SPRINGFIELD — The United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) announced it has hired Paul Mina as its new president and CEO as part of an overall management agreement. Mina brings 30 years of United Way experience to the Pioneer Valley.

“I’m so happy and honored to be able to work with the UWPV team as we grow the organization and take advantage of the tremendous upside potential this region has to offer,” Mina said.

In addition, Steve Lowell, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank and chairman of the UWPV board, announced that the organization is entering into a management agreement with the United Way of Tri-County (UWTC).

“This partnership with a sister organization will allow us to substantially reduce overhead expenses and allocate more money directly into the UWPV community,” Lowell said. “Paul’s experience and familiarity with our region will allow this to happen. Our board is very excited about the potential this partnership brings to the table.”

Mina will be reporting to the UWPV board of directors so that local control and oversight is maintained.

The UWTC is responsible for overseeing the Mass 211 program, the statewide source for essential community services. Mina noted that more than 45% of the phone calls to the Mass 211 helpline originate from the UWPV service area, so he is familiar with the work being done in the community.

“The ability to maintain our local fundraisers and community-impact personnel, while leveraging the backroom from the UWTC, will make us a stronger organization,” Lowell said, as he praised interim CEO Kathy Dube for her outstanding stewardship over the past several months. “Kathy, along with our professional staff, have been the engine that has kept us going during this transition period. Kathy’s experience as a member of our board of directors, as well as being one of the founders of the Women’s Leadership Council, made her the ideal choice for the interim role.”

WEST SPRINGFIELD — A record number of visitors attended the 2018 Big E, with the final tally of 1,543,470 surpassing the previous record of 1,525,553, set in 2017.

During the fair’s run, the all-time highest single-day attendance record was also broken when 172,659 visitors attended on Saturday, Sept. 22. Five additional daily attendance records were set: Sept. 14, 87,092; Sept. 15, 118,627; Sept. 23, 134,986; Sept. 27, 105,084; and Sept. 29, 171,965.

“The Eastern States Exposition closed its doors on the 102nd edition with an another record year,” said Eugene Cassidy, president and CEO. “The outpouring of support for this organization from our region is humbling, as that support provides a mechanism for our mission to continue.”

EAST LONGMEADOW — Epstein Financial Services has relocated from Holyoke to a new, expanded office space on 12 Somers Road in East Longmeadow. Its new phone number is (413) 224-3606.

“I’m delighted to be in our new location,” said Charlie Epstein, founder and CEO. “We took a few days to move and settle in. We look forward to the many opportunities this move affords us as we expand and grow. The East Longmeadow business community is vibrant and welcoming; we are glad to be a part of it.”

Carla Maurer, chief financial officer, agreed. “The building is beautiful, and so much thought went into every detail. There is lots of great energy here.”

Epstein Financial Services was renting its previous location in Holyoke and now owns its new office in East Longmeadow. Its square footage has increased by 50%.

“The new office is very chic,” said Krista Krupa, Retirement Plans specialist. “Our clients find it more welcoming than our previous space. Their reactions so far have been unbelievable. There is a huge ‘wow’ factor.”

Tom Condron, director of Retirement Consulting Services, said the team is excited, as it had outgrown its former space.

“We now have a video studio we can use to film promotional and educational 401K Coach Program videos for our business. This allows us to promote our neighbors and clients’ businesses with videos as well,” he noted. “We spend a lot of time at work, so our office is home for our work family. Our new space is really conducive to collaborative teamwork style.”

In addition to the video studio, the new location features plentiful and accessible parking, as well as larger conference and meeting spaces.

AMHERST — UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy has been named by Gov. Charlie Baker to the new Massachusetts Cybersecurity Strategy Council, which will advise state leaders on ways to spur economic growth and cyber-resilience in the Commonwealth.

The appointment of the 19-member council, which includes representatives from state government, the private sector, and the Commonwealth’s leading research institutions, was announced on Sept. 27 during the 2018 Massachusetts Cybersecurity Forum in Boston. Baker also announced the appointment of Stephanie Helm as the first director of the MassCyberCenter at the Mass Tech Collaborative.

“The MassCyberCenter and Cybersecurity Strategy Council were created to ensure the state serves as a valuable partner with businesses, colleges and universities, and the public sector to grow Massachusetts’ cybersecurity industry and continue developing a talented workforce,” said Baker.

The Cybersecurity Strategy Council is chaired by retired Rear Admiral Michael Brown, the former director for Cybersecurity Coordination in the National Protection and Programs Directorate of the federal Department of Homeland Security. He now serves as president of Spinnaker Security, LLC.

HOLYOKE — Representatives from six Puerto Rican universities will hold a mini college fair on the Holyoke Community College (HCC) campus today, Oct. 1, as part of a broad initiative to recruit community-college transfer students from New York and Massachusetts who want to complete their bachelor’s degrees in Puerto Rico.

