AMHERST — When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was looking for a preferred flu-prediction model for use in its flu-forecasting challenge this season, an influenza-tracking model developed by a team led by biostatistician Nicholas Reich at UMass Amherst rose to the top and will be one of its principal prediction tools. 

“We competed in the CDC challenge last year, and out of 30 models the CDC received to help predict the flu season, ours was the second-best,” said Reich, whose UMass-led collaborative is made up of six teams. “This year, we’re retooling some of our models, and the CDC has chosen our model to try to optimally predict seasonal influenza outbreaks.

“It’s a nice accomplishment,” he went on. “Apparently, our collaborative approach that fuses multiple different models together impressed them as being better and more reliable than all of the other approaches they have seen over the past few years. We hope we can contribute quite a bit to this year’s efforts.”

In an international group dubbed the FluSight Network, Reich, at UMass Amherst’s School of Public Health and Health Sciences, with colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University, the CDC, Columbia University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Mount Holyoke College, and a consulting group from South Africa called Protea Analytics, issue a new flu-season forecast starting in late fall every Monday for public-health researchers and practitioners. It compares the flu trajectory this year to past years.

“They work year-round to develop a way for all their models to work together to make a single best forecast for influenza, a method they call a ‘multi-model ensemble approach,’” Reich explained.

Last September, Reich was one of just four influenza forecasters in the nation invited to participate in the CDC’s first flu pandemic simulation workshop, which included mock press conferences by officials, including the CDC director. The exercise allowed the agency to run through several scenarios about how a flu pandemic might be forecast from early data, how it could be tracked, and how integrating advanced analytic processes into decision making might assist with those projections. 

Among other things, Reich noted, the workshop was a recognition by the CDC that a network of forecasters that exists in academia and industry today, but not in the public sector, might help decision makers to use the data as one of their inputs when making choices.

“We work very closely with our collaborators at the CDC,” he said. “Without their vision and careful design of this challenge five years ago, we wouldn’t be where we are today. This collaboration has added a lot of value to the laudable efforts that they have made over these years to integrate data and modeling into real-time public health decision making. The value of the ensemble approach is becoming clear to all observers, and that workshop helped to demonstrate it.”

Now in its second year of participating in the CDC challenge, the FluSight Network gets a little better each year at refining flu projection models, Reich said. These help the experts prepare public flu messages, assess disease severity and regional incidence, and project peak impact, among other factors important to public-health officials.

Not only health professionals, but health writers and reporters watch the CDC’s weekly updates each week, he added. “The first question of the season is when is it going to start. That is, when will the number of cases go above the baseline of flu activity by region, which is the first checkpoint of every season. Hospitals, clinics, and family physicians all keep their eye on this information to help them prepare.”

So far this flu season, he noted, a few regions of the U.S., including the Northeast, have been seeing slightly higher levels of flu-like activity than normal, but the most recent data suggest that the levels are still below what the CDC defines as a ‘baseline’ level of activity.

“That said, our models are saying that we should perhaps expect a bit of an early onset to the season in the Northeast and a few other regions,” Reich went on. “The ensemble model isn’t picking up a clear signal yet about how different from a normal year the peak incidence might be in terms of timing or severity. In coming weeks, we think the models may show a bit more separation from the historical average. Right now, though, it’s a little like looking at a 30-day weather forecast and trying to use that to decide whether it’s going to snow on any particular day. Our models just can’t reliably see that far into the future at the moment.”

For their prediction efforts, each team submits eight seasons of influenza forecasts from the past to the UMass-led model. “This approach allows us to do better than a simple average of all models because we can employ them proportionally based on their success,” Reich said. “Each model has different strengths based on the data or the methodological approach they use. Some models this season are incorporating data from a variety of internet data, including signals from Twitter, Google search activity, and Wikipedia.”

HOLYOKE, WESTFIELD — In a first for both institutions, Holyoke Community College (HCC) and Westfield State University have jointly hired a dedicated, full-time director to oversee emergency management and operations planning on each campus.

