CHICOPEE — Elms College announced that all of its class of 2018 education licensure graduates, undergraduate and graduate, have successfully landed jobs as teachers in their licensure fields. This is the fifth year in a row that the Elms College Education Division has reported a 100% hire rate for its graduates.

“The continuing 100% hiring rate of our licensure completers is reflective of their diligence and commitment to youngsters,” said Mary Claffey Janeczek, chair of the Education Division at Elms College. “Students who graduate with a teaching license endorsed by Elms are in demand in local school districts because the candidates know their subject matter well, and they are able to teach students with both skill and compassion.”

Elms College allows education majors to specialize in elementary, early childhood, English as a second language, moderate special needs, or secondary education. Graduate students can work toward a master of arts in teaching degree in a variety of fields including reading specialist, a master of education degree, or a certificate of advanced graduate study.

FARMINGTON, Conn. — First Connecticut Bancorp Inc. announced that its board of directors has voted to pay its quarterly dividend of $0.17 per share. Dividends will be payable on Sept. 17 to all shareholders of record as of Sept. 7.

First Connecticut Bancorp is the holding company for Farmington Bank, a full-service community bank with 25 branch locations throughout Central Conn. and Western Mass., offering commercial and residential lending as well as wealth-management services. Farmington Bank has assets of $3.3 billion.

SPRINGFIELD — Freedom Credit Union (FCU), headquartered in Springfield and serving members in the four counties of Western Mass. with 10 branches, announced it has agreed to merge with West Springfield Federal Credit Union (WSFCU).

Freedom Credit Union was originally chartered as the Western Massachusetts Telephone Workers Credit Union in 1922 and renamed in 2004. FCU currently has $491 million in assets with 28,000 members who live, work, or attend school in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, or Berkshire county.

West Springfield Federal Credit Union, which was initially chartered in 1960 as the West Springfield Municipal Employees Credit Union before its name change in 2003, has nearly 3,000 members and more than $29 million in assets.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to extend our products and services to West Springfield, an area where we do not have a branch but where many of our members live and work,” said President and CEO Glenn Welch. “We promise our members accessibility to us, whether it’s at a branch location or through mobile banking. This merger delivers on that promise.”

Welch added that West Springfield Federal Credit Union members will have access to many new products and services, including member business lending, use of 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs across the worldwide Allpoint Network, and robust mobile-banking products and services. All employees of WSFCU will become part of the Freedom Credit Union family. The West Springfield Federal Credit Union location will remain open at 58 Union St. and conduct business as Freedom Credit Union.

“The additional products, services, and opportunities available to both our members and the employees who serve them is a win-win proposition,” said Ann Manchino, manager of West Springfield Federal Credit Union. “We are excited for a new chapter in our history and to be part of the Freedom Credit Union family.”

The merger will require regulatory and member approvals. The merger is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2018.

CHICOPEE — William O’Neil and Gayle Rae, owners and founding partners of Industrial Steel & Boiler Services Inc., announced a change in company management, as Alex Korobkov has become sole owner and president of ISB.

Korobkov has been employed by ISB for 17 years, beginning his career as a welder/boilermaker. He has steadily increased his responsibilities and expertise to become the operations manager for the last several years.

Korobkov has appointed Debbie Salamon, who has been with the company since its beginning, and has been in the office manager position for 27 years, to serve as treasurer.

ISB was incorporated in 1991 and is engaged in industrial power-plant services throughout the Northeast. The company is well-known in the industry for its work in boiler repair, valve repair, steel fabrication, pressure vessel fabrication, and code repairs to ASME vessels. ISB also holds many ASME and NBIC stamps.

AGAWAM — OMG Inc., a leading global supplier of specialty fasteners and products for commercial roofing and residential construction applications, is having an open house at its Agawam headquarters, located at 153 Bowles Road, on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will include a job fair, a variety of family-oriented activities, and tours of OMG’s state-of-the-art factory.

In addition to the job fair, on-site screening, and factory tours, the open house will include a giant, multi-employee tag sale, as well as children’s activities including a photo booth, bounce house, and face painting. For additional information and updates about the Open House, visit www.seehowscrewsaremade.com.