The event will run from 12:30 to 4 p.m. on the first floor of HCC’s Frost and Donahue buildings with officials from the University of Puerto Rico, Interamericana University, Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, Carlos Albizu University, Ana G. Mendez University, and Polytechnica University.

As part of the One Puerto Rico project, Jorge Haddock, newly appointed president of the University of Puerto Rico and former dean of the UMass Boston School of Management, is leading the contingent of delegates from Puerto Rican universities on a six-day tour of higher-education institutions in the Northeast. HCC is the group’s only stop in Massachusetts.

LONGMEADOW — Bay Path University announced that Matthew Smith has been promoted to the position of director, Computer Science & Cybersecurity Programs.

Smith has been with Bay Path University’s American Women’s College for nearly two years, first serving as an adjunct faculty member and later being named full-time academic director, Cybersecurity and Applied Technology. In June, he was promoted to academic director, Technology, Security & Justice.

Smith brings more than 20 years of experience in technology and information-security leadership across the government, financial-services, and technology sectors to his teaching, most recently as a subject-matter expert in digital forensics and incident response at MassMutual Financial in Springfield. He has also held related positions with other Fortune 500 companies, such as General Dynamics and Dell-EMC Corp. He also holds a federal security clearance and is classified within U.S. federal courts for testimony as an expert witness.

A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Smith received his MBA from Norwich University, his master’s degree from San Diego State University, and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland.

GREENFIELD — The three-year-old Pioneer Valley Grows Investment Fund (PVGIF), a program that provides financing and technical assistance to farm and food businesses through community investments, has marked a major milestone — $1.25 million raised and financing provided to more than 25 local farm and food entrepreneurs primarily located in Western Mass. The fund is actively seeking more investors to raise an additional $1.25 million to continue this work.

Administered by the Franklin County Community Development Corp. (FCCDC), the PVGrows Investment Fund offers an innovative, mission-driven way for community members to invest in their values by supporting and sustaining businesses that can make real changes to how people grow, distribute, and buy food.

“It takes the local movement to a whole new level. It’s beyond eating local — it’s investing locally,” said John Waite, executive director of the FCCDC.

The fund was started in October 2015, and to date has nearly 50 investors, including individuals, businesses, and foundations. Open to investors located in New England and New York, the PVGrows Investment Fund has a minimum investment of just $1,000, with interest paid annually. These community investments are pooled together to provide the financing that farm and food entrepreneurs need to grow their businesses. Food and farm businesses applying for financing and business support are vetted for mission fit by a consortium of community-lending institutions and food and agriculture specialists.

Terry and Susan Ragasa, owners of Sutter Meats in Northampton, came to the PVGrows Investment Fund early on. ”From start-up funds to get us open to facilitating a business consultation to get us to the next level, the PVGrows Investment Fund has been an incredibly supportive asset for Sutter Meats,” Terry said.

The PVGIF community of investors and borrowers from across the Pioneer Valley will gather on Thursday, Oct. 4 from 5 to 7 pm at Raven Hollow Winery at Kosinski Farms in Westfield to celebrate its third anniversary and look ahead to the next phase of the fund’s operation. The event will provide an opportunity to learn more about the PVGrows Investment Fund, hear from investors and entrepreneurs, sample food from PVGIF borrowers, and find out how to get involved. To RSVP, click here.

STOCKBRIDGE — Morgan Russell has joined the Main Street Hospitality team as the manager of Guest Experiences across four Main Street Hospitality Group properties.

Originally from Boston and having grown up in the Berkshires, Russell brings 10 years of luxury hospitality concierge experience to this new position. Prior to joining Main Street Hospitality, he specialized in building guest-engagement programs for various high-end boutique hotels in Colorado, including the Arrabelle at Vail Square, the Sebastian Hotel, and the Christiana.

Russell will work collaboratively with partners throughout the region to expand the guest-experience program at all of Main Street’s hotels and provide visitors an added layer of connectivity to the Berkshires experience.

“Morgan is the ideal fit for this role, and we are so excited to welcome him back to the Berkshires and to the team,” said Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality Group. “His deep knowledge of experiential programming has allowed him to hit the ground running, forging partnerships with several local businesses from museums and golf courses to outdoor adventure parks and more, all with the goal of enriching each guest’s visit to the Berkshires.”

Russell will build out the guest-experience program at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Hotel on North in Pittsfield, and Briarcliff in Great Barrington.

Russell graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in international affairs. In his early career, he worked at the Red Lion Inn, filling various positions from busboy and bellhop to the sales office. 