As director of emergency preparedness and response, Thomas Kettle will split his time 60-40 between Westfield State and HCC while maintaining offices on both campuses.

An emergency-management specialist, Kettle comes to the new position after serving since 2013 as the fire-safety specialist at Brown University, where his job included support and training in emergency planning and operations. He started his new position on Dec. 10. 

With more than 20 years of experience as an emergency-management responder and practitioner, Kettle said he was seeking an emergency-management opportunity at an institution of higher education. 

“What drew me to this position was the opportunity to fill a newly created position and to be the bridge for collaboration between Westfield State and HCC,” said Kettle. “This is a new approach to emergency management, providing both institutions a way to share resources throughout the planning and response phases should an emergency event occur.”

Kettle is a former infantryman and section sergeant in the U.S. Army. He holds a bachelor’s degree in fire science from Providence College and, earlier this year, completed his master’s degree in emergency management from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. 

Kettle will report to the vice presidents for Administration and Finance at each institution. Among his duties, he will be responsible for updating and expanding existing emergency operation plans at both schools.

Combining resources will prove pivotal for each institution, said officials, noting that Westfield State and HCC have a solid history of partnerships, and their close proximity laid the groundwork for this shared position.

“We’ve been impressed with Mr. Kettle’s knowledge and ideas,” said William Fogarty, HCC’s vice president of Administration and Finance. “The fundamentals of emergency response are the same for both institutions, and we hope that many of his activities will have collective benefits. We’re looking forward to our campuses achieving a higher level of emergency-response capability and safety with Mr. Kettle’s hire.”

Added Stephen Taksar, vice president of Administration and Finance at Westfield State, “both campuses were pursuing support in this area, and it made sense to explore a partnership given our proximity and having similar needs as state college and university colleagues. It also reduces the overall cost of funding for a full-time position.”

At Westfield State, the coordinator of the university’s emergency-response team was an additional responsibility of another staff member. At HCC, the director of Public Safety had led an interdepartmental emergency-planning committee responsible for the development and expansion of the college’s emergency operations plan.

NORTHAMPTON — MachineMetrics, which equips factories with the digital tools needed to increase productivity and win more business, announced it has raised $11.3 million in Series A financing.

Tola Capital led the round with participation from existing investors Hyperplane Venture Capital, Long River Ventures, Mass Ventures, Hub Angels, and Firebolt Ventures. With the new funds, the company will expand its data-science and product-development teams while accelerating global sales.

MachineMetrics is a pioneer in industrial IoT (internet of things) technology. Its system is designed so customers can install it themselves without the need for expensive and time-consuming customization.

Once installed, manufacturers can collect, visualize, and analyze data from any industrial machine. It automatically senses when there is a problem, even predicting some problems hours or minutes before they occur, and recommends solutions that reduce costly unplanned outages.

In addition, MachineMetrics benchmarks a company’s machine performance against those of its peers to help guide future investments.

“Now is the internet moment for manufacturing,” said William Bither, CEO and cofounder of MachineMetrics. “Because we’re pulling data from thousands of machines, we’re able to gain a unique understanding of their problems. These insights are delivered back to our customers so they can take action to gain a competitive edge.”

Integrated into factories globally, MachineMetrics serves customers including Fastenal, Snap-On Tools, National Oilwell Varco, Gardner Denver, Continental, Saint Gobain, Shiloh Automotive, and SECO Tools.

“With MachineMetrics, we boosted production by more than 100 hours each month in the first three months alone,” said Tim Borkowski, vice president of manufacturing at Fastenal, a global maker of industrial equipment. “There’s no more educated guessing or finger-pointing; there’s a solid reason behind everything and every decision we make. I can’t imagine what life would be like if you took it away. It’s that ingrained in our day-to-day operations.”

The company’s latest solution allows factory workers to share MachineMetrics’ data with their remote maintenance teams and makers of their equipment, and vice versa. This enables service teams to identify problems through remote diagnosis, reduce on-site service visits by 10% to 20%, and receive predictive maintenance alerts, which could lead to new business.

