Southwick Offers Winning Mix of Business, Fun

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Community Spotlight Features

Community Spotlight

Karl Stinehart (left) and Doug Moglin

Karl Stinehart (left) and Doug Moglin say Southwick is an ideal spot to live, work, and play, with plenty of opportunties for all three.

Many communities, Doug Moglin notes, tout themselves as a great place to live, or an ideal spot to do business, or a haven for recreation.

“But we have all three,” said the chair of Southwick’s Board of Selectmen. “I’m one of those people who do all three in town, and we still have room for more of all those things.”

On the residential front, for example, work continues on 26 homes at the new Noble Steed subdivision off Vining Hill Road. Meanwhile, the Southwick Country Club site is being sold to Fiore Realty, which intends to develop more homes and perhaps some mixed-use properties along College Highway.

Golf enthusiasts in town shouldn’t fret, though, said Karl Stinehart, the town’s chief administrative officer, noting that Southwick boasts three other golf courses, including the PGA-level track at the Ranch. The community’s recreational offerings run far deeper than that, actually, from the Congamond Lakes and the boating opportunities there to a fully developed rail trail; from motocross events at the Wick 338 to the 66-acre Whalley Park.

Southwick at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1770
Population: 9,502
Area: 31.7 square miles
County: Hampden
Residential Tax Rate: $17.50
Commercial Tax Rate: $17.50
Median Household Income: $52,296
Family Household Income: $64,456
Type of Government: Open Town Meeting; Board of Selectmen
Largest Employers: Big Y; Whalley Computer Associates; Southwick Regional School District
*Latest information available

On the business front, meanwhile, the town’s industrial park continues to thrive with its mix of high-tech, light-industrial, and other types of firms, while a series of major infrastructure projects ease the path for motorists seeking out those aforementioned opportunities to live, work, and play in this community of just under 10,000 residents.

“It’s just a great place,” said Stinehart, Southwick’s chief administrative officer. “People who live in our community have all the right pieces — access to recreational opportunities, good schools, business, and commerce. We also have the ability to have more capacity — more business and commerce here.”

And plenty more fun.

Great Outdoors

Indeed, Southwick has long prided itself on its recreational opportunities, and they have only grown in prominence over the past several years.

Take the lakes on the south side of town — featuring two boat ramps, a fishing pier, and a town beach — which provide an array of activity for residents. A planned $275,000 project will renovate the south boat ramp on Berkshire Avenue, and the beachfront was recently renovated as well.

Ongoing efforts to preserve open space nearby are also gaining ground, as the town hopes to acquire a 144-acre parcel for sale on North Pond at Congamond Lakes. The Mass. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife awarded Southwick money to help purchase it, and the Franklin Land Trust has embarked on a fund-raising effort to make up the difference in price. The parcel is abutted by two areas owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the state of Connecticut.

Outdoors enthusiasts can also enjoy access to the natural scenery of the Metacomet/Monadnock Trail, as well as a 6.5-mile-long linear park, or rail trail, that runs through town, from the Westfield border to the Suffield border. “It gets a ton of use on weekends during spring, summer, and fall — even the winter, before the snow flies,” Moglin noted.

Bikers can park in a number of spots along the trail to start their ride, and, in fact, expanding parking is one of the challenges the town is studying, he added. But the fact that the trail skirts close to several commercial areas of town is a benefit to stores and restaurants when bikers take a break to enjoy a meal or shopping.

People who live in our community have all the right pieces — access to recreational opportunities, good schools, business, and commerce. We also have the ability to have more capacity — more business and commerce here.”

“People can take advantage of these businesses,” Stinehart said. “I often see people riding off the trail to make use of these commercial areas.”

The Wick 338, the motocross track behind the American Legion, is another major draw. “They’ve put a lot of investment into the track, which abuts the Southwick Recreation Center and Whalley Park, so the spinoff benefits are significant,” Stinehart said.

The complex hosts the annual Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship — which is broadcast live on NBC and draws close to 20,000 people to town — as well as a host of other events, including Rugged Maniac New England, a challenging, mud-splattered 5K obstacle course.

“People of varying levels of capability can do that, from people who can do it in 20 minutes to those who take four hours — we’re somewhere in the middle,” Stinehart said with a laugh and a nod to Moglin.

The selectman agreed, again noting that more than 10,000 people may show up. “That’s an economic driver as well as a great recreational opportunity.”

As for Whalley Park — which was donated to the town by the prominent Whalley family and developed using municipal and Community Preservation Act funds — it includes a full-size soccer field, baseball field, and softball field, lighting for the fields, a huge kids’ play area, and a pavilion.

On the Right Road

Speaking of kids, a recent $69 million project was completed two years ago at the complex on Feeding Hills Road that houses Woodland Elementary School, Powder Mill Middle School, and Southwick Regional School, all of which enjoyed additions and renovations.

Meanwhile, the town just finished the total reconstruction of a half-mile stretch of Route 57 that runs by the school complex, including new turn lanes, synchronized signals, drainage, and road widening. That’s important, Moglin said, because businesses access the road from the industrial park, and parents and bus drivers appreciate the safety upgrades where the school lots dump out onto 57. “It makes for improved public safety and better flow of people and goods.”

It’s not a standalone project; stretches of College Highway, or Routes 10 and 202 — the main commercial artery in Southwick — were similarly widened and reconfigured within the last five years, and Congamond Road, a key entry into town from Connecticut, is next on the docket, with a project commencing in the spring to improve the roadway and drainage, with a possible sewer component as well, which will help attract new business ventures to the busy neighborhood.

“That’s all serviced by septic today, which limits potential for pad sites,” Moglin said. “It would be a job creator if we can get sewer lines in there.”

Overall, though, the town offers plenty of incentives for businesses, both he and Stinehart noted, ranging from proximity to Bradley International Airport to a singular tax rate of $17.50 per $1,000 for both residential and commercial properties. “That’s an overreaching goal of the Board of Selectmen,” Moglin said of the rate. “We have really tried to keep that reasonable and competitive.”

The town has also streamlined its permitting process, bringing together planning, zoning, and other officials to work together with prospective businesses, rather than fragmenting the process.

“We’ve got capacity for small, medium, and large employers to come to Southwick,” he continued. “We’re working collaboratively with employers in town who want to expand or who want to move to Southwick, and we’ll put together a partnership to go through the process.”

Stinehart emphatically agreed. “Southwick is open for business,” he said — and open for much more, as well.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

2017: Another Year of Progress

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Opinion

Editorial

Go back a year, and we were talking about 2017 as a year in which a considerable amount of hard work — and good fortune — were going to bring dividends to the region and change the landscape in a number of ways in the year ahead.

And that’s exactly what happened. Union Station in Springfield opened its doors again after more than 40 years of essentially being part of the city’s past. CRRC’s massive rail-car assembly plant in East Springfield came to life before our eyes. In downtown Springfield, MGM’s casino began to soar well above street level, while behind the scenes, the company took important strides in the daunting task of assembling a workforce of 3,000. And across the region, entrepreneurial energy was building in the form of dozens of new and exciting startups.

As the year ends, we find ourselves saying essentially the same thing. If 2016 was a year to lay brick, then 2017 was more of the same, with more exciting projects due to come to fruition in 2018.

There is a word for that: momentum. And there is quite a bit of it in this region as we prepare to turn the calendars yet again.

Indeed, in 2018, MGM Springfield will open its doors and also open up what is expected to be a new world of opportunities for this region and individual businesses. Since plans for the $950 million facility were announced, there has been no end of speculation about what it will mean for the city and the region. Starting in about nine months, we’re going to find out.

Meanwhile, CRRC will be hitting its stride; the I-91 viaduct reconstruction project will be over, and traffic will start flowing smoothly again through that north-south corridor; the region’s burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem will continue to generate new startups and help young companies get to the proverbial next stage; and more projects are likely to get off the drawing board, especially Springfield’s Court Square initiative.

If 2016 was a time of anticipation for what might come next, 2017 provided more of the same. Again, we call that momentum.

But while looking ahead, we should also look back. Not everything went according to script in 2017. Indeed, the Innovation Center project in downtown Springfield ground to a halt in late spring, and there are no signs that work will start anytime soon. Meanwhile, the ‘for-sale’ sign went up on Tower Square (not long after the ‘Marriott’ sign came down on the adjoining hotel). There is hope that this sale might spark new life for that complex, but also considerable doubt about just what might work there. And it was another dark year for the region’s traditional retail sector, which is in full-blown retreat due to the emergence of online shopping.

But there were more than enough good stories to counter those drawbacks. Here’s a partial list:

• Callaway’s golf-ball facility in Chicopee is hiring dozens of new workers to manufacture a unique new concept called Truvis;

• Also in Chicopee, Mercedes-Benz has made its triumphant return to the region with the opening of a dealership on the site of the old Plantation Inn just off Turnpike exit 6;

• The Springfield Thunderbirds continue to be a remarkable story, one that blends resilience with imagination, and bold new concepts, like bringing David Ortiz to the City of Homes;

• Likewise, the Valley Blue Sox continue to develop new ways to bring people to Holyoke and show other businesses how to build a market for a product;

• The Basketball Hall of Fame will commence an ambitious renovation and expansion project that seems destined to take that facility to new heights (see story, page 25);

• The region’s colleges and universities continued to respond to growing and changing needs within the business community and add new programs in fields ranging from cybersecurity to healthcare to entrepreneurship;

• New businesses continue to be launched and propelled to the next stage, a trend perhaps best exemplified by FogKicker, a venture born in the polymer science labs at UMass Amherst; and

• BusinessWest and the Healthcare News introduced a new recognition program called Healthcare Heroes that put a bright spotlight on one of this region’s most important sector and the men and women who work within it. In a word, the eight individual stories were truly inspiring.

That’s just a sampling. Overall, 2017 was, as they say, a very good year. And it looks like we have another one on tap.

Making a Bad Situation Worse

By
Opinion

Editorial

There have been many types of fallout, if that’s even the right word, from the Harvey Weinstein saga and the wave of accusations against men in power (or formerly in power, as is usually the case) since then.

Some of them are quite positive — women becoming more willing to come forward when they believe they have been harassed, no matter who might be doing the harassing, for example.

But some of the emerging developments have been less … let’s use the word ‘progressive.’ And one of them is quite disturbing.

This would be the extreme forms of reaction from men now intent, upon looking in the mirror, on doing the proverbial right thing. Or, to be more accurate, we believe, not doing the wrong thing.

And in many respects, who can blame them? Almost daily now, the media reports of someone else, and sometimes more than one individual, being accused of inappropriate behavior. The list is long and packed with notable names: Weinstein, Matt Lauer, Al Franken, Charlie Rose, Roy Moore, Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K. … on it goes.

Who wants to join that list and have their career end in a New York minute or Hollywood moment? No one, obviously.

So now, men are doing that looking-in-the-mirror thing. But they’re doing more than that. They’re talking amongst themselves (not to women, which is what they should be doing, if they really need to talk to anyone at all) about what is appropriate and what isn’t.

They’re also discussing and floating ways to stay out of trouble. One business owner has even suggested canceling the office’s holiday party until it has been figured out how men and women should interact.

Seriously? Men need to figure out how they should interact with women?

In some ways, women are now being punished for the sins of all those harassers out there. They’re being looked upon not as valued team members, but as potential lawsuits waiting to happen — complaints begging to be filed if someone says the wrong thing or does the wrong thing.

This will only have terrible repercussions for women in business. They will be left out of discussions; treated differently in an effort to treat them better, or fairly; left home on business trips; and deprived of access to professional relationships that might help further their careers.

But it doesn’t need to be that way. Men don’t require tutorials on how to treat women; they know. It’s just become fashionable now, it seems, to say that no one really knows how to behave around women, because that’s an easy answer.

There is no need to cancel the office Christmas party or have men become afraid to be seen in the company of women other than their wives — the so-called ‘Pence Rule.’ All that’s needed is a little common sense and a lot of common decency.

Above all, we don’t need an environment in which women should have to pay a price for all the bad behavior that has gone on, and continues to go on, in workplaces across the country and in every sector.

Businesses in Many Sectors Qualify for This Incentive

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Features

Don’t Overlook R&D Tax Credit

By Carolyn Bourgoin, CPA

Carolyn Bourgoin

Carolyn Bourgoin

If your business employs engineers, architects, chemists, or software developers, it is worth investigating whether the research and development tax credit is available and of benefit to your company. Any business that is working on the design or development of a new or improved product, technique, or formula that will be held for sale or used in its trade or business may have incurred qualifying expenses. Additionally, legislation signed into law in December 2015 (the PATH Act) now allows for eligible small businesses and flow-through entities to take the credit to offset the alternative minimum tax (AMT). This news alone should make taxpayers revisit the potential benefits of conducting an R&D tax-credit study.

Many businesses often overlook the R&D credit, thinking they do not fall into industries typically associated with performing research and development activities.”

Though tax-reform legislation may be passed in the near future with the expectation of eliminating certain tax incentives, the R&D credit has broad bipartisan support and will remain part of the tax code. The credit was specifically listed by the administration and the congressional tax-writing committees in their initial tax-reform framework as an incentive that must be preserved due to its proven effectiveness in “promoting policy goals important to the American economy.” Rest assured, the credit will be retained.

Qualifying Industries

Many businesses often overlook the R&D credit, thinking they do not fall into industries typically associated with performing research and development activities. While manufacturers and software developers are commonly considered, other industries, such as food processing, tool & die, beverage/brewing, and construction, just to name a few, have qualified for the credit.

Qualifying Research Activities

In order to qualify for the R&D credit, a taxpayer’s activities must meet a number of requirements. The taxpayer must perform the research for the purpose of discovering information that is both technological in nature and intended to help in the development of a new or improved business component.

Substantially, all of the research activities must be undertaken as part of a process of experimentation designed to evaluate alternatives that eliminate uncertainty regarding the development of a business component. Eligibility for the credit does not depend on the research being successful.

Qualifying Expenses

The main types of expenditures that qualify for the research credit are employee wages for either performing or supervising the research, as well as supplies used while conducting the research. Amounts paid to another for the right to use computers when conducting research qualify, as well as 65% (which may increase) of contract research expenses paid for qualified research. Expenses related to efficiency surveys, routine data collection, and quality-control testing do not qualify for the credit.

Credit Computation

The regular research credit is equal to 20% of current-year qualified research expenditures that exceed a base amount for that year. Due to credit limitations, no more than half of the current year’s qualified research expenditures can qualify for the research credit if this method is used.

Alternatively, taxpayers can elect to claim the Alternative Simplified Credit, which is equal to 14% of the excess of qualified research expenses for the year over 50% of the average qualified research expenses for the three tax years preceding the tax year for which the credit is being determined. This percentage may be increased under the proposed tax-reform legislation.

The credit can currently be carried back one year and carried forward for 20 years.

Creditable Against Other Taxes

As mentioned earlier, the R&D credit can offset the AMT tax for eligible small businesses (i.e. less than $50 million in average gross receipts for the prior three years) for tax years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2016. The current tax-reform framework also calls for repealing the individual AMT tax altogether, thereby removing this restriction on the use of the credit by owners of a flow-through entity. The AMT restrictions often deterred eligible businesses from having a research study done in the past.

Certain small businesses (mainly startups) now have the ability to elect, on a quarterly basis, to use their research credit to offset the employer portion of their FICA payroll-tax liability. For tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2015, businesses that have less than $5 million in gross receipts in the current year and that did not have any gross receipts for any tax year preceding the five-year tax period ending with the tax year, can use the R&D credit as a payroll-tax-credit offset rather than an income-tax offset. This is helpful to startup businesses that may not have a tax liability in their early years due to net operating losses.

Documentation and Substantiation

Taxpayers must be able to substantiate that their expenditures qualify for the credit. If you are considering going back to claim an R&D credit for a prior year or considering claiming the credit for the current year, it is advisable to have a persuasive research credit study done, because this will help connect the company’s expenditure records to the amount being claimed as qualified research. Time surveys and qualified activity narratives of employees with direct knowledge of the activities will result in supporting documentation that can be supplied in case of an audit.

State Considerations

Massachusetts allows for an R&D credit for qualifying research performed within the state. The credit is equal to 10% of the excess, if any, of the qualified research expenses for the taxable year over a base amount plus 15% of basic research payments.

Effective for tax years beginning after Jan. 1, 2015, Massachusetts now allows for an alternative simplified credit similar to the federal credit but using lower credit rates. If your business operates in states other than Massachusetts, consult your tax advisor to determine whether the R&D might apply in those states as well.

Conclusion

Because the research and development credit will be retained even with the potential tax reform, it is worthwhile investigating whether your business might qualify. Revisiting annually any changes that are being made to improve a product or develop a new product should be discussed with your tax advisor.

Carolyn Bourgoin, CPA is a senior manager with Holyoke-based public accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; (413) 322-3483; [email protected]

Economic Outlook 2018: Steady as She Goes

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economicoutlook2018feature
Cover Story Economic Outlook Sections

Experts Don’t Foresee Any Rocking of the Economic Boat

economicoutlookartMore of the same. That’s what the experts are predicting for this region, and the country as a whole, when it comes to the economy. And by more of the same, they mean growth that is steady if unspectacular — even with tax reform — and few if any signs of what could amount to real trouble. “Another boring year,” was how one economist put it. But for many businesses, boring is more than acceptable.

As a student — and a professor — of economics, Bob Nakosteen fully understands that the region and the nation as a whole are, as they say, due for a recession.

Maybe even overdue.

Indeed, eight and a half years is a long time to be in an expansion, if history and especially 20th-century history is any guide, and that’s about the length of the run the country has been on, said Nakosteen, a long-time educator at UMass Amherst who pegged the summer of 2009 as when the Great Recession ended and the upswing — as unspectacular as it has been, for the most part, in this region — began.

But he quickly noted that there’s no actual relationship between how long a country has been in an expansion and when it’s due for a recession. Time isn’t officially one of the factors that determine such things, he noted, adding that none of the issues and indicators that do are — at this moment, at least — pointing toward recession.

Bob Nakosteen

Bob Nakosteen

The issues in the state economy, especially in Western Massachusetts, are not macro-economic nearly as much as they are structurally micro-economic; there are individual sectors that are really struggling.”

“The expansion is old, certainly, but there’s nothing on the horizon to interrupt the expansion,” he told BusinessWest, adding quickly that a host of factors will shape what course a continued expansion takes. “The issues in the state economy, especially in Western Massachusetts, are not macro-economic nearly as much as they are structurally micro-economic; there are individual sectors that are really struggling.”

Karl Petrick, an economics professor at Western New England University, agreed, and summoned another word for what he’s projecting for at least one more year: boring.

Karl Petrick

Karl Petrick

Trickle-down doesn’t really come to fruition the way people say it will. It’s been promised for decades and decades, but it’s never really happened.”

“Unless you were on Twitter, last year was pretty boring,” he said, tongue firmly planted in cheek while focusing his remarks on what was happening in this region economically. And that was essentially the same thing that’s been happening for the past several years — steady if unspectacular growth that amounts to a few percentage points on average and not the kind of boom times that traditionally follow a recession, especially like the one of almost a decade ago now.

“Even with the tax break, the projections are for the U.S. economy to grow at 2.5% in 2018, and in 2019, 2.1%,” he said. “And if we did see a big increase in growth, it’s very likely that that the Fed will raise interest rates to slow down inflation. The forecast is for another boring year — I hope.”

Indeed, for many in business, boring translates into a decent year, and that’s what Tom Senecal, president of Holyoke-based PeoplesBank, said many of his clients — commercial and residential alike — experienced.

He told BusinessWest that the residential real-estate market is enjoying a surge fueled by low inventories, and that many individual sectors are experiencing steady growth. And he expects tax reform to lift most boats still higher.

Tom Senecal

Tom Senecal

Inventory is extremely low in many area communities, and this is having a big impact on prices. We’re going back to seeing sale prices in excess of asking prices, and that hasn’t happened since the late ’80s and early ’90s.”

“With corporate tax rates projected to decrease from 35% to 20%, that will have a significant impact on most businesses,” he went on. “I expect that to be a determining factor in what our local economy will be like in 2018.”

There are other determining factors, obviously, and some areas of concern, both nationally and locally, including persistently stagnant wages.

Despite steady growth in the economy and soaring corporate profits that have fueled a nearly 20% rise on Wall Street this year, wages have remained flat, said Petrick. And he doesn’t believe — despite what leading supporters say — that tax reform will change that equation. And if wages remain stagnant, that might slow the economy down.

“Trickle-down doesn’t really come to fruition the way people say it will,” he explained. “It’s been promised for decades and decades, but it’s never really happened.”

Meanwhile, Nakosteen said the precipitous decline of traditional retail could pose some problems regionally (more on that later), as could a host of other factors ranging from escalating student debt to tighter immigration laws that could keep some foreign students from landing on area college campuses.

But overall, these concerns are not expected to significantly alter the picture or impact those projections for more of what the region has seen over the past several years.

Onward and Upward

“Stable.”

That’s the word Senecal summoned early and often as he talked about the local economy, and it’s another word business owners always like to hear.

He said the region’s economy has historically been fueled by education and healthcare (‘eds and meds’), and that trend continues. And those sectors are, well, stable, to say the least.

“If you think of the spin-off economies in the Western Mass. market, we clearly benefit from those sorts of industries [healthcare and education] that are not recession-proof, but they certainly come through recessionary times much more stable than the rest of the economy,” he said. “And I see this in the numbers from our residential loans and our commercial loans. The stability and continued growth has been there, and we expect it to continue throughout next year.”

Beyond eds and meds, Senecal noted, a number of sectors are doing “pretty well,” as he put it. These include ‘green’ energy businesses, commercial construction (although moreso in the eastern part of the state than this region) and the residential real-estate market, which, as noted earlier, has picked up dramatically over the past few years.

“Inventory is extremely low in many area communities, and this is having a big impact on prices,” he explained. “We’re going back to seeing sale prices in excess of asking prices, and that hasn’t happened since the late ’80s and early ’90s; it’s clearly a seller’s market right now.”

Surveying the scene locally as well as nationally, those we spoke with said there is no indication of anything that will disrupt this stability to any significant degree.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some question marks concerning the year ahead. And perhaps the biggest concerns tax reform and what it will mean.

Petrick and Nakosteen said such reforms — usually measures to be administered during a recession, not an expansion — can’t (or shouldn’t) be expected to trigger the wage hikes and subsequent consumer spending predicted by supporters of the legislation, because … well, because history shows this isn’t what happens, they told BusinessWest.

“Tax cuts really have little effect,” said Nakosteen, “especially when the economy is not in recession and is near full employment.”

Also, early and unofficial polling of business leaders indicates that wage increases for their employees are not in their plans.

“Many big corporations have already said that, whatever tax breaks they get, they’ll use them to buy back stock,” Petrick noted. “That will do wonders for the stock market, but there’s no indication they’ll use that tax break to raise wages.”

But Senecal projected that tax reform might, in fact, provide a real boost for the economy in the form of investments made by business owners.

“Tax reform has a significant impact on corporate spending,” he opined. “I think that, right now, a lot of businesses are waiting and seeing on tax reform to determine how aggressive or reserved businesses are going to be come 2018.”

Economic Indicators

As for other factors that might impact the year ahead, to one degree or another, Petrick put wages, and the stagnancy of same, at the top of that list.

“We see growth, but the foundation for continued growth continues to be a little bit shaky, in terms of wages at the national level and the state level,” he told BusinessWest. “They’re just not growing, even as unemployment comes down.

