01089. Sergey Yakimov, same. Long distance transportation services.

MDH Trading Inc., 89 Morgan Road, West Springfield, MA 01089. Zamel N Al Haron, same. Trading company.

Vardayinikrupa Inc., 3 Central St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Minalben K Vyas, 284 Sand Springs Road Williamstown, MA 01267. Convenience and grocery store.

WESTFIELD

Advanced Farba Inc., 16 Harold Ave. B, Westfield, MA 01085. Siarhei Shyshla, same. Interior and exterior painter.

Doing Business as Certificates

By BusinessWest Staff July 20, 2022

DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the months of June and July 2022. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

AMHERST

R. Jackson/Expanded Metals
23 Flintlock Lane
Robert Jackson

BELCHERTOWN

Ben’s Brickstore
442A State St.
Erik Homstead

C.B. White Law
45 North Main St.
Carrie White

Family Produce
Adjacent to 31 Federal St.
Gidget Jolly, Gylan Gamache

Help Is on the Way
85 Jackson St.
Justin Ritter

Krispy’s
146 State St.
Voyiatzis Anna

Northern Insulation Services LLC
22 Sherwood Dr.
Anthony Roy

P & L Machine
382 South Washington St.
Paul Barrows

Plated MA
117 Clark St.
Nathan Cartel

Shannon Pasture Forest Products
404 Allen Road
Henry Martin

Summers Services
39 Summit St.
John Summers

GRANBY

The Pampurred Puss
149 East St.
Karen Belanger

NORTHAMPTON

Ann Vaughn, DC
25 Main St., #337
Ann Vaughn

Art Star: Women’s Creative Arts Lounge
219 Main St.
Marie Westburg

Quality Cars
345 Damon Road
Ronald Gardner

Sugar Maple Trailside Inn
62 Chestnut St.
Craig Penna

PALMER

Cutting Corner Inc.
1022 Central St.
Carol Henriques

Wayne’s Truck Service
21 Wilbraham Road
Wayne Chapin

SOUTH HADLEY

Halloran Woodworking
144 North Main St.
David Halloran

The Paper Kitchen
138 College St., Unit 4
Adrian Anderson

Rovelli Construction
43B North Main St.
Rovelli Construction

SOUTHAMPTON

Flo Digital Marketing
172 College Highway
Brian Gagnon

SPRINGFIELD

Angel Shine Bright LLC
84 Entrybrook Dr.
Angel Aviles

Bermudez Transport
18 Pomona St.
Angel Bermudez

Bibiloni Auto Detailing
104 Leyfred Ter.
Luis Bibiloni

Bibiloni’s
104 Leyfred Ter.
Carolyn Perez

Crispy Wings and More
17 Rutland St.
Nilsa Hernandez

Cultivating Better Mind
48 Driftwood Road
Dallas Clark

Fred’s Northeast Mountain
459 Breckwood Blvd.
Algeni Enterprises

Industrial Roofing Co.
24 Burlington St.
Salvatore Circosta

JD Distribution
82 Marble St.
Jose Rivera

Main Street Mobil
3111 Main St.
Zahoor Haq

Nibo Transport
62 Margaret St., #1L
Jose Rosado

Peking House
844 Liberty St.
Yidi Dong

Springfield Stretching
191 Chestnut St.
Deon Smith

Spruce Hill Veterinary Clinic
4 Plumtree Road
Veterinary Innovative

Winchester Liquors
800 State St.
Chirag Patel

WEST SPRINGFIELD

966 Union Street Construction
966 Union St.
Andrew Baker

Blinks by Jojo
2260 Westfield St.
Julianna Driscol

Bourque Real Estate
1233 Westfield St.
Wilfrid Bourque

Comfort Inn and Suites
106 Capital Dr.
Shailesh Patel

Conca Sport and Fitness
170 Elm St.
Stephen Conca

European Wax Center
935 Riverdale St.
Michael Umbro

The Flying Locksmiths
425 Union St.
Michael Faubert

Law Office of Mary A. Samberg
93 Van Deene Ave.
Mary Samberg

Natalia’s Alterations
20 LaBelle St.
Nataliya Filistovich

Obeda Upholstery
847 Piper Road
Obeda Alkabaz

Over the Moon
208 Norman St.
Pauline Delton

Quality Inn
1150 Riverdale St.
Janak Dhabuwala

Total Fitness Equipment LLC
1267 Riverdale St.
Jon Valles

Westside Bar & Grille
95 Elm St.
Tyler Saremi

Real Estate Transactions

By BusinessWest Staff July 20, 2022

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

BERNARDSTON

31 West Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Kaytlyn Bland
Seller: Paul Kocot
Date: 06/14/22

BUCKLAND

140 Ashfield Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Robert J. Spencer
Seller: Susan Atherton
Date: 06/17/22

5 Laurel St.
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $402,000
Buyer: Amanda RT
Seller: Imogene E. Beasley
Date: 06/14/22

DEERFIELD

33 Elm Circle
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $178,500
Buyer: Monique R. Gagnon
Seller: Lynn A. Olynik
Date: 06/17/22

147 Mill Village Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $2,400,000
Buyer: 147 MVR LLC
Seller: Bars 1720 LLC
Date: 06/14/22

33 Thayer St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Bradley S. Wallace
Seller: Jason Viadero
Date: 06/13/22

GILL

1 Center Road
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Stanislav Harag
Seller: Eugene A. Rice
Date: 06/21/22

7 Grove St.
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Matthew P. Gibson
Seller: Kevin P. Gibson
Date: 06/22/22

GREENFIELD

269 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Jacob J. Elwell
Seller: James M. Elwell
Date: 06/15/22

32 Chestnut Hill
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: Robert Ambrose
Seller: Marilyn V. Petrin
Date: 06/17/22

55 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Suzanne L. Goffredo
Seller: Paul A. Powell
Date: 06/21/22

597 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Norman Laemond
Seller: Susan M. Emond
Date: 06/21/22

16 Pierce St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Irina Mihailicenco
Seller: Patrick M. Murphy
Date: 06/16/22

2-4 Prentice Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Shai Kuper
Seller: William C. Phelps
Date: 06/22/22

225 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $288,000
Buyer: Aung K. Ko
Seller: Anne M. Henry
Date: 06/17/22

26 Verde Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: Perry Esquer
Seller: David Pederson
Date: 06/14/22

12 Warner St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Marilyn V. Petrin
Seller: Mroz, Marie E., (Estate)
Date: 06/17/22

30 Warner St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Emily H. Lowe
Seller: Mathew C. Beaudoin
Date: 06/17/22

LEVERETT

45 Richardson Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $337,000
Buyer: Earle H. Sexton
Seller: Jean A. Williams
Date: 06/17/22

MONTAGUE

112 Old Mountain Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Timothy D. Kang
Seller: Sweet Nestled LLC
Date: 06/13/22

9 Rattlesnake Gutter Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $129,900
Buyer: Steven J. Gilardi
Seller: Richard P. Karsten
Date: 06/16/22

94 South Prospect St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Raeann E. Chadwick
Seller: Tyler G. Hobbs
Date: 06/17/22

31 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Amy M. Kirchner
Seller: Deborah A. Sazama
Date: 06/15/22

2 Wentworth Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Timothy S. Trask
Seller: Scott R. Bruso
Date: 06/15/22

NEW SALEM

34 Blackinton Road
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Chue Lor
Seller: Michael F. Welch
Date: 06/14/22

NORTHFIELD

27 Aldrich St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Matthew T. Witz
Seller: Janet A. Morris
Date: 06/21/22

32 Aldrich St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $362,000
Buyer: Samantha L. Wood
Seller: Knowlton J. Hodgkins
Date: 06/17/22

ORANGE

455 Tully Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: James Gosson
Seller: Kevin P. Blake
Date: 06/21/22

39 Winter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $285,500
Buyer: John A. Chapin
Seller: Happy Homes REI LLC
Date: 06/14/22

SHELBURNE

314 Little Mohawk Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: John L. Wheeler
Seller: Kathleen G. Ainsworth
Date: 06/15/22

SUNDERLAND

3 Bears Den Dr.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Richard Kleeman
Seller: Suzanne Scallion
Date: 06/21/22

WHATELY

174 Conway Road
Whately, MA 01039
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Erik T. Debbink
Seller: Pamela A. Dickinson
Date: 06/14/22