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — On Saturday, Sept. 29, Bradley International Airport will hold a mass-casualty drill designed to simulate an aircraft accident. Bradley administration, operations, Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF), security, and maintenance personnel will coordinate the practice drill along with the assistance of local, state, and federal emergency-services agencies and other partners.

With safety a priority at Bradley, exercises like this one are an important part of ensuring that personnel are properly trained to handle different emergency situations. The Federal Aviation Administration requires this particular exercise to be performed every three years. 

The drill will involve the active participation of as many as 25 different emergency-response agencies, and approximately 100 individuals are expected to participate in the exercise.

Local residents and visitors to Bradley International Airport should be aware that there will be an influx of emergency vehicles on site and increased activity in conjunction with the drill. Motorists are advised that Light Lane, between Firehouse Road and Citation Lane, will be closed during the exercise.

GREENFIELD — Michael Tucker, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank, announced that Melissa Tetreault has re-joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank as a mortgage loan originator in its Northampton Cooperative division.

She will work out of the Florence office for Northampton Cooperative, but is available to meet customers in any of the bank’s 10 offices throughout Hampshire and Franklin County.

“We are thrilled that Ms. Tetreault came back to help us provide our brand of banking to the local community,” Tucker said.

Tetreault has more than 30 years of experience in banking and mortgage lending, including 16 years with Greenfield Cooperative Bank. She holds a mortgage originator license from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is a graduate of UMass Amherst with a bachelor’s degree in education. She is also a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies at Babson College. She is active with the United Way Women’s Way, an affiliate member of the Realtors’ Assoc. of Pioneer Valley, active with the Shelburne Falls Woman’s Club, and a former director of the YMCA and the United Way.

BOSTON — Local unemployment rates decreased in 24 labor-market areas in Massachusetts during the month of August, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported. Compared to August 2017, the rates dropped in 19 labor market areas, remained the same in four areas, and increased in one labor-market area.

Three of the 15 areas for which job estimates are published recorded a seasonal job gain in August. The gains occurred in the Springfield, Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, and Taunton-Middleborough-Norton areas. The Leominster-Gardner area had no change in its job level over the month.

From August 2017 to August 2018, 13 of the 15 areas added jobs, with the largest percentage gains in the Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, Worcester, Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury, and Taunton-Middleborough-Norton areas. The Peabody-Salem-Beverly and Framingham areas lost jobs.

In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the statewide unadjusted unemployment rate for August was 3.5%.

Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported that the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the month of August remained at 3.6%. The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 6,100-job gain in August, and an over-the-year gain of 68,100 jobs.

The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor-market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.

The estimates for labor force, unemployment rates, and jobs for Massachusetts are based on different statistical methodology specified by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

HOLYOKE — The Holyoke Medical Center provider affiliate, Western Mass Physician Associates announced it is changing the name to Holyoke Medical Group as of Oct. 1.

Four years after launching a new organization-wide logo and rebranding campaign, the Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems leadership recognize the disconnect still perceived by patients between Holyoke Medical Center and Western Mass Physician Associates.

“The name change will allow for the organization to have stronger brand awareness in the community,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems. “The new name also releases the belief that all clinicians are doctors. The future success of healthcare relies not only on our excellent physicians, but on the growing number of mid-level providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, expertly qualified to care for our community.”  

Holyoke Medical Group consists of two primary-care provider offices, a family medicine office, a pediatric office, and three women’s services offices with ob/gyn and certified nurse midwife care. Each office location is accepting new patients.

SPRINGFIELD — The second annual class of Healthcare Heroes will be honored at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse in Hampden on Thursday, Oct. 25 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Healthcare Heroes, a recognition program involving the Western Mass. healthcare sector, was launched last spring by HCN and BusinessWest. The program was created to shed a bright light on the outstanding work being done across the broad spectrum of health and wellness services, and the institutions and people providing that care.

This year’s honorees include Mary Paquette, director of Health Services and nurse practitioner, American International College; Celeste Surreira, assistant director of Nursing, the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke; Peter DePergola II, director of Clinical Ethics, Baystate Health; Dr. Matthew Sadof, pediatrician, Baystate Children’s Hospital; TechSpring; the Consortium and the Opioid Task Force; and Robert Fazzi, founder, Fazzi Associates. The seven winners were profiled in the Sept. 4 issue of BusinessWest and the September issue of HCN, and will be feted at the Oct. 25 gala.

Tickets cost $90, and tables of 10 are available. To order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com. call Healthcare Heroes sponsors include American International College (presenting sponsor), Baystate Health/Health New England (presenting sponsor), National Grid (partner), and supporting sponsors Renew.Calm, the Elms College MBA program, Bay Path University, and Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health Of New England.