“And that is a bit of conundrum for us at the state level and the federal level, because that puts more pressure of households, especially with uncertainty with what’s going to happen with the individual mandate and how that might impact insurance rates,” he added. “It also impacts state tax revenue, because if wages don’t go up, the state doesn’t collect more.”

There are many reasons why wages are stagnant, he went on, listing everything from soaring health-insurance costs for employers to the decline of labor unions, to the retirement of Baby Boomers and their replacement by younger workers earning lower salaries. But the bottom line is that, generally, flat wages are not good for the economy.

Meanwhile, Nakosteen said the continued decline of traditional retail would further change the local landscape, and it might impact the economy in some ways.

Giant retailers like Sears, Toys R Us, Kmart, and others are closing stores in huge volumes, leaving malls with large boxes to fill (or not, as the case may be) and worries about their very existence. Meanwhile, many smaller retailers are disappearing from the landscape, for reasons ranging from the intrusion of online shopping to a lack of a succession plan.

All this is creating a number of empty storefronts and a lot of commercial real estate for sale and lease, said Nakosteen, adding that the problem is impacting even the most vibrant of downtowns, including Northampton’s, where tenants are asking, ‘why are lease rates so high if so many storefronts are empty?’

“And that’s a very good question,” he said, adding that the higher rates will impact existing retailers and perhaps dissuade others from coming downtown.

But it’s an issue in nearly every area community.

“There are so many empty storefronts,” Nakosteen went on, “and the retail sector is so important to so many downtown areas.”

Meanwhile, workforce issues might also have an impact on the course and strength of the ongoing expansion, he noted, adding that a lack of qualified workers within some sectors might stifle growth.

“The state, as a whole, has issues with the labor force not growing fast enough to accommodate the economy,” he explained. “And Western Mass. is even worse. We have very slow labor growth here; you can’t grow the economy faster than you can hire people to fill the jobs.”

Interest rates could play a role as well, the experts noted, adding that, if the economy does start heating up, the Fed will likely raise rates to keep it from overheating and sending inflation higher.

“Prime rate effects people’s home-equity loans, and it effects commercial borrowers,” Senecal explained. “And if the Fed increases rates two or three times, and that’s clearly their intent, that could have an impact on spending.”

Bottom Line

‘Stable. ‘Boring.’ ‘Steady.’ Those aren’t exactly headline-generating adjectives when we’re talking about the economy and where it might head in the months to come.

But they represent reality, and for many in this region — which, as has been noted countless times in the past, doesn’t enjoy stunning highs and crippling lows like other regions — those words are welcome, and much better than the alternative.

And if tax reform works, as Senecal and others believe it might, the region just might wind up doing better than ‘more of the same.’

 

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

A Host of Factors Are Lifting the Region’s Economy Higher

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Economic Outlook Sections

On the Bright Side

By Richard Sullivan

Richard Sullivan

Richard Sullivan

The state of the region’s economy is strong, and the economic outlook is bright. That’s a simple statement, but let’s look at the facts that support that optimism.

We all have read of the important investments that MGM and CRRC, the Chinese rail-car manufacturer, are making in Springfield. Less-reported is the some $5.2 billion of economic-development projects that have recently occurred or are currently underway in our region.

In a 2016 study, the Economic Development Council of Western Mass. (EDC) catalogued the growth in each community — from housing developments to manufacturing companies expanding and relocating to the area; from transportation investments to growth in our public and private education systems. That study shows strong and important regional investments, and this trend is continuing.

MGM and CRRC are certainly important regional economic-development projects for the jobs they are creating, the taxes they will pay, and the many public benefits they are required to provide through their host-community agreements. However, the biggest economic impact the projects will have is when they contract with local businesses as part of their operational and supply chains. MGM specifically is using best efforts to annually contract locally for $50 million in goods and services. These dollars will stay local, provide additional economic opportunities, and create more jobs in companies that are part of the fabric of our communities, hiring our neighbors, paying local taxes, and supporting our local charities. It is an opportunity we are capitalizing on, but one that we can’t lose sight of.

Another bright spot within the local economy is tourism. You may think Boston, San Francisco, or New York, but maybe not Western Mass., when it comes to this important sector. However, tourism is the third-largest industry in the region. Approximately 3 million visitors come to the area each year, spending $750 million, producing an estimated $17 million in state and local taxes, and supporting 5000 jobs.

Mary Kay Wydra, president of the Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, is bullish on the growth of tourism in Western Mass., with the addition of MGM, the Dr. Seuss Museum, a soon-to-be-refurbished Basketball Hall of Fame, continued investment at Yankee Candle and Six Flags, and more. She is confident that annual visitorship will grow. Tourism is a vital part of our economy and will become even more important beginning in 2018.

Still another source of optimism and good news is the growing amount of entrepreneurial energy in the region.

Indeed, at the recent “State of Entrepreneurship in the Valley,” hosted by Steve Davis and the EDC entrepreneurship committee, the focus was on the growth of a relatively new sector for the region — innovation, startups, and entrepreneurship. In 2015 and 2016 alone, more than 9,000 people attended a Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) event; there are currently 613 part-time and 227 full-time jobs in the startup ecosystem, and just under $27 million of revenue and investment was created in the region. If all the startups were under one roof, they would represent the 11th-largest company in Springfield.

The entrepreneurship ecosystem is growing up and down the Valley. VVM works closely with initiatives in Franklin County and SPARK in Holyoke; our local colleges and universities have all carved out leadership positions; Greentown Labs, based in Somerville, Mass., has opened a manufacturing office at the Scibelli Enterprise Center; and the Grinspoon Entrepreneurship Initiative is a national leader in elevating the importance of entrepreneurship and recognizing entrepreneurial excellence among college students. A new group, Women Innovators & Trailblazers (WIT), is establishing itself in order to ignite a women-led innovation economy in Western Mass. and beyond. This is an exciting and quickly growing sector in the region.

I see additional new sectors growing in the region that can become centers of excellence for Western Mass. This year, UMass Amherst, in cooperation with the EDC, hosted an event highlighting its national leadership position in the field of green technology and the environment. The event was sponsored by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and focused on building technologies, water innovation, and clean energy and storage. Companies from across Massachusetts came to discuss the quickly growing green-technology cluster and the partnerships that can be developed between the private sector and the university for research and development, but also talent development.

Bay Path University recently staged its fifth annual Cybersecurity Summit, showcasing the work it is doing in the field of cybersecurity. President Carol Leary, who serves as a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s Academic Advisory Council, said “it is critical for higher education to be a central part of this emerging cyber ecosystem. We are developing the right talent, the diverse talent needed to be a part of the cybersecurity workforce. To the students pursuing a cybersecurity career — you are the future, you are qualified, and we need you more than ever.”

Western Mass., because it is home to a significant number of universities, colleges, community colleges, and technical schools, finds itself in an enviable position because it can supply the workforce of the future.  Still, there is no doubt that the biggest issue facing our existing companies, and the companies of the future, is their ability to find, develop, and retain a high-quality workforce.

We need to coordinate with all the great workforce-development organizations in the region and leverage the high-quality education institutions that call Western Mass. home to meet this demand.

When we do, our future economy will be bright.

Richard Sullivan is president of the Economic Development Council of Western Mass.; [email protected].

Several Issues on the Horizon Could Derail Momentum, Growth

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Economic Outlook Sections

A Time to Stay on Track

By Nancy Creed

Nancy Creed

Nancy Creed

We might remember 2017 as the year of the much-anticipated reopening of Union Station as a dramatically renovated transportation hub. The more than $90 million renovation additionally created office and retail space, transforming this area of Springfield’s North End. The Innovation Center on Bridge Street welcomed new tenants with continued construction on additional office and retail space, and the new, $11.8 million Mercedes-Benz of Springfield dealership opened in Chicopee.

This past year was also one during which many projects made significant progress toward their anticipated 2018 completion dates.

Awaiting us in 2018 is a mix of opportunities and challenges. Springfield and the region have been experiencing unprecedented growth in the last couple of years. While 2018 is the year in which we will see the finishing touches put on some major projects and programs, we are also faced with the uncertainty and potential effects of healthcare, tax reform, and ballot initiatives which could impact all of us.

On the growth side, the I-91 viaduct construction is ahead of schedule, with the highway expected to be in full use by February; production of MBTA subway cars at the new 204,000-square-foot, $95 million CRCC rail-car factory off I-291 in East Springfield will kick off in 2018; and the much anticipated opening of the $950 million MGM resort casino is on track for a late-2018 opening.

There is also opportunity to help small businesses grow and prosper. The city of Springfield has launched “Rise Up Springfield,” an innovative collaboration between the city, the Assoc. of Black Business & Professionals, and the Springfield Regional Chamber. Powered by Boston-based Interise’s award-winning StreetWise MBA curriculum, this seven-month, intensive, hands-on program provides the knowledge and know-how business owners need to create and manage a three-year strategic business plan. This a key opportunity for the city to capitalize on the entrepreneurial spirit of the region and to encourage our smaller, less-established businesses get to the next level in their growth.

Advocates of a ballot question are pushing for an additional income tax on those making above a certain income threshold in order to fund some of the areas I mentioned above. However, other states have taken a similar approach, which only resulted in businesses relocating to lower-tax jurisdictions. At its core, this proposal is bad for business. Why would we tax talent — our state’s principal competitive advantage.”

While we are encouraged and excited about growth in the region, our business community will face some significant challenges in the coming year. Healthcare continues to remain of grave concern. Costs continue to rise at uncontrollable rates, not only impacting the bottom lines of our businesses, but crippling the state budget. With 40% of the state budget allocated to MassHealth, there is virtually no room for additional funding in critical areas such as education, transportation, and local aid.

Advocates of a ballot question are pushing for an additional income tax on those making above a certain income threshold in order to fund some of the areas I mentioned above. However, other states have taken a similar approach, which only resulted in businesses relocating to lower-tax jurisdictions. At its core, this proposal is bad for business. Why would we tax talent — our state’s principal competitive advantage?

Another ballot question that we could be faced with is one that provides for paid family and medical leave. Not only does our business community understand the value of fringe benefits and attracting and retaining the top talent, but they want to do the right thing for their employees. Those businesses that are financially able to offer ‘above and beyond’ benefits do so, but not every small business is in a position to compete with the benefits offered by a Fortune 100 company.

The ballot question as proposed would require employers of any size to offer paid leave at a rate of 90% of an employee’s wages. It is estimated that this would have a $1 billion financial impact across the Commonwealth.

There is one other ballot question we could be faced with come November 2018 — an increase in the minimum wage, to $15 an hour by 2022. A back-of-the-napkin calculation estimates this to be an increase of 25% to a company’s salaries/wages line item. Again, while the business community wants to do the right thing, it comes at a cost to the competitiveness of our state.

While we are optimistic about our growth, we are concerned about what lies ahead that could derail that growth. We are concerned for our business community here in Western Mass., but equally concerned as to what the impact could be across the state, on the Commonwealth’s fiscal health, on attracting new growth, on remaining competitive with our neighboring states and across the country, and on ensuring Massachusetts and our region remain at the forefront of innovation.

Throughout the chamber’s 127-year history, we have worked to encourage and facilitate economic growth. We have faced and weathered challenges and advocated on behalf of the region’s businesses. Our mission will continue in 2018 and beyond, as we support and collaborate with regional businesses and advocate for them at the local, state, and federal levels and work to ensure our continued growth is not stunted.

Nancy Creed is executive director of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce; (413) 755-1309.

Ambitious Renovation Project Will Reshape the Basketball Hall of Fame

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Sections Travel and Tourism

‘Time to Step Forward’

An architect’s rendering of the renovated lobby area at the Hall

An architect’s rendering of the renovated lobby area at the Hall, complete with lockers bearing the names of some of the game’s greats.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will soon commence work on an ambitious, $15 million renovation and expansion that will dramatically change the look and feel of the shrine. While the project represents the future, it also speaks loudly to just how far the Hall has come since the dark days — and years — earlier this century.

John Doleva calls it a “spaceship.”

That’s what he and others at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame have come to call the individual lights that sit atop the dome that defines the shrine on West Columbus Avenue and change color with the seasons and the occasions.

That’s because they look like one, at least that ’50s sci-fi-movie take on what a spaceship looks like, a flat, roundish base with a circular bubble on top. There are 860 of these lights affixed to the dome, and maybe a quarter of them are in a condition approximating that of the one that Doleva has in his office — cracked, with the seals damaged, allowing water to get in and cause serious trouble.

This is the same ‘spaceship’ he takes with him when he talks to gatherings large and small about the planned $15 million to $16 million renovation of the hoop Hall. That’s because these fixtures will be removed and replaced with projection lighting that is, well, light years ahead of the old bulbs in terms of what can be done with the surface of the giant sphere.

“You can do incredible things with projection lighting,” said Doleva. “It will give us so much variability it terms of bringing the building alive, and the maintenance is so much easier.”

But the lights are really just a small, though highly visible, part of the ambitious undertaking at the Hall, noted Doleva, its president for nearly two decades now. Indeed, he said the current facility, opened in 2003, was designed and built just before digital technology was about to explode and change forever the way information is presented and stories, like those of the hall’s inductees and of the history of the game itself, are told.

John Doleva

John Doleva holds up one of the ‘spaceships’ that are soon to be history at the Hall.

“We have a lot of printed word here — exhibits that don’t necessarily interact and entertain, especially when you’re talking to a 12- or a 14- or a 17-year old,” he explained. “With the advent of all the digital content that’s out there now, we can bring Hall of Famers alive, and that’s what we intend to do; instead of a plaque on a wall and two and a half paragraphs of information, we’re going to bring James Naismith alive; we’re going to bring Bob Cousy alive.”

The renovation project will take part in two stages, with the dome lighting, a main lobby area overhaul, and significant renovation of the Hall’s theater comprising stage one. Work on it will start next month (the museum will remain open during construction), and it will all be finished in June, a few important months before MGM Springfield opens its doors in September 2018.

Phase two involves a substantial overhaul of the museum itself, what’s under the dome, said Doleva, noting that state-of-the-art, digitized presentations are currently being blueprinted. Phase two is slated to begin in January 2020, to be finished six months later, with the museum obviously closed for those six months.

And while this project and the campaign that will fund it — called “A Time to Step Forward” — represent the future of the Hall, they also embody just how far it has come in the years since the current building was put on the proverbial drawing board roughly two decades ago.

Indeed, the existing facility was built without a considerable amount of support from what Doleva collectively calls the “basketball community,” and it was opened with a large amount of debt that left the Hall in precarious financial condition for a number of years.

It has ridden out that storm, if you will, and has regrouped on many levels. The Hall has forged much stronger relationships with that basketball community and its many subcomponents, including inductees themselves (as we’ll see), and, as a result, the capital campaign has far exceeded initial expectations. Because of this, goals have been recalibrated.

“The initial goal of the campaign, $20 million, has been exceeded, and it now stands at $26 million,” said Doleva, adding that more than 90% of this total comes from the basketball community. A new goal of $30 million has been established, he went on, to not only fund the renovations to the galleries and visitor area, but also adequately fund an endowment.

For this issue and its focus on travel and tourism, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at the Hall’s renovation project, and also at the forces that have made it — and a much more secure future for this Springfield landmark — possible.

Net Gains

There are a great deal of numbers associated with the Hall’s renovation project, its capital campaign, and its comeback from those dark years after the new shrine was opened 14 years ago.

And while all of them are significant, from the number of lights to be taken out to the projections on increased visitation — from the improvements, MGM’s opening, and other factors — maybe the place to start is with the number 5.

That’s how many of the Hall’s previous inductees turned out for the enshrinement ceremonies in 2000. (Actually, eight committed to come, and three of them backed out). And in many respects, Hall officials were lucky the number was that high.

That’s because the Hall didn’t pay to fly any of those inductees in, didn’t pay for their hotel rooms, and didn’t pay for anything, really, except their admission to the show — largely because it couldn’t afford to do so.

“We quickly concluded that, if we don’t have Hall of Famers on our side, if they’re not our ambassadors across the country and around the world, then we really don’t have a Hall of Fame,” said Doleva, adding that the Hall now pays such expenses, and the results of such a sea change have been dramatic.

Fast-forward to this past September, and there were 65 former inductees in attendance, a number that certainly helps explain the large number of autograph collectors camping out in front of the downtown Springfield hotels.

These Hall of Famers are now truly ambassadors, said Scott Zuffelato, vice president of Philanthropy for the Hall, adding that they regularly make appearances at Hall-produced events such as fund-raising golf tournaments and basketball events.

“They’ve become our foot soldiers,” he explained. “And this stronger relationship with the Hall of Famers has led us to stronger relationships with others in basketball as well, such as college coaches who take part in our events, and the NBA as well.”

And these improved, much stronger relations, resulting in part from getting coaches and officials in pro and college basketball more engaged in the Hall at many levels, has helped the institution secure a higher placed within the game, Doleva told BusinessWest.

Scott Zuffelato says the Hall has strengthened relationships

Scott Zuffelato says the Hall has strengthened relationships with many constituencies within the basketball community, including the Hall of Famers themselves, which is reflected in giving for the current capital campaign.

“We took the organization from a museum in Springfield where the game was invented,” he said, “to a global basketball brand with the mothership located in Springfield.”

This transformation, if you will, has certainly played a huge role in the enormous — and ongoing — success of the Hall’s capital campaign, which was launched more than two and a half years ago. Those who originally met to plan it did so with the initial mission of retiring lingering debt from construction of the new Hall at the start of this century — the roughly $2 million left from an original figure that approached $12 million.

But soon, the vision — and the campaign — took on new meaning.

“It soon became clear that we had a grander plan — and that was to redo the museum and bring it into the 21st century to again be the world’s finest sports museum,” said Doleva, adding that the campaign will raise far more than is needed for the planned renovations, which will enable the Hall to undertake those projects in a manner that couldn’t have been imagined back in 2000: by paying cash.

“The original goal was $21 million, and we saw that as a big challenge based on where we had been with the 2000 campaign,” he went on. “But very quickly, probably within 14 or 15 months, we hit $21 million. And like any good organization, with so many asks that were out there and so many opportunities that hadn’t been harvested, we decided to raise it to $30 million.”

As noted, the basketball community has responded to the Hall’s bid to step forward in a big way. The donor list is replete with the names of players, coaches, executives, and contributors to the game in various ways.

Zuffelato credited Jerry Colangelo, the Hall’s chairman, former owner of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and currently a special adviser to the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, with inspiring many within the basketball community to give to the campaign.

Imagination on Display

What those traveling to the renovated Hall will encounter is a more modern, more visitor-friendly facility and museum that tells stories on a number of levels — both literally and figuratively.

Indeed, the renovated ground-floor lobby, the entry point for visitors, will feature a new, far less imposing ticket area (Doleva has a name for that, too — the ‘tugboat’ — and, more importantly, a number of new displays and attractions.

Overall, the lobby work, a significant portion of phase one, isn’t an expansion in the technical sense, said Doleva. Rather, it is a concerted effort to capture and make much better use of existing space in the lobby area.

“That concourse could really be any retail mall in America — when you walk into it, you don’t know that you’re in the Basketball Hall of Fame; you wouldn’t know until you look through the glass,” he said, adding that the renovations will make it clear to visitors just where they are. “This will be a very high-energy area.”

It will be dominated, he went on, by lockers bearing the names of some of the game’s greats, including Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Grant Hill, Jerry West, and others, who have donated to the capital campaign. These lockers — there are 16 planned, with the ability to expand to 24 — will highlight not only achievements on the court, but the work done by these players within their community.

Meanwhile, a renovated theater in the lobby area, complete with digital technology, surround sound, and an actual stage, will play a more prominent role in the typical Hall visit — and in the Hall’s operations in general.

“Many people don’t know there’s a theater there,” he said. One reason for this, he noted, is that the Hall has never had what he and others in this business call a “signature film” to show to visitors upon their arrival. But it will have one soon, and Doleva said this work in progress will set the emotional tone for one’s visit.

As for the museum, it will see all its galleries renovated and modernized. Doleva explained that such work is necessary not only to keep pace with other museums and sports halls, but to set a new, higher bar.

“We want to present Bob Cousy in a way that will enable people in their teens or 20s to know who he was, and know who Oscar Robertson was, or Kareem,” he explained. “We want to make sure we celebrate all the Hall of Famers, whether they played in recent times or way back; we want to make sure they get their fair share of digital education to the fans.”

Another key addition to the Hall’s lineup, if you will, is the 1891 Gallery, so named because that’s the year James Naismith invented the game.

The gallery will provide area companies that donate specified amounts to the campaign with an opportunity to gain visibility in that space, a company statement that links Naismith’s core values to their company’s values, and a host of other benefits.

Many area businesses have already signed on, including MassMutual, Balise Auto Group, Excel Dryer, Florence Savings Bank, the Chicopee Savings Foundation, and the Davis Foundation.

These renovation project, coupled with MGM’s opening and other forms of momentum at the Hall and across Springfield, are inspiring Hall officials to set some ambitious goals for visitorship — for 2018, and especially for 2020 and beyond.

“I would expect a 20% to 25% increase in attendance,” said Doleva, adding that MGM should have a huge influence on the facility simply by introducing it to people who may not have known it was there.

Court of Opinion

The name affixed to the capital campaign — “It’s Time to Step Forward” is simple, yet has meaning on a number of levels.

On one of them, it speaks to potential donors, inviting them to step forward and play a role in modernizing a Springfield landmark and helping it secure a solid future in a way it never really has.

On another, that name speaks directly to what the Hall is doing — stepping forward — in terms of everything from building a facility truly worthy of the phrase ‘state of the art’ to forging stronger, long-lasting relationships with the basketball community.

These are, indeed, big steps forward, and, to borrow a phrase from the game itself, they comprise a winning formula for years and decades to come.

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

With Purchase, Ski Butternut Hopes to Revive Blandford Ski Area

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Sections Travel and Tourism

Happy Trails

A Ski Butternut instructor

A Ski Butternut instructor — one of many who teach lessons for a wide range of ability levels — helps a youngster improve on the slopes.

When operating in a competitive industry with far fewer customers than it boasted a few decades ago, expanding one’s operations carries some risk.

But Ski Butternut believes the niche it has carved out in Great Barrington — a moderately sized mountain that focuses on a family environment and boasts a robust learn-to-ski program — will translate well about 25 miles to the east, which is why it purchased the Blandford Ski Area earlier this fall and rechristened it Ski Blandford.

“It has a long history and a rich tradition; it’s been there since 1936,” said Dillon Mahon, Ski Butternut’s marketing director. “It’s also close to a large population in Springfield, and we’re hoping to attract quite a few people from that area.”

The Blandford resort, which has been owned by the Springfield Ski Club for the past 81 years, has struggled with declines in memberships and visits, and decided in July to sell the property to Ski Butternut owner Jeff Murdoch for $269,000.

“We purchased what was basically a private ski club,” Mahon said. “They didn’t advertise it, and a lot of people didn’t know it was there. We’re reopening it this year and making a lot of improvements, from renovating the lodges to upgrading snow-making equipment and grooming equipment.”

Also important, he added, is spreading the word that Ski Blandford will represent what Butternut does: a place that welcomes families and beginners and helps them navigate the world of skiing and snowboarding — and convinces them to keep coming back. Ski Blandford’s website has been redesigned in the style of the Ski Butternut site — only with less expensive pricing to persuade mountain enthusiasts to give the facility a try.

