Economy Shows Progress, but Workforce Remains a Challenge

By
Economic Outlook

Reasons for Optimism — and Concern

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Chris Geehern says there’s been a slight but significant uptick in the Business Confidence Index issued each month by Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM).

That increase is one of the many reasons why he and others are … wait for it … cautiously optimistic as the calendar turns to 2023. That phrase has been put to heavy use in recent years and recent months, especially with so much uncertainty regarding the economy due to forces ranging from COVID to inflation to an ongoing workforce crisis.

“If the workforce grows 1.5% and the number of jobs grows by 21% or 22%, as they’re projecting, we have a problem — a big problem.”

Chris Geehern

Chris Geehern

But as the state and region put 2022 in the rear view and focus on a year with even more uncertainty, there are some reasons for optimism, said Geehern, executive vice president of AIM, and that is reflected in the numbers he’s seeing.

“Our members seem pretty confident about the prospects for their own companies,” he said. “And they are reasonably confident about the state and national economies. There are certainly lingering concerns about interest rates and about whether there will be a soft landing or not. But, by and large, we’re finding that Massachusetts companies are resilient, and they seem to be navigating this kind of economic cycle pretty well right now.”

Elaborating, he said unemployment remains comparatively low, and the state’s economy grew in the third quarter, albeit slowly, after two quarters of negative growth — another positive sign. “So, by and large, employers don’t seem to be deeply concerned by the short-term economic cycle.”

Bob Nakosteen, a semi-retired Economics professor at UMass Amherst, agreed. He told BusinessWest that, in addition to growing optimism, inflation is starting to cool, a sign that the Fed’s decision to aggressively raise interest rates may — that’s may — be working. It could also be a harbinger of lower rate hikes in the future, which would certainly help business owners and consumers alike.

“And I think inflation is already a lot lower than is being reported,” said Nakosteen. “The month-to-month figures are pretty low … I think inflation is going to drop, maybe not dramatically, but considerably in the next few reporting periods.”

Elaborating, he said ‘dramatically’ would be a drop to the 2% target set by the Fed (at its height, inflation was closer to 8%), while ‘considerably’ would be to the 3% to 4% range, which is what he expects.

“And if that’s the case, then the Fed is going to ease off on interest rates,” he said, adding that such actions should bolster the stock market and the economy as a whole as the dramatic increases in the cost of borrowing start to ease.

Meanwhile, there are other signs that the picture is improving and the odds for recession in 2023 are moving lower, said Nakosteen, adding that the labor market remains quite strong, and the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s projections for GDP in the fourth quarter are for 3.2% growth — this on top of what has been a strong Christmas season for retailers.

“The signals just aren’t there for a serious recession — or even for a recession at all.”

Bob Nakosteen

Bob Nakosteen

“I think that economic growth is going to slow down, and if we do get into a recession, it will be a mild one,” he said, adding quickly that his track record with projections is decent but not spectacular. “What continues to amaze me is the strength of the labor market; unemployment is still at or just over 3% both nationally and in this state, and in Western Mass. as well. “The signals just aren’t there for a serious recession — or even for a recession at all.”

But while there is cause for some optimism, there are many concerns as well, especially when it comes to the workforce.

Indeed, in 2022, it became obvious to most in business that the problems seen in 2021 when it came to companies being able to fill positions with qualified help were certainly not temporary in nature. They persisted into 2022, and in some cases were exacerbated.

Now, there is what Geehern, summing up the thoughts of AIM’s members, called “deep concern” about what has become a workforce crisis in this state.

“‘I can’t find the people I need to make my business grow’ has become part of the vernacular in this state,” he said, noting that, as part of the Business Confidence Index survey, AIM asks an open-ended question, along the lines of ‘what are you worried about?’

And, increasingly, owners of businesses large and small are worried about workforce.

“I would say that 75% to 80% of the responses to that question every month have to do with talent acquisition, talent retention, and the availability of workers,” he said. “And the concern is that this isn’t the function of an economic cycle; it’s really a deep, structural inflection point for the Massachusetts economy.”

As he explained why, Geehern cited some rather alarming statistics from the Massachusetts Department of Economic Research, which projects that the number of jobs in Massachusetts will grow by 22% between now and 2030. Meanwhile, projections from various economists indicate that the state’s workforce will grow 1.5% by 2030.

“If the workforce grows 1.5% and the number of jobs grows by 21% or 22%, as they’re projecting, we have a problem — a big problem,” Geehern said. “This was going on anyway — it’s partially a function of demographics — but it’s been exacerbated by the newfound independence that remote work has given to employees.”

Given this unsettling math, Geerhern said there are things the state and individual employers must do to make themselves more attractive — not just to businesses, but to workers on all levels.

“Traditionally, we’ve focused on what creates the environment where businesses can start and grow in Massachusetts, and we’re still committed to that,” he said. “But at the same time, we also recognize that you have to create a quality of life that makes people — workers — want to live here in Massachusetts. And that means looking at the cost of living.

“Massachusetts ranks number one in terms of childcare costs, we have the second-highest housing costs, and the fourth-worst traffic congestion — I don’t know how they measure that, but they do,” he went on. “What we’re looking at is a significant outmigration of people from Massachusetts to other areas of the country; a Massachusetts Taxpayers Association report showed that, over the past three decades, there’s been an outmigration of 750,000 people from Massachusetts, and that trend has actually accelerated post-pandemic.”

In some cases, people are leaving the state for lower-cost areas, but keeping their jobs here, a byproduct of the remote-work phenomenon. Moving forward, Geehern said in conclusion, the state has to make itself an attractive place to do business and to live and work — because failure to do so will worsen an already-difficult situation and made it even harder for business owners to sleep at night.

 

 

EDC Leaders See Need to Market the Region, Leverage Its Assets

By
Economic Outlook

Selling Points

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As he surveys the scene in Western Mass., especially the ongoing focus on encouraging entrepreneurship and helping startups get to the next level, Charlie D’Amour says he can see some parallels to when his father, Gerry, and uncle, Paul, were getting started in Chicopee nearly 80 years ago with a venture that would eventually become known as Big Y.

But this current surge in entrepreneurship is different in some respects from than the one in the mid-’30s, he told BusinessWest, adding that it is deeper and more diverse. And it holds enormous promise for the future of the region in terms of job creation and the vibrancy of individual communities.

“I continue to be impressed by the fact that we have a diverse and growing class of new entrepreneurs,” D’Amour noted. “Through the commitment of the EDC, the commitment of other organizations, and the commitment of anchor institutions in the area, if we can continue to grow, develop, nurture, and encourage these entrepreneurs, it’s only going to put us in a great position.

“That’s part of what gives me some optimism for the economy of our region — to see this growth in entrepreneurship,” he went on. “This is an interesting group of young entrepreneurs, and it’s a diverse group, and that speaks to where our future is going to be.”

Entrepreneurship and the prospects for more of it comprise one of many subjects touched on by D’Amour and other representatives of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council (EDC) during a wide-ranging discussion of the issues facing the region as the calendar turns to 2023.

“I continue to be impressed by the fact that we have a diverse and growing class of new entrepreneurs. Through the commitment of the EDC, the commitment of other organizations, and the commitment of anchor institutions in the area, if we can continue to grow, develop, nurture, and encourage these entrepreneurs, it’s only going to put us in a great position.”

Charlie D’Amour

Charlie D’Amour

D’Amour is a long-time member of the EDC and member of its executive committee. Others joining the discussion were Rick Sullivan, president and CEO of the EDC; Tricia Canavan, CEO of Tech Foundry and current EDC board chair, and relatively new board member Cesar Ruiz, president and CEO of Golden Years Home Care Services.

Together, they addressed subjects ranging from workforce issues to marketing of the region to the prospects for bringing more jobs to the area.

Overall, as the new year begins, those we spoke with are optimistic about the region and its fortunes, but there are reasons for concern, especially when it comes to workforce (more on that later), an issue touched on by many in this special Economic Outlook section.

“I’ve seen some real opportunities with some investments that I do believe will be coming with the new governor’s administration in terms of broadband and internet access,” Sullivan said. “There is a digital divide, in our urban communities but also in our rural communities, and I think there’s a real opportunity there with a significant investment by the state and federal government to make those final connections and finally bring high-speed broadband to people’s homes and businesses; that’s a real opportunity for us.

“And I also some see some significant investment in the field of cybersecurity, which is an industry that, unfortunately, is probably here for the long run, and we need to be doing a lot of work every single day to stay ahead of the bad guys,” he went on. “With Springfield already being designated as one of the centers of the statewide system … that’s a real opportunity for us in terms of both workforce and working with our municipalities and particularly with our higher-ed institutions, so I’m very optimistic about the opportunities that are going to present themselves for this region in 2023.”

D’Amour agreed.

“The good news is that the economy of Western Massachusetts, with its diversity and whatnot, has proven to be somewhat resilient, from what I’ve seen,” he noted. “Though I anticipate a downturn in the economy, a slowing of the economy, I do expect that we’ll be able to weather it fairly well.”

“We’re all experiencing challenges in hiring — we can’t hire fast enough; we can’t hire quality enough within our workforce. Hiring is certainly going to be a barometer for how successful we’re going to be with expanding our business.”

Cesar Ruiz

Cesar Ruiz

Canavan concurred, noting that the many lessons learned during the pandemic will serve to make the region’s economy and individual businesses stronger and more resilient.

“The silver lining of the pandemic has been some lessons learned,” she said. “I’ve seen people start to integrate these lessons into their businesses and organizations and into their collaboration in the community. I’m really excited about progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; digital equity and access; and additional community alignment. I think we’ve learned the importance of working together. I’m optimistic about Western Mass. — we are going to be resilient, and we’re going to recover from the pandemic, even if there are some additional bumps coming our way.”

 

Working Things Out

One of those bumps is likely to be a continuation of very challenging times when it comes to workforce and companies attracting — and then retaining — the talent they need to grow and prosper. Those we spoke with said this is easily the biggest challenge moving forward and perhaps the most difficult problem to solve.

Ruiz, whose industry, home care, has been particularly hard hit by the workforce crisis, said workforce issues are more than an annoyance — they are hindering the growth and progress of companies, including his own.

“In Massachusetts, we have roughly two open jobs for every candidate that’s in the market. This is a great time for people who may not have been able to access those jobs previously to get training, to get education, and to seize those opportunities.”

Tricia Canavan

Tricia Canavan

“We’re all experiencing challenges in hiring — we can’t hire fast enough; we can’t hire quality enough within our workforce,” he noted. “Hiring is certainly going to be a barometer for how successful we’re going to be with expanding our business.”

He said individual sectors and specific businesses are, out of necessity, forced to be creative when it comes to putting more talent into the pipeline. Golden Years, for example, is collaborating with area colleges to help ready them for careers in healthcare.

Still, the problem is acute, and he’s talking with U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and others about ways to bring more people from other parts of the world into this country to work.

“Using foreign workers is nothing new — our resort areas bring them in by the hundreds,” Ruiz noted. “They come here for a six-month period, and there are certain obligations as an employer that we have to meet to tap that source. But we have to come with creative ways to tap these resources.”

Canavan concurred, and noted that the current workforce challenge presents a huge opportunity to engage those who are currently not engaged in education or work.

“That’s one of the big opportunities for us at this moment in time,” she said. “In Massachusetts, we have roughly two open jobs for every candidate that’s in the market. This is a great time for people who may not have been able to access those jobs previously to get training, to get education, and to seize those opportunities.”

“Our population has basically been flat, and in some areas, it’s declining. If we’re going to be vibrant, there has to be some growth; you need to grow to survive.”

Rick Sullivan

Rick Sullivan

D’Amour agreed, and said his company has been creative and also diligent in addressing the problem.

“Our staffing has improved — it’s much better than it was a year ago or a year and a half ago,” he noted. “But part of it is because we worked at it — we’ve addressed it proactively. We didn’t just put a sign in the window saying ‘now hiring.’ We’ve been a little bit more deliberate, a little bit more strategic, and a little bit more focused about it, and those are the kinds of things that we’re going to need moving forward.”

Elaborating, he said workforce issues require both creativity and a lengthy time horizon, meaning measures that will fill the pipeline with workers for the long term. And the focus needs to be on education.

“From early education to higher education, we need to make sure that we’re bringing our kids and our young people along so that they can be the workforce of the future,” he told BusinessWest. “If we don’t have that, we can’t do a lot of the things that we aspire to. We need to reach into these various communities and make sure that young people have the skills they’re going to need to be successful; that’s where our workforce is going to come from, and those are the kinds of things we have to do.

“I know that’s an area of focus for the EDC, and I know it’s an area of focus for the anchor institutions and many individual companies,” he went on. “We’re not going to get there in a year, but we need to start now; it’s probably a little bit overdue.”

 

Being Positive

As noted earlier, those we spoke with could find plenty of reasons for optimism concerning 2023 and beyond in this region. Collectively, they mentioned everything from the Victory Theatre project in Holyoke (Ruiz is among the many involved in that effort) to the growing number, and diversity, of new businesses being started in this region, especially within the Hispanic and African-American communities; from the strong education and healthcare sectors to the quality of life here and the opportunities presented by remote work for people to live in this region and work wherever they desire.

Meanwhile, those we spoke with said there are real opportunities to grow certain business sectors in this region — from cybersecurity to clean energy to water technology — with the area’s higher-education institutions taking lead roles in each one.

Sullivan said another often-overlooked or forgotten sector showing promise is manufacturing, what he called the “invisible backbone” of the region’s economy.

“Most of our manufacturers were classified as essential employers during the pandemic, so they were able to continue operating,” he noted. “They proved to be really flexible and able to pivot, in some cases even manufacturing PPE and other products that were not part of their portfolio before COVID. That flexibility, if you will, served them well, and now they’re well-poised for growth, and you’re starting to see them make significant investments.

“Whether it’s Advance Manufacturing, Boulevard Machine, or Advance Welding in Springfield, they’re making investment in their own facilities and their own people, and they’re creating jobs — and jobs that will exist well into the future because of the work they’re doing and the contractors that they have, whether it’s the Department of Defense or the Department of Transportation or healthcare,” he went on. “And these manufacturers have recognized that, while this region may not be the cheapest in terms of power or the cheapest in terms of taxation, we are the best when it comes to workforce.”

D’Amour agreed, and said another aspect of the local economy that is often overlooked is agriculture.

“We’re the garden of New England here in Connecticut River Valley, and there are a lot of young farmers in this region that are doing great stuff,” he said. “Agriculture and food products are an important part of our economy, and it adds to the diversity of the economy in our region. Having fields and orchards is also why many people like to live here; it leads to the whole genus of our community and what makes Western Mass. so special.”

Another priority for the region, Sullivan said, is to better leverage its many assets in higher education.

“Many of the other parts of the country, and even the eastern end of this state, really market the presence of higher ed,” he said. “And we have world-class institutions here; whether it’s the flagship campus for UMass or Smith or Mount Holyoke or Bay Path, the cohort of higher education we have here is really significant. And when we talk about workforce, the students that are sitting in the classrooms at the Elms and AIC and the other institutions are the workforce that everyone is looking for, and I really believe that economic vitality and higher ed are entwined tighter than they ever have been before.”

 

Work to Be Done

While there are reasons for optimism, there are also some concerns and priorities for the months and years to come, said those we spoke with.

Sullivan noted, for example, that the region — known in the banking sector and many others as a ‘no-growth’ area — certainly needs a growth strategy.

“Our population has basically been flat, and in some areas, it’s declining,” he told BusinessWest. “If we’re going to be vibrant, there has to be some growth; you need to grow to survive. We can absolutely sell our cost of living and quality of life here, but we need to have the housing for people to move into, and they need to be able to work from home or do their coursework from home, which means, again, that we have to make that investment in broadband and the internet across our region so we can take advantage of that opportunity.

“When people discuss work/life balance and what they want for their families, this lands in a sweet spot for us,” he went on. “That’s who we are; we can sell work/life balance and quality of life, as long as we have all the components. They’re not all going to happen in a month or a year, but there needs to a positive trajectory on all of those things.”

D’Amour agreed, noting that the region has a number of sellable assets, from location to transportation infrastructure to relatively inexpensive (and often green) power, as well as higher education. One priority moving forward is to more aggressively sell these assets and market the region.

“Our challenge has always been telling our story,” he said. “We have not participated as fully as we could have or should have in the economic boom that Eastern Mass. has had. How do we get some of the business community in Eastern Mass. to focus on us instead of going to Southern New Hampshire, or Rhode Island, or wherever?”

Canavan agreed. “We are, in some ways, our own worst enemy when it comes to not telling our story — or appreciating where we live,” she said. “And we do have a lot of assets here, starting with diversity; we’re very lucky to have people from all over the world here, people with different perspectives — that is a real asset. I also think we’re small enough to be agile and to pilot things … we’re like the scrappy player who can try new things, and that’s very exciting.”

Lastly, Sullivan said he is hopeful, and confident, that the state’s new governor, Maura Healey, will not just “talk about how we care about Western Mass.,” but make some significant investments in the region.

“And I think you’ll see them, whether it’s vocational education or community colleges, or broadband or cyber or clean energy,” he said. “I think that there’s an opportunity to make very strategic, intentional investments in Western Massachusetts that will allow it to grow.”

Roundtable Panelists Note Opportunities, Challenges for Year Ahead

By
Susan Kasa
Economic Outlook

Talking the Talk

As part of its annual Economic Outlook, BusinessWest put together a roundtable of area business leaders to discuss the issues facing the region and its business community and the outlook for the year ahead. The panel represents several sectors of the economy, and both small and large businesses. It includes: Harry Dumay, president of Elms College in Chicopee; John Falcone, director of Merchandising for Rocky’s Ace Hardware; Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center; Susan Kasa, president of Boulevard Machine in Westfield; Tanzania Cannon-Eckerle, an attorney with the Royal Law Firm and co-owner of Brew Practitioners; and Tom Senecal, president and CEO of PeoplesBank. They were candid and, overall, cautiously optimistic in their answers to a series of questions about the economy and what comes next.

Watch the video of the roundtable here:

 

 

BusinessWest: What is your outlook for 2023?

 

Kasa: “We’re excited for 2023; we’ve really seen an uptick in military and defense work, so we’re really excited about where our year is going to go.”

 

Senecal: “Increased business confidence is the biggest thing, I think, with all the negative press we hear on the economy. Increased confidence is big, and in my industry, and with the people we do business with, lower interest rates will have a significant, positive impact on our environment.”

 

Cannon-Eckerle: “We’re excited about some of the fallout that we got legally from COVID; it has started to settle down a little bit — we’re starting to see those issues become isolated, and opportunities for us to create some guidance and counsel about preventive measures. On the employment side, instead of seeing people float from job to job, I think we’re going to see a little more staying power.”

Susan Kasa

Susan Kasa says the war in Ukraine, while bringing hardship to many, has helped the fortunes of her company, Boulevard Machine, which specializes in work for the defense, military, and aviation industries.