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield will be home to the 24th Educare early-education school to be built in the U.S., and the only one in Massachusetts, following a recent groundbreaking at 100 Hickory St., adjacent to Brookings School, on land provided by Springfield College.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito was joined by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno; Educare officials; Janis Santos, executive director of Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start; local leaders in philanthropy and project funders; representatives of Springfield College and the Old Hill Neighborhood Council; elected officials; and other community members for the official groundbreaking of the nearly $14 million facility, which is expected to open in late 2019.

Educare offers an early-education model designed to help narrow the achievement gap for children living in poverty and represents a national collaboration between the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, the Ounce of Prevention Fund, and hundreds of other public-private partners across America.

Funding for the project comes from a variety of local, state, and national sources, including the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation; the Gage Olmstead Fund and Albert Steiger Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; the MassMutual Foundation; Berkshire Bank; MassDevelopment; the MassWorks Infrastructure Program at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development; the Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Grant Fund through the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care in collaboration with the Community Economic Development Assistance Corp. and their affiliate, the Children’s Investment Fund; the George Kaiser Family Foundation; Florence Bank; Capital One Commercial Banking; and anonymous donors.

The Educare model incorporates embedded and ongoing professional development of teachers, intensive family engagement, and high-quality teaching practices, and utilizes data to advance outcomes for students in the program. 

Educare Springfield will offer a full-day, full-year program for up to 141 children from birth to age 5, under licensure by the state Department of Early Education and Care. Educare Springfield will also serve as a resource in the early-education community for training and providing professional development for future teachers, social workers, evaluation, and research.

Educare Springfield will pursue opportunities for local partnerships and collaborations.

O’Connell Development Group is providing project management, and Western Builders is responsible for construction. The building was designed by RDg Planning & Design.

LONGMEADOW — Decorti Rodgers-Tonge, chair of the Undergraduate Accounting department and assistant professor of Accounting at Bay Path University, has been selected to receive an African American Female Professor Award (AAFPAA).

This award will be presented to Rodgers-Tonge at the African American Female Professor Awards (AAFPA) Celebration on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Griswold Theater at American International College in Springfield. She will be honored along with two other African-American female college professors.

“We are so proud of Dee for this well-deserved recognition,” said Thomas Loper, associate provost and dean for the university’s School of Science and Management, said. “This award is a wonderful tribute to all that she is doing for her students each day.”

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, as of the fall of 2015, among full-time professors, 58% were white males, 26% were white females, 2% percent were black males, and 1% were black females.

Rodgers-Tonge is the second Bay Path professor to receive the AAFPAA. Janine Fondon, assistant professor and chair of Undergraduate Communications, was honored at the inaugural event in 2017.

The goal of the AAFPA is to recognize African-American female faculty who are full-time, part-time, or adjunct, with the hope that this recognition will help institutions recruit and retain African-American female professors, as well as inspire African-American female educators to continue their work in the classroom and pursue post-secondary assignments.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The West of the River Chamber of Commerce will present a Lunch and Learn event on Thursday, Oct. 4. This multi-chamber event will include members from the Greater Westfield, Greater Chicopee, and East of the River Five Town chambers.

The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Storrowton Tavern Carriage House in West Springfield. Attendees will have the opportunity to network, enjoy lunch, and listen to a discussion on what the region’s future business climate looks like in the wake of the recent ‘grand bargain’ that was passed through legislation. Richard Lord, CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, will provide the audience with insight on what to expect in the future. A question-and-answer period will follow his comments. 

For more information, call the West of the River Chamber of Commerce at (413) 426-3880 or register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

SPRINGFIELD — Single-family home sales declined by 5.7% in the Pioneer Valley in August compared to the same time last year, while the median price rose 5.9% to $225,000, according to the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley.

In Franklin County, sales were down 17.8%, while the median price rose 5.2% from a year earlier. In Hampden County, sales were down 9.1%, while the median price was up 2.6%. In Hampshire County, however, sales rose 11.0% from August 2017, while the median price shot up 16.7%.

SPRINGFIELD — In keeping with its mission to meet the early-learning and family-support needs of the Greater Springfield community, Square One announced it is expanding access to child care to all hours of the day. The announcement of Square One: Next Level comes as the need for child care for second shift, third shift, and weekends continues to grow for working parents throughout the region. 

Strategic funding partners include MGM Springfield, Baystate Health, Smith & Wesson, the Center for Human Development (CHD), FOCUS, and LENOX. Funds from these employers were matched by philanthropist Lyman Wood of Hampden. Collectively, more than $100,000 was raised to launch Square One: Next Level. 

“Square One has a long-standing reputation for strategically responding to the evolving needs of our community,” said Joan Kagan, Square One president and CEO. “We heard from our business leaders and from parents in our community that the lack of child care during evenings and weekends was making it difficult for employees to be successful in their careers and employers to be successful in running their businesses. We are excited and grateful for the support of these businesses and for Lyman’s belief in our mission and vision. Working together, we are building a stronger, more vibrant community for the families who live and work here.”

