Employers Need to Know the Facts on Paid Family and Medical Leave

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Special Coverage Work/Life Balance

Avoiding the Pitfalls

Tim Netkovick calls it the “kicker” in the law — and it’s a kick that could bruise an unsuspecting employer.

The law in question is the state’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law, portions of which went into effect on Jan. 1, with others to follow on July 1. The law essentially makes Massachusetts the most generous state in the country when it comes to allowing workers to take leave for medical and family-care reasons.

And employers need to be careful how they respond to claims, said Netkovick, an attorney with the Royal Law Firm in Springfield.

“If somebody has utilized PFML, there is what I call a kicker in that statute that says, if there’s any adverse action taken against the employee within a certain period of time, then it’s presumed to be in retaliation,” he told BusinessWest.

Indeed, if an employee challenges an employer’s actions following leave taken under the PFML law, the burden is on the company to prove there was some justifiable reason for taking the adverse action that had nothing to do with the leave request.

“The law does have a very strong anti-retaliation provision baked in. Often, these types of laws do have an anti-retaliation provision, but this one is a little unique,” said John Gannon, an attorney with Skoler, Abbott & Presser in Springfield.

“If an employer does take some kind of negative action against the employee — termination, suspension, demotion, even a negative performance review — within six months of the last day they took leave, there is a presumption that the employer retaliated,” he explained. “The employer can rebut that presumption, showing the motive for the decision is not linked in any way to paid family or medical leave use, but it does open the door to more potential litigation in this area.”

It’s a challenge to prove the action was justifiable, though not impossible, Netkovick said. Still, it’s not a headache employers really want to deal with.

“That’s a challenge we’ve seen come up a few times, where there were issues with the employment relationship before that, and then, all of a sudden, someone goes out on PFML leave,” he said. “There’s not really a lot of guidance on that yet. It might be assumed to be in retaliation, but if you can show something concrete that has happened, hopefully you can get someone to agree with you in the court system. You have to make sure you have your documents in order.”

The PFML law runs concurrently with other applicable state and federal leave laws, such as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Massachusetts Parental Leave Act. Similar to the federal FMLA, a Massachusetts employee who returns to work after taking leave under PFML law must be returned to same or similar position as he or she had prior to their leave.

The new law requires employers to provide eligible employees up to 26 total weeks of leave in a benefit year. Currently, employees may be entitled to up to 20 weeks of paid leave to manage their own serious health condition, and may also receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave to bond with a child who is newly born, adopted, or placed in foster care, and up to 26 weeks to care for a family member in the Armed Forces.

On July 1, employees will also be able to receive up to 12 weeks to care for a family member — the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, parent of a spouse, or parent of a domestic partner — with a serious health condition.

“There’s a department called the Department of Family and Medical Leave that oversees this whole program, and approves and denies claims,” Gannon said. “They’ve done a pretty effective job of getting the word out there about this program, particularly back in 2020 and early 2021 when it was going live. I remember seeing radio ads, print advertising, a lot of online ads as well.”

As a result, employees tended to know about it, and many held off on, say, elective surgery or put off parental leave for a newborn until after Jan. 1, so they could access the full benefits of the new law, he noted. “We did see a spike [in taking leave] in January and February, and we anticipate we’ll see another spike in July or August of this year when the family-leave components go live, and employees can take leave to care for family members with serious health conditions.”

 

A Rising Need

Patrick Leary, vice president of Work Benefits Research at LIMRA in Windsor, Conn., noted that interest in PFML started to rise several years ago, but has accelerated in recent years, especialy last year.

“More people became caregivers for their parents or other family members affected by COVID,” Leary said. “On top of that, parents took leave to care for their children when remote learning kept them at home.”

Peter Miller, a partner with Millbrook Benefits and Insurance Services in Springfield, added that Massachusetts’ PFML law offers benefits similar to a short-term disability benefit, but won’t replace the need for employers to provide short-term disability insurance.

Leave under the PFML program applies to most W-2 employees in Massachusetts, regardless of whether they are full-time, part-time, or seasonal. Unlike the federal FMLA, the Massachusetts PFML law says an employee is not required to work for a minimum length of time in order to be eligible for leave. However, an employee must meet minimum-threshold earning requirements in order to be eligible for leave under the law.

Notice requirements for the new law work both ways; employers must provide written notice of the PFML program to all employees within 30 days of the employee’s start date, while employees must inform their employers of their need to take leave under the law at least 30 days before the start of the leave, and before filing an application for leave with the state. Where reasons beyond an employee’s control prevent them from giving such advance notice, they must inform their employer as soon as is practical.

Employers don’t have to offer their workers the state benefit; they can opt out of it and apply for an exemption from paying PFML contributions, but only if they purchase a private plan with benefits that are as generous as the state’s plan, and which provide the same job protections, including the anti-retaliation provisions.

“You have two options — you can deal with the state Department of Family Leave they set up, or you can have your own third-party administrator,” Netkovick said. “The private plan has to be set up to match the state plan. There’s no requirement it has to be better, but it has to at least match with the state plan.”

One reason a company might do so is because a third-policy benefits administrator offered that service, and the employer may prefer communicating with that entity over dealing with the state.

Gannon agreed. “One of the perceived advantages to going with private plans is that you do have a little more control over the administration of the plan,” he said, noting that it can be frustrating when the state gets it wrong — for instance, if an employee has been granted 22 weeks of leave rather than 20 because of an administrative error, to cite a hypothetical example.

“There’s nothing you can do to reverse that, which is frustrating for employers,” he told BusinessWest. “With private plans, at least in theory, you can reach out to the plan administrator and ask, ‘why did you approve this for 22 weeks as opposed to 20?’ With the state, it’s more challenging to do that.”

One thing is clear — in allowing employees to take amounts of leave not typical across the country, the state is layering on an additional staffing challenge at a time when companies in myriad industries are already challenged by worker shortages.

“If the state department or your third-party administrator makes the determination this person qualifies under PFML, then there’s really not much you can do,” Netkovick said. “I know that’s created staffing issues for a couple of our clients, but they’ve been able to work that out. If there’s some kind of mandated ratio, I could see that becoming an issue — you might have to hire people on a temporary basis.”

Gannon agreed it can be a hurdle, particularly since employees are eligible for leave starting from day one on the job.

“It has been a challenge from a staffing perspective, especially these days,” he said. “Staffing would be a challenge without all these job-protected forms of leave, and now we have PFML, too.”

 

Know the Facts

One key requirement of the PFML law is that employers need to put it in writing for their workforce.

“It doesn’t have to be in the handbook, but it has to be in writing, advising people of their rights under PFML and the qualifications,” Netkovick said, adding that some companies have made it a part of the handbook because they were revising that manual anyway. “But others have made it as a standalone policy that everyone has to sign off on.”

Gannon has also seen employers approach the communication question in different ways. “We’ve had clients doing a complete update of their handbook, not just to make sure they’re compliant with this law, but to determine whether other policies need to be changed,” he said, such as call-out procedures that give an employer enough time to manage absences from a staffing perspective.

Of course, those written policies need to make clear the anti-retaliation elements of the law, too. If an employee files a lawsuit against an employer for violation of the PFML law and the employer is found to be in violation, numerous remedies are available to the employee, including reinstatement to the same or similar position, three times the lost wages and benefits, and even the employee’s attorney’s fees.

That’s why training managers and supervisors on all aspects of the law is especially important, Gannon said. “They’re the ones who may not realize how strong the anti-retaliation provisions are. Depending on the size of the business, an employer may rely on managers and supervisors, and if they unknowingly retaliate against someone, it could be a problem for the entire organization. It’s important for those in supervisory or managerial roles to understand the law and how strong those anti-retaliation provisions are.”

Netkovick agreed, adding that yearly trainings on all aspects of workplace law, including Paid Family and Medical Leave, is a good idea.

“Companies need to be aware of that retaliation provision — I think that’s the key,” he said. “It’s worthwhile to keep that in mind at the beginning, so you know what the lay of the land is in case something comes up after the fact.”

 

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

How to Spend the Stimulus Windfall

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Opinion

Editorial

 

As the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic winds down, another battle — yes, we can call it that — is emerging on just how the state should spend more than $5 billion in federal stimulus money coming it’s way.

Actually, there are different fronts to this conflict, the first being a large disagreement over who should control this windfall, with both Gov. Charlie Baker and the Legislature believing that they know, better than the other, how this money should be allocated.

We’re not sure either is fully qualified, but that’s another matter.

Let’s get back to the money — $5.3 billion of it, to be exact. This is the state’s share of the proceeds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). It is, indeed, a windfall, a rare opportunity to take money with no real strings attached to it and put it to some good.

So, naturally, there has to be disagreement over who should control the money and how it should be spent — should we really expect anything else? We hope these differences of opinion can be worked out quickly (probably not, but we can hope), and that the state can commence allocating this money in ways that will create opportunity and address long-standing problems. It appears likely that the proceeds will be divided in some way, with the governor controlling a large portion and the Legislature deciding how to spend what’s left.

Already, the governor has indicated several priorities, including everything from the housing crisis to battling opioid addiction; from infrastructure work to funding the state’s announced vaccine lottery sweepstakes.

While these are worthy causes, to be sure (although we certainly believe there are better ways to spend $6.5 million than a lottery), money needs to be set aside to help the businesses of this state, many of which are still battling to fully recover from the pandemic. While many business sectors are starting to rebound, especially the hospitality industry after a brutal 15 months of stagnancy and then several levels of reopening, many individual businesses are struggling to get all the way back.

One big obstacle is workforce. Companies across all sectors are struggling to find good help, and an infusion of funds into training programs would certainly help address the ongoing labor shortages. As economic-development leaders have said for years, the problem isn’t necessarily with the numbers of people in the workforce, but the skills they possess.

Meanwhile, we share the business community’s disappointment that the governor remains opposed to allocating some of the money from the American Rescue Plan to pay for the huge deficit in the state’s unemployment insurance fund caused by the deep and very sudden job losses during the pandemic; more than 30 states have already committed to using some ARP funds for this purpose.

Baker has instead signed legislation that spreads the hike in the so-called solvency assessment over 20 years and covers $7 billion in unemployment payments tied to pandemic-related job losses.

We don’t believe that simply spreading the payments over 20 years is a real solution to this problem. The pain remains — it’s just dispersed over two decades instead of all at once. While the payments will be smaller, they will still be a burden to businesses that are, as we noted, still struggling to fully recover from the pandemic and don’t need to pay for a problem that was not of their doing.

When it comes to the ARP windfall, the phrase ‘good problem to have’ certainly comes to mind. Indeed, deciding how to allocate $5.3 billion is a test for which there are few truly wrong answers.

But it is incumbent on the governor and the Legislature to come up with the best answers, and some of these involve a business community that is far from out of the woods when it comes to this pandemic and the many challenges that remain.

Reflections on Juneteenth

By Contributor
Opinion

Opinion

By John Regan

 

Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) and the Commonwealth’s business community join with our fellow citizens in celebrating the first official state observance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1865 — June 19 — that the last enslaved people held in Galveston, Texas learned of their freedom, two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

The day is both an historical observance and an opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments of African-Americans here in Massachusetts and throughout the nation. It is also a reminder of an event largely ignored by history texts, much like the Tulsa massacre that took place 100 years ago.

AIM — as an organization committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion — regards the day as a symbol of the importance of creating an economy that provides opportunity for all the citizens of Massachusetts.

“The Juneteenth holiday is a long-overdue teaching moment about the contributions and history of a people who were instrumental in building the country. Reminders of what has kept us apart are necessary to forming bonds that bring us together moving forward,” said Donna Latson Gittens, founder of MORE Advertising in Watertown and a member of the AIM Executive Committee.

Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill last July making June 19 a limited-scope holiday, analogous to Patriots’ Day, Presidents’ Day, and Martin Luther King Day. Private employers may elect to observe the day but are not required to do so. Creation of the state holiday came amid a national racial reckoning following the death of George Floyd and several other black people during encounters with police.

Employers plan to mark Juneteenth in various ways.

AIM member National Grid announced that all of its U.S. employees, including 6,336 employees in Massachusetts, would be given the Friday before Juneteenth off as “a symbol of our dedication to honoring black Americans who have suffered the impacts of racism throughout U.S. history,” according to Natalie Edwards, the company’s chief diversity officer.

The company encouraged its workers to use the time off as “a day of reflection and to celebrate black communities, particularly in the neighborhoods where they live and work.”

AIM members New Balance, Foley Hoag, Boston University, Harvard University, and Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries have also instituted Juneteenth as a paid holiday. Other members, such as Fidelity Investments and Santander Bank, are conducting or sponsoring online events to discuss diversity and financial issues in communities of color.

When Baker signed the law last July, it was in recognition of “the continued need to ensure racial freedom and equality,” he said. “Juneteenth is a chance for us all to reflect on this country’s painful history of slavery and the systemic impact that racial injustice continues to have today. It is also an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the goal of creating a more equal and just society.”

 

John Regan is president and CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts.

Picture This

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Picture This

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

Open to Making Connections

On June 9, Berkshire Bank hosted a ribbon cutting for its Reevx Labs at 270-272 Bridge St. in Springfield. Reevx Labs are collaboration spaces for the community where entrepreneurs and nonprofits can connect with peers and resources to achieve their missions. Pictured, from left: Lori Gazzillo Kiely, Berkshire Bank Foundation director and the bank’s Berkshire County regional president; Ronald Molina-Brantley, vice president, relationship manager, and team leader at Berkshire Bank; Sean Gray, the bank’s president and chief operating officer; Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno; state Sen. Adam Gomez; and Jim Hickson, managing director, middle market, and regional president of the bank’s Pioneer Valley and Connecticut region.

 

Spring Cleanup

On June 11, a team of volunteers from MassMutual participated in a spring cleanup of the Square One site at the Christian Life Center on Sumner Avenue in Springfield. They prepared garden beds, built shade tents, raked, organized, and more. It was the first time this team has been together in person since the beginning of the pandemic.

Remembering a Legend

While many are mourning the loss of legendary restaurateur Andy Yee, the Student Prince & the Fort celebrated his life with a 60th birthday bash on June 11. The event kicked off with a proclamation by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, a welcome by Yee’s restaurant partner and friend Peter Picknelly, and a word from Rudi Scherff, longtime former owner of the Fort. The menu included Yee’s favorite dishes from the Fort kitchen, while the Fort bar served his favorite drink menu, and, because Yee loved music, guests enjoyed a lineup of live music with no cover charge.

 

Fresh Paint Springfield

The Fresh Paint Springfield mural festival recently transformed 10 large exterior walls into art in Mason Square and downtown. The locations and lead muralists include: top to bottom (below): 232 Worthington St., above the existing BLM mural, by Jeff Henriquez; 1106 State St., by Ryan Murray; Springfield City Library, Mason Square branch, 765 State St., by Betsy Casanas; and the corner of Dwight Street and Harrison Avenue, by Eric Okdeh; next page, clockwise from top left: 827 State St., by WMass Portrait Artists; Mosque 13, 727 State St., by Kay Douglas; 595 Main St., by Wane One; La Fiorentina, 883 Main St., by ARCY; Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services, 3 Rutland St., by Nero and SoulsNYC; and the Worthington Street side of the Taylor Street Parking Garage, by Stash. About 1,000 community members pitched in to create the murals, while the Community Mural Apprentice program paired 10 local artists with established muralists to learn how to engage with the community in designing and painting large, professional murals.

Agenda

By
Agenda

Healthcare Heroes Nominations

Through June 24: 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. 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. Nominations will be accepted in seven different 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. The Healthcare Heroes event is presented by Elms College. Nominations can be submitted at businesswest.com/healthcare-heroes/nominations. For more information, call (413) 781-8600.

 

Blue Sox Youth Baseball Clinics

June 28 to July 1; July 5-8; July 12-15: The Valley Blue Sox of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, in coordination with presenting sponsor Holyoke Medical Group, announced three youth baseball clinic dates. At these clinics, to be held in three different locations around Western Mass., participants will hone their hitting, pitching, and fielding skills with instruction from Blue Sox players and coaches. The dates and locations are as follows: June 28 to July 1, 9 a.m. to noon, Hadley Elementary School fields (rain date July 2); July 5-8, 9 a.m. to noon, Mackenzie Stadium, Holyoke (rain date July 9); and July 12-15, 9 a.m. to noon, Spec Pond Recreation Area, Wilbraham (rain date July 16). The registration cost for each clinic is $120. The clinics are open to children ages 6-13. Every child who participates in the youth clinic will receive two tickets to the Blue Sox Clinic Night on Wednesday, July 21. This night is a way to commemorate the work put in during the clinics, and every child will have the opportunity to take the field with the Blue Sox during the pregame ceremonies. To register for these youth clinics, click www.bluesoxcamps.com for the Hadley or Holyoke clinic, or www.wilbrahamrec.com for the Wilbraham clinic. For more information, visit www.valleybluesox.com and select ‘Youth Clinics’ from the drop-down menu.