 

Falcone: “We really track consumer sentiment, and what we’re expecting is a really soft Q1, but then when Q2, Q3, and Q4 hit, we’re expecting that consumer sentiment will increase slightly, and that we’re going to have some sort of recovery come the back half of the year.”

 

Hatiras: “With ARPA funds drying up, we’re going to have pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. So our emphasis is on closing the staffing gap. If we can do that, and not bleed money on the expense side, I think we’ll be OK; I think we’re poised to have a good year, as long as we’re able to attract nurses here.”

 

BusinessWest: What are the major challenges facing businesses in the year ahead?

 

Kasa: “For us, it’s the same old, same old — trying to get people into manufacturing. We’ve dealt with the generation gap for years, and are getting more involved with the vocational schools and getting parents to understand that manufacturing is a viable option for young people. It’s not just manufacturing; they can be their own entrepreneur in plumbing or electrical, whatever it might be. Also, holding onto folks; ever since COVID came through, it just seems harder and harder to find people who want to work, and want to work the extra hours that we’re giving them. Workforce is key for us — building on the workforce.”

 

Hatiras: “In healthcare, there is a great deal of concern, and the most concerning part is the continuing shortage of personnel, which has created this market for temporary staffing at rates that are truly outrageous. To put things in perspective, we have about 20 nurses on temporary staff that we get through agencies. Those 20 nurses, on an annual basis, cost us $5 million; each nurse costs us $250,000, because the rates are exorbitant — the nurses get a lot of money, but there’s also a middleman that makes untold amounts of money from this crisis.

“As a nation, the federal government is doing a lot of things — they did some things with railroad workers, they’re helping Ukraine, they’re talking about a lot of things. They should have stepped in and regulated this and said, ‘the pandemic created a tremendous amount of shortage; we cannot allow private companies to go out and profit from that shortage of staffing and bring hospitals to their knees.’ With all this, it’s going to be very difficult for hospitals to cope, and that’s why all our strategy centers around finding a way to attract nurses here.”

 

Falcone: “Number one would be interest rates; we keep seeing interest rates increase, and not increasing at a rate that we would expect compared to supply chain. The supply chain is still not fully intact, so we’re still struggling to find those products that we want to make strategic investments in. Also, the job market is going to be difficult for us, primarily on the service, retail, restaurant industry. We very much struggle with our workforce.”

Tom Senecal

Tom Senecal notes that the Fed’s actions to boost interest rates have not yielded much improvement on the inflation front, something to watch in 2023.

Senecal: “I would agree with Susan on the labor force. We’re all in different industries, but we’re seeing the same challenges, whether it’s manufacturing, skilled labor, retail labor, banking and financial services … COVID killed the participation rate of how people want to work or, quite frankly, don’t want to work. It seems like it’s across all industries — the participation is so low, and people just don’t want to work. That’s a huge challenge for next year.

“Another one is inflationary pressures; the Fed has raised rates at unheard-of levels, and it’s having very little impact, which is kind of scary. The last increase wasn’t as high as the others, but it’s still unprecedented. They used to be a quarter-point; three or four 75-basis-point raises is a shock to the system, and it’s not having the immediate impact you might think it would have. That’s going to be a challenge for a lot of business, as well as for us in the banking industry.”

 

Dumay: “In higher education, there are many challenges related to enrollment and finances; we’ve been talking for a while about what is known as the ‘demographic cliff,’ which is the fact that there are fewer high-school graduates, fewer 18-year-olds that are ready to enroll in college, and this has been exacerbated during the COVID years. This is creating enrollment challenges for all higher-ed institutions. On the finance side, everyone here has mentioned the challenge of inflation, as well as the tight workforce. Higher education is also challenged by the fact that some of the stimulus funding that has helped during COVID is no longer available. All of these are going to create challenges for the higher-ed sector in general, and Elms College in particular. But they also present opportunities.

 

BusinessWest: What are the forces that will determine what will happen with the local and national economies in 2023 and what we’re all talking about a year from now?

 

Kasa: “For us, what’s happening in the world politically and the war in Ukraine; we’re really seeing an increase in military spending and orders for the military and defense. That’s going to be very helpful for us, and I do see that continuing. There’s a tremendous amount of talk about upgrades to engines, the F-35 … and being in the aerospace alley and having so many of these large OEMs right in the corridor, in the Hartford area, is beneficial for us. I do foresee things continuing to move up and onward for us.”

 

Cannon-Eckerle: “One of the things bubbling up in the legal sphere is something they call ‘litigation investment,’ which is essentially large companies investing in litigation against larger corporations that normally they wouldn’t be able to afford. It’s like a venture-capital-like investment, and we’re starting to see large companies spread their wings. I think that might have an effect on litigation down the line.”

Harry Dumay

Harry Dumay says COVID provided many important lessons that are serving Elms College well as it moves on from the pandemic.

Dumay: “I think some of those challenges that I spoke about that are related to enrollment will lead to some of the forces and trends that will shape things in 2023. I expect institutions to tailor their pricing and courses accordingly; there is a trend in higher education to look for shorter types of certificates to help max the credentialing needs of the workforce. I expect we’ll see that. But also, the workforce issues are providing a lot of opportunities for institutions to partner with businesses to address some of these workforce issues, and I expect that we’ll see more collaborations and partnerships between higher-ed institutions and businesses to address some of these workforce challenges.”

 

Senecal: “I see two things. One is supply chain; I think the pressure seems to be coming off, and if that trend continues, that will have a really positive effect on the economy. Two, I think higher energy prices are not going to go away. With the war in Ukraine and Russian energy and what is being supplied to Europe and all … many people don’t think it impacts us. I think it will have a huge impact going into 2023. When you look at the supply of energy in Europe, they have enough to get through the winter to sustain themselves. What they don’t have is the ability to replenish those supplies by next winter, and I think Russia knows this, and I think their strategy is to put a huge amount of pressure on to get to next year, because when you get to next winter, there’s not going to be any energy-supply reserves, and that’s going to have a huge impact worldwide on energy supplies, and that trickles throughout the economy.”

 

Falcone: I very much agree with Tom. The overall political and economic environment created by that war has affected our business dramatically, whether it’s fuel costs, energy costs that directly impact the supply chain and lead to inflation, or interest rates, because the overall cost of carrying our inventory is higher, and the cost of the product we’re procuring is higher. So with that, our overall cost of business has increased.”

John Falcone

John Falcone says supply-chain issues have improved in recent months, one of many reasons for optimism heading into 2023.

Kasa: “I agree with John. In manufacturing, our supply chain has really been impacted by this war; we’re not able to get material as we did some time ago, and those costs continue to rise. Being in manufacturing, we’re held to long-term agreements, master agreements, and it just continually squeezes the small guy.”

 

BusinessWest: How has your business or institution coped with the recent workforce challenges? Do you have a success formula?

 

Senecal: “Before COVID hit, we would never let an employee work from home; from a security perspective, from a collaborative perspective, it just wouldn’t work. Two weeks into the pandemic, we had 80% of workforce working from home without a hitch. I still think the collaboration, or culture, side of it has to occur within the office, but we’ve pivoted from that perspective, and we’re pushing the ability to work from home a whole lot more.

“To tackle the workforce issue and spread our wings and look beyond Western Mass., we are advertising positions as ‘80% work from home,’ something you would have never thought of or heard of in years past. We have an employee now who works 100% out of Chicago. As a local community bank, we would have never considered that. It’s increased our ability to attract talent, and we’ve found some success, but I know it’s still going to be a challenge moving forward.”

 

Kasa: “We’re looking for exposure, and being in our bright new building certainly helps. So does using social media to attract young machinists; we’re using Instagram and Facebook … it really does work with the young people that follow you. And being a family-owned business also resonates with many people; there have been so many capital acquisitions in recent times in this area.

“We spend a lot of time talking to parents about manufacturing and the opportunities that are available to young people. Manufacturing is coming back, and now parents are realizing that not everyone is meant for a college degree, and they don’t have to spend $100,000 or $200,000 on education; they are coming into machining and electrical and plumbing. The parents are really starting to see us as a viable option.”

 

Dumay: “We’re paying a lot of attention to employee morale and employee satisfaction, and being flexible where we can. Part of the promise of Elms College as a small, liberal-arts institution is that students will be in contact with people and one another, so having a presence on campus is important. But we’re trying to work creatively to include flexibility for employees in terms of where they can work and the time they can work, to the extent that this can be done.”

 

Hatiras: “We’re doing OK because we had to respond to what was going on in the market by creating even more attractive reasons for coming here — we raised our rates, we’re enhancing benefits, and at the same time, we’re looking at economic assistance for the lower-earning employees. Where it’s more difficult is with the professionals, because the dollars are significantly more, so competing just on price is difficult. The key for success — what keeps people here and makes them come here — is the culture of the place, so we put a tremendous amount of effort in the 10 years I’ve been here on creating a good culture. Now, it’s become a differentiator, and we’re pushing it even more. We’re an employer that listens to employees, responds to their needs, and cares. That’s what people want.”

Spiros Hatiras

Spiros Hatiras says the “truly outrageous” cost of agency nurses is one of the many stern challenges facing all hospitals today.

Falcone: “We put a big focus on our company culture. Right in our strategic plan, it says ‘invest in people, personally grow, and have fun.’ There’s no doubt about it … the people we have are our biggest asset, so what we want to do is make sure that we’re taking care of them. In this ever-competitive job market, it’s really easy to jump jobs for an extra dollar or two an hour, but for us, we really want to focus on employee engagement and employee satisfaction.”

 

BusinessWest: Provide us with at least one, and maybe a few, reasons for optimism regarding the year ahead.

 

Falcone: “The supply chain is becoming more intact. Two years ago, our fill rates as a company were about 60%; December marked the first time our fill rates recently broke the 80% mark. They’re still not back to 2019 levels of roughly 90%, but it’s slowly getting better, and I think the numbers will continue to increase. For the consumer, it’s the availability of product at a reasonable price. Also, we’re starting to see a little bit of deflation … I think we’re still going to have inflation, but it is going to level off.”

 

Kasa: “The war, which is terrible for the world, and the politics going on are only going to make more work for us because we’re military and defense-heavy. Meanwhile, space is another huge one for us, because it’s been years since the U.S. has gone to space. And with all the competition going on for space travel now between Blue Origin, SpaceX, and others … it’s a a market the U.S. hasn’t been involved in for years, and it bodes well for us.”

Tanzania Cannon-Eckerle

Tanzania Cannon-Eckerle says many converging forces will bring change to the employment-law scene in 2023.

Cannon-Eckerle: “Now that COVID is a little bit behind us … we have some clarity. I think there was a period of time when employers, employees, people who don’t work, everyone in this world went through a period of time when they just didn’t know what the future would hold. Now, people can start making decisions and moving forward, in whatever direction that might be. Also, green technology. I think that technology is getting a huge boost, even moreso than it had before, and I think we’re going to start making some big strides in green technology, and I’m really excited about that.”

 

Hatiras: One of the good things for Holyoke, and this is one of the reasons I’m optimistic about our path here, is that we have this new waiver in Massachusetts, a five-year waiver with Medicare, which puts a lot of emphasis on safety-net hospitals. So, despite the many challenges I mentioned — and we’re going to have to meet those challenges — I think we’re going to be in a very good position to continue to provide the services we do now, and even better; it’s a good deal for Massachusetts and safety-net hospitals.”

 

Dumay: “We had a Christmas party at the college recently, and everyone was shaking hands — no one was fist-pumping, no one was six feet apart. It’s easy to forget where we were a year ago. I’m encouraged when I look at what happened during the past semester, when students were happy to be with one another; this is the generation where students finished their high school on Zoom and already had some difficulty with social skills. This ability to come back together … people are appreciating that.

“Another reason for optimism is that we learned a lot of lessons during COVID. We endured considerable hardships, but we also learned some valuable lessons as well. In higher education, for example, we learned about online learning and providing students with maximum flexibility. This is something we were forced into by COVID, but now, those lessons are settling down and providing both flexibility and efficiency in terms of teaching and learning. From a human-relations perspective, we’ve learned some lessons that are becoming part of our operations, and for the better.”

 

PeoplesBank Sets New $2.3 Million Record for 2022 Donations

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — For a second year in a row, PeoplesBank set a new annual record for donations to civic and charitable causes. The bank tallied $2.3 million in donations for 2022, which is $1 million dollars more than last year’s record. Since 2011, the bank has donated well over $13 million to area causes.

“Supporting the community is essentially what we were set up to do,” said Tom Senecal, president and CEO of PeoplesBank. “We are a mutual bank, chartered to serve our customers and the communities they live in. As a mutual bank, we do not have stockholders who would divert profits. Therefore, we are able to significantly support nonprofits and other community causes.”

As a large regional employer whose values include community service, Senecal added, PeoplesBank is able to increase its support to the community and social-service organizations through volunteerism. “We have a lot of talent in our organization, and because of that, we have a significant presence on area nonprofit boards of directors. We also look for opportunities to roll up our sleeves and serve, and we spend thousands of hours each year doing that.”

Kris Allard, vice president of Development and Communications at Square One, noted that “I can’t really point to anything Square One does that doesn’t have PeoplesBank’s stamp on it.”

Likewise, “over 15 years, I can’t think of a way that PeoplesBank has not been there for us,” said Suzanne Parker, executive director of Girls Inc. of the Valley.

Collen Loveless, president and CEO of Revitalize CDC, also underscored the bank’s volunteerism and impact. “PeoplesBank has been a tremendous sponsor over the course of these many years.”

More information on PeoplesBank Corporate Responsibility and how to apply for a donation can be found at bankatpeoples.com/community.

International Language Institute Awarded Five-year Grant for Free English Classes

By
Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — In mid-December, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced the results of its competitive grant program to fund free English classes for immigrants and refugees across the state. The International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI), located in Northampton, was on the list.

“We were thrilled to get the good news,” said Macey Faiella, director of ILI’s English programs. “The pandemic shed new light on the disparities that face immigrants and refugees, and we reassessed our program to include greatly expanded offerings. DESE responded positively — all to the benefit of the students.”

For 34 years, ILI has partnered with the state to provide free English classes in Western Mass. The new award extends the partnership for an additional five years and funds about two-thirds of the overall program. ILI is responsible for the remaining costs, raised primarily from individual donors and local businesses and foundations.

Tighe & Bond Acquires WorldTech Engineering

By
Daily News

WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond, a Northeast leader in engineering, design, and environmental consulting, announced it has acquired WorldTech Engineering, a full-service transportation and civil-engineering firm.

This strategic acquisition aligns with the firm’s vision of being a trusted advisor by offering clients a comprehensive, single-source solution to their engineering, design, and environmental-science needs. The addition of WorldTech’s staff bolsters Tighe & Bond’s transportation services across a complementary client base.

Tighe & Bond’s current offices in Eastern Mass. offices are now augmented by WorldTech’s Woburn office, bringing the total number of offices to 13 across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Maine.

“We believe this expanded transportation practice gives us additional opportunity to support our client base given current and forecasted needs for transportation-infrastructure improvements,” Tighe & Bond President and CEO Bob Belitz said. “WorldTech’s business model complements our existing capabilities and aligns with our client-focused approach. We welcome this talented team to our firm.”

Richard Benevento, WorldTech’s founder, added that “we recognized our two highly accomplished firms would be stronger together as we continue our mission to be a personal and committed transportation partner. We look forward to expanding our client base throughout the Northeast and providing new opportunities for our employees.”

Habitat for Humanity Accepting Applications for Homeownership Opportunity

By
Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) is now accepting applications for a home in Hampden County. The deadline to apply is Thursday, March 30.

“We are excited to offer this opportunity, helping to make the dream of homeownership a reality for a deserving family in Hampden County,” GSHFH Executive Director Aimee Giroux said.

GSHFH is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through homeownership and home-repair opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build and repair simple, decent, affordable housing. Habitat’s mission to provide homeownership opportunities to low-income families is unique as it requires partner families to work alongside the community that is reaching out to help them. GSHFH has helped roughly 100 local families realize their dream of homeownership over the past 35 years.

For more information, contact Brandy O’Brien, Marketing and Communications manager, at [email protected] or (413) 739-5503, ext. 1003.

Cyber Center Brings Many Benefits

By Contributor
Opinion

Opinion

By Rick Sullivan

Over the past decade, the city of Springfield has made many advancements towards the goal of job formation and opportunity. We have continued the trend of job development, now with an added focus on technology. In an effort to bring the Pioneer Valley’s largest city into the forefront of the cyber realm, the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council (EDC) has been facilitating the development of this industry over the years, which has successfully led to a new, on-the-ground investment project, now spearheaded by Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), with an emphasis on careers in technology.

Located at Union Station directly in downtown, this state-of-the-art technology center will offer education and hands-on job training to individuals looking to seek careers in the tech field. This initiative provides an opportunity to grow and develop a workforce that will ensure long-term job stability and meet the ever-growing cyber needs of community businesses.

Four components will drive this project and allow the community at large to not only benefit, but contribute to its success in meaningful ways:

• Educational offerings: Colleges and universities in the region such as STCC, Bay Path University, UMass Amherst, Western New England University, Elms College, and Springfield College will provide training opportunities to students, leading to jobs in the future.

• Municipality involvement: Technology experts are always in demand and rarely available within governmental sectors. This program will provide access to trained and skilled individuals, ready for hire.

• Military support: Westover and Barnes Air Force bases have already expressed interest in being able to train their workforce in the ever-growing field of technology. Both employers plan to support and hire from within the program.

• Small-business benefits: Manufacturing and other sectors are constantly seeking individuals with cyber certification. This new center will provide the much-needed resources to bring cutting-edge technologies to local businesses.

This project has significant state financial backing, having just received its first $1.5 million in grant funding. The design stage of the project has begun, and the center is slated to be open and accepting participants during the fall of 2023. This center is an essential economic-development strategy to modernize and innovate the business infrastructure. We expect to see substantial growth in the cyber-industry arena, benefiting the financial and economic vitality of the region.

For more information on this project and its progress, visit www.westernmassedc.com.

 

Rick Sullivan is president and CEO of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council.

 

What We Want to See in 2023

By
Opinion

Editorial

 

As we turn the page on 2022 and look ahead to a year filled with question marks, those of us at BusinessWest offer up some thoughts on what we’d like to see in the year ahead.

Some wishes would fall in the category of ‘obvious’ — a slowing of inflation, fewer and less dramatic interest-rate hikes (how about none at all?), improvement on the workforce front, and some real movement on job growth — while others might be less obvious. Here’s a short list:

 

Less Whitewater

The past three years have been a long, grueling grind for area businesses, large and small. They have had to cope with COVID, a workforce crisis, supply-chain issues, dramatic price increases, recession fears, waning consumer confidence, a microchip shortage, incessant employment-law challenges, cybersecurity issues, the various challenges of remote work, early retirement among Baby Boomers … the list doesn’t seem to end, and we certainly forgot a few.

The region’s business community could use a break, a breather, some real ‘party like its 2019’ normalcy, not the new normal. Let’s hope some is coming in 2023.