In addition to providing opportunities for parents to secure high-quality care for their children while meeting the diverse work scheduling needs of employers and employees throughout the region, this initiative is also providing employment opportunities for professionals in the child-care industry. Square One is currently recruiting and training family child-care providers to offer care during non-traditional work hours.

“As many may recall, Square One experienced two major losses in the 2011 tornado and the gas explosion that occurred in 2012,” Wood said. “Although these disasters set them back financially and limited the organization’s ability to perform many of the services needed in Springfield, it did not stop them from creatively and responsibly developing long-term solutions to the region’s growing challenges. This child-care endeavor is a win-win opportunity to assist employers with their staffing needs and generate resources to fulfill their mission.”

Square One: Next Level is now available to the community at large. For more information on how to become a provider or supporter, or to access child-care services, visit www.startatsquareone.org.

SPRINGFIELD — Michael Ostrowski, president and CEO of Arrha Credit Union, recently welcomed Michael Kelley as the institution’s new mortgage loan originator. Kelley has more than seven years of experience in mortgage lending, most recently as mortgage loan originator at Polish National Credit Union.

Kelley was recognized as Banker and Tradesman Top 5 Originator for Credit Unions in Western Massachusetts for two years in a row. He is a member of the Springfield Rotary Club and assistant coach for the SOY Boys Basketball team.

“I am ecstatic to be part of the Arrha Credit Union family and serving the Springfield community of where I grew up,” Kelley said. “I enjoy finding the right financial solutions, providing mortgage options that make sense, and helping people save time and money.”

SPRINGFIELD — The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded two separate grants to Springfield Technical Community College to enhance education in cutting-edge internet technology and advanced photonics, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal announced today.

The college received $599,388 to develop the Internet of Things Education Project and $551,202 to develop a program called Problem-Based Learning in Advanced Photonics Manufacturing Education.

Both grants are designed to support three-year projects that will prepare and inspire students to enter careers in growing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. STCC has degree and certificate programs that prepare students for these careers.

“Congratulations to Springfield Technical Community College for these two impressive grants from the National Science Foundation,” Neal said. “I have worked hard throughout my career to protect these funding sources because I see how they are used right here in our community. STCC will be able to use this allocation to enhance their already-impressive course offerings in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields and attract high-school students to these fields. I look forward to future success stories from these programs.”

Gary Mullett, co-chair of the Electronic Systems Engineering Technology Department, said the ‘internet of things’ (IoT) can be described as machines connecting to other machines and exchanging data. Machines with this type of technology include automobiles, heating and cooling systems in buildings, and home appliances.

“It’s become pervasive,” said Mullett, principal investigator of the grant. “The internet has evolved from delivering entertainment and information to people to machines that are talking to other machines. It’s possible that 20 or 30 billion things will be connected to the internet before too long.”

Technology behind the internet of things has had an impact on the evolution of autonomous vehicles, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare, he added.

“The technology of the IoT has the very genuine potential to significantly impact almost every aspect of human endeavor and commerce,” Mullett wrote in a description of the project to the National Science Foundation. “It is vitally important that the United States be at the forefront of the development of this technology and the creation of a workforce that can deal with the installation, maintenance, and updating of this emerging technology. This project will strive to provide curricula and training to those that would teach the material to ensure an adequate workforce of IoT technicians.”

Mullett said the final goal of the project is to create an internet of things systems field technician certificate that would prepare students to enter the workforce. The certificate would be offered as part of one of the existing electronics, computer, or networking programs at STCC.

The second grant-funded project aims to increase the STEM pipeline of high-school and community-college students prepared and motivated to pursue careers in photonics technology. Students will use problem-based learning methods focused on advanced photonics manufacturing. Photonics is the science of generating, detecting, and manipulating particles of light. Applications include lasers, optics, fiber optics, and electro-optical devices. The grant supports curriculum development and the training of high-school and college-level STEM teachers in the Northeast.

“We will do a series of professional development workshops to teach the faculty how to teach using problem-based methods,” said Nicholas Massa, department chair for Optics and Photonics Technology and principal investigator of the grant. “It’s all about structured problem solving. It’s about teaching what to do when you don’t know what to do.”

Massa and his team will create a series of eight multi-media problem-based learning modules focused on real-world issues in advanced photonics manufacturing. STCC has partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology AIM Photonics Academy, the New England Board of Higher Education, and the NSF-ATE Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing.

Massa said companies will be asked to describe actual problems they have faced, adding that the companies’ processes will be captured on video that will be presented to students along with problem-solving strategies and resources used to solve the problems.