“MachineMetrics Service is a game changer,” said Mike Mugno, vice president of Rem Sales/Tsugami. “We can now provide faster, better service because we’re collecting data that really didn’t exist before.”

HATFIELD — The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts announced it has received a $5,000 community grant from the Massachusetts Bankers Association (MBA) Charitable Foundation. The award is one of 45 grants from the foundation, totaling $163,000, supporting social-services agencies in Massachusetts aiding in the battles of hunger, homelessness, and opioid/drug addiction.

“We are thrilled to be able to give these gifts,” says Donald Gill, chairman of the MBA Charitable Foundation and president and CEO of Coastal Heritage Bank in Weymouth. “This foundation has done so much good work over the years, yet each gift-giving season we see more need. That’s why each year we dedicate ourselves to this effort to help in any way we can.”

The grant will allow the Food Bank to distribute even more healthy food to its 200 member agencies (comprised of food pantries, meal programs, community centers, and shelters) in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties. It also provides assistance to individuals facing hunger through its direct-to-client feeding programs, including its Mobile Food Bank and Brown Bag: Food for Elders.

“We are very grateful for this award from the Massachusetts Bankers Association,” said Andrew Morehouse, the Food Bank’s executive director. “It is through these strong partnerships that we continue to be a reliable resource for thousands of households in our region who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.”

Currently, more than 223,000 people in Western Mass are impacted by food insecurity. Nearly one-third of those people are children under the age of 18, and approximately 15% are seniors over the age of 65. In the 12-month period from Oct. 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2018, the Food Bank distributed 11.6 million pounds of food — the equivalent of approximately 9,676,000 meals.

HOLYOKE — HCC Foundation Inc., the nonprofit fundraising arm of Holyoke Community College, recently added five new members to its board of trustees.

At its annual meeting on Dec. 4, the foundation board voted in Kevin Green, a member of the Westfield Financial Management Services team at

Westfield Bank; Tiffany Cutting Madru, vice president of Business and Marketing for C&D Electronics in Holyoke; Meghan Parnell-Gregoire, vice president and Business Lending Center manager at PeoplesBank; Tim Wegiel, assistant vice president and Electronic Banking officer at PeoplesBank and an HCC alumnus; and Alicia Zoeller, an attorney and deputy administrator for the city of Holyoke’s Office of Community Development.

“All five of our new board members possess a passion for education and, in particular, for HCC,” said Amanda Sbriscia, HCC’s vice president of Institutional Advancement and executive director of the HCC Foundation. “They bring talent, expertise, and energy to the table. We are fortunate to have them by our side as we continue to inspire engagement and investment in Holyoke Community College.”

Also at the annual meeting, John “Jay” Driscoll, a partner in the law firm of Resnic, Beauregard, Waite & Driscoll in Holyoke, was elected board chair; and Corey Murphy, president of First American Insurance Agency in Chicopee, was elected vice chair. 

The HCC Foundation marked its 50th anniversary in 2018. This year, the foundation has already provided nearly $1 million to the college in grants as well as funds earmarked for athletics, the HCC Library, music, classroom technology, and other equipment. In addition, the foundation awards more than $200,000 each year to students for academic scholarships.

AMHERST — Employees who file sexual harassment complaints often face harsh outcomes, with 65% losing their jobs within a year, and 68% reporting some form of retaliation by their employer, according to new research from the UMass Amherst Center for Employment Equity (CEE).

In their report, “Employer’s Responses to Sexual Harassment,” co-authors Carly McCann, Donald Tomaskovic-Devey, and M.V. Lee Badgett analyzed more than 46,000 harassment claims sent to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and state Fair Employment Practices Agencies (FEPAs) from 2012 to 2016. These cases represent only a small amount (0.2%) of the estimated 25.6 million experiences of sexual harassment in the workplace that occurred over this same five-year window.