 

A More Impactful MGM Springfield

Let’s start by saying the casino complex on Main Street has had to deal with everything on the list above, just like everyone else. So it has certainly not had an easy ride since the parade that marked its grand opening in late August 2018. That said, few if any would say that MGM Springfield has had anything close to the kind of economic impact we were all hoping for, if not expecting, when it was blueprinted and then built.

Yes, it has had a stake in several meaningful initiatives, like the project to revitalize the old Court Square Hotel. But, overall, gaming revenues are not what were projected, and the same can be said for vibrancy in the casino area, the list of things to do at the complex, meetings and conventions, and impact. We’ve said it before, and it bears repeating … there are many days when, if you didn’t know there was a casino on Main Street, you wouldn’t know there was a casino on Main Street. This needs to change, and hopefully we’ll see some progress in 2023. Maybe sports betting will help.

 

Continued Growth of the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

This has been one of the better economic-development stories of the past several years, and the region needs to continue and build upon its efforts to encourage entrepreneurship. As the immense competition for manufacturers and other kinds of businesses, and the jobs they create, only increases, perhaps the most realistic opportunities for growth in this region are of the organic kind. Progress in this fashion comes slowly and, in most cases, undramatically. But we have to continue to plant seeds.

 

Relief on the Workforce Front

We’re not sure if or how it can happen, but the area’s employers need some relief from the crushing workforce crisis. As the stories that begin on page 13 clearly show, workforce is the issue that is keeping business owners and managers up at night. Worse, it’s keeping many businesses from reaching their full potential and realize some of the opportunities that are coming their way.

The region and the state cannot simply wave a wand and bring thousands of people into the workforce. But what they can do is continue and accelerate the work to make this state more attractive, not just for businesses, but for the people who will work at them, by creating more affordable housing and taking other steps to bring people here instead of compelling them to look or move elsewhere to find a job, start a career, or write the next chapter.

Picture This

By
Pictured, from left: Dan Moriarty, Monson Savings Bank President and CEO; Veronica Garcia, CEO of Latino Marketing Agency; and John Perez, project office manager at the Hispanic-American Institute Inc.
Picture This

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

 

Supporting Community

Monson Savings Bank recently made a $10,000 donation to the Hispanic-American Institute in Springfield, a nonprofit corporation that is committed to encouraging social, educational, and economic development in Hispanic communities in the continental U.S., Puerto Rico, and Latin America. In addition to the Springfield branch, the institute has offices and staff in Boston; Albuquerque, N.M.; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Pictured, from left: Dan Moriarty, Monson Savings Bank President and CEO; Veronica Garcia, CEO of Latino Marketing Agency; and John Perez, project office manager at the Hispanic-American Institute Inc.

Pictured, from left: Dan Moriarty, Monson Savings Bank President and CEO; Veronica Garcia, CEO of Latino Marketing Agency; and John Perez, project office manager at the Hispanic-American Institute Inc.

 

 

New Location, Higher Gear

On Dec. 13, Springfield Auto & Truck Equipment held a ribbon cutting at its new location at 797 Berkshire Ave. in Indian Orchard. The move represents a significant expansion from a 3,800-square-foot facility to a 12,000-square-foot building, which includes a 5,000-square-foot showroom for product displays.

Local dignitaries in attendance at the ribbon cutting included Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, state Reps. Angelo Puppolo and Orlando Ramos, Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi, Indian Orchard Citizen’s Council Vice President Yolanda Cancel, and Springfield Chief Development Officer Timothy Sheehan.

Local dignitaries in attendance at the ribbon cutting included Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, state Reps. Angelo Puppolo and Orlando Ramos, Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi, Indian Orchard Citizen’s Council Vice President Yolanda Cancel, and Springfield Chief Development Officer Timothy Sheehan.

 

 

Meeting Critical Needs

American Eagle Financial Credit Union announced $7,500 in donations to local food- and housing-assistance organizations within the credit union’s service area. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Connecticut Foodshare, and Hands on Hartford each received a $2,500 donation.

Pictured: Teresa Knox, COO of American Eagle Financial Credit Union (right), presents the $2,500 donation to Jillian Morgan, director of Philanthropy at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

Pictured: Teresa Knox, COO of American Eagle Financial Credit Union (right), presents the $2,500 donation to Jillian Morgan, director of Philanthropy at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets

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.

 

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Thomas Murtha v. Sturdy Home Improvements Inc.

Allegation: Breach of contract: $59,000

Filed: 11/1/22

 

Marie Norgaisse v. City of Springfield Historical Commission, Robert McCarroll, Ralph Slate, Philip Bromey, Alvin Allen, and Thomas Belton

Allegation: Fraud, financial damages, withholding evidence, mental stress, prosecution, harassment, humiliation: $170,400

Filed: 11/4/22

 

Hemant Ajbani v. Sterling Architectural Millwork, Demetrios Cenetis, Jeffery Struck, C&S Building and Renovations Inc., and Craftwork Inc.

Allegation: Failure to pay wages, breach of contract, retaliation, breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing: $500,000+

Filed: 11/7/22

 

Raymond Knapp v. Town of West Springfield

Allegation: Tortious action involving municipality: $256,500+

Filed: 11/8/22

 

Javier Acovedo Aponte v. Department of Unemployment

Allegation: Failure to pay wages: $11,600+

Filed: 11/9/22

 

RK on Main Street LLC v. Isla Associates I LLC

Allegation: Breach of contract: $100,000+

Filed: 11/22/22

 

Scott Wall v. John Doe and Brown Packaging

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall resulting in personal injury: $150,000

Filed: 11/30/22

 

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Chocorua Realty Investments LLC v. Anne Frey, Sarah Spencer, and Greenfield Savings Bank

Allegation: Breach of contract: $70,880

Filed: 12/5/22

 

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By
Chamber Corners

1BERKSHIRE

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

 

Jan. 20: Women & Minority Owned Business Certification Summit, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Berkshire Innovation Center, 45 Woodlawn Ave., Pittsfield. 1Berkshire, EforAll Berkshire County, Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp., Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, and Berkshire Innovation Center welcome any women- and/or minority-owned businesses in the Berkshires to join us for this free event that will provide information about becoming a certified women- and minority-owned business enterprise (WMBE), a space to network with fellow businesses, and direct access to resource providers who can walk you through the process of certification. This event is free and includes lunch. Registration is required at www.1berkshire.com.

 

Jan. 31: 1Berkshire Entrepreneurial Meetup, 4:30- 6 p.m., hosted by Anahata Schoolhouse Yoga and Wellness Center, 201 North Summer St., Adams. Join us for our first Entrepreneurial Meetup of 2023. Reconnect with your colleagues and hear from owner Howard Rosenberg about his entrepreneurial journey. This event is free to attend and made possible through the support of Pittsfield Cooperative Bank. Registration is required at www.1berkshire.com.

 

EAST OF THE RIVER FIVE TOWN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 575-7230; www.erc5.com

 

Jan. 4: ERC5 After 5, 5:30-6:30 p.m., location to be announced. ERC5 After 5s happen on the first Wednesday of every other month. Please be sure to RSVP for future dates and secure your spot before they sell out. Cost is free, but registration is limited and required. To register, visit www.erc5.com.

 

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 527-9414; www.easthamptonchamber.org

 

Jan. 19: Annual meeting, 12-2 p.m., hosted by the Boylston Room, 122 Pleasant St., Easthampton. Join us as we share the successes of the last year, what we have learned, and where we are headed. Cost: $35 for members, including lunch; $40 for future members, including lunch. To register, visit easthamptonchamber.org.

 

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

(413) 568-1618; www.westfieldbiz.org

 

Jan. 4: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Westfield Gas & Electric Operations Center, 40 Turnpike Industrial Road, Westfield. Join us for the first Mayor’s Coffee Hour of 2023. Mayor Michael McCabe will update attendees on City Hall activities, and there will be an opportunity to ask the mayor questions. This event is free to attend. To register, visit www.westfieldbiz.org.

 

Jan. 26: Morning Brew, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Shortstop Bar & Grill, 99 Springfield Road, Westfield. Join us for a great networking opportunity. Introduce yourself and your business to the attendees. Everyone has a chance to discuss what their business does and what they are looking for to expand and improve. This event is free to attend. To register, visit www.westfieldbiz.org.

Agenda

By
Agenda

IRS Tax Changes

Jan. 12: The Pioneer Valley Estate Planning Council Inc. announced that its next event will be held at the Hotel Northampton. The planned topic is an update on IRS tax changes that may result in changes to the tax code and estate-planning techniques. A buffet-style breakfast will be served. Social hour begins at 7:30 a.m. The event cost is $40 for both members and non-members. Checks will be accepted at the door. As an update, the council received $800 from the National Council as reimbursement of fees for the current fiscal year, helping to replenish its bank account. Full details will be provided at the January meeting.

 

Cirque du Soleil Presents ‘Corteo’

Jan. 12-15: Corteo, the arena production from Cirque du Soleil, is back in North America and heading to Worcester. This unique production, directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, first premiered in Montreal under the Big Top in April 2005. Since its creation, the show has amazed more than 10 million spectators in 20 countries on four continents. Corteo will be presented at the DCU Center on Thursday, Jan. 12 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 14 at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 15 at 1 p.m. Corteo, which means ‘cortege’ in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy, and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth. In a Cirque du Soleil first, the stage is central in the arena and divides the venue, with each half of the audience facing the other half, giving a unique perspective not only of the show, but also a performer’s eye view of the audience, an atmosphere never seen before in Cirque du Soleil arena shows. Tickets for Corteo in Worcester are currently available at cirquedusoleil.com/corteo.

 

 

World Affairs Council

Jan. 13: The World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts announced that its next Instant Issues brown-bag lunchtime discussion will take place at noon on the new, ninth-floor event space at 1350 Main St. in downtown Springfield. Longtime friend of the council Mahsa Khanbabai, an attorney with Khanbabai Immigration Law, will speak on the current status of women in Iran. Khanbabai was born in Iran and raised in Western Mass. She is regularly interviewed by news agencies such as NPR, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, MSNBC, and others. Her legal advocacy and strategic use of the media spotlight has led to numerous high-impact immigration changes, including the reinstatement of deferred action. Admission to the event is $5 for council members without a lunch provided, or $20 with a box lunch. Non-members’ admission cost is $10 without a lunch or $25 with a lunch. For those who purchase a meal, box lunches with a choice of sandwich — turkey, tuna, roast beef, or vegetarian — will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Lunches also include a deli salad, cookie, chips, and soda or water. At the request of the speaker, this event will not be recorded. To register, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/instant-issues-mahsa-khanbabai-on-women-youth-movements-in-iran-tickets-490513698677.

 

SSO to Celebrate MLK

Jan. 14: The Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) will celebrate the life and spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. on the Symphony Hall stage at 7:30 p.m. Music of African-American composers will be performed by the orchestra and guest pianist Artina McCain, and highlighted by a spoken-word presentation by Springfield’s poet laureate, Magdalena Gómez.

Tickets are on sale, starting at $15, on the SSO website, www.springfieldsymphony.org. Kevin Scott, an African-American conductor, composer, and native New Yorker, will lead the orchestra on Jan. 14. Born in the Bronx and raised in Harlem, Scott has led various orchestras, choruses, and bands throughout the Greater New York area and in Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Varna, Bulgaria. His works have been performed by the orchestras of Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Minneapolis, and St. Louis. Concert attendees will hear works such as “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (J. Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson, arr. Hale Smith); “Rise to the Occasion” (Quinn Mason); “The Audacity of Hope” (Ozie Cargile II); and “Fannie’s Homecoming,” composed by the evening’s conductor, who has been inspired by the legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer, a leader in the civil-rights movement. Music of Florence Price and William Grant Still will also be performed. A ‘classical conversation’ with Scott will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 14 for all ticketholders, and there will be a meet and greet following the performance in the Mahogany Room.

 

MOSSO Concert Series at Westfield Athenaeum

Feb. 23, March 23, April 20: The Westfield Athenaeum will present a three-concert chamber-music series with MOSSO (Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra) performing. This is the second year of this partnership. Guy McLain, executive director of the Westfield Athenaeum, will offer a pre-performance talk at 6 p.m., which is free to ticket holders. The Westfield Athenaeum series opens with MOSSO and Friends on Feb. 23. Violinist Beth Welty, horn player Sarah Sutherland, and pianist Elizabeth Skavish will perform horn trios of Frédéric Duvernoy, Trygve Madsen, and Johannes Brahms. Welty, chair of MOSSO, is acting principal second violin of MOSSO and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO). Sutherland, MOSSO and SSO horn player, is also MOSSO’s finance director. The series continues on Thursday, March 23 with a performance by the Vermont-based Champlain Trio, which includes MOSSO and SSO principal cello Emily Taubl. The Champlain Trio will perform “Brilliant Colors,” a program that features music by Tchaikovsky, Erik Neilsen (“Trio No. 2” written for the ensemble), Jennifer Higdon, Amy Beach, and Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite.” The series concludes on Thursday, April 20 with MOSSO and SSO horn player Robert Hoyle’s quintet, the Connecticut-based Harmonia V. The quintet will celebrate April in Paris with an all-French program, featuring pieces by Barthe, Fauré, Ravel, Poulenc, Debussy, Pierné, and Lefebvre. Tickets for the concerts, $25 per person, must be purchased in advance at the Westfield Athenaeum during business hours, or online at www.westath.org.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move

Elms College announced that seven prominent leaders in the region have joined the board of trustees.

Kathleen Bernardo

Kathleen Bernardo

• Kathleen Bernardo is a partner at Bulkley Richardson and leads the Real Estate practice group. Her practice focuses on commercial real-estate matters such as conveyancing, financing, leasing, title matters, and all aspects of complex property transfers, including purchase agreements, easements, liquor-license transfers, special permits, regulatory compliance, zoning and variance issues, 1031 exchange transfers, boundary disputes, public and private conservation restrictions including agricultural preservation restrictions, petitions to partition, and other land-court matters. Her probate practice includes the preparation of wills and trusts, estate and trust administration, equity petitions, guardianships, and conservatorships.

Larry Eagan

Larry Eagan

• Larry Eagan is the president and CEO of Collins Electric and has been with the company since 1984. Collins Electric is a private company with offices in Chicopee and Pittsfield, sales of more than $15 million, and more than 80 employees. Collins Electric is an Elms College vendor and a sponsor of the Executive Leadership Breakfast. Eagan is on the board of directors of Associated Subcontractors of Massachusetts, serves as the chapter president of Legatus of Western Massachusetts, and is a member of the National Electrical Contractors Assoc.

Lindsey Gamble

• Lindsey Gamble is the director of Nursing at Mercy Medical Center, a broad role that carries with it many responsibilities, including staffing, budgeting, training, and ongoing education of the nursing staff. Gamble started her nursing career as a labor and delivery nurse. She played a key role in the opening of Mercy’s Innovation Unit, designed to ensure that families of COVID-19 patients stay connected with the patient and the care team during their hospital stay.

Catherine Ormond

Catherine Ormond

• Catherine Ormond, SSJ serves as pastoral visitor at St. Jerome’s Parish in Holyoke and most recently was pastoral minister at St. Patrick’s Church in South Hadley for nearly 20 years. Prior to that, she held counseling positions at Holyoke Catholic High School and Charles River Hospital in Chicopee Falls, and was coordinator of services at Brightside Mental Health Clinic.

Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson

• Frank Robinson is the vice president of Public Health for Baystate Health. In this role, he is responsible for integrating clinical and community care to better serve vulnerable people and populations across the spectrum of diversity and create healthier communities. Robinson also represents Baystate Health in the area of community relations by building a shared agenda and common goals for community improvement with neighborhood, community, and business representatives, as well as other key stakeholders. He has led the establishment of the Baystate Springfield Educational Partnership and the founding of the Baystate Academy Charter Public School.

Betsy Sullivan

Betsy Sullivan

• Betsy Sullivan, SSJ serves as president of the congregation for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield. She has extensive leadership experience, including vice president of the congregation, preceded by three decades as a licensed administrator of Mont Marie Health Care Center, a licensed nursing home in Holyoke.

Henry Thomas III

• Henry Thomas III serves as president and CEO of the Urban League of Springfield Inc. He has worked in the Urban League movement for 43 years, serving 39 years as president and CEO. Previously, he served as vice president for Youth Development with the National Urban League in New York. He is also the former chair of the Springfield Fire Commission and the Springfield Police Commission. Thomas serves as CEO for the historic Camp Atwater, the oldest African-American overnight youth camp in the U.S., which he reopened in 1980 following a six-year hiatus. He served on the UMass board of trustees from 2007 to 2021 and served as chairman in 2012.

•••••

Katharine Shove

Katharine Shove

Brodeur-McGan, P.C. announced that Katharine Shove joined the firm this fall. As a litigator, Shove particularly enjoys employment law, representing both employees and employers in discrimination, retaliation, and wage-and-hour cases. She regularly assists employers with complex state and federal compliance issues, representing electric companies, construction companies, and manufacturers. In addition to employment and compliance matters, she litigates matters involving property damages (real and personal), personal injuries, contract disputes, and consumer-protection violations, such as violations of General Laws Chapter 93A. After law school, Shove clerked for Justice C. Jeffrey Kinder of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, where she conducted legal research and drafted criminal and civil decisions for panel cases. Following her clerkship, she practiced as a litigator with Bacon Wilson, P.C. Shove serves as a board member of the Hampden County Bar Assoc. New Lawyers Section and is a member of the Hampden County Legal Clinic’s pro bono associate advisory board.

•••••

The Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley announced its annual award winners at the association’s holiday luncheon on Dec. 1 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. The 2022 Realtor of the Year is Arlene Castellano of Acuna Real Estate. The 2022 Affiliate of the Year is Victor Rodriguez Sr. of PeoplesBank. A Realtor since 2015, Castellano has served on the RAPV board of directors since 2020. She has also served on the community service, finance, government affairs, member engagement, professional standards, and YPN committees. She has given back to the community through her active involvement with the community service committee, including as a board member for Dress for Success and co-chair of its relocation committee; as a basketball coach; serving in the Franklin County Meal; and coordinating a Meet the Candidate event for state Rep. Jake Oliveira. She has also coordinated RAPV’s new-member orientation and has been featured on the Real Estate Minute segment of WWLP’s Mass Appeal program intended to educate the public about real estate and the role of Realtors. She recently participated in and graduated from the Massachusetts Assoc. of Realtors’ 2022 Leadership Academy Class. A member of RAPV since 2015, Rodriguez is the mortgage consultant at PeoplesBank and has served on the affiliate-Realtor and community service committees. He has demonstrated tremendous support to the association and community outreach and volunteered in RAPV’s community-service efforts through its Christmas adopt-a-family program. His community activities include being director at Heir of Christ Christian Church since 2016, a board member of Holyoke Chapter Salvation Army since 2019, a board member of One Holyoke CDC since 2019, a committee member of Buy Holyoke Now, and a prior board member of the Greater Holyoke YMCA.