21 Poplar Hill Road
Whately, MA 01039
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Erik T. Debbink
Seller: Maxwell W. Bland
Date: 06/14/22

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

23 Capua Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Ilhom Mamedov
Seller: Ahmet Gunay
Date: 06/15/22

47 Day St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: William J. Egan
Seller: Frederick F. Borrelli
Date: 06/15/22

27 Emerson Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Siarhei Shyshla
Seller: Michael J. Ferrero
Date: 06/14/22

30 High Meadow Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Patrick Kelleher
Seller: Walter D. Szemela
Date: 06/17/22

19-21 Letendre Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Aaron A. Merriam
Seller: Alan E. Bouley
Date: 06/17/22

540 Meadow St. Ext.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: MS Agawam LLC
Seller: Meadow Realty LLC
Date: 06/14/22

47 Michele Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Piyush M. Patel
Seller: Kalpanaben Patel
Date: 06/22/22

718 North Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Jeannine Huey
Seller: O’Donnell, Cheryl, (Estate)
Date: 06/15/22

386 Poplar St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Alyssa Ridley
Seller: Joshua D. Laporte
Date: 06/17/22

173 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Robert Sweatland
Seller: Hillside Development Corp.
Date: 06/14/22

BLANDFORD

84 Main St.
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: James S. Start
Seller: Matthew P. Chabot
Date: 06/17/22

6 Wyman Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Joshua R. Frappier
Seller: James Start
Date: 06/17/22

BRIMFIELD

50 Chamberlain Mountain Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Marianna Kleyman
Seller: Jeffrey L. Paulin
Date: 06/14/22

30 Paige Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Denise Cabral
Seller: Louise M. Dickinson
Date: 06/13/22

140 Paige Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Samuel Edvalson
Seller: Huijuan Chen
Date: 06/21/22

322 Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Tyler J. Trainor
Seller: Mackenzie Warren
Date: 06/13/22

CHESTER

177 Goss Hill Road
Chester, MA 01050
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Christian Wilkinson
Seller: National Farm & Forestry LLC
Date: 06/17/22

179 Goss Hill Road
Chester, MA 01050
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Christian Wilkinson
Seller: National Farm & Forestry LLC
Date: 06/17/22

180 Goss Hill Road
Chester, MA 01050
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Christian Wilkinson
Seller: National Farm & Forestry LLC
Date: 06/17/22

CHICOPEE

138 Acrebrook Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Barbara Galindo
Seller: Barbara Galendo
Date: 06/17/22

88 Cora Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $293,000
Buyer: Kyle Cerez
Seller: R. M. Blerman LLC
Date: 06/22/22

536 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $391,000
Buyer: Luis A. Rodriguez-Figueroa
Seller: William Martinez
Date: 06/13/22

11 Emerald St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: LG Homes LLC
Seller: Wicked Deals LLC
Date: 06/16/22

86 Empire St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $210,002
Buyer: Midfirst Bank
Seller: Christine Grainger
Date: 06/21/22

212 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Minnal LLC
Seller: Fernando D. Goncalves
Date: 06/21/22

28 Labelle Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Edward C. Cole
Seller: Stanley Kosinski
Date: 06/21/22

31 Madison St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Gerome J. Rodriguez
Seller: Marlene M. McHugh
Date: 06/16/22

25 Mayflower Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $337,000
Buyer: Brittany A. Morse
Seller: Mikhail G. Chikrizov
Date: 06/17/22

588 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Michael J. Morrissey
Seller: Manchester Enterprises LLC
Date: 06/21/22

23 Morgan Circle
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $561,000
Buyer: Steven C. Reeves
Seller: Nicole M. Blanchard
Date: 06/17/22

88 Narragansett Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $279,500
Buyer: Lydia Diaz
Seller: AMTD LLC
Date: 06/17/22

130 Oakridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Waseem Mudasar
Seller: Miguel A. Rivera
Date: 06/13/22

15 Old Farm Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Brett Cosby
Seller: Episcopal Missions
Date: 06/21/22

39 Swol St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $379,000
Buyer: Susan Stjohn
Seller: Jared A. Laravee
Date: 06/17/22

EAST LONGMEADOW

105 Bayne St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $349,000
Buyer: Jonathan Seiler
Seller: Theresa A. Danieli
Date: 06/13/22

14-16 Center Square
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: 2 Center Square LLC
Seller: Pride Convenience Inc.
Date: 06/17/22

135 Dwight Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Nathaniel Z. Rivera
Seller: Vladimir Kostenko
Date: 06/16/22

18 Edmund St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Sarah A. Kofke-Egger
Seller: Lawrence R. Garvey
Date: 06/22/22

20 Ericka Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $865,000
Buyer: Steven Nguyen
Seller: Steven E. Grande
Date: 06/15/22

9 Fairway Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Jaquaine Coe
Seller: Michael Carabetta
Date: 06/22/22

60 Fernwood Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Michelle Triggs
Seller: Rita M. Stearns
Date: 06/17/22

355 Kibbe Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $664,000
Buyer: Anthony Malave
Seller: Adeleke A. Thomas
Date: 06/22/22

21 Melwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Ashley Smith
Seller: Wanda S. Serafin
Date: 06/13/22

120 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Mathew J. Hilario
Seller: Gary Hunt
Date: 06/21/22

5 Robin St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Benjamin C. Pellegrini
Seller: Sodi Inc.
Date: 06/15/22

HAMPDEN

61 Bennett Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Christina Mateer
Seller: Susanne Metatos
Date: 06/21/22

135 East Longmeadow Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Christine Vaicius
Seller: Nicola Dempsey
Date: 06/17/22

11 Old Coach Circle
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Annabel Gubelman
Seller: Jennifer Devine
Date: 06/16/22

308 Somers Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Eric D. Ainsworth
Seller: Stephen W. Carabetta
Date: 06/15/22

HOLLAND

11 Hamilton Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jonathan Weaver
Seller: Devellis, Margaret R., (Estate)
Date: 06/15/22

HOLYOKE

44 Argyle Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $262,500
Buyer: Victoria Vanzomeren
Seller: Laura E. Smith
Date: 06/21/22

59 Berkshire St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Carlos Adorno-Baez
Seller: Harris A. Colon
Date: 06/22/22

114 Brown Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $720,000
Buyer: NE Properties LLC
Seller: Jasper R. Chin
Date: 06/22/22

1594 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: AG Brothers LLC
Seller: William M. Radner
Date: 06/13/22

301 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: New Man Ventures LLC
Seller: High St. Holyoke Properties 2
Date: 06/16/22

50-52 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Sashel Nova
Seller: Bernard M. Poirier
Date: 06/22/22

398-400 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: 398 Main Holyoke Mass. LLC
Seller: Posiadlosc LLC
Date: 06/13/22

137 North East St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Nasir I. Haider
Seller: Gizenia G. Stewart
Date: 06/22/22

1244 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Kokoleka RT
Seller: Wanda Zabawa
Date: 06/17/22

342 Pine St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Beverly R. Haramut
Date: 06/14/22

58 Saint James Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Christopher W. Byler
Seller: Arlene Swartz
Date: 06/22/22

3 Valley Heights
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Henry Cash-Jackson
Seller: Joseph W. Dickinson
Date: 06/17/22

LONGMEADOW

20 Ashford Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Dino M. Bedinelli
Seller: Vidya B. Ramasamy
Date: 06/22/22

38 Churchill Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: James A. Pittman
Seller: Jane S. Feinberg
Date: 06/17/22

164 Farmington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: Lisa Y. Howard
Seller: Michael M. Darby
Date: 06/15/22

207 Farmington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $839,000
Buyer: Brennan E. Tougias
Seller: Alexander G. Haldopoulos
Date: 06/13/22

164 Westmoreland Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $536,000
Buyer: Brandon R. Dobro
Seller: Lane B. Dybdahl
Date: 06/22/22

72 Wilkin Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $675,000
Buyer: Samuel J. Rickless
Seller: Anna Bidyuk
Date: 06/21/22

LUDLOW

17 Baker St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: CPN&J Realty LLC
Seller: Doreen S. Rae
Date: 06/13/22

58 Jackie Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $710,000
Buyer: Scott Daigneault
Seller: Richard H. Maynard
Date: 06/21/22

Lawrence St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Musante FT
Seller: Walter J. Martowski
Date: 06/22/22

193 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Brandon M. Tavares
Seller: Thomas M. McCarthy
Date: 06/14/22

Turning Leaf Road Lot 84
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $144,900
Buyer: Marco A. Gomes
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 06/16/22

329 West St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Coelho Holdings LLC
Seller: Midwoods LLC
Date: 06/14/22

MONSON

30 Butler Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jonathon Frame
Seller: Eric Ciborowski
Date: 06/16/22

1 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Alexzandra R. Dickey
Seller: Keith Dusoe
Date: 06/17/22

48 Robbins Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Jennifer Genco
Seller: Sean L. Judkins
Date: 06/13/22

13 Silva St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Nicholas Markopoulos
Seller: Sandra J. Martin
Date: 06/15/22

7 Silver St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Heather L. Kofke-Egger
Seller: Amber L. Thorpe
Date: 06/17/22

PALMER

7 Allen St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Zachary M. Nadaud
Seller: Robert A. Brisard
Date: 06/17/22

17 East Palmer Park Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Amanda M. Babinski
Seller: Elaine Fortier
Date: 06/17/22

258 Old Warren Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Vanessa Marrero
Seller: Jingzhan Mai
Date: 06/13/22

749 River St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Joshua R. Ferris
Seller: Fareed Hanania
Date: 06/21/22

68 Rondeau St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $416,000
Buyer: Mary Cunningham
Seller: Jerod R. Laflamme
Date: 06/15/22

RUSSELL

75 Highland Ave.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $362,000
Buyer: Daniil Misiruk
Seller: Timothy P. Lafreniere
Date: 06/17/22

445 Westfield Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $418,000
Buyer: Jamie Jonassen
Seller: David E. Janik
Date: 06/21/22

SPRINGFIELD

125-127 Alderman St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Minnal LLC
Seller: Luis E. Izquierdo
Date: 06/21/22

59 Anne St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Marilyn M. Molina
Seller: Joni L. Suprenant
Date: 06/21/22

34-36 Bartlett St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Todd Miller
Seller: Frank Herrera
Date: 06/16/22

501 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $301,000
Buyer: Isabel Lucero-Martinez
Seller: Vincenzo Amore
Date: 06/17/22

Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: PS Springfield LLC
Seller: Nicholas L. Graham
Date: 06/14/22

85 Brickett St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Joseph Kerrill
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 06/13/22

135 Bulat Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $260,500
Buyer: Ana C. Burgos
Seller: Michael P. Verteramo
Date: 06/22/22

951 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Makay Abdi
Seller: Carmen L. Mena
Date: 06/14/22

983 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: John Alicea
Seller: Feliciano, Carmen I., (Estate)
Date: 06/13/22

1105 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Ericdeshawn Austin
Seller: Margarita Nieves
Date: 06/15/22

121 Cedar St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Marsha X. Qian
Seller: Serg W. Abramchuk
Date: 06/16/22

246 Central St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Delva M. Barrett
Seller: JJS Capital Investment LLC
Date: 06/15/22

37-39 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Alfred Azar
Seller: Patrick O’Neil
Date: 06/16/22

60 Corcoran Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Sara Eklund
Seller: 2 Stone Homes LLC
Date: 06/14/22

37 David St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $153,470
Buyer: Go America LLC
Seller: FNMA
Date: 06/17/22

120 Davis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Jason M. Smith
Date: 06/15/22

149 Devens St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Cynthia Pierra
Seller: Kenneth G. McDonald
Date: 06/16/22

3-5 Dorchester St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $301,000
Buyer: Christina Henry
Seller: Aishia Springer
Date: 06/14/22

72 Drexel St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Mvuyekure Elaste
Seller: Lismel Luciano
Date: 06/22/22

19 East Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $291,000
Buyer: Mark J. Botelho
Seller: Marco A. Barbuti
Date: 06/21/22

229 Emerson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: William Dane
Seller: Ellen Rainville
Date: 06/17/22

201 Fair Oak Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Patrick Buckley
Seller: Buckley, Francis P., (Estate)
Date: 06/15/22

161 Garland St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Kristine Tanon
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 06/14/22

402 Goodwin St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $198,750
Buyer: Edwin G. Morales
Seller: Hurst, Warthingston B., (Estate)
Date: 06/22/22

524 Goodwin St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Roberto Rivera-Negron
Seller: Americo Freitas
Date: 06/22/22

99-101 Granby St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: JMB Property Management LLC
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 06/16/22

193-195 Kent Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $325,500
Buyer: Huang Family Property LLC
Seller: Wesley R. Crouch
Date: 06/13/22

34 Kerry Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Stephan J. Maldonado
Seller: Burris, Joyce A., (Estate)
Date: 06/15/22

112 Laconia St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Latoya A. Smith
Seller: Kaylina Green
Date: 06/22/22

160 Louis Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: Xavier Martinez
Seller: A&T Home Improvement LLC
Date: 06/17/22

185 Louis Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Isabel Dejesus
Seller: Highridge Real Estate LLC
Date: 06/17/22

68 Lyons St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Freedom Season LLC
Seller: Brico Properties LLC
Date: 06/16/22

83 Magnolia Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Angela Bellas
Seller: Holly N. Mott
Date: 06/22/22

87 Maplewood Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Robert Planutis
Seller: Thomas Lemay
Date: 06/17/22

36-40 Marble St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Vanavil Properties TR
Seller: Jacob J. Savageau
Date: 06/14/22

74 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Junior R. Marte-Ortega
Seller: Sandy J. Rodriguez
Date: 06/21/22

141 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Derrick Davidson
Seller: Nicketo A. Allen
Date: 06/21/22

26-28 Maynard St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Adaku Chikezie
Seller: Eddie C. Tsang
Date: 06/16/22

30 Merrick Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Indalina Lopez
Seller: Anthony E. Gibbs
Date: 06/16/22

28 Moore St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Horaida Cardona
Seller: Yelitza M. Fernandez
Date: 06/17/22

5-7 Newman St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Irvin Co.
Seller: Nabil Maataoui
Date: 06/17/22

11-13 Newman St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Irvin Co.
Seller: Nabil Maataoui
Date: 06/17/22

62-64 Olmsted Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Manning Capital LLC
Seller: Hyacinth C. Henry
Date: 06/17/22

117 Overlook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $326,400
Buyer: Miguel Rivera
Seller: Darlene Ryan
Date: 06/17/22

369 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Mendez
Seller: Property Advantage Inc.
Date: 06/15/22

35 Park Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Lourdes Balestier
Seller: Aura Marcille
Date: 06/15/22

1847 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Evelyn Rosa
Seller: Muhammad Akbar
Date: 06/22/22

50 Parkside St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Patricia F. Daviau
Seller: Patricia F. Daviau
Date: 06/21/22

104 Phoenix Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Ichel L. Berly
Seller: Roque Vargas
Date: 06/16/22

59 Powell Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Wanda Rivera
Seller: Adam P. Morgan
Date: 06/22/22

111 Princeton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Wilmer B. Gomez-Jimenez
Seller: Abraham Lincoln-Davis
Date: 06/13/22

65 Rittenhouse Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $254,000
Buyer: Jose Delgado
Seller: Eich Estates Inc.
Date: 06/22/22

58 Rollins St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Marcus Adorno
Seller: Barrington A. Tucker
Date: 06/17/22

19 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Minuteman Property & Acquisitions
Seller: Charles M. Healey
Date: 06/21/22

104 Rowland St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Limaris Vazquez-Huertas
Seller: German Rosado
Date: 06/21/22

55 Sherman St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Ivan Mercado
Seller: Noelia Machado-Beniquez
Date: 06/17/22

45 Sunrise Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Mark Mayweather
Seller: David J. Jolicoeur
Date: 06/17/22

49 Sylvester St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $145,350
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 06/22/22

61 Thornton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Jacqueline Vargas
Seller: Andrew M. Kochis
Date: 06/14/22

33 Villa Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Ricky B. Horner
Seller: Marcia S. Scott
Date: 06/17/22

Wallace St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Nathaniel Dusza
Seller: Oscar J. Obando
Date: 06/16/22

45 Wallace St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Nathaniel Dusza
Seller: Oscar J. Obando
Date: 06/16/22

212 West Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Margarita Nieves
Seller: Genesis Arekeria
Date: 06/15/22

2306 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Robert Flowers
Seller: Colin D. Tracy
Date: 06/15/22

78-80 Windemere St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $301,068
Buyer: Veronica P. Aguirre
Seller: Cynthia I. Storozuk
Date: 06/22/22

SOUTHWICK

44-R North Lake Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Zachary Smith
Seller: Sergey Yanyuk
Date: 06/17/22

44 North Lake Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Zachary Smith
Seller: Sergey Yanyuk
Date: 06/17/22

8 Reservoir Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Tarek Farousi
Seller: Travis T. Keiderling
Date: 06/13/22

10 Sawgrass Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Charles Lippert
Seller: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Date: 06/13/22

37 Summer Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Zachary Smith
Seller: Sergey Yanyuk
Date: 06/17/22

TOLLAND

894 Burt Hill Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Catherine Crochiere
Seller: Camellia W. Polzun
Date: 06/21/22

WALES

16 Holland Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: C&K Holland LLC
Seller: 16 Holland Road Inc.
Date: 06/16/22

57 Main St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Christopher Figueroa
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 06/13/22

60 Stafford Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $274,000
Buyer: Albert F. Casey
Seller: Joel Wall
Date: 06/17/22

WEST SPRINGFIELD

58 Bosworth St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Nigar B. Yurdanidze
Seller: Linda A. Dunley
Date: 06/17/22

46 Calvin Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $285,500
Buyer: David L. Chapski
Seller: Timothy T. Lemonde
Date: 06/21/22

176 Circle Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Michael A. Christodlous
Seller: Charles L. Rogers
Date: 06/21/22

31 Clyde Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $315,500
Buyer: Joseph Turner
Seller: Erin M. Valencik
Date: 06/16/22

92 Country View St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Timothy Morin
Seller: Mary A. Gordon
Date: 06/16/22

52 Dorwin Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Mason Allen
Seller: Pavel, Joan M., (Estate)
Date: 06/14/22

49 Exeter St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Richard Larrimore
Seller: Paul Bagian
Date: 06/17/22

105 Greenleaf Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Collin R. Jerard
Seller: Angela M. Boisvert
Date: 06/17/22

39 Greystone Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Enes Brkic
Seller: Laura E. Gleason
Date: 06/15/22

231 Greystone Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $394,000
Buyer: Mark D. Landry
Seller: Sajjan Sharma
Date: 06/16/22

17 Hampden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Lisa A. Ferri
Seller: Junior Properties LLC
Date: 06/21/22

Holly Hill Estates, Lot 2
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Ulugbek Gusenov
Seller: Community Developers Inc.
Date: 06/14/22

Holly Hill Estates, Lot 3
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Kemran Lachinov
Seller: Community Developers Inc.
Date: 06/14/22

Holly Hill Estates, Lot 4
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Nariman Askarov
Seller: Community Developers Inc.
Date: 06/14/22

Holly Hill Estates, Lot 5
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Mustafa Gusenov
Seller: Community Developers Inc.
Date: 06/14/22

Holly Hill Estates, Lot 6
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Askar Lachinov
Seller: Community Developers Inc.
Date: 06/14/22

Holly Hill Estates, Lot 7
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Mazhid Bayramov
Seller: Community Developers Inc.
Date: 06/14/22

Holly Hill Estates, Lot 8
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Emil Lachinov
Seller: Community Developers Inc.
Date: 06/14/22

Holly Hill Estates, Lot 9
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Mardan Bayramov
Seller: Community Developers Inc.
Date: 06/14/22

Holly Hill Estates, Lot 10
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Bahtiyar Agayev
Seller: Community Developers Inc.
Date: 06/14/22

Holly Hill Estates, Lot 11
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Anzor Sheykhov
Seller: Community Developers Inc.
Date: 06/14/22

119 Laurel Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Timothy T. Lemonde
Seller: Timothy J. Morin
Date: 06/16/22

68 Merrick St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: 502 Union Station LLC
Seller: Vladimir Zamotayev
Date: 06/16/22

256 Morton St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Jessica Condon
Seller: Arthur R. Doty
Date: 06/14/22

122 Norman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Aga Brothers LLC
Seller: Janet C. Santinello
Date: 06/16/22

2371 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Christina Suheen
Seller: Charles A. Pignatare
Date: 06/17/22

WESTFIELD

85 Bates Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Laura Olmeda-Smith
Seller: Patrick J. Duffy
Date: 06/21/22

16 Cherry St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $319,000
Buyer: Cherry Street Building LLC
Seller: MJF 51 LLC
Date: 06/16/22

45 Day Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $323,000
Buyer: Justin P. Elder
Seller: Richard K. Ringer
Date: 06/14/22

15 Hampden St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Selina M. Lopez
Seller: Marisa L. Castro
Date: 06/21/22

11 Jaeger Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Timothy P. Lafreniere
Seller: Bernard A. Steben
Date: 06/17/22

19 Laurel Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Nicholas R. Beauchemin
Seller: Gregory J. Valentine
Date: 06/16/22

14 Lowell Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Seller: Peter Aloysius-Dehey
Date: 06/17/22

10 Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Team Link LLC
Seller: 10 Main WF LLC
Date: 06/21/22

19 Morningside Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: James S. Schlaffer
Seller: Robert A. Lafogg
Date: 06/21/22

10 Nancy Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $611,000
Buyer: Christopher Torres
Seller: Bent Tree Development LLC
Date: 06/13/22

19 Noble Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Kathleen M. Deviny
Seller: Robert J. Fanion
Date: 06/13/22

30 Orchard St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Christine B. Fitz
Seller: Hagan FT
Date: 06/17/22

9 Park River Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Scott H. Labrie
Seller: Bruce S. Christenson
Date: 06/21/22

50 Roosevelt Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $288,000
Buyer: Jessica Gambale
Seller: Anthony Gambale
Date: 06/16/22

149 Root Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $442,500
Buyer: Shawn McNulty
Seller: Brandyn J. Peterson
Date: 06/22/22

402 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $4,650,000
Buyer: 402 Southampton Road LLC
Seller: First Choice Storage LLC
Date: 06/15/22

23-1/2 State St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $324,000
Buyer: Ajit K. Singh
Seller: Martina R. Haber
Date: 06/17/22

254 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: 254 Union Street LLC
Seller: Kevin A. Price
Date: 06/15/22

25 Westwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Kathryn M. Barry
Seller: Timothy M. Fouche
Date: 06/14/22

52 Woodbridge Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: Darya Pchelka
Seller: Nicholas D. Fitzgerald
Date: 06/22/22

WILBRAHAM

14 Addison Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Nathan M. Pluta
Seller: Candice A. St.Jean
Date: 06/21/22

342 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $119,000
Buyer: Sarah Williams
Seller: Crane Hill LLC
Date: 06/21/22

720 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Zachary Preman
Seller: Suzanne E. Middleton
Date: 06/22/22

119 Mountain Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Haley R. Viamari
Seller: Kantor. Dorothy G., (Estate)
Date: 06/21/22

615 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Melissa F. Burkert
Seller: William P. Fernandes
Date: 06/21/22

931 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Joseph Christofori
Seller: Gina M. Forbes
Date: 06/13/22

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

194 Amity St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $865,000
Buyer: 194 Amity Street RT
Seller: Chabad At Five Colleges
Date: 06/22/22

594 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: University Of Mass. Building Authority
Seller: 594 East Pleasant St RT
Date: 06/21/22

66 Grantwood Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Eastern Realty LLC
Seller: Norman D. Brown
Date: 06/17/22

235 Lincoln Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Allison B. Henry
Seller: Brett J. Butler
Date: 06/15/22

635 Main St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: M. H. Metzger Brown FT
Seller: Norman D. Brown
Date: 06/14/22

126 Shutesbury Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $1,002,000
Buyer: Jamie N. Class 2012 TR
Seller: Nathan T. Wilson
Date: 06/14/22

BELCHERTOWN

20 Daniel Shays Hwy.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Principle Property Mgmt. LLC
Seller: Baystate Wing Hospital
Date: 06/16/22

671 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Brian Gernux
Seller: Michael J. McMahan
Date: 06/21/22

24 Gold St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Patrick M. McMorrow
Seller: Janet S. Hurd
Date: 06/21/22

5 Lake Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $517,000
Buyer: John E. Ryan
Seller: Donald C. Ahrens
Date: 06/21/22

33 Main St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: KAB Properties LLC
Seller: Citizens Bank
Date: 06/17/22

160 Munsell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Kenneth Conkey
Seller: John H. Conkey
Date: 06/17/22

40 Nathaniel Way
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $474,000
Buyer: Judy C. Riggenbach
Seller: Xin H. Lin
Date: 06/13/22

37 Orchard St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Lucas Hall
Seller: Dabo Shi
Date: 06/15/22

362 Stebbins St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Hung Le
Seller: Richard W. Knapp
Date: 06/17/22

CHESTERFIELD

563 Main Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Marcia G. Black
Seller: Lisa A. Brown
Date: 06/22/22

132 Smith Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $767,000
Buyer: Casey Schwartz
Seller: Michael G. George
Date: 06/15/22

EASTHAMPTON

4 Ashley Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Nathaniel G. Danforth
Seller: Adam Robinson
Date: 06/17/22

46 Clark St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $401,000
Buyer: Cathleen Richards
Seller: Richard R. Labombard
Date: 06/17/22

168 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $496,000
Buyer: Anastasia Day
Seller: Wayne M. MacDonald
Date: 06/17/22

304 Loudville Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $438,875
Buyer: Owen J. Coursin
Seller: Barbara S. Debastiani
Date: 06/21/22

14 Old Stagecoach Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Davis Property Mgmt. Inc.
Seller: John Drewnowski
Date: 06/13/22

43 Oliver St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $189,400
Buyer: Maxim W. Daviau
Seller: Therese Pietraszkiewicz
Date: 06/15/22

10 Pinebrook Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Matthew Kearney
Seller: Theresa M. Woods
Date: 06/15/22

11 Princeton Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Gil R. Alvarez
Seller: 3 Adams Street LLC
Date: 06/15/22

GRANBY

112 Cold Hill Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $371,000
Buyer: Corinne Gartner
Seller: Christopher J. Enyart
Date: 06/21/22

54 Taylor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Michael Durham
Seller: Stanley Andrukonis
Date: 06/17/22

37 West St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Eric M. West
Seller: Leah Condon
Date: 06/21/22

HADLEY

102 Bay Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: John C. Toone
Seller: Peter A. Pacosa
Date: 06/21/22

7 High Meadow Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $703,000
Buyer: Lisa Horvitz
Seller: Diane Forman-Judd
Date: 06/17/22

19 High Meadow Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $639,000
Buyer: 19 High Meadow RT
Seller: John C. Morse
Date: 06/17/22

19 North Maple St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $601,000
Buyer: Christina R. Malin
Seller: Gerald F. Triggs
Date: 06/17/22

4 West St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $920,000
Buyer: John A. Kostek
Seller: Michael J. Murphy
Date: 06/14/22

HUNTINGTON

177 Goss Hill Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Christian Wilkinson
Seller: National Farm & Forestry LLC
Date: 06/17/22

179 Goss Hill Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Christian Wilkinson
Seller: National Farm & Forestry LLC
Date: 06/17/22

180 Goss Hill Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Christian Wilkinson
Seller: National Farm & Forestry LLC
Date: 06/17/22

7 Stanton Ave.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Nichole E. Bruneau
Seller: Cynthia L. Roberts
Date: 06/16/22

NORTHAMPTON

38 Birch Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Michael Daviau
Seller: Hayes, Patrick J., (Estate)
Date: 06/17/22

8 Charles St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Dawn E. Nims
Seller: Julie A. Bell
Date: 06/15/22

14-16 Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $1,725,000
Buyer: Blue Mountain Prop LLC
Seller: Timothy E. Shea TR
Date: 06/22/22

76 Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $1,725,000
Buyer: Blue Mountain Prop LLC
Seller: Timothy E. Shea TR
Date: 06/22/22

76-B Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $1,725,000
Buyer: Blue Mountain Properties LLC
Seller: Timothy E. Shea TR
Date: 06/22/22

76-96 Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $1,725,000
Buyer: Blue Mountain Properties LLC
Seller: Timothy E. Shea TR
Date: 06/22/22

397 North Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $725,000
Buyer: Jenny Horowitz
Seller: Brian J. Moriarty
Date: 06/16/22

213 Riverside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jason D. Fregeau
Seller: Walter Ragoza
Date: 06/15/22

8 Sherman Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: John M. Stonge
Seller: Jeffrey P. Johnson
Date: 06/16/22

99 Water St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Sarah J. Erickson
Seller: Julie A. Cardinal
Date: 06/17/22

15 Wilder Place
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Carin A. Pierce
Seller: Kathleen Miller
Date: 06/21/22

PELHAM

1 Butterhill Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $633,000
Buyer: John W. Thornbury
Seller: Victoria A. Febonio
Date: 06/22/22

SOUTH HADLEY

67 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Scott Family Properties LLC
Seller: Aleta S. Lanza
Date: 06/17/22

12 Midway St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Brenna Fitzgerald
Seller: Donald W. Lever
Date: 06/17/22

333 North Main St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $124,999
Buyer: Onstar Properties AA LLC
Seller: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Date: 06/17/22

46 Richview Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Katherine Berry
Seller: James M. McNulty
Date: 06/21/22

51 Woodbridge Ter.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Ryan R. Fleming
Seller: Thomas F. Sullivan
Date: 06/17/22

4 Wright Place
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Joshua McKinley
Seller: Sankar Datta
Date: 06/16/22

SOUTHAMPTON

156 County Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Brandon Paul
Seller: Wujec, Halina, (Estate)
Date: 06/17/22

184 County Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Traci Levinson
Seller: Katherine T. Hall
Date: 06/13/22

6 Helen Dr.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Rosemary L. Kirk
Seller: R. & Charlotte Roberge FT
Date: 06/15/22

25 Rattle Hill Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Friedman
Seller: George Ponte
Date: 06/17/22

WARE

30 Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $291,725
Buyer: Javier Pagan
Seller: Kirstin N. Hoy
Date: 06/15/22

75 Coffey Hill Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $288,450
Buyer: Christopher J. Lachendro
Seller: Coffey Hill Properties LLC
Date: 06/15/22

105 Gilbertville Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Ross E. Kendrick
Seller: James R. Robbins
Date: 06/17/22

90 Greenwich Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Zachary Hoy
Seller: Christine A. Campanelli
Date: 06/15/22

50 Old Poor Farm Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $412,000
Buyer: Ian K. Clements
Seller: Christine Prenosil
Date: 06/16/22

12 Pine St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Allessandra Deoliveira
Seller: Kathleen A. Galford
Date: 06/22/22

97 Pleasant St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Jared Walsh
Seller: Chad T. Drigo
Date: 06/21/22

WILLIAMSBURG

81 Depot Road
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $1,300,000
Buyer: Mary A. Cofrin
Seller: Kaye, Thomas, (Estate)
Date: 06/17/22

16 Fairfield Ave.
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $366,000
Buyer: Nicholas Deysher
Seller: Joanna S. Moran
Date: 06/15/22

1 Hillenbrand Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Barra L. Cohen
Seller: Leah E. Abuza
Date: 06/22/22

WESTHAMPTON

27 Burt Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Stephen Zimora
Seller: Sally Watson-Menkel
Date: 06/13/22

Building Permits

By BusinessWest Staff July 20, 2022

Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the months of June and July 2022. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

CHICOPEE

Joyce Provoda
239 Montcalm St.
$19,999 — Roofing

Joseph Ryan
76 Dwight St.
$12,500 — Two-level deck with small landing to be repaired on lower deck and rebuilt on upper deck

Alfred Shattelroe
18 Bemis St.
$120,000 — Remove and rebuild rear porch, remove and replace flooring on front porch, replace siding affected by porch

HADLEY

CBR Realty Corp.
191 Russell St.
N/A — Replace existing window with door

Francine Ness
137 West St.
N/A — Roofing

Russell 116 Partnership
423 Russell St.
N/A — Remove and replace damaged ceiling tiles

Gordon Smith
100 Mill Valley Road
N/A — Repair and replace damaged wall

LEE

Big Y Foods Inc.
10 Pleasant St.
$110,000 — Install electric vehicle charging stations

Stone Burdick
800 Pleasant St.
$210,000 — Commercial equipment storage garage

Jane Falcone, Linda Searles
55 Marble St.
$12,402 — Install new walk-in shower unit

Michael Ford
1075 Fairview St.
$6,090 — Install vinyl windows and entry unit

James Hertz
114 Housatonic St.
$6,000 — Install fire-suppression systemin commercial kitchen exhaust hood

Cassandra Purdy
635 Laurel St.
$85,000 — Selective interior demolition

LENOX

Town of Lenox
65 Main St.
$4,000 — Replace rear porch on first-floor egress

NORTHAMPTON

American Tower Corp.
325 King St.
$80,000 — Replace and upgrade equipment

Anydot Realty Management LLC
70 Maple St.
$11,875 — New roof

Aster Associates
80 Barrett St.
$4,000 — Replace deck

City of Northampton
Haydenville Road
$80,000 — Replace and add antennas

Edwards Church of Northampton
297 Main St.
$100,0-00 — Roofing

Florence Congregational Church
130 Pine St.
$13,000 — Roofing

Florence Savings Bank
81 Main St.
$81,000 — Non-structural partition walls

Milo Properties LLC
177 Bridge St.
$4,000 — Replace rotted framing and decking

O’Connell Hawley LLC
10 Hawley St.
$55,000 — Elevator installation

Pramukh Corp.
117 Conz St.
$26,890 — Roofing

Smith College
126 West St.
$37,261 — Exterior trim repairs

PITTSFIELD

Allendale Shopping LLC
5 Cheshire Road, Unit 26
$41,000 — Convert two open office spaces into private offices

Blue Chair Properties LLC
101 Dan Fox Dr.
N/A — Dish Wireless to install antennas and associated equipment on existing tower, and install ground equipment inside existing lease area

K & C Agar Inc.
22 Reed St.
$7,500 — Roof repair

Conrad Wojtkowski, Frances Wojtkowski
15 Curtin Ave.
$20,000 — Roofing

SPRINGFIELD

1277 Liberty Street 10190746 LLC
1355 Liberty St.
$10,000 — Install safety equipment on telecommunications tower

Raffaele Calabrese, Anna Calabrese
489 Main St.
$311,524 — Add vestibule to front entrance, install new windows

City of Springfield
111 Seymour Ave.
$622,300 $10,000 — Alter existing bathroom space at Balliet Elementary School into new bathroom and kitchen prep area

Edgewater Tower LLC
101 Lowell St.
$15,000 — Install 12 replacement antennas on telecommunications tower

Jon Realty LLC
230 Verge St.
$40,000 — Remove six antennas and install nine new antennas on telecommunications tower

New England Farm Workers Council Inc.
1628 Main St.
$30,000 — Repair loose stucco on upper parapet area

NHP Springfield Business Trust
215 Bicentennial Highway
$10,000 — Install safety equipment on telecommunications tower

Dinesh Patel
2 Boland Way
$150,000 — Install new fire-alarm system at Tower Square Hotel

Red Diamond Properties LLC
281 State St.
$410,000 — Alter interior space for use as a daycare center

Restoration Workship Center
1492 Boston Road
$2,225,000 — Alter interior space, exterior façade, and roof covering for use change from retail to assembly

RF Realty Co. LLC
449 Sumner Ave.
$75,000 — Remove and replace doors, windows, and stucco siding at Forest Park Eyecare

Julie Copoulos to Step Down as Executive Director of Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce

By BusinessWest Staff July 19, 2022

Daily News

CHICOPEE — Julie Copoulos, executive director of the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, announced that she will step down from the organization on Aug. 19.

“Since 2019, I have been supported and challenged by an adaptable and sharp board of directors, cohesive membership, and motivated municipal partners,” Copoulos said. “Together we have served the Chicopee business community in a meaningful and measurable way. I am humbled to have been in your service.”

The Greater Chicopee Chamber is actively seeking an executive director who is committed to Chicopee business and community and has a strong background in business, advocacy, and leadership, she noted. To chamber members, she added, “thank you for remaining the heartbeat of our community.”

Patrick Carpenter Joins New England Public Media as Senior Director of Development

By BusinessWest Staff July 19, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — With extensive experience in resource development at Holyoke Community College, Boston College, Elms College, and Westfield State University, Patrick Carpenter is joining New England Public Media (NEPM) as senior director of Development.

Most recently, he served as director in Institutional Advancement at HCC, where, under his leadership, annual giving increased dramatically, new-donor participation grew substantially, and a multi-year capital campaign was designed. Carpenter was the first Major Gifts officer at Westfield State University and increased private support of endowed funds through his major and planned giving work.

He is a sponsor liaison for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education District 1, president of the Southampton Youth Athletic Assoc. board of directors, and has served as president of the Elms College Alumni Assoc.

Carpenter holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Elms College and a master’s degree in higher education administration from Bay Path University. He currently teaches sociology at Elms College as a member of its adjunct faculty.

“I am thrilled to be joining New England Public Media as the new senior director of Development. I am impressed by the work of the development team at NEPM, as well as the leadership of President Matt Abramovitz,” Carpenter said. “NEPM’s goals are quite impressive, and I look forward to working with the development team, Matt, the NEPM board, and others from within the organization to help bring the vision for the organization to fruition.”

Abramovitz added that “we’re all looking forward to working with Patrick. He has had tremendous success as a fundraiser, even during the pandemic, because he has a knack for building relationships and rallying people to a cause. He’s a creative, passionate team builder who is as dedicated to public media as he is to our region.”

HCC to Hold Registration Express Week for Fall Semester Aug. 6-12

By BusinessWest Staff July 19, 2022

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will be holding Registration Express for the fall 2022 semester on Saturday, Aug. 6, and Monday through Friday, Aug. 8-12, in the HCC Campus Center.

During Registration Express, prospective students can apply for admission, take the college placement test, meet with an academic adviser, register for classes, and set up financial aid — all in one day.

HCC’s Aug. 6 Registration Express event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Campus Center on the main campus at 303 Homestead Ave. Students who can’t attend on Saturday or need additional time to finish their steps can also return when Registration Express continues Aug. 8-11 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Aug. 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Full-term, 14-week fall classes begin Monday, Sept. 6. HCC has two additional fall flex start dates: Sept. 26 for 12-week classes, and Oct. 31 for seven-week classes.

“Becoming a college student can feel overwhelming,” said Mark Hudgik, HCC’s director of Admissions. “Whether students are brand-new, transferring from another college, or returning to HCC, we’re here to help make everything easier. Registration Express puts all of the resources they need in one place.”

Those who can’t make it in person during Registration Express week will be able to connect with registration advisers via Zoom or visit campus another day. Outside Registration Express, the HCC Admissions and Advising offices on the first floor of the Campus Center are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (4:30 p.m. on Fridays).

Students must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend classes in person for the fall semester and must submit proof of their vaccination status before they can register for on-campus classes. Students who plan to register only for online or remote classes do not have to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

For more information and instructions about accessing Registration Express via Zoom, contact HCC Admissions at (413) 552-2321 or [email protected], or visit HCC online at hcc.edu.

Beauty Batlles Lounge Successfully Hosts Comedy Fundraising Event

By BusinessWest Staff July 19, 2022

Daily News

CHICOPEE — Beauty Batlles recently welcomed the community to its lounge, hosting a successful fundraising event, Beauty Batlles Moving Forward. About 60 guests were in attendance, and all had the opportunity to participate in a silent auction, raffles, and 50/50 drawing, all while enjoying a cash bar and food at the comedy show.

With support from clients, family, local business owners, and others in the community, the event raised about $4,000 that will assist Beauty Batlles in its move. The facility will now be able to offer a larger scale of services to its clients and offer new job opportunities at the new location.

“I am very honored to have the opportunity to bring my business to the Chicopee Center, where I will have the opportunity to bring a larger scale of services to our clients, but most importantly offer up to 10 new job opportunities to our community,” said Ashley Batlle, founder of Beauty Batlles Lounge.

Beauty Batlles Lounge offers microblading, waxing, lash lift tint, facials, brow lamination, BB glow, and body-sculpting services. It uses cutting-edge technology and medical-grade products to customize treatment to each client’s specific needs. The goal is to deliver self-confidence to individuals who have been struggling with different insecurities, and the support the community has continued to show will help the facility expand to its new location, allowing it to service the community more effectively.

Nominations Sought for Healthcare Heroes Class of 2022

By BusinessWest Staff July 19, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — In the spring of 2017, BusinessWest and its sister publication, the Healthcare News, created a new and exciting recognition program called Healthcare Heroes.

It was launched with the theory that there are heroes working all across this region’s wide, deep, and all-important healthcare sector, and that there was no shortage of fascinating stories to tell and individuals and groups to honor. That theory has certainly been validated.

But there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of heroes whose stories we still need to tell, especially in these times, when the COVID-19 pandemic has brought many types of heroes to the forefront. And that’s where you come in.

Nominations for the class of 2022 are due July 30, and we encourage you to get involved and help recognize someone you consider to be a hero in the community we call Western Mass. in one (or more) of these seven categories:

• Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider;
• Health/Wellness Administrator/Administration;
• Emerging Leader;
• Community Health;
• Innovation in Health/Wellness;
• Collaboration in Health/Wellness; and
• Lifetime Achievement.

Nominations can be submitted by clicking here. For more information, call Melissa Hallock, Marketing and Events Director, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or email [email protected].

Bay Path University Promotes Michael Giampietro to Senior Vice President

By BusinessWest Staff July 19, 2022

Daily News

LONGMEADOW — Bay Path University announced the promotion of Michael Giampietro to senior vice president for Finance and Administrative Services.

Giampietro joined Bay Path in 2006 as vice president for Finance and Administrative Services following a 16-year career at Holyoke Community College. A member of the university’s executive staff since arriving at Bay Path, he oversees significant areas of the university, including budget development, human resources, student financial services, facilities and capital planning, the bursar’s and controller’s offices, campus public safety, procurement, auxiliary services, and enterprise risk management. He also serves as staff liaison to a number of Bay Path board of trustees committees and has participated on New England Commission on Higher Education teams evaluating other accredited institutions.

“Mike Giampietro has shown exceptional leadership in many of our campus endeavors,” Bay Path President Sandra Doran said. “On behalf of the board of trustees, colleagues, and the entire community, I congratulate him on this promotion.”

Currently, Giampietro serves on the finance committee at Baystate Health, and previously sat on the town of Longmeadow audit and capital planning committees, as well as the finance committee for St. Mary’s Parish in Longmeadow. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in public administration from UMass Amherst, and also attended the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard.

Nicole Acevedo Joins Eastern States Exposition as Communications & Social Media Manager

By BusinessWest Staff July 19, 2022

Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Eastern States Exposition (ESE) announced that Nicole Acevedo is the newest addition to the organization’s Marketing department as Communications & Social Media manager.

Acevedo graduated from Western New England University in May 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing. Over the course of her collegiate career, she served as assistant editor of the Westerner, the university’s newspaper; served as hospitality chair for Spring Event, the campus’s largest music festival; wrote and voiced two scripts for WAMC Northeast Public Radio; and was a two-time winner of the BOLD Media Festival’s written category for her prose poems.

Although she is not a New England native, Acevedo has grown fond of the Greater Springfield community.

“Whenever someone learns that I’m from California, they always ask me the same thing — ‘why would you come here?’” Acevedo said. “It makes me laugh because I understand how people would think I’m crazy for leaving the West Coast, but really, I’ve found my home here. ESE is such an important pillar of the community, and I couldn’t be more grateful or excited to be working as part of such a beloved organization.”

In her new role, Acevedo will be responsible for print publications and projects, content creation for all social-media platforms, and maintaining a positive and effective presence across the digital spectrum.

HCC Professor Receives Education Award from Latino Scholarship Fund

By BusinessWest Staff July 19, 2022

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) Anthropology professor Vanessa Martínez is the recipient of the 2022 Antonia Pantoja Award from the Latino Scholarship Fund of Western Massachusetts.

The award, named after the noted Puerto Rican organizer and education activist, was presented on June 23 at the Latino Scholarship Fund’s 32nd annual meeting at the Log Cabin. The organization presents the award annually to an individual who has made a profound and significant contribution to education, demonstrating a dedication to the academic achievement of Latinx students.

Martínez is co-director of HCC’s Honors Program and co-founder of the Women of Color Health Equity Collective, a Springfield-based nonprofit. In addition, her HCC classes frequently engage with community groups and Holyoke schools through service-learning projects. She has been teaching at HCC since 2006.

“This is exciting for me and HCC, as HCC continues to be acknowledged in my work,” she said.

In January, she also received the 2022 Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award from Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education.

Martínez was born in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbus State University, a master’s degree from Georgia State University, and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts. In 2011, she received the Latino Teaching Excellence Award from then-Gov. Deval Patrick, and was selected in 2015 as a Leadership Fellow by the American Anthropological Assoc.

Berkshire United Way Renews More Than $1 Million in Funding to 40 Programs

By BusinessWest Staff July 19, 2022

Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire United Way (BUW) announced renewal funding of $1,029,500 for 40 programs across 24 community partner organizations, providing a much-needed additional year of support.

This funding will be for a one-year period, from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, and will continue to stabilize BUW’s three main community-impact areas: early childhood development, positive youth development, and economic prosperity. Visit www.berkshireunitedway.org/our-impact to learn more about the 40 programs.

“Through BUW’s relationships with currently funded partners, we understand how critical the timing of this funding is as the ripple effect of the pandemic still lingers. I am proud of our commitment to these organizations who have endured many challenges and continue to serve our community in innovative and creative ways,” said Laurie Gallagher, board member and chair of the community impact committee.

BUW’s investments in these programs support family well-being and address gaps in services in the community. Programs generate a whole-family, integrated approach focusing on educational advancement and economic mobility. This assistance helps to fund programs such as Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity’s Community Navigator Program, which is designed to assist marginalized residents with connections to resources that will enable them to remain economically resilient.

“The funds support staffing for the Community Navigator Program. We appreciate that Berkshire United Way values the impact of the Community Navigator model,” said Carolyn Valli, CEO of Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity.

A new round of funding requests will be announced in early 2023. To donate to BUW’s fundraising campaign, visit www.berkshireunitedway.org/donate.

Arrha Credit Union Opens New Branch in Enfield

By BusinessWest Staff July 18, 2022

Daily News

ENFIELD, Conn. — Arrha Credit Union announced the opening of a new branch at 231 Hazard Ave. in Enfield, Conn.

“We are excited to be opening a branch in Enfield and support surrounding communities as well,” said Michael Ostrowski, president and CEO. “We are a community-focused credit union and know our hometown banking style is what Enfield and surrounding communities need. In April 2019, the membership approved the expansion of our field of membership to include those who live, work, or attend school in Hartford and Tolland counties in Connecticut and immediate family of such persons.

“Arrha Credit Union will bring hometown banking back,” he continued. “This location is perfect to make that happen. Rockville Bank, also known as the Savings Bank of Rockville, once held this location, and they had the same style of hometown, superior customer-service banking. We are excited to welcome these customers back and become members, part of the Arrha financial family. This means offering home-style banking to meet the personal and business needs for families, individuals, and businesses.”

Amanda Howie, the branch manager, is sought after for her advice on vehicle lending, low-interest credit cards, free checking with convenient app downloads, online banking, and virtual deposits, Ostrowski noted.

“I am thrilled to be part of the Arrha Credit Union family and serving the Enfield community and surrounding communities,” Howie said. “I look forward to greeting, welcoming, and helping everyone, while providing hometown service along with the latest financial solutions and apps.”

Adam Baldwin is the assistant vice president, regional branch and Business Development manager. With more than eight years of banking experience, he has been recognized throughout his career as a rising star with superior service awards. He is a Rotarian, on the board of the Enfield Food Bank, and actively involved in the community.

“I am excited to be part of the Arrha Credit Union family and serve the Enfield community and its members,” Baldwin said. “I look forward to providing caring service, offering rewarding membership benefits to existing and new members, and growing these relationships.”

Anthony (Tony) Franco is the vice president of Commercial Lending. With more than 25 years in the financial-services and commercial-lending industry, he has been helping area businesses achieve their goals and direct them to what commercial deposits and lending services work best for them.

“I am happy to be able to help local businesses achieve their goals and build a roadmap for their financial goals to set them up for success,” Franco said. “Small business is our specialty.”

Hazen Paper Rakes in Gold Leaf Award for 2021 Basketball Hall of Fame Yearbook

By BusinessWest Staff July 18, 2022

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Hazen Paper Co. was presented a Gold Leaf Award by the Foil and Specialty Effects Assoc. (FSEA) at Amplify: the Print, Finishing, and Embellishment Event, held recently by FSEA and the Assoc. for PRINT Technologies in Minneapolis. Hazen garnered recognition in the category “best use of overprinting foil” for the 2021 enshrinement yearbook produced for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.

Hazen used custom holography to replicate the brilliant LED lighting of the iconic Hall of Fame dome, employing edgeless Hazen-Lens technology to create a pulsating play of light in front of a brilliant radial burst of two-channel holography. Treatment of the Basketball Hall of Fame logo also utilized holography to emphasize the basketball’s pebbled texture against the smooth reflective sphere of the dome. The holography was registered to a tolerance of 1/16” for near-perfect alignment during printing.

Hazen originated the holography for the yearbook completely within its vertically integrated Holyoke facility. The custom holograms were created in Hazen’s holographic laser lab, then micro-embossed and transfer-metallized onto smooth,c12-point WestRock Crescendo C2S using Hazen’s environmentally friendly Envirofoil process. Envirofoil is manufactured with less than 1% of the aluminum of traditional foil laminate, reuses the film carrier multiple times, and is as recyclable as paper.

Agency GO of Hartford, Conn. designed the limited-edition yearbook cover, which was printed and individually numbered for authenticity on an HP Indigo digital press by Starburst Printing of Holliston.

Hazen also received a Silver Leaf Award from FSEA for “best use of foil/embossing in a calendar (industry)” on the holographic Hazen 2022 calendar “Here Comes the Sun.”

The Big E Is Calling for Crafters and Cooks

By BusinessWest Staff July 18, 2022

Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Have you been sewing up a storm, creating other crafts, or discovering new, delicious recipes? The Creative Arts at the Big E is looking for entries in a variety of categories for this year’s fair.

Now is your chance for your art to be on display alongside hundreds of works from a diverse range of exhibitors, including youth and adults. Fairgoers walk through the New England Center to admire the displays of exhibitors’ crafts from numerous departments, including quilting, photography (including a new underwater photography division), knitting, jewelry/beading, dolls, holiday ornaments, jellies, honey, homemade granola, baked pie, decorated fake cake, scroll saw, and many more.

The deadline to enter for most departments is Monday, Aug. 15. Entries must be dropped off or mailed in prior to the fair. Exhibitors have the chance to receive awards and ribbons. Entries will be on display for the duration of the fair, which runs Sept. 16 to Oct. 2.

Click here for more information regarding rules, department-specific guidelines, entry limits, fees, entry deadlines, receiving dates, and how to enter. If you have any questions, email [email protected] or call (413) 205-5015.

Nominations Sought for Healthcare Heroes Class of 2022

By BusinessWest Staff July 18, 2022

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — In the spring of 2017, BusinessWest and its sister publication, the Healthcare News, created a new and exciting recognition program called Healthcare Heroes.

It was launched with the theory that there are heroes working all across this region’s wide, deep, and all-important healthcare sector, and that there was no shortage of fascinating stories to tell and individuals and groups to honor. That theory has certainly been validated.

But there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of heroes whose stories we still need to tell, especially in these times, when the COVID-19 pandemic has brought many types of heroes to the forefront. And that’s where you come in.

Nominations for the class of 2022 are due July 30, and we encourage you to get involved and help recognize someone you consider to be a hero in the community we call Western Mass. in one (or more) of these seven categories:

• Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider;

• Health/Wellness Administrator/Administration;

• Emerging Leader;

• Community Health;

• Innovation in Health/Wellness;

• Collaboration in Health/Wellness; and

• Lifetime Achievement.

Nominations can be submitted by clicking here. For more information, call Melissa Hallock, Marketing and Events Director, at (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or email [email protected].

BusinessTalk with Nate Costa, president of the Springfield Thunderbirds

By BusinessWest Staff July 18, 2022

Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest, in partnership with Living Local, 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 121: July 18, 2022

George Interviews Nate Costa, president of the Springfield Thunderbirds

BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien talks with Nate Costa, president of the Springfield Thunderbirds. The two discuss the team’s strong finish last season (an Eastern Conference championship), it’s lengthy playoff run, and how the team intends to build on all the momentum built during its surge to the top of the standings. It’s all must listening, so join us for BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Living Local and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

Sponsored by:

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East-West Rail Advances with $275 Million in Infrastructure Funding

By BusinessWest Staff July 15, 2022

Daily News

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Senate committed $275 million to design, engineering, and construction costs to expand east-west rail to Western Mass. in an amendment to a $10.4 billion infrastruture bond bill passed on Thursday.

“The train is leaving the station,” state Sen. Jo Comerford said on the Senate floor, the Republican reported. “Transportation solutions are an absolute necessity if cities and towns of Western Massachusetts are going to attract new residents and new economic growth.”

East-West rail would deliver passenger service between Pittsfield, Springfield, Palmer, Worcester and Boston, according to the infrastructure bond bill.

State Sen. Eric Lesser filed a successful bill amendment that boosted east-west rail funding from $250 million to $275 million within the infrastructure bond bill, the Republican noted.

“Billions are wasted in time and wear and tear on our roads and in damages to their vehicles as a result of the soul-crushing traffic that we’ve got here in Massachusetts,” Lesser said. “In Western Massachusetts, we have a great qualify of life, we have a lot of open space, we have a much more affordable cost of living. But we don’t have connectivity to that fast-growing, red-hot economy in the Boston area.”

Whittlesey Promotes Thomas Dowling to Partner

By BusinessWest Staff July 15, 2022

Daily News

HARTFORD, Conn. — Whittlesey announced the promotion of Thomas Dowling, CPA to partner. He is the newest member to join the growing leadership team.

“We are pleased to have Tom become a partner of the firm. He has consistently provided outstanding service and guidance to our clients,” said Drew Andrews, CEO and managing partner. “His energy and professional excellence support our growth strategy and commitment to the region. We congratulate Tom on this milestone and look forward to many more years of his contributions.”

Dowling joined Whittlesey in 2017 and has more than 15 years of public accounting experience with a concentration in assurance, advisory, and tax services for nonprofit organizations and closely held businesses. He has expertise in advising clients on internal controls, fraud risk assessments, and strategic planning, and actively participates in the nonprofit and manufacturing niches. Outside of work, he is a committee member for the Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island Swish Night.

Dowling earned a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and a master’s degree in taxation from Bentley University. He is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants, as well as the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Wilbraham & Monson Academy Names Annie Kandel Head Girls Lacrosse Coach

By BusinessWest Staff July 15, 2022

Daily News

WILBRAHAM — Wilbraham & Monson Academy has named former prep and collegiate standout and renowned coach Annie Kandel as head coach of its girls lacrosse team. Kandel will take the helm of the program at the start of the 2022-23 school year.

“We are so very excited for Coach Annie Kandel to join our team at WMA,” Head of School Brian Easler said. “Her broad experience as a lacrosse player and coach will infuse our girls varsity lax program with heightened energy, and her expertise in the sport of lacrosse and in coaching female student-athletes will be an investment in our commitment to young women. We have some really talented players who have been very well-coached already, and now Coach Kandel will help us bring the program to the next level.”

Kandel will also assume the role of director of Parent Programs for the Academy and will coordinate advancement and development efforts with parents, alumni parents, and grandparents. She brings an array of experience in admissions, athletics, and student life from within the boarding school world to WMA.

“I am thrilled to be joining WMA, a community characterized by a notable spirit and positive values,” Kandel said. “It is clearly a special place and one which has welcomed me with open arms. I am excited to have the opportunity to coach lacrosse in such a respected athletic program and look forward to working with students, parents, and colleagues this fall. Go Titans!”

Kandel joins WMA after successful coaching stints at Groton School, Stuart Country Day School, Tabor Academy, Cheshire Academy, Stoneleigh-Burnham School, and the University of Colorado. She has led her teams to multiple state and New England championships as well as an undefeated, untied season. She also coaches for the Baystate Bullets Lacrosse Club.

She is a product of independent schools, having been a standout athlete in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse at Governor’s Academy before excelling in both field hockey and lacrosse at Lehigh University. She earned league, regional, and All-American honors in lacrosse and was named the Lehigh University Outstanding Athlete her senior year. She was also honored as a member of the Patriot League All-Decade team and played for the U.S. Women’s National Team in 1992-93.

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What Does DE&I Even Mean? And What About Belonging?

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Building on a Solid Foundation

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Meetings of the Minds

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Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival

Bay Path Gets High Marks for Online Master’s in Cybersecurity

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Expands with New Location

Tighe & Bond Earns Two Awards for Coonamessett River Restoration

MassDevelopment Puts 1550 Main St. on Market

BankESB Commits $30,000 to Girls Inc. of the Valley

Lee Bank Foundation Distributes $70,700 in Second Grant Round

T-Birds Earn Award for #WeAre413 Campaign

Six Flags New England Fulfills Bet Against Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Monson Savings Donates $2,250 to Shriners Hospitals for Children

Episode 121: July 18, 2022

George Interviews Nate Costa, president of the Springfield Thunderbirds

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