 

Golf Tournament to Benefit Surrendered Farm Animals

July 17: The Whip City Animal Sanctuary will be hosting its inaugural golf tournament on Saturday, July 17 at East Mountain Country Club in Westfield. Whip City Animal Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a stable, forever home for rescued and surrendered farm animals, many of whom have been neglected or abused. The tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Play is a four-person, best-ball scramble. The entry fee is $100 per person and includes cart, green fees, and dinner following the tournament at 5:30 p.m. There will be prizes for closest to the hole and closest to the line, along with a raffle. Various levels of corporate sponsorship are still available for those who would like to contribute. For more information about player registration and sponsorship opportunities, contact Sonia Henderson at (413) 627-6192 or [email protected].

 

RVCC Golf Tournament

Sept. 10: River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC), a multi-faceted mental-health agency, will hold its sixth annual golf tournament fundraiser at East Mountain Country Club in Westfield. The event is presented by Action Ambulance Service Inc. Funds raised will support the programs RVCC provides to children and teens in the community, in schools, and through local partnerships. The cost per golfer is $100 and includes greens fees, a golf cart, a gift bag, lunch, and dinner. Golfers will also be able to participate in course contests and a raffle. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. with a 10:30 a.m. shotgun start. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Visit rvccinc.org/golf for more information and to register or sponsor online.

 

40 Under Forty Gala

Sept. 23: BusinessWest’s 15th annual 40 Under Forty gala will take place at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The class of 2021 was introduced to the region in the magazine’s May 12 issue, and the profiles may be read online at businesswest.com. Tickets cost $80 per person. This is expected to be a sellout event, and tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve a spot, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected].

 

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Shannon McCarty

Shannon McCarty

Bay Path University announced that Shannon McCarty will join the university as vice president for Academic Affairs, effective July 12. Her appointment comes after a comprehensive nationwide search led by the firm Academic Search and supported by a 12-member faculty and staff cross-functional search committee. McCarty comes to Bay Path from National University in La Jolla, Calif., where she serves as vice president, Teaching and Learning, and associate vice president for the Center of Innovation. Prior to that, she held several positions of increasing responsibility over 10 years at Rio Salado College in Tempe, Ariz., from residential faculty, Biology, to faculty chair, Physical Science Department, to her last appointment as dean of Instruction and Academic Affairs. As vice president for Academic Affairs, McCarty will be responsible for creating a shared vision that fosters innovation in an environment of collegiality and cooperation; developing a sustainable business and educational model that strengthens the fiscal health of the institution, building on existing assets in response to changes in the macro-environment; championing diversity equity and inclusion at the policy and curricular level to create a welcoming environment for all students, faculty, and staff; and ensuring alignment of curricular content and modalities with student and workforce needs. McCarty earned her Ph.D. in professional studies from Capella University, her master of education degree in educational leadership from Arizona State University, and her bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Arizona.

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Shai Butler

Shai Butler

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) named an interim vice president of Advancement and External Affairs, a leadership position that oversees institution-sustaining efforts, engagement writ large, and strategic communication. Shai Butler, who starts June 7, will work closely with STCC President John Cook to support the college’s mission. In this role, Butler will carry a portfolio that includes fundraising, governmental relations, strategic marketing, branding, and communication. The role also ensures deep connections with the STCC Foundation, and Butler carries the dual title of executive director of the STCC Foundation. Butler most recently served as vice president for Student Development at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y. Butler led the creation of the division of Student Development at the College of Saint Rose, where she had worked in various leadership roles since 2007. For many years, she served as the chief diversity officer. She began her career in higher education at the University at Albany – State University of New York, where she worked for over a decade, and where she previously earned a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in educational administration and policy studies. In 2014, she earned a doctoral degree in law and policy at Northeastern University in Boston. A speaker, writer, and influencer on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as women’s leadership, mentorship, sponsorship, and professional development, Butler is an executive contributor for higheredjobs.com. In addition, her research on educational access for low-income students opened the door for her to join 60 educators at a 2014 White House conference on increasing the number of youth and traditional college-aged students of color majoring in STEM fields.

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Julie Quink

Julie Quink

The Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA) announced that Julie Quink, CPA, CFE, was elected to the board of directors for its 2021-22 fiscal year. Quink is managing principal at Burkhart, Pizzanelli, P.C., where she is responsible for attestation practices, including performing and supervising engagements. The MSCPA board of directors is a group of 19 elected members that sets policies, manages programs, and oversees activities that benefit the 11,000-member organization and accounting profession in Massachusetts. With more than 30 years of experience in public accounting and three years of private, corporate accounting experience, Quink performs and consults on fraud and forensic engagements. In addition, she is involved in the accounting and consulting aspects of the practice and manages engagements of various sizes and complexity. She also performs services relative to forensic and fraud-related engagements.

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The Applied Mortgage team announced that Branch Manager Lindsay Barron LaBonte has been recognized as the number-one loan originator at a mortgage company in Western Mass., for both the number of units and volume of loans funded for 2020. The May 24 special section of the Warren Group’s Banker & Tradesman magazine features the top Massachusetts loan originators of 2020. The list of rankings is pulled from the National Mortgage Licensing System public records for Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. Barron LaBonte and her team at Applied Mortgage have been ranked as the top loan originator at a mortgage company for both 2019 and 2020. “I am incredibly thankful for both the continuous community support throughout the years and also the committed work of my team here in Northampton and at HarborOne Mortgage,” she said. “We are proud to carry on the Applied Mortgage legacy as a second-generation, family-managed branch which continues to serve the home-ownership needs of our Western Mass. community.”

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Samuel Ortiz

Samuel Ortiz

Country Bank announced that Samuel Ortiz has joined its Commercial Lending division. A 40-year veteran of the commercial-lending industry, Ortiz is an experienced business-development leader serving Western and Central Mass. He earned an associate degree in business administration from Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and has attended various banking and financial programs throughout his career, including the School of Finance and Management at Fairfield University. He is also a Certified Internal Auditor. Prior to joining Country Bank, Ortiz worked for Common Capital, where he was responsible for all aspects of business-loan operations. He also owned his own consulting firm, where he provided small-business loan underwriting, as a consultant, to the Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund in Greenfield.

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Visiting Angels of West Springfield announced that Alissia Prefontaine was named Caregiver of the Month for March. She has been with Visiting Angels since November 2015 and has had more than 30 clients in that time. As the agency notes, “Ali specializes in committing to many small cases, meaning that she must form a personal bond with a wide number of clients and quickly adjust to each individual situation. She is always willing to help pick up shifts and new clients; as a result, she has dealt with a wide variety of situations and always knows exactly what to do in order to best assist her client. Whether caring for clients with dementia, on hospice care, or simply providing companionship, Ali is warmhearted and caring. For example, Ali once had a client she was very attached to. When this individual unfortunately passed away, Ali was there to support the husband as well as each and every grieving family member.”

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Sara Ugalde

Sara Ugalde

Following a national search, Wilbraham & Monson Academy (WMA) named former prep and collegiate standout Sara Ugalde head coach of its inaugural girls’ ice hockey team. Ugalde will take the helm of the program beginning July 1. A hockey MVP as a player at Westminster School, Ugalde helped lead Middlebury College to NESCAC championships in 2011 and 2012. Her experience with collegiate hockey coaching includes assistant women’s ice hockey coach at Trinity College, Williams College, and Colby College. She was director and coach of the Connecticut Junior Rangers and assistant coach for the NWHL Connecticut Whale, and has helped run multiple hockey camps throughout the country.

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Bulkley Richardson has enhanced the firm’s summer associate program, welcoming four law students this summer. Briana Dawkins is currently attending Western New England University School of Law and earned a bachelor’s degree from Curry College, summa cum laude, in 2018. She was an intern at the U.S. Department of Labor and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. Sean Buxton is currently attending Western New England University School of Law. He is a 2019 graduate of Princeton University, cum laude, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He was an intern at the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office and for Judge Alberto Rivas in the Superior Court of New Jersey. Shriti Shah is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law. She received a master of management studies degree in 2017 from K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, and a bachelor of commerce degree in 2004 from SIES College of Arts, Science and Commerce, both affiliated with the University of Mumbai. Jacob Kosakowski is currently attending Suffolk University School of Law. He is a 2018 graduate of UMass Amherst, summa cum laude, and served as an intern for Chief Justice Paul Dawley and the Child Abuse Unit of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. Summer associates are introduced to the inner workings of a law firm, receive mentorship from lawyers ranging from firm leaders and retired judges to junior associates, and are exposed to real-life legal matters. All of this year’s summer associates anticipate a spring 2022 graduation from law school.

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American International College (AIC) announced it has promoted Nicolle Cestero, Matthew Scott, Jessica Chapin, and Michael Eriquezzo, and welcomed Velmer Burton Jr., Jennifer McDonough, and Louis Izzi Jr. to its leadership team.

Nicolle Cestero

Nicolle Cestero

• Cestero has been promoted to chief operating officer, executive vice president, and retains her title as chief of staff. Among the responsibilities in her newly expanded position, Cestero will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the college, while continuing to serve as advisor to the president, playing an integral role in implementing AIC’s strategic plan. Cestero will oversee the college’s legal matters and support presidential and institutional initiatives. She serves on the president’s cabinet and all individual board committees. Additionally, she will play a key role, in collaboration with the board of trustees, in the nationwide search for retiring President Vince Maniaci’s successor.

Matthew Scott

Matthew Scott

• Scott has been serving as vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students since July 2020. He will add Title IX coordinator to his area of responsibilities. With that addition, he will be the designated official from AIC with primary responsibility for coordinating compliance with Title IX, including providing leadership for Title IX activities; consultation, education, and training; and helping to ensure that the institution responds appropriately, effectively, and equitably to Title IX issues. As vice president and dean of students, Scott oversees the Division of Student Affairs, which includes Student Life, the Saremi Center for Career Development, and Dexter Health and Counseling Services.

Jessica Chapin

Jessica Chapin

• Chapin has been promoted to director of Athletics and will oversee all aspects of AIC athletic programs. Chapin joined AIC in 2014 as the compliance coordinator. Among her duties, she is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the athletics department, including oversight of compliance with ensuring NCAA Division I and Division II rules and bylaws, retention, financial aid, and new-student recruitment, collaborating with offices across campus. She is the Title IX deputy coordinator for Athletics. In 2017, Chapin was appointed to a four-year term with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Management Council.

Michael Eriquezzo

Michael Eriquezzo

• Eriquezzo has been promoted to director of Marketing and Communications. He will have oversight of all aspects of institutional digital and traditional marketing, web, and public-relations functions for the college, including the semi-annual Lucent magazine with a circulation to more than 30,000 alumni. Eriquezzo came to AIC as the art director and senior designer in 2017 from Go Graphix in East Longmeadow, where he served as project manager and creative lead, and the Children’s Study Home, where he was the external communications manager.

Velmer Burton Jr.

Velmer Burton Jr.

• Burton joins AIC as executive vice president for Academic Affairs. As part of his responsibilities, he will advance the academic priorities and goals of the college in a fiscally responsible manner, balancing expenses and revenues and managing growth, with an emphasis on new and enhanced programming, student learning, and quality of instruction in a student-centered, culturally diverse, and inclusive environment. He will oversee undergraduate and graduate degree programs in AIC’s School of Business, Arts and Sciences; School of Education; and School of Health Sciences. He comes to AIC from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he served as senior vice chancellor of University Strategy and Performance and professor of Criminal Justice.

• McDonough joins AIC as vice president for Institutional Advancement. She brings nearly 40 years of experience in the advancement profession, incorporating institutional leadership positions and philanthropic consulting services focusing on campaigns and ongoing development, as well as alumni-engagement program planning, implementation, and assessment; talent development; and leader and partner involvement. As a former executive associate with Bentz Whaley Flessner, a national and international fundraising consulting and services company, McDonough served an extensive number of diverse private and public higher-education institutions across the country, including AIC.

Louis Izzi Jr.

Louis Izzi Jr.

• Izzi will lead the Yellow Jackets as the vice president for Athletics. He joins AIC from the University of Bridgeport (Conn.), where he served as vice president for Athletics and Enrollment Management since 2019. While at Bridgeport, Izzi was responsible for the strategic planning, leadership, development, and operational and personnel management of the university’s NCAA Division II athletics program, providing management oversight and direction of all operations and strategies related to undergraduate, graduate, domestic, international, and online recruiting efforts. Additionally, he worked closely with the university’s Office of Institutional Advancement to cultivate and steward gifts for the Athletics department.

 

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

HUB International Acquires Assets of Epstein Financial Group LLC

EAST LONGMEADOW — HUB International Limited, a full-service global insurance broker, announced it has acquired the assets of Epstein Financial Services LLC and Epstein Financial Group LLC. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Located in East Longmeadow, Epstein Financial is an independent registered investment advisor providing corporate retirement-plan consulting, compliance, and regulatory guidance, as well as wealth-management services. The agency’s experience and resources help clients maintain a successful retirement program that will assist their employees to achieve financial security. Charlie Epstein, principal and founder of Epstein Financial, will join HUB Retirement and Private Wealth in HUB New England. This move continues to strengthen HUB’s retirement and wealth-management services (HUB RPW) with the addition of talent and resources to develop more comprehensive strategies for clients. HUB RPW works to help plan sponsors create an offering that aligns with their business strategy, navigates fiduciary risk, and helps employees pursue their financial goals. The several registered investment-advisory affiliates in HUB RPW provide investment-advisory services to clients whose total assets are approximately $105 billion. Epstein Financial was represented by the consulting firm Wise Rhino Group for the transaction.

 

Paragus IT Launches Division to Support Automation Service

HADLEY — Paragus IT has always defined its core services as the ‘three pillars of IT’: on-demand support, security and compliance, and strategic planning. It announced it has launched a new division to support a fourth pillar: automation. A process can be automated if it is repetitive in nature, doesn’t require logical thinking or human intervention for completion, and has the potential for costly human error or inconsistency. Potential automated processes for businesses include appointment booking, employee scheduling and onboarding, issue tracking and resolution, social-media activity, and much more. “Every business has at least a handful of manual processes that could benefit from being completely automated,” Paragus CEO Delcie Bean said. “Automation can substantially save time and money while increasing accuracy, efficiency, and profitability. We are more than an outsourced IT vendor for our clients — we’re a strategic partner. By lightening their workload and eliminating these time-consuming tasks, we’re helping our clients devote additional time and resources to focusing on more important things.”

 

UMass President Says University to Drive Post-pandemic Recovery

BOSTON — University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan said the university system is emerging from the pandemic period “with its academic, research, and financial strengths fully intact” and positioned to play a major role in driving economic renewal and recovery in the Commonwealth. Speaking at a quarterly meeting of the UMass board of trustees, during which the board approved the university’s operating budget for the coming year, Meehan said there are many signs UMass has weathered the COVID-19 storm and is moving forward in its mission of service to the Commonwealth. For example, the five campuses of the UMass system recently awarded 19,000 degrees to students, the vast majority of whom will live and work in Massachusetts. Meehan projects that student enrollment will remain stable and that each of the UMass campuses will be open to students when the new academic year begins in the fall. The university is also on course to end this fiscal year with a balanced budget and projects a 6% increase in its workforce, bringing staffing back to pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile it will use $113 million in federal recovery funds to provide emergency grants to students in need while also freezing tuition for most students for a second consecutive year. Meehan noted that, while the university is currently on firm financial footing, the expiration of federal funding after this fiscal year, combined with ongoing disruption in the higher-education industry nationwide, will require continued vigilance and innovative management in the coming years. UMass expects to receive $258.6 million in total federal stimulus funding. In addition to the $113.5 million that will support student emergency grants, the university will strategically invest $145 million of these one-time funds — available through the end of fiscal year 2022 — to create a financial bridge to future fiscal years with the goal of ensuring financial stability for the long term.

 

White Lion Brewing Tapped as Partner at Free Music Fridays

SPRINGFIELD — MGM Springfield announced it will partner with local brewery White Lion Brewing to provide guests a wide selection of craft beer during the resort’s Free Music Fridays concert series at the Plaza. Located in downtown Springfield, the brewing company will activate a bar and beer trailer from 6 to 9 p.m. where guests can tap into local brews while enjoying live music from local musicians. Concerts are scheduled to run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. MGM Springfield kicked off the new concert series on June 4. Local favorites on the schedule this summer include FAT, Brass Attack, Trailer Trash, Darik and the Funbags, and Michelle Brooks-Thompson, among many others. For details on the Free Music Fridays concert series, including lineup updates, visit mgmspringfield.com.

 

Freedom Credit Union Accepting Donations for Food Bank

SPRINGFIELD — Freedom Credit Union is collecting cash donations at its 11 branches throughout the region to benefit the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, which leads the fight against food insecurity throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. Donations will be accepted through Saturday, July 31. Since 1982, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts has helped provide much-needed food to area residents. It sources products from donations and then supplies it to participating pantries, meal sites, and shelters throughout the region. Its work allows individuals, families, seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities to lead healthy and meaningful lives. Based on the donations received in their previous fiscal year, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts was able to provide the equivalent of 12.3 million meals, a significant increase over previous years.