•••••

Diane Sabato

Diane Sabato

John Diffley

John Diffley

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) professors Diane Sabato and John Diffley received the Michelson IP Educator of Excellence Award. Sabato, an STCC business professor, and Diffley, an attorney and history professor, have been working on the intellectual-property (IP) educational initiative since 2020. STCC was one of only five colleges nationwide with faculty accepted into the Michelson IP Educator in Residence initiative. The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property and the National Assoc. for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) selected Sabato and Diffley for the project. Sabato and Diffley have been collaborating with four other educators focusing on a mission to deliver intellectual-property education. They joined faculty from institutions in New Jersey, Florida, California, and New Mexico. Intellectual property refers to inventions and human creations such as literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, and names and images used in commerce. Sabato taught intellectual-property concepts in an entrepreneurship class at STCC. Diffley brought the historical perspective of Springfield as an innovation hub and the capacity to implement campus-wide initiatives, initially, through the Honors Program.

•••••

Berkshire Money Management (BMM), a boutique advisory firm with offices in Dalton and Great Barrington, recently welcomed Brenda Bailly and Tina Archambault as client care specialists. The two new hires join the client care team led by Chelsea Smith, recently promoted to the role of client specialist leader. All three employees play a vital role in providing attentive, personalized service to the clients of Berkshire Money Management. Bailly, based in the company’s downtown Great Barrington office, brings more than 24 years of experience in financial services and wealth-management operations to her role as client care specialist. Before joining the BMM team, she was a wealth management senior operations specialist at Berkshire Bank, where her responsibilities included client care, opening and closing accounts, audit assistance, system configurations, and more. A notary, Berkshire Community College graduate, and experienced customer-service professional, Archambault joins the Berkshire Money Management team as client care specialist at the Dalton office. She brings to her new role 25 years in customer service and 16 years of experience in trusts. In her previous role as wealth management operations specialist at Berkshire Bank, she worked with various accounts, including IRAs, trusts, and investment and estate accounts, and was responsible for the opening of new accounts, asset transfers, and other operational tasks. As part of the client care team, both Bailly and Archambault will assist with client onboarding, scheduling, opening and servicing accounts, facilitating account transactions, building strong relationships, and helping clients with their day-to-day service needs. Berkshire Money Management also congratulates Smith on her recent promotion to client specialist leader. She joined BMM in 2021 as a client care specialist. In her new role, she is focused on strengthening BMM’s client care team through coaching, developing new standards and practices, and leading the team in providing exceptional client service. She is a veteran customer-service professional and notary public and has an associate degree from Berkshire Community College in liberal arts with a concentration in business administration.

•••••

Pema Latshang

Teach Western Mass Executive Director Pema Latshang has been selected to serve on the Healey-Driscoll Thriving Youth and Young Adults Transition Committee. Transition committees aim to guide Gov.-elect Maura Healey and Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll on important work as they prepare to take office in January. Each committee is composed of a diverse group of community members, advocates, subject-matter experts, and business and nonprofit leaders. Latshang’s participation gives voice to the education community of Western Mass. Her expertise in reducing barriers to entry to the profession, maintaining performance standards, and increasing retention supports for new teachers will help her advocate for a high-quality, diverse teacher workforce.

•••••

The Look Memorial Park board of trustees voted unanimously to name Justin Pelis the park’s fifth executive director. Pelis has served as the interim executive director since July 29. “Look Memorial Park is special to so many people,” Pelis said. “It evokes a different meaning to everyone, but in the end, the park is a place where memories are built between families and community. I’m proud to be the newest executive director of Look Park, where my vision and contribution will live on in the hearts of the community for years to come. That was the intent of Mrs. Fannie Look when she set forth to memorialize her late husband Frank Newhall Look in 1928. As executive director, I honor the responsibility to preserve Mrs. Look’s vision while also being responsive and adaptive to the changing needs of our patrons and communities.”

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

MassMutual Foundation Awards $2 Million Grant to Way Finders

SPRINGFIELD — Way Finders and the MassMutual Foundation announced that Way Finders has been provided with a $2 million gift from the MassMutual Foundation to help fund its City of Homes (COH) initiative. This pilot program will address the need for quality, affordable homeownership opportunities in Springfield, the headquarters city of MassMutual and Way Finders. COH will create homeownership opportunities for first-time homebuyers by leveraging the receivership process to acquire and rehabilitate single-family homes or properties for sale at affordable prices in pilot neighborhoods in Springfield. To qualify for the applicant lottery, prospective homebuyers must have either attended a first-time-homebuyer seminar with Way Finders or another certified organization and secured mortgage funding with MassHousing or a private lender. By focusing on Springfield’s North End and Mason Square neighborhoods, where 75% or more of the residents are Black or Hispanic and 50% or more live below the poverty line, the project will provide much-needed access to homeownership opportunities traditionally unavailable to many residents in these communities. Since 2018, the MassMutual Foundation has supported Way Finders’ financial-capability programming, which lays the groundwork for homeownership with financial education and first-time homebuyer workshops. Through the COH pilot program, Way Finders will be able to help Springfield residents turn this education into action as they become first-time homebuyers. In 2022, Way Finders programs impacted the lives of more than 46,000 people through services including homelessness and foreclosure prevention, financial education and first-time homebuyer workshops, and small-business loans.

 

 

MassDevelopment, PeoplesBank Complete Financing Package for New Girls Inc. Facility

HOLYOKE — The new Girls Inc. of the Valley headquarters and program center is one big step closer to reality thanks to a new financing package developed by MassDevelopment and PeoplesBank. Girls Inc. recently announced the closing of financing on a $2,275,000 MassDevelopment revenue bond for the new program center in Holyoke. PeoplesBank was the purchaser of the bond, continuing the bank’s longtime support of Girls Inc. of the Valley. MassDevelopment enhanced the bond with a $455,000 mortgage insurance guarantee. The newly renovated, 16,000-square foot facility will allow the organization to consolidate its programs at one location. It will include a cutting-edge STEM makers’ space, a library, two multi-purpose rooms, a teen lounge, a kitchen and dining area, and administrative offices. “We are thrilled to be able to continue our support of Girls Inc. of the Valley and be a part of this exciting project,” said Vicky Crouse, senior vice president, Commercial Banking at PeoplesBank. “Their mission to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold by providing them the opportunity to develop and achieve their full potential is one that we embrace as well.” Dan Rivera, president and CEO of MassDevelopment, noted that “Girls Inc. has a proven track record of supporting girls in all their academic and social endeavors, while also empowering them to unlock the best version of themselves. We are pleased to partner with PeoplesBank to help this nonprofit purchase a new building in Holyoke to call home.”

 

Berkshire Agricultural Ventures Awards Grant to Gould Farm

GREAT BARRINGTON — Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV) awarded Gould Farm a resilience grant of $5,000 to complete construction of a new hoop house that will enable the farm to extend its growing season. This grant was awarded in conjunction with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Services. Gould Farm will use this hoop house (also known as a ‘high tunnel system’) to cover and protect crops from sun, wind, excessive rainfall, and frost, and increase spring and fall crop production in an environmentally safe manner. Gould Farm produces crops as part of its mental-health programming, through which clients grow, cook, and consume vegetables from the farm. During the growing season, Gould Farm also supplies the multicultural BRIDGE food pantry. With the hoop-house addition, Gould Farm will be able to increase the amount and availability of fresh produce for the farm and pantry.

 

Rocky’s Raises Nearly $26,000 to Support Children’s Hospitals

SPRINGFIELD — Rocky’s Ace Hardware, one of the country’s largest family-owned Ace Hardware dealers with 47 locations in nine states, kicked off the season of giving in November with its semi-annual Round Up for Kids fundraiser, raising a grand total of $25,908 across all participating locations. Customers were asked to round up their purchase total to the next dollar, and the difference was donated to Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals. This was the third Round Up for Kids fundraiser Rocky’s has held this year, with 100% of the money raised going to benefit local CMN hospitals, including Baystate Children’s Hospital in Springfield. Participating Rocky’s locations included the Island Pond Road and Liberty Street stores in Springfield and the stores in Agawam, East Longmeadow, Westfield, Ludlow, Palmer, and South Hadley. Since 1983, CMN hospitals have helped fill funding gaps by raising more than $7 billion. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible.

 

 

Country Bank Supports Nonprofits During ‘Season of Difference’

WARE — Children, seniors, and those who are most in need got a lot of care this holiday season from Country Bank, a full-service financial institution serving Central and Western Mass. The bank’s 210 team members gathered on Dec. 14 to write holiday greetings, wrap gifts, and pack homeless care bags in a show of support for the numerous nonprofits that serve the region. During the bank’s Season of Difference Campaign event, team members (also called Difference Makers) wrapped gifts for 400 children at the Worcester and Springfield YMCAs and Boys and Girls Clubs and the Ludlow Boys and Girls Club, along with 300 gifts for local nursing homes, including Quaboag Rehabilitation Center & Skilled Care and Brookhaven Assisted Care in West Brookfield, as well as Life Care Center in Wilbraham. They also packed 300 homeless care bags, which were delivered to Friends of the Homeless in Springfield and St. John’s Food for the Poor Program in Worcester. Team members volunteered at other local nonprofits, including the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Juniper Outreach, Wreaths Across America, Friends of the Homeless dinner service, St. John’s Food for the Poor breakfast service, and local senior-center holiday celebrations, as well as ringing the bell for the Salvation Army in Ware and Belchertown. Country Bank also announced donations to 21 senior centers throughout the region. A total of $42,000 in donations were made to local senior centers. These donations are made without restriction for those necessary items that may not be met within annual budgets. In addition to its annual monetary support, Country Bank also sends teams of its Difference Makers to volunteer at local senior centers on a monthly basis.

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

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

AGAWAM 

Yori Korean Restaurant Inc., 1 Cooper St., Agawam, MA 01001. Kyoungyeol Byun, 54 River Road Agawam, MA 01001. Restaurant.

BELCHERTOWN

Devine Pursuit Holdings Inc., 43 Meadow Pond Road, Belchertown, MA 01007. Eric Devine, same. Investment. 

CHICOPEE

A&J Landscape Construction Inc., 54 Marten St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Arthur Zawadzki, same. Landscape construction and snow removal.
 
Proform Construction Inc., 21 Fredette St., Chicopee, MA 01022.  Michael Ash, same. Residential and commercial construction.
 
EASTHAMPTON
 
Carbonstar Systems Inc., 7 Fairfield Ave., Suite 2, Easthampton, MA 01027. Michael Garjian, same. Atmospheric and oceanic carbon dioxide removal.
 
GREENFIELD

The Spartan’s, Inc., 25 Main St., Greenfield, MA 01301. Costa Alimonos, 1 Maplewood Terrace Hadley, MA 01035. Rental property. 
 
LENOX

Berkshire Jewish Center Inc., 150 Pittsfield Road, Suite E-1, Lenox, MA 01240. Levi Volovik, 450 South St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Incorporation established to build, open, and operate a Jewish Temple in Berkshire County MA. 
 
NORTHAMPTON

The Whole Person Institute, PC., 16 Armory St., Suite 21, Northampton, MA 01060. Scott Barvainis, same. Mental health services. 
 
PITTSFIELD

Blast Trans Inc., 82 Wendell Ave., Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Valesta Lynch,  9113 Kings Hwy., Brooklyn, NY 11212. Bridge construction and maintenance. 
 

Racial Fairness Berkshires Inc., 75 Broad St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Sinead O’Brien, 80 Broad St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Non-profit organization established to upend localized systemic racism through education and empowerment.
 
SPRINGFIELD

Buy and Develop Inc., 69 Silver St., Springfield, MA 01107. Zachary Nunnally, same. Incorporation established to promote and educate African Americans the importance of black home ownership and real-estate holdings. 
 
Iglesia Pentecostal El Calvario Inc., 282 Locust St., Springfield, MA 01101. Juan Rivera,  294 Dorwell St., Springfield, MA 01108. Charitable organization established to engage in religious purposes and activities. To rescue lives for Christ and the gospel.
 
Maroa’s Cuisine Inc., 679 Chestnut St., Springfield, MA 01107. Pedro David Perez Urena, same. Sales of prepared foods in a restaurant style setting.
 
Unitarian Universalist for A Just Economic Community, 435 Porter Lake Dr. #227, Springfield, MA 01106. Terry Lee Lowman, 3425 Valley View Rd. Ames, IA 07677. Motivate, educate and activate members of our Unitarian Universalist congregations to engage economic injustices and religious worship in their regions and nationwide.
 
WEST SPRINGFIELD
 
Iglesia Pentecostal Bethel Concilio Prn Inc., 750 Main St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Josue Rivera, same. A local church by the direction of the lord Jesus Christ and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit in accordance with all of the commandments and provisions set forth in the Holy Bible, the irrevocable word of God.
 
Vitality Digital Tech Inc., 442 Westfield St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Vitaliy Tkachenko, 38 Deer Run Southwick, MA 01077. Digital dental practices.
 

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and/or trade names were issued or renewed during the month of December 2022. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

AGAWAM

Jacy’s Oriental Massage
525 Springfield St., Unit K
Huaiging Liu

Peppo’s Pizza
421 Springfield St.
Abaz Cecunjann

Ryan Associates
23 Southwick St.
Christine Day

The Still
63 Springfield St.
Rebecca Maslar

Taplin Yard Pump & Power
197 Main St.
Martin Jagodowski

The TV Doctor
10 Southwick St.
David Gomez

AMHERST

JShefftz Consulting
14 Moody Field Road
Jonathan Shefftz

Northeast Ski Mountaineering
14 Moody Field Road
Jonathan Shefftz

The Other Realm
8 Tuckerman Lane
Aaron Evans-Janes

Provisions
113 Cowls Road
Benson Hyde, Andrew McAmis

Sonya Clark Studios LLC
1 Tuckerman Lane
Sonya Clark

Transformation in Action
1325 Bay Road
Annabelle Keil

Zoey Simmons Jewelry
460 Flat Hills Road
David Dali

BELCHERTOWN

Austin Ridge Acres
241 Bardwell St.
Loni Austin

DBJ Investments
115B North Main St.
James Bachand Jr.

Webster’s Garage
176 Federal St.
Barry Potter

CHICOPEE

Beyond Beauty Hair and Nail Studio
290 East St.
Dineen Veene

JP Quality Carpentry
308 Hampden St.
John Carlos Pagán

Paddy 733 Inc.
733 Chicopee St.
Blake Bryan

ENFIELD

Cerritos Enfield LLC
61 Palomba Dr.
Ruben Huerta

Exclusive Painting
11 Parker St.
Ryan Roberts

R&M Cleaning Solutions
11 Salerno Dr.
Ryan Gaetani

GREAT BARRINGTON

Elizabeth Rose
15 Mahawie St.
Elizabeth Rose

The Grille
800 Main St.
Backstage Plates LLC

Meg Agnew, LMT
15 Mahaiwe St.
Margaret Agnew

Small Wonders Workshop
304 North Plain Road
David Long

South County Taxi
7 Hart St.
John Mercer

GREENFIELD

M. McIntyre Professional Coach
277 Main St., Suite 301C
Michael McIntyre

Mohawk Falafel and Shawarma
142 Mohawk Trail
Afran Akach, Ismail Asaad

RegalCare at Greenfield
95 Laurel St.
Eliyahu Mirlis

Semaski Financial
58 Highland Ave.
Jason Semaski

Z’s Inspection Center
184 Federal St.
Zain Naveed

HOLYOKE

Gary Rome Hyundai Inc.
150 Whiting Farms Road
Gary Rome

Homestead Grocery Mart LLC
625 Homestead Ave.
Sanjay Patel

The Joint
37 Commercial St.
Carlo Sarno, Brian Boru

Pizza D’Action
232 Lyman St.
Carlos Fonseca

We Care for Your Business
336A Maple St.
Van Tran

MONSON

The QuickBooks Fixer
40 Stafford Hollow Road
Myrna Stacey

Seymco
268 Palmer Road, #39
Michael Seymour

Savage Investigations
27 Margaret St.
Alison Whitehill

NORTHAMPTON

OnCall Healthy Living Program
51 Locust St., Suite 1
James Carroll, Mike Stevens, Louis Durkin

La Escuela Family Daycare
34 Hockanum Road
Bertha Thorman

Fair Trust Market
183 Grove St.
Tino Maric

Release Therapeutic Bodywork
7 Main St.
Sheila Murray

SOUTH HADLEY

Savannah Brzoska
353 North Main St.
Savannah Brzoska

Sok’s
30 Bridge St.
Sokharun Yim

SOUTHWICK

Tactical Recovery Solutions
5 Maple St.
Christopher Bonanno

Whalley Precision Inc.
28 Hudson Dr.
Jennifer Whalley

SPRINGFIELD

Khan’s Food and Drinks
1333 Boston Road
Derrick Crespo

Len’s Home Improvement
17 Brentwood St.
Lenworth Moncrieffe

Little Tigerz Daycare
88 Margerie St.
Janira Marrero

Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing
807 Wilbraham Road
Loomis Senior Living

MA Grocery Store
345 Main St.
Ahmed Aziz

Mad Science of Western New England
34 Front St.
Michael Budnick

The Main Event
268 Bridge St.
Sheina Rodriguez

Margie’s Cozy Corner
61 Pear St.
Margarita Celestino

New Blue Moon Bodywork
432 Newbury St.
Xiaoxin Zhang

Perfecto Primo Services
33 Plumtree Road
Rayanne Garcia

Perusse Home Improvements
248 Nottingham St.
Donald Perusse

Pro Auto Air Service
1000 Worcester St.
SilverAuto Inc.

Ramos Detailing
720 Berkshire Ave.
Jose Ramos

Reseanunlimited
78 Bowdoin St.
James Johnson

WESTFIELD

AG Remodeling
156 Old Cabot Road
Aleksandr Glib

All Natural Reiki
16 Union Ave., Unit 1E
Harlene Simmons

AMF Aviation LLC
64 Lockhouse Road
Michael Ferraccio

Ape
21 Barbara St.
Nikita Lesnik

Belco Court Tree Farm
194 Pontoosic Road
John Beltrandi

Bella MedSpa
53 Court St.
Craig Schacher, MD

Donna’s Children
344 Falley Dr.
Donna Sabonis

EZ Restore
262 Steiger Dr.
Elijah Zuev

Graphic Signs
344 Falley Dr.
Richard Sabonis

Katy Noes Yoga
21 Fowler St.
Kathryn Noes

Marzeke Collections
23 Falley Dr.
Marie Fortin

Maple Brook Alpacas
893 East Mountain Road
Robin Tierney

San-Man Graphics
16 Union Ave., Unit G
Edgardo Sanchez Jr.

Shelley LaCross Tax Service
85 Reservoir Ave.
Shelley LaCross

True Environmental LLC
146 Root Road
Cristian Sagastome

Vitaliy Panchenko Electrical LLC
14 Birch Road
Vitaliy Panchencko

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Bare with Me Beauty Bar LLC
1680 Riverdale St.
Daijha Hudson

Consumer Transport
75 West School St.
Miguel Garcia Jr.