“Since the legal standards are high, it is not surprising that only a very few file a charge,” said McCann, a UMass Amherst doctoral student and CEE research assistant. “The good news in the report is that the EEOC clearly takes sexual-harassment discrimination charges seriously. These charges are more likely to be found legally plausible, and the charging party is more likely to receive benefits, than other discrimination charges. At the same time, only a minority receive any benefit, and a majority lose their job and experience employer retaliation, so not filing a charge may also make economic and social sense. There are often severe negative consequences to filing a charge, and most people who do file a charge receive no benefits.”

Even among the 27% of cases that did result in a benefit, redress was typically unsubstantial. The most common benefit — and the result of 23% of total charges that proceed through the agencies’ processed cases — was financial compensation; however, the average settlement of $24,700 (with a median amount of $10,000) is unlikely to make up for the economic cost of job loss. The discrepancy between the average and median amounts is due in large part to a handful of high-profile cases. Large monetary settlements are very rare, with only 1% of those who received monetary compensation exceeding $100,000.

Just 12% of the total charges led to managerial agreements to change workplace practices. As the report notes, this lack of accountability often engenders further incidents of harassment. 

“Most employer responses tend to be harsh both via retaliation and firing employees who complain,” said Tomaskovic-Devey, professor of Sociology at UMass Amherst and CEE founding director. “The very low proportion of employees who file sexual-harassment complaints is very likely to be related to employers’ typically punitive responses.”

While these numbers represent averages across all cases filed with the EEOC or FEPAs, gender and race influenced both the number and outcome of cases. 

“Although they comprise 47% of the labor force, women file 81% of sexual-harassment charges,” McCann said. “Black women, in particular, report a disproportionality large percentage of workplace sexual-harassment charges; they account for 7% of the labor force but file 27% of sexual-harassment charges.”

The researchers have also considered what may be done to help those who experience sexual harassment in the workplace, given the often disappointing outcomes of the legal route.

“Sexual harassment, and perhaps discrimination of all types, should be addressed proactively and affirmatively by management, rather than leaving it to the targets of discrimination to pursue legal remedies as individuals,” said Badgett, a professor of Economics and Public Policy at UMass Amherst. Following recommendations given by the EEOC, the authors also advocate having workplaces address sexual harassment internally through better managerial training and programs that train employees to identify and address harassment incidents.

SPRINGFIELD — Join Ranger Susan Ashman on Saturday, Dec. 22 for her holiday program, “Christmas at the Armory in WWII.” The program begins at 2 p.m. in the museum theater and continues with a tour of the Commandant’s House on the grounds of the national historic site. Admission is free.

During WWII, the Springfield Armory celebrated Christmas with time off from Christmas Eve through Christmas Day. Office and shop parties were held as well, both at the Armory and in downtown hotels. During wartime, the somber realities of the cost of total war steadily showed itself as critical materials and personnel were increasingly engaged to fight the Axis powers.

Rationing affected everyone, even during the holiday season. Christmas trees were stripped of their aluminum tinsel strips and glass, to be replaced with homemade substitutes. Before long, popular Christmas music also changed, reflecting separation and longing of loved ones, as in “I’ll be Home for Christmas” and “White Christmas.”

After the presentation, join Ashman for a rare tour inside the Commandant’s House. Built in 1845-46 at a cost of $24,900, it has been occupied by 34 superintendents and commandants, starting with Major James Ripley and ending with Lt. Col. C.B. Zumwalt when the Armory was closed in April 1968.

SPRINGFIELD — Arrha Credit Union recognized Ludlow High School Honor Students for collecting $7,159.50 in non-perishable food items and donations. The total amount raised by schools was $22,982.91.

“We were proud to be the sponsor of the School Challenge in which many districts were involved,” said Michael Ostrowski, president and CEO of Arrha Credit Union. “Congratulations to Ludlow High School on being the top winner this year. We applaud their efforts for collecting the most items and donations for the Springfield Open Pantry.” To show appreciation, Arrha Credit Union donated $1,000 to Ludlow High School’s community efforts.

Springfield Open Pantry is an emergency food kitchen that serves more than 30,000 people each year. These donations were part of the Rock102 Mayflower Marathon challenge to benefit the Springfield Open Pantry, in which more than $95,280.96 in food and monetary donations were raised.