“This brings the company into the classroom,” Massa said. “We will use video, stills, and animation to present students with these problems. We’re teaching them how to ask the right questions.”

STCC President John Cook thanked Mullett and Massa for their efforts in securing the grants.

“Dr. Massa and Professor Mullett are passionate about their work inside and outside of the classroom. They both have a long history of successfully securing important grants for their programs at STCC,” Cook said. “I’m grateful that they both have a keen understanding of the needs of our industry partners and a commitment to ensuring our students are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow.”

SPRINGFIELD — The second annual class of Healthcare Heroes will be honored at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse in Hampden on Thursday, Oct. 25 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Healthcare Heroes, a recognition program involving the Western Mass. healthcare sector, was launched last spring by HCN and BusinessWest. The program was created to shed a bright light on the outstanding work being done across the broad spectrum of health and wellness services, and the institutions and people providing that care.

This year’s honorees include Mary Paquette, director of Health Services and nurse practitioner, American International College; Celeste Surreira, assistant director of Nursing, the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke; Peter DePergola II, director of Clinical Ethics, Baystate Health; Dr. Matthew Sadof, pediatrician, Baystate Children’s Hospital; TechSpring; the Consortium and the Opioid Task Force; and Robert Fazzi, founder, Fazzi Associates. The seven winners were profiled in the Sept. 4 issue of BusinessWest and the September issue of HCN, and will be feted at the Oct. 25 gala.

Tickets cost $90, and tables of 10 are available. To order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com. call Healthcare Heroes sponsors include American International College (presenting sponsor), Baystate Health/Health New England (presenting sponsor), National Grid (partner), and supporting sponsors Renew.Calm, the Elms College MBA program, Bay Path University, and Mercy Medical Center/Trinity Health Of New England.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Big E announced an all-time record for single-day attendance on Saturday, Sept. 22.

On Vermont Day, 172,659 guests visited the Big E, the highest single-day attendance in the history of the fair. To date, 741,080 people have visited this year’s edition of Big E, which runs through Sunday, Sept. 30. Details about the fair can be found at www.thebige.com.

NORTHAMPTON — Curran, Berger & Kludt announced that Megan Kludt has become its newest partner. She joined Curran & Berger in October 2010 after working as an immigration attorney for four years in Boston. She is a founding member of the Immigrant Protection Project of Western MA, and has recently gained media attention for her work to free asylum seekers from ICE detention.

Kludt holds a bachelor’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University, a master’s degree in international relations from Boston University, and a juris doctor with an international concentration from Boston University School of Law.

HOLYOKE — As part of a continuing series of non-credit hospitality courses at the new HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, Holyoke Community College is offering classes this fall for anyone interested in becoming a professional bartender or just looking to perfect classic cocktails at home.

The interactive class runs for seven consecutive Tuesdays, Oct. 16 through Nov. 27, from 6:15 to 9:15 p.m. at the culinary institute, 164 Race St., Holyoke.

The course will cover all the skills necessary to launch a career as a professional bartender. Students will learn how to handle various types of alcohol and how to prepare cocktails from the classics to the trendy, including pouring techniques, glassware, garnishes, legal liability, and customer service.

Quincy McCray, the course instructor, has 23 years of experience in the mixology industry. His company, Liquid Solutions, consults with businesses and trains bar staff, ensuring compliance with liability laws, liquor-inventory management, and TIPS certification.

The course costs $269 plus textbook. For more information or to register, visit hcc.edu/bce or call (413) 552-2324.

CHICOPEE — The School of Nursing at Elms College, in partnership with Baystate Medical Center Nursing, will host a discussion about the upcoming Massachusetts ballot question regarding nurse-staffing ratios on Thursday, Oct. 18 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Elms College’s Veritas Auditorium. 

Amanda Stefancyk Oberlies, CEO of the Organization of Nurse Leaders in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Vermont, will introduce the issues surrounding Question 1, and then a panel of practicing nurses will speak and take audience questions. Baystate nurses Karissa Gorman, Brittany Foley, and Tara Budriewicz will appear on the panel.

The Elms College School of Nursing has joined with Massachusetts nurses, hospitals, and prominent healthcare organizations in opposing Question 1, which which would institute government-mandated nurse staffing levels at all hospitals statewide.

“On the surface, it might appear that using legislation to set registered-nurse-to-patient ratios would benefit patients, nurses, and hospitals, but that is not the case,” said Kathleen Scoble, dean of the School of Nursing at Elms College. “If approved, the law would require every hospital to adopt rigid registered-nurse-to-patient ratios at all times — without consideration of a hospital’s size or location, and regardless of individual patients’ specific care needs.