C’s Signature and Cleaning Services
110 Old Barn Road
Lucy Mushi

Custom Build LLC
2405 Westfield St.
Dmytro Barynov

Hannoush Jewelers Inc.
1769 Riverdale St.
Peter Hannoush

Lotus General Contracting
12 South Blvd.
James Stephenson

Transcension’s Barbershop
450 Main St.
James Seward

WILBRAHAM

The Scented Garden Gift Shop
2341 Boston Road, A110
Sandra Polom

School of Fish Inc.
2133 Boston Road, Units 9-10
School of Fish Inc.

Zee Haddad Realty
5 Forest Glade Dr.
Zahi Haddad

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

Alluring Designs by Lorna
Spencer, Lorna S.
a/k/a Simmons, Lorna S.
136 Thompkins Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Date: 11/21/2022

Bile, Emmanuel Toffe
Bile, Hortense Yvonne
9 Garfield Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 13
Date: 11/30/2022

Chapman, George A.
1-18 Apple Blossom Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/16/2022

Chrusciel, Allen
86 Manchonis Road, Apt. A
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/23/2022

Davila, Victor A.
15 Brown St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/28/2022

Del Toro, Kristin L.
11 Atwood Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/18/2022

Grenier, Randall D.
6 Rita Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Date: 12/01/2022

Krawiec, Walter L.
4 Pell St., Apt. 6
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/29/2022

Laurin, Katelyn Marie
67 Bay State Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/21/2022

Lopez, Myra Y.
129 Chapin Ter.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 13
Date: 11/28/2022

Lopez Nelida
225 Beech St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Date: 11/16/2022

Lukina, Nadezhda P.
378 Chicopee St., 1st Fl.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/28/2022

Mailloux, Cheryl Ann
116 Bostwick Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Date: 12/01/2022

Martin, Andrew Byun
8 Columbia St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/18/2022

Matthews, Randall J.
Matthews, Karen L.
379 West Royalston Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/30/2022

Moretz, Mark H.
68 Sessions Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/30/2022

Nicholson, Paul C.
15 Hollywood St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Date: 11/27/2022

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

227 Beldingville Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $544,000
Buyer: Christopher T. Bousquet
Seller: Aurelie J. Sheehan
Date: 11/30/22

BUCKLAND

119 Charlemont Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $467,500
Buyer: Michael Carotenuto
Seller: Todd Seavy
Date: 11/29/22

49 Conway St.
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $2,000,000
Buyer: Below The Dam LLC
Seller: John E. Madocks
Date: 11/29/22

53 Conway St.
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $2,000,000
Buyer: Below The Dam LLC
Seller: John E. Madocks
Date: 11/29/22

51 Elm St.
Buckland, MA 01370
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Colleen Lindroos
Seller: Heinig, Thomas H., (Estate)
Date: 12/02/22

DEERFIELD

4 Pleasant Ave.
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $737,500
Buyer: DA Pleasant St. LLC
Seller: 4 Pleasant Street LLC
Date: 12/01/22

ERVING

13 Gunn St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Kayani Rodriguez
Seller: Nicole M. Gadreault
Date: 11/30/22

GILL

22 Center Road
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $710,000
Buyer: Benjamin Foberg
Seller: David A. Virgilio
Date: 12/02/22

291 Mountain Road
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Ethan A. Buhl
Seller: Michael J. Lafleur
Date: 12/01/22

GREENFIELD

111 Beacon St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $481,000
Buyer: John Anhalt
Seller: Brian Abramson
Date: 11/29/22

87 Beech St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Damon K. Bragdon
Seller: Tedder, Frances E., (Estate)
Date: 12/02/22

25 Duren Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: Erika A. Nygard
Seller: Keller, Dorothy E., (Estate)
Date: 12/09/22

83 James St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Emma Donnelly
Seller: Archelon Properties LLC
Date: 11/29/22

71 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Russell L. Fisk
Seller: Richard Geidel
Date: 11/30/22

3 Prospect Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $127,661
Buyer: Lakeview Loan Servicing
Seller: Robert Marco
Date: 12/06/22

36 Sunset Square
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $570,000
Buyer: Paul C. Garny
Seller: John P. Doleva
Date: 12/05/22

5 Woodsia Ridge
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Melissa C. Sweet
Seller: Collins, Norma J., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/22

LEYDEN

162 Alexander Road
Leyden, MA 01337
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Corey J. Cusson
Seller: Kenneth C. Griswold
Date: 11/30/22

24 Zimmerman Hill Road
Leyden, MA 01337
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Mark S. Waller
Seller: Roxanne Zimmerman
Date: 12/07/22

MONTAGUE

127 Chestnut Hill Loop
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: John Miles-Snyder
Seller: Nathaniel D. Groppe
Date: 12/01/22

43 X St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Gertrude Walker-Saville
Seller: Kimberly J. White
Date: 11/30/22

NORTHFIELD

Dickinson St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Town Of Northfield
Seller: NGC Realty LLC
Date: 11/30/22

Main St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Town Of Northfield
Seller: NGC Realty LLC
Date: 11/30/22

ORANGE

20 Fieldstone Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Christine Goodwin
Seller: Christopher Leslie
Date: 12/08/22

Mountain Road (off)
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Joseph C. Sumner
Seller: Channel Z. Siesmometry Inc.
Date: 12/01/22

Mountain Road (off)
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Joseph C. Sumner
Seller: Channel Z. Seismometry Inc.
Date: 12/01/22

35 Oaklawn Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $284,906
Buyer: New Day Financial LLC
Seller: John A. Burbine
Date: 12/08/22

314 South Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $349,000
Buyer: Andres D. Ramirez
Seller: AGT Homes LLC
Date: 11/29/22

6 Shingle Brook Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Candace Robinson
Seller: Christine L. Baranoski
Date: 11/30/22

SHUTESBURY

13 Great Pines Dr. Ext.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $267,500
Buyer: Gary Jekanowski
Seller: Amanda L. Nash
Date: 11/28/22

408 Montague Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $775,408
Buyer: Frances E. Towle
Seller: James M. McNaughton
Date: 12/06/22

212-B Wendell Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: Colin P. Davis
Seller: Hilda Grnbaum RET
Date: 12/06/22

WARWICK

Athol Road
Warwick, MA 01364
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Channel Z. Seismometry Inc.
Seller: Heyes Family Forests LLC
Date: 12/02/22

WENDELL

493 New Salem Road
Wendell, MA 01379
Amount: $354,500
Buyer: Alison Raposo
Seller: Douglas Simon
Date: 12/01/22

WHATELY

157 Westbrook Road
Whately, MA 01373
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Farm At Westbrook LLC
Seller: Jon A. Higgins
Date: 12/09/22

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

116 Adams St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: Yelena A. Artemova
Seller: Anatoliy Paliy
Date: 12/06/22

49 Doane Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Shannon O’Connor
Seller: Madeline R. Catania
Date: 12/05/22

52 Forest Hill Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: James A. Boucher
Seller: Barako FT
Date: 12/09/22

11 Liberty Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Scott D. Ramsdell
Seller: Jason L. Elder
Date: 12/02/22

117 Maple St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $272,500
Buyer: Brianna L. Flahive
Seller: Karla M. Dejesus
Date: 12/09/22

28 Merrill Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Daniel L. Stevens
Seller: Mark J. Chevalier
Date: 12/02/22

34 Mooreland St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $167,500
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Seller: Sousa, Louis A. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 12/02/22

55 Northwood St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Dona Skala
Seller: Joshua W. Gerrish
Date: 12/06/22

15 Red Fox Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Scott A. Zielinski
Seller: Amy M. Heiden-Martin
Date: 11/30/22

92 Sylvan Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: William Lynch
Seller: Grangercharles, Edward, (Estate)
Date: 11/30/22

BLANDFORD

6 Russell Stage Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Joshua F. Webster
Seller: Joseph A. Sanctuary
Date: 11/29/22

6 Sunset Rock Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Scott D. Texeira
Seller: Donald G. Cornelius
Date: 12/05/22

CHICOPEE

35 Asinof Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Susan M. Blumenthal
Seller: John L. Coach
Date: 11/30/22

393 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Carlos Reyes
Seller: John Urbanowicz
Date: 12/09/22

29 Cochran St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Linda Woods
Seller: Christopher Hernandez
Date: 12/02/22

58 Cochran St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Casa Bonita Apts. LLC
Seller: Luke Realty Mgmt. LLC
Date: 11/30/22

Crestwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Bretta Construction LLC
Seller: Lak FT
Date: 12/05/22

55 Dakota Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Ebony A. Wheeler
Seller: Jodee Pineau-Chaisson
Date: 11/29/22

31 Eldridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $201,000
Buyer: Maribel Velazquez-Rios
Seller: Steven P. Davis
Date: 11/28/22

512 Irene St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Doreen Rushins
Seller: Aguasvivas Realty LLC
Date: 12/01/22

93 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Kristy L. Munro
Seller: Claire V. Ringuette
Date: 11/28/22

48 Liberty St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Drew
Seller: Lynne A. Martino
Date: 12/08/22

16 Lincoln St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Jacob E. Tompkins
Seller: Kristen Kowal
Date: 12/02/22

59 Mayflower Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Damaris Delvalle
Seller: Tang Properties LLC
Date: 12/09/22

156 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Niki M. Jones
Seller: Jeffrey S. Parker
Date: 12/07/22

157 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $323,000
Buyer: Jeremy Koerner
Seller: Louis A. Alicea
Date: 12/01/22

4 Moreau Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Haley M. Asselin
Seller: Erik J. Cables
Date: 11/30/22

170 Narragansett Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Casa Bonita Apts. LLC
Seller: Hebert, Raymond J. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/22

72 Paradise St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $198,688
Buyer: Lakeview Loan Servicing
Seller: Taylor A. Ross
Date: 12/06/22

77 Putting Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $463,000
Buyer: Sarah L. Rondeau
Seller: Robert J. King
Date: 12/01/22

21 Reed Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $206,500
Buyer: Roger L. Lafortune
Seller: Krystle A. Renkie
Date: 12/05/22

Roger St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Maria E. Kazimierczak
Date: 12/06/22

56 Sanford St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: David E. Vickers
Seller: Cheryl A. Kopec
Date: 11/28/22

54 Thornwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Lino Fritz
Seller: Louise A. Delude
Date: 11/28/22

EAST LONGMEADOW

247 Allen St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Bond
Seller: Antonio Berardi
Date: 12/06/22

33 Athens St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $216,000
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Adam W. Cochran
Date: 12/01/22

6 Concord Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Gerard McEnany
Seller: Sheila M. Hess
Date: 12/09/22

65 Harwich Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Erin L. Beck
Seller: Shirley S. Palmer
Date: 11/30/22

76 Helen Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Griffin Casey
Seller: Maryann Tremblay-Montrym
Date: 11/30/22

2 Oxford Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Robert O. Azeez
Seller: Frederick H. Zimmerman
Date: 11/28/22

322 Prospect St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Peter Dimichele
Seller: Nancy M. Power
Date: 12/01/22

144 Shaker Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $1,985,000
Buyer: AW Brown Real Estate LLC
Seller: A&B Realty LLC
Date: 12/05/22

208 Westwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Maryann A. Spillane
Seller: Dion, Agnes M., (Estate)
Date: 12/01/22

71 Wood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Katherine A. Dugan
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 12/01/22

HAMPDEN

50 Meadow Brook Lane
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Cameron T. Servantez
Seller: Derek R. White
Date: 11/29/22

11 Potash Hill Lane
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Derek R. White
Seller: Steve A. Burzdak
Date: 11/29/22

45 Saint Germain Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Douglas W. Hanks
Seller: Lafreniere, Ann Marie, (Estate)
Date: 12/02/22

125 Stony Hill Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Nathan York
Seller: Joel A. Fuller
Date: 12/07/22

HOLYOKE

16 Charles Hill Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Brian Barnes
Seller: Samuel Rosa-Melendez
Date: 11/30/22

16-18 Davis St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Cedric A. Saez-Aguirre
Seller: Heather M. Fleury
Date: 12/09/22

141 Dupuis Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $296,800
Buyer: Adam R. Beaulieu
Seller: Brian E. Besko
Date: 11/30/22

101 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $950,000
Buyer: Picket Investment LLC
Seller: Blue Chip Buildings LLC
Date: 11/30/22

105 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Picket Investment LLC
Seller: Blue Chip Buildings LLC
Date: 11/30/22

193 Fairmont St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Alixa B. Mojica-Fontanez
Seller: Daniel A. Long
Date: 12/06/22

12 Florida Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Kara Moriarty
Seller: Joan M. Greaney
Date: 11/28/22

7 Line Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Amber L. Hoey
Seller: Lasca L. Hoey
Date: 11/30/22

244 Ontario Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Shawn M. O’Donnell
Seller: Luis A. Rodriguez
Date: 12/01/22

90 Oxford Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Kaitlin Hanning
Seller: Thomas, Edward S., (Estate)
Date: 12/06/22

207-1/2 Sargeant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jahjan LLC
Seller: Rosalie A. Pratt
Date: 12/09/22

209-211 Sargeant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jahjan LLC
Seller: Rosalie A. Pratt
Date: 12/09/22

193 Sycamore St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Sarai Brunelle
Seller: Valerie M. Garcia
Date: 11/30/22

27 Temple St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Thomas T. Feeley
Seller: Jessica Ryder-Toomey
Date: 11/28/22

73 Wellesley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $440,500
Buyer: Erika Bonnevie
Seller: Lori A. Hafner
Date: 12/01/22

HOLLAND

37 Long Hill Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Emily Elliott
Seller: Truax Holdings LLC
Date: 12/09/22

LONGMEADOW

40 Bel Air Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $384,000
Buyer: Tera Ohora TR
Seller: Lois E. Meyers RET
Date: 12/06/22

70 Canterbury Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $568,000
Buyer: Pamela O. Zizzamia
Seller: Paul G. Lenke
Date: 12/01/22

995 Frank Smith Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $509,000
Buyer: Brian Besko
Seller: Jeffrey P. Dunn
Date: 11/30/22

197 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: James E. Purcell
Seller: Renee G. Tetrault
Date: 12/08/22

11 Nevins Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $379,000
Buyer: Elizabeth A. Kendall
Seller: Dnepro Properties LLC
Date: 12/09/22

LUDLOW

148 Carmelinas Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $1,975,000
Buyer: Pauldin LLC
Seller: Ludlow Self Storage LLC
Date: 12/01/22

144-146 Church St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $356,750
Buyer: Matthew E. Laamanen
Seller: LCSM Realty LLC
Date: 11/30/22

498 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Ryan Ainslie
Seller: Harry Russell
Date: 12/01/22

498-504 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Harry Russell
Seller: Dogwood Creek Land Holdings LLC
Date: 11/30/22

16 Pine St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Shawn Morris
Seller: Liliana Azevedo
Date: 12/08/22

283 Poole St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Brooke Heisler-Leary
Seller: Joseph Deponte
Date: 12/06/22

391 West Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Evelyn M. Narreau
Date: 11/28/22

554 Winsor St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Miguel Cabido-Torrao
Seller: Robert S. Duffy
Date: 12/02/22

MONSON

122 Cote Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $725,000
Buyer: Sabino Piccirilli
Seller: J. G. Carter Jr. TR 2021
Date: 12/09/22

61 Green St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Todd M. Young
Seller: Raymond A. Goulet
Date: 12/02/22

78 Silver St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Sara E. Malo
Seller: Thomas W. Haley
Date: 12/02/22

PALMER

2 Arch St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Theresa Martinson
Seller: Heather A. Korzec
Date: 11/29/22

86 Boston Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Tyler Martin
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 12/09/22

260 Breckenridge St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Steven Herbert
Seller: Carlton B. Martin
Date: 12/05/22

166 Chudy St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Jill Dannay
Seller: William Walker
Date: 11/29/22

174 Chudy St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: William Walker
Seller: Thomas A. Palazzi
Date: 11/29/22

92 Griffin St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Thomas S. Ngan
Seller: Eric A. Raymond
Date: 12/07/22

2170-2176 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Western Mass RE LLC
Seller: Lee R. O’Connor
Date: 11/30/22

67 Mount Dumplin Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $436,000
Buyer: Steve Burzdak
Seller: Donald R. Duffy
Date: 11/30/22

46-48 Stewart St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Brandon Romaniak
Seller: Casa Bonita Apts. LLC
Date: 12/08/22

RUSSELL

216 Woodland Way
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $655,000
Buyer: Slava Novik
Seller: Lisa Liptak
Date: 11/30/22

SOUTHWICK

124 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Anthony Degrandi
Seller: Deyo FT
Date: 12/09/22

33 Birchwood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: William A. Cunningham
Seller: James R. Fahey
Date: 12/01/22

111 Coes Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $1,175,000
Buyer: Tasos FT
Seller: Aziz S. Elias
Date: 12/06/22

8 Lauren Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Lisa N. Liptak
Seller: Andrew K. Blumenthal
Date: 11/30/22

48 Mort Vining Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $595,000
Buyer: Oscar L. Carrillo
Seller: Oak Rdg Custom Home Builders
Date: 11/30/22

294 South Longyard Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Matthew J. Lockhart
Seller: Jean M. Maloney
Date: 11/30/22

34 South Loomis St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Andrew Chase
Seller: Paul A. Hood
Date: 11/30/22

104 Sheep Pasture Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Kassandra E. O’Connor
Seller: Denise E. Forgue
Date: 12/02/22

SPRINGFIELD

70 Alexander St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: Angel Villar
Seller: Villar Real Estate Inc.
Date: 12/01/22

78 Alexander St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: Angel Villar
Seller: Villar Real Estate Inc.
Date: 12/01/22

182 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Ivette Hernandez
Seller: Virgilio Santos
Date: 12/09/22

123 Appleton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Tuan Truong
Seller: Dave Robbins
Date: 11/28/22

114 Arcadia Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $367,000
Buyer: Rolf D. Flor
Seller: William Raleigh
Date: 12/01/22

3 Balboa Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Bretta Construction LLC
Seller: Douglas A. Robar
Date: 12/07/22

151 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Andy Downtown Realty LLC
Seller: Kristopher Quinn
Date: 12/01/22

139 Bowles St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Rosemary M. Hernandez
Seller: Full Service RE LLC
Date: 12/05/22

52 Boyer St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Jennifer Cutler
Seller: Carmen Camacho-Rivera
Date: 12/05/22

22 Braywood Circle
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $227,500
Buyer: Juan C. Alvarez
Seller: Peter J. Hopkins
Date: 12/09/22

92 Briggs St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Ramon Torres-Vega
Seller: Joseph A. Cretella
Date: 12/08/22

34 Brooks St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Marta James
Seller: Jennie L. Oyola
Date: 12/01/22

23 Calhoun St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: Angel Villar
Seller: Villar Real Estate Inc.
Date: 12/01/22