“OMG is an excellent employer and a great business,” said Hubert McGovern, president. “We like to involve the community in our activities whenever possible. We thought it would be fun to show our friends and neighbors what we do, how serious we are about safety, and the career opportunities that exist at OMG. We hope everyone will bring their kids, take a tour, and enjoy some fun.”

OMG is headquartered in Agawam and operates two divisions, OMG Roofing Products and FastenMaster.

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College will offer the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training program during the upcoming fall semester.

This course consists of 188 hours of lectures and workshops in trauma, medical, behavioral, and environmental emergencies, including 28 hours of online instruction and an auto-extrication field trip that prepares the student to challenge the National Certification Examination.

Day and evening classes will be offered Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays starting Sept. 5. Day classes will run 8 a.m. to noon. Night classes run 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Applications are now being accepted through STCC’s Workforce Development Center. Visit stcc.edu/wdc or call (413) 755-4225 to enroll.

LONGMEADOW — The American Women’s College at Bay Path University has been helping women complete their bachelor’s degrees at twice the rate of the national average since its inception in 2013, thanks to its digitally enhanced learning model, SOUL (Social Online Universal Learning). This innovative approach to education has placed its bachelor of arts degree in liberal studies among the 50 best in the nation, as ranked by TheBestSchools.org.

“The American Women’s College seeks to accommodate our students by offering a liberal studies degree, complimented by our Women Empowered by Learners and Leaders [WELL] program, to develop well-rounded, articulate, critical thinkers and leaders,” Chief Administrative Officer Amanda Gould said. “Our adaptive coursework can help students refresh on content, as needed, on each student’s customized learning path, even if they have had to take breaks in their learning. With our fully online, accelerated schedule, credit for prior experiences, and generous transfer policy, many students are able to finally obtain an undergraduate degree that may have been in progress off and on for many years.”

TheBestSchools.org ranked colleges based on six major categories: academic excellence, strength of faculty scholarship, reputation, financial aid, range of degree programs, and strength of online instruction methodology. The university’s program placed 21st on the list, in which the editor highlighted the freedom it provides to students, particularly adult women who have other responsibilities, including family and work obligations, to design an academic program to suit their needs and schedule.

The SOUL model uses data-driven intervention strategies to help mitigate achievement gaps, and has been recognized with more than $5 million in support from industry thought leaders and organizations. SOUL was developed after the American Women’s College was awarded a grant through the First in the World competition administered through the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). The four-year, $3.5 million award was used to develop — and continually hone — the program by improving educator access to learning data, allowing for targeted feedback and personalized guidance. SOUL has been recognized with several other grants and awards from national foundations, the federal government, and awarding agencies.

“The American Women’s College is focused on being responsive to students’ needs,” Gould said. “From accommodating complex lives with flexible delivery to using adaptive technology to create customized learning paths, to building an entire network of support and community, we try to find ways to meet students where they are and provide them the opportunity to change their lives with education.”

WILBRAHAM — Colony Hills Capital announced that it recently sold the 2,013-unit Mobile Five portfolio for $134,300,000. The sale of the multi-family apartment portfolio, purchased for $98 million in May 2013, produced a healthy, double-digit return for the firm’s investors.

This sale is the latest example of Colony Hills’ ability to source investment opportunities to which it can add substantial value through strategic capital investments and optimizing on-site management. This profitable investment also highlights how Colony Hills can enter various markets and capitalize on opportunities that others may overlook. Colony Hills recognized that Mobile, Ala. was an underappreciated market for multi-family investments and purchased the portfolio prior to the arrival of major employers like Airbus, Whole Foods, SSAB, and Amazon, as well as the major expansion of Austal, USA.

Colony Hills Capital is a real-estate investment company specializing in the acquisition and management of value-add multi-family properties. The investment targets are typically sourced ‘off-market,’ and at the time Colony Hills acquires them, they are underperforming relative to their peers in the marketplace. The Mobile Five portfolio was identified as an ideal investment by President David Kaufman, due to it being mismanaged, undercapitalized, and lacking a clear business plan.