“If this legislation is enacted, the impact will be devastating to hospitals, to the quality and safety of patient care, and to the much-respected role of the professional nurses we have been educating for decades,” she added. “Thus, we believe it to be critically important to provide our community and the public at large an opportunity to truly learn about Question 1.”

This event will allow the public to hear directly from nurses and healthcare experts about the issues surrounding Question 1 and how it would affect the day-to-day practice of nursing in Massachusetts, as well as the long-term effects of such legislation on patient care and the nursing profession as a whole.

SPRINGFIELD — Through Oct. 15, American International College (AIC) will use the college’s social-media platforms and website to feature prominent Hispanic individuals who have helped shape the culture and fabric of our communities locally, nationally, and globally. Leaders in government, human rights, science, medicine, literature, the arts, sports, and entertainment will be highlighted daily. 

As an institution of higher learning with nearly half of its population comprised of first-generation students, one of the hallmarks of American International College is the value it places on diversity.

“The diversity that results from a population with varied backgrounds is one of our strengths,” said AIC President Vince Maniaci. “AIC is very student-centric and believes that, while a college education includes academic and intellectual growth, it must also include the development of personal and emotional intelligence. We all see things through a different prism based on the environment we come from. Being culturally diverse leads to deeper discussions and increased awareness as AIC students make their way into a rapidly changing world.”

To join AIC in this month-long tribute, visit the college at www.aic.edu, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/americaninternationalcollege, or on Twitter, @aiconcampus.

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Cultural Partnership (SCP), the parent organization for the Springfield Central Cultural District, recently welcomed Karen Finn as its new executive director. Finn brings a wealth of experience in community service, government, advocacy, and program management to advance the SCP’s mission of sustaining a vibrant arts and cultural environment in Springfield.

The Springfield Central Cultural District, one of 44 designated cultural districts in Massachusetts, encompasses a walkable area of downtown Springfield with cultural attractions such as art, music, theater, dining, historic architecture, and more. The nonprofit was founded in 2014 and now includes more than 50 member organizations representing local arts, culture, and business.

Finn has been an entrepreneur and business owner as well as holding leadership positions within higher education and government. Most recently, she was program and events manager of the Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace & Justice at Princeton University, advancing mutual understanding and respect for all ethnic traditions and religious faiths. She was responsible for all communications including website maintenance, preparation of publications and letters, funding proposals, social-media accounts, and reports. She coordinated and managed events including conferences, seminars, and social events both locally and abroad.

“Karen’s experience in building bridges across diverse communities and her extensive business background make her an excellent choice as executive director of the Springfield Cultural Partnership,” said Eileen McCaffery, SCP board chair.

Finn holds a master’s degree in business and was a recipient of the prestigious U.S. Presidential Management Fellowship, serving in Geneva, Switzerland as part of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Her many years of experience developing local marketing strategies through brand awareness, community engagement, and networking promises to be an asset to the Springfield Central Cultural District.

As executive director of the SCP, she will be charged with developing innovative cultural projects and collaborations, and build upon such signature programming as Art Stop, the painted-piano project, pop-up art, and concerts.

“I’m thrilled to work with the Springfield community, the SCP board of directors, and Springfield city leadership to enhance the visibility of Springfield’s vibrant creative economy,” Finn said.

CHICOPEE — Elms College announced that its Computer Science department has been awarded more than $188,000 through a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to fund a project designed to spark interest in computer science and related fields among middle-school girls in Holyoke.

The project — which will include participants from UMass Amherst, Holyoke Codes, Girls Inc. of Holyoke, and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Holyoke — will combine robotics, coding, and a simulated natural-disaster situation.

The project, titled Girls Involved in Robotics Learning Simulations (GIRLS), was born after Beryl Hoffman, associate professor of Computer Science at Elms College, met Florence Sullivan, professor at UMass Amherst College of Education, at Holyoke Codes, an organization that provides opportunities for kids to get involved in coding, robotics, and technology.

Hoffman and Sullivan aim to learn more about the role of immersive simulation scenarios in encouraging girls to take interest in and learn about computer science and robotics.

“Our whole objective is to get more girls interested in computer science and robotics because the statistics are pretty dismal,” Hoffman said, pointing out that female students tend to make up 15% to 25% of computer-science majors, and that the field of robotics has even lower numbers, according to the National Center for Women and Information Technology.

Hoffman and Sullivan are hoping that hands-on experience will pique girls’ interest and show them the possibilities inherent in computer science and robotics. “Robotics is something that you can touch and see,” Hoffman added. “With robotics, you actually see your coding come to life to solve real-world problems like finding survivors and delivering supplies during a hurricane. I think that really helps to make it real for kids.” 

In year one of the project, the team will finalize all materials and curricula, and test them in single-day workshops. In year two, the educational program will be implemented in partnership with Girls Inc. of Holyoke and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Holyoke, with 40 to 60 female students expected to participate. In year three, the team will open the program to middle-school-aged boys, too, and analyze the outcomes of coed learning.