41 California Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Emily Benoit
Seller: Kristen Dowd
Date: 12/06/22

44 Cheyenne Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Evergrain Orchard LLC
Seller: Thornton FT
Date: 12/02/22

514 Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Wendy Reyes-Demata
Seller: Jose Gonzalez
Date: 12/09/22

91-93 Clantoy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Geyssa L. Gonzalez
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 11/30/22

63 Clifton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: Angel Villar
Seller: Villar Real Estate Inc.
Date: 12/01/22

186 Corcoran Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Hill
Seller: Laura D. Champagne
Date: 12/02/22

87 Corey Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Michelle M. Jackson
Seller: Rainville, Marie P., (Estate)
Date: 11/29/22

42 Cornell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Shavon Diaz
Seller: Eugeniu Banaru
Date: 12/09/22

251 Cortland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: William P. Bohmbach
Seller: Donna M. Stewart
Date: 12/02/22

72-74 Crystal Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: Ngan T. Tan
Seller: Dorothy R. Romeo
Date: 12/05/22

146 Davis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Mickelia A. Pearson
Seller: Efrain Rivera
Date: 12/07/22

17 Dearborn St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: KMAK LLC
Seller: Johnny C. Rosemond
Date: 12/02/22

30 Derryfield Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Weslaine N. Viaud
Seller: Christine M. Goodwin
Date: 11/30/22

104-106 Dunmoreland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Jiijo Ali
Seller: Robert J. Lefebvre
Date: 12/07/22

140 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $132,400
Buyer: ARPC LLC
Seller: Megliola Realty LLC
Date: 12/02/22

29 Eton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: 29 Eton RT
Seller: Jannie G. Birks
Date: 12/09/22

111 Fort Pleasant Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Diego A. Dejesus
Seller: Annmarie Harding
Date: 12/01/22

20 Greaney St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Pierre Tendeng
Seller: Joseph O. Campbell
Date: 12/02/22

61 Harvey St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Justin J. Johnson
Seller: Dorothy M. Cody
Date: 11/30/22

103 Hastings St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Geoffrey R. Cone
Seller: Lesly A. Reiter
Date: 12/09/22

140 Hermitage Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: William Lovett
Seller: Thao T. Pham
Date: 12/09/22

301 Holcomb Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Jose L. Ponce-Santamaria
Seller: Kokoleka RT
Date: 12/02/22

24-26 Howard St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Cullin Moore
Seller: Walter G. Willard
Date: 11/30/22

47 Jefferson Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: Angel Villar
Seller: Villar Real Estate Inc.
Date: 12/01/22

79 Judson St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Adan Rivera
Seller: Stephen D. Clay
Date: 12/02/22

80-84 Keith St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Elving L. Rosado
Seller: Hanh N. Pham
Date: 12/07/22

26-28 Lebanon St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $279,000
Buyer: Alberto R. Diaz
Seller: Theodore P. Sares
Date: 11/29/22

79-81 Leyfred Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Xiuyu Ma
Seller: Alonzo Williams
Date: 12/08/22

15 Lucerne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jadel Infante-Guzman
Seller: Barrepski, Mark S., (Estate)
Date: 12/02/22

70 Magnolia Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Mary P. Thonneson
Seller: Brian Sheedy
Date: 11/30/22

708 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Guyseymore Wilson
Seller: Patrick Unachukwu
Date: 12/09/22

2960-2964 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: KHP Realty LLC
Seller: Dennis L. Durant
Date: 12/02/22

2972 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: KHP Realty LLC
Seller: Dennis L. Durant
Date: 12/02/22

2988 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: KHP Realty LLC
Seller: Dennis L. Durant
Date: 12/02/22

110-112 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Veronika Baldenebro
Seller: Benny Troncoso
Date: 12/01/22

67-69 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Rhinah Ondiso
Seller: Danalax LLC
Date: 12/01/22

169 Mayflower Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Leon Girard
Seller: David A. Nadle
Date: 11/28/22

23-25 Moulton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Joshua W. Bechard
Seller: John P. Bechard
Date: 12/06/22

15 Norfolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Denny Nunez
Seller: Nha Tran
Date: 12/02/22

47 Old Farm Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Scott A. Introvigne
Seller: Basile Realty LLC
Date: 11/29/22

255-257 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Karla M. Rivera
Seller: Daniel C. Miller
Date: 12/07/22

Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Sareen Holdings LLC
Seller: Barbara Bates
Date: 12/01/22

12-16 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Sareen Holdings LLC
Seller: Barbara Bates
Date: 12/01/22

85 Paulk Ter.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Justine M. Trowbridge
Seller: Frederic C. Baxter
Date: 11/28/22

32 Pear St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jillian Lopez
Seller: Henry Downey
Date: 11/30/22

77 Phillips Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Ricky Soto-Alvarado
Seller: Malia Homebuyers LLC
Date: 11/29/22

53 Piedmont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Justin P. Morin
Seller: Ahern, Robert Lawrence, (Estate)
Date: 11/28/22

134 Pinevale St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Luis M. Ovalle
Seller: Sebastiano S. Siniscalchi
Date: 11/28/22

436-438 Plainfield St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Blanca J. Loja
Seller: Maria C. Martinez
Date: 11/29/22

6-8 Pomona St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Merlos
Seller: Chief Dawg LLC
Date: 12/09/22

6 Portland St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: KHP Realty LLC
Seller: Dennis L. Durant
Date: 12/02/22

26 Portulaca Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Unlimited Property Services LLC
Seller: Darcam LLC
Date: 12/05/22

249 Quincy St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Luis Baez-Pimentel
Seller: Sir Construction Inc.
Date: 12/07/22

57 Regal St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Patricia Ennis
Seller: Donald G. Hughes
Date: 12/07/22

27-29 Ringgold St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: Angel Villar
Seller: Villar Real Estate Inc.
Date: 12/01/22

24 Rockland St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $247,900
Buyer: Darrell Waller
Seller: Gina M. Horniak
Date: 11/30/22

379 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Thaddeus Tokarz
Seller: Dunphy, Carol A., (Estate)
Date: 12/09/22

154 Roy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jose Diaz
Seller: Roberto D. Otero
Date: 11/30/22

31 Rush St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $284,273
Buyer: Isanthes LLC
Seller: Rodney E. Gould
Date: 12/05/22

87 Saint Lawrence Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Lawrence J. Poole
Date: 12/05/22

18 Schley St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Michael X. Richardson-Polk
Seller: East Coast Contracting
Date: 12/09/22

91 Somerset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Carr, Ronald A., (Estate)
Date: 11/29/22

300 State St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,600,000
Buyer: Residences At The Vault
Seller: 300 State St. Realty Co. LLC
Date: 12/09/22

310 State St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,600,000
Buyer: Residences At The Vault
Seller: 300 State St. Realty Co. LLC
Date: 12/09/22

93 Sunapee St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Trevor Neverson
Seller: Brittnie Lincoln
Date: 12/06/22

49-51 Talcott St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Aletheia Benjamin
Seller: Talcott Realty LLC
Date: 12/02/22

46 Timber Lane
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Neftali Rivera
Seller: Robert O. Azeez
Date: 12/02/22

58 Vail St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $280,600
Buyer: Andrew Barrett
Seller: Brital 1987 LLC
Date: 11/28/22

28 Virginia St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $254,000
Buyer: Ramona A. Rodriguez-Valle
Seller: Scott Introvigne
Date: 11/28/22

94 Webber St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $260,150
Buyer: Mariah Perez-Martinez
Seller: Jessee M. Dabrea
Date: 12/08/22

57 Wendover Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Terry L. Owens
Seller: Pedersen FT
Date: 12/05/22

49 West Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Julie E. Guarente
Seller: Guarente, Robert H. Sr., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/22

140 West Alvord St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Aleksander Kobilarov
Seller: Jose J. Diaz
Date: 11/30/22

119-121 Wellington St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Maria Garcia
Seller: 196-198 Bowdoin Realty LLC
Date: 11/28/22

101 Yale St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $308,061
Buyer: Eric L. Brown
Seller: Tasha Moultrie
Date: 11/28/22

WALES

28 Monson Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Adam C. Smedberg
Seller: Robert F. Lopes
Date: 12/07/22

21 Woodland Dr.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Steven Chidester
Seller: Robert H. Paige
Date: 11/30/22

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

561 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Joshua W. Gerrish
Seller: Maa Property LLC
Date: 12/06/22

52-54 Ashley St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Azusa RT
Seller: Ciollaro, Michael D., (Estate)
Date: 12/06/22

47 Burford Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: Karen Dimauro
Seller: Oscar L. Carrillo
Date: 11/30/22

258 Circle Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Justin G. Wellington
Seller: Olcay Kocaman
Date: 11/30/22

140 Craiwell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: George Yacoub
Seller: Alyce K. Beaudry
Date: 12/06/22

70 Grove St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Heather Allen
Seller: Dwight Northrup
Date: 11/28/22

23 Healy St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Julia Berberena
Seller: Scott D. Ramsdell
Date: 12/02/22

36 Laurel Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $295,500
Buyer: Patrick J. Lewis
Seller: Joseph F. Douglas
Date: 12/05/22

62 Lower Massachusetts Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Marie Wakelee
Seller: Vantage Home Buyers LLC
Date: 12/08/22

36 Maple Ter.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Charles Ciarametaro
Seller: MRMM TR
Date: 12/02/22

64 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Logan W. Boyles
Seller: Duane H. Mason
Date: 12/06/22

161 Robinson Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $331,000
Buyer: Michael A. Kocot
Seller: Jillian N. Janicki
Date: 12/08/22

444 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Eddie Rodriguez
Seller: Robyn Smith-Champion
Date: 11/28/22

72 Upper Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $309,500
Buyer: Kyle Stille
Seller: Donald J. Finamore
Date: 12/02/22

WESTFIELD

6 Apple Orchard Heights
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $311,950
Buyer: Joseph S. Thresher
Seller: Matthew T. Howard
Date: 11/30/22

209 Belanger Road
Westfield, MA 01073
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Richton & Wynne LLC
Seller: Katie M. McLean
Date: 11/30/22

28 Brookline Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Vyacheslav Chekhovskiy
Seller: Nancy L. Heathcote
Date: 12/06/22

53 Christopher Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Bobby R. Williams
Seller: Xiuyu Ma
Date: 12/06/22

76 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Baccara LLC
Seller: 76 Court St. Realty LLC
Date: 11/30/22

32 Cross St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Heather Maloney
Seller: Simmons, Elizabeth B., (Estate)
Date: 12/08/22

1161 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Mark Dupuis
Seller: Clauson, Bryan K., (Estate)
Date: 12/08/22

121 Highland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: Nicole E. St.Jean
Seller: Aaron Platt
Date: 12/08/22

419 Holyoke Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jake A. Cupak
Seller: Seth Cupak
Date: 11/29/22

52 Knollwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $307,000
Buyer: Anthony Janicki
Seller: Mikhail V. Sharakina
Date: 11/29/22

171 Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Selpan Holdings LLC
Seller: MTB Real Estate LLC
Date: 11/30/22

140 Meadow St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Vantage Home Buyers LLC
Seller: Jeffrey M. Besnia
Date: 12/09/22

456 North Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $281,281
Buyer: Magerick LLC
Seller: John D. Runyon
Date: 12/08/22

121 Otis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Daniel Mosijchuk
Seller: Vasily Zhuk
Date: 12/06/22

13 Paper St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Ursula Elmes
Seller: Fitzgerald Home Solutions LLC
Date: 11/30/22

107 Pinehurst St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: John Pini
Seller: Trista M. Perrea
Date: 11/29/22

61 Sherwood Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Adam J. Dempsey
Seller: Pack FT
Date: 12/09/22

15 State St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Kelsey Wyman
Seller: Ann M. Crum
Date: 12/06/22

14 Valley View Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Trista M. Perrea
Seller: Kathryn V. Roberts
Date: 11/29/22

76 Wood Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $391,000
Buyer: Kathryn V. Roberts
Seller: Robert W. Healy
Date: 11/29/22

WILBRAHAM

20 Bartlett Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Mark D. Haggan
Seller: Connor J. Mooney
Date: 11/30/22

23 Briar Cliff Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Joanne Hetherington
Seller: Brianrcliff NT
Date: 11/28/22

19 Bridge St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Jeffrey D. Tweedell
Seller: Ronald N. Rauscher
Date: 12/02/22

11 Deerfield Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Heather M. Leone
Seller: A. R. & P. A. Roos TR
Date: 12/08/22

 

17 Glenn Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Hector Rivera
Seller: Custom Home Development Group LLC
Date: 12/02/22

43 Glenn Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Tyler Hadley
Seller: Vincent Pelletier
Date: 12/08/22

8 Maynard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Diamond Home Improvement
Seller: Elizabeth E. Berard
Date: 12/01/22

11 Nokomis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: John C. Farr
Seller: McCarthy, Veronica C., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/22

42 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Cathleen M. Bradlee
Seller: Ashley D. Kunz
Date: 11/28/22

1084 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $293,000
Buyer: Laurie A. Boganski
Seller: Zachary K. Pueschel
Date: 12/09/22

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

20 Cortland Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Evelyn A. Villa RET
Seller: Edward W. Westhead RET
Date: 12/07/22

444 Flat Hills Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Jeffrey W. Conant
Seller: Constance W. Gildea
Date: 12/09/22

25 Greenwich Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $343,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Oliverio
Seller: John Vassallo
Date: 12/06/22

25 Hunters Hill Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $382,000
Buyer: Uttam Acharya
Seller: Kinney, Arthur F., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/22

144 Maplewood Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $620,000
Buyer: Ian S. Novey
Seller: Joann Carino
Date: 11/30/22

220 North East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $659,000
Buyer: 220 North East Street LLC
Seller: RPF LLC
Date: 12/02/22

786 North Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $558,600
Buyer: Shiyue Deng
Seller: Susan E. Jahoda
Date: 11/28/22

71 North Prospect St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $876,000
Buyer: North Prospect LLC
Seller: Joseph S. R. Volpe RET
Date: 12/09/22

77-79 North Prospect St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $996,000
Buyer: North Prospect LLC
Seller: Joseph S. R. Volpe RET
Date: 12/09/22

15 Teaberry Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $749,000
Buyer: Joseph L. MacDonald
Seller: Terry S. Johnson
Date: 12/01/22

BELCHERTOWN

355 Amherst Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Brian E. Alexander
Seller: Jerry N. Lachance
Date: 12/07/22

2 Barrett St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Kerri Bolow
Seller: Stephanie Bonafini
Date: 11/28/22

431 Chauncey Walker St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: James R. Carvalho
Seller: Randy L. Barnes
Date: 11/30/22

16 Forest Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Deborah A. Fuller
Seller: Angela Wilcox-Braese
Date: 12/05/22

205 North St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $788,000
Buyer: Richard G. Prager
Seller: Daniel W. Shelton
Date: 11/30/22

73 Old Enfield Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Matthew Kwiatkowski
Seller: Brighenti RT
Date: 12/02/22

331 Stebbins St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $585,000
Buyer: Kenneth R. Sloat
Seller: Scott C. Thurston
Date: 11/30/22

CHESTERFIELD

388 Ireland St.
Chesterfield, MA 01084
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Samantha Rice
Seller: Brandon Burgess
Date: 12/05/22

Munson Road Lot 2A2
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Laura Dimmler
Seller: Andrea L. Looney
Date: 11/28/22

63 North Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Jeffery Manley
Seller: Anika Kimble-Huntley
Date: 12/02/22

201 Sugar Hill Road
Chesterfield, MA 01096
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Audrey M. Healy
Seller: Jenny Navasky
Date: 11/29/22

EASTHAMPTON

157 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Tyler Gagne
Seller: Ellen J. Laroche
Date: 12/01/22

144 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Carl D. Bannon
Seller: Jennifer A. Hamilton
Date: 11/28/22

49 Overlook Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Amy Bradford-Landau
Seller: Cynthia D. Rzonca
Date: 12/02/22

18 Sandra Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Carl R. Henderson
Seller: Simone Palladino
Date: 11/30/22

25 Sterling Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $422,000
Buyer: Luzed L. Guzman-Romano
Seller: Ronald J. Gregoire
Date: 11/29/22

HATFIELD

23 Elm St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Ryan W. Rourke
Seller: Charles A. Labbee
Date: 12/05/22

Straits Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Thomas Hicks
Seller: Paul J. Cernak
Date: 12/01/22

HUNTINGTON

117 County Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $539,000
Buyer: Thomas A. Garran
Seller: Adrene S. Adams
Date: 12/09/22

76 Laurel Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Frederick M. Scibelli
Seller: Henry E. Thomas
Date: 11/29/22

22 Upper Russell Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Congamond Management LLC
Seller: Jeffrey T. Reynolds
Date: 12/06/22

NORTHAMPTON

38 Allison St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Eileen M. Travis
Seller: Paul Redstone
Date: 12/05/22

10 Evergreen Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $416,000
Buyer: Andrew Griffith
Seller: Daniel G. Kirouac
Date: 12/09/22

723 Florence Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Manmeet Singh-Saini
Seller: Amrik Singh
Date: 11/30/22

54 Grant Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Anne Bayerle
Seller: Daniele Girardi
Date: 12/05/22

19 Hayes Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: Mary Read
Seller: Redmond, Diane, (Estate)
Date: 12/02/22

8 Liberty St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $724,900
Buyer: Adele Kogan
Seller: Nu Way Homes Inc.
Date: 12/02/22

78 Overlook Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Hannah L. Hebert
Seller: Veteran Stan LLC
Date: 11/29/22

615 Riverside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $324,000
Buyer: Florence LLC
Seller: Debra Thomson-Bercuvitz
Date: 12/02/22

25 Williams St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: 25 Williams LLC
Seller: Elizabeth D. Katz
Date: 11/30/22

PELHAM

57 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $374,000
Buyer: Ella J. Johnson-Yarosevich
Seller: Gregory H. Wardlaw
Date: 11/29/22

59 Arnold Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Chelsea E. Grybko
Seller: Teraspulsky, Peter A., (Estate)
Date: 11/30/22

SOUTH HADLEY

32 Brigham Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Eva M. Boyer
Seller: Wayne J. Harris
Date: 11/29/22

64 Columbia St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Kristen Briody
Seller: Debra A. Gendreau
Date: 12/08/22

157 Ferry St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $461,500
Buyer: Leah C. Manchester
Seller: Robert J. Roose
Date: 11/29/22

79 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: CVVF South Hadley MA LLC
Seller: South Hadley RE LLC
Date: 11/30/22

29 Lyon Green
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Charles O’Donnell
Seller: JN Duquette & Son Construction
Date: 11/29/22

12 Pearl St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: Julie A. Sayre
Seller: Mary A. Coughlin
Date: 12/01/22

85 Pearl St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $286,500
Buyer: Dora M. Shick
Seller: Kristin S. Loiko
Date: 11/30/22

18 Pheasant Run
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $560,000
Buyer: Umair Saeed
Seller: John F. Delaney
Date: 12/09/22

40 Prospect St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Jerome Bailey
Seller: P&R Prospects LLC
Date: 12/07/22

10 Spring St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Ryan A. Cyr
Seller: Nicholas A. Friscia
Date: 12/01/22

SOUTHAMPTON

9 Cold Spring Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Vincent R. Snyder
Seller: Matthew Stine
Date: 12/05/22

2 East St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Brandon T. Blais
Seller: Kristine P. Canton
Date: 11/30/22

9 Maple St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Bradley Towle
Seller: Gabriel A. Kushin
Date: 11/30/22

WARE

31 Monson Turnpike Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Nicholas G. Straight
Seller: Carol A. Hutchinson
Date: 12/07/22

211 Monson Turnpike Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: James E. Odell
Seller: Dailla Rios
Date: 12/09/22

282 Old Gilbertville Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Erik J. Heintz
Seller: Michael Wisnoski
Date: 12/01/22

9-R West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $166,200
Buyer: Daniel A. Bruso
Seller: Alfred Loader
Date: 12/08/22

23-25 West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: For My Littles LLC
Seller: Manomednet LLC
Date: 11/30/22

61 West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: 61 West Street LLC
Seller: Rejicus LLC
Date: 12/02/22

WESTHAMPTON

1 Main Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Fortier Properties LLC
Seller: Northcountry Properties LLC
Date: 12/06/22

WORTHINGTON

304 Kinnebrook Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Evelyn Voorhees
Seller: Eugene Labrie
Date: 12/09/22

68 Thrasher Hill Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $167,500
Buyer: Allen Rosario
Seller: Evelyn Voorhees
Date: 12/09/22

Building Permits

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Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the months of November and December 2022. (Filings are limited due to closures or reduced staffing hours at municipal offices due to COVID-19 restrictions).