 

Community Foundation Announces $150,000 Grant to Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley

SPRINGFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced a grant of $150,000, spread over the next three years, to the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley (HRIPV). The grant represents a significant contribution to the initiative’s capital drive to raise $1 million in commitments now to support and build capacity for the organization over the next three years. The multi-year, strategic grant is part of CFWM’s ongoing commitment to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplaces and promote equitable growth in the region. The funding will support HRIPV’s capacity in engaging communities across the state of Massachusetts in its signature two-day training. HRIPV has been in existence since 2012, and more than 1,000 community members have participated in its programming. Funds from the capital drive have also allowed HRIPV to develop a comprehensive online and virtual series of trainings and programming. The Healing Racism initiative will also be resuming in-person training sessions in July. Members of the community interested in participating can learn more and register online at www.healingracismpv.org. The first $50,000 grant to HRIPV will occur in July 2021. According to the Community Foundation, the multi-year funding approach will guarantee revenue stability while HRIPV meets demands for its services and continues its capital-campaign efforts. The Healing Racism Institute is led by Vanessa Otero, one of the co-founders of HRIPV and an original member of the board until assuming the position of interim director in 2020.

 

Chikmedia Announces Four Scholarship Winners

SPRINGFIELD — Thanks to the generosity of Summerlin Floors, Ryan McCollum of RMC Strategies, and the Springfield Thunderbirds, Chikmedia has chosen four $500 scholarship awardees for its 2021 Chik of the Future scholarships. Chikmedia, a boutique firm offering strategic marketing planning and creative PR, launched its annual scholarship this year to support future generations of marketing professionals. Chikmedia offered four $500 scholarships in 2021, and a variety of local businesses decided to match that scholarship amount. These four scholarships are being awarded to Western Mass. women who are high-school graduates pursuing a college degree in marketing, public relations, communications, or business. Shermarie Hyppolite is pursuing a double major in communication and public relations with the hope to one day become a successful public-relations professional specializing in brand building and storytelling. She aims to have her own public-relations agency that can help uplift brands and create a space in the public-relations industry for women and non-binary people of color. Claudia Gonzalez is currently obtaining her degree in marketing with the goal of working in a television and networking company. Additionally, she will be pursuing her MBA this fall at Bentley University. Kimberley Moore is completing her degree in communications with a concentration in human resource management at DeVry University. As a mother of six daughters, she made a commitment early in their life to instill the importance of education, including hard work and dedication. She is proud to say that all have finished or are still attending college, and it is now her turn to do the same. Saniya Stewart is a full-time student at American International College and a dual-enrollment student at a local community college. She simultaneously attends both colleges, working toward her bachelor’s degree and the prerequisites for a master’s degree in healthcare management. Her goal is to open a nonprofit healthcare facility in her hometown of Springfield to be an advocate for those who truly need a person to lean on.

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

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

AGAWAM

Husar Arms, Inc., 104 Ramah Circle South, Agawam, MA 01001. David N. Moore, 257 Mountain Road, Hampden, MA 01036. Manufacturing.

AMHERST

New Hadley Cleaners Inc., 358 College St., Amherst, MA 01002. Hak Yong Jang, 12 Riviera Dr. Amherst, MA 01001. Dry Cleaners.

BELCHERTOWN

Hum Inc., 545 State St. Belchertown, MA 01007. Tahira Khatoon, same. Convenience Store.

CHICOPEE

Gutter Cleaning USA Inc., 543 Springfield St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Alex John Korotich, same. Gutter Cleaning, Repair, Installation.

Trafa Trade Inc., 140 Padgette St., Unit D, Chicopee, MA 01022. Shahid Habib, 19 Spring Meadows South Hadley, MA 01075. Investments.

EASTHAMPTON

S&W Excavation Inc., 56 Adams St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Symon Dastoli, same. Excavation and Site Work Services.

HOLYOKE

Cajun Ladies Inc., 5 Columbia St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Araceli Lopez-Rivera, same. Restaurant serving Creole and Cajun food.

PITTSFIELD

About Fate, Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Sergei Bespalov, 221 River St. 9th Fl., Hoboken, N.J. 07030. Film production.

Beastfair Inc., 41 Noblehurst Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. John Garcia, same. E-commerce.

SPRINGFIELD

Arham Inc., 305 Walnut St., Springfield, MA 01109. Muhammed Rafiq, 311 E. Middle TPKE, Manchester, CT 06040. Fast food restaurant.

WESTFIELD

Shiva Laxmi Inc., 54 Pleasant St., Westfield, MA 01085. Umeshkumar Patel, same. Liquor Store.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of May 2021. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

DEERFIELD

Bergeron Dumpster Rental
18 Stillwater Road
Derek Bergeron

O’Neil Trucking, LLC
5 Kelleher Dr.
Timothy O’Neil, Michelle O’Neil

SOUTHWICK

Bloom Salon
587 College Highway
Lindy Morin

Designer Consignor
549 College Highway, #10
Linda Ligukis

Ham Hill Tents, LLC
11 Ham Hill Road
Julie Servis

Solek Brother
230 Granville Road
Kevin Solek

WESTFIELD

AMD Services
11 High St.
Darrin Auger

Best Colors
11 Dubois St.
Igor Kaplyuk

The Busy Beavers
30 Wood Road
Jessica Boisseau

C & L Towing
1166 East Mountain Road
Clifford Laraway

Different Breed Drip
19 Lockhouse Road, Apt. 22-4
Abel Togba

Fab Gloss
81 South Maple St., Apt. 12
Morgan Sorochuk

Fast Track to College
106 Old Farm Road
Glenda Hynes

JJ’s Handy Man Services
58 Mechanic St.
Joshua Patten

JP Lawncare & House Cleaning Service
59 Orange St.
Julie Anne Peterson

Landscaping & General Labor
12 Ivy Ave.
Walter Figueroa

Lawn Pro
99 Springfield Road
William Paquette

Oleksak Home Services, LLC
31 Schumann Dr.
Oleksak Home Services, LLC

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Ashley Arms, LLC
131 Ashley Ave.
Mary Thayer

Bertera Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat
539 Riverdale St.
Michael Bertera

Carstar Fathers & Sons Collision Center
168 New Bridge St.
Damon Cartelli

Dynamic Solutions Marketing
122 Ely Ave.
Cynthia Sheridan Murphy

Hair by Emma Rose
33 Westfield St.
Emma Lane

Havenhurst Architectural Consulting
33 Havenhurst Road
Michael Nestor

Keoho Salon
1160 Westfield St.
Brenda Lane

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

Beynor, Derek J.
25A Oakwood Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2021

Blais, Elaine R.
PO Box 111
Wales, MA 01081
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/25/2021

Bulley, Brie Amber
14 Scott St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/25/2021

Citlak, Mehmet
41 Brookfield St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2021

Clarke, Candace Marie
a/k/a Clarke-Griffith, Candace M.
My Virtual Bankruptcy Paralegal
244 Damon Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2021

Daniel, Joshua M.
66D King St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/18/2021

Dee, David J.
8 Margaret St.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2021

Dobek, Timothy James
44 Colonial Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/17/2021

Finklea, Kim
95 Lucerne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/26/2021

Flores, Axelm I.
a/k/a Soto, Axel Ivan Flores
12-14 Banbury St., Fl. 2
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 05/21/2021

Friend, Joyce
33 Pochassic St., Fl. 1
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/20/2021

Lavergne, Miguel
Lavergne, Katy N.
114 Bristol St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/31/2021

Licata, Seth Desmond
366 Montague City Road, Apt. C
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/17/2021

Lopez, Carmen
48 Watts St., # 1
Chelsea, MA 02150
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/25/2021

Rosie Delights
Oliveras, Jonathan Ivan
Oliveras, Rosemarie
Laboy, Rosemarie
43 Albert St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/27/2021

Shepard, Christopher B.
Shepard, Bonnie J.
a/k/a Shepard, Bonita J.
117 Main St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/21/2021

Sylvester, Carl G.
Sylvester, Shari A.
61 Crescent St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/25/2021

Vega Martinez, Jorge l.
381 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/18/2021

White, Kenneth
27 Applewood Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 13
Date: 05/21/2021

Williams, Candice Robina
535 Egremont Road
Great Barrington, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 05/20/2021

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BERNARDSTON

51 Hillcrest Dr.
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Charles J. Spofford
Seller: Adam P. Harrington
Date: 05/20/21

264 Martindale Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Eric T. Schimelpfenig
Seller: Schimelpfenig 2019 RET
Date: 05/21/21

12 School Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $218,500
Buyer: Alexander Lamarche
Seller: Jonathan W. Carow
Date: 05/18/21

12 South St.
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: McKenzie Property Management Inc.
Seller: Van Bro Co. LLC
Date: 05/26/21

BUCKLAND

Crittenden Hill Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $312,500
Buyer: Leah M. Phillips
Seller: Gregory D. Horrocks
Date: 05/24/21

83 North St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $296,000
Buyer: Kelle E. Davis
Seller: C. Johnson 83 North St IRT
Date: 05/26/21

CHARLEMONT

Avery Brook Road #1
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Bayard C. Austin
Seller: Juckett FT
Date: 05/27/21

225 Main St.
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Country Development Corp.
Seller: Guerri FT
Date: 05/20/21

DEERFIELD

7 Gray Lock Lane #B
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $324,900
Buyer: William B. Collins
Seller: Ragus LLC
Date: 05/26/21

51 Upper Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jonathan M. Friz
Seller: David J. McCahon
Date: 05/21/21

GREENFIELD

107 Fairview St. E
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: OV Properties LLC
Seller: Dmitriy D. Darmanchev
Date: 05/24/21

178 Fairview St. W
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Tad J. Bassingthwaite
Seller: Amy B. Patt
Date: 05/20/21

49 Forest Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Miyah K. Odle
Seller: Remick, Glenn W., (Estate)
Date: 05/26/21

64 Harrison Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Martha A. Mastroberti
Seller: Jeremy Duncan
Date: 05/25/21

194 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Elizabeth A. Pease
Seller: Robert C. Janvrin
Date: 05/19/21

19 Highland Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $420,500
Buyer: Dzanc Books Inc.
Seller: Tom Friedman
Date: 05/25/21

19 Linden Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Anne C. Taylor
Seller: Peter Sadler
Date: 05/27/21

271 Log Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Menier
Seller: Seneca Realty LLC
Date: 05/24/21

249 Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Edward S. Kaczenski
Seller: Sacred Heart White & Eagle
Date: 05/21/21

92 Sanderson St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Claire Jenison
Seller: Susan Miller-King
Date: 05/26/21

71 Verde Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $444,305
Buyer: Jeannine Deangelis
Seller: Greenfield KMW LLC
Date: 05/25/21

34 Warner St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Herbert C. Tibbetts
Seller: W. C. & Natalie A. Koncal LT
Date: 05/26/21

163 Wells St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: 163 Wells Street LLC
Seller: Robert B. Liebenow
Date: 05/20/21

HEATH

Avery Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Bayard C. Austin
Seller: Juckett FT
Date: 05/27/21

LEVERETT

29 Old Long Plain Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $710,000
Buyer: Seth C. Heminway
Seller: Susan C. Powers
Date: 05/24/21

MONTAGUE

421 Federal St.
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Dylan Provost
Seller: Justin Killeen
Date: 05/28/21

26 Grove St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Walber
Seller: Sandra B. Mayo
Date: 05/17/21

12 Marshall St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: John W. Grube
Seller: Carole A. Brown
Date: 05/18/21

33 Millers Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Paul D. Braman
Seller: Cynthia A. Lively
Date: 05/26/21

4 Newton Lane
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Hugh Conway-Hillard
Seller: Hefflon, Bruce E., (Estate)
Date: 05/25/21

26 Randall Wood Dr.
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $353,000
Buyer: Sandra V. Navarro
Seller: Kensey S. Batchelder
Date: 05/21/21

NEW SALEM

Petersham Road #1
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Ashoryn LLC
Seller: Kevin W. Colo
Date: 05/28/21

Petersham Road #2
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Ashoryn LLC
Seller: Kevin W. Colo
Date: 05/28/21

Petersham Road #3
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Ashoryn LLC
Seller: Kevin W. Colo
Date: 05/28/21

Petersham Road #4
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Ashoryn LLC
Seller: Kevin W. Colo
Date: 05/28/21

NORTHFIELD

248 Captain Beers Plain Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $425,500
Buyer: Jeron VanDerMaat
Seller: Corey M. Greene
Date: 05/24/21

73 Main St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $398,998
Buyer: Sandra L. Mayo
Seller: Abby L. Brockelbank
Date: 05/18/21

Millers Falls Road #2
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: 63 Northfield LLC
Seller: Thomas R. Shearer INT
Date: 05/21/21

427 South Mountain Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Xiuyu Liang
Seller: Babak Sadri-Azarbayejani
Date: 05/21/21

ORANGE

208 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Ann M. Kaplan
Seller: Lawrence River LLC
Date: 05/25/21

454 East River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Theodis C. Williams
Seller: Donald F. McHugh
Date: 05/18/21

308 Holtshire Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Frances Rahaim
Seller: Gil B. Fried
Date: 05/28/21

47 Shelter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $261,500
Buyer: Michael A. Bjorlin
Seller: Gilbert J. Harrison
Date: 05/26/21

176 West Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Sarah E. Dandy
Seller: Stanley Smith
Date: 05/25/21

221 West Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Ivan G. Vargas
Seller: Alyre P. Saulnier
Date: 05/26/21

SHELBURNE

266 Colrain Shelburne Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Nina Reyes
Seller: Giard FT
Date: 05/19/21

SHUTESBURY

10 Hawks View Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $952,900
Buyer: Gregory Day
Seller: Scott P. Ardizzone
Date: 05/20/21

91 West Pelham Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $354,000
Buyer: Joan R. Green
Seller: Nathalie A. Kissel
Date: 05/17/21

27 Weatherwood Road
Shutesbury, MA 01002
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Mark Lipman
Seller: Sylvia Hankin
Date: 05/21/21

SUNDERLAND

153 Hadley Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $484,900
Buyer: Allison E. Dean
Seller: Curtice R. Griffin
Date: 05/28/21

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

17 Althea Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Melissa Kulak
Seller: Tara M. Tkacz
Date: 05/20/21

13 Barn Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: Katara T. Baber
Seller: Jeffrey J. Fay
Date: 05/21/21

49 Broz Ter.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $248,245
Buyer: Scott V. Campion
Seller: Kyle Dietrichsen
Date: 05/26/21

21 Edgewater Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $182,500
Buyer: Brital 1987 LLC
Seller: Randal W. Shrader
Date: 05/26/21

70 Giffin Place
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Naylor Nation Real Estate LLC
Seller: Pamela M. Murphy
Date: 05/19/21

1178 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Sharon A. Conte
Seller: Oleg Adzhigirey
Date: 05/21/21

32 Mill St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Alli Stokowski
Seller: Kimberley B. O’Keefe
Date: 05/21/21

1196 North St., Ext.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Craig A. Charest
Seller: Richard M. Tencati
Date: 05/17/21

 

BLANDFORD

2 Sanderson Brook Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Katherine Y. McDonough
Seller: Cody Ashton-Patch
Date: 05/25/21

BRIMFIELD

15 Little Alum Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Edward A. Stumpf
Seller: Matthew S. Dee
Date: 05/19/21

71 Tower Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Aaron J. Graves
Seller: Margaret Bresnahan
Date: 05/21/21

74 Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $695,000
Buyer: Treasure Hunter 1810 LLC
Seller: Brimfield Acres North Inc.
Date: 05/24/21

281 Warren Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Jason R. Richard
Seller: Jose Gonzalez
Date: 05/24/21

CHESTER

77 Parsons Way
Chester, MA 01223
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Sara J. Hoffschmidt
Seller: Lindsey K. Burke
Date: 05/20/21

CHICOPEE

127 Acrebrook Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Kendall G. McClintock
Seller: Monica Rosskothen
Date: 05/27/21

23 Alvord Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Ricky Arroyo
Seller: Matadormus LLC
Date: 05/28/21

102 Anson St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Erica L. Gomes
Seller: Kyle J. Chagnon
Date: 05/18/21

45 Dale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $470,400
Buyer: RM Blerman LLC
Seller: Clark Manor Properties LLC
Date: 05/25/21

Davenport St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Christopher Johnson
Seller: Peter S. Ellis
Date: 05/19/21

23 Dixie Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $175,100
Buyer: Aguasvivas Realty LLC
Seller: Wilmington Savings
Date: 05/19/21

167 East St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: James Rosemond
Seller: Robert E. Jorgensen
Date: 05/25/21

439 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Dylan E. Robinovitz
Seller: Ross Elmer
Date: 05/19/21

22 Franklin St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Blue Chip Buildings LLC
Seller: Emery Street LLC
Date: 05/18/21

391 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $267,750
Buyer: Phoenix Development Inc.
Seller: Rimor Properties LLC
Date: 05/17/21

39 Greenwich St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Fernando Colon-Rodriguez
Seller: Redwood RT
Date: 05/28/21

335 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Luis Gonzalez
Seller: Kyle Rosa
Date: 05/20/21

24 Jefferson Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Epifanio Diaz
Seller: L. E. & Associates LLC
Date: 05/20/21

91 Laclede Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Edwin Guzman
Seller: Kenneth J. Brown
Date: 05/25/21

69 Lord Ter., North
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Lauren A. Lapointe
Seller: Donna O’Shea
Date: 05/28/21