“It’s a great family atmosphere on a good-sized mountain close to home,” Mahon said, again touching on the emphasis that has kept Ski Butternut successful.

“That’s been a big part of why we’re successful,” he went on. “Butternut focuses on a family atmosphere and on learning, bringing people into the sport. It’s kind of a startup mountain that gives people great service. The ski school here is large and can accommodate large amounts of children and adults. Learn-to-ski weekends made Butternut successful, and it’s something we plan to mirror at Blandford as well.”

The First Time

It’s a critical element, he said, to bringing in new blood at a time when the popularity of skiing has been experiencing a slow decline. In a one-year period from early 2008 to early 2009, 11.24 million Americans took to the slopes, according to industry sources. Eight years later — from the spring of 2016 to early 2017 — the number was 9.78 million. And snowboarding has seen an even more precipitous fall.

That’s when people think about skiing. I can send people e-mails and Facebook posts all day, but when a fresh bunch of snow is on their doorstep, that changes people’s mindset toward skiing.”

One reason is that what’s known as the conversion rate, or the percentage of first-timers who embrace the slopes and return for more, currently stands at around 15% nationally. Mahon said Ski Butternut has made a conscious effort to boost it.

“There are a lot of barriers to entry,” he told BusinessWest. “We as a resort are trying to knock down those barriers, to make it a more accessible sport, make it easier for people to get into the sport.”

For instance, the resort has long offered a one-day beginner’s package that includes access to the milder hills, a group lesson, and equipment rentals, all for $75. After that, an all-mountain pass with a group lesson and rentals costs between $75 and $100, depending on age.

“We’ve had a lot of success bundling those offerings for beginners, giving them a smaller piece to bite off that might be more digestable than a season-long rental and saying ‘good luck,’ Mahon said.

For its part, Ski Blandford is rolling out beginner packages for between $70 and $80, and all-mountain packages of lift ticket, rentals, and lesson for between $70 and $85, depending on the day of the week — slightly less than at Butternut.

“For us as an industry, and especially at Butternut and soon at Blandford, that’s part of our overall strategy to attract more skiers as opposed to putting up more barriers,” he went on. “Basically, we want to hold their hand as they learn to ski and make it a better experience for them. When people try skiing for the first time, it’s hard. How do you choose equipment? How do you ride a lift? We’re doing our best to break down those barriers and make it affordable for beginners.”

After that, well, the challenge is getting visitors to come back. Several years ago, Ski Butternut undertook an extensive upgrade of its snow-making system to guarantee ski-worthy conditions no matter what kind of winter New England experiences.

“We’re open with or without Mother Nature’s cooperation. That’s the way things go,” Mahon said. “We have great snow-making equipment, and we’ll be updating with the equivalent at Blandford as well — more guns, higher capacity. We’re open hell or high water.”

That said, “it also helps quite a bit to get a bunch of snow,” he conceded. “That’s when people think about skiing. I can send people e-mails and Facebook posts all day, but when a fresh bunch of snow is on their doorstep, that changes people’s mindset toward skiing.”

The typical season brings well over 100 inches of snow, but some are drier. Even in those years, typically the weather will remain cold enough to consistently manufacture snow. Temperatures below 26 degrees are ideal for making snow, because the water that emerges from the nozzles in tiny droplets are almost instantly supercooled to create the best-quality snow.

Beyond the Slopes

Ski Butternut has also done well with its non-skiing activities, such as its popular tubing park, complete with a mechanized lift to keep riders energized for their two-hour sessions.

“Tubing is a different market in some ways,” Mahon said. “Everyone likes tubing, while not everyone skis. So it’s great for families with little kids — something to do for a quick day out.”

Meanwhile, the event calendar features plenty of activities, from race events to wine and beer tastings; from Saturday concerts on the lodge deck to a ‘ski and paint’ day on Jan. 28, which is exactly what it sounds like. In the summer, the mountain stays open to hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, and the resort is also the site of the annual Berkshires Arts Festival.

“Some of these events aren’t necessarily skiing-based events,” he noted. “We want to draw on the local community and give people a good experience so they keep showing up.”

He and the ownership team at Butternut hope for the same at Ski Blandford, which is why Murdoch is investing in painting the lodges, upgrading snow guns and grooming equipment, and, in general, letting people know the resort is on the way back.

“We’re making a lot of improvements over the next couple of years,” Mahon said. “It’s going to get better and better.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Bay Path’s RN to BSN Program Helps Nurses Overcome Barriers

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Education Sections

Connecting to a Better Future

online-medi-517935648useIt’s no secret that hospitals and other healthcare settings are pushing for nurses with higher education levels, but it can be difficult for a working RN, often with plenty of family responsibilities, to go back to school. The RN to BSN Completer Program at the American Women’s College of Bay Path University solves that issue with a fully online format and plenty of support to help students succeed — and open doors that had previously been closed.

The 22 registered nurses who graduated in May from the American Women’s College of Bay Path University with their bachelor’s degrees — the first class to complete the new, innovative program — weren’t just improving their own career options, although they certainly did that.

On a broader level, they were responding to a call from the National Institute of Medicine for 80% of nurses to eventually achieve a baccalaureate level of education, one that encompasses the big-picture issues faced in settings ranging from hospitals to skilled-nursing facilities to public-health organizations.

“The national challenge for 80% of nurses to be BSN-prepared by 2020 indicated to us a great need for a flexible, affordable solution for registered nurses whose lives are already so full, between caring for others at work and, on top of that, having families, hobbies, and other personal responsibilities,” said Amanda Gould, chief administrative officer for the American Women’s College (TAWC).

Bay Path’s solution, she said, is an accelerated, 100% online program that lets students — many of whom are already juggling an RN position with family responsibilities — an opportunity to broaden their education on their terms, around their rigorous schedules.

The RN to BSN Completer Program, as it’s officially known, allows for licensed, registered nurses with an associate or diploma degree to return to college to complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Bay Path’s program is fully online, allowing students to enroll and participate from across the country, and the accelerated format means that, for most students, the degree can be achieved in 18 months.

Post-graduation surveys of the inaugural graduating class revealed that two quickly found promotions, one as a hospital ER manager and another as a manager of care coordination, said Maura Devlin, deputy chief learning officer at TAWC. A new survey underway is expected to reveal more such career moves, as well as a number of graduates preparing to continue on toward master’s degrees at other schools.

Amanda Gould

Amanda Gould says the online RN to BSN program is a tangible response to the national call for 80% of nurses to eventually have bachelor’s degrees.

Programs like this one will continue to bring the Bay State’s number of BSN-level nurses closer to 80% — the state had already set a goal of 65%, with the number currently around 50% — but it will also open doors that may be starting to close for RNs. Although there are no official numbers, Gould and Devlin said, RNs see hospitals and other organizations pushing for higher levels of education, and favoring BSN-level nurses in hiring and promotions.

Bay Path’s new nursing program, now educating its second class of enrollees, is doing what it can to meet that demand, and early returns have been positive.

Expanding Access

Backing up a little, the American Women’s College was founded in 2013 with a mission to expand access to higher education to the 76 million American women who do not have a college degree. Its 28 programs run the gamut from accounting to criminal justice; from child psychology to early childhood education; from entrepreneurship to food science and safety.

Many students enrolled in various RN-to-BSN programs in this region haven’t necessarily had to leave a job to do so, but they have been challenged to fit classes in between work and family life. The online option at TAWC allows students to engage in classroom activity — much of which takes place on forums and discussion boards — on their own schedule.

The RN-to-BSN track technically requires 120 credits, but 30 are awarded up front for the students’ RN training and experience, and other credits (up to 84, in fact) can be transferred in as well, depending on the student’s prior education, training, and experience.

Devlin said the courses are patient-focused and reflect the ‘nine essentials’ of baccalaureate nursing education established by the American Assoc. of Colleges of Nursing. These include a liberal education base; evidence-based practice; quality care and patient safety; information management; policy, finance, and the regulatory environment; communication and collaboration; population health management; professionalism and values; and general nursing practice.

“These are our program outcomes,” Gould said, adding that administrators have explicitly defined some fields students may see as options for professional growth upon attaining their degree, such as case manager, infection control, home care, hospice care, occupational nurse, managerial positions, public health, risk management, and specialty care.

There’s a self-reflective element to the program as well, Devlin said, and students are encouraged to consider their unique attributes and leadership skills. “The program has the BSN candidates thinking about themselves as leaders in the field of nursing, and positions them to go on to those types of roles.”

Classes are run in a cohort model, meaning the students navigate through the courses together, although they don’t have to be online at the same time. The classes are conducted in six-week sessions — six of them per year — and taught by master’s level nursing educators.

“When we surveyed the first cohort of 22 students in May, every one of them said they would recommend the program,” Gould said. “That was really validating.”

The American Women’s College was developed to improve performance, retention, and graduation rates for nontraditional learners, and does so partly through the development of Social Online Universal Learning (SOUL), a data-driven approach to online education at TAWC, Gould said. Among its features, SOUL features customized instruction, dedicated educator coaches to help students who start to struggle, and virtual learning communities to engage other students who share their goals and professional interests.

And there are definitely some common challenges. Seventy percent of TAWC students are first-generation college attendees, one-third are single mothers, and more than half are Pell-eligible, which speaks to economic need. “We really do feel it’s kind of mission-driven, in that we’re creating a new entry point to college for this population,” she said.

She cited one student, a 38-year-old who had dropped out of high school when she became pregnant, who now works as an administrative assistant. “Her daughter is now college age, and she wanted to be a role model for her daughter,” Gould explained, so she enrolled in the American Women’s College and is now one of its top students.

Maura Devlin

Maura Devlin says the first cohort of graduates is already seeing broadened career opportunities and even promotions.

“She’s kind of representative of a lot of students we serve who are trying to make a better life for themselves and their families,” she told BusinessWest. “Their motto has become ‘it’s my time.’ For a long time, they’ve put their families first, and they’ve finally come to a place where they give themselves permission to get their education.”

First Steps

The American Women’s College received some good news in October when the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) voted to grant full accreditation through 2022 to the RN to BSN Completer Program.

“The collective commitment to quality education demonstrated each day by our faculty, staff, and community partners to provide our students with the knowledge and skills they need to be outstanding nurses is at the heart of our work, and our program status reflects that,” said Marjorie Bessette, director of the Nursing program.

Meanwhile, TAWC maintains partnerships with Baystate Health and Mercy Medical Center to work together to increase the number of nurse practitioners with BSN degrees.

“As a nurse, I want to give the best possible care that I can to patients. It’s my job to save lives. Completing my BSN has ensured that I can do just that,” said Laura Mazur, a nurse at Baystate Medical Center who graduated from Bay Path’s program in May. “I used to think of myself as an in-class learner, but as a floor nurse working the midnight shift, I simply didn’t have the time to spend in a classroom. The online program through the American Women’s College fit well into my life.”


Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Springfield Project Offers a Window to Changing Role of Libraries

By
Education Sections

The Plot Thickens

An architect’s rendering of the new branch library to be built in East Forest Park.

An architect’s rendering of the new branch library to be built in East Forest Park.

As she talked about libraries, and borrowed (that’s an industry term) from Mark Twain when she said their death was greatly exaggerated, Molly Fogarty used some words and phrases that definitely brought her argument home.

That’s because these are not the kinds of things that would have been said about these institutions a century ago, or perhaps even a decade ago.

“Libraries help level the playing field,” said Fogarty, director of the Springfield City Library. “They help people cross the digital divide; they’re technology hubs.”

Elaborating, he said that, in this computer age, access to the Internet isn’t anything approaching a luxury. It’s a necessity, for those who want to learn, apply for a job, or fact-check a work project.

And providing that access is just one of the ways libraries have changed over the years, from when they were mostly, but not entirely, book repositories.

“Books are still a big part of what we do, but there’s so much more,” she said. “Libraries are the one place where you can get help, get questions answered, use a computer, borrow materials, attend a program … and it’s all free. We have 700,000 visitors a year, and if we weren’t here, where else would they go?”

Molly Fogarty

Molly Fogarty stands in Wellman Hall at the main branch of the Springfield City Library. It’s empty at this moment (the library was closed at the time), but within five minutes of opening each day, she said, each computer is occupied.

Which brings us to the planned new East Forest Park branch of the Springfield Library. This is a facility that has been talked about for decades, and it’s been on the proverbial drawing board for a few years now. Funding has been secured from the city and state that will cover a good deal of the $9.5 million price tag, and a capital campaign, titled Promise Realized, has been launched to raise the remaining $2 million.

Matt Blumenfeld, a principal with Amherst-based Financial Development Agency (FDA), which has coordinated fund-raising campaigns for new libraries and additions across the state and beyond, said the Springfield project provides an intriguing tutorial, if you will, on the changing and expanding role of libraries and their continued importance to individual communities.

Library-building projects contribute jobs and additional vitality to downtowns and specific neighborhoods, he told BusinessWest, but the libraries themselves act as community resources vital to residents.

“It’s much more than the children’s room and a lending library,” he said, adding quickly that these components are obviously still part of the equation. “It’s a community information hub, and that’s so important in communities where there is a lot of need.”

For this issue and its focus on education, BusinessWest looks at the East Forest Park branch project and the many ways in which it captures the changing landscape for libraries and shines a bright spotlight on their growing, not waning, importance to those who walk through their doors.

A New Chapter

Blumenfeld calls it his cubicle.

This is the small office cleared for FDA on the fourth floor of Springfield’s Main Library on State Street, one of the city’s enduring landmarks.

Two desks have been shoehorned into the space, which is a command post of sorts for the Promise Kept campaign, which was launched in September and will continue for the next 15 months or so.

Blumenfeld, who has operated out of such spaces at more libraries than he can count, will be in his cubicle at least two days a week by his estimates as he coordinates the campaign and makes the case for individuals, families, and businesses to donate.

It’s a strong case, and, as noted earlier, one he’s made often in this region over the past several years. Indeed, FDA coordinated the campaigns for new libraries or expansions in West Springfield, Chicopee, and Holyoke, among many others.

He said Springfield’s campaign, already off to a solid start, is similar to many others in that many of those being asked to contribute have questions about the future of both books and libraries.

“The challenge we always have in a campaign is to get donors to understand that the library of the future serves many of the same functions as the library they think about,” he explained. “The Holyoke Public Library was founded with the motto ‘the People’s College,’ and that’s really the sense of what a library is. It’s a learning commons for everyone, and all you have to do is walk through the door.”

The case for libraries is best summed up in those phrases used by Fogarty earlier. Indeed, while libraries will always be a place to borrow a book, video, or piece of music, and also a place where people can find quiet and a place to read, study, and conduct research (often with others), these facilities now level that playing field Fogarty mentioned.

And this role takes on new meaning in communities like Springfield, where many families live at or below the poverty level and Internet access is often beyond their budget and, therefore, their reach.

To get her points across, Fogarty talked about what would be a typical day at the main branch, and specifically the computer room.

Matt Blumenfeld

Matt Blumenfeld says that today, libraries are community information hubs, and, therefore, vital resources for cities and towns.

“When we open the central library, within five minutes, all of the computers are being used,” she said, adding that there are 45 of them currently, and they will be used by roughly 100,000 visitors over the course of a year.

“People are waiting to get in,” she went on. “And we have a reservation system; if a computer isn’t available when they arrive, they can make a reservation for later in the day — and they do.”

There’s a reason for this — actually, several of them, she said.

“There is a digital divide in this country; if you have a computer at home and you have sufficient Internet access, your children are able to do their homework at home, you’re able to do research at home, you can apply for a job at home. If you don’t…”

Her voice tailed off as if to say, before she actually said it, that those on the wrong side of this divide are at what would have to be considered a societal disadvantage.

“You can’t apply for a job right now unless you do it online,” she went on. “That’s the way you can do it. So we’re bridging that digital divide for a large number of people.”

And this bridge involves more than a computer and a mouse, she went on, adding that library staffers will assist patrons with setting up an e-mail account, with writing a résumé, and in countless other ways.

They’ve been doing all that in what has passed as the East Forest Park branch for the past 15 years or so. This would be the small storefront, a former video store, actually, on Island Pond Road. There are six computers at that facility, said Fogarty, adding that there will be 56 at the new, 17,000-square-foot, single-story branch to be built on the grounds of the Mary Dryden School on Surrey Road.

The new facility will feature a so-called ‘teen zone,’ a children’s area, and “quiet study rooms,” said Blumenfeld, adding that now, perhaps more than ever, libraries have become gathering spots and resources for all members of a family.

Fogarty agreed, adding that the Springfield City Library has literally thousands of programs for young people and adults alike, and they are focused on everything from workforce training to adult literacy; from poetry to creative writing. And many of them have waiting lists.

The Last Word

The tagline for the Springfield City Library reads “All Yours, Just Ask.”

Those four words speak volumes — in every way, shape, and form — about this institution and all those like it. There is so much there for the visitor, and all he or she has to do is ask.

It’s always been that way, but today, when there is a digital divide that represents an extremely deep crevasse, the importance of libraries, contrary to what may be becoming popular opinion, has never been greater.

And in that respect, ‘Promise Kept’ is more than a slogan attached to a fund-raising campaign — it’s an operating mindset.


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

Property Owners Should Take Steps to Minimize Seasonal Risks

By
Insurance Sections

Avoiding the Winter Blues

policysecartWinter weather brings a host of insurance risks to homes and businesses, from ice dams wreaking havoc on a building’s interior to frozen and burst pipes causing serious water damage, to liability issues if someone falls on the ice on the front sidewalk. Insurance policies help protect property owners against exposure to such events, but just as important are common-sense preparations to minimize such risks in the first place.

John Dowd Jr. remembers 2011 well. That’s the year that brought Western Mass. a tornado in June, a tropical storm in August, and the out-of-nowhere snowstorm in late October. It was, in short, a rough year for insurance claims.

But the first rush of claims arrived in February, recalled Dowd, president and CEO of the Dowd Insurance Agencies in Holyoke. That was when a constant barrage of snows and thaws built up ice dams along countless homeowners’ rooflines, many breaking through the walls and dousing the interior with water.

“Ice dams are nothing new; it’s the confluence between snowfall and warming temperatures that create the backup,” he said. “That year, it was especially bad, coming after heavy snowfalls and creating enormous claims. People had situations where water was literally pouring into their living room.”

That’s especially true of older homes, he added, as many newer houses are built in a way that minimizes the flow of warm air into the cracks that fosters the growth of ice dams. However, while the damming phenomenon is nothing new, what has changed is insurance companies’ tolerance for paying for the damages, he went on.

“There’s a national database of claims histories that insurance companies can access. If you’ve had claims, they ask you what steps you’ve taken to keep this from happening again,” Dowd explained, citing options from professionally installed electrical wiring on the roof to plastic panels designed to prevent dams from forming. “And if you haven’t taken those steps, in some cases, insurance companies are not going to insure you.”

While some of those remedies, like the wiring, aren’t cheap, he added, no one wants to go through an ice-dam experience — not the insurance company, and certainly not the homeowner, who must grapple with interior damage and loss, and perhaps mold issues down the line.

David Matosky, operations director at First American Insurance in Chicopee, noted that standard homeowners’ insurance typically covers damage to a structure as a result of an ice dam, but will not cover the expenses to eliminate or prevent the root cause of the ice dam. It also will not cover water damage to the contents of the structure as a result of the dam, though customers can check with their agent to see if they can add such coverage.

David Matosky

David Matosky says home and business owners can avoid winter-related claims by taking some strategic steps.

And it’s a growing concern at a time when the climate seems to be changing — check out all the leaves still on trees a week into December — and temperatures that fluctuate between freezing and balmy. Those kinds of conditions with snow mixed in are fertile ground for ice dams. “That’s when you get big problems,” Dowd said, “so it’s smart to invest in some kind of protection.”

In fact, ice dams are far from the only winter hazard that concerns homeowners, business owners, and insurance companies alike. And, like the dams, most of those hazards can be anticipated, and steps taken to minimize the risk well in advance.

“Make sure your attic is properly insulated,” Matosky said. “Take the time now to buy a shovel and roof rake, not after you’ve gotten 15 inches of snow. And you have to be consistent and clean snow from the roof on a regular basis, as long as it’s safe — we don’t recommend people going up on a two-story house to clear snow, so maybe bring in a professional who knows how to do it. If you have damaged singles on the roof or the drip guards are in need of repair, take care of that now, before the snow starts falling.”

After all, insurance professionals say, buying coverage is just one element in protecting one’s assets from seasonal damage; the other is simply common sense and preparation.

People Get Ready

Matosky noted that, while it’s good to have insurance, filing a claim is never an enjoyable experience.

“There’s a distinction between a loss and claim. A loss is when something bad happens; a claim is where you’re able to have the loss paid for,” he said. “In some events, you may have a loss but not have a claim, and you’re left holding the bag.”

That’s why the best way to prepare for winter events is to take the necessary steps to minimize the chances of a loss in the first place, he said. That means not only buying a roof rake before the snow season begins, but also maintaining and testing snow-blowing equipment before a blizzard kicks up. “One of the worst things is getting 12 inches of wet, heavy snow, and you go to start your snowblower, and it doesn’t start.”

Dowd’s agency recommends several steps to prepare for winter, advising clients to insulate the pipes in their crawlspaces and attic, as exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing, and to seal air leaks, not only to improve the home’s heat efficiency, but to protect the pipes. With severe cold, even a tiny opening can let in enough cold air to cause a pipe to freeze; and

Also, before winter hits, homeowners should disconnect garden hoses and use an indoor valve to shut off water to the outside, then drain water from outside faucets to reduce the chance it will freeze in the short span of pipe just inside the house.

Be Aware of
Indoor Risks, Too

With fires and space heaters for warmth, candles and holiday décor for ambiance, and more indoor cooking and entertaining, the risk for fires in homes increases exponentially in the colder months. The Dowd Insurance Agency in Holyoke offers these helpful tips to keep in mind:
• Be sure your chimney is inspected and cleaned regularly based on how much you use it, and ensure the flue is open before you light a fire.
• Candles should not be left to burn unattended, or within easy reach of children, pets and flammable materials like curtains and holiday decorations. The same goes for space heaters.
• Take care not to overload electrical outlets with holiday decorations or small appliances like space heaters.
• Do not leave items on the stove unattended, and keep towels and other flammable materials away from the cooktop.
• Be sure you have a fire extinguisher easily accessible in your home, and that you know how to use it.

Power loss after a storm is another hazard, which is why Dowd recommends people have a backup generator easily accessible, so they can at least run the heat, their refrigerator, and a few lights. He recalled the freak October 2011 snowstorm that felled trees and power lines throughout Western Mass. and knocked out power in some communities for extended periods.

“We had no lights, no heat for a week in my house, and I didn’t have a generator, so we just lived without power,” he told BusinessWest. “We felt like we were pioneers.”

Loss of power can also cause pipes to freeze up, which is especially dangerous for people who head down south for vacations during the winter. Fortunately, Dowd said, technology is available to alert people remotely when temperatures drop in their home. Even so, he added, it’s a good idea to shut off the water main before leaving for an extended time, so if power shuts off and the pipes freeze and break, the water damage in the home will be minimal.

Other holiday risks may not be so obvious, such as the possibility that thieves are scoping out houses that may be stocked with Christmas gifts. Dowd recommends shutting the curtains at dusk to prevent would-be burglars for scoping out what’s in the house, or using a timer for indoor lights while away so the house doesn’t look empty, or installing motion-sensor lights outdoors as a deterrent. Such a device, or, even better, a complete security system, may qualify for a discount on the homeowner’s insurance policy.