CHICOPEE

Hannoush Jewelers
704 Memorial Dr.
$9,000 — Install commercial fire-alarm system

Patricia Midura
74 Ames Ave.
$16,800 — Roofing

PAH Properties LLC
38 Front St.
$30,000 — Roofing

Valley Opportunity Council
30 Center St.
$1,202,286 — Upgrade restaurant in Unit 32; interior renovation with new bathrooms in Units 26 and 28; third-floor renovation to apartment units and new laundry; new windows, plumbing, and heating

HADLEY

220 Russell Street LLC
220 Russell St.
N/A — Install sign

Barstow’s Longview Farm Inc.
172 Hockanum Road
N/A — Shed addition to connect to store

DLW Realty LLC
155 Russell St.
N/A — Fix exterior damage on carport

DLW Realty LLC
155 Russell St.
N/A — Repair awning damage from truck impact

FTF Realty LLP
299 Russell St.
N/A — Demolish ceiling tiles and insulation, install new lights

Hadley Corner LLC
344 Russell St.
N/A — Replace sign

McDonald’s Real Estate Co.
374 Russell St.
N/A — Saw cut, excavate, backfill, repour concrete, tile floor

Francine Ness
137 West St.
N/A — Roofing

Research Park LP
100 Venture Way
N/A — Open wall between two conference rooms, frame new wall

LENOX

PVI Lenox Village LLC
21 Housatonic St.
$40,000 — Foundation for addition and four footings in existing structure

NORTHAMPTON

52 Maple Street Place LLC
52 Maple St.
$9,200 — Roofing

Community Care Resources Inc.
142 Glendale Road
$8,000 — Build ramp and deck

Lathrop Community Inc.
680 Bridge Road
$6,000 — Replacement windows

Smith College
Henshaw Avenue
$130,000 — Fire sprinkler system

Suher Properties LLC
50 Main St.
$65,100 — Interior partition at Florence Bank

Sunwood Development Corp.
33 Chapel St.
$31,200 — Demolish and rebuild garage

PITTSFIELD

AER Inc.
52 Lincoln St.
$2,500 — Install handrail on both sides of exterior entry stair

William Bravo
160 Wahconah St.
$13,440 — Roofing

SPRINGFIELD

AA LLC
111 Chestnut St.
$60,000 — Alter interior of restaurant bar and kitchen

AJN Rentals LLC
6 Sorrento St.
$10,643 — Install fire-alarm system

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$118,000 — Alter interior for new emergency room offices on first floor

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
3300 Main St.
$469,500 — Alter interior to expand pharmacy area

Joe Billafame
1078 Allen St.
$9,000 — Remodel bathroom

Jose Manus Botero
88 Appleton St.
$43,000 — Install solar panels to roof of detached garage

Ellen Boynton, Lewis Boynton
666 State St.
$59,000 — Alter interior for retail cannabis store, Primus Dispensary

City of Springfield
1840 Roosevelt Ave.
$120,200 — Install concrete foundation and slab for future walk-in cooler at Central High School

Manuel Colon
824 Worthington St.
$8,000 — Enclose rear porch

Jonathan Dos Santos
48 Enfield St.
$3,884.16 — Add insulation to basement ceiling

Karen Hoyt
21 Utica St.
$41,000 — Install solar panels to roof of detached garage

MGM Springfield Redevelopment LLC
12 MGM Way
$100,000 — Add three doors on second level of MGM Springfield casino

Maryneida Perez
27 Rutledge Ave.
$14,580 — Add insulation to attic and exterior walls

Pride Real Estate LLC
1211 East Columbus Ave.
$110,000 — Alter interior space for existing Dunkin’ Donuts area

Roca Pallin Youth Center Inc.
27 School St.
$10,080 — Alter existing basement storage into new office space, install smoke detectors and emergency exit signs

Springfield College
236 Wilbraham Ave.
$61,200 — Roofing at Weiser Hall

Western MA EEN LLC
487 East Columbus Ave.
$20,000 — Alter front and side fascia overhang of convenience store

BusinessTalk with Claudia Pazmany, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce

By
Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 143: January 3, 2023

George Interviews Claudia Pazmany, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce

BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien has a lively discussion with Claudia Pazmany, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce. The two talk about everything from Amherst’s strong comeback from the pandemic, which hit its hospitality, college-town economy very hard, to the prospects for chambers of commerce in the post-COVID world. It’s all must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Living Local 413 and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

 

Sponsored by:

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State Announces $1 Million in Grants to Improve Massachusetts Farm Food Safety

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration announced $1,000,000 in grants to 23 Massachusetts farms to implement practices that improve food safety within their operations.

The Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program (AFSIP), administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, is a competitive grant program that allows produce and aquaculture operations to address food safety on their farms, enabling the operations to meet buyer demands, increase consumption of local food, and protect public health by reducing food-safety risks.

“The Commonwealth’s agricultural industry continues to grow and upgrade its practices to meet both marketplace demands and regulatory requirements,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “These grants underscore our administration’s commitment to helping farmers implement important upgrades within their operations to ensure that food-safety risks are managed, that their marketplace needs are addressed, and their businesses continue to grow.”

This round of grant funding has a focus on assisting commercial oyster farmers to comply with the Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Marine Fisheries and the Department of Public Health’s Vibrio Control Program. Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) is a human pathogen known to cause foodborne illnesses from the consumption of raw oysters. To address these foodborne illnesses, the Vp control plan requires strict harvesting controls for oysters. Examples of awards to aquaculture operations to help meet these requirements include oyster graders, refrigerated vehicles, and ice machines that work toward reducing the temperature of oysters at harvest and continued cooling of oysters thereafter.

Grant funds for produce operations provided through AFSIP focus on helping these efforts meet regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act, as well as to protect public health, sustain public confidence in the food system, and meet buyer requirements. Examples of awards to produce operations include cold storage, wildlife fencing, washing/packing facility upgrades, and produce washing lines.

Western Mass. farms included in the AFSIP grants include Hagers Farm Market LLC, Shelburne, washing and packing facility ($172,000); Kosinski Farms, Westfield, washing and packing upgrades ($29,000); Quonquont Farm LLC, Whately, washing and packing upgrades ($10,700); Upinngil Farm, Gill, washing and packing facility ($102,800); and Red Shirt Farm LLC, Lanesborough, refrigeration ($28,500).

North Adams Chamber Reports on 2022 in Review

By
Daily News

NORTH ADAMS — The North Adams Chamber issued a statement reporting on a busy 2022.

“This year, the North Adams Chamber focused on connecting with the business community and learning how the organization can support business owners in a new and invigorating way,” it stated. “From casual networking events to interactive sticky-note activities, we learned lot about the challenges that business owners, entrepreneurs, artists, and community members are faced with every day.”

Among its activities, the chamber hosted and helped organize roughly 20 events and workshops in 2022, while 42 businesses participated in the chamber’s Technical Assistance program. Since 2021, the chamber has supported the creation of 21 full-time jobs and 16 part-time jobs; 12 businesses have received grants, and the chamber is currently working with or has helped with grant applications for five additional businesses; and the Technical Assistance program has helped maintain 22 jobs in the community.

STCC Receives $75,000 State Grant to Help Close Achievement Gaps

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) received a $75,000 state grant to increase the faculty’s core equity competencies and knowledge about racial equity, social justice, and structures that have an impact on student success.

The Massachusetts Higher Education Innovation Fund grant from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education will support professional development for 20 faculty members. The goal of the project is to help underserved and underrepresented students — especially students of color — succeed along their academic journey, from applying to STCC to graduation.

Mary Wiseman, director of Instructional Innovation and Faculty Investment at STCC, said the funding will help advance the college’s mission to support students as they transform their lives. “I am very excited to gather faculty, lead them in training on techniques to increase their skills, and ultimately lift the equity agenda. We want to explore how to make classrooms inclusive spaces where students feel welcomed and connected to the faculty and curriculum.”

With the funding in hand, STCC plans to recruit faculty who will join a core coaching group known as Equity Leaders & Guides who will train in equity-minded practices. At the conclusion of their work, they will share their discoveries with STCC colleagues.

Vice President of Academic Affairs Geraldine de Berly said the initiative is critically important. “We are grateful to Governor Baker and his administration for supporting our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. This training will support our faculty who make such a difference in our students’ lives.”

The faculty will work together to discover new teaching techniques and will attend workshop training with the Collaborative for Educational Services in Northampton. In addition, they will engage in a virtual book club, among other tasks.

STCC, which has a technical focus in all its programs, is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution. About 30% of the student body are Latino, Latina, or Latinx.

Nearly $2.74 Million Awarded to Combat Violence Against Women

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration announced that dozens of law-enforcement, criminal-justice, and victim-services organizations have been awarded grants through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grant program.

The federal funds will help Massachusetts agencies in efforts to prevent, reduce, and improve responses to acts of gender-based, sexual, and domestic violence; stalking; and human trafficking. The 44 grant recipients (click here for the full list) were selected through a competitive application process administered by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR), a state agency that is part of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. Each organization funded in FY 2023 will be eligible for additional funding during the three following years.

“These grants allow our Commonwealth to enhance our work combating domestic violence and sexual offenses,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “Meeting the needs of survivors, providing safety nets for those seeking to escape, and holding perpetrators accountable requires a coalition of law enforcement and service providers. VAWA funds have allowed us to build these vital partnerships and provide resources, not just in 2023, but for years to come.”

Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy explained that “these grants help improve how law enforcement and the criminal-justice system respond to violence against women through training opportunities and enhanced capacity to investigate and prosecute these offenses. It also ensures that the victims of domestic and intimate-partner violence, sexual assault and exploitation, and stalking have access to the services they deserve.”

OGR Executive Director Kevin Stanton added that “the VAWA grant program is one of the most impactful programs administered by the Office of Grants and Research. These funds help ensure that victims have access to the protections of law enforcement and the criminal-justice system, as well as trauma-informed and culturally-competent services. We look forward to working alongside all our funded partners to achieve this mission.”

New Local Brewery Receives National Recognition

By
Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Hot Plate Brewing Co., a Latina-owned brewery opening in downtown Pittsfield in early 2023, was selected as one of the Imbibe 75 in the January/February 2023 issue of Imbibe. According to the magazine, the Imbibe 75 features “individuals, organizations, and businesses that are dedicated to creating a more positive, sustainable, inclusive, and equitable drinks world.”

As a BIPOC- and women-owned business, Hot Plate was selected by Imbibe because of the company’s mission to make the craft-beer world more accessible and inclusive. According to the Brewers Assoc., less than 1% of all American craft breweries are owned by women of color, which makes Hot Plate stand out in a crowded, maturing marketplace. Beyond representation, Hot Plate also seeks to leverage its founders’ professional skillsets to execute on their brand promise in a data-driven way.

With almost 40 years of combined experience in market research, brand development, and data analysis, founders Sarah Real and Mike Dell’Aquila plan on implementing tools and best practices to reach, inspire, and engage historically underrepresented consumers.

“For the last 10 or so years of my career, I’ve learned how to leverage qualitative and quantitative market research to support corporate sales and marketing teams as they develop and execute strategies that lead to top-line revenue growth,” Real said. “I’m so excited that I now have the opportunity to use that expertise to support my own passion for craft beer and making it relatable for people who might not see themselves reflected in the industry today.”

Dell’Aquila echoed his wife and business partner’s enthusiasm and strategic approach. “Going back to when we were still home-brewing, we noticed that a lot of our friends were very gendered in their consumption habits. The men would drink the beer, and our female friends would politely take a sip, expecting to switch to wine pretty soon after that. But one of the things we started noticing was that beers like Sarah’s chamomile blonde ale had a lot of women saying that, even though they didn’t consider themselves beer drinkers, they’d drink that. And we continued getting that feedback during the pop-up events we were doing in Pittsfield and throughout the Berkshires.”

In addition to its beers and marketing plans, Hot Plate also intends to make a tangible, positive impact in the Berkshires with its Community Line, which will feature collaborations with a rotating list of mission-aligned nonprofit organizations and raise money for a variety of causes; proceeds from these collaborative beers will go directly to the charitable organizations with whom they are partnering. “We know that one of the things that makes beer special is its ability to bring people together,” Real said, “and with our Community Line, we really believe that we can show that craft beer can also be a force for good.”

Jewish Family Service Welcomes New Executive Director

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — After a yearlong national search, the board of directors at Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFSWM) announced the hiring of a new CEO, Rabbi James Greene, who brings more than two decades of expertise in the Jewish nonprofit world from the interdenominational space of Jewish community centers (JCCs) and independent camps.

JFS’s current CEO, Maxine Stein, whose vision and leadership was responsible for the agency’s unprecedented growth and expansion during her tenure, will retire at the end of January 2023.

After 20 years of professional communal work, Greene sees the need for bringing core Jewish values to the work of building a stronger community and is excited by the challenge of empowering people to build better lives and growing organizational capacity to meet the needs of this unique moment at JFS. He spent nine years in the JCC movement, first as the program director at the Addison-Penzak JCC, and more recently as the assistant executive director for the Springfield JCC. In early 2020, he stepped into Jewish camping full-time as the executive director at Camp Laurelwood, where he successfully guided the agency through the pandemic, grew fundraising and grant revenue, took new programs from vision to successful execution in partnership with community agencies around the state, and oversaw the creation of a strategic vision to guide the organization into the future.

Greene has a bachelor’s degree in Holocaust and Judaic studies from Florida Atlantic University, and a master’s degree in Hebrew letters rabbinic ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.

“One of the important lessons of the last three years is the importance of having a community that reflects our values,” he said. “Jewish Family Service is an organization that is deeply committed to the most cherished values of the Jewish community and of the greater community in Western Massachusetts. It is an honor to be able to carry forward that work in the years ahead.”

Massachusetts Connects TAFDC Families with Jobs in Healthcare, Education

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The Department of Transitional Assistance’s DTA Works internship program launched two new career tracks in healthcare and education that support recipients of Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) on their pathway to economic mobility. These public-private-partnership internship opportunities lead to employment in high-demand labor markets.

“Offering low-income individuals and families opportunities to explore exciting careers through DTA Works is not only critical to supporting their success, but the continued and future success of our Massachusetts economy, particularly in these high-need workforce areas,” said Marylou Sudders, secretary of Health and Human Services. “Innovative initiatives and important partnerships like these address the needs of the whole family, connecting parents and caregivers with career pathways that match their goals, and providing transportation, childcare, and other supports to allow families to fully participate, which are all essential in helping to break the cycle of poverty.”

DTA’s two new tracks focused on the healthcare and para-educator sectors were created in response to TAFDC households’ feedback that there needs to be more preparatory programs that lead to direct hire.

One program, the DTA Works Health Administration Services Training internship, is facilitated through a partnership with Mass General Brigham and Project Hope. This program includes a six-week health administration training program through Project Hope and a paid three-month internship with Mass General Brigham.

DTA Works has also partnered with Holyoke Community College (HCC), Springfield Public Schools (SPS), Springfield Federation of Paraprofessionals, and Springfield WORKS to deliver a new para-educator training class and internship track. Interns receive five weeks of job-readiness training, two weeks of para-educator job-specific training, and an in-person internship within a participating public school.

All DTA Works interns receive a mentor and financial coaching to help them plan and achieve their goals and support their successful entry or re-entry into full employment, along with a monthly stipend. DTA also provides employment-focused supports, including for childcare and transportation. These programs are built on a two-generation approach that helps parents and their children to make progress together and provides interventions that can help break the cycle of multi-generational poverty.

“The administration has been working to shift our DTA Works internship program to focus on employment pipelines in high-demand sectors that provide whole-family support in addition to education and training,” Department of Transitional Assistance Acting Commissioner Mary Sheehan said. “Establishing new tracks in this program was a collaborative opportunity to assist more individuals in achieving their economic-mobility goals by providing them with more than just a job placement. DTA looks forward to the success of future cohorts through these partnerships, providing families that receive DTA benefits with more opportunities to achieve their economic goals.”

Anne Kandilis, director of Springfield WORKS, added that “Springfield WORKS teamed up with the DTA Works coordinator for the west and central regions to bring a DTA Works career-track program to Springfield. We agreed that the para-educator track was a great career track and a much-needed program for our community. Thankfully, HCC and SPS agreed. This type of whole-family collaboration, with employers at the table, is part of the mission of Springfield WORKS to have thriving communities where economic opportunity and well-being is possible for all. The DTA Works internship program will serve as a scalable model in building career pathways to living-wage jobs in other ‘opportunity occupations’ in our region.”

Workplace Safety Grants Awarded to Train 1,356 Employees

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration announced $800,000 in workplace-safety grants awarded to 99 Massachusetts-based and operating employers, which will help prevent workplace injuries by training 1,356 employees.

On behalf of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, the Department of Industrial Accidents Office of Safety is responsible for administering and managing the workplace-safety grant program, budgeted at $800,000 annually. The program’s goal is to promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace through training, education, and other preventive instruction for employees and employers, as well as organizations operating within the Commonwealth and covered by Massachusetts workers’ compensation law.

This latest round of workplace-safety grants (FY 2023) includes awardees representing historically underserved communities, veterans, women-owned businesses, municipalities, small businesses, and startups. The most common topics from the proposals included compliance, such as OSHA 10-hour and 30-hour training; and prevention-based training, such as defensive driving, hoisting, first aid and CPR, and ergonomics. Click here to see the full list of 99 grant recipients.

“Keeping the Commonwealth’s workforce safe is important to both employees and employers as well as the greater community,” said Rosalin Acosta, secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. “These safety grants will provide training and education that helps promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace. I congratulate all awardees and appreciate their commitment to their employees’ well-being.”