7 Loveland Ter.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Patrick M. Conroy
Seller: Thomas A. Conroy
Date: 05/17/21

285 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $164,500
Buyer: B. D. Canterbury-Diaz
Seller: Cindy S. Kwajewski
Date: 05/27/21

203 Murphy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Christopher D. Roy
Seller: Jason Lariviere
Date: 05/24/21

98 Neill Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: David Fraska
Seller: Patrick J. Hurst
Date: 05/28/21

654 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $213,800
Buyer: Maria Ferraro-Beardsley
Seller: David G. Chapdelaine
Date: 05/24/21

10 Providence St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Li Q. Gao
Seller: Yasmin M. Forbes
Date: 05/27/21

196 Rolf Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Shawn Antunes
Seller: Timothy D. Raymond
Date: 05/28/21

19 Reed Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Yekaterina Alekseyeva
Seller: Eric M. Rooney
Date: 05/17/21

Shawinigan Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: JLL Real Estate LLC
Seller: Lombardz LLC
Date: 05/28/21

269 Sheridan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Jason W. Kolodziej
Seller: Kathryn E. Carr
Date: 05/18/21

EAST LONGMEADOW

85 Allen St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Robert Salas
Seller: Joseph E. Townshend
Date: 05/28/21

169 Allen St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $127,748
Buyer: 21st Mortgage Corp.
Seller: Ameriquest Mortgage Co.
Date: 05/20/21

69 Bayne St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $294,900
Buyer: Patrick C. Lee
Seller: Joseph A. Mastrangelo
Date: 05/20/21

1 Bella Vista Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $590,000
Buyer: Benjamin S. Sullivan
Seller: AC Homebuilding LLC
Date: 05/17/21

37 Colony Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jonathan L. Jordan
Seller: John H. Bammann
Date: 05/28/21

Fairway Lane Estates
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Kevin Minchella
Seller: Michael Carabetta
Date: 05/19/21

11 Fairway Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Nicholas C. Catjakis
Seller: Michael Carabetta
Date: 05/27/21

73 Redin Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Gregory Riberdy
Seller: Monica Barna
Date: 05/24/21

GRANVILLE

14 Beech Hill Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: James R. Murphy
Seller: Brian P. Murphy
Date: 05/24/21

310 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Anthony M. Danek
Seller: Wendy Gaunt
Date: 05/21/21

HAMPDEN

179 Allen St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Jennifer J. Maloni
Seller: Tania Airoldi
Date: 05/17/21

74 Bayberry Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Shawn G. Kelley
Seller: Sean M. Hrycay
Date: 05/28/21

Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Steven E. Guzzo
Seller: William M. Heenan
Date: 05/26/21

89 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $326,000
Buyer: Jesse Theophilopoulos
Seller: John T. Gilmartin
Date: 05/25/21

576 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Joseph Varney
Seller: Mahlon Peterson
Date: 05/18/21

155 Raymond Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Anthony Geary
Seller: Frank L. Gentile
Date: 05/25/21

175 Scantic Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Rosati
Seller: Nancy A. Sams
Date: 05/26/21

358 Somers Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Kyle M. Jourdain
Seller: David J. Turcotte
Date: 05/19/21

HOLLAND

7 Bennett Lane
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Christian Torres
Seller: Wilhelmina F. Conerly
Date: 05/27/21

188 Brimfield Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Tyler Hutton
Seller: John P. Wallick
Date: 05/28/21

2 Knollwood Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: David E. Demers
Seller: William E. Fournier
Date: 05/26/21

73 Stafford Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Kelvin J. Zayas
Seller: Denton R. Hutchens
Date: 05/20/21

HOLYOKE

155 Cross Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Amy B. Taylor
Seller: Edward M. Antil
Date: 05/20/21

33 Dartmouth St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Jennifer Dohrmann
Seller: Louis R. Soria
Date: 05/27/21

18-20 Greenwood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $229,900
Buyer: Jordan Doucette
Seller: Massachusetts Housing Finance
Date: 05/28/21

1175 Hampden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Joel Nisly
Seller: Jared J. Mendoza
Date: 05/27/21

55 Harvard St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Conor Bevan
Seller: Kimberly Q. Parlengas
Date: 05/27/21

933 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Perez
Seller: Margaret A. Yarmesky
Date: 05/26/21

3 Humeston Slope
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $293,000
Buyer: Waseem Mudasar
Seller: Zbigniew Fabin
Date: 05/21/21

19 Knollwood Circle
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Rhonda Dow
Seller: Kimberly M. Jourdain
Date: 05/19/21

10 Labrie Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $620,000
Buyer: James M. Meara
Seller: Brian G. Stebbins
Date: 05/28/21

317-319 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Francisco M. Ramos
Seller: Jose A. Cartagena-Colon
Date: 05/26/21

7 Longfellow Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Kelly Buettner
Seller: Timothy Noonan
Date: 05/25/21

60 Lower Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Daryn M. Sampson
Seller: Coakley Corp.
Date: 05/28/21

248 Lyman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Estrella M. Jusino
Seller: Frank Salas
Date: 05/28/21

356 Mackenzie Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Luz M. Valdes-Ortiz
Seller: Amanda L. Tourigny
Date: 05/17/21

1232 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: Servicenet Inc.
Seller: Blue Summit Realty LLC
Date: 05/25/21

1236 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,500,000
Buyer: Servicenet Inc.
Seller: Blue Summit Realty LLC
Date: 05/25/21

2 Meggison Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jose F. Rebollar
Seller: Jairo Aguilar
Date: 05/21/21

87 North East St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $167,500
Buyer: Luis A. Perez
Seller: Ashley Galvez
Date: 05/17/21

123 Oak St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Arlene I. Oquendo
Seller: Dicky Matos
Date: 05/24/21

166 Ontario Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Aaron J. Palmer
Seller: Irene M. Doyle
Date: 05/24/21

70 Pearl St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Craig L. King
Seller: Michelle M. Hernandez
Date: 05/19/21

80 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Alexandra L. Puffer
Seller: Craig E. O’Brien
Date: 05/28/21

159 Saint Jerome Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,900
Buyer: Kayleigh Fischietto
Seller: Derek M. Sicotte
Date: 05/20/21

133 Sky View Ter.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Miguel A. Rivera
Seller: Gene A. Choquette
Date: 05/21/21

150 Suffolk St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: JVR LLC
Seller: Ronald Poirier
Date: 05/19/21

324 West Franklin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Edmund J. Gorman
Seller: Amelia Mosley
Date: 05/21/21

LONGMEADOW

144 Brookwood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Taylor C. Jones
Seller: Connor, Patricia E., (Estate)
Date: 05/26/21

79 Hazardville Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Vantage Home Buyers LLC
Seller: Joseph N. Bacon
Date: 05/20/21

1607 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Kathleen C. Hobart
Date: 05/19/21

183 Meadowbrook Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Russell J. Fontaine
Seller: Carol L. Abizaid
Date: 05/28/21

132 Meadowlark Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $348,000
Buyer: Piotr Strek
Seller: Joan I. Narmontas
Date: 05/26/21

37 Mohawk Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Ryan Kindle
Seller: Ingrid G. Janes
Date: 05/21/21

126 Nevins Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: Mario Parente
Seller: David T. Wright
Date: 05/25/21

78 Nevins Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Triplett
Seller: Ellen F. Albano
Date: 05/27/21

116 Normandy Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $795,000
Buyer: William Shube
Seller: Leslie D. Gist
Date: 05/28/21

30 Pleasantview Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $417,000
Buyer: Thomas Yager
Seller: Kenneth E. Brill
Date: 05/20/21

30 Plymouth Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $389,900
Buyer: Hilary A. Considine
Seller: Marcia G. Albert
Date: 05/21/21

115 Quinnehtuk Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Leslie Picard LLC
Seller: Anthony S. Guardione
Date: 05/18/21

27 South Park Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Nathan J. Hogan
Seller: Timothy L. Plankey
Date: 05/18/21

143 Viscount Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $408,000
Buyer: Arianna Bonzagni
Seller: Jeanne V. Wheeler
Date: 05/25/21

373 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: William J. Marganti
Seller: Lena Rosen
Date: 05/26/21

LUDLOW

87 Barna St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jayme P. Kapinos
Seller: Stephen M. Koziol
Date: 05/27/21

62 Cady St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Jonathan W. Laporte
Seller: Charles F. Langone
Date: 05/27/21

708 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Mayra I. Hervieux
Seller: Theodore E. Metayer
Date: 05/28/21

795 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jessica Leroux
Seller: Nicholas D. Dusza
Date: 05/24/21

860 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Cornerstone Homebuying LLC
Seller: Elaine R. Bernardo
Date: 05/19/21

28 Grandview Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $243,500
Buyer: Zachary Siano
Seller: Janosik Realty LLC
Date: 05/26/21

135 Guertin Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Philip Gallo
Seller: Dustin Gray
Date: 05/28/21

51-57 Howard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: John B. Murphy
Seller: Nolpaq Properties LLC
Date: 05/28/21

62 Isabel Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $488,000
Buyer: Xiaoli Li
Seller: Jose M. Goncalves
Date: 05/25/21

35-37 Joy St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Muharrem Gunaydin
Seller: Judith A. Evaristo
Date: 05/18/21

48 Letendre Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Harrison J. Piper
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 05/21/21

33 Marion Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Raul G. Fraga
Seller: Michael P. Amaral
Date: 05/28/21

170 Ridgeview Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Michael V. Cortina
Seller: Kenneth Massey
Date: 05/28/21

Sunset Ridge
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Giovanni Cirillo
Seller: Baystate Developers Inc.
Date: 05/26/21

11-13 Williams St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Joseph Burns
Seller: Phillip J. Rodrigues
Date: 05/28/21

MONSON

7 Circle Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $167,831
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Jason A. Forkey
Date: 05/20/21

10 Flynt Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Stephanie Lacerda-Alves
Seller: Rose M. Donnell
Date: 05/28/21

21 Highland Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: David A. Reinstein
Seller: Joseph H. Gagne
Date: 05/24/21

9 King St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $555,000
Buyer: Milad Afdasta
Seller: Sharon E. Johnson
Date: 05/20/21

351 Lower Hampden Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Sarah Thomas
Seller: Meghan E. Dasco
Date: 05/27/21

4 Spring St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Stephanie Lacerda-Alves
Seller: Rose M. Donnell
Date: 05/28/21

13 Stebbins Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $321,000
Buyer: Lauren Tauer
Seller: Cheri L. Johnson
Date: 05/28/21

168 Town Farm Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Gary Marcoullier
Seller: Wurster, Edith S., (Estate)
Date: 05/27/21

257 Wilbraham Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Brandyn J. Pelissier
Seller: Gennie M. Bailey
Date: 05/27/21

PALMER

29 Arnold St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Connor Kennedy
Seller: Joseph Kennedy
Date: 05/28/21

123 Boston Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $427,000
Buyer: Joshua Howe
Seller: Carlos Fragoso-Serrazina
Date: 05/17/21

4192 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Stephen A. Chobot
Seller: Blake E. Lamothe
Date: 05/18/21

1440-1446 North Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: 44 Brigham Hill LLC
Seller: Dream Junction LLC
Date: 05/20/21

2144 Palmer Road
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Aubrey Rugani
Seller: Jacob Ritter
Date: 05/28/21

181 State St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Brett A. Toney
Seller: Abbie M. Muche
Date: 05/28/21

SPRINGFIELD

110 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $304,000
Buyer: Robert E. Dancy
Seller: Elisa M. Alvaro
Date: 05/26/21

85 Acushnet Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Cleiton Dasilva-Tavares
Seller: Donna M. Panuccio
Date: 05/20/21

85 Alden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jessica A. Ritchie
Seller: R. M. Blerman LLC
Date: 05/21/21

12 Alderman St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Rehana A. Pereira
Seller: 2g Properties LLC
Date: 05/26/21

85-87 Ardmore St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jose Blanco
Seller: Tina M. Goff
Date: 05/21/21

39 Atwater Place
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $352,000
Buyer: Philip J. Shea
Seller: Nelson, Carl A., (Estate)
Date: 05/25/21

119 Bacon Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Brian A. Florence
Seller: Rose Shufelt-Scott
Date: 05/28/21

103 Barre St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: 9 York Street Family LP
Seller: Raheem D. Ovalles
Date: 05/19/21

497 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: 497 Belmont Avenue RT
Seller: Vincenzo R. Amore
Date: 05/26/21

14 Benz St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Meghan Boesch
Seller: Ryan C. Thomas
Date: 05/18/21

139 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: James W. Fiore
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/19/21

191 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Shaheer LLC
Seller: Disha Realty LLC
Date: 05/27/21

854 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Gennie B. Rucks
Seller: Carmelo A. Scuderi
Date: 05/25/21

78-80 Beverly Lane
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $266,500
Buyer: 9 York Street Family LP
Seller: Keith E. Tatlock
Date: 05/20/21

78 Bexhill St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Helena D. Romero
Seller: Diane Medina
Date: 05/24/21

82 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Nancy Almodovar-Gartman
Seller: FNMA
Date: 05/21/21

119 Bridle Path Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Gregory J. Stevens
Seller: Donald J. Chabot
Date: 05/27/21

35 Brookline Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Isaias Garcia-Medina
Seller: Juan J. Guzman
Date: 05/21/21

94-96 Byers St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Szu-Ming Li
Seller: Keith W. Fowler
Date: 05/19/21

52-54 Calhoun St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Victor M. Medina-Bernal
Seller: Sergey Dikan
Date: 05/21/21

89 Chauncey Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Tamiekia Hall
Seller: Shobana Kausar
Date: 05/28/21

39 Crestmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $200,300
Buyer: Victor M. Aguirre
Seller: Alex T. Boyd
Date: 05/20/21

25 Daniel St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Ogarth Peters
Seller: Bertram Williamson
Date: 05/20/21

39 Davenport St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Lludis Santana
Seller: Cornerstone Homebuying LLC
Date: 05/28/21

186 Davis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Juan Guzman
Seller: Equity Trust Co.
Date: 05/21/21

202 Davis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Damian Cieszkowski
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 05/28/21

631-633 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Khai D. Do
Seller: Cam-Huyen Truong
Date: 05/21/21

178 Dorset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $215,500
Buyer: Kasey M. Acevedo
Seller: Shayne D. Garrow
Date: 05/27/21

36 Dover St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $1,025,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Allspring Equities LLC
Date: 05/17/21

40 Dover St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $1,025,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Allspring Equities LLC
Date: 05/17/21

199 Eastern Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $206,609
Buyer: Grace M. Melendez-Rivera
Seller: Christopher Lo
Date: 05/26/21

148 Euclid Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $126,600
Buyer: Aykut G. Uner
Seller: Maria I. Aponte
Date: 05/19/21

138 Fiberloid St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Rafael O. Collazo-Cardona
Seller: Jessica Lopez
Date: 05/27/21

41 Fitzgerald Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Jorge L. Martin
Seller: Lucille R. Lomascolo
Date: 05/20/21

38 Ford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $254,000
Buyer: Rosemary M. Mudachi
Seller: Monica Thomas
Date: 05/28/21

97 Genesee St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Pioneer Housing LLC
Seller: Sultan Mourad
Date: 05/17/21

34 Geneva St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Helena Walker
Seller: Comstock, Barbara A., (Estate)
Date: 05/25/21

298 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Jessica M. Taylor
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 05/27/21

33 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $286,500
Buyer: Samantha Haefner
Seller: Robert Dancy
Date: 05/26/21

75 Glenmore St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Amber L. Dyke
Seller: Adrian P. Vega
Date: 05/17/21

83-85 Granby St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Matthew Dean
Seller: Bhuwan Gautam
Date: 05/28/21

132 Hartford Ter.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Lionel Jardine
Seller: Kelly A. Schafer
Date: 05/28/21

30 Hunter Place
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Parrish Frost-Mercado
Seller: Juan Cardona
Date: 05/28/21

105 Joan St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Solimari Sierra
Seller: Mars Real Properties Inc.
Date: 05/28/21

56 Juliet St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Jimmy Ninh
Seller: Bukowski Construction LLC
Date: 05/25/21

36 Keith St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Britenee Perrier
Seller: Aquarius Real Estate LLC
Date: 05/26/21

47 Laurel St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Rose D. Roman
Seller: Vanyeline M. Carrasquillo
Date: 05/25/21

114 Leatherleaf Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Travis M. Orszulak
Seller: Clinton R. Stonacek
Date: 05/28/21

106-110 Lincoln St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: WVSpringfield LLC
Date: 05/17/21

Loring St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $231,500
Buyer: Margarita Nunez-Ferrand
Seller: Andres Dominguez
Date: 05/20/21

109 Lyons St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Nadalya Rivera
Seller: Maria M. Silva
Date: 05/20/21

65 Mapledell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Paige Landry
Seller: Round 2 LLC
Date: 05/20/21

44 Marble St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Pedro F. Vasquez
Seller: Hyacinthe Fallings
Date: 05/27/21

20 Margerie St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Raul Medina
Seller: Maria Velez
Date: 05/17/21

137 Marion St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $176,500
Buyer: Kristy L. Hawkins
Seller: Deluca Development Corp.
Date: 05/24/21

41-43 Maryland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $260,500
Buyer: John R. Griffin
Seller: K&S Holdings LLC
Date: 05/27/21