The portfolio consists of five separate communities comprising a variety of vintages and styles, which catered to a wide spectrum of renters. The properties are Yester Oaks (587 units), Crossings at Pinebrook (545 units), Windsor Place (384 units), Sandpiper Townhomes (253 units), and Pathways Apartments (244 units). The portfolio is also geographically diversified, from east of Interstate 65 to the western suburbs, and further diversified in product quality ranging from class-A to class-C apartments, demonstrating that Colony Hills has the capability to manage assets of varying classes and in diverse locations.

While under Colony Hills’ ownership, the properties benefited from a $4 million capital-improvement program which focused on upgrading unit interiors, modernizing outdated clubhouses, adding resident amenities such as fitness centers and dog parks, and enhancing existing resort-size pools with new furniture and grilling centers. Colony Hills also rebranded the communities with new signage and landscaping, and added management systems to optimize the marketing and sales execution. As a result of these improvements, average rents rose considerably.

The neighborhoods surrounding the communities improved as well. A new Whole Foods market moved in a short distance from Crossings at Pinebrook. The city of Mobile garnered a number of awards for the business climate created by the addition of Whole Foods, Airbus, Amazon, and SSAB.

“The Mobile Five Portfolio is the most recent example of the value that can be created by our investment and management team here at Colony Hills,” said founder and CEO Glenn Hanson. “We are currently very active in seeking off-market investment opportunities, and even within this part of market cycle have several new acquisitions under consideration within our pipeline, and look forward to our next announcement.”

SPRINGFIELD — The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts will present Harry Krejsa of the Center for new American Security in conversation with Bill Scher, contributing editor of Politico, at the council’s 92nd annual meeting and dinner on Monday, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. at the Sheraton Springfield at Monarch Place. The topic of the evening will be “Heartland Security: How Global Engagement Once Fueled the American Middle Class — and Can Again.”

“We’re very excited to have Harry Krejsa speak to us,” said John Morse, World Affairs Council board president and former president and publisher at Merriam-Webster. “We know the conversation with Bill Scher will be illuminating. Krejsa’s report on heartland security meshes perfectly with the council’s mission to help people understand the impact foreign policy and global issues have on their daily lives.”

The program is open to the public. The cost is $50 per person and includes dinner. The RSVP deadline is Monday, Sept. 10. Register by calling (413) 733-0110 or online at www.worldaffairscouncil.com.

BOSTON — Opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts have fallen steadily over the past three quarters even as the presence of fentanyl in overdose deaths reached an all-time high. The presence of fentanyl in the toxicology of those who died from opioid-related overdose deaths rose to nearly 90% in 2018, underscoring its impact as the driving force behind the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts, according to the latest quarterly opioid-related deaths report released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH).

The report illustrates the changing nature of the epidemic, with cocaine now surpassing heroin in the toxicology for opioid-related deaths, beginning with the fourth quarter of 2017 (October through December). DPH officials reissued a June clinical advisory to all medical providers to warn them about the increase of fentanyl in cocaine.

Overall, 2017 saw a 4% decrease in opioid-related overdose deaths from 2016. The data also shows that the Commonwealth has experienced a 30% decline in opioid prescriptions since the launch of the Massachusetts Prescription Monitoring Program (MassPAT) in August 2016. Between April and June 2018, searches by registered prescribers to MassPAT increased by 100,000 searches over the previous quarter, making it the largest increase in searches conducted in a single quarter.

“The opioid epidemic is a tragic public health crisis that has taken scores of lives in our Commonwealth, and while we have much work to do, there continue to be trends related to a decline in overdose deaths and a decline in the number of opioid prescriptions written by physicians,” said Gov. Charlie Baker. “This quarterly report provides a new level of data revealing an unsettling correlation between high levels of synthetic fentanyl present in toxicology reports and overdose death rates. It is critically important that the Commonwealth understand and study this information so we can better respond to this disease and help more people. The legislation I signed earlier this month adds another set of tools to our toolkit, including requiring all emergency departments to offer medication-assisted treatment in emergency departments and extending medication-assisted treatment in correctional facilities.”

Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby was undoubtedly speaking for everyone in the room.

“After seven long years, I’d say it’s about time to party.”