The program will incorporate two groups: experimental and control. The control group will receive only the robotics curriculum, while the experimental group will receive the robotics curriculum plus an immersive narrative that provides the framework for the natural-disaster simulation.

“Our idea was to immerse them in a real-world simulation, building off their experiences with Hurricane Maria and hearing about it in Puerto Rico to show that robotics and technology can really help people in those types of situations,” Hoffman said. “We’ll be using wheeled robots and drones, and they’re going to write code and have the robots go off to find survivors or deliver supplies. That will help the girls realize that you can go into technology and still help people, help society, and there’s a real purpose for it. It can be quite creative.”

The team will use pre- and post-tests, as well as surveys, to gauge the girls’ interest in computer science; they also will videotape interviews with participants and analyze their impressions.

Sullivan is the educational researcher on the project; Hoffman, the computer scientist, will be responsible for developing the computer-science and robotics aspects of the curriculum. Hoffman will be also responsible for creating the computer-science and robotics pre- and post-assessments. The team also includes Andrew Pasquale and Lissie Fein of Holyoke Codes, who will develop the curriculum and the pilot program, and education doctoral student Ricardo Poza. 

As part of the grant project, Elms will offer three paid internships, one per year, to junior or senior computer science or CITS (computer information technology and security) majors. “The interns will help teach the research project’s robotics curriculum to the middle-school students,” Hoffman said.

The funding for the three-year grant project, which stems from the National Robotics Initiative branch of the NSF, totals $570,697; the Elms portion is $188,394. The team plans to publish its results and share the curriculum through a project website.

“All we need to do is spark an interest,” Hoffman said. “The middle-school age is when their interests awaken to different career paths. If we can open their eyes a little, even if they haven’t ever considered going into technology, then all of a sudden after this one week, they might think, ‘that was actually really exciting — maybe I do want to explore that.’”

SPRINGFIELD — When Holyoke Medical Center and Western Mass Physician Associates (WMPA) needed help enhancing the skills of their medical assistants, they partnered with Training & Workforce Options (TWO).

TWO developed a curriculum and taught a 10-week class to 15 medical assistants from WMPA. The training was designed to prepare the workers for a national credentialing exam. The TWO course at Holyoke Community College (HCC) was a hybrid of classroom work and online learning taught by a medical assistant.

An additional 25 medical assistants from Holyoke Medical Center Specialty Practices enrolled in a second round of training.

TWO, a collaboration between HCC and Springfield Technical Community College, is designed to deliver high-quality, custom training solutions to the business community to boost bottom-line performance and productivity.

“At TWO, we provide training for a range of businesses throughout the region,” said Sharon Grundel, director of Corporate Training: Healthcare, Nonprofits, and Government Services. “To keep pace with new technologies in the workplace, employers realize that they must invest in skills training to retain good workers, especially in a strong economy.”

Grundel described the training TWO provided to the healthcare workforce as ‘up-skilling.’

“Up-skilling is any education, training, or development program that prepares employees with the knowledge and skills needed to advance their careers,” she said. “And companies realize that, when they invest in employees, retention improves, and that is good for the bottom line.”

Up-skilling — a smaller investment than hiring and training a new worker — serves to create a more well-rounded, cross-trained workforce, Grundel explained.

“Investing in employees is good for business in multiple ways, especially at the entry and direct-care level,” she said. “It helps boost morale. Employees who have training and development opportunities are happier in their roles and have a bright outlook on their future with the company. And that means increased customer satisfaction. When employees are happier with their company and believe in what they are working toward, they do better work.”

Holyoke Medical Center and Western Mass Physician Associates — both members of Valley Health Systems — teamed up with TWO to up-skill the medical assistants who are a critical part of their workforce, Grundel explained.

Medical assistants perform a wide array of clinical and administrative duties that require a range of technical, clinical, and administrative skills. Some medical assistants learn through their years of working on the job, while others are formally educated. As healthcare becomes more technically advanced, medical assistants are facing more federal regulations to work in the field. It is becoming more difficult for members of this profession to secure employment without credentialing.

With assistance from TWO, Western Mass Physician Associates received grant funding from the Workforce Training Fund to provide this training opportunity to 15 medical assistants in preparation for a national credentialing exam. TWO later facilitated another round of training for 25 medical assistants from Holyoke Medical Center Specialty Practices.

In addition to classroom learning, Holyoke Medical Center and Western Mass Physician Associates developed and staffed a full-scale skills day for all trainees. The session included 10 hands-on stations covering clinical and administrative tasks such as checking vital signs, administering injections and medication, taking EKG measurements, and other competency tests.