92 Melha Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Brandon Gonzalez
Seller: Leonardo Toro
Date: 05/21/21

198-200 Middle St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $324,900
Buyer: Julian Torres
Seller: Gary A. Daula
Date: 05/28/21

22 Montgomery St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Ricardo Ramos
Seller: Paul Martins
Date: 05/28/21

3 Morison Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Matthew Duplessis
Seller: Onota Rental LLC
Date: 05/28/21

35 Morton St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Joan Wairagu
Seller: Ramon Arce
Date: 05/25/21

139-141 Moxon St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Latysha M. Ortiz-Coles
Seller: Manuel A. Cardona
Date: 05/24/21

50 Newland St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $126,000
Buyer: Phantom Holdings LLC
Seller: David P. Fontaine
Date: 05/27/21

115 North Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Angel Rodriguez
Seller: Bruce L. Tetrault
Date: 05/17/21

100 Northampton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Lourdes M. Gomez
Seller: Lloyd A. Cameron
Date: 05/18/21

166 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $229,650
Buyer: Waclaw Hojnoski
Seller: Naples Property Group LLC
Date: 05/18/21

196 Oak Grove Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Emtay Inc.
Seller: Mariners Atlantic Portfolio
Date: 05/21/21

61 Old Brook Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Tracey L. Larock
Seller: Gary J. Sperlonga
Date: 05/28/21

1635 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $597,000
Buyer: DDM Property Group LLC
Seller: Bruce F. Hambro
Date: 05/21/21

417 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Harold Rivera
Seller: Lilliam Morales
Date: 05/28/21

104-106 Pasadena St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Samuel Braverman
Seller: AAD LLC
Date: 05/28/21

62 Pear St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Ale Moultrie
Seller: James C. Lee
Date: 05/17/21

102 Pembroke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Adam Lataille
Seller: Iesha M. Ramos
Date: 05/17/21

16-18 Phoenix St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Hamror S. Gabriel
Seller: Rayan Abdulbaki
Date: 05/28/21

621 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Ramon Arce
Seller: Jacqueline Cintron-Arce
Date: 05/25/21

49 Rimmon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Ryan Deland
Seller: Cascade Funding Mortgage Trust HB3
Date: 05/28/21

83 Prospect St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Crystal Everett
Seller: Oussama Awkal
Date: 05/21/21

20 Revere St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Nikita Chauhan
Seller: Luis A. Perez
Date: 05/17/21

41 Saffron Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jill A. Quinn
Seller: Robert Dungan
Date: 05/21/21

86 Saffron Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Suhaiylah T. Abdul-Hakim
Seller: Thomas J. Zwizinski
Date: 05/27/21

175 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Angela M. Claudio-Medina
Seller: JJJ 17 LLC
Date: 05/26/21

736 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Jorge Lopez
Seller: Susan Ortiz
Date: 05/20/21

71-81 School St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

69 Seymour Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Jose Gonzalez
Seller: Richard A. Ducharme
Date: 05/28/21

268 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Seller: Picton Capital LLC
Date: 05/25/21

246 Slater Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: 9 York Street Family LP
Seller: Cole Alves
Date: 05/25/21

34 Sumner Ave. #PB9
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Karl W. Rehbein
Seller: Leticia Guzman
Date: 05/18/21

615 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Dennis C. Burroughs
Seller: Liberty Onyx LLC
Date: 05/24/21

25 Tiffany St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Zorylee Torres
Seller: Yesenia Toribio
Date: 05/27/21

72-74 Tulsa St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Anthony Cianflone
Seller: J. Danusia Lokii-Braese
Date: 05/26/21

Union St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

282-296 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

304 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

308-314 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

316 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $5,450,000
Buyer: Miles Morgan LLC
Seller: Union St. Springfield MA LLC
Date: 05/17/21

53 Warrenton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Armando M. Mora-Fernandez
Seller: District Capital LLC
Date: 05/28/21

169 Westminster St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Tatiana L. Myrick
Seller: Keith R. Sheppard
Date: 05/18/21

16 Wexford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: Brendan C. Allen
Seller: William Raleigh
Date: 05/27/21

540-542 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Genaro Vargas
Seller: Jorge Santana
Date: 05/18/21

804-806 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: David J. Dagostino
Seller: Charles D. Joyal
Date: 05/25/21

64 Whiting St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $388,000
Buyer: Gilian Washington
Seller: Todd Illingsworth
Date: 05/27/21

47-49 Whittier St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Javier Flores-Baez
Seller: Richard A. Gibbons
Date: 05/25/21

243-245 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Sarah E. Jackson
Seller: Home Equity Assets Realty
Date: 05/28/21

138 Wilber St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Alex S. Krake
Seller: Frank J. Delvalle
Date: 05/20/21

870 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Ana Dela-Rosa
Seller: Angel O. Alban
Date: 05/26/21

104 Wilmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Shawn Summers
Seller: Robert G. Ferron
Date: 05/19/21

28 Wilmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: K. J. Valentin-Gonzalez
Seller: Evelio Velez-Garcia
Date: 05/20/21

31 Wilmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $272,800
Buyer: Jennifer L. Rehbein
Seller: Walter L. Starzyk
Date: 05/28/21

90 Woodcrest Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Shobana Kausar
Seller: Madeleine P. Wozniak
Date: 05/28/21

1031 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Siomara Vega
Seller: Jose P. Ferreira
Date: 05/21/21

SOUTHWICK

3 4th St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Jean R. Parisi
Seller: Lisa B. Hart
Date: 05/21/21

78 Point Grove Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Thomas R. McCabe
Seller: Frederick H. Bohn
Date: 05/20/21

Silvergrass Lane #21
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 05/21/21

Silvergrass Lane #35
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Hamelin Framing Inc.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 05/21/21

WALES

8 Reed Hill Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Nadine Delisle
Seller: Brenda L. Dessert
Date: 05/28/21

WEST SPRINGFIELD

147 Albert St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Brian A. Pomeroy
Seller: Nicholas Walch
Date: 05/28/21

25 Appaloosa Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Derek L. Ferguson
Seller: Dennis P. Powers
Date: 05/17/21

103 Bonair Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $378,000
Buyer: Dhan Rai
Seller: Christopher D. Marini
Date: 05/28/21

111 East Gooseberry Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $313,000
Buyer: Hem R. Rai
Seller: Rosa Leo
Date: 05/20/21

42 Ely Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: MAA Property LLC
Seller: David N. Gervais
Date: 05/28/21

80 Forris St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Stefan J. Machowski
Seller: William Lafreniere
Date: 05/28/21

71 Humphrey Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Brandon Decoteau
Seller: Debra M. Schmidt
Date: 05/28/21

56 Lennys Way
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Adam L. Dasso
Seller: Douglas J. Martin
Date: 05/19/21

19 Lowell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Donna M. McCaul
Date: 05/28/21

20 Lowell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Christina R. Duross
Seller: Thomas M. Pirnie
Date: 05/21/21

170 Meadowbrook Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,500
Buyer: John J. Sawyer
Seller: Shirley J. Brathwaite
Date: 05/21/21

115 Morton St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Erich A. Nabua
Seller: John R. Drisdelle
Date: 05/27/21

40 North Blvd.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Cory Swett
Seller: Robert E. Nazzaro
Date: 05/28/21

112 Overlook Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Mark J. Gaspari
Seller: Paul R. Boucher
Date: 05/24/21

146 Overlook Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Juan A. Nunez
Seller: I. Fernandez-Almodovar
Date: 05/18/21

41-43 Sprague St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Mariia Leiderman
Seller: Vladimir Shandrin
Date: 05/18/21

WESTFIELD

57 Bristol St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Fogarty
Seller: Kevin J. Irujo
Date: 05/28/21

43 Colony Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $341,000
Buyer: Angel Nieves
Seller: Mark J. Gaspari
Date: 05/24/21

5 Conner Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Maria Providencia-Seddon
Seller: Hoagland, Donald B., (Estate)
Date: 05/19/21

8 Conner Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Raeshawn Wilson
Seller: JJS Capital Investments LLC
Date: 05/26/21

17 Day Lily Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $555,000
Buyer: Marc Gendron
Seller: Bent Tree Development LLC
Date: 05/26/21

111 Devon Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Nicholas Cardaropoli
Seller: Kenn E. Sinclair
Date: 05/28/21

238 Dox Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $319,500
Buyer: Stanley W. Sawa
Seller: Allyn J. Gieryk
Date: 05/21/21

161 Highland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Alexander Snyder
Seller: Salim Abdoo
Date: 05/26/21

29 Joseph Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Adam P. Simmons
Seller: Robert Browning
Date: 05/21/21

28 Laro Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Sarah I. Phipps
Seller: Angel R. Santiago
Date: 05/20/21

2 Linden Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: K&R Real-Estate Solutions
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 05/21/21

20 Linden Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Natalia Dukach
Seller: Meredith Morgan
Date: 05/26/21

18 Malone Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: William Barna
Seller: Leighton J. King
Date: 05/26/21

114 Northridge Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Victor Marcu
Seller: Carmen T. Cross
Date: 05/21/21

77 Overlook Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $416,500
Buyer: Kristen Keane
Seller: John S. Wysocki
Date: 05/27/21

74 Ridgeway St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Christopher Eck
Seller: Kristine M. Seney
Date: 05/19/21

50 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $262,900
Buyer: Susan D. Soucy
Seller: Brian Sabonis
Date: 05/20/21

140 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $8,500,000
Buyer: Brookview Townhomes LLC
Seller: Westex LLC
Date: 05/28/21

78 Western Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Christina L. Medina
Seller: Marion E. McCarthy
Date: 05/27/21

6 William St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Thomas Valentine
Seller: Marilyn A. McNeil
Date: 05/19/21

WILBRAHAM

2 Brainard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Laura Blaze
Seller: Antonio Carvalho
Date: 05/27/21

12 Echo Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $755,000
Buyer: Timothy R. Hebert
Seller: Chris E. Mensing
Date: 05/27/21

18 Forest Glade Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Bretta Construction LLC
Seller: Janice F. Kozub
Date: 05/21/21

29 Glenn Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Cordi
Seller: Camsad Builders LLC
Date: 05/27/21

20 Old Orchard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Michael Culhane
Seller: Kevin J. O’Rourke
Date: 05/24/21

636 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Hamzah M. Abu-Ata
Seller: Christine H. Strauss
Date: 05/27/21

331 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $333,000
Buyer: Andrew Baron
Seller: Pamela Budlong
Date: 05/28/21

60 Weston St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Gina M. Ferreira
Seller: Joanne Sowa
Date: 05/25/21

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

198 Alpine Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Matthew Given
Seller: Monica W. Gichuhi
Date: 05/26/21

52 Fearing St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $695,000
Buyer: 52 Fearing Street LLC
Seller: Stephen C. Fellers
Date: 05/21/21

167 Glendale Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Daniel Cook
Seller: Zachary M. Kaufman
Date: 05/28/21

100 Leverett Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $333,600
Buyer: Erin T. Poulin
Seller: Mary A. Antonellis
Date: 05/28/21

142 North East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: 7740 Northeast College LLC
Seller: Alice M. MacDonald
Date: 05/28/21

1350 South East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $1,430,000
Buyer: Theodore J. Christ
Seller: Bruce C. Lattmann
Date: 05/17/21

139 Sunset Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Viet T. Le
Seller: P. & J. A. Thatcher Asset TR
Date: 05/28/21

BELCHERTOWN

272 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Steven Baer
Seller: James Longobardo
Date: 05/28/21

800 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $257,800
Buyer: Jenilins Barbly
Seller: John W. Luippold
Date: 05/20/21

33 Maple St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Theresa J. Gallagher
Seller: Mary G. Barnum
Date: 05/26/21

35 Summit St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $320,050
Buyer: Lili Bourgeois
Seller: Deborah O’Neil
Date: 05/20/21

EASTHAMPTON

37 Campbell Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Katelyn Hurley
Seller: Ronald J. Stolarik
Date: 05/28/21

11 Davis St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Matthew Winnick
Seller: Kevin C. Netto Construction Inc.
Date: 05/28/21

62 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Nicholas D. Duprey
Seller: Richard J. King
Date: 05/27/21

7 Pomeroy Court
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Benjamin J. Leedy
Seller: Daniel A. Poulin
Date: 05/26/21

35 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $452,000
Buyer: Christopher B. Norton
Seller: William Damato
Date: 05/27/21

20 Torrey St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Richard King
Seller: Jessica L. Keefe
Date: 05/27/21

18 Willow Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jessica L. Keefe
Seller: Oliver D. Beltran
Date: 05/27/21

CUMMINGTON

482 Stage Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Nancy Jamison
Seller: Belle Isle Properties LLC
Date: 05/21/21

EASTHAMPTON

363 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $366,500
Buyer: Lauren E. Bullis
Seller: New England House LLC
Date: 05/21/21

GOSHEN

21 Fuller Road
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Ann Lord-Schmitt
Seller: Rudzik NT
Date: 05/27/21

GRANBY

335 Chicopee St.
Granby, MA 01013
Amount: $458,500
Buyer: Jason R. Lariviere
Seller: Kotowicz Custom Homes LLC
Date: 05/25/21

75 Forge Pond Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Christian P. Beauchemin
Seller: Beauchemin, Margaret J., (Estate)
Date: 05/21/21

29 Kellogg St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Hollie Lehouillier
Seller: Robert T. Mann
Date: 05/24/21

School St. #7
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Kevin Miller
Seller: Edward C. Shyloski & Sons
Date: 05/26/21

193 Taylor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Shane A. DeLeon
Seller: Philip T. Braese
Date: 05/18/21

HADLEY

358 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Black
Seller: Christine Kokoski
Date: 05/17/21

104 Rocky Hill Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: Heidi K. Kuester
Seller: Luis O. Hernandez-Munez
Date: 05/21/21

 

455 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: OCH Realty LLC
Seller: R. M. Vincunas 1995 TR
Date: 05/21/21

HATFIELD

230 Straits Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Lisa M. Ibrahim
Seller: Katherine V. Harris
Date: 05/24/21

HUNTINGTON

16 Crescent St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Justin Holmes
Seller: Robert Holmes
Date: 05/26/21

22 Nagler Cross Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: Casey A. McKittrick
Seller: Douglas Twarosch
Date: 05/28/21

79 Searle Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Benjamin Yarra
Seller: Matthew A. Still
Date: 05/28/21

MIDDLEFIELD

153 Skyline Trail
Middlefield, MA 01243
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Denise Michaud-Lucas
Seller: Charles H. Winn
Date: 05/28/21

NORTHAMPTON

19 Armory St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $3,900,000
Buyer: Ralph R. Realty LLC
Seller: Bermor LP
Date: 05/28/21

737 Bridge Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $1,935,370
Buyer: 737 Northampton LLC
Seller: Bais Pinchos
Date: 05/18/21

167 Chestnut St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $493,000
Buyer: Jodi M. Miller
Seller: Devon L. Greyson
Date: 05/25/21

131 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Miranda S. Lutyens
Seller: Emerson Way LLC
Date: 05/28/21

23 Ice Pond Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $627,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Mahoney
Seller: Bruce M. Kriviskey
Date: 05/24/21

640 Kennedy Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: Carly Everhart
Seller: Aquadro Family LLLP
Date: 05/17/21

25 Kirkland Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $3,900,000
Buyer: Ralph R. Realty LLC
Seller: Bermor LP
Date: 05/28/21

84 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $3,900,000
Buyer: Ralph R. Realty LLC
Seller: Bermor LP
Date: 05/28/21

90 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $3,900,000
Buyer: Ralph R. Realty LLC
Seller: Bermor LP
Date: 05/28/21

31 Murphy Ter.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Rosie Alig
Seller: Georganne Sexton
Date: 05/17/21

125 North St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $439,000
Buyer: David Kates
Seller: Stephen G. Sireci
Date: 05/28/21

117 Olander Dr. #12
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $585,900
Buyer: Joseph M. Holmes
Seller: Sunwood Development Corp.
Date: 05/28/21

226 Prospect St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Isabel L. Wells
Seller: Joanne Marqusee
Date: 05/24/21

541 Riverside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Seth A. Cable
Seller: Sik K. Ang
Date: 05/20/21

196 Round Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $655,000
Buyer: Richard J. Ranti
Seller: Peter Frothingham
Date: 05/19/21

214 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: John Lee
Seller: Brett R. Barry
Date: 05/17/21

93 Washington Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $770,000
Buyer: Benjamin Church
Seller: William J. Corwin
Date: 05/27/21

114 Williams St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Luke Browne
Seller: John J. Stanisewski
Date: 05/20/21

PLAINFIELD

27 Broom St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Farmhouse Properties LLC
Seller: Almond Property Management LLC
Date: 05/24/21

SOUTH HADLEY

100 East St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Compton Bissell-Hazen
Seller: Jessica Poser
Date: 05/20/21

99 Granby Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $307,500
Buyer: Jared J. Mendoza
Seller: Joseph L. Couture
Date: 05/27/21

30 Highland Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $388,500
Buyer: Randy Manseau
Seller: Bruce E. Lukasik
Date: 05/28/21

27 Judd Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: April Doroski
Seller: Hilton, David, (Estate)
Date: 05/27/21

133 Lathrop St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Thai C. Kim
Seller: S. Page Children TR
Date: 05/27/21