He’s right. About everything.

It has been seven long years since the state initiated the process of bringing casino gambling to the Commonwealth. And it is time to party. And while the real party gets underway today at 11 a.m. — only minutes from now — when MGM officially opens the doors, never to close them again, the partying started Thursday with a press conference. Crosby was just one of many who came to the microphone.

It’s not written down anywhere, but you can’t open a $960 million resort casino without a press conference. Well, maybe you can, but not in Massachusetts, and not if you’re MGM.

And this was a press conference MGM style, with the Blue Man Group leading things off, and the dance group Jabbawockeez providing a fitting climax.

And then, there was the video promoting MGM Springfield and the entire MGM family at the start of things. MGM has shown it, or something like it, before. It’s fast-moving, complete with a lot of cool imagery and a few subtitles, including: “We’re not in the hotel business” … pause … “we’re in the ‘holy sh#t’ business.”

That line gave a number of the speakers, elected officials and MGM executives alike, something to talk about — even Jim Murren, MGM’s chairman, mentioned that his mother wasn’t particularly fond of it — but they already had plenty of good material.

As Crosby stated, it’s been seven long years. Seven hard years. Seven years of hard negotiating. Seven years of shaping a vision and bringing it to reality. Seven years since the tornado roared down Main Street and devastated the property where the casino now sits. Seven years of doubt and question marks turned into reality.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno equated MGM Springfield to a phoenix rising in the South End. Murren, who was determined to reflect the history and culture of Springfield and this region in the design and the details of the casino, quoted Emily Dickinson and Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss). Gov. Baker recalled how he visited the casino a month and a half or so ago and was blown away by it.

Most of all, though, people talked about how promises were made, and promises were kept.

It was an auspicious start for MGM Springfield and a clear indicator of how things — right down to your typical press conference with a long line of people to get to the microphone — are going to be different around here.

Yes, it is time to party.

LONGMEADOW — The Chronicle of Higher Education has recognized Bay Path University in its Almanac of Higher Education 2018-19 as one of the fastest-growing colleges in the U.S., currently ranked 13th in the category of private nonprofit master’s institutions, with a 118.1% growth rate over a 10-year period (2006-16). Bay Path was the only institution of higher education from Massachusetts on the list, and the only women’s college in New England ranked in this category.

“I am pleased that Bay Path has moved up four places in the national ranking,” President Carol Leary said. “Our continued presence on the list can be attributed to three key factors: from undergraduate degrees through doctoral programs, the different levels of education we provide; the variety of modalities we use in our learning environments, which include on campus, online, and hybrid; and the continual diversification of our program offerings for both undergraduate and graduate students.”

Bay Path offers a range of educational options in response to the shifting needs of prospective students and the changing 21st-century workplace. According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report for 2018 that cites the top 20 fastest-growing careers, several professions require master’s degrees, including marriage and family therapists, physician assistants, post-secondary nursing instructors, and genetic counselors, among others. Bay Path offers graduate degrees in these areas, and the recently launched MS in genetic counseling has earned distinction as the first all-online program of its kind in the country.

SPRINGFIELD — Three regional medical societies have selected the Markens Group Inc. as their full-service management firm: the Connecticut Podiatric Medical Assoc., the Hartford Medical Society, and the New England Assoc. of Neonatal Nurses. A Springfield-based company, the Markens Group hopes to help these groups advance wellness throughout the Pioneer Valley, Hartford, and beyond.

Medical societies comprise a large portion of the professional groups throughout the region and the U.S. — and for good reason. These associations empower medical professionals to connect with one another, advance their various specialties, and, ultimately, provide better care to patients. Because these healthcare professionals are so focused on their patients, many medical associations look to management companies like the Markens Group to make sure their organizations operate efficiently.

The Hartford Medical Society provides retired and practicing physicians, as well as others interested in medicine and medical history, with opportunities for learning, camaraderie, and community service. The Connecticut Podiatric Medical Assoc. serves Connecticut’s podiatrists — those medical professionals who treat feet and ankle disorders. The New England Assoc. of Neonatal Nurses promotes learning and high standards in the practice of neonatal healthcare, or the care of newborns, especially those that are premature or ill.