Staying Upright

While water and fires can cause tremendous damage in a home, there are other hazards that increase during the colder months as well. One of the most important is the liability risk from slips and falls on driveways and sidewalks that may not be completely cleared of ice and snow, or properly de-iced or sanded, after a weather event.

“That’s an issue for commercial properties as well as landlords and homeowners,” Matosky said. “Most towns have ordinances that you have to remove snow and ice from your sidewalk at the end of a storm.”

And that means keeping it off, both with additional shoveling or plowing as necessary and with ice-melting agents. “And if the commercial property is hiring someone to do the snow removal, they should make sure they have the correct coverage; if they don’t plow or shovel correctly, and someone falls, they need to make sure they have the coverage to respond to such a claim.”

Property owners with steeply pitched roofs often have to worry about snow constantly falling as the weather warms after a storm, and they could be liable if snow or ice falls on a passerby, so they need to take a combination of steps, from clearing snow regularly, if possible, to simply posting signs or barricades to keep people out of danger spots.

Meanwhile, with more homes and businesses installing solar panels on the roof these days, there’s also the danger of sheets of snow sliding off those panels onto the ground below.

A lot to think about? Sure, but planning ahead for the winter weather — and responding quickly after a storm — can go a long way toward avoiding the types of losses and claims that cause headaches for property owners and insurers alike.

“We’re conditioned in our business to think of the worst-case scenario — what could happen? — and then develop a disaster plan,” Dowd said. “These things probably won’t happen, but they may happen, and you want to do all you can to mitigate the damage.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Building Permits

By
Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of November 2017.

AGAWAM

Grand Run Holdings 1, LLC
4-28 Southwick St.
$25,000 — Roofing at shopping center

CHICOPEE

280 Springfield Street
280 Springfield St.
$10,100 — Extend existing bath, handicap accessibility

Raymond Duquette
99 Ducharme Ave.
$4,850 — Roof replacement

Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen
170 Pendexter Ave.
$1,450 — Addition to landing deck

Max Cap Properties, LLC
116 School St.
$5,000 — Electrical repair, minor roof repair, décor, change upstairs ceiling tiles

Moose Creek Realty, LLC
40 High St.
$28,850 — Remove existing siding material, install new vinyl siding system

Moose Creek Realty, LLC
42 High St.
$28,850 — Remove existing siding material, install new vinyl siding system

Rivoli Inc.
43 Springfield St.
$2,200 — New accessible entrance to existing tenant space

Karen Romano
685 Grattan St.
Demolish existing building

DEERFIELD

Berkshire Brewing
12 Railroad St.
$6,000 — Renovate handicap-accessible bathrooms

Ideal Movers
247 Greenfield Road
$50,000 — Foundation

EASTHAMPTON

Easthampton Mahadev, LLC
37-43 Union St.
$150,000 — Repair fire-damaged roof, ceiling, and flooring; reconfigure floor space

Easthampton Mahadev, LLC
37-43 Union St.
$16,500 — Replace fire-damaged duct system

Massachusetts Audubon Society
127 Coombs Road
$11,000 — Install replacement windows

EAST LONGMEADOW

Century Fitness
491 North Main St.
$7,600 — Remove wall, commercial renovation

Pioneer Gymnastics
45 Maple St.
$3,500 — Awning

GREENFIELD

Abercrombie Greenfield, LLC
56 Bank Row
$60,000 — Install new NFPA 13 compliant system

Baystate Franklin Medical Center
164 High St.
$18,249 — Install new cross-corridor door with smoke wall to deck, remove existing door frame, and repair wall and ceiling

Baystate Franklin Medical Center
164 High St.
$16,717 — Core drill for installation of new hot-water and sprinkler piping on third floor and attic of north building, miscellaneous drywall repairs and painting

Franklin Medical Center
48 Sanderson St.
$128,750 — Roofing

David Johnson
102 Federal St.
$3,900 — Install pellet stove

Jones Properties, LP
21 Mohawk Trail
$21,000 — Construct partitions to configure two offices and a small kitchen for law office

David Kalinowski
5 Conway Dr.
$2,999 — Construct roadside farm stand

Lisa Underwood
571 Bernardston Road
$9,700 — Roofing

LUDLOW

Columbia Gas of Massachusetts
5 Ravenwood Dr.
$159,000 — Roofing

NORTHAMPTON

1924, LLC
50 Round Hill Road
$30,000 — Select demolition, roof removal, interior mechanical removal

Alloy, LLC
209 Earle St.
$249,350 — Install 300 solar panels on roof

The Brush Works, LLC
221 Pine St.
$35,000 — Install six new remote radio heads to replace six antenna panels wuth new models, run new hybriflex line to existing smokestack

Coca-Cola Co.
45 Industrial Dr.
$500,000 — Interior renovation

Cumberland Farm, LLC
55 Main St.
$14,000 — Demolish house

New England Deaconess Assoc.
25 Coles Meadow Road
$28,000 — Remove kitchen cabinets and countertops, install new flooring, paint room

P & Q, LLC
112 Main St.
$24,550 — Remodel interior for real-estate office

Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield
10 Hawley St.
$24,900 — Strip and shingle roof

PALMER

S & S Properties
1240 Park St.
$6,000 — Replace lettering on sign

SOUTHWICK

Tribe Life Athletics
809 College Highway
Sheet metal

Worldwide Turbines
512 College Highway
$4,000 — Install windows

SPRINGFIELD

Baystate Health
3400 Main St.
$254,700 — Relocate non-bearing partitions, relocate plumbing and electrical, renew finishes for existing medical practice

Blue Tarp reDevelopment
94 Union St.
$1,177,000 — Renovation and reconstruction of building interior to change from church to retail use, including new HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire sprinkler, restroom, food service, and exits

Mason Wright Foundation
74 Walnut St.
$703,475.37 — 1,291-square-foot addition to existing building, addition of four-seasons room above existing maintenance garage

Primera Iglesia Christina
25 Torrance St.
$5,000 — Remove non-bearing wall between structural columns

Related Springfield Associates, LP
75 Dwight St.
$167,500 — Interior fit-up for Springfield Police substation

WARE

Baystate Mary Lane Hospital
85 South St.
$11,000 — Remove and replace grease ducts

National Grid
52 Gilbertville Road
$44,300 — Strip and re-roof

North Brookfield Savings Bank
40 Main St.
$16,000 — Remove existing timber retaining wall and replace with interlocking concrete blocks

Quabbin Wire and Cable
10 Maple St.
$15,000 — Replace 13 windows

Weir River Social Club Inc.
6 East St.
$2,400 — Remove back stairs, install new stairs

WEST SPRINGFIELD

St. Thomas the Apostle School
47 Pine St.
$99,400 — Replace HVAC rooftop unit and add one HVAC rooftop unit

Real Estate Transactions

By
Departments Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

BERNARDSTON

65 Hillcrest Dr.
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Andrew Easton
Seller: Longvue Mortgage Capital
Date: 11/17/17

55 River St.
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $240,180
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Terry L. Walko
Date: 11/14/17

25 Shedd Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Dokoi C. Phathsoungneune
Seller: Lorena R. Norwood
Date: 11/07/17

BUCKLAND

26 Monroe Ave.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Henry P. Livingston
Seller: Jenny New
Date: 11/14/17

6 Rand Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $244,000
Buyer: Marie E. Dunford
Seller: Lisa K. Clark
Date: 11/06/17

CHARLEMONT

23 Laurel Lane
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Barbara A. Beall
Seller: John R. Lynch
Date: 11/17/17

151 South St.
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $4,000,000
Buyer: AC Real Estate Group LLC
Seller: Spirit Master Funding 2
Date: 11/10/17

COLRAIN

49 Fairbanks Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: William Watkins
Seller: Steep Steps LLC
Date: 11/17/17

241 Thompson Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Nicholas R. Piantanida
Seller: FNMA
Date: 11/08/17

DEERFIELD

23 Crestview Dr.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $792,500
Buyer: Sylvia Smith
Seller: James R. Talbot
Date: 11/15/17

Lee Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $154,900
Buyer: Thomas J. Scanlon
Seller: Paul R. Putnam
Date: 11/14/17

River Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: Robert O. Schulze
Seller: Michael M. Fisher
Date: 11/16/17

65 Sandgully Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $545,000
Buyer: James R. Talbot
Seller: Richard O. Bradford
Date: 11/15/17

39 Thayer St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Hugh Manheim
Seller: 39 Thayer Street LLC
Date: 11/17/17

ERVING

4 Briggs St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Susan F. Scott
Seller: Yezierski, Mary S., (Estate)
Date: 11/17/17

GILL

26 Oak St.
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Linda Hobbs
Seller: Murley, Thomas J., (Estate)
Date: 11/17/17

GILL

11 River Road
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Owen J. Bear
Seller: Michael J. Gusan
Date: 11/09/17

GREENFIELD

90 Birch St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Linda M. Lively
Seller: David P. Rogalski
Date: 11/17/17

1 Camp Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Julie E. Avery
Seller: Joseph A. Hamel
Date: 11/17/17

232 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: Alexandre F. Demelo
Seller: Marcy Helems
Date: 11/17/17

20 East Cleveland St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $123,500
Buyer: Colleen M. Byrne
Seller: Dana K. Woodcock
Date: 11/09/17

57 Forest Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Kara J. Jacobsen
Seller: Joshua A. Zera
Date: 11/17/17

14 Freeman Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $172,500
Buyer: Joanne F. Burns
Seller: William J. Doyle
Date: 11/10/17

20 Hancock Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $125,699
Buyer: Robert Mattson
Seller: Wilmington Trust
Date: 11/15/17

10 Osgood St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Brian J. Keane
Seller: Siri Goldberg
Date: 11/09/17

85 Phyllis Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Patrick McGreevy
Seller: Brooks A. Mostue
Date: 11/15/17

HEATH

62 Ingraham Dr.
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: David D. Peterson
Seller: Jaimye Ingraham
Date: 11/17/17

MONTAGUE

3 Dewolf Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Sylvia Mollard
Seller: Roger L. Jacobsen
Date: 11/17/17

135 Millers Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: John M. Gates
Seller: Stewart, Barbara I., (Estate)
Date: 11/10/17

23 Norman Circle
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Terry F. Pease
Seller: Lawrence E. Gaudette
Date: 11/17/17

47 Ripley Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Cody P. Guilbault
Seller: Marilyn O. Jacque
Date: 11/08/17

ORANGE

55 Benham St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $117,580
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Richard Reed
Date: 11/08/17

NEW SALEM

40 West St.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Carl D. Long
Seller: Serenity Hill RT
Date: 11/13/17

ORANGE

15 Cloukey Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Mark R. White
Seller: Peter Anjos
Date: 11/17/17

SHELBURNE

1116 Mohawk Trail
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Yellow Dog Realty LLC
Seller: Scott R. Sylvester
Date: 11/16/17

SHUTESBURY

60 Lake Dr.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Evan D. Jones
Seller: Amelia A. Sirum
Date: 11/17/17

99 Sand Hill Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Frederick E. Steinway
Seller: Margaret E. Manson TR
Date: 11/15/17

17 Sumner Mountain Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $463,500
Buyer: Nina R. Emery
Seller: Jeffrey D. Fishman
Date: 11/14/17

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

430 Adams St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: United Bank Residential Properties Inc.
Seller: Mariam Y. Elias
Date: 11/07/17

451 Barry St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Diana Tokarev
Seller: William J. Dermody
Date: 11/16/17

18 Kanawha Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: William Knorr
Seller: David Vilkhovoy
Date: 11/17/17

4-A Maple View Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $269,300
Buyer: Molly E. Fox-Bryant
Seller: T. Russo Construction Corp.
Date: 11/15/17

26 Peros Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Karl M. Kulak
Seller: Norman P. Godon
Date: 11/10/17

104 Robin Ridge Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: David M. Smithies
Seller: Thomas O’Connor
Date: 11/13/17

200 School St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Rogers
Seller: Stefanie L. Fontana
Date: 11/15/17

253 Silver St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Baldwin Street Realty LLC
Seller: Clark Dore
Date: 11/09/17

64 Sunnyslope Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $205,900
Buyer: Raymond M. Pronovost
Seller: Martin J. Feid
Date: 11/10/17

BLANDFORD

92 Main St.
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Nicholas Hughes
Seller: Jessica Kirchen
Date: 11/17/17

BRIMFIELD

93 Apple Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $160,152
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Steven Bessette
Date: 11/13/17

379 Brookfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Ryan T. Waugh
Seller: Malouin, Lawrence Leo, (Estate)
Date: 11/10/17

2 Hillside Dr.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Shane Griffin
Seller: Robert V. Griffin
Date: 11/09/17

CHICOPEE

57 Bourbeau St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Michele L. Niec
Seller: Michelle M. Lacharite
Date: 11/10/17

947 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,900,000
Buyer: CH Realty 7 CG CT Atlants
Seller: Cherokee Hill LLC
Date: 11/09/17

1063 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Connor S. Sormanti
Seller: Richard R. Delisle
Date: 11/09/17

345 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: DKL RT
Seller: Kostas Poulis
Date: 11/14/17

27 Ferry St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Kevin W. Torres
Seller: Scott Proulx
Date: 11/14/17

51 Foss Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $170,500
Buyer: Allison C. Martel
Seller: At Home Properties LLC
Date: 11/10/17

122 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Alisis Pena
Seller: Zakhariy Tsikhotskiy
Date: 11/07/17

296 Irene St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $126,500
Buyer: Zeyad AlJuboori
Seller: Scott W. Anderson
Date: 11/17/17

21 Jefferson Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Stephen Hastings
Seller: Leona R. Doyle
Date: 11/09/17

49 Lord Terrace North
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Mark A. Rodrigo
Seller: David P. Haller
Date: 11/06/17

1294-1296 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Sattar LLC
Seller: Jaafar Hamadeh
Date: 11/10/17

88 Mount Royal St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Brian Nunes
Seller: Timothy J. Kowal
Date: 11/08/17

328 New Ludlow Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Alan J. Robinson
Seller: Fontaine, Roger L., (Estate)
Date: 11/16/17

97 Pondview Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Joseph E. Conroy
Seller: Bruce D. Hemond
Date: 11/09/17

49 Roberts Pond Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Michael Hannum
Seller: Thuy P. Bui
Date: 11/17/17

106 Ruskin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Jose G. Vicente
Seller: Stoy, Carl S. Jr, (Estate)
Date: 11/07/17

60 School St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Ram Rai
Seller: CDM Properties LLC
Date: 11/16/17

80 Taylor St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Miroslav Nesterchuk
Seller: Jamie M. O’Callaghan
Date: 11/10/17

78 Thomas St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $118,500
Buyer: Erica M. Ocasio
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 11/14/17

46 Thornwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $151,400
Buyer: Steven P. Nichols
Seller: Lewandowski, Henry J., (Estate)
Date: 11/14/17

88 Van Horn St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Daniel E. Sliwa
Seller: Craig Lachapelle
Date: 11/16/17

94 Westport Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $214,500
Buyer: Eugene C. Dube
Seller: Carmina M. Provost
Date: 11/16/17

EAST LONGMEADOW

146 Canterbury Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: Richard W. Westerberg
Seller: Priscilla R. Diaz
Date: 11/09/17

98 East Circle Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Bruce A. Klinger
Seller: Timothy N Klatka
Date: 11/16/17

269 Kibbe Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $282,400
Buyer: Cynthia A. Adkins
Seller: Ronald E. Giard
Date: 11/15/17

60 Marci Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $419,900
Buyer: Timothy N Klatka
Seller: Edward P. Woytowicz
Date: 11/17/17

68 Marshall St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: John T. Moriarty
Seller: Barbara B. Matthews TR
Date: 11/08/17

56 Mill Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $227,500
Buyer: Anthony J. Dieni
Seller: Randy P. Pascale
Date: 11/17/17

305 Millbrook Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $472,000
Buyer: John D. Santos
Seller: Susan M. Sadowski
Date: 11/07/17

208 Shaker Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: Lachenauer LLC
Seller: Carrington Mortgage Services
Date: 11/13/17

64 Westernview Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Dolores M. Grant
Seller: Timothy P. Marquis
Date: 11/09/17

HAMPDEN

59 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: William T. Olmstead
Date: 11/14/17

50 Pondview Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Bret S. Soja
Seller: Dennis M. Brasile
Date: 11/10/17

22 River Park Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: John Barlow
Seller: Wendy J. Bryant
Date: 11/15/17

HOLLAND

15 Shore Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Richard R. Bousquet
Seller: Mark L. Wilson
Date: 11/08/17

HOLYOKE

24 Concord Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Erica E. Debarge
Seller: Todd Freeman
Date: 11/17/17

39 Dillon Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Kyle R. Gagnon
Seller: Rafael A. Roca
Date: 11/16/17

51-53 Elmwood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Dennis Ramirez
Seller: Israel Acosta
Date: 11/07/17

17 Keyes Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Pavel Kolesnik
Seller: Richard A. Schlak
Date: 11/10/17

84 Park Slope
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Calen Coggeshall-Burr
Seller: David L. Hemphill RET
Date: 11/17/17

349 Southampton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: David Laventure
Seller: Jerry P. Will
Date: 11/16/17

247-249 Walnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Orlando Velez
Seller: Joanne Marcotte
Date: 11/09/17

249 West Franklin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $155,500
Buyer: Stephanie Skowronek
Seller: Michael J. Skowronek
Date: 11/09/17

LONGMEADOW

17 Andover Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: 88 Casino Terrace LLC
Seller: Larry R. Cloutier
Date: 11/17/17

63 Bel Air Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $314,900
Buyer: Adam J. Moses
Seller: Mark G. Schneider
Date: 11/15/17

385 Bliss Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $214,900
Buyer: Keith C. Mondello
Seller: Ronald O. Pederzani
Date: 11/16/17

81 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Cedar Investment Group
Seller: V. Mortgage REO 2 LLC
Date: 11/15/17

5 Elm Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Lynn T. Bell
Seller: Jan F. Piepul
Date: 11/15/17

33 Farmington Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Matthew R. Farkas
Seller: John B. Sinclair
Date: 11/06/17

125 Field Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $279,500
Buyer: James Hendry
Seller: Kalani D. Silva
Date: 11/17/17

120 Greenacre Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Keri Cullinan
Seller: Lindsay B. Burns-Maloni
Date: 11/17/17

80 Primrose Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Lawrence B. Katz
Seller: Jeffrey N Schneider
Date: 11/06/17

86 Salem Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: James F. Mooney
Seller: Divina A. Acker
Date: 11/10/17

1255 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Stephen P. Wagner
Seller: Mary E. Henault
Date: 11/08/17

155 Wimbleton Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Fonseca
Seller: Adam J. Moses
Date: 11/15/17

187 Wimbleton Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $314,900
Buyer: Gary R. Blanchette
Seller: Anthony Nelson
Date: 11/09/17

LUDLOW

50 Allison Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Kelly L. Porfilio
Seller: Robert J. Gagnon
Date: 11/10/17

78 Cedar St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Anthony Rogers
Seller: Antonio Leal
Date: 11/13/17

41 Grimard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: Richard R. Delisle
Seller: Agnes M. Joslin
Date: 11/09/17

N/A
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Travis E. Kolasienski
Seller: FNMA
Date: 11/06/17

35 Timberidge Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Renee S. Pederzani
Seller: Olivia Goncalves-Bray
Date: 11/16/17

MONSON

125 Bethany Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Irina I. Vlasenko
Seller: Gene P. Walbert
Date: 11/17/17

22 Betty Jean Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Margaret M. Emerson
Seller: Terence M. Davis
Date: 11/06/17

6 Oak St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $117,500
Buyer: Amy Lanou
Seller: Alfred G. Gola
Date: 11/13/17

7 Reynolds Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Reynolds Mill TR
Seller: Roundtree LLC
Date: 11/14/17

9 Stebbins Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $343,550
Buyer: Wesley T. Fernandes
Seller: Theodore B. Ruegsegger
Date: 11/15/17

73 Woodhill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Michael M. Kurasinski
Seller: Katherine Silver
Date: 11/14/17

PALMER

70 Bacon Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Alison Smigelski
Seller: Richard J. Lafleur
Date: 11/15/17

8 Chamber Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: New England Recreation & Health
Seller: Paul J. Les
Date: 11/10/17

38 Forest Lake Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Michael A. Salois
Seller: Richard A. Adshead
Date: 11/06/17

21 Forest St.
Palmer, MA 01095
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Katie J. Cienciwa
Seller: Jay J. Charbonneau
Date: 11/10/17

27 King St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Eric Laware
Seller: Michael P. Flynn
Date: 11/13/17

3020 Pine St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Martha E. Whelan
Seller: James Bouvier
Date: 11/17/17

144 River St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $117,500
Buyer: Eric J. Granger
Seller: Pobieglo, Frank S., (Estate)
Date: 11/17/17

3129 Thorndike St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Trever A. Heffernan
Seller: Theresa Isaac
Date: 11/17/17

25 Walnut St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: James A. Deauseault
Seller: Robert J. Arcott
Date: 11/17/17

47 Walnut St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: HSBC Bank
Seller: Margaret A. Dussault
Date: 11/16/17

RUSSELL

36 Blandford Stage Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Evan T. Creswell
Seller: Constance M. Patten
Date: 11/10/17

89 Stoney Lane
Russell, MA 01085
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Roy L. Scott
Seller: Nancy L. Lenza
Date: 11/13/17

SPRINGFIELD

1227 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $173,500
Buyer: Richard Callands
Seller: Tong To
Date: 11/09/17

Appleton St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Atlantis Real Estate LLC
Seller: General Equities Inc.
Date: 11/09/17

260 Arnold Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Miguel A. Negron
Seller: James C. Redfern
Date: 11/16/17

95 Benz St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $171,000
Buyer: Emily A. Castleman
Seller: Christopher M. Demusis
Date: 11/17/17

13 Bither St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Alexandria Arizmendi
Seller: Daniel M. Triggs
Date: 11/16/17

70 Bretton Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Marilyn Garced
Seller: William G. Andrew
Date: 11/17/17

112 Burt Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Fatima A. Morales
Seller: Virginia C. Brawders
Date: 11/09/17

34 California Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: David Rivera
Seller: City View Property Services
Date: 11/09/17

6 Capitol Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Emily A. Boucher
Seller: Timber Development LLC
Date: 11/06/17

134-136 Cunningham St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Anthony Foley
Seller: Miller, Verba, (Estate)
Date: 11/08/17

18 Dalton Place
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Joseph E. Cowen
Seller: Jennifer W. Barrett
Date: 11/15/17

297 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Alex Cowley
Seller: Brico Properties LLC
Date: 11/15/17

177 Dorset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Donna D. Ingalls-Fellows
Seller: Justin M. Barry
Date: 11/07/17

185 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Marisol Cotto
Seller: Aurelia C. Branche
Date: 11/06/17

14 Eldridge St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Richard Vezis
Seller: Joseph M. Santaniello
Date: 11/06/17

35 Feltham Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Michele Pepe
Seller: Mark S. Babineau
Date: 11/10/17

233 Garvey Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $171,000
Buyer: Kris A. Springer
Seller: Eric M. Smith
Date: 11/09/17

439 Gifford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Kelsey M. Lydon
Seller: Emily R. Hannigan
Date: 11/09/17

58 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Doris E. Carlson
Seller: Sara D. Burrington
Date: 11/08/17

83 Gilman St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $152,500
Buyer: RLM Enterprise LLC
Seller: John P. Anderson
Date: 11/15/17