32 Lyon Green
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Loree A. Carver
Seller: J. N. Duquette & Son Construction Inc.
Date: 05/26/21

10 Normandy Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Timothy J. Dachos
Seller: Lucille V. Dachos
Date: 05/21/21

22 Queen Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Nicholas J. Rojas
Seller: Deborah A. Tetrault
Date: 05/20/21

41 Red Bridge Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: Daniel R. Sharp
Seller: James Rippa
Date: 05/24/21

41 South St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $141,109
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Paul C. Poreda
Date: 05/27/21

23 Waite Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Shanti D. Sponder
Seller: Barry M. Sponder
Date: 05/28/21

29 Westbrook Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Thomas F. Bernard
Seller: Amy C. Irwin
Date: 05/28/21

SOUTHAMPTON

Fomer Road #2
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $194,800
Buyer: Daviau & Robert Properties LLC
Seller: Charles M. Fisher LT
Date: 05/18/21

Fomer Road #3
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $194,800
Buyer: Daviau & Robert Properties LLC
Seller: Charles M. Fisher LT
Date: 05/18/21

59 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: William P. Koetsch
Seller: John Gwosch
Date: 05/26/21

20 Wolcott Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $369,543
Buyer: Stephen T. Johnson
Seller: Teresa M. Adams
Date: 05/19/21

WARE

480 Belchertown Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Kevin B. Gendreau
Seller: John E. Ryan
Date: 05/25/21

7 Berkshire Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Richard J. Boles
Seller: Gilbert, Kimberly L., (Estate)
Date: 05/27/21

89 Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Isis Anadon
Seller: Frederyque L. Koetsch
Date: 05/18/21

143 Eagle St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Heather Mancuso
Seller: Jay H. Hurlbrink
Date: 05/26/21

118 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $241,000
Buyer: Anthony L. Wallace
Seller: Michael Davis
Date: 05/19/21

41 Pine St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $358,000
Buyer: Cedrik E. Wright
Seller: Damian S. Cieszkowski
Date: 05/26/21

5 Towne St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $183,500
Buyer: Gordon Duke
Seller: Jennifer R. Pitts
Date: 05/26/21

135 Walker Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Anderson Builders & Son LLC
Seller: Dianna E. Sokol
Date: 05/18/21

232 West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Joshua D. Orton
Seller: Steven J. Alonso
Date: 05/19/21

WILLIAMSBURG

25-1/2 Hyde Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $718,620
Buyer: Michael A. Stamm
Seller: Michael A. Henson
Date: 05/26/21

121 Petticoat Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: William H. Hooper
Seller: PABA Associates LLC
Date: 05/26/21

WESTHAMPTON

50 Burt Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Chenoa Charpentier
Seller: Adrienne M. Hornby
Date: 05/28/21

WORTHINGTON

266 Old North Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Amber McFee
Seller: Rita S. Koenigs
Date: 05/27/21

Country Bank Pledges $1 Million to Fight Hunger in Western and Central Mass.

By
Daily News

WORCESTER — At its annual meeting on June 21, held at Polar Park in Worcester, Country Bank President and CEO Paul Scully announced a $1 million pledge to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the Worcester County Food Bank.

Newly appointed Country Bank board members Elizabeth Cohen-Rappaport, Richard Maynard, Ross Dik, and Stacey Luster surprised both Andrew Morehouse, executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, and Jean McMurray, executive director of the Worcester County Food Bank, with checks for $500,000 each.

“As a community partner, we care deeply about the sustainability of our communities and the people who live in them,” Scully said. “In recognizing the burdens that many have experienced throughout this past year, Country Bank is ‘throwing hunger a curveball” by pledging $1 million to the communities it serves. Supporting and enriching its communities has been the bank’s mission since 1850.”

In 2020, Country Bank’s philanthropy exceeded $1 million by supporting 450 nonprofits throughout the region, mainly focused on helping food pantries, homeless shelters, COVID-19 relief services, veterans, and other programs that supported the everyday needs of the people in its communities.

Meredith-Springfield Associates Breaks Ground on Expansion Project

By
Daily News

LUDLOW — Meredith-Springfield Associates Inc., a plastics manufacturer specializing in bottles and hollow technical articles manufactured through extrusion blow molding and injection stretch blow molding, recently broke ground on an expansion in Ludlow.

The project will add 5,000 square feet of light manufacturing space, 12,000 square feet of warehouse space, and three new loading docks in a 1,000-square-foot addition, bringing the total facility to 83,000 square feet. The larger footprint makes way for six top-of-the-line machines that will help to automate production and increase capacity.

“Meredith-Springfield was chartered in 1979,” President and CEO Mel O’Leary said. “Through our years of incredible growth, we’ve called Massachusetts home, so to be able to expand our headquarters where our company was born is important to who we are.”

Since its founding, Meredith-Springfield has offered extrusion and coextrusion (double- and triple-layer) blow molding and injection stretch blow molding of PET, HDPE, PP, PVC, PA, ePET, TPE, TPU, ABS, LDPE, and fluoropolymers for clients spanning the globe. Notable customers include American Distilling, B&G Foods, Henkel, Honeywell LifeMade Products, PepsiCo, Reebok, and more.

“It’s been a challenge to meet the needs of our growing business with our existing space,” O’Leary added. “This investment in the building and manufacturing equipment allows us to better plan for the future and increase efficiencies. It will give us room to grow while enhancing our manufacturing and warehouse spaces.”

In the coming months, Meredith-Springfield will install two new extrusion blow molding machines, a Bekum 155 and R&B/Sika 850 long stroke, as well as an Aoki AL-1000 injection stretch blow molding machine. In addition to the molding machines, the manufacturer has acquired three new, fully automatic Dyco Baggers and a Mexan Automation semi-automatic bagger. These machines will automate bottle discharges from the machines after their production, with attached conveyors offering leak checks and visual inspections. Then the baggers will palletize the finished products, readying them for shipping while eliminating the use of corrugated boxes.

“Ultimately, our goal is to serve our customers with reduced lead times and higher-quality products that are more sustainably packaged,” O’Leary said. “We’ll soon have the space and equipment we need to move forward to the next level as a company while providing the service our clients expect and deserve. We’re all very excited to start this next phase in our company’s evolution.”

Springfield Regional Chamber President Warns of Phishing Attack

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Regional Chamber President Nancy Creed issued a warning to chamber members about a recently reported scam.

“It’s come to our attention that the Springfield Regional Chamber’s likeness is being used in a targeted phishing attack,” she wrote. “You may have received an e-mail regarding membership verification. This is not a chamber-affiliated communication. Please be cautious and do not input any personal data.”

Creed also listed some tips for identifying phishing attacks:

• Check the sender information. Does the email address look suspicious?

• Watch out for shortened links. Cybercriminals often use these — from Bitly and other shortening services — to trick the recipient into thinking they are clicking a legitimate link, when in fact they are being inadvertently directed to a fake site.

• Be wary of threats and urgent deadlines.

CitySpace Receives $35,000 from Beveridge Family Foundation for Old Town Hall

By
Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — The Beveridge Family Foundation awarded CitySpace $35,000 in support of the restoration of Old Town Hall into a center of the arts for the city of Easthampton and Western Mass.

In 2006, beginning with Old Town Hall’s first floor, CitySpace embarked on an effort to create affordable space for arts organizations and creative businesses under one roof in Easthampton’s Main Street Historic District. Now, CitySpace is raising funds to convert the unused, second-floor, 3500-square-foot hall into a flexible, accessible, 350-seat performing-arts and community space for performances, concerts, and community events. Renovations will include a new box office, elevator, entryway, theatrical lighting, and sound and projection systems.

To date, more than $4 million in grants and contributions have been received for the $6.9 million project. CitySpace plans to begin renovations in late 2022, and the organization seeks further support to complete the project.

“From the beginning of our campaign, the Beveridge Foundation has been incredibly generous and encouraging of CitySpace for the restoration of Old Town Hall,” said Burns Maxey, CitySpace board president. “We are deeply thankful and honored for the foundation’s growing support to create a vibrant destination for the performing arts for our Western Massachusetts community.”

Paragus I.T. Moves into Worcester Market with Acquisition of Comportz Technologies

By
Daily News

HADLEY — Paragus I.T. announced the acquisition of Worcester-based IT firm Comportz Technologies. Like Paragus, Comportz specializes in outsourced IT services, cybersecurity, and other technology solutions for small to medium-sized businesses.

For more than a decade, Paragus has been one of the fastest-growing I.T. companies in the region. With a few exceptions, it has primarily been focused on Western Mass. and surrounding areas. This new acquisition is the first big step toward expanding its services into Worcester and Central Mass.

“We’re very excited about this acquisition,” Paragus CEO Delcie Bean said. “Entering the Worcester market is something we’ve been strategically planning. This is a perfect opportunity to do it with an excellent company with a great crew and a strong client base. We look forward to bringing everyone into the fold and getting involved with the Worcester business community — and going to see some WooSox games. It’s a great city.”

Comportz Technologies offices have been closed for most of the pandemic, and staff have been working remotely. This fall, Paragus will open a new Worcester office. All Comportz staff have been retained, as well as many of its clients.

“This acquisition will enhance our ability to service our customers with speed, efficiency, and support at the highest level,” Comportz Technologies owner Kevin Anderson said. “Paragus brings additional resources to the table that will benefit everyone. And our staff is excited to join the fun, dynamic company culture that Paragus is known for. I think they will make a big splash in the local market and take things to the next level.”

Paragus will share more details about the acquisition in the coming weeks and is planning a fun event to kick things off in Worcester.

Massachusetts Unemployment Rate Creeps Down in May

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate was down 0.3% in May to 6.1%, following a revision to the April unemployment rate of 6.4%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts gained 9,200 jobs in May. This follows April’s revised gain of 10,200 jobs. Over the month, leisure and hospitality once again had the largest gains with 3,200 jobs added, followed by education and health services, adding 2,400 jobs. Since December 2020, Massachusetts has gained 91,800 jobs.

From May 2020 to May 2021, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 357,700 jobs. Education and health services gained the most jobs, adding 50,600, followed by leisure and hospitality, adding 43,400 jobs.

The May unemployment rate was 0.3% higher than the national rate of 5.8% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Massachusetts labor force increased by 1,900 from 3,745,700 in April, as 13,700 more residents were employed and 11,800 fewer residents were unemployed over the month. Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down by 9.2%.

The state’s labor-force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — remained at 66.4%. Compared to May 2020, the labor-force participation rate is up 2.5%.

Elms College Plans Full On-campus Experience for Fall Semester

By
Daily News

CHICOPEE — Elms College announced it will offer students a full on-campus living and learning experience for the fall 2021 semester.

“The college successfully had students living and taking classes safely on campus at the height of the pandemic, and due to our ElmsSafe health protocols, we completed the 2020-21 academic year that way,” Elms College President Harry Dumay said. “With the vaccine readily available and state COVID restrictions easing, I feel confident that we can provide students with an on-campus experience that includes residence halls at pre-pandemic capacities, on-campus classes, competitive sports, and more.”

Plans are now underway to also ensure that the dining hall is fully operational and students will be allowed to gather on campus for various activities and clubs.

“Our top priority has always been the health and safety of the entire Elms community — students, faculty, and staff — and it is because of their diligence and hard work over the past year that we are able to make this important decision,” Dumay added.

The college is requiring all students who are planning to attend classes in person and those who will reside in residence halls to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination prior to the start of the fall semester. Students whose coursework is entirely online and are not required to be on campus are exempt from this requirement.

The decision was made based on guidance provided by the Massachusetts Higher Education Testing Group, as well as discussions with faculty and staff across the Elms College campus. The Massachusetts Higher Education Testing Group has found that vaccination levels above 80% are essential — and levels above 90% will be most effective — in controlling infections on residential campuses.

Since the college will be fully open in the fall semester, Elms is also requiring that all staff and faculty get a COVID-19 vaccination before returning to campus.

“We made the decision to require everyone on campus to be fully inoculated in order to facilitate a vibrant and supportive learning environment that is as close to normal as possible,” Dumay said. “That is what makes the educational experience at Elms so special.”

To help facilitate vaccinations, the college scheduled a vaccination clinic on June 15 as part of its COVID vaccination partnership with Big Y supermarkets.

Elms is awaiting confirmation by the Great Northeast Athletic Conference and the NCAA regarding the announcement of the fall sports schedule.

Greenfield Cooperative Bank Issues Fiscal Report

By
Daily News

GREENFIELD — Michael Tucker, CEO, and Anthony Worden, president and COO, of Greenfield Cooperative Bank (GCB) and its parent company, Greenfield Bancorp, MHC, announced the operating results of the bank’s latest fiscal year at the 116th annual meeting of the bank on June 15.

Worden reported that FY 2021, which ended on March 31, was very successful, and the assets of the bank grew by $98.1 million (an increase of 14.31%) over the prior year.

In FY 2021, GCB originated more than $165 million in loans of all types, including $51.28 million in residential mortgages, $104.43 million in commercial real-estate and commercial and industrial lending, $31.13 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans, $31.91 million in municipal lending, $8.92 million in home-equity loans and lines, and $1.09 million in MassSave zero-interest energy loans.

GCB had an increase of $104.7 million in deposits (up 18.15%) over the past year, its largest one-year increase ever.

The pre-tax operating income for Greenfield Cooperative Bank was $3.424 million for the year ended March 31, and the net income after taxes was $3.059 million. Total equity grew to $82.83 million. GCB’s tier 1 capital to average assets is 10.9%. The bank is considered well-capitalized by all regulatory definitions.

As a result of these solid earnings, Greenfield Cooperative Bank and its employees were able to contribute over $260,503 to 200 community groups and charities throughout Hampshire and Franklin counties during the past fiscal year, a 7.8% increase over the prior year.

BusinessTalk with with Charlie Christianson, president of East Longmeadow-based CMD Technology Group

By
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.

Episode 69: June 21, 2021

George O’Brien talks with Charlie Christianson, president of East Longmeadow-based CMD Technology Group

BusinessWest editor George O’Brien talks with Charlie Christianson, president of East Longmeadow-based CMD Technology Group. The two discuss the recent spate of high-profile cyber attacks and how they have served to drive home the point that small businesses — and large businesses as well — need to do all they can to be prevent such breaches and properly respond when and if they do happen. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Living Local.

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GSB Names Shandra Richardson Senior Vice President, Senior Operations Officer

By
Daily News

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Savings Bank (GSB) named Shandra Richardson senior vice president and senior operations officer. She will direct all aspects of the bank’s operations, including compliance, retail banking, marketing, deposit, electronic, and loan operations, as well as developing and implementing new policies and procedures for organizational systems management.

“Shandra has joined GSB with more than 15 years of financial and banking experience at the executive level in consumer retail banking, operations, and regulatory functions,” said John Howland, president and CEO of Greenfield Savings Bank. “In addition, Shandra is the embodiment of our core values of commitment to customers and community.”

Prior to joining GSB, Richardson held multiple leadership roles at Citizens Bank N.A. and, most recently, at Santander Bank N.A. She specializes in operational life-cycle transformation, regulatory exam preparation, project management, and organizational development. She has also been involved in company diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, including active participation in multiple employee resource groups (ERGs) focusing on the support and empowerment of women and black and Latinx employees.

A UMass Amherst graduate, Richardson received a bachelor’s degree in marketing and then went on to earn an MBA along with completing leadership and Lean Methodology Executive Education courses. While working in the Boston area, she has been active in the Greater Boston and South Shore communities volunteering at a wide range of organizations, such as Cradles to Crayons, Dress for Success, United Way, Year Up, and OneBostonDay.org. She also serves as a member of the Harvard Business Review advisory council, an opt-in research community of business professionals, and has also served as the New England regional lead of the Thrive ERG, which provides resources and support to caregivers and individuals with physical or cognitive differences.

Soccer Clinic for Refugee and Immigrant Youth Slated for June 28 to July 2

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts has partnered with Soccer without Borders and Springfield College to host a first-of-its-kind soccer clinic in Springfield. The week-long clinic will be held June 28 to July 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Springfield College for 50 refugee and immigrant Springfield high-school students.

The soccer clinic will provide a positive summer experience for refugee and immigrant students who attend Springfield public schools. For some students, this will be the first in-person activity of the school year, and for others new to the city or the U.S., it is an opportunity to meet peers in person and find common ground.

“As one of the few global languages, soccer has the power to shape the world for the better,” said Bruno Contreras, Soccer without Borders Boston program director. “Soccer Without Borders (SWB) uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing underserved youth in the U.S. and abroad with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to growth, inclusion, and personal success. SWB Boston has been serving the refugee and immigrant community in and around East Boston since 2012 with a culture of welcoming and belonging that supports newcomers to build a new home.”

JFS and Springfield College are excited to have Soccer without Borders make its debut in Springfield. The clinic will bring together youth and coaches from diverse cultural backgrounds to create community, exercise, build leadership, and practice their English-language skills. Over the course of the week, teens will have the opportunity to foster teamwork, connect and build friendships with other teens, and, of course, have fun.