HOLYOKE — Members of the Holyoke Community College (HCC) community will help spread some holiday cheer today, Dec. 13, as they deliver piles of wrapped, donated gifts to representatives from five local charities at the closing reception for the college’s 19th annual giving-tree campaign.

This year, the HCC community fulfilled the holiday wishes of a record 400 clients from Homework House, WestMass ElderCare, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, and — for the first time — Enlace de Familias, the Holyoke agency that has been working closely with Puerto Rican refugees who left the island last year after Hurricane Maria. 

The Giving Tree closing reception will begin at 10 a.m. in the PeoplesBank Conference Center on the third floor of Kittredge Center for Business and Workforce Development on the main HCC campus, 303 Homestead Ave.

“This is an amazing tradition and always brings out the best of HCC,” said President Christina Royal. “Last year was my first to partake in the giving-tree experience, and I was really blown away by the generosity of our community here at the college.”

Each year during the annual campaign, giving trees are set up in designated areas around campus. Participants choose colored-coded tags from one of the nonprofit agencies based on the age of the recipient and their wish for a gift. The wrapped gifts are then piled on tables for the closing celebration, when HCC faculty, staff, and students join with representatives from the agencies to distribute the gifts and share food and stories.

Past giving-tree closing ceremonies were held in the smaller board of trustees conference room in the Frost Building. “We’ve outgrown the room we’ve been using all these years,” said Gail Golas, chair of the HCC giving-tree committee.

BOSTON — Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc. and SI Financial Group Inc. announced that they have signed a definitive merger agreement under which Berkshire will acquire SIFI and its subsidiary, Savings Institute Bank and Trust Co., in an all-stock transaction valued at $180 million based on Berkshire’s stock price as of the close of business on Dec. 10.

Berkshire’s total assets will increase to $13.6 billion, including the $1.6 billion in acquired SIFI assets. SIFI reported $1.3 billion in loans and $1.3 billion in deposits as of Sept. 30. This merger agreement increases Berkshire’s market presence with 18 branches in Eastern Conn. and five branches in Rhode Island, adding to Berkshire’s nine existing Connecticut branches.

“We’re pleased to welcome Savings Institute’s customers and employees to the Berkshire family,” said Richard Marotta, Berkshire CEO. “This transaction is a natural fit and brings with it a stable, longstanding deposit base with leading market position. The Savings Institute franchise strengthens our Northeast presence, as we gain scale in Connecticut and enter into attractive Rhode Island markets. Savings Institute is a well-established and trusted financial institution with deep client and community relationships. We look forward to expanding those relationships with the depth and breadth of our products and services. This partnership will produce attractive returns for both our existing shareholders and the new shareholders from SIFI joining us in this transaction.”

Added Rheo Brouillard, president and CEO of SIFI, “we’re excited to be joining with a successful regional bank that shares our commitment to community and customer service. Like Savings Institute, Berkshire Bank was established in the mid- to late 1800s and has grown over the years as a result of that commitment. The combination of our two banks will provide greater convenience and a broader array of products to our customers, who will continue to have the personalized service they have come to expect.”

SPRINGFIELD — NAI Plotkin, a leading commercial real-estate brokerage firm, announced it represented the seller in the sale of 1665 Main St., a 2,010-square-foot commercial building, formerly Hampden Savings Bank, located in downtown Springfield.

The building was constructed in 1918 and has a glass ceiling with an ornate supporting structure, marble walls, and copper entrance. The asset sold for $285,000, although it last assessed for $127,600. Wilfredo Lopez of NAI Plotkin was the listing broker for the property. RLTY Development Springfield LLC secured the property and, as the new owner, plans to complete restoration of the original bank building and open a retail cannabis location. The building is also located directly across the street from the Paramount Theater and one block from the newly renovated Union Station.

The next steps for the new owner will be to gain approval for the retail establishment by the Commonwealth’s Cannabis Control Commission, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and the City Council.