63 Goodwin St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Ashley Marrero
Seller: Stanley Luczek
Date: 11/17/17

23 Grover St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $147,955
Buyer: HSBC Bank
Seller: Jessie L. Ferguson
Date: 11/13/17

17 Hartley St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Carol I. Quinones
Seller: Viviana Council
Date: 11/17/17

25 Hartwick St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $168,500
Buyer: Sudarson Gautam
Seller: Mary E. Keating
Date: 11/15/17

23 Hillside Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $127,473
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Randy S. Marshall
Date: 11/14/17

11 Intervale Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $141,860
Buyer: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Seller: Paulette Davis
Date: 11/09/17

181 Lebanon St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $138,500
Buyer: Melvin Rodriguez
Seller: Justin Williams
Date: 11/09/17

15 Leete St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Devin F. Eddington
Seller: Marisol Mercado
Date: 11/13/17

25-27 Los Angeles St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Sylvia Franceschi
Seller: Khaled Abdulbaki
Date: 11/17/17

39 Lumae St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Valerie M. Williams
Seller: Lloyd R. Adkins
Date: 11/15/17

102 Melba St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Sterling Tavarez
Seller: Mark W. Naylor
Date: 11/17/17

98 Merrimac Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Roberto A. Camacho
Seller: Timothy J. Gearin
Date: 11/16/17

257 Naismith St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Mark Dumais
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 11/17/17

491-493 Newbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Pascual LaPazRosa
Seller: Gilberto Gonzalez
Date: 11/07/17

27 Newhall St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Couture Partners LLC
Seller: S&C Homebuyers LLC
Date: 11/10/17

5 North Chatham St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $135,900
Buyer: Epi S. Sanchez
Seller: Viviana Council
Date: 11/17/17

104 Oregon St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Chad A. Cooper
Seller: Arif Malik
Date: 11/07/17

66 Palo Alto Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: John E. Balesky
Seller: Charles C. Close
Date: 11/09/17

117 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Vitor Blanco
Seller: Diogo R. Blanco
Date: 11/15/17

729 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Ralph E. McCray
Seller: Youl H. Kim
Date: 11/10/17

10-12 Pasadena St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Edwin M. Sanchez
Seller: Elsa M. Cuevas
Date: 11/07/17

177 Pasco Road
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Carmen S. Santiago
Seller: Linda J. Bemis
Date: 11/09/17

76 Pineywoods Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Yasmine M. Martinez
Seller: Jared P. Joseph
Date: 11/10/17

800 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Winston P. Palmer
Seller: Carlson, John D., (Estate)
Date: 11/07/17

286 Redlands St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Luke D. Copson
Seller: SAWX Holdings LLC
Date: 11/16/17

74 Rencelau St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $129,500
Buyer: Jared W. Leasure
Seller: Tnop Inc.
Date: 11/17/17

305 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Gladys M. Rodriguez
Seller: Bank Of America
Date: 11/14/17

154 Roy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Roberto D. Otero
Seller: Jeyline Torres-Moulier
Date: 11/17/17

202 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Timothy P. Todd
Seller: Anthony L. Minchella
Date: 11/17/17

14 Springfield St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Mark Hebert
Seller: Sean Macrae
Date: 11/13/17

72 Sunrise Terrace
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Lizbeth Soler
Seller: Kori P. Zukowski
Date: 11/15/17

277 Tinkham Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Bretta Construction LLC
Seller: Timothy P. Todd
Date: 11/15/17

24 Truman Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Eleni Yalanis
Seller: Freedom Credit Union
Date: 11/15/17

136 Walnut St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Anthony Patalano
Seller: YMM Services Inc.
Date: 11/10/17

109 Wayne St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Iasia E. Martin
Seller: Gladys G. Moore
Date: 11/07/17

10 Woodcrest Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: CIG 2 LLC
Seller: Lisa J. Mills
Date: 11/07/17

WALES

10 Cordially Colony
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Robert A. Tofolowsky
Seller: William J. Dinuovo
Date: 11/13/17

18 Cordially Colony
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Robert A. Tofolowsky
Seller: William J. Dinuovo
Date: 11/13/17

WESTFIELD

25 Beckwith Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $155,469
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: Kara O. Adamites-Brown
Date: 11/15/17

40 Butternut Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Christopher M. Crean
Seller: McCoy, Scott T., (Estate)
Date: 11/16/17

19 Carpenter St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Joseph D. Plumadore
Seller: Jane W. Streere
Date: 11/15/17

22 Christopher Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Juan M. Tamay-Murudumbay
Seller: Thomas J. Misiewicz
Date: 11/07/17

140 City View Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Ghennadi Voinschi
Seller: Pitoniak, John Robert, (Estate)
Date: 11/13/17

24 Cleveland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Global Realty Group LLC
Seller: David M. Costa
Date: 11/16/17

10 Day Lily Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $429,080
Buyer: Gwilym A. Jones
Seller: Bent Tree Development LLC
Date: 11/17/17

10 Forest Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $168,500
Buyer: Mary J. Gelineau
Seller: Sarah C. Berard
Date: 11/16/17

8 George Loomis Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Margaret M. Feyre
Seller: Cynthia L. Finn
Date: 11/16/17

79 Glenwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $302,000
Buyer: Aaron A. Bean
Seller: Mohammed Najeeb
Date: 11/17/17

23 Green Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Woodsville Realty Inc.
Seller: YWCA Of Western Mass. Inc.
Date: 11/08/17

25 Green Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Woodsville Realty Inc.
Seller: YWCA Of Western Mass. Inc.
Date: 11/08/17

27 Green Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Woodsville Realty Inc.
Seller: YWCA Of Western MA Inc.
Date: 11/08/17

20 Juniper Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Elliot A. Szlachetka
Seller: David P. Loiko
Date: 11/08/17

14 Lynnwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Joseph A. Koltz
Seller: Bruce A. Lambert
Date: 11/17/17

223 Reservoir Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Eric A. Babski
Seller: John J. Wiley
Date: 11/16/17

40 School St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Yurany Echeverri
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 11/08/17

291 Southwick Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $154,900
Buyer: Lee S. Diamond
Seller: Mary A. Conti
Date: 11/17/17

30 Sunset Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $197,500
Buyer: Angela M. Barber
Seller: Dale W. Unsderfer
Date: 11/08/17

52 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Henry Dubay
Seller: Robert G. Gordon
Date: 11/10/17

312 Valley View Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Daniel E. Godden
Seller: Robert F. Heisler
Date: 11/08/17

91 West Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Baystate Noble Hospital
Seller: Doreen Rodak
Date: 11/10/17

WILBRAHAM

238 3 Rivers Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: PNC Bank
Seller: Stacy Paulo
Date: 11/15/17

299 3 Rivers Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Church Of Pentacost USA
Seller: Gregg Bigda
Date: 11/16/17

14 Brookdale Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Timothy E. Poole
Seller: William A. McMahon
Date: 11/17/17

27 Decorie Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $253,500
Buyer: C. Brendan McDonald
Seller: Adele M. Bogacz
Date: 11/09/17

15 Delmor Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $228,500
Buyer: Mary Wroblewski
Seller: John J. Shea
Date: 11/06/17

8 Maiden Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Sharma Realty LLC
Seller: Ramon J. Alvarez
Date: 11/08/17

15 Merrill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Justin M. Barry
Seller: Jessika J. Pecoy
Date: 11/17/17

720 Ridge Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $245,800
Buyer: SBA Towers 9 LLC
Seller: Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co.
Date: 11/06/17

780 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Mark D. Eaton
Date: 11/10/17

WEST SPRINGFIELD

71 Appaloosa Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: Bethany York-Rudzik
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 11/08/17

30 Bridle Path Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Hasan A. Alrubaiy
Seller: Kerri L. Powling
Date: 11/06/17

27 Chester St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $218,500
Buyer: Ratna B. Darjee
Seller: Bryan M. Bengle
Date: 11/16/17

402 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Paul G. Taillefer
Seller: Sylvia R. Drudi
Date: 11/09/17

63 Elm Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $151,672
Buyer: HSBC Bank
Seller: Tammy Lamountain
Date: 11/14/17

54 Forest Ridge Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Gregory D. Warren
Seller: Paul G. Taillefer
Date: 11/09/17

120 Great Plains Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $284,900
Buyer: Ryan Skowron
Seller: James F. Mello
Date: 11/13/17

Hampden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Vitali J. Demyanchuk
Seller: FNMA
Date: 11/09/17

146 Hampden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Gabriel Ortiz
Seller: Kostantinos Tsavidis
Date: 11/17/17

215 Hillcrest Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Zachary L. Morin
Seller: Timothy Bourbeau
Date: 11/17/17

33 Jeffrey Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $344,000
Buyer: Bryan M. Bengle
Seller: John J. Zmuda
Date: 11/16/17

108 Jensen Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $186,500
Buyer: Samuel Spinazzola
Seller: Lois A. McCarl
Date: 11/17/17

8 Mercury Court
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $141,004
Buyer: Ukrainian Selfreliance
Seller: Lyudmila A. Sergeychik
Date: 11/13/17

88 Pease Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: Jonathan P. Starr
Seller: Souad Hannoush
Date: 11/09/17

269 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Alexander J. Jablonski
Seller: Steven J. Fortini
Date: 11/16/17

1048 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: GC Pizza Hut LLC
Seller: Pizza Hut Of America LLC
Date: 11/14/17

42 Tiara Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Mark Lekarczyk
Seller: Tiara N Kolodziej
Date: 11/16/17

884 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Atlantis Real Estate LLC
Seller: General Equities Inc.
Date: 11/09/17

18 William St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Dustin P. Summers
Seller: West Co. Investments LLC
Date: 11/06/17

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

197-A&B College St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: College Street 1957 LLC
Seller: 197a Amherst LLC
Date: 11/16/17

195 College St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: College Street 1957 LLC
Seller: 195 Amherst LLC
Date: 11/16/17

15 Country Corners Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $349,500
Buyer: Vincent P. Lyzinski
Seller: Pynchon Amherst RT
Date: 11/07/17

30 Jenks St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Thomas J. Czyoski
Seller: Cynthia M. Moran LT
Date: 11/16/17

20 Kendrick Place
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $352,800
Buyer: Gregory R. Haughton
Seller: Walter E&A M. Lewison IRT
Date: 11/15/17

353 Pelham Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jonathan R. Zyra
Seller: Earl A. Waterman
Date: 11/09/17

Russellville Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Amherst Town Of
Seller: John G. Kieras Funding TR
Date: 11/07/17

BELCHERTOWN

35 Aldrich St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $188,987
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Tracy L. Johnson
Date: 11/06/17

20 Poole Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $171,500
Buyer: Chad E. Gagne
Seller: Carl W. Warner
Date: 11/15/17

55 Rural Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Bonnie M. Delviscio
Seller: Lois A. Engel
Date: 11/10/17

28 Sabin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Maria D. Rivera-Castro
Seller: James G. Lafley
Date: 11/10/17

79 West St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: James F. Mello
Seller: Steven M. Prejsner
Date: 11/15/17

CHESTERFIELD

116 Old Chesterfield Road
Chesterfield, MA 01096
Amount: $182,500
Buyer: Beverley A. Henrichsen
Seller: Adam T. Smith
Date: 11/09/17

EASTHAMPTON

14 Briggs St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: James Mailloux
Seller: Donald P. Coffey
Date: 11/17/17

24 Briggs St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Norwich Properties LLC
Seller: Lizek, Richard S., (Estate)
Date: 11/17/17

85 Briggs St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Elisa Mishory
Seller: Michele A. Miller
Date: 11/15/17

45 Cherry St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Norwich Properties LLC
Seller: Norman C. Croisetiere
Date: 11/06/17

27 Clark St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Matthew P. Dube
Seller: Christopher Murphy
Date: 11/15/17

17 Concord Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $272,500
Buyer: Jonathan W. Herbert
Seller: April Realty Investments
Date: 11/17/17

5 Ely Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $128,750
Buyer: Charles A. Elfman
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 11/10/17

34-34A Holyoke St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Louise Jacob
Seller: Katie M. Spaulding
Date: 11/10/17

39 Loudville Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Jason J. Mearls
Seller: Traver B. Gumaer
Date: 11/17/17

143 Park St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Brenden D. Baitch
Seller: Kate L. Ben-Ezra
Date: 11/17/17

18 Pine Hill Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Michael P. Fahey
Seller: Nicholas J. Mulvaney
Date: 11/17/17

54 Pomeroy St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Steele M. Kott
Seller: Timothy J. Seney
Date: 11/10/17

14 Rabideau Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Paul L. Lagoy
Seller: David A. Hardy
Date: 11/14/17

14 Water Ln
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Judith Sector-Ryan
Seller: Katie M. Spaulding
Date: 11/10/17

GOSHEN

27 Fuller Road
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Michael Enright
Seller: Robert G. Barber
Date: 11/08/17

7 Sundown Dr.
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Hormoz Goodarzy
Seller: Eileen Muir
Date: 11/10/17

GRANBY

153 East St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Joshua J. Gates
Seller: Elaine M. Auclair
Date: 11/13/17

6 Greenmeadow Lane
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $131,900
Buyer: Deserie M. Scheinost
Seller: FNMA
Date: 11/14/17

HADLEY

61 Aqua Vitae Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Allards Farms Inc.
Seller: Niedbala, Juliana, (Estate)
Date: 11/16/17

71 Aqua Vitae Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Allards Farms Inc.
Seller: Niedbala Juliana, (Estate)
Date: 11/16/17

Aqua Vitae Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Allards Farms Inc.
Seller: Niedbala Juliana, (Estate)
Date: 11/16/17

101 East St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Valley Building Co. Inc.
Seller: 101 East LLC
Date: 11/10/17

4 High Meadow Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: William K. Schwerdtfeger
Seller: Walter F. Puchalski
Date: 11/15/17

HATFIELD

68 Bridge St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Donald F. Moulton
Seller: Jill Tucker
Date: 11/17/17

36 Dwight St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $399,500
Buyer: Michael P. Laude
Seller: Stanley W. Barcomb
Date: 11/09/17

65 Elm St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: TNT Properties LLC
Seller: Stanley Symanski
Date: 11/16/17

19 Plantation Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Carol Grinnell
Seller: Melissa A. Klepacki
Date: 11/13/17

HUNTINGTON

7 Allen Coit Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $144,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Joseph Kellam
Date: 11/10/17

63 Worthington Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $161,359
Buyer: Christopher O’Connell
Seller: Gary Dame
Date: 11/15/17

NORTHAMPTON

55 Crestview Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Kathy Randall
Seller: James M. Lacaprucia
Date: 11/17/17

18 Diamond Court
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $509,000
Buyer: Uzodinma Okoroanyanwu
Seller: William J. Trienens
Date: 11/10/17

617 Florence Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: STS Homes Inc.
Seller: Doyle Mark G., (Estate)
Date: 11/17/17

126 Florence St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: James Fergerson
Seller: Scott W. Anderson
Date: 11/15/17

36 Landy Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Abdulaziz Hanif
Seller: Nu-Way Homes Inc.
Date: 11/06/17

19 Lexington Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $251,007
Buyer: Nu-Way Homes Inc.
Seller: Jamie F. Bousquet
Date: 11/06/17

32 Maynard Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Edward J. Welch
Seller: Edward J. Welch
Date: 11/07/17

42 Morningside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Sewhan Lee
Seller: William St.James
Date: 11/15/17

10 Munroe St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: Sarah B. Halper
Seller: Lillie A. Rigali
Date: 11/15/17

61 Olive St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $365,500
Buyer: Katherin Sloane-Peterson
Seller: Annique G. Herold
Date: 11/13/17

525 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $900,000
Buyer: GDL T
Seller: Linda J. Croley
Date: 11/06/17

67 Vernon St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Matthew Roth-Katz
Seller: Patricia Wright
Date: 11/17/17

50 West Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $219,500
Buyer: Michael J. Skowronek
Seller: Elizabeth S. Wood
Date: 11/09/17

51 West Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Stephen Herrell
Seller: Jody R. Brown
Date: 11/09/17

34 Woodbine Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Kerry Lynch
Seller: George A. Smarz Sr. LT
Date: 11/06/17

SOUTH HADLEY

28 Maple St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Michael Boisvert
Seller: LTL LLC
Date: 11/07/17

36 Park Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Schuyler Longmore
Seller: Walter Szafir
Date: 11/13/17

SOUTHAMPTON

11 Bissonnette Circle
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $449,900
Buyer: Rafael A. Roca
Seller: Walter R. Brown
Date: 11/16/17

17 David St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $395,500
Buyer: Robert M. Lamica
Seller: Aristide S. Daniele
Date: 11/16/17

89 High St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Michael Cavanagh
Seller: Mark & Helen Clark LT
Date: 11/16/17

35 Strong Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $389,900
Buyer: Ronald A. Teal
Seller: Thomas M. Bacis
Date: 11/17/17

WARE

10 Boivin Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Lachendro
Seller: Edward H. Regin
Date: 11/06/17

57 Hardwick Pond Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Elizabeth A. Perry
Seller: Leo Wiedersheim LT
Date: 11/14/17

245 Monson Turnpike Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Michael L. Dubois
Seller: Charlene Dubois
Date: 11/16/17

WILLIAMSBURG

6 Fairfield Ave.
Williamsburg, MA 01062
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: 1 XO LLC
Seller: 6 Fairfield Avenue TR
Date: 11/10/17

3 Judd Lane
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: David A. Martin
Seller: Holly Larkin
Date: 11/13/17

WORTHINGTON

58 East Windsor Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $318,500
Buyer: Redstoke LLC
Seller: K4K LLC
Date: 11/15/17

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies Departments

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

Arbour, Tammy L.
18 Dublin St., Apt. #2
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/04/17

Blanscet, Faith A.
a/k/a Calver, Faith A.
42 Eddy St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/07/17

Bona, Michael J.
Gooley, Pamela J.
84 Washington Mountain Road
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/11/17

Bovat, Jeffrey E.
Bovat, Jessica L.
203 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/17

Cashman, Michael Patrick
PO Box 2552
Springfield, MA 01101-2552
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/14/17

Cornier, Atteneiry
a/k/a Cornier Orta, Atteneiry
89 Lyndale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/15/17

Czepiel, Walter Andrew
19 Miller Ave.
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/07/17

Foggs, Tenisha Nicole
205 Fernbank Road, Apt. 1
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/14/17

Fosty, Patrick John
Fosty, Amanda Lee
48 3rd St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/31/17

Guntlow, Victoria R.
15 Ballou St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/06/17

Hannah, Denzil
Hannah, Aileen
526 South St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/11/17

Jablonski, William A.
Jablonski, Sarah M.
235 North Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/14/17

Janaitis, Janet
142 New Braintree Road
Oakham, MA 01068
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/02/17

Keefe, Colin
29 Princeton Terrace
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/02/17

Liquori, Patrizia A.
107 Shaker Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/15/17

MacNeil, David E.
221 Rolf Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/13/17

Martinelli, Matthew
283 Elm St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/15/17

McIntosh, Cheryl Ann
9 Dexter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/07/17

Menzie, Jermaine O.
87 Garfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/15/17

Mercure, Lisa Joy
a/k/a Merrill, Lisa J.
49 1/2 Union St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/03/17

Moynihan, Patrick Michael
103 Hardwick Pond Road
Hardwick, MA 01037
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/09/17

Nicholson, Merdes
a/k/a Nicholson, Myrtice
27 Saab Court, Apt. 807
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/01/17

Oquendo, Myrna M.
a/k/a Berrios, Myrna M.
293 Tyler St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/02/17

Orduz, Carlos A.
78 Gilman St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/15/17

Ortiz, Jorge Luis
49 Algonquin Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/06/17

O’Sullivan, Joseph R.
O’Sullivan, Teresa M.
98 Highland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/09/17

Paquin, Lester W.
120 Pleasant St.
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/02/17

Parra, Dulce Maria
22 Pecousic St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/03/17

Reeve, Henry F.
P.O. Box 273
Southfield, MA 01259
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/07/17

Reyes, Xiomara
42 South St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/15/17

Rogerson, Mark K.
Rogerson, Lynne A.
a/k/a Ziegert, Lynne A.
51 Wrenwood Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/06/17

Sala-Diaz, Jose M.
22 Albee St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/09/17

Sample, Cynthia A.
a/k/a Sample, Cindy
13 Church St.
Lenox, MA 01240
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/07/17

Schrieber, Kenneth
Schreiber, Carrie A.
8 Bonnetta Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/13/17

Scott-Smith, Cindy L.
10 Wood St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/06/17

Shelley, Cynthia A.
39 Emerson Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/07/17

Solzak, Jody K.
Solzak, Merlita
38 Westbrook Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/11/17

Swords, Leah R.
a/k/a Raymakers-Swords, Leah
157 Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/09/17

Villanueva, Sebastian L.
1264 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/07/17

Vishaway, Wendy Alexis
56 Pleasant St., Apt. 1C
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/08/17

Warnock, Stacy A.
43 Arthur St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/13/17

Williams, Arlene L.
25 Collins St., 4C
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/10/17

Zane, Jessica Elizabeth
69 Hockanum Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/13/17

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the month of November 2017.

AMHERST

Allen House Inn
599 Main St.
Alan Zieminski

Alpha Sigma Phi Gamma Chapter
41 Campus Center Way
Ivan Perez

Amherst Inn
257 Main St.
Ann King

Bucci
1 Campus Center Way
Julia Bucci, Alex Bucci

Subway
308 College St.
Frank Patel

Subway of Amherst
4 Main St.
Jason Paulo

BELCHERTOWN

A1 Home Improvement
579 George Hannum St.
Adam Dymnicki

Pioneer Valley Massage
89 Michael Sears Road
Alexander Korolov

CHICOPEE

American Athletic Reconditioners
28 Hamel St.
William Moge

Shell Food Mart
197 Grove St.
Rajesh Sanghvi

Signature Hair and Threading
1889 Memorial Dr.
Dinesh Patel

Stallings Realty Group
21 High St.
William Stallings

Temp Transportation
43 Asinov Ave.
Vasily Kucherenko

DEERFIELD

US Equity Finance
250 Conway Road
Gary Bowen

EASTHAMPTON

Bethlehem House
33 Knipfer Ave.
Pamela Hibbard

Custom Web Care
12 Lyman St.
Jody Morgeneyg

Exquisite Properties Lawn Care & Maintenance
10 Beyer Dr.
Ryan Lamontagne

MoaLace
32 Pepin Ave.
Courtney Krzanowski

EAST LONGMEADOW

Hong Le at Vanie’s Nails
613 North Main St.
Hong Le

Jukebox Repairman, LLC
19 Mill Road
Erwin Murray

Schuhlen Appraisals
73 East Circle Dr.
Keith Schuhlen

GREENFIELD

32V Inc.
653 Bernardston Road
Patrick Mahoney

Dollar General Store #19120
10 Colrain Road
DG Retail, LLC

Floral Affairs
324 Deerfield St.
Rebecca Guyer

Grinwis Little Spa
10 Fiske Ave., Suite 3
James Grinwis

Lucky Bird Thrift
250 Main St.
Kelly Archer

Moonlight Auto Reconditioning
1110 Bernardston Road
John Woods

Parody Builders and Sons, LLC
21 Mill St.
Matthew Parody

Seymour
5 Bank Row
Nathan Blehar

Suburban Propane
334 Chapman St.
Terry Veber

Teacher Flourishing
44 Ferrante Ave.
Betsy Nordell

HOLYOKE

4Bros Inc.
630 Beaulieu St.
Jorge Tires

The Barber Collection
50 Holyoke St.
Isidro Acosta

Eco-Tints Expert Window Tinting
62 Main St.
Casey Tropp

G Street Vinyl
242 Suffolk St.
Kimberlyn Meyer

Greater Holyoke Chamber Centennial Foundation Inc.
100 Front St.
Kathleen Anderson

Oakdale Property Services
78 Calumet Road
Jonathan Hilchey

Perennial Solutions
145 Brown Ave.
Eric Toensmeier

The Reset
4 Open Square Way
Maggie Bergin

LUDLOW

CG Arborist Services
104 Bruni Ave.
Chris Goulet

NORTHAMPTON

Atwal Contracting
29 Crabapple Lane
Andrew Walsh Jr.