Monson Bank in East Longmeadow to Host Free Community Shred Day on June 26

By
Daily News

EAST LONGMEADOW — Monson Savings Bank’s East Longmeadow Branch announced it will host a free Community Shred Day on Saturday, June 26 from 9 a.m. to noon. As in past years, the bank is partnering with PROSHRED of Wilbraham for this event. The bank welcomes the public to dispose of their private documents safely and securely.

Storing documents that contain personal information in the home can pose a major security risk. Monson Savings Bank is encouraging residents to shred any documents they no longer need, especially those that contain private information. This Community Shred Day is an ideal chance to properly discard unwanted documents, such as tax returns, bank or credit-card statements, bills, medical records, and more.

“The East Longmeadow branch has been open for almost a year now; we have really enjoyed being a part of the town’s community,” said Aimee Kohn, branch manager. “We are very excited to host our branch’s first Community Shred Day. We prioritize protecting the personal information of our customers and community members. Every day, our employees, in every department of the bank, do everything they can to keep the information of our customers and noncustomers safe. Our Shred Day gives the community the opportunity to safely gather together at a fun event, while providing them with a convenient and secure way to destroy their documents.”

Pre-packaged refreshments and giveaways will be available at the event, while supplies last.

Price Rite Marketplace Partners with Feed the Children on Food-security Campaign

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Price Rite Marketplace teamed up with anti-hunger organization Feed the Children and event partners Pepsi and Revival Time Evangelical Center to distribute food and essentials to 400 local families on June 16. The community event is part of the supermarket retailer’s 2021 Feeding Minds & Bodies Campaign in partnership with Feed the Children, which helps food-insecure families in the communities where Price Rite Marketplace stores operate.

Each family, pre-identified by Revival Time Evangelical Center, received a 25-pound box of food; 15-pound box of essentials like shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and personal-care items; a backpack filled with school supplies, and additional shelf-stable items provided by Price Rite Marketplace.

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with Feed the Children to help combat childhood hunger,” said Jim Dorey, president of Price Rite Marketplace. “Supporting the communities we serve is a top priority for us, and after the year we’ve been through, we are needed now more than ever. We are proud of our team’s continued work helping families during difficult times.”

Fighting hunger is at the heart of Price Rite Marketplace’s charitable giving, and, paired with Feed the Children’s vision to create a world where no child goes to bed hungry, the two created an initiative called Feeding Minds & Bodies, which is designed to help bring attention to and fight the serious issue of childhood hunger. Price Rite Marketplace and Feed the Children help families by providing food, personal-care items, and school supplies throughout the year. With more than 15.6 million households living with food insecurity in the U.S., hunger remains a serious issue in many communities.

“The Price Rite Marketplace partnership means a so very much to Feed the Children and, more importantly, to the families we serve,” said Travis Arnold, president and CEO of Feed the Children. “Those living paycheck to paycheck do not have a safety net. Our partners are a critical part of providing compassionate support to those who are facing tough decisions about how to care for their families.”

Since partnering with Feed the Children in 2015, Price Rite Marketplace has contributed nearly 3 million pounds of food, totaling more than $9 million in gift-in-kind donations, helping more than 145,000 people in 49 cities.

NAI Plotkin Sells Former Manchester Hardware Building to CHD

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Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — NAI Plotkin, an office of NAI Global, a leading commercial real-estate brokerage firm located in Western Mass., announced it has sold 55-69 Union St., a 17,900-square-foot commercial building in downtown Easthampton known for many decades as Manchester Hardware.

The building was sold to the Center for Human Development (CHD) for $1.4 million and includes a total of 1.06 acres of land in downtown Easthampton. Jim Reardon and David Wolos of NAI Plotkin brokered the deal. CHD, which provides a broad range of community-oriented human services, plans on renovating the building to house a community-related program.

American International College Announces Three Additions to Leadership Team

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) announced that Velmer Burton Jr., Jennifer McDonough, and Louis Izzi Jr. will join its leadership team.

Burton joins AIC on July 12 as executive vice president for Academic Affairs. As part of his responsibilities, Burton will advance the academic priorities and goals of the college in a fiscally responsible manner, balancing expenses and revenues and managing growth, with an emphasis on new and enhanced programming, student learning, and quality of instruction in a student-centered, culturally diverse, and inclusive environment. He will oversee undergraduate and graduate degree programs in AIC’s School of Business, Arts and Sciences; School of Education; and School of Health Sciences.

In his most recent executive positions at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Burton has served as senior vice chancellor of University Strategy and Performance and professor of Criminal Justice, with the goals of building external constituencies, collaborating with the institution’s communities, and enhancing offerings and outreach initiatives within the local community. As executive vice chancellor and provost at UA Little Rock, he also served as the university’s chief academic officer, overseeing 164 academic programs supported by 500 full-time faculty. He was responsible for personnel and planning across six colleges, as well as all academic issues and initiatives, operations, and programs.

As provost, coupled with providing internal and external leadership for the division of Academic Affairs, he monitored departmental and college governance document processes, co-chaired the university budget review committee, worked with the executive committee of the university’s faculty senate, expanded tenure-track and tenured faculty and full-time instructors, and implemented the ‘teacher-scholar model’ to ensure quality teaching and scholarship. In addition, he oversaw Higher Learning Commission Accreditation efforts and activities.

With a goal of building external constituencies, Burton collaborated with the institution’s University District to bridge academic programs, offerings, and outreach initiatives with the local community. An advocate for diversity and ensuring a culture of respect and opportunity, Burton is committed to work with stakeholders to foster the continuation of a diverse and inclusive AIC.

McDonough joins American International College on July 1 as vice president for Institutional Advancement. She brings nearly 40 years of experience in the advancement profession, incorporating institutional leadership positions and philanthropic consulting services focusing on campaigns and ongoing development, as well as alumni-engagement program planning, implementation, and assessment; talent development; and leader and partner involvement.

In her previous roles as a vice president for University Advancement/Development and Alumni Relations, she was responsible for comprehensive teams and programs that included annual giving, major and principal gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, prospect research, donor relations and stewardship, alumni engagement, alumni and donor records, and communications.

As a former executive associate with Bentz Whaley Flessner, a national and international fundraising consulting and services company, McDonough served an extensive number of diverse private and public higher-education institutions across the country, including AIC. Her consulting work also extended to nonprofits in the academic medicine and healthcare, social and community service, and arts and culture sectors. She has been actively engaged at both strategic and tactical levels with presidents, senior staff, trustees, volunteers, deans, faculty, and advancement staff and teams.

McDonough brings substantial and varied consulting experience, with multi-million to billion-dollar campaigns and with cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies impacting individual philanthropic commitments and overall fundraising results.

Izzi, who joins the college on July 12, will lead the Yellow Jackets as the vice president for Athletics. He joins AIC from the University of Bridgeport (Conn.), where he served as vice president for Athletics and Enrollment Management since 2019. While at Bridgeport, Izzi was responsible for the strategic planning, leadership, development, and operational and personnel management of the university’s NCAA Division II athletics program, providing management oversight and direction of all operations and strategies related to undergraduate, graduate, domestic, international, and online recruiting efforts. Additionally, he worked closely with the university’s Office of Institutional Advancement to cultivate and steward gifts for the Athletics department.

Prior to his role at the University of Bridgeport, Izzi served as director of Athletics at New England College in Henniker, N.H., a Division III institution with 18 varsity sports, club and junior varsity teams, and intramural and recreational programs. While at New England, he administered a comprehensive national recruiting plan to increase student-athlete enrollment by 38%; implemented an academic plan to improve student-athlete academic success and retention, achieving the highest department GPA in 20 years; and worked with Institutional Advancement to increase yearly giving, including procuring a major gift for a new athletics center.

Before accepting the position at New England College, Izzi was the assistant director of Athletics Administration at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. for 17 years, while also serving as head men’s ice hockey coach at Johnson & Wales and Nichols College for 15 years.

Home City Development Inc. Selected for Project in Springfield’s South End

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Home City Development Inc. (HCDI) has been chosen as the developer of the former Gemini site in the South End of Springfield. Once completed, the development will include 33 for-sale residential units, to be known as Gemini Town Homes. This project will expand home ownership in the South End by more than 150%.

“We are proud to have been chosen as the developers on this project, and we are grateful for the help and support of many organizations,” said Thomas Kegelman, executive director of HCDI. “Thank you to Mayor [Domenic] Sarno, the South End Citizens Council, Councilor Melvin Edwards, Tim Sheehan and the Office of Planning and Economic Development, and MassDevelopment for making this project possible.”

Once completed, the project will provide dozens of otherwise non-existent housing opportunities for people and families with low to moderate income, as well as millions of dollars of contracting opportunities for local and minority-owned businesses.

HCDI has assembled a team of experienced professionals with demonstrated success with projects like the Gemini Town Homes development. “We believe that this project will provide a solid footing for Springfield’s economic resurgence and continuing pride as the City of Homes,” the company stated.

Home City Development Inc. is a nonprofit, resident-centered developer of multi-family and mixed-use properties in Western Mass. Founded as Better Homes Inc. in 1968 by the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, HCDI has worked for more than 50 years to facilitate community stability and growth in collaboration with the community.

MachineMetrics Announces $20 Million Series B Funding Round

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Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — MachineMetrics, an industrial data startup that elevates manufacturing performance through autonomous machining, announced it has raised $20 million in Series B financing. The company will use the funding to scale its platform globally and democratize access to the machine insights that power manufacturing operations.

“Manufacturing is on the brink of a digital renaissance. The intersection of software, big data, and physical machinery is the next frontier for manufacturing and a proven solution for overcoming the production and labor shortages we are experiencing right now,” said Bill Bither, co-founder and CEO of MachineMetrics. “Today’s industrial machines are inefficient because they require significant human intervention to operate. MachineMetrics makes it easy to harness data from these machines and lays the foundation for the factory of the future, where machines operate autonomously and with predictability.”

Teradyne, a market leader in industrial automation and robotics, led the funding round with participation from Ridgeline Ventures and existing investors Tola Capital and Hyperplane.

“MachineMetrics’ rapid growth reflects the value and demand for its data-collection and analytics solutions. Our customers increasingly want to monitor the performance of their production machines to improve utilization and increase output. MachineMetrics makes this easy with an innovative and simple solution that delivers a fast ROI,” said Greg Smith, president of Teradyne’s Industrial Automation Group. “The team’s vision aligns strongly with our larger industrial automation strategy, which focuses on equipping all manufacturers with accessible, reliable, and easy-to-use automation solutions.”

Today’s global capacity challenges underscore the urgency to improve manufacturing productivity. A 2020 benchmarking report by MachineMetrics revealed an average machine-utilization rate of only 24%, an alarmingly low mark that limits manufacturers’ ability to meet demand.

MachineMetrics’ industrial data platform solves this challenge by enabling manufacturers to improve machine utilization and increase production without adding more machines. The IoT-powered solution, which can be installed in minutes, automates the collection of data from manufacturing equipment and delivers actionable, machine-data-driven insights for factory workers, empowering organizations to immediately reduce waste and optimize shop floor productivity.

MachineMetrics is currently used by hundreds of customers and connected to thousands of machines globally. These manufacturers, which range from small contract manufacturers to some of the world’s largest OEMs, are leveraging MachineMetrics to enable remote visibility into real-time production, identify production bottlenecks, predict machine failures, improve quality, and build workflows that automate the operation of machines.

“We are experiencing the single largest disruption to manufacturing and supply-chain operations of our time. Manufacturers simply don’t have the time or resources to rebuild from scratch. They need results right now,” said Eric Fogg, co-founder and chief customer officer of MachineMetrics. “Our solution continues to prove highly effective in one of the most complex markets ever. This past year, our customers were able to pivot, respond, adapt, and grow. Their success wasn’t luck — they were equipped with the data, tools, and mindset needed to win.”

West Springfield, Eastern States Exposition Leaders Officially Announce Big E Plans

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WEST SPRINGFIELD — Eastern States Exposition (ESE) President Gene Cassidy and West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt met with media on Tuesday to officially announce the opening of the 105th edition of the Big E, slated for Sept. 17 to Oct. 3.

“It’s a good day,” Cassidy said. “We have long awaited the opportunity to make this announcement and have been working diligently on our program. Preparations are underway as we look forward to welcoming everyone back to our beloved Big E.”

Added Reichelt “the Big E is a West Springfield institution, and we welcome all of New England to our town in September. We have appreciated ESE’s transparency and communication through this process as well as their assistance in providing a location for the West of the River Regional Vaccine Center. Personally, I can’t wait to get back to the Big E.”

Cassidy thanked Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Reichelt, and West Springfield Director of Public Health Jeanne Galloway, “who has been working closely with us as we all navigated the many phases of the Massachusetts reopening process.”

“Big is Back” is the theme of this year’s fair. Currently the fifth-largest fair in North America, the Big E will debut some features this year, including the Super Wheel, a 150-foot-high ferris wheel with 36 climate-controlled gondolas that seat up to six people. It will be located between the Better Living Center and the Gate 5 entrance.

Music fans will enjoy concerts at the Big E Arena, sponsored by Truly Hard Seltzer, and fairgoers will be able to visit the Avenue of States and Storrowton Village Museum, shop, eat iconic fair foods, watch the new Big Parade, ride the rides, and much more.

Advance discount tickets to the 2021 Big E are on sale now online at thebige.com or at the Big E box office.

The Big E relies on thousands of employees and volunteers in a variety of positions to help present the fair each year. Visit thebige.com for job postings for the 2021 Big E.

Finally, the Big E would not be possible without the support of its sponsors. The fair has myriad sponsorship opportunities at a variety of levels. Businesses and organizations interested in becoming a sponsor at the Big E should contact Jill Larsen at (413) 205-5017 or [email protected].

MassDevelopment Awards Grant to Relocate Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival Downtown

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — MassDevelopment awarded a $10,000 grant to Blues to Green Inc., which will use the funds to relocate the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival downtown to the Springfield Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) district to help catalyze economic recovery and support black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)-owned businesses in the neighborhood. Festival events will also take place at local parks and businesses, including three emerging black-owned businesses, and will provide employment and exposure opportunities to local Springfield artists.

Blues to Green will also crowdfund this summer; if the organization reaches its $40,000 goal, it will receive an additional $40,000 matching grant from MassDevelopment. The funds are awarded through MassDevelopment’s special Commonwealth Places COVID-19 Response Round: Resurgent Places, which was made available specifically to assist local economic-recovery efforts as community partners prepare public spaces and commercial districts to serve residents and visitors.

“Before this pandemic, the vibrant centers of our cities and towns were not only a driving force behind the strength of local economies, they were the places where we gathered to dine, to shop, and to be entertained, and the Commonwealth Places program is one way that we can help these areas bounce back stronger than ever,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, who chairs MassDevelopment’s board of directors. “The Baker-Polito administration continues to support downtowns and town centers through various economic-recovery programs, and these Resurgent Places grants are providing nonprofit community organizations with the resources to activate public spaces, boost economic activity, and support an equitable recovery.”

Added MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera, “we are proud to support Blues to Green Inc. in this way as it relocates the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival downtown to drive foot traffic to BIPOC-owned businesses,” said. “MassDevelopment is focused on assisting hard-hit neighborhoods as they recover from the economic and social impacts of COVID-19. Our Resurgent Places grants will help make it easier for people to come together again for arts and cultural celebrations that benefit both the local economy and the larger community.”

Pride Stores CEO Looking to Sell Chain

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Pride Stores CEO Bob Bolduc announced plans to sell the chain, which includes 31 stores and 525 employees, with 10 additional sites in development.

Bolduc told the Republican he will know in six to eight weeks if he will sell and who the buyer will be. He has hired a merger and acquisition firm and has been speaking with potential buyers, which include oil and gas companies and chain convenience-store operators. The plan is to sell the whole company, retaining only a few real-estate investments.

Bolduc worked at his father’s gas station in Indian Orchard in 1970 before buying him out, thus becoming the third generation of the family to run that business. In addition to running the station, he became a tire and auto-parts wholesaler, specifically a distributor for BF Goodrich and Continental.

But in 1976, Bolduc made the shift that would define his career, buying a self-serve gas station in Indian Orchard. Over the years, he would gradually expand his business, creating the chain of stores known today as Pride. But, more importantly, he developed a reputation as an industry innovator by marrying the self-service station with another emerging phenomenon, the convenience store.

Other innovations would follow; Pride would eventually become the first chain in Western Mass. to put a Dunkin’ Donuts in the stores, and the first to incorporate a Subway. But where the company has really made a name, in recent years, is with its own fresh-food production, supported by the Pride Kitchen, located at the company’s headquarters on Cottage Street in Springfield.

Smith & Wesson Supports Square One Campaign for Healthy Kids

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield-based Smith & Wesson is once again lending its support to the children and families served by Square One. The company recently committed $20,000 in corporate giving, in addition to funds donated by employees as part of their commitment to social responsibility.

The gift marks the latest addition to a long list of contributions made over the years. The company supported Square One’s early-education and care initiatives and programs to support victims of domestic violence. It was also among the first businesses in the region to fund Square One’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.

“Smith & Wesson and its employees are proud to support Square One’s efforts to offer tools and resources to local families,” said Mark Smith, president and CEO of Smith & Wesson. “We recognize that a strong foundation is the key to the development of all children. Through their programs, the staff at Square One has enhanced the lives of many children and families in our community.”