“We have had several establishments looking to either lease or buy for a recreational marijuana location in the downtown Springfield area,” Lopez said. “There is a mix of local, national, and even international companies looking to start a cannabis dispensary or cultivation site here in Western Massachusetts utilizing the Opportunity Zone Program. This program has piqued the interest of investors interested in buying property in distressed communities listed in the program. This allows them the opportunity to participate in preferential tax treatment and possibly be able to defer or eliminate their tax on capital gains over time. I have worked with several owners and investors in the Opportunity Zone and have been involved in many conversations regarding these opportunities. I look forward to assisting anyone looking to invest in one of these Opportunity Zones.”

DEERFIELD — The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce (FCCC) will present its holiday breakfast on Tuesday, Dec. 18 from 7:25 to 9 a.m. at the Deerfield Academy Dining Commons, Old Albany Road, Deerfield. In addition to the breakfast buffet, the program highlight will be the Greenfield Recorder’s 36th annual Citizen of the Year Award.

The Skip Hammond family will sponsor the musical entertainment performed by Gary Maynard and Friends. Parking is available primarily on Albany Road behind the administration building and on the lower level. Call for further directions if necessary.

There is a great need for donated food during the holiday season. The chamber is asking everyone who attends the holiday breakfast to bring some packaged non-perishable food. Suggested foods are cereals, pasta, canned fruits and vegetables, tuna, peanut butter, canned meats, or other healthy items — nothing in glass, only boxes, tins and plastic. These items will be given to DIAL/SELF Youth Program food pantries in Greenfield and Orange. Checks for the Warm the Children Fund will also be accepted.

The cost is $26 for chamber members and their employees, $27 if invoiced, and $28 for general admission. All breakfast reservations should be paid by Friday, Dec. 14 unless other arrangements are made with the chamber office. To register, call (413) 773-5363.

GREENFIELD — Richard Venne, CEO of Viability, announced that Patty Morey Walker, former mayoral candidate in Greenfield, has accepted the position of program manager in Viability’s Greenfield office.

Morey Walker was also president and CEO of Walker, West and Associates. As founder of this insurance consulting firm, she oversaw program development, product development, and marketing. She received her bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation from Springfield College and master’s degree in rehabilitation from Boston University, and was a 2014 graduate of Western Massachusetts Women’s Fund’s Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact.

In addition to her multiple years of experience in the insurance-technology field, Morey Walker has several years of experience in the human-services field, including positions working in residential homes for individuals with intellectual disabilities, a residential treatment center for girls in the Department of Youth and Family System, a recreational program for children with development disabilities, and a work center for adults with intellectual challenges. She looks forward to returning to the human-services industry and aims to utilize her skills from past experiences in both the public and private sector to help Viability achieve its mission of supporting individuals with disabilities and other societal disadvantages in reaching their full potential.

BOSTON — Business confidence in Massachusetts recovered slightly during November amid a swirl of contradictory economic indicators ranging from agitated financial markets to international trade tensions to steady-but-slowing growth in the Bay State.

The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index gained 0.6 points to 61.6 in November, ending a three-month slide that brought confidence to its lowest level in more than a year. The November reading was one point lower than in November 2017 and 2.5 points lower than at the beginning of the year.

Increased optimism about the state and national economies balanced employer concerns about their own operations and hiring plans during November. The reading remained well within optimistic territory, but employers also clearly see risk on the horizon.

“The survey reflects the uncertainty facing employers amid a still-strong state and national economy,” said Raymond Torto, chair of AIM’s Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) and lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Design. “Employers are increasingly confident in the economy but less so in the prospects for their own companies and in their own hiring plans. Economic growth remained at a solid 3.3% in Massachusetts for the third quarter, but that was a slowdown from earlier in the year. Payroll employment was up for the quarter but weakened in August and September.”

The AIM Index, based on a survey of 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 Index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009. It has remained above 50 since October 2013.