In addition to event planning and foundation work, the Markens Group specializes in all of the competencies and knowledge areas required to manage an association. Some of these include marketing, financial management, strategic planning, and administrative services. The Markens Group is the only association management company in Western Mass. and one of about 80 companies worldwide to be accredited under the Association Management Company Institute’s standard for management best practices.

“While most of our association clients are national in scope, our newest groups offer us an opportunity to work closer to home,” said Ben Markens, president and founder of the Markens Group. “Not only do I look forward to seeing each of them grow and prosper, I’d like to explore ways we can help connect the various medical groups in the area in order to promote a healthier, happier Pioneer Valley and New England.”

EAST LONGMEADOW — Facial Cosmetic & Maxillofacial Surgery, P.C. announced that Dr. Steven Nguyen, an Atlanta native, has joined the oral-surgery practice.

Nguyen earned his DMD degree at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston. He also completed a general practice residency at Jacobi Medical Center in Bronx, N.Y. Afterward, he was accepted into the six-year MD integrated Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program at the Mount Sinai Downtown/Jacobi Medical Center in New York City, and received his MD degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Nguyen practices the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures, including repair of oral-facial trauma, orthognathic surgery, general anesthesia and IV sedation, wisdom-teeth removal, bone grafting and dental implants, management of oral pathology, treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease, minimally invasive salivary gland procedures, as well as traditional dentoalveolar surgery. He maintains certifications in BLS, ACLS, PALS, and ATLS.

For an appointment with Nguyen, call (413) 525-0100. Nguyen will also be offering same-day emergency appointments based on the direction of patients’ general dentists and physicians; area dentists and physicians should press option 1 when they call, and they will be directed to a front-desk coordinator who will accommodate the patient.

HOLYOKE — The American Lung Assoc. announced that Dr. Laki Rousou, program director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program at Holyoke Medical Center, was named a LUNG FORCE Hero for his commitment to making a difference in the community for individuals living with lung cancer.

“I am humbled to have been nominated by my peers for this prestigious recognition,” said Rousou. “I am passionate about reducing lung-cancer statistics and look forward to working with the American Lung Association as a LUNG FORCE Hero.”

Rousou is a thoracic surgeon at Holyoke Medical Center. He trained in general surgery at New York University Langone Medical Center and completed a research fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/West Roxbury VA Hospital – Harvard Medical School. He then completed his cardiothoracic surgery residency at Yale New Haven Hospital/Yale Medical School.

Rousou is board-certified in general surgery and thoracic surgery with broad expertise in diseases of the chest and abdomen. His particular interests are on lung cancer and minimally invasive/robotic surgery for the treatment of thoracic surgical diseases. As an official LUNG FORCE Hero, he will become a storyteller for the American Lung Assoc. and a voice for awareness, research, and education on lung cancer.

“Our LUNG FORCE Heroes are such a vital part of the Lung Association’s effort to build awareness and education about lung cancer,” said Jeff Seyler, chief division officer of the American Lung Assoc. “Dr. Rousou’s dedication to his patients and to the extended community has been instrumental to saving lives. Going forward, as our LUNG FORCE hero, his medical expertise and continued advocacy will undoubtedly help us to defeat this devastating disease.”

Today, lung cancer is the top cancer killer of women, killing one woman every seven minutes in the U.S. The LUNG FORCE movement focuses on encouraging women to speak to their doctors early because survival rates are five times higher when lung cancer is detected early. Fewer than half of all women diagnosed with lung cancer survive one year after diagnosis, and yet, according to new research from the American Lung Assoc. Women’s Lung Health Barometer, only 2% of women identify lung cancer as a cancer that is top of mind for them. 

LUNG FORCE also works to educate the public on lung disease, early-detection methods, and general lung health. The movement aims to show that lung cancer does not discriminate and can affect anyone.

The Lung Cancer Screening Program at Holyoke Medical Center screens patients with specific smoking history criteria. Qualified patients are provided with yearly lung screening with low-dose CT, which has proven to be effective with early detection, leading to better outcomes for patients who are at high risk for developing lung cancer. To learn more, call (413) 535-4721.