Cancer Connection Thrift Shop
375 South St.
Nancy Charbonneau Case

Cycle Pottery
42 Maple St.
Kathryn Kothe Roszko

Filos Greel Tavern
279 Main St.
Konstantinos Sierros, Sunita Sierros

Ken Hobbs Design Build
95 South St.
Kenneth Hobbs

Mt. Cynthos Jewelry
55 Crescent St., #4
Cynthia Bleil

The None & Some Project
171 Crescent St., 2R
Lindsey Peterson

Strides Human Performance Institute
39 Carlon Dr.
Leonard Haggerty

Waggin Trails Dog Park, LLC
Glendale Road
Sarah Schatz

WEBS
75 Service Center Road
Steven Elkins, Kathleen Elkins

PALMER

Dunkin’ Donuts
1144 Thorndike St.
Kristopher Ventura

Dunkin’ Donuts
3086 South Main St.
Kristopher Ventura

The Turtle Pond Tavern
349 Wilbraham St.
Karl Benware

SOUTH HADLEY

The Beer Guy, LLC
21 Mountainview St.
The Beer Guy, LLC

Drunken Rabbit, LLC
749 New Ludlow Road
Drunken Rabbit, LLC

Joseph Lugo
8 Skinner Lane
Joseph Lugo

Karl Haydocy
72 Lamb St.
Karl Haydocy

Paul E. Brissette
P.O. Box 234
Paul Brissette

SOUTHWICK

First Step Therapy
11 Pearl Brook Road
Nancy Psholka

Hang Time Studios
11 Great Brook Dr.
Keo Heng

Nails Studio & Spa
208 College Highway
Alvin Kieu

SPRINGFIELD

Boutique Paris
36 Hillside Dr.
Yunier Rusinque

Brace Cleaning Service
163 Old Farm Road
Jeffrey Brace III

Bruno & Albano Property Management
261 Oakland St.
Alexis Bruno

Cristal’s Market
261 Locust St.
Pedro Perez

Dreamland Imports, LLC
1655 Boston Road
Israel Burgos Jr.

Grannies, LLC
174 Wollaston St.
Joy Owens

Grez Automotive
604 Boston Road
Walter Joseph

J.G. Barber Shop
176 Oakland St.
Antonio Gerardo

K.O.C. Construction
11 Gold St.
Nelson Menjivar

King of the City Productions
385 Worthington St.
Anthony Joseph

Laprise Chiropractic & Wellness
1365 Main St.
Ronald Laprise

Latin Gourmet
1655 Main St.
Juan Roldan

Miramar Quick Service
1762 Boston Road
Khalid Drihmi

Mundo Mobile 2 Wireless
712 Boston Road
Rafael Dominguez

O.F. Welker Inc.
1800 Allen St.
Otto Welker

Oral Shades Center
1795 Main St.
Imad Awkal

Six Corners Sandwich Shop
130 Walnut St.
K. Welisarage

Spring Food Mart
345 Main St.
Abdul Qadus

The Spot
445 Main St.
Michael Ortiz

T & S Professional Service
668 Dickinson St.
Son Vo

Vinny’s Clothing Store
1611 Main St.
Vicente Gonzalez

White Glove Cleaning
28 Beaumont Terrace
Chandler Daniels

WARE

C.C.C. Fashionista Jewelry & C.C. Photobooth
76A Pulaski St.
Catherine Donato-Cortright

Essential Leggings Boutique
25 Canal St.
Alicia Mayberry

Great Finds
229 Osborne Road
Jacqueline Perrot

M and L Equipment Repair
5 Milner St.
Mark Sinclair

Speedway 2487
18 West St.
Anthony Kenney

WESTFIELD

2 Owls Lax
85 Hillcrest Circle
Richard Gendreau

A. Dorsey Construction & Remodeling
357 Southampton Road
Andrew Dorsey

Amy Renaud Consulting
55 Day Ave.
Amy Renaud

I.U. Landscaping
22A Morgan Ave.
Ibrahim Unal

Katt Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning
308 Springdale Road
Ronald Tabb

LB’s Property Maintenance
18 Verona St.
Bernardo Sanchez

L.U. Cleaning Service
22A Morgan Ave.
Laura Unal

Wrench Service
28 Ridgeway St.
Gregory Schumaker

WEST SPRINGFIELD

KJ Woodworking
43 Skyline Dr.
Kevin Kras

Lincare Inc.
181 Park Ave.
Susan Yanush

Master Carpenter
26 Wilbert St.
Danil Tarnovskiy

PeoplesWealth Advisory Group
547 Memorial Ave.
PeoplesBank

River Inn Motel
55 Main St.
Ohm Namoshiray

Unique Property Services
49-51 Russell St.
Albert Boudin Jr.

Westside Cuts
84 Westfield St.
Erik Berrios

WILBRAHAM

Anchor House
2589 Boston Road
Alexander Berezkin

Labuda’s Market
4 Weston St.
Wesley Blask

Real Living Realty Professionals
2040 Boston Road
WMass Realty Professionals, LLC

Space for Arts
82 Mountain Road
Elizabeth Davison

Incorporations

By
Departments Incorporations

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

Agawam

ACM International Travel Inc., 36 Ramah Circle North Suite 104, Agawam, MA 01001. Haibo Zheng, same. Tourism.

Holyoke

2017 Holyokemall-MA Inc., 50 Holyoke St., Holyoke, MA 01041. Harry C. Chen, 507 Whitney Ave., Apt. 4C, Holyoke, MA 01041. Restaurant.

Housatonic

Anderson Family Landscapes Inc., 7 Linda Lane, Housatonic, MA 01236. Robert S. Anderson, same. Landscaping services.

Greenfield

A & J Kitchen & Bath Design Inc., 235 Greenfield Road, Suite 5B, South Deerfield, MA 01373. Jesse J. Edwards, 84 Norwood St., Greenfield, MA 01301. Kitchen and bath design and installation, etc.

Leeds

A.B. Ashton Enterprises Inc., 90 Haydenville Road, Leeds, MA 01053. Amanda Ashton, 1 Bernache St., Leeds, MA 01053. Restaurant.

Northampton

Arch Dental Care, PC, 12 Center St., Northampton, MA 01060. Ranga N. Chirumamilla, 11 Blue Spruce Road, South Windsor, CT 06074. Dental services.

Springfield

AEB Foundation Inc., 233 Senator St., Springfield, MA 01129. Maria Sombe-Baraka, same. This corporation is established to form partnership with local communities in Tanzania to support schools in the area of academics, arts and athletics.

All Town Transportation Mass Corp., 58 Glen Ham St., Springfield, MA 01104. Buenavetura F. Guzman, same. Ambulette services.

West Springfield

Adams Express Inc., 49 Chester St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Anvar Bayramov, same. Long haul trucking business.

West Stockbridge

A-1 Security Inc., 26 Iron Mine Road, West Stockbridge, MA 01266. Jeffrey A. Mason, same. Alarm and security systems.

Westfield

AG Express Inc., 50 Mechanic St., Westfield, MA 01085. Alexander Gribanov, same. Transportation services.

Briefcase

By
Briefcase Departments

Report Features Advice on Nonprofit Fund-raising

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) released its latest edition of its Commonwealth Insights report series. The report, titled “From the Experts: Advice to Inform Your Organization’s Fundraising,” features advice from interviews with four successful Massachusetts nonprofit fund-raisers in an effort to inform and support year-end fund-raising efforts of nonprofit organizations. In an early 2017 survey of its membership, nearly 60% of MNN member nonprofits cited fund-raising as the largest challenge facing their organization. With many nonprofits currently accelerating their fund-raising operations to coincide with the end of the calendar year, MNN believes this report will be useful to its over 700 nonprofit members representing every region of the state, as well as members of the state’s nonprofit sector at large. “Fund-raising is an ever-present challenge — and opportunity — for all types of nonprofits. This edition of Commonwealth Insights focuses on ideas that can help nonprofits take their fund-raising to new heights,” said Jim Klocke, CEO of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. The report is centered on general strategies for fund-raisers to consider in their efforts and is supplemented with actionable advice. In a fast-paced and changing fund-raising landscape, all four experts agree that the need to consistently engage donors and provide them with new, creative ways to be involved with a nonprofit organization is critical to building and retaining support. The report also touches upon a concern of those working in fund-raising, particularly at smaller organizations: that current events and overwhelming needs from across the country and world could further heighten the competition for donors’ support. The interviewed experts agreed that, while this concern is understandable, donors of all ages are looking for even more ways to support causes they care about. “I think that many people are looking for more ways to make a difference, and I think that is what we need right now,” said Margaret Keller, executive director of Community Access to the Arts in Great Barrington, one of the experts featured in the report. “Donors are more engaged and more committed than ever.” This is the third edition of Commonwealth Insights MNN has published in 2017. Earlier editions focused on federal tax reform and the Earned Income Tax Credit. The series is made possible by support from the Barr Foundation.

Financial Literacy Ambassadors Project Receives Funding

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Partners for Community Action Inc. has been awarded a Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) Special Projects grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development to support its Financial Literacy Ambassadors project. The Financial Literacy Ambassadors project is designed to facilitate the training and certification of multi-cultural and multi-lingual community residents to become peer-to-peer trainers and deliver financial education to their own communities. “We thank the department and Undersecretary Chrystal Kornegay for their support,” said Paul Bailey, executive director at Springfield Partners. “With this round of funding, we plan to identify interested applicants to train and become certified financial-literacy educators capable of delivering peer training to others in the community in multiple languages.” Applications are being accepted now. Anyone interested in applying should contact T.J. Steele at (413) 263-6500, ext. 6568, or [email protected], or Stephen Plummer at (413) 263-6500, ext. 6567, or [email protected]. Springfield Partners is the official anti-poverty agency serving Springfield’s poor and low-income community since 1964. It offers programs and services in financial literacy, credit counseling, weatherization, emergency fuel assistance, multi-cultural Alzheimer’s, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, early education and care, community scholarship, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, veteran services, eviction clinic, and housing counseling.

Single-family Home Sales in Pioneer Valley Up in October

SPRINGFIELD — Single-family home sales were up 20.6% in the Pioneer Valley in October compared to the same time last year, while the median price rose 6% to $205,550, according to the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley. In Franklin County, sales were down 13.1%, while the median price also fell 13.1% from a year earlier. In Hampden County, sales were up 24.4%, while the median price was up 3.6%. And in Hampshire County, sales rose 24.4% from October 2016, while the median price was up 1.9%.

Community Collaboration Boosts OT Services at Square One

SPRINGFIELD — In support of the Square One mission to ensure that all children have the foundation they need to be successful in life, Bay Path University and Eversource have formed a partnership to enhance the clinical services provided to Square One children. Eversource recently awarded a $2,500 grant to the university for its Play Matters Therapy program. The funding will be utilized to expand current services and broaden the scope of assessments that will be conducted with children in this program, incorporate nutrition curriculum, and to purchase materials and equipment needed to facilitate movement groups or treatment components. Students and faculty from Bay Path have provided occupational therapy (OT) services to children at the Square One Family Center on King Street in Springfield for nearly three years through Play Matters Therapy. The Eversource grant further cements the longstanding partnership that dates back years prior to the conception of Play Matters. “From the ground up, we started building the Play Matters Therapy program that provided free, community-based, occupational-therapy services to the children and families of Square One,” said Amanda Lizotte, coordinator of Emerging Practice Fieldwork at Bay Path University. “The purpose of this program is three-fold: to provide services to children in need to support their overall development, prepare them for entrance to kindergarten, and ensure successful participation in life activities; to provide support to the child’s network, which includes parents, caregivers, and educators, by disseminating resources and education; and to provide Bay Path occupational therapy students, the majority of whom will remain in the region to live and work, with critical experiential learning opportunities that enable them to professionally grow and develop into future occupational-therapy practitioners.” Under close supervision by clinical OT instructors, students hone their skills as OTs as they work with children across a variety of focus areas — gross and fine motor development, visual motor skills, sensory integration, social skills, nutrition, self-esteem, stress relief, and coping mechanisms, to name a few — in an attempt to help bridge a crucial gap during a critical time in the child’s development. A full-time therapist from the university is also on site at Square One so that services may be provided even when Bay Path students are not present. “We are so grateful to Bay Path and Eversource for this unique collaboration,” said Kristine Allard, chief Development & Communications officer for Square One. “Many of our children experience trauma in their lives as a result of the challenges they are faced with at home. Poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, abuse, and neglect all place a tremendous strain on their health and development. Our partnership with Bay Path is meeting a critical need. We are very grateful to them, as well as Eversource for recognizing the importance of this work.”

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook Departments

Vibra Hospital to Close Springfield Facility in March

SPRINGFIELD — Vibra Hospital, a 220-bed long-term acute care center on State Street, has filed notice with the state that it plans to close. The shutdown will occur in March, the hospital said in a press release. “We have struggled with this decision,” Gregory Toot, CEO of Vibra’s Springfield operations, said. “But reductions in healthcare reimbursement and changes in referral practices over the past 12 months have made continuing operations in this location unsustainable.” Vibra said its facilities in New Bedford and the Rochdale village of Leicester will remain open. Vibra’s Springfield facility has three units with approximately 90 patients: a chronic-care hospital unit, a behavioral-health skilled-nursing unit, and a Department of Mental Health (DMH) psychiatric unit. Vibra is working with the DMH and Department of Public Health to place patients in other facilities.

Monson Savings Bank Seeks Input on Charitable Giving

MONSON — For the eighth year in a row, Monson Savings Bank is asking the community to help plan the bank’s community-giving activities by inviting people to vote for the organizations they would like the bank to support during 2018. “Every year we donate over $100,000 to nonprofit organizations doing important work in the communities we serve,” said Steve Lowell, president of Monson Savings Bank. “For several years now, we’ve been asking the community for input on which groups they’d like us to support, and we’ve been so pleased by how many people participate. We have learned of new organizations through this process, and we also just like the idea of asking our community for input. As a community bank, we think that’s important.” To cast their vote, people can visit www.monsonsavings.bank/about-us/vote-community-giving. There, they will see a list of organizations the bank has already supported in 2017 and provide up to three names of groups they’d like the bank to donate to in 2018. The only requirement is that the organizations be nonprofit and provide services in Hampden, Monson, Wilbraham, or Ware. The voting ends at 3 p.m. on Jan. 17, 2018. The bank pledges to support the top 10 vote getters and will announce who they are by the end of January.

Meredith-Springfield Associates Named Manufacturer of the Year

LUDLOW — Meredith-Springfield Associates Inc., a plastics manufacturer specializing in extrusion blow molding and injection stretch blow molding, was recently named ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ by the Commonwealth’s Manufacturing Caucus. President and CEO Mel O’Leary recently accepted the award alongside Director of Finance and Administration Edward Kaplan during a presentation at the Massachusetts State House.

Red Lion Inn Wins Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Award

STOCKBRIDGE — Condé Nast Traveler recently announced the results of its 30th annual Readers’ Choice Awards, with the Red Lion Inn recognized as a “Top Hotel in New England” with a ranking of 29. “It’s an honor to be recognized by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler, and this award is particularly special because it reflects the opinions of our guests,” said Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality, owner and operator of the historic inn. “This prestigious award speaks to the inn’s lasting character and our dedicated staff who make it feel like a home away from home for our guests.” More than 300,000 readers submitted millions of ratings and tens of thousands of comments, voting on a record-breaking 7,320 hotels and resorts, 610 cities, 225 islands, 468 cruise ships, 158 airlines, and 195 airports. The Red Lion Inn, a charter member of Historic Hotels of America, has been providing food and lodging to guests for more than two centuries. The inn offers 125 antique-filled rooms and suites, four restaurants with formal and casual dining with locally sourced food, a gift shop featuring locally made items, a pub with nightly entertainment, and a range of amenities including wi-fi, a year-round heated outdoor pool, and in-room massage therapy and weekly yoga classes.

Cambridge College, ILI Announce Partnership

SPRINGFIELD — Cambridge College and the International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI) recently announced a partnership through the University Pathways Program. Through this partnership, international students in the University Pathways track receive the academic support and counseling they need to help them transition successfully to Cambridge College. ILI carefully selects its partner colleges and universities. Cambridge College was selected because of its program offerings and commitment to the adult-learning model. “I am so excited that we have formed this partnership,” said Teresa Forte, director, Cambridge College – Springfield. “Both organizations are committed to working with the adult community. ILI is an impressive organization, and this agreement will allow both schools to expand our international footprint and serve more students in need.” The partnership provides an opportunity for international students who attend and successfully graduate from the ILI to be exempt from taking the TOEFL exam for admissions at Cambridge College and its 13 other partner schools. Additionally, the institute offers free part-time afternoon and evening English classes at its downtown Northampton site. “We are so pleased to welcome Cambridge College to the University Pathways Program, and we look forward to working with the college in welcoming students from around the world for study in the United States. When strong, like-minded partners team up, the opportunities are limitless,” said Caroline Gear, executive director, International Language Institute of Massachusetts.

Chicopee Savings Foundation Endows Scholarship at WNEU

SPRINGFIELD — Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation recently pledged to establish an endowed scholarship available to undergraduate students at Western New England University. With a commitment of $50,000, a scholarship of $2,000 will be available annually beginning in the 2018-19 academic year. The Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation created the scholarship to support students in local communities. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to inbound students in pursuit of higher education who demonstrate exemplary scholastic achievement, drive, and integrity, and who meet the following criteria: a U.S. citizen and resident of Agawam, Chicopee, Holyoke, Ludlow, South Hadley, Springfield, Ware, West Springfield, or Westfield who demonstrates financial need and is an incoming freshman with a high-school GPA of 3.5 or higher, or a transfer or returning student with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. The scholarship is renewable each year the recipient continues to meet the criteria. “Scholarship aid is among the highest funding priorities at Western New England University, and we are thrilled to have this new award established by our neighbors and friends at the Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation,” said Anthony Caprio, president of Western New England University. “Providing financial assistance helps ensure that students are able to concentrate on their studies and focus on their futures more clearly.” In April 2016, it was announced that Chicopee Savings Bank would merge with Westfield Bank to form the largest bank headquartered in Hampden County. Both banks now do business under the Westfield Bank name, but the Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation remains in place with its original philanthropic mission.

Elms College, University of Kochi Extend 20-year Exchange Program

CHICOPEE — Elms College signed an agreement on Nov. 29 continuing its international exchange program with the University of Kochi in Japan. The exchange relationship is celebrating its 20th year. Harry Dumay, president of Elms College, and Takahiro Ioroi, academic vice president of the University of Kochi — one of the original faculty members involved in starting the exchange program — signed the agreement in Dumay’s office at Elms. Every year, visiting students from Kochi spend nearly two weeks exploring life at Elms. The Kochi students stay in residence halls at Elms, study English, attend classes related to their majors, and take in local sights and cuisine. They participate in extracurricular activities — including bowling, shopping in Northampton, film screenings, and a karaoke party — that show them the fun side of American college life, and they host a Japanese festival each year to share their culture with the students of Elms. “We want to promote international education and exchange, because never, in our global society that’s always changing, has international education and exchange been as important as it is now,” said Marco Garcia, director of International Programs at Elms. During the visit, nearly 40 Elms students serve as ‘friendship partners’ for the Japanese students. These friendship partners participate in a three-hour training course to act as roommates, classmates, and partners in language and cultural activities. Friendship partners are one of the most important aspects of the program, Garcia said. “As the Japanese students come in, we want them to meet a diverse group of students here, so they have a deeper understanding of American life and culture. Our students are very diverse. And that’s really important, because we are a nation of immigrants, and understanding the strength of our diversity is very important.” In addition to Ioroi, the representatives from the University of Kochi are Dr. Joel Joos, a native of Belgium who is a professor of Japanese Cultural Studies and chair of the International Exchange Committee; and Mariko Hayashi, International Center associate.

WSU, GCC Announce Nursing-degree Partnership

NORTHAMPTON — The presidents of Westfield State University and Greenfield Community College announced and signed an agreement today that creates a hybrid (combined online and onsite) RN-to-BSN completion program between the institutions. Based online and at GCC’s newly opened Northampton satellite location, the program provides GCC’s associate-degree graduates and other area registered nurses a flexible, convenient, and cost-effective pathway to a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from Westfield State. Students will take the majority of courses online and fulfill the limited on-site requirements at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in Northampton. With a price tag of $10,800, its leaders say, the RN-to-BSN completion program is the most cost-effective in the area. Applications are currently being accepted for fall 2018 enrollment.

CHD to Serve More Youth with New Ware Office

WARE — CHD, which for many years has provided mental-health services to the Ware community, is establishing its first physical presence in Ware with an office at 2 South St. This will enable CHD to extend services in Ware as well as neighboring communities. CHD will begin accepting referrals for mental-health services for youth through CHD’s Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI). CHD’s CBHI services are for MassHealth members, who can access the services without a co-pay. “CHD has enjoyed a long and productive relationship with the residents of Ware, but this will be the first time we have a facility located right in the town of Ware,” said Susan Sullivan, program director of CHD’s Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative, which includes the In-Home Services and Therapeutic Mentoring programs. “Our new facility at 2 South St. is fully staffed with six licensed clinicians, four therapeutic training and support staff, and three therapeutic mentors, all with multiple years of experience.” There are many behavioral symptoms that CHD’s CBHI services can help address, such as difficulty concentrating on schoolwork, depression and/or anxiety, challenging behavior at home, reports of in-class behavioral issues, substance use, sudden mood changes, and aggressive, suicidal, or homicidal behavior. According to Sullivan, CHD’s CBHI services are for any child who can’t have their mental-health needs met in a one-hour-a-week outpatient setting. “What differentiates CBHI from outpatient services is our services are designed for children and families who need a higher level of care,” she explained. “That’s why we go to them — to their home, to a location in the community, to team meetings at school, to court — wherever a family needs our support, as often as needed. There is no time frame that limits our work with children and their families. We continue our work as long as there is medical necessity and the family needs us. Someone from CHD is available every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. someone is on call. That is not the case with outpatient services.” Parents who are on MassHealth and who have concerns about their child’s behavior at home or at school can self-refer by calling CHD Central Registration at (844) CHD-HELP. There is currently no wait list for services, so children can be seen immediately. “Most people don’t realize that families can self-refer,” said Sullivan. “That call to CHD Central Registration gets families connected with people who know the world of mental-health services and can get them pointed in the right direction. Keep in mind that CBHI services are voluntary. It’s your choice to have CHD there, and you drive the treatment plan. We aren’t only working with the child, we work with everyone involved in their life who can have an impact, such as the people they’re living with and their extended family. The average age of the children we serve are between the ages of 8 and 13, but we serve youth from birth through age 21, and once an individual turns 21, CHD can help get them connected to services for adults.” Cities and towns covered through the Ware CHBI office include Hampden, Wilbraham, Ludlow, Monson, Palmer, Ware, Belchertown, Wales, Brimfield, Holland, Warren, West Brookfield, Hardwick, Barre, Brookfield, North Brookfield, East Brookfield, Sturbridge, New Braintree, Spencer, and Three Rivers. Additional cities and towns are also served through various locations throughout the Pioneer Valley.

DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology Honored by Modern Salon Media

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Modern Salon Media has named the 2017 class of “Excellence in Education” honorees in its seventh annual program recognizing leadership and best practices among cosmetology schools. DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology was chosen to represent excellence in the following categories: Community Involvement, Marketing, and School Culture. Modern Salon Publisher Steve Reiss announced the honorees during the recent American Assoc. of Cosmetology Schools 2017 convention in Las Vegas. Honorees were determined based on key criteria in each category, and grouped according to number of locations. Honorees were chosen in each category — one individual school location and a multi-location school organization. “We received applications from cosmetology schools across the country and look forward to celebrating all the 2017 Excellence in Education honorees and sharing their stories. It is truly a great time to pursue a beauty education and career, and the program at DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology exemplifies that fact,” Modern Salon Editorial Director Michele Musgrove said. Added Paul DiGrigoli, owner of DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology, “I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of our students and staff for following the ‘three C’s,’ which we practice every day — culture, community, and customer service. These are our strongest values and beliefs at DiGrigoli.” Sharing stories of innovation, inspiration, and collaboration from a diverse group of leading schools is an important part of Modern Salon’s “Excellence in Education” mission, Musgrove explained. “We want to help spread the word about the exceptional work cosmetology schools are doing to help launch beautiful careers.”

HCC Awarded Grant to Expand Community Health Worker Program

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College has been awarded a grant of more than $400,000 from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to expand its Community Health Worker program in partnership with area employers. The four-year, $431,227 allocation will enable approximately 120 people to take a series of three credit-bearing classes to enhance their education and training as community health workers.The three classes — free for those accepted into the grant program — were selected in consultation with representatives from Behavioral Health Network and the Gandara Center, two regional, nonprofit behavioral-health agencies. “We’re partnering with BHN and Gandara, and they’re sending a bunch of their current staff who are already working in various capacities with clients,” said Rebecca Lewis, chair of HCC’s Foundations of Health program. “There’s been interest from a lot of different employers.”The grant was awarded through HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training division. HRSA is part of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. The initial cohort of 27 students will take the first of three required classes, “Core Competencies for Community Health Workers,” during the spring 2018 semester. That introductory course will be followed over the summer with the second, where students will have a choice of either “Children’s Behavioral Health” or a more general “Essential Health for Community Health Workers” course. The third class, to be completed in the fall, is a practicum with an area employer. Lewis said the state Department of Public Health currently has regulations pending for a state certification process for community health workers, and the three classes align with pending regulations. A second cohort of 30 students will begin in the fall when courses will be offered in the evenings and on Saturdays to make it more convenient for those currently working. Community health is an emerging healthcare field, and community health workers are typically employed by agencies to focus on underserved populations, conducting home visits and connecting clients with needed services. They are not nurses nor home health aides and do not provide medical care. “Historically, community health workers are bilingual and bicultural, and they’re from the communities that they serve,” said Lewis. Upon successful completion of the three-course series, students will receive a certificate of completion that can serve as a stand-alone community health worker credential. Or the nine HCC credits they earn can be ‘stacked,’ that is, applied toward a full Community Health Worker certificate (26 credits), an associate degree in Foundations of Health, or an associate degree in Human Services. “Some people might want to work in a more clinical healthcare setting, like working in a health center,” Lewis said. “Some people might want to work for a social-service agency.” Two years ago, HCC became the first area institution to start a Community Health Worker certificate program with an eye toward pending state regulations that would allow the college to apply to become an official training site.

People on the Move

By
Departments People on the Move
Keith Nesbitt

Keith Nesbitt

Community Bank N.A. announced that Keith Nesbitt has been promoted to vice president, commercial banker. In his new role, Nesbitt will manage new business with present and prospective customers, as well as maintain current customer relationships. He will also be responsible for providing direct service to commercial customers pertaining to deposit, loan, and other products and services. “We are very pleased to recognize Keith for all of his incredible efforts and contributions to Community Bank N.A.,” said Geoffrey Hesslink, regional president. “He has always gone the extra mile to meet the needs of our customers and possesses a wide knowledge of loan management. I am excited to see what he will do for our customers at this next level.” Nesbitt joined the Community Bank N.A. team through its acquisition of Merchants Bank earlier this year. He joined Merchants in 2016 as the regional commercial credit officer for NUVO, a division of Merchants Bank. Nesbitt has 12 years of experience in commercial lending, portfolio management, and credit administration in regional and community banking institutions. Nesbitt earned his bachelor’s degree in advertising from University of Georgia, his master’s degree in education from Georgia State University, and his MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. Outside of the office, he is a member of the Western Massachusetts Football Officials Assoc.

•••••

Sarah Pfatteicher

Sarah Pfatteicher

The board of directors of the Five College Consortium has appointed Sarah Pfatteicher to be its new executive director, succeeding Neal Abraham, who will be retiring after nine years at the helm of the higher-ed collaboration. Pfatteicher is currently associate dean for Academic Affairs and a research professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “The board was impressed with the breadth and depth of experience that Sarah will bring to the position,” said Jonathan Lash, president of Hampshire College and of the Five College board of directors. “The level of leadership she’s shown at the University of Wisconsin in both academic and administrative endeavors is remarkable, and will serve the consortium well.” Pfatteicher attended Northfield-Mount Hermon School and graduated from Smith College before earning her Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has held a variety of positions at the university and currently oversees more than 70 academic programs, services for 5,000 students, and a budget of $2.3 million. She has extensive experience in both academic and administrative efforts, having created new academic programs, led a major curriculum revision, coordinated strategic planning efforts, and helped develop a blueprint for diversifying the institution, all while teaching engineering courses. “I’m excited to return to the Pioneer Valley and honored to have the opportunity to work with these unique and storied institutions,” Pfatteicher said. “I’m particularly drawn to the unusual breadth of the Five College portfolio and its inclusion of both academic and administrative programs. I believe my own diverse higher-ed background will make me a good fit.” Chosen in a national search that considered some 200 candidates, Pfatteicher will begin working at Five Colleges on April 23.

•••••

Olugbemiga Adekunle

Olugbemiga Adekunle

Holyoke Community College recently welcomed Olugbemiga Adekunle as its new dean of Science, Engineering and Mathematics. Adekunle had previously worked at Blue Ridge Community College in Virginia as a Computer Science professor and more recently as associate dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and English. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in instructional design and technology at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. Before arriving at HCC in September, Adukenle spent the summer as a research fellow at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland for the third time to gain experience in systems engineering. “All of his experiences will serve him well in this position and support his work on behalf of the division,” said Monica Perez, vice president of Academic Affairs. Adekunle, whose parents moved to the U.S. from Nigeria before he was born, grew up in Nashville, Tenn. and later in Baltimore. At six-foot-five, he is an avid basketball player who also enjoys rapping, comedy, improv, and Star Wars. “I see people as well-rounded,” he said. “I want people to see me that way too.” He said he is excited to have a new challenge and the chance to put his administrative experience into action at HCC. “The focus of my work is making sure that students are successful. I also aim to ensure that faculty are supported and get appropriate training to help them advance their careers.”

•••••

Donna Elmendorf, Dr. Claudia Gold, and Kate Jewson of the Austin Riggs Center have been recognized for their work in the Human Development Strategic Initiative, receiving the prestigious Anna Freud Educational Achievement Award from the American Psychoanalytic Assoc. (APsaA) schools committee. This annual award is presented to a person, school, or educational institution that furthers psychoanalytically informed work with educators, schools, and students in grades pre-K to 12. The prize and the accompanying honorarium will be presented during APsaA’s national meeting in February 2018. Founded in 1911, the American Psychoanalytic Assoc. is the oldest national psychoanalytic organization in the U.S. In 2016, the Austen Riggs Center launched its Human Development Strategic Initiative, the goal of which is to bring a deep, psychoanalytic understanding of human development to address social problems in Berkshire County. In order to do so, the initiative is working in close partnership with existing community organizations, including the Chapter One initiative of Berkshire United Way, a broad community coalition of practitioners who interface with young children and families. The program’s first project, the Discovering Your Baby Project, has as its centerpiece deepening the understanding and practice of infant mental health in Berkshire County through the use of the Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) system. The NBO, a clinical adaptation of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) developed by pediatrician T. Berry Brazelton, is explicitly designed not as an assessment, but as a relationship-building tool. The NBO is a family-focused intervention that can include mothers, fathers, siblings, and extended family. Thus far, a range of practitioners have been trained, including all maternity nurses at a local hospital (130 to 150 babies delivered each year), who have integrated the NBO into routine care. According to Elmendorf, director of the Austen Riggs Center Therapeutic Community Program, Activities Program, and Human Development Initiative, “we recognize that the capacity for regulation of attention, behavior, and emotion that is essential for success in school is laid down in the moment-to-moment interactions between infants and their caregivers. All those working together in Berkshire County share a primary task of promoting healthy parent-infant relationships starting at birth.” Gold, an infant mental health specialist, added, “families from the full range of socioeconomic backgrounds in our community may have struggled with generations of mental illness, substance abuse, or other adverse childhood experiences. As a small rural community, we are able to offer a population-based, rather than risk-based, intervention, normalizing and destigmatizing the challenges of the transition to parenthood.”

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By
Chamber Corners Departments

1BERKSHIRE
www.1berkshire.com
(413) 499-1600

• Dec. 14: 1Berkshire Annual Meeting, 5:30-7:30 p.m., hosted by MASS MoCA, North Adams. Join us in MASS MoCA’s newest space to hear all about our 2017 accomplishments and to hear about what is new with 1Berkshire for 2018.

GREATER CHICOPEE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101

• Dec. 11: Tour of Polish National Credit Union’s newly renovated Front Street office, 4:30-6:30 p.m., hosted by PNCU, 923 Front St., Chicopee. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

• Dec. 20: Salute Breakfast with Hampden County Sherriff Nick Cocchi, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by the Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Sponsored by CHH Engraving, Health New England, and Westfield Bank. Cost: $23 for members, $28 for non-members, which includes a breakfast buffet. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

GREATER HOLYOKE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.holyokechamber.com
(413) 534-3376

• Dec. 13: Holiday Business Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Sponsored by Holyoke Medical Center and Holyoke Gas & Electric. Business networking and member recognitions over a hearty buffet breakfast. Also features the second annual pop-up shop featuring SPARK entrepreneurs. Cost: $25 for members in advance, $30 for non-members and at the door. Sign up online at holyokechamber.com.

• Dec. 21: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Jay’s Bed & Breakfast, 1109 Dwight St. Sponsored by MD Beauty Salon. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members and at the door. Sign up online at holyokechamber.com.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900

• Jan. 10: January Arrive @5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West St., Amherst. Sponsored by PeoplesBank. A networking event. Cost: $10 for members.

• Feb. 7: February Arrive @5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Christopher Heights, 50 Village Hill Road, Northampton. A networking event. Cost: $10 for members.

• March 7: March Arrive @5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by 50/50 Fitness, 251 Russell St., Hadley. Sponsored by Applied Mortgage, a division of Merrimack Mortgage Co. A networking event. Cost: $10 for members.

GREATER WESTFIELD
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618

• Dec. 13: December After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Westfield Technical Academy at Tiger’s Pride, 33 Smith Ave., Westfield. Sponsored by Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP; Marcotte Ford; and Vivid Hair Salon & Spa. Cost: free for chamber members, $10 for potential members (cash or credit paid at the door). Refreshments will be served, and a 50/50 raffle will benefit the chamber scholarship fund. Bring your business cards and make connections. Online registration will be available at www.westfieldbiz.org. For more information, call Pam at the chamber at (413) 568-1618.

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER
www.springfieldregionalchamber.com
(413) 787-1555

• Dec. 12: Pastries, Politics and Policy, 9-10 a.m., hosted by UMass Center at Springfield, Tower Square, second floor, Springfield. Featuring state Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael Heffernan. Cost: $18 for members in advance ($23 at the door), $25 general admission ($30 at the door). To register, visit www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, e-mail [email protected], or call (413) 755-1310.

WEST OF THE RIVER
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.ourwrc.com
(413) 426-3880

• Jan. 18: Networking Lunch, noon to 1:30 p.m., hosted by Carrabba’s Italian Grill, West Springfield. Only members or guests of members may attend. Enjoy a sit-down lunch while networking with fellow chamber members. Each attendee will get a chance to offer a brief sales pitch. The only cost to attend is the cost of lunch. Attendees will order off the menu and pay separately that day. We cannot invoice you for these events. Register online at [email protected].

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

Freedom Credit Union Gift Drive for Needy Kids

Through Dec. 21: For the 10th year, Freedom Credit Union is partnering with the Department of Children and Families to provide gifts to children in need this holiday season. Every branch of the credit union has a tree filled with tags that show the gift request from area children. Anyone who goes into Freedom branches can choose a tag from the tree, purchase the requested gift, and bring it back to the branch unwrapped by Thursday, Dec. 21.

Santa’s Trains at Look Park

Through Dec. 24: All aboard! Next stop … Santa’s Trains at Look Memorial Park. This holiday season, the park is celebrating with running model trains and locomotives whirling by displays set in a whimsical wonderland of Christmas favorites and village landscapes. The Garden House, transformed into a Victorian-style train station, offers all the sights and sounds of the holiday season. View enchanting, themed holiday trees; say hello to Santa’s helpers; chat with authentic engineers; and share that special visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus before relaxing with a holiday cookie and hot chocolate. Each evening features a special guest conductor and station master from the community greeting visitors. Santa’s Trains at Look Park is open to the public daily through Dec. 23 from 4 to 8 p.m. and Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Garden House at Look Memorial Park, 300 North Main St., Florence. This special holiday event is free for all ages. Visit www.lookpark.org for more information. Also, join us for a traditional hayride around the park to view more than 50 holiday light displays made by the grounds and maintenance staff. The cost is $5 per rider. Departures are every 20 minutes from 4:20 p.m. until 7:40 p.m., weather permitting. More than 20,000 visitors annually visit the park during the holiday season to visit Santa’s Trains, view the wonderland light displays, and share holiday dreams with Santa.

Strategic Alliances Webinar on ‘Impostor Syndrome’

Dec. 14: Strategic Alliances at Bay Path University will present a free online webinar, “Confident or Impostor?” on Thursday, Dec. 14 from noon to 1 p.m. Registration is strongly encouraged. For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/2jNcXB3. Research shows that 70% of the U.S. population has experienced ‘impostor syndrome’ at one time or another. Webinar participants will learn how to combat self-doubt and overcome the lack of confidence that results from impostor syndrome. The webinar will feature three panelists, Karen Hinds, Roxanne Kaufman Elliott, and Maureen Zappala, who will share their extensive knowledge and experience with leadership. Hinds is the founder and CEO of Workplace Success Group, an international firm that has been referred to as a training ground for future business leaders. She is also the author of The Leader’s Manual – A Young Adult’s Guide to the Global Workplace, Get Along, Get Ahead: 101 Courtesies for the New Workplace, and Networking for a Better Position & More Profit. She serves as a visiting professor for the Malcolm Baldrige School of Business at Post University; is a frequent guest on radio, TV, and podcasts, and is a former board member with the Connecticut chapter of the World Affairs Council. Elliott is a certified leadership development coach and facilitator with more than 30 years of business, strategy, and leadership-development experience across many different industries in both the profit and nonprofit worlds. She is an i3 Leadership Master and holds degrees from Sinclair College and Bowling Green State University, as well as numerous executive and leadership-development certifications from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the American Marketing Assoc., the Leadership Challenge, RAC, LLM Inc., and others. Zappala is an award-winning speaker, author, and presentation-skills coach. She is the founder of High Altitude Strategies and helps propel teams and individuals to peak performance. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and spent more than 13 years at NASA’s Lewis Research Center (now Glenn Research Center), conducting aircraft engine research. She became the youngest and first female manager of NASA’s Propulsion Systems Laboratory, a jet-aircraft-engine test facility. Strategic Alliances is recognized by SHRM to offer professional-development credits (PDCs) SHRM-CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM. The webinar “Confident or Impostor?” is worth 1 PDC.

Boronski to Meet Business, Community Leaders

Dec. 18: Debra Boronski, regional director for the Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD), will  hold office hours for business and community leaders on Monday, Dec. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center office located in Building 101 of the STCC Technology Park, 1 Federal St., Springfield. Meetings will be held in the Peter Pan Room, located on the second floor. MOBD is the state’s one-stop source for businesses seeking to relocate to Massachusetts and businesses wishing to expand their current operations here. It offers a range of expertise and services to help businesses flourish in Massachusetts. Its staff operates in regions across the state, providing businesses with on-the-ground knowledge and viable connections. It works closely with the private and public sectors to coordinate a range of resources. Boronski oversees 117 cities and towns in Western Mass. and the Berkshires. Interested parties mail e-mail [email protected] or call (413) 733-5357 to reserve a time slot.

EMT Training, CNA Plus Programs at STCC

Starting Jan. 22: Springfield Technical Community College will again offer its popular Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Training Program, as well as the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Plus Program, both starting in January. The EMT program consists of about 171 hours of lectures, 15 to 20 hours of online instruction, an auto-extrication class, and an eight-hour clinical hospital emergency-room observation designed to prepare the student for the Massachusetts State Certification Examination. The program, based on the Department of Transportation curriculum for Basic Emergency Medical Technician, is approved by the Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services. “The EMT program gives the student an excellent foundation in Basic Life Support skills and techniques and patient assessment,” said Paul Sheehan, director of the Workforce Development Center at STCC. “This program always fills up long before the start date, and applications are now being accepted. Daytime and evening classes start Jan. 22. Visit www.stcc.edu/wdc or call (413) 755-4225 to enroll. Meanwhile, the employment of CNAs is projected to grow by 19%, faster than average, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, which projects employers will add 279,600 CNA positions during the next decade. The CAN Plus Program at STCC is designed to provide participants with job skills that will allow entry into the healthcare field as well as preparation for the Massachusetts state board examination to become a certified nurse aide. Day classes, which start Jan. 22, will be held Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Students will receive clinical experience in a local nursing home under the supervision of registered nurse (RN) instructors. Major topics will include vital signs; moving and turning patients; personal-care basics; bed making; bed, bath, and feeding; record keeping; and responding to emergencies. This course will also include a Home Health Aide Training Certificate and an Enhanced Alzheimer’s Module. Students will attend a job fair scheduled at the conclusion of this program. Evening Classes for BASIC CNA start Jan. 28, and will be held Monday through Friday, 4-9:30 p.m. The Workforce Development Center at STCC offers a wide variety of entry-level health programs. Visit www.stcc.edu/wdc or call (413) 755-4225 to enroll.

EMT Training at HCC

Jan. 30 to April 28: Holyoke Community College is now enrolling students for its spring-term Emergency Medical Technician training program. The HCC EMT Training Program consists of 170-plus hours of in-class lectures and additional online study, training, field trips, and workshops that prepare students to take the state certification exam. The majority of the training takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays fom 6 to 10 p.m. at HCC’s new, state-of-the-art Center for Health Education, home to the college’s Nursing and Radiologic Technology programs. Last year, HCC received a $127,741 state Workforce Skills Capital Grant to purchase new equipment to enhance its EMT training program. The course uses equipment identical to that found in modern ambulances. The program makes extensive use of the medical simulation labs in HCC’s Center for Health Education. Some of the grant money was used to purchase a patient simulator specifically designed for EMT and paramedic training that hemorrages and can be hooked up to a defibrillator. The course is taught by instructor Mike Marafuga, an EMT with the Southwick Fire Department. For more information or to register, contact Ken White at (413) 552-2324 or [email protected].

Difference Makers

March 22: The 10th annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. The winners will be announced and profiled in the Jan. 22 issue. Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. Tickets to the event cost $75 per person, with tables of 10 available. To order, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100 or visit www.businesswest.com. Sponsors to date include Sunshine Village and Royal, P.C. Sponsorship opportunities are still available by calling (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT

Lisa A. Turowsky v. Cynthia Olson d/b/a Stylus

Allegation: Negligence causing injury, plaintiff fell down stairs in unlit area: $31,106.02

Filed: 10/30/17

HAMPDEN DISTRICT COURT

A.C. Produce Inc. v. Pasquale’s Associates, LLC d/b/a Pasquale’s Italian Ristorante and Joseph M. Santaniello

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and received: $13,178.77

Filed: 11/6/17

Sergey Savonin v. Armstrong Flooring Inc. and the Home Depot U.S.A. Inc.

Allegation: Property damage caused by defective hardwood flooring: $19,870

Filed: 11/9/17

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Sitestuff Inc. d/b/a Yardi Marketplace Inc. v. Mattos Co. Inc.

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $73,674.17

Filed: 10/31/17

Irma Maldonado v. Stacy Pride d/b/a Nail Tique Spa

Allegation: Negligence causing injury: $18,589.80

Filed: 11/1/17

Beverly Scott v. Sandip Maru, M.D. and Celso Dias, M.D.

Allegation: Medical malpractice, wrongful death: $35,000

Filed: 11/3/17

Ann Marie Hammon and Robbin M. Smith as co-guardians of Wayne Hammon, Ann Marie Hammon individually, and Ann Marie Hammon as parent and next friend of Austin Hammon v. Howard A. Smithline, M.D.; Thomas Kaye, M.D.; Sheldon Williams, PA; and Monique A. Cavanaugh, RN

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $6,000,000+

Filed: 11/9/17

Dianne Archambault v. Genesis Health Care Inc.

Allegation: Malpractice (delay in emergency medical treatment for resident of Heritage Hall North), wrongful death: $25,000+

Filed: 11/10/17

Jonathan Keller v. the Home Depot Inc.

Allegation: Slip and fall causing injury: $111,885.35

Filed: 11/13/17

Therese M. Smith v. PRRC Inc. and Wakefern Food Corp.

Allegation: Negligence in stacked wooden pallet food display causing injury: $215,000

Filed: 11/13/17

Steven J. Marcus v. Hyundai Motor America and Gary Rome Auto Group Inc.

Allegation: Breach of warranty; vehicle lost all functionality, causing accident and injury: $1,142,753.81

Filed: 11/15/17

HAMPSHIRE DISTRICT COURT

Beautifeel-USA Inc. v. Shoe Fly Shoe Salons, LLC

Allegation: Breach of contract, money owed for goods and services: $8,178.16

Filed: 10/30/17

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Tammy Paquette and Gerald Paquette v. Ylfa Perry, M.D.; James Katz, M.D.; and Valley Medical Group

Allegation: Medical malpractice

Filed: 9/20/17

October Properties, LLC v. Van Pelt Precision Inc.

Allegation: Breach of lease agreements: $34,975

Filed: 10/24/17

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Crystal Little v. OFD Partners, LLC; Century Property Management; and Hampden County Property Services, LLC

Allegation: Negligence, slip and fall causing injury: $22,147.20

Filed: 11/9/17

Picture This

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Departments Picture This

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

A Truly Grand Opening

Mercedes-Benz of Springfield staged an elaborate open house for its new dealership just off Turnpike exit 6 in Chicopee on Dec. 1. The event attracted a wide range of business and civic leaders and Mercedes customers
(Photography by Robert Charles Photography)

A panoramic shot of the new dealership

A panoramic shot of the new dealership

Co-owner Rich Hesse, Todd Grieco, Peter Wirth, and Rainer Wirth

Co-owner Rich Hesse, Todd Grieco, Peter Wirth, and Rainer Wirth

From left, Mike Baxendale, Jennie Anderson, Kirsten and Todd Ondrick, and co-owners Peter and Michelle Wirth

From left, Mike Baxendale, Jennie Anderson, Kirsten and Todd Ondrick, and co-owners Peter and Michelle Wirth

Guests gather around a vintage SL Mercedes model

Guests gather around a vintage SL Mercedes model

Women’s Fund Welcomes Jorene Lomenzo as Development Associate

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts (WFWM) named database expert Jorene Lomenzo as the foundation’s new development associate.

Lomenzo comes to WFWM with more than 13 years of experience in nonprofit and higher-education development-database management. She has extensive knowledge around reconciling finances, assigning gift-crediting protocols, analyzing data for finance reports, preparing donor campaigns, supporting internal data evaluation, and more. Her most recent position was Advancement Services manager for American International College. Previous roles include Development and Marketing coordinator at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford, Conn.

“I am very excited to join the Women’s Fund in the new role of Development associate,” Lomenzo said. “I look forward to working with the staff and volunteers to expand fund-raising efforts and broaden connections with supporters.”

Prior to working in development, she worked with local communities in Georgia to preserve historic properties by writing grant applications, training volunteers, assessing historic resources, and advocating for preservation. She has a master’s degree in historic preservation.

Lomenzo will work closely with WFWM Director of Philanthropy Monica Borgatti, maintaining donor and gift information, identifying new donor prospects, cultivating and stewarding WFWM program alumnae, and helping the fund analyze and manage next steps in successful fund-raising campaigns.

Bradley International Airport Recognized by Condé Nast Traveler

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WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announced that Condé Nast Traveler has released the results of its 30th annual Readers’ Choice Awards, and Bradley International Airport has been recognized as the fifth-best airport in the U.S. with a score of 82.35.

“We are very proud to have earned this prestigious recognition, and we thank not only the many travelers who voted for us, but all of the millions of passengers who choose Bradley for their travel needs on an annual basis,” said CAA Executive Director Kevin Dillon. “This distinguished award from the travel community is a testament to our continuous growth and commitment to top-quality customer service at Bradley Airport. It motivates us to keep up the momentum and continue finding creative and innovative ways to meet and exceed our travelers’ expectations.”

More than 300,000 readers submitted millions of ratings and tens of thousands of comments, voting on a record-breaking 7,320 hotels and resorts, 610 cities, 225 islands, 468 cruise ships, 158 airlines, and 195 airports.

The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are the longest-running recognition of excellence in the travel industry. They were announced in the magazine’s November issue and are available online at www.cntraveler.com/rca.

Freedom Credit Union Announces Promotion, New Hire

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SPRINGFIELD — Glenn Welch, president and CEO of Freedom Credit Union, announced the promotion of Jamie Convery to branch officer of Freedom’s Sixteen Acres Branch, and the appointment of Stacey Pinardi as mortgage loan originator in Franklin and Hampshire counties.

In her new position, Convery oversees the financial and lending operations of the branch, develops new business opportunities with individuals and businesses, and promotes financial literacy at area schools. She has been employed at Freedom for seven years and has 15 years of experience in the banking and financial-services industries. Prior to joining Freedom, she was a teller supervisor at PeoplesBank.

Convery earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Westfield State University, and she currently serves on the membership committee of the Professional Women’s Chamber.

Pinardi is responsible for real-estate origination throughout Franklin and Hampshire counties. As she helps expand Freedom’s mortgage services throughout that region, she will offer her expertise in conventional, MassHousing, MHP ONE Mortgage, FHA, USDA, and VA loans. She has more than 22 years of experience in the finance industry, including expertise in residential mortgage origination, first-time-homebuyer assistance, and secondary market sales. Most recently, she was a mortgage planner at Regency Mortgage.

Currently, Pinardi is an affiliate member of the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley. She works at the Freedom branch at 191 Ave. A in Turners Falls.

Allison Gearing-Kalill Joins Leadership Team at Bay Path University

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LONGMEADOW — Allison Gearing-Kalill, a fund-raiser and development professional, has been named vice president for Development and Planned Giving at Bay Path University, as announced by President Carol Leary.

“I am delighted that Allison Gearing-Kalill is joining our leadership team,” Leary said. “She brings tremendous development and planned-giving experience to the position, and as vice president she will partner with areas across the university to support and advance our philanthropic culture that has been an important driver to the success of our students and academic programs. I look forward to working closely with Allison in the coming months.”

At Bay Path, Gearing-Kalill will serve as a member of the executive staff. In this new role, she will manage a comprehensive planned-giving program, and also provide leadership in the areas of annual giving, alumni relations, stewardship, special events, advancement services, and major gifts.

“It will be a privilege to work alongside the academic and staff leadership, as well as the alumni and friends of the university, to continue the fund-raising momentum that is already in place,” she said. “President Leary has brought Bay Path to new heights with her remarkable vision and energy, and I am thrilled to be part of that transformation.”

Prior to joining Bay Path, Gearing-Kalill served as vice president of Fund Development at Sisters of Providence Health System and Mercy Medical Center, where she oversaw the areas of fund-raising and special events. Previously, she was the vice president of Community Development at Baystate Noble Hospital. Widely recognized for her fund-raising expertise, she received the 2017 Assoc. for Healthcare Philanthropy Higher Performers Award. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business with a specialization in marketing from UMass Amherst.

Enchanted Circle Names Andrea Spak Director of Development

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HOLYOKE — Enchanted Circle, a multi-service arts organization dedicated to engaging, enhancing, and inspiring learning through the arts, announced Andrea Spak’s appointment as director of Development.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Andrea join our creative education team,” said Priscilla Kane Hellweg, executive director of Enchanted Circle. “Her expertise and professionalism will enable us to expand our reach and deepen our impact as we serve the most vulnerable children and youth in the region.”

Spak has dedicated the past 30 years of her professional life and volunteerism to the non-profit sector, supporting education, civil rights, and social-justice issues to improve the lives of children and families. She has raised millions of dollars from individuals, corporations, foundations, and public funding sources to support children’s rights, educational programs, historic preservation, legal advocacy, training and services, community development, and affordable housing.

Most recently, she was director of Development at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford, Conn., where she successfully created, directed, and implemented multi-faceted strategies for comprehensive programs of philanthropy, sponsorship, special events, and membership to foster donor engagement and support mission delivery, resulting in organizational transformation.

“I am excited to join Enchanted Circle and contribute to their work to improve the lives of children and families throughout the greater community,” Spak said. “Enchanted Circle offers the perfect opportunity to address ongoing community challenges and to apply my experience to expand Enchanted’s impact and support organizational growth.”

Enchanted Circle works in partnership with public schools, on the professional stage, and with social-service agencies, providing programs that bridge arts, education, and human services for people of all ages and abilities.

Burkhart Pizzanelli to Deliver New Coats to 150 Square One Children

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SPRINGFIELD — During this holiday season, the team at Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C. is doing its part to spread warmth to 150 children in need of winter coats this season. The local accounting firm has organized a campaign through Operation Warm to purchase the new coats for children served by Square One.

“Being a strong community partner is an intergral part of our culture at the firm,” said Julie Quink, CPA, managing principal at Burkhart Pizzanelli. “As part of our commitment to the community that we work and live in, we believe giving back is important. Many of our clients share the same philosophy and joined our efforts, for which we are very appreciative. Partnering with Operation Warm to provide brand-new winter coats for the families served by Square One is one way for us to make a small difference in our community. We believe that all children should have opportunities to grow without worry.”

The coats will be distributed by employees of Burkhart Pizzanelli on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at Square One’s Tommie Johnson Child & Family Center in Springfield.

“We are so grateful to Burkhart Pizzanelli and Operation Warm for recognizing the tremendous need amongst our Square One families,” said Kristine Allard, chief Development & Communications officer for Square One. “To be able to provide our children with beautiful, brand-new winter coats does wonders for them. Not only does it help to protect them from the elements, but having a new coat of their own builds confidence and self-esteem.”

Operation Warm is a national organization that provides new winter coats to children in need, helping to improve self-confidence, peer acceptance, school attendance, and overall wellness. Funding support comes from businesses and individuals within the communities they serve.

Zasco Productions Names Howard Sienkiewicz VP, General Manager

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CHICOPEE — Zasco Productions, LLC, an event-planning and production company, hired Howard Sienkiewicz as its new vice president and general manager, according to Zasco founder, president, and owner, Michael Zaskey. Sienkiewicz returns to Western Mass. after spending two decades as technical director for the international event-planning and production company Ellen Michaels Presents.

“We’re so pleased that Howard Sienkiewicz agreed to return to Western Massachusetts to join the Zasco team,” Zaskey said. “His experience working globally in theatres, concert halls, convention centers, hotels, and non-traditional venues will help Zasco Productions and our other brand, Big Video Screen, to enhance the level of service we provide our customers throughout the region.”

Sienkiewicz began his career in Springfield as production stage manager of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, coordinating production for its classical and pop-music series, operas, and dance programs at Springfield Symphony Hall, at the Summer Pops at Stanley Park, the Berkshire Choral Festival, and Springfield Symphony New England Tours, under the auspices of New England Presentors. He became technical director for Springfield Civic Center and Symphony Hall and general manager for Snow Sound, as well as owner of HCS Productions. At Ellen Michaels Presents, he traveled the globe working on events for CA Technologies, Oracle, Intuit, and many others.

“Years ago, when Michael has getting Zasco started, we had crossed paths while I worked at Springfield Symphony Hall,” Sienkiewicz said. “Years later, when I needed a company to support a large corporate event in Boston, I was given his name. He and the company really impressed me. Going forward, I would use Zasco Productions for all our shows in the Northeast. I even brought them to Las Vegas, Chicago, and North Carolina to support various shows. When I decided to get off the road, Michael offered me this position, and I am thrilled to be returning to my hometown and have the opportunity to work with a great company like Zasco locally and nationally.”

Greenfield Co-operative Bank Promotes Two Employees

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GREENFIELD — Michael Tucker, president and CEO of Greenfield Co-operative Bank, announced the promotions of Jeremy Lajoie and Charmaine Ramirez to assistant vice president.

Lajoie works in mortgage operations. He started with the bank in July 2015 and has been working as the loan processing supervisor, and is responsible for managing the loan-processing workflow within the bank. Prior to joining Greenfield Co-operative Bank, he worked for five years at another financial institution in the loan servicing/processing area. He has a bachelor’s degree in communications from UMass Amherst.

Ramirez works in mortgage operations. She started at Northampton Cooperative Bank in 2012 as a teller/customer service representative and was promoted to loan underwriter and processor in 2013. After Northampton Cooperative merged into Greenfield Co-operative Bank, she became lead underwriter and was most recently mortgage operations supervisor. She is a 2017 graduate from the New England School for Financial Studies and is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in business management from Western Governor’s University.

Northampton Chamber, GSB Boost Salvation Army Angel Tree Effort

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NORTHAMPTON — The Salvation Army of Northampton announced it has successfully found sponsorships for more than 100 local Hampshire County children in need as part of its Angel Tree Program, a long-running tradition that puts presents under the Christmas trees of needy children. These sponsorships have predominantly come from the Northampton Chamber of Commerce community, which stepped up to help the Salvation Army reach its goal of serving more than 150 children.

The Salvation Army runs the Angel Tree program in Northampton with the assistance of local nonprofit Community Action, which also provides critical resources to children and families in Franklin and Hampshire counties and the North Quabbin region. The Angel Tree program sponsors more than 1 million children nationally, linking each family to an anonymous donor that puts clothes and toys under otherwise empty Christmas trees.

“We’re so thankful to Greenfield Savings Bank and the Northampton Chamber of Commerce for their intervention,” said Community Action Executive Director Clare Higgins. “Well-wishers can thank them in person by contributing to our official Angel Tree, hosted this year in Greenfield Savings Bank’s King Street branch.”

The program has sponsored 124 local families in need so far and seeks 26 more sponsorships. Individuals and businesses interested in helping the Salvation Army meet its goal of more than 150 sponsored children should contact Emily Mew, the Salvation Army’s Western Mass. field representative, at [email protected], or visit the official Angel Tree at Greenfield Savings Bank on King Street.

“We are so grateful to the chamber and Greenfield Savings Bank, both of which stepped in at a time of sudden need to rescue Christmas for more than 100 Northampton-area families,” Mew said. “Their generosity has ensured the survival of this important program as we seek to reach our goal of 150-plus sponsored children this year.”

UMass Amherst Receives $1.1 Million Grant for Large Battery Project

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AMHERST — UMass Amherst has been awarded a $1.1 million state grant from the Advancing Commonwealth Energy Storage (ACES) project to work with Tesla Energy to construct a large battery at the Central Heating Plant on the west side of campus.

The project involves a 1-megawatt/4-megawatt-hour lithium ion battery storage system that will be designed and constructed by Tesla Energy adjacent to the campus power plant. Working with Tesla and the UMass Clean Energy Extension (CEE), the goal is to reduce peak energy demand on the Amherst campus and related costs. The battery storage system will provide power at times when it is purchased from the power grid, help optimize how the campus integrates its current mix of power generation, and provide a research site for clean-energy experts, researchers, and students.

Gov. Charlie Baker announced the award of 26 grants totaling $20 million at an event in Marlborough. “The development and deployment of energy-storage projects will be vital to the Commonwealth’s ability to continue leading the nation in energy efficiency,” he said. “Funding these storage projects is an investment in our energy portfolio that will reduce costs for ratepayers and help create a clean and resilient energy future.”

Shane Conklin, associate vice chancellor for Facilities and Campus Services at UMass Amherst, noted that “this project is an excellent example of how collaboration between academic research and facilities operations increases benefits to the campus and our students. Not only will we see utility budget savings, our project will provide on-campus data to support research, and Tesla will provide $80,000 of educational initiatives for our students.”

To meet the research goals, Tesla is contributing the funding for educational initiatives during the life of the 15-year project to pay for a range of educational opportunities for UMass Amherst staff and students, including paid internships, career mentorships, lectures, and curriculum development related to solar and energy storage. CEE will also study the operations and maximize learning from the battery-system operations.

The campus currently gets 15 megawatts of power from co-generation at the Central Heating Plant and about 5 megawatts from solar voltaic generation as part of one of the most sophisticated power microgrids in the state. The battery storage capacity will be used to balance constraints on those sources and reduce instances when power is purchased from the outside power grid, campus officials say. It will also demonstrate the role that energy storage can plan within a system that has multiple sources of power.

The battery system will also bring a new level of resiliency to the campus power grid that can operate independent of the electrical power system in the event of a large-scale power outage. The campus power system hosts the Mullins Center, a regional emergency shelter for Hampshire County and its population of 160,000 citizens.

By charging the battery system during off-peak periods and discharging at times peak demand, such as early evening hours during winter months and middle to late afternoon during the summer months, it will help replace less efficient generators, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower costs.

The UMass Amherst physical plant will operate the battery system, and Tesla will manage the design, permitting, construction, and maintenance of the battery system. UMass CEE will provide operations analysis and support as part of its research.

“We’re very excited to be able to integrate a 1-megawatt lithium ion battery into our utility infrastructure on campus,” said Raymond Jackson, director of the physical plant. “This project will help us optimize our on-campus renewable-energy generation, increase resiliency, and further diversify our utility portfolio.”

Family Business Center Presents Workshop on Fraud, Embezzlement

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HOLYOKE — On Friday, Dec. 15, starting at 8:30 a.m., the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley will present a morning workshop at the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke on “Creating and Implementing Internal Controls So You Aren’t a Victim of Fraud and Embezzlement.”

Attendees will learn some of the background of fraud-prevention techniques and see real-life examples of how one of our members works to protect their assets from fraud. There will also be time to ask specific questions related to your business, your unique circumstances, and how to keep your assets protected. The workshop is presented by Anthony Gabinetti and Howard Cheney of Meyers Brothers Kalicka, Craig Reed of All States Materials Group, Astra Rogers of Key Bank, and Delcie Bean of Paragus IT. The event is free to members of the FBCPV and $30 to all others. To register, contact Ira Bryck at [email protected] or [email protected].

Caroline Gear Elected to GCC Foundation Board of Directors

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GREENFIELD — Caroline Gear, executive director of the Northampton-based International Language Institute (ILI) of Massachusetts, was recently elected to the Greenfield Community College Foundation Inc. board of directors.

Gear has been at ILI since 1986 as a Spanish teacher, ESOL teacher, teacher trainer, and administrator. She has published articles in the field of assessment and evaluation and presents on teacher training and the administration of programs both regionally and nationally.

“Caroline’s passion for the mission of access to education is evident, and she brings a wealth of knowledge about the challenges facing those who struggle to change their lives through education,” said Michael Davey, GCC Foundation board president and vice president/commercial loan officer at Florence Bank. “As Greenfield Community College expands its programming into Hampshire County, we welcome the addition of this outstanding new member to our board.”

Added Greenfield Community College President Bob Pura, “Caroline Gear is a longtime partner of the college. She has shared GCC’s passion for access and excellence in education. Her commitment to economic and social mobility for all in our community is a perfect fit for the work of the GCC Foundation. I welcome her heart, intelligence, and fierce courage to an outstanding board in service to students, college, and community.”

The following individuals were elected as officers of the GCC Foundation board of directors for the coming year: Michael Davey, president, Leigh Rae, vice president, Nancy Fournier, treasurer, Katherine Cole, secretary, and Marina Goldman, member at large. Other members of the board are Carmen Bassett, Sharon Meyers, Mitch Anthony, Patricia Coffin, Charles Conant, Rich Fahey, Michael Smith, faculty representative Mary Phillips, student representative Maya Kazinskas, and GCC trustee representative Dylan Korpita. Board members emeriti are Robert Cohn, William Freeman, Lorna Peterson, and Robert Mugar Yacubian.

Jean Kelley, Joe Malmborg Attend National Educational Conference

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NORTHAMPTON — Jean Kelley and Joe Malmborg, advisors of Kelley and Malmborg Investment Consulting Group in Northampton, recently attended a national educational conference for independent financial advisors.

Hosted by Commonwealth Financial Network, the nation’s largest privately held registered investment advisor – independent broker/dealer, the October event drew 1,641 affiliated advisors, staff, guests, and sponsors from across the nation. Participants gathered in San Diego, where they connected and collaborated with peers, colleagues, and industry partners to strengthen their leadership skills and enhance the high-end service they provide to clients.

With the theme, “Personal Currency: Human Connections/Patterns for Success,” the conference encouraged attendees to explore how the relationships that they build, nurture, and sustain — both professionally and personally — influence their success.

Keynote speakers offered topical remarks tailored specifically to an advisor audience. In an informal ‘fireside chat,’ former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, joined by Commonwealth’s Joni Youngwirth, managing principal, Practice Management, offered insights about effective diplomacy. Albright outlined the real keys to diplomacy as the ability to put oneself in another person’s shoes and to have a clear understanding of what the other person wants. Ken Blanchard, author, leadership expert, and co-founder of international management training/consulting firm the Ken Blanchard Companies, spoke about the innate leader in everyone. International portrait photographer Platon brought the conference theme to life, sharing powerful personal stories about connecting on a human level with his subjects, including Marissa Mayer and Mark Zuckerberg.

The conference concluded on a continued high note, with a closing event held at Petco Park, the home of the San Diego Padres. The attendees were treated to live entertainment, a grand tour of the facility, a BBQ, and practicing their batting skills at batting cages placed throughout the park.

Bay Path Program to Support Puerto Rico Hurricane Victims

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LONGMEADOW — In light of the vast devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, Bay Path University is extending a one-time offer to college-level Puerto Rican students whose educational pursuits were interrupted as a result of the storm.

“Bay Path University is committed to educating women at the undergraduate level and women and men at the graduate level who come to us from across the country and beyond,” President Carol Leary said. “In this time of need for our fellow citizens from Puerto Rico, we want to extend a helping hand to those women who were pursuing a bachelor’s degree but displaced because of Hurricane Maria. We welcome them to continue their college education at Bay Path, surrounded by our supportive community.”

Bay Path will offer as many as 10 presidential scholarships to women who lived and attended college in Puerto Rico but have been displaced as a result of the hurricane. The scholarships are for undergraduate transfer enrollment in spring 2018, each worth up to $25,000 per student, per year. Five of these scholarships will be made available to commuter students, and five will be made available to students who choose to reside on the Bay Path University Longmeadow campus. For those five students who choose to reside on campus, Bay Path will provide free room and board for the duration of their enrollment in the program. All students will have access to the university’s support services, including advising, career coaching, mental-health counseling, and more.

The offer is available to women who are residents of Puerto Rico or those who have moved out of Puerto Rico due to the hurricane and have previously earned at least 12 college-level credits. As many as 90 college-level credits can be transferred to Bay Path for students under this program. Proof of residency is required. Students will be allowed a maximum of three years to complete the program, earning no more than 120 credits.

This special scholarship is valid for new enrollment in the spring 2018 semester only. Those students interested in enrolling under this program must submit an application for admission to the Traditional Undergraduate Program at Bay Path University and must meet all admission standards.

Students interested in enrolling should apply right away. The deadline for submitting all required materials is Friday, Dec. 22, or until all 10 spots have been filled. To learn more about this program and begin the enrollment process, contact Dean of Admissions Dawn Bryden at [email protected] or (413) 565-1235.

Business Trends Survey Shows Optimism Tempered by Challenges

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AGAWAM — With more than 800 members concentrated in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE) unveiled the national and regional findings from the 2017 National Business Trends Survey conducted by the Employer Associations of America. Results were gleaned from 1,528 participating organizations, covering 2,741 employer locations throughout the U.S.

According to the national survey results, businesses continue to have an optimistic outlook for 2018 and are preparing for a positive year ahead, with 62% expecting their 2017 sales/revenue to be slightly or significantly better compared to 2016. Continued optimism prevails, as 73% of executives project slight to significant increases in sales/revenue for 2018. However, that optimism is tempered by several serious challenges to business growth, particularly from the shortage of both skilled labor and professional/technical staff, and the ability to pay competitive wages and benefits.

“The survey data certainly reinforces that finding talent is a concrete problem that cannot be put off until tomorrow; employers have to take stock of and plan for their staffing needs today,” said Mark Adams, director of HR Services at EANE.

Highlights of the findings for the Northeast region include:

• For employees, the grass is looking greener. While an economy remaining on the upswing may bode well for employers in many respects, it is not without some challenges. When asked the primary reasons for their 2018 hiring plans, 84% of the executives said they will be replacing staff due to voluntary turnover, and 78% said their hiring will fill new jobs.

• More employers are seeking to hire in 2018 than in 2017. In the Northeast region, 51% of the executives surveyed plan to increase staff in 2018, representing an increase from 41% in the 2017 report.

• The skilled-labor shortage is becoming a greater concern. Despite the need to hire by many regional employers, the ability to find talent remains a problem as 42.3% of regional respondents identified the skilled labor shortage as a “serious” challenge in the short term (up from 37.8% last year) while 52% of respondents identified it as a “serious” challenge long term (up from 47% last year). These concerns are also reflective of the actual experiences faced by respondents, as 59% said they were unable to find skilled labor (an increase from 52% last year).

• Infrastructure remains a prevalent focus. With the economic outlook remaining positive and employers seeking to hold onto their own talent any way they can, regional employers are committed to expanding their investment in employees, processes, and systems for 2018.