The constituent indicators that make up the overall Business Confidence Index were mixed during November. The Massachusetts Index assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth rose 2.4 points to 67.1, leaving it 1.9 points higher than in November 2017. The U.S. Index gained 2.1 points to 63.7, up 1.5 points from a year earlier.

The Company Index measuring employer assessments of their own operations dropped 0.4 points to 59.2, down 3.1 points year-to-year. The Employment Index slid 3.8 points for the month while the Sales Index was up 2.3 points.

The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, fell 0.7 points last month to 62.6 and 0.8 points for the year. The Future Index, measuring expectations for six months out, gained 2.1 points for the month and lost 1.1 points for the year.

Manufacturers (62.4) were slightly more optimistic than non-manufacturing companies (60.8), reversing a trend that has existed for most of 2018. Companies in the eastern part of Massachusetts (64.0) were significantly more bullish than those in Western Mass. (58.5). Large companies (62.3) and medium-sized companies (62.4) registered higher confidence readings than small companies (59.7).

AIM President and CEO Richard Lord, also BEA member, said employers at least have a clearer view of the political landscape now that the 2018 midterm elections are completed. “The prospect of divided government in which Democrats will control the U.S. House of Representatives and Republicans the Senate and the White House provides some assurance to employers who do not relish policy lurches to the left or right,” he noted.

FLORENCE — Florence Bank customers have until Monday, Dec. 31 to vote in the Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program for one area nonprofit in Western Mass. they want the bank to support with grant funds.

The program is a year-long initiative. To qualify for a community grant, organizations must receive at least 50 customer votes before the year ends. Customers can vote online at www.florencebank.com/vote, or they can cast a ballot in person in one of the bank’s 10 branches in Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Florence, Granby, Hadley, Northampton, Williamsburg and West Springfield.

When Florence Bank presents the awards for the Customers’ Choice program next spring, it will be the 17th year the grant initiative has been helping local nonprofits make an impact in Western Mass. communities. 

Each year, the bank donates a share of $100,000 to more than 50 local organizations, and in 2019, the bank will surpass the $1.1 million mark in terms of grants made to community nonprofits. The program is unique, as the bank empowers its customers to decide which organizations will receive a portion of the grant funds. 

The grants program provides funds to a wide spectrum of organizations doing transformative work in the Pioneer Valley, including food pantries, therapy-dog organizations, elementary schools, and health support networks.

“Year after year, Florence Bank customers have voted for their favorite nonprofits. These organizations receive crucial resources that allow them to thrive in the communities they serve,” Florence Bank President and CEO John Heaps Jr. said. “We are so pleased to continue this good work throughout Western Mass. We are honored to be able to invest in these organizations that benefit our employees, customers, neighbors, families, and friends.”

GREENFIELD — Richard Venne, CEO of Viability, announced the recent promotion of three current staff members: Kristin Rotas, director (Holyoke); Jennifer Pisano, associate vice president (Connecticut, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island), and Gregg Thompson, vice president (Connecticut, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island).

Viability is a provider of human services, accredited by CARF and certified by Clubhouse International, the Department of Developmental Services, and the Department of Medical Assistance. Viability leverages community and employer partnerships to create opportunities for its members.

With a staff of more than 500 individuals and 37 service locations across the country, Viability aims to enrich the lives of the people it serves and is driven by a belief that every individual, no matter their ability, can be a valuable contributor to our community and the workforce. Its service divisions include clubhouses, employment, community living, day programs, and transitional programs.

SPRINGFIELD — Saturday, Jan. 5 will be NAMI Night with the Springfield Thunderbirds hosting the Providence Bruins at the MassMutual Center. The action begins at 7:05 p.m., and tickets cost $15.

Between periods, there will be a chuck-a-puck contest with the winner (if there is one) receiving a cash prize and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of chances to win going to NAMI Western Massachusetts. For game tickets, visit springfieldthunderbirds.formstack.com/forms/nami_night or namiwm.org/events.html.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Western Massachusetts is dedicated to helping improve the quality of life for individuals and families affected by mental illness through support, education, and advocacy. According to statistics, one in four Americans will face a mental-health problem every year.