SPRINGFIELD — Square One will welcome MGM Springfield Assistant Executive Chef Chris Smigel, along with General Manager Alex Dixon and Vice President of Human Resources Marikate Murren, to participate in a hands-on healthy eating lesson.

In keeping with Square One’s commitment to teaching children the importance of making healthy choices, Smigel will prepare a creative snack using parsnips as the featured vegetable with the children at Square One’s Tommie Johnson Child & Family Center at 255 King St. in Springfield on Monday, Aug. 27 at 11 a.m.

The lesson will occur in conjunction with the presentation of $25,000 from MGM Springfield to support Square One’s work with children and families.  

“We are so grateful to our friends at MGM Springfield for recognizing the important roles that high-quality childcare and early learning play in building a better community,” says Joan Kagan, president and CEO of Square One. “We know that by providing more opportunities for children to be nurtured in a safe, healthy, playful, and inspiring atmosphere, parents can have greater peace of mind while they are at work.”

Alex Dixon, general manager of MGM Springfield, added that “it is an honor to support such a fantastic organization. The valuable work they’re doing for the Springfield community is truly admirable. We’re thrilled to participate in the healthy-eating program.”

HOLYOKE — The Valley Blue Sox have been named Perfect Game’s 2018 Collegiate Summer Team of the Year. Led by Manager and Director of Baseball Operations John Raiola, the Blue Sox paced the league with a 30-12 regular season record before winning all four of their postseason games en route to a second straight NECBL championship.

Following the season, Raiola was named the recipient of the 2018 Joel Cooney Award, given to the NECBL’s Manager of the Year.

Holyoke native and starting pitcher Endy Morales of Southern New Hampshire University) was named to the All-NECBL First Team. Morales posted a 5-0 record and a 1.12 ERA in 40 innings pitched. His lone postseason start came in Game 1 of the NECBL Championship Series, where he held the Ocean State Waves to one run over seven innings. Morales also received the Robin Roberts Award following the season, given to the league’s best starting pitcher.

Starting pitcher Cooper Bradford (North Florida), first baseman Tyler Kapuscinski (Marist), closer Ricky Reynoso (Pacific), and shortstop Jaron Robinson (Murray State) were all named to the All-NECBL Second Team. The Blue Sox led the league with five All-NECBL selections this summer.

SPRINGFIELD — The Hampden County Bar Assoc. and the Hampden County Legal Clinic, in conjunction with the Springfield City Library, will be holding a Landlord/Tenant Forum today, Aug. 23, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Mason Square Branch Library, 765 State St., Springfield.

This is a free opportunity and open to anyone in need of legal advice on a housing matter. Local attorneys will discuss apartment leases, 14- or 30-day notices to quit, evictions, rental disputes, and other matters concerning residential landlord/tenant issues. In the later portion of the program, a volunteer attorney will meet with audience members privately to discuss their questions discreetly. Pizza and juice will be served.

AMHERST — On Friday, Sept. 21, the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley (FBCPV) will present a workshop by business coach Julia Mines, called “Mindset: Hacks for Your Hindrances.”

Attendees will learn how to gain some control over their amygdala, set better boundaries, be more courageous, stop procrastinating, and increase their self-esteem and happiness. Attendance is free for members and strategic partners of the FBCPV and $30 per person for others, who are owners and key managers of Western Mass. closely held and family owned companies. Contact Ira Bryck at [email protected] to register or for more information.

LONGMEADOW — The American Women’s College at Bay Path University announced the launch of its bachelor of science degree in business: food industry management, now enrolling.

The university’s fully online food industry management major prepares students for a wide array of positions within the industry. The program covers core business fundamentals and combines them with a solid foundation in food science. Business topics include accounting, marketing, operations, and management. The major areas of food science, such as food processing and safety, are also covered and have been adapted for flexible online learning through the university’s digitally enhanced learning model, SOUL (Social Online Universal Learning), which uses data-driven intervention strategies to help mitigate achievement gaps.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, foodborne illness hits one in six Americans every year. That’s why Sara R. Milillo, senior academic director of the program, believes it’s more important now than ever for professionals in the food industry, all along the chain “from farm to fork,” to understand the business and safety principles for success.

“Millions of cases of foodborne illnesses are documented each year. While that’s nothing new, technology today means that these cases are more widely shared than ever before. Industry professionals at every level need to understand the measures that can improve food safety, and enhance the success of their business overall,” Milillo said.

Milillo earned her Ph.D. in food science with minors in education and microbiology at Cornell University. She has authored numerous publications, including papers and book chapters, on food science and safety. Prior to being named senior director of Core Curriculum & Science at the American Women’s College at Bay Path University, Milillo served as director of math and science for the college.

HOLYOKE — Whittlesey announced that Tom Davis, CPA, CFE has been named a manager in the firm’s Holyoke office. In this role, he is responsible for expanding and managing assurance and advisory engagements.

Davis has more than eight years of experience in providing accounting, tax, and advisory services to manufacturing and distribution, retail, renewable energy, construction, and nonprofit organizations. Over his career, he has managed client relationships, made process improvements, and analyzed data to provide actionable insights for his clients.

Davis formerly served as audit manager for a national public accounting firm. He is a graduate of Boston College and has an MBA in accounting from the University of Phoenix.

“We are excited to have someone with Tom’s data-analytics and forecasting skills join our firm,” said Steve Erickson, partner‐in-charge of the Holyoke office. “Tom’s experience mining data and communicating findings will play an important role in expanding our advisory services.”

Whittlesey also announced the promotions of Abbie Gamache, Joshua Labonte, Kristie Nowik, and Bryan Santiago to senior associate.

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate increased to 3.6% in July from the June rate of 3.5%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts added 4,800 jobs in July. Over the month, the private sector added 5,900 jobs as gains occurred in education and health services; professional, scientific, and business services; construction; manufacturing; and trade, transportation, and utilities.

From July 2017 to July 2018, BLS estimates Massachusetts has added 66,800 jobs. The July unemployment rate was three-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.9% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Job estimates show the Commonwealth has gained over 51,000 jobs since December and 213,600 jobs since January 2015. These job gains, alongside low unemployment rates and labor-force growth, are signs of the continued health of the Massachusetts labor market,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta said.

The labor force increased by 27,100 from 3,758,900 in June, as 24,700 more residents were employed and 2,400 more residents were unemployed over the month.

Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point from 3.7% in July 2017. 

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 — is up four-tenths of a percentage point over the month at 67.3%. Compared to July 2017, the labor force participation rate is up 1.8%. 

The largest private-sector percentage job gains over the year were in construction; professional, scientific, and business services; leisure and hospitality; and other services.

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center’s Dr. Yannis Raftopoulos, a board-certified bariatric surgeon and weight-management specialist, has been selected to give a podium presentation at Obesity Week 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. in November.

Obesity Week is an international event focused on the basic science, clinical application, surgical intervention, and prevention of obesity. By combining both the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the Obesity Society (TOS) annual meetings, Obesity Week is the largest obesity meeting in the world, bringing together world-renowned experts in obesity to share innovation and breakthroughs in science. 

“I am very excited to be presenting at Obesity Week; being selected among presentation candidates from across the globe is a humbling honor,” Raftopoulos said. “I am proud to share the work my team and I have created regarding successful outcomes for our patients.”

Raftopoulos will present his findings on effectively assisting patients in losing 10% of their body weight before bariatric surgery. With a sample size of nearly 1,400 patients, out of which 190 patients were from Holyoke Medical Center, patients who are able to lose more than 10% of their body weight before bariatric surgery had substantially better results after two years post-surgery than those who did not lose weight or lost less than 10% of their body weight. This is the first time that such effective weight loss prior to surgery has been reported and additionally has been linked to better weight loss after surgery long-term.

“We are very proud of the Weight Management Program that we have built at Holyoke Medical Center because for the first time we have been able to demonstrate that having an effective non-surgical weight loss program improves the results of our bariatric surgery weight loss program,” Raftopoulos said.

The HMC Weight Management Program is the only site in the Northeast participating in an FDA trial assessing the efficacy of the revolutionary intragastric balloon. The device is swallowed as a pill and requires no endoscopy, sedation, or anesthesia to be placed or removed. This trial began in early 2018 and will be completed in early 2019.

SPRINGFIELD — Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber, and John Regan, executive vice president for Government Affairs for Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), were part of a team, including the state’s other major business groups, that worked for months to negotiate a legislative compromise on minimum wage, sales tax, and paid family and medical leave to avoid the ballot box on these three issues.

On Tuesday, Oct. 2, at a luncheon event from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, Creed and Regan will discuss how the comprehensive legislative compromise on paid family and medical leave, sales tax, and minimum wage (the ‘grand bargain’) came to be and the impact it will have on the business community. The program will offer insight into the process and what it could mean for future hot-button issues. Creed and Regan had two of just seven seats at the table, and Creed was the single voice representing the Western Mass. business community.

The Springfield Regional Chamber program is presented in partnership with 1Berkshire, AIM, and the Greater Easthampton and Greater Northampton chambers of commerce, and sponsored by Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn.

Reservations for the program are $30 for members of the Springfield Regional Chamber, the Greater Easthampton and Greater Northampton chambers of commerce, and 1Berkshire, and $40 for general admission, and may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamberchamber.com.

CHICOPEE — Elms College ranks in the top 30% of colleges in Money magazine’s list of Best Colleges for Your Money 2018.

“We are very pleased to be recognized as a Best College by Money magazine,” said Walter Breau, vice president of Academic Affairs at Elms College. “It’s gratifying to receive recognition from Money magazine for the work of faculty and staff to provide high-quality academic programs and personalized student support at a reasonable cost.”

To determine this year’s value rankings, Money reviewed each institution’s graduation rates, tuition charges, family borrowing, and alumni earnings, in addition to 22 other factors. The colleges on the list each demonstrate educational quality, affordability, and alumni success.

“The fact that Elms is the top-ranked school in the Greater Springfield area — ranked higher than nearly all other Western Massachusetts colleges — is a testament to our mission of transforming lives through education, which calls us not only to prepare students with a liberal-arts curriculum and professional studies, but also to remain affordable and therefore accessible,” said Harry Dumay, president of the college.

The full rankings are viewable at time.com/money/best-colleges.

SPRINGFIELD — Thirteen lawyers from Bulkley Richardson were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for 2019. These 13 lawyers were recognized in 19 unique areas of practice. They include:

• Peter Barry: construction law;

• Michael Burke: medical malpractice law (defendants); personal-injury litigation (defendants);

• Mark Cress: bankruptcy and creditor-debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law; corporate law;

• Francis Dibble Jr.: bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation; criminal defense (white-collar); litigation (antitrust); litigation (labor and employment); litigation (securities);

• Daniel Finnegan: administrative/regulatory law; litigation (construction);

• Robert Gelinas: personal-injury litigation (defendants);

• William Hart: trusts and estates;

• Kevin Maynard: commercial litigation; litigation (banking and finance); litigation (construction);

• David Park: corporate law;

• Melinda Phelps: medical-malpractice law (defendants); personal-injury litigation (defendants);

• John Pucci: bet-the-company litigation; criminal defense (general practice); criminal defense (white-collar);

• Elizabeth Sillin: nonprofit/charities law; trusts and estates; and

• Ronald Weiss: corporate law; mergers and acquisitions law; tax law.

In addition, Pucci and Sillin were each named 2019 Springfield, Mass. Lawyer of the Year in their respective practice areas — criminal defense and trusts and estates, respectively — by Best Lawyers, in partnership with U.S. News Media Group. Lawyer of the Year rankings are awarded to only one lawyer per practice area in each region.

HOLYOKE — The next dinner forum of the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley will be held Wednesday, Sept. 12 at Delaney House, and the main presenter is Robert Frank, professor of Management and Economics at Cornell University.

Frank will discuss how the field of behavioral economics helps business owners (and all humans) understand our irrational decisions, behaviors that run counter to our own interests, and what we can do about it.

Owners and managers who are members or interested in a closer look may contact Ira Bryck at (413) 835-0810, or learn more at fambizpv.com.