STCC Awarded $1.17 Million to Expand Adult-education Services

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) received $1,174,200 in state funding to expand adult-education services after submitting for a competitive grant.

The Baker-Polito administration announced historic funding amounts to STCC and 73 other adult-education providers and seven correctional institutions in the state. The awards total $250 million over the next five years.

“We are thrilled and grateful to the Baker administration for this funding to expand our adult-education programs offered to the community,” STCC President John Cook said. “I appreciate the successful efforts by Assistant Vice President for Workforce Development Gladys Franco in submitting for this competitive grant. STCC’s funding was among the top 10 largest amounts awarded.”

Statewide, adult education services will expand to new programs not currently funded and provide 5,000 total seats for adult basic education students and more than 16,000 for adult English learners.

The Workforce Development Center at STCC provides free adult education through the Springfield Adult Learning Center. The community can take classes to further their education by obtaining a high-school equivalency certificate, which includes preparing for a GED or HiSET exam; developing computer, email, or internet skills; learning English as a second language; or enrolling as a student at STCC after earning a high-school equivalency certificate.

“We have been offering high-quality adult-education classes in Springfield for years, and this funding represents a big step forward in expanding programs,” Franco said. “I’m proud that the Springfield Adult Learning Center has transformed so many lives. Students have found fulfilling employment or have gone on to receive their degree from STCC to prepare for a career. Thank you to the Baker-Polito administration and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for supporting our efforts.”

STCC will receive funding for fiscal 2024, which starts July 1, 2023. Adult basic education is funded through a combination of state and federal funds, including the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Title II.

“This historic level of funding to adult-education service providers across the Commonwealth will open up additional seats for adult learners to gain knowledge and career skills,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “These grants will benefit not only residents, but employers and communities across the Commonwealth.”

The administration states that the funds will help eligible individuals obtain knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency; assist eligible individuals attain a secondary-school credential and transition to post-secondary education and training; assist immigrants and other individuals who are English learners; and help parents gain education and knowledge to become full partners in the educational development of their children.

“The goal is to foster collaborations within communities that enhance student success in higher education and employment,” Education Secretary James Peyser said. “We are very pleased to award this historic level of funding that ensures there are significant resources available to many more adult students across the Commonwealth for years to come.”

Anyone interested in applying for classes at the Springfield Adult Learning Center can visit stcc.edu/salc.

State Announces $750,000 in Grants to Buy Local Organizations

By
Daily News

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration awarded $750,000 in grants to support the efforts of nine regional Buy Local organizations, which work to help generate consumer awareness and demand for locally grown food products while at the same time improving logistical access to these important food sources.

Through these Buy Local grants, organizations will partner with the administration to achieve shared goals, such as ensuring access to sustainable food, educating the consumer to understand local food sources, and elevating the interest and demand for fresh, nutritious products to enhance the consumption of local products and economically support the Massachusetts agricultural industry.

“Regional Buy Local organizations have long recognized the importance of working to support environmental-justice population neighborhoods across Massachusetts, and these grants will further their efforts to reach many more people about the advantages of buying local produce and other products,” Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beth Card said. “Enhancing partnerships and collaborative efforts with farmers and other stakeholders will greatly expand both food access and the local economy.”

The grants awarded in Western Mass. include $86,886.83 to Berkshire Grown in Great Barrington and $87,000 to CISA in South Deerfield.

“The local food system here in Massachusetts has the strong support of our Legislature,” state Rep. Natalie Blais said. “We are grateful for the efforts of our Buy Local organizations in supporting farmers, educating consumers, and increasing demand for healthy, local food.”

Bank of America’s Support for Massachusetts Food Relief Tops $1,175,000 in 2022

By
Daily News

BOSTON — Bank of America announced a $275,000 donation to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the Greater Boston Food Bank, Lovin’ Spoonfuls, and the Worcester County Food Bank to help address food insecurity in the state. The donation is part of a unique program to encourage bank employees to support the health and safety of their teammates and help address one of the most critical needs facing communities: food insecurity.

As part of this program, Bank of America donated $50 to local hunger-relief organizations on behalf of employees who got their annual flu shot and an additional $50 donation for those who received and recorded their coronavirus vaccine booster before Nov. 23.

An estimated 15.9% of households were food-insecure in Massachusetts at the end of 2021, according to Project Bread. Hunger-relief organizations in the state and around the country are facing a set of increasing challenges as they confront an ongoing pandemic and rising food prices.

The $275,000 donation builds on the bank’s first phase of the vaccine campaign, which resulted in $575,000 raised earlier this year. Along with other financial support, Bank of America has given more than $1,175,000 to help fight hunger in Massachusetts in 2022.

The overall commitment is part of the bank’s longstanding efforts to address hunger relief and support the health and safety of its employees and community. As a result of these efforts, Bank of America has committed nearly $19 million to local hunger-relief organizations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as to the World Central Kitchen and World Food Programme globally.

“Households facing food insecurity know they can turn to their local food pantry or meal site to help them get through challenging times,” said Andrew Morehouse, executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. “Behind the constellation of frontline emergency feeding sites across the Commonwealth is a network of regional food banks that supply most of the food and in turn depend on the greater community for support, including corporate leaders like Bank of America.”

Miceal Chamberlain, president of Bank of America Massachusetts, added that “individuals and families throughout our community are coping with financial hardship this holiday season. Food banks, in turn, are experiencing a surge in need, in many cases from people who’ve never relied on their services. Our employees are devoted to giving back and making a difference to improve their communities.”

Barry Elementary Joins Eligibility Period of Massachusetts School Building Authority

By
Daily News

CHICOPEE — State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, chair of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy announced that the MSBA board of directors voted to invite Anna E. Barry Elementary School in Chicopee into the MSBA’s eligibility period.

Out of numerous statements of interest, Barry was one of only 10 schools invited to join the eligibility period of the MSBA CORE grant program. The city and school district will work directly with the MSBA over the next year to conduct a feasibility study during which a project manager and design firm will determine the most cost-effective and educationally appropriate design for a new school building.

During a Zoom meeting, interim Superintendent Alvin Morton, state Rep. Jake Oliveria, and Mayor John Vieau presented to the Massachusetts School Building Assistance Board their support to renovate or replace the outdated Barry Elementary School, which was built in 1963. Letters of support for the project were also submitted by state Sens. John Velis and Adam Gomez.

Congressman Neal Secures More Than $20 Million for Local Projects

By
Daily News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal announced the inclusion of $20,367,800 in community project funds in the final 2023 appropriations government-funding package.

“I am proud to have secured $20,367,800 in community project funding in this bill that I know meets long-overdue community needs in Massachusetts’s 1st Congressional District,” Neal said. “From North Adams to Dudley, I have partnered with community leaders to explore ways in which a robust investment in federal dollars could best be allocated. These investments create jobs with better pay, make us safer, strengthen our communities, and start to tackle climate change.”

Neal championed funding for 15 projects, including:

• $1,000,000 for the Back Office Support Services Program and Vendor Advisory Council;

• $750,000 for the 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield capital improvement project;

• $1,000,000 for Bay Path University in Longmeadow, for wraparound academic and student-support services;

• $2,854,800 for the city of Chicopee for a water-pollution control facility;

• $3,000,000 for the cybersecurity range at Union Station in Springfield, for both the program and equipment;

• $1,000,000 for Elms College in Chicopee, for social sciences and education curriculum and programming, including scholarships and equipment;

• $750,000 for the historic Lenox Town Hall roof and rotunda restoration project;

• $3,000,000 for the historic Wahconah Park grandstand improvement project;

• $200,000 for the Hoosic River Basin;

• $620,000 for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, for a nursing program, including equipment;

• $513,000 for the Mental Health Assoc. Inc. in Springfield, for mental-health services, including technology and equipment;

• $680,000 for Nichols College in Dudley, for an intelligent business-automation program, including equipment;

• $2,000,000 for the renovation of the Girls Inc. of the Valley headquarters and program center;

• $1,000,000 for Westfield State University, for a nursing and health sciences program, including equipment; and

• $2,000,000 for the Worthington Senior Center.

The 12-bill government-funding program has passed the House and Senate and will now go to President Biden’s desk for his signature.

STCC Awarded $180,000 for Hunger Free Campus Initiative

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) received a $180,000 state grant to help students facing food insecurity. The Baker-Polito administration awarded the multi-year Hunger Free Campus Initiative grant award for FY 2023-24.

“We want to thank you for your commitment to increasing access to academic opportunities for students of color and students experiencing food insecurity,” Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito stated in a letter to STCC President John Cook. “Your commitment to transform higher-education institutional cultures to center equity-minded support services for students is commendable, particularly as the Commonwealth engages in post-COVID efforts to both retain and prepare our future workforce.”

The Hunger Free Campus Initiative, a grant program funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, is intended to support college students who are experiencing food insecurity to reduce barriers to success.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, the need to address hunger and food security has been exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased inflation. The Hunger Free Campus Initiative makes funding available to campuses to increase their capacity to develop or improve upon food-security programming. In October, Cook was among the 15 Massachusetts community-college presidents who urged state legislators to support establishing the initiative into law.

The presidents wrote, “as we move beyond the pandemic, we have a shared commitment to ensure that our students are well-trained and ready to contribute to the workforce after graduation. But with the high cost of living in Massachusetts, including the increasing cost of food, many of our students find themselves without adequate access to food as they try to complete their education. We also know that food insecurity on many of our campuses disproportionately impacts Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ students. Our students should not have to choose between food and their textbooks or rent, nor can they learn successfully if their basic needs are not met.”

STCC, the only technical community college in Massachusetts, is a designated Hispanic Serving Institution. About 30% of the student body are Latino, Latina, or Latinx.

“We are thrilled and grateful to receive this grant from the Baker administration,” Cook said. “By directly targeting food insecurity, we are helping our most vulnerable students meet their basic needs, which helps them continue studying at STCC and moving closer to their goal of graduating.”

STCC is committed to supporting students both in and outside of the classroom. Located on the STCC campus, the Center for Access Services (CAS) provides students with a broad range of non-academic supports. CAS is dedicated to helping students overcome non-academic barriers impacting their ability to stay in school, with the goal of increasing self-sufficiency.

“This grant will strengthen our program and enhance our efforts to provide groceries and meals to students facing food insecurity,” said Jose Lopez-Figueroa, director of CAS.

The Center for Access Services offers food assistance to students in need of help as well as other supports to help them overcome challenges, which include but are not limited to financial challenges, homelessness, substance abuse, and access to various state and federal benefits. The center includes the RAM Mini Mart, which is a food pantry offering groceries, personal-hygiene products, and other basic household necessities.

MGC to Hold Public Hearing on Untethered Category-3 Sports-wagering Licenses

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Daily News

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 3 regarding the six applications for untethered category-3 sports-wagering licenses. The 10 a.m. hearing is meant to provide the public an opportunity to comment on the applications.

Those wishing to speak at the hearing should email [email protected] in advance to be placed on the list of speakers. Alternatively, written comments may also be submitted to the same email address with ‘Category 3­ Untethered Public Comment’ in the subject line. Written comments are preferred in advance of the hearing but will be accepted on a rolling basis by the commission.

Applications for untethered category-3 licenses have been submitted to the commission from Bally’s Interactive LLC, Betfair Interactive US LLC (d/b/a FanDuel), Betr Holdings Inc., Crown MA Gaming LLC (d/b/a DraftKings), Digital Gaming Corp. USA, and PointsBet Massachusetts LLC.

Meetings regarding those applications are expected to be held in the days and weeks following Tuesday’s hearing. More information on those meeting dates, times, and schedules is soon to follow.

A livestream of the Jan. 3 hearing will be available at massgaming.com.

Franklin-Hampshire CASA Receives $31,000 Grant

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Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Franklin-Hampshire CASA has been awarded a $31,000 needs-based grant from the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian Ad Litem Assoc. for Children (CASA/GAL).

Franklin-Hampshire CASA recruits, trains, and supports volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. The national CASA/GAL needs-based grants are designed to help sustain the capacity of local programs to recruit, screen, train, supervise, and retain CASA/GAL volunteers while maintaining quality advocacy and supporting initiatives to increase the number of children served. The $31,000 grant will enable Franklin-Hampshire CASA to focus on sustaining service to qualifying children in Franklin and Hampshire counties.

“This funding will allow us to continue providing integral support for the children in our CASA program and to continue to bring quality-level training to our current and future volunteers,” said Debi Belkin, director of Programs at Friends of Children.

There are 950 state CASA/GAL organizations and local CASA/GAL programs operating in 49 states (all but North Dakota) and the District of Columbia.

Friends of Children was formed as a nonprofit child-advocate organization in 1990 to address the needs of high-risk children who are not readily supported by systems designed to protect them and encourage their full participation in society. Friends of Children has provided child-advocacy services to more than 15,000 children, 99% of whom are low-income.

STCC Receives Funding to Empower Latina Students

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) was awarded a $25,000 grant to provide mentorship and resources to Latina and low-income female students.

The funding from KPMG U.S. Foundation Inc. will support an STCC diversity program called Business Leaders Owning Opportunity Matters (BLOOM).

BLOOM Bridge empowers female-identifying Latinas from low-income households who may be interested in majoring in a business program, a business career, or transferring into a business program at a four-year college or university.

Grant funding from KPMG’s Reaching New Heights Program will be used to provide career exploration, peer mentoring, tutoring, academic support, and tuition for two one-credit business courses. Students will also gain access to career networking and mentoring advice from leaders in accounting, marketing, management, and entrepreneurship fields.

“We’re very pleased that the efforts of professor Rhoda Belemjian and Assistant Dean Emilie Clucas Leaderman in submitting for this competitive KPMG grant were successful and look forward to continued collaboration with KPMG,” said Geraldine de Berly, STCC’s vice president of Academic Affairs.

Richard Greco, dean of the School of Liberal and Professional Studies, added that “we are grateful to KPMG for supporting our efforts to remove barriers for underrepresented students. By removing the barrier of cost for underrepresented students, STCC seeks to strengthen partnerships and enhance existing diversity pipelines with local high schools.”

Anita Whitehead, philanthropy leader and chair of KPMG U.S. Foundation, noted that “the KPMG U.S. Foundation is proud to announce that it has awarded five institutions a total of $125,000 in funding for the inaugural year of our Reaching New Heights Program.”

Reaching New Heights is a grant and matching-gift program designed to promote access and equity in higher education, increase awareness of pipeline diversity at institutions, and create opportunities for collaboration between KPMG professionals and educators. According to KPMG, each selected institution will receive a $25,000 grant to fund a new or existing diversity program and participate in a 2:1 match up to $500,000 in eligible donations made by KPMG professionals, partners, and retired partners.

This program aligns with KPMG’s Accelerate 2025 commitment to advance equity in both its workplace and society by providing enhanced access to meaningful opportunities to help develop a more diverse workforce for the future.

STCC offers several diversity programs for students, including the Female Initiative for Leadership and Education (Lead) program, which provides leadership opportunities, one-on-one mentoring, and networking with business and community leaders. BLOOM students will automatically be enrolled in the Lead program to enhance their academic and career success in the business career or transfer programs.

“BLOOM is a terrific opportunity for our underrepresented female students,” said Karolyn Burgos Toribio, Community Outreach counselor for the Lead program, who benefited from Lead when she was a student at STCC. “We look forward to helping students in the BLOOM Bridge program by empowering them to pursue a career in business, while also helping them in their leadership development and self-development. The program will also help students build networks and offer community-engagement opportunities. My time in the Lead program helped me become the woman I am today. It helped me acquire leadership skills, build my network, and provided me with mentorship support that I am eternally grateful for.”

Another support program, the Male Initiative for Leadership and Education (MILE), provides academic support, workshops, community involvement, experiences in leadership, and mentors to male students on campus who wish to participate.

STCC, the only technical community college in Massachusetts, is a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution. Colleges with an Hispanic student population of at least 25% are eligible for the designation. Latino, Latina, and Latinx students make up more than 30% of the student population at STCC.

To donate to the BLOOM program, visit stcc.edu/supportbloom.

Girls Inc. of the Valley Welcomes New Board Members

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — Girls Inc. of the Valley recently welcomed five new members to its board of directors: Nikai Fondon, George Keady, Alaina Macaulay, Cheri Mills, and Ciara Speller. These new members join the current board of directors to support strategic planning to map out the future of the organization.

Fondon has worked at Marketing Doctor Inc. since January as a marketing specialist and previously worked at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) as a donor-engagement coordinator and scholarship program associate for four years. She currently serves as a board member for the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield (YPS). She has been a panelist for the 2020 Girls and Racism Virtual Town Hall and has worked with Girls Inc. teens on creative writing and marketing projects. She was recognized as a Dream Maker at Spirit of Girls 2022.

Keady has worked at UBS Financial Services/Wealth Management in Springfield for 39 years and, upon retirement this year, was a managing director. He has served as a board member for CFWM and Saint Michael’s College, and was a chairperson for Glenmeadow Retirement Community and Bay Path University. He has been a long-time champion for girls and friend of Girls Inc.

Macaulay is the senior director for Inclusion and Strategic Engagement at UMass Amherst. She worked previously at UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management for three years as the executive director of Diversity and Inclusion and, before that, at Elms College as the director of Diversity and Inclusion for two years. She has been involved with Girls Inc. through support of the 2020 Girls and Racism Virtual Town Hall. She currently serves as a board member for YPS and Chester Theatre Co.

Mills has worked at PeoplesBank for eight years as a Business Banking manager and is currently the assistant vice president. She has been involved with Girls Inc. as a volunteer through the finance committee this past year. She also served on the corporate and community impact committee and helped secure sponsorship commitments for Spirit of Girls 2022.

Speller has worked at WWLP as an evening anchor for five years. She has been involved with Girls Inc. for the past couple of years, including as the moderator for the 2020 Girls and Racism Virtual Town Hall and host for Spirit of Girls 2021. She and WWLP did the news broadcast live for Spirit of Girls 2022 on location at the Big E, where she was also a recipient of a Girls Inc. Dream Maker award. She also serves as a board member for the nonprofit I Found Light Against All Odds.

Discount Tickets on Sale for 2023 Big E

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Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Christmas may be over, but the Big E Under the Tree holiday special, offering discount tickets and value passes for the 2023 Big E, continues through New Year’s Day, online at www.thebige.com and at the box office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The 2023 fair will run from Sept. 15 to Oct. 1. Ticket options available include single-day admission tickets, $12 for adults, $8 for children ages 6-12; Midway Magic vouchers, $30; opening-day tickets, $10; 17-day value passes, $50 for adults, $20 for children ages 6-12 (offer includes four free giant slide tickets for each value pass sold); and cream puff and eclair vouchers, $30 for a six-pack of any combination of cream puffs and eclairs.

All tickets, passes, and vouchers are print-at-home documents. To learn more, visit www.thebige.com/holidaytickets.

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