The funds will support Square One’s Campaign for Healthy Kids, a multi-year fund-development initiative focused on the agency’s commitment to providing healthy meals, physical fitness, social-emotional well-being, and a healthy learning environment.

“Square One has long relied on support from Smith & Wesson to support our programs and services,” said Kristine Allard, vice president of Development & Communication for Square One. “They are quick to recognize and respond to the changing needs of our community and take responsibility to support our work whenever possible. We are truly grateful to have them as our community partners.”

A check presentation will be held on June 30 at 11 a.m. at Square One, 1095 Main St., Springfield.

Square One currently provides early learning services to more than 500 infants, toddlers, and school-age children each day, and family-support services to 1,500 families each year, as they work to overcome the significant challenges in their lives.

American International College Announces Four Promotions

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) announced four promotions, most effective July 1.

Nicolle Cestero has been promoted to chief operating officer, executive vice president, and retains her title as chief of staff. Cestero joined AIC in July 2011 as the associate vice president for Human Resources. Since that time, she has assumed increasing levels of responsibility and scope of duties. In 2012, she was named vice president for Human Resources and Title IX coordinator. She was promoted to senior vice president for Human Resources and Title IX coordinator in 2016, and two years ago, she was named chief of staff and senior vice president for Human Resources.

Among the responsibilities in her newly expanded position, Cestero will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the college, while continuing to serve as advisor to the president, playing an integral role in implementing AIC’s strategic plan. Cestero will oversee the college’s legal matters and support presidential and institutional initiatives to ensure project deadlines are met and targeted outcomes are attained. She serves on the president’s cabinet and all individual board committees. Additionally, she will play a key role, in collaboration with the board of trustees, in the nationwide search for President Vince Maniaci’s successor following the recent announcement of his retirement at the end of the 2021-22 academic year.

Matthew Scott has been serving as vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students since July 2020. He will add Title IX coordinator to his area of responsibilities. With that addition, he will be the designated official from AIC with primary responsibility for coordinating compliance with Title IX, including providing leadership for Title IX activities; consultation, education, and training; and helping to ensure that the institution responds appropriately, effectively, and equitably to Title IX issues.

As vice president and dean of students, Scott oversees the Division of Student Affairs, which includes Student Life, the Saremi Center for Career Development, and Dexter Health and Counseling Services. The following programs and services fall under his purview: residence education; student conduct; student activities; diversity and engagement; campus recreation programs such as intramural sports, fitness, and wellness programs; and the Fitness Center.

Jessica Chapin has been promoted to director of Athletics and will oversee all aspects of AIC athletic programs. Chapin joined AIC in 2014 as the compliance coordinator. Among her duties, she is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the athletics department, including oversight of compliance with ensuring NCAA Division I and Division II rules and bylaws, retention, financial aid, and new-student recruitment, collaborating with offices across campus. She is the Title IX deputy coordinator for Athletics.

In 2017, Chapin was appointed to a four-year term with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Management Council, serving on the national student-athlete advisory committee, convention planning team, committee on infractions, legislation committee, and research committee. She currently serves on the NCAA’s women’s volleyball regional advisory committee and was recently appointed to a four-year term on the NCAA committee on infractions. She currently serves on the executive committee of both the Atlantic Hockey Assoc. and the National Intercollegiate Rugby Assoc.

Michael Eriquezzo has been promoted to director of Marketing and Communications. He will have oversight of all aspects of institutional digital and traditional marketing, web, and public-relations functions for the college, including the semi-annual Lucent magazine with a circulation to more than 30,000 alumni. Eriquezzo came to AIC as the art director and senior designer in 2017 from Go Graphix in East Longmeadow, where he served as project manager and creative lead, and the Children’s Study Home, where he was the external communications manager.

HCC, Enchanted Circle Theater Partner on Summer Youth Program

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HOLYOKE ­— Holyoke Community College (HCC) and Enchanted Circle Theater are joining forces to offer an in-person racial-justice program this summer for area youth.

Called “I Am Somebody,” the four-day, interactive performing-arts program will run Monday, July 19 through Thursday, July 22 from 9 a.m. to noon each day in the HCC Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development.

The program is free and limited to 15 youth ages 8 to 11 chosen through a lottery to be held Monday, June 21.

“Enchanted Circle is proud to offer this exciting, new, creative youth-development program in partnership with Holyoke Community College,” said Priscilla Kane Hellweg, executive and artistic director of Enchanted Circle Theater, a Holyoke-based nonprofit that combines arts and education. “The arts are such a powerful teaching and learning tool for the expression of cultural identity and an inspiring platform for getting to know ourselves and each other.”

Participants will explore racial justice through a variety of creative activities, including writing, music, visual art, movement, and theater.

“Students will be encouraged to find and use their own unique voices to express their understanding of equity and racial justice,” said Michele Cabral, HCC’s executive director of Professional Education and Corporate Learning. “In celebrating themselves, each other, and our collective community, they will examine how we are each unique, diverse, and yet all connected.”

Following the final session on July 22, parents are invited to attend a lunch and family arts-sharing celebration from noon to 1 p.m. in the Kittredge Center.

The sessions will be led by Enchanted Circle teaching artists Maya Rivera and Axel Cruz. Rivera is a visual artist, performer, vocalist, and photographer who holds a bachelor’s degree in theater from Smith College. Cruz, who has theater degrees from HCC and UMass Amherst, is an actor, dancer, choreographer, theater director, stage manager, and designer.

In advance of the June 21 lottery, interested parents and their children are invited to attend a virtual family information session on Thursday, June 13 at 5:30 p.m.

To sign up for the information session or to apply for the “I Am Somebody” program, e-mail Sharon Grundel at [email protected].

Christopher Silipigno Named CEO of Renaissance Investment Group

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LENOX — Christopher Silipigno has been promoted to CEO of Renaissance Investment Group, LLC, a financial-services firm headquartered in the Berkshires that specializes in comprehensive financial counseling and investment management for high-net-worth individuals. Managing approximately a half-billion dollars in assets, Renaissance’s clients reside across the U.S. with a concentration in Western Mass., Upstate New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.

For the last three years, Silipigno has served as chief operating officer, working to grow the business, lead organizational development efforts, and advise clients. During this time, Renaissance has increased its client base at its fastest pace in 20 years and nearly doubled the amount of assets being managed. Silipigno has been instrumental in this development, as well as helping Renaissance introduce new technology, providing even closer client contact and enhanced information sharing for clients and the team, said Trevor Forbes, the firm’s president and chief investment officer.

“His efforts have been instrumental in helping the company and its clients through the last difficult and challenging 12 months, coping with the rigors of COVID and working remotely,” Forbes added. “I am delighted to be able to announce this well-deserved appointment, which provides for long-term continuity for both our staff and clients, which has been a hallmark of our success since the establishment of Renaissance 21 years ago. I wish Chris every success in his new role and look forward to continuing our work together in the coming years.”

Added Silipigno, “I was extremely impressed with the team at Renaissance from the time I began working with them just over three years ago. Having initially spent a considerable amount of time with clients and professional associates that work with the firm, it quickly became clear that Renaissance offers financial planning and investment-management services that are truly exceptional and well-regarded. This fact has provided a strong tailwind to our growth efforts. I am honored to accept this appointment and plan to continue and further develop Renaissance’s client-centric focus as we move into the future.”

Tickets Now on Sale for 15th Annual 40 Under Forty Gala

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest’s 15th annual 40 Under Forty gala will take place at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke on Thursday, Sept. 23. The class of 2021 was introduced to the region in the magazine’s May 12 issue, and the profiles may be read online at businesswest.com.

Tickets cost $80 per person. This is expected to be a sellout event, and tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve a spot, call (413) 781-8600, or e-mail [email protected].

Business Confidence Rises in Massachusetts in May

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Daily News

BOSTON — An emerging economic recovery and good news about COVID-19 pushed business confidence slightly higher in Massachusetts during May.

The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index rose 1.2 points to 61.9 last month, leaving it almost 20 points higher than a year ago. Confidence levels remain comfortably in optimistic territory.

The increase was the fourth in five months and came as Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced the resumption of full business activity in the Commonwealth. The federal government also said vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks in most public settings.

Meanwhile, the Massachusetts unemployment rate fell to 6.5% during April as employers created 5,100 jobs. Massachusetts has gained an estimated 392,300 jobs since the nadir of the COVID crisis.

“Employers remain confident amid a state economy that is projected to grow at a 8.7% annual rate in the second quarter and 6.9% in the third quarter of this year,” said Sara Johnson, vice chair of the AIM Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) and executive director of Global Economics at IHS Markit. “The economy still faces challenges ranging from persistent worker shortages to global supply-chain disruptions, but there is a sense that we are returning to a more normal economic situation.”

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

The constituent indicators that make up the Business Confidence Index were mostly positive during May. Employers’ confidence in their own companies posted its seventh increase in eight months, rising 2.2 points to 63.8. The Company Index was 18.1 points higher than it was a year ago.

The Massachusetts Index assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth was 60.7, up 0.3 point for the month and 23.3 points since May 2020. The U.S. Index measuring conditions nationally lost 0.9 points in May but gained 21.6 points for the year.

The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, surged 3.7 points to 60.3. The Future Index, measuring projections for the economy six months from now, lost 1.3 points for the month at 63.5.

The Employment Index was flat at 56.9 as employers now able to open at full capacity confronted an acute shortage of qualified workers. A separate AIM survey last month revealed that 60% of employers currently have job openings, and 53% cannot find qualified workers to fill those vacancies.

Confidence among manufacturing companies increased 2.2 points, leaving it 19.3 points higher than its year-earlier level. Small companies (63.2) were more bullish than large companies (62.1) or medium-sized companies (60.9).

Katherine Kiel, professor of Economics at the College of the Holy Cross and a BEA member, said Baker’s decision to lift almost all COVID-related business restrictions will help public-facing industries that were most affected by the pandemic.

“The retail, hospitality, restaurant, and travel sectors that lost hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout Massachusetts last year now have the opportunity to bring back some of those jobs,” she noted. “At the same time, construction and other sectors are likely to benefit from federal stimulus dollars and a possible federal infrastructure bill.”

AIM President and CEO John Regan, also a BEA member, said the economic recovery received an important shot in the arm last week when the Massachusetts Legislature and the Baker administration took multiple steps to stabilize an unemployment-insurance system battered by the COVID recession.

Baker signed legislation that will moderate an unexpected spike in unemployment-insurance taxes by spreading the levies over the next 20 years. The new measure, together with a previous UI rate freeze and the administration’s announcement that Massachusetts will reinstate the requirement that people who collect unemployment benefits must actively search for a job, aims to stabilize the stressed UI system in the short term and encourage people to return to the workforce.

“These were important steps to helping employers and workers alike get back on their feet and move the economy forward,” Regan said. “The one step that remains is for policymakers to use some of Massachusetts’ federal stimulus money to stabilize the unemployment system for the long term.”

Community Foundation Grants $150,000 to Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley

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SPRINGFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced a grant of $150,000, spread over the next three years, to the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley (HRIPV). The grant represents a significant contribution to the initiative’s capital drive to raise $1 million in commitments now to support and build capacity for the organization over the next three years.

The multi-year, strategic grant is part of CFWM’s ongoing commitment to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplaces and promote equitable growth in the region. The funding will support HRIPV’s capacity in engaging communities across the state of Massachusetts in its signature two-day training. HRIPV has been in existence since 2012, and more than 1,000 community members have participated in its programming.

Funds from the capital drive have also allowed HRIPV to develop a comprehensive online and virtual series of trainings and programming. The Healing Racism initiative will also be resuming in-person training sessions in July. Members of the community interested in participating can learn more and register online at www.healingracismpv.org.

The first $50,000 grant to HRIPV will occur in July 2021. According to the Community Foundation, the multi-year funding approach will guarantee revenue stability while HRIPV meets demands for its services and continues its capital-campaign efforts.

“As an alumna of HRIPV’s two-day anti-racism training, I know what a powerful experience it is,” said Katie Allan Zobel, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “I have seen firsthand the transformation in the community that HRIPV has catalyzed. That is why the foundation is investing in them to help expand their capacity for the future. We recognize the critical role HRIPV can play in creating shared understanding, connecting diverse members of our community, and dismantling systems that perpetuate inequalities. I’m optimistic about our partnership with HRIPV and encourage others to join us to work together toward a more equitable region.”

This award will also help HRIPV build its internal infrastructure and capacity to help ensure its sustainability efforts.

“The Healing Racism Institute is a recognized leader in promoting anti-racism within the Pioneer Valley,” said Paul Murphy, chair of the CFWM board of trustees. “We welcome the opportunity to partner with HRIPV in the expansion of its transformative program. We’re delighted to grant this funding as part of our commitment to invest and foster racial equity in our communities.”

The Healing Racism Institute is led by Vanessa Otero, one of the co-founders of HRIPV and an original member of the board until assuming the position of interim director in 2020.

Added Frank Robinson, board chair of the Healing Racism Institute of Pioneer Valley, “we welcome and celebrate this crucial grant for the important work we are doing to create more equitable communities, and see the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts as a critical partner in that work.”

Chikmedia Announces Chik of the Future Scholarship Winners

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Thanks to the generosity of Summerlin Floors, Ryan McCollum of RMC Strategies, and the Springfield Thunderbirds, Chikmedia has chosen four $500 scholarship awardees for its 2021 Chik of the Future scholarships.

Chikmedia, a boutique firm offering strategic marketing planning and creative PR, launched its annual scholarship this year to support future generations of marketing professionals. Chikmedia offered four $500 scholarships in 2021, and a variety of local businesses decided to match that scholarship amount. These four scholarships are being awarded to Western Mass. women who are high-school graduates pursuing a college degree in marketing, public relations, communications, or business. They are:

Shermarie Hyppolite is pursuing a double major in communication and public relations with the hope to one day become a successful public-relations professional specializing in brand building and storytelling. She aims to have her own public-relations agency that can help uplift brands and create a space in the public-relations industry for women and non-binary people of color.

“Winning this scholarship is so meaningful to me because it feels special to have won it from public-relations professionals since it is my dream to become one as well,” Hyppolite said. “I am so grateful to be awarded something that will allow me to further my education in public relations.”

Claudia Gonzalez is currently obtaining her degree in marketing with the goal of working in a television and networking company. Additionally, she will be pursuing her MBA this fall at Bentley University.

“I am honored to receive this scholarship from an organization that empowers women in business with diverse and cultural backgrounds,” Gonzalez said. “Winning this scholarship brings me a lot of joy and some financial relief.”

Kimberley Moore is completing her degree in communications with a concentration in human resource management at DeVry University. As a mother of six daughters, she made a commitment early in their life to instill the importance of education, including hard work and dedication. She is proud to say that all have finished or are still attending college, and it is now her turn to do the same.

“I am honored to be selected to receive the Chik of the Future Scholarship. This will certainly assist as I continue the final stretch of my educational journey as a non-traditional student,” Moore said. “It also gives me the push and motivation to work even harder and maintain my 4.0 GPA. I am deeply appreciative of your generosity and support.”

Saniya Stewart is a full-time student at American International College and a dual-enrollment student at a local community college. She simultaneously attends both colleges, working toward her bachelor’s degree and the prerequisites for a master’s degree in healthcare management. Her goal is to open a nonprofit healthcare facility in her hometown of Springfield to be an advocate for those who truly need a person to lean on.

“I am ecstatic to be a recipient of the Chik of the Future Scholarship. As a black woman in a male-dominated major, it is important to receive support and recognition; I am glad that Chikmedia makes it a priority to recognize students such as myself,” Stewart said. “This scholarship will help with my educational expenses and aid me in becoming a trailblazer in the business community.”

Three Pathfinder Tech Students Win Top Honors in EnTEENpreneur Challenge

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM) held its annual EnTEENpreneur Challenge on May 7, naming three sophomores from the business technology program at Pathfinder Regional Technical High School the winners of the virtual competition. Sean Moon, Cody Ostiguy, and Max Sanderson received top honors for Private Pockets, a teen business that sells ties with hidden pockets in the back for customers to store business cards, cash, and credit cards.

“We are so proud of all the students who participated, especially since the virtual nature of the competition added extra challenges,” said Jennifer Connolly, president of JAWM. “It was a hard decision for our judges, but the Private Pockets team really checked off all the boxes. We congratulate them on their success.”

The EnTEENpreneur Challenge is a regional teen pitch contest in which teams create a comprehensive business plan and product idea for a small business and pitch it to a team of judges, similar to the reality show Shark Tank.

The concept for the ties was the brainchild of Moon, but Ostiguy and Sanderson helped bring the idea to fruition. The team would like to expand their company at some point to include socks with pockets in them.

Judges for the event were provided by its sponsors and included Wesley Days, UMass Springfield; Amanda Garcia, Elms College; and Mychal Connolly, Stand Out Truck. The winning team received a $5,000 scholarship to Elms College, a $500 cash prize, and their photos featured on a Stand Out Truck roaming billboard truck.

“This is the second year we held this popular event virtually due to the pandemic,” Connolly said. “We hope to return to a